HST communications 201

From the West:

Dear Brothers:

The year went by fast, didn’t it? Our next communication will be the annual Harry S Truman Lodge Festive Board. It’s been a fun time each and every year, and this year will be no exception.

From the West I would like to wish W.'.M.'.Matty Donovan, the Officers, and all the Brothers of our lodge, a Joyous Holiday Season and a Happy New Year.

Time to charge the cannons! See you all at the Festive Board.

Fraternally,
Frank L. Parker
Senior Warden

FROM THE RAM MAGAZINE NEW YORK EDITOR R. E. Harvey A. Eysman

We think that Masonry is the only function of the Lodges, the Chapters, and the Councils. Who could possibly disagree with that? Masonry prides itself upon a tradition that dates back to the middle-ages, and it claims to maintain a certain continuity with that past. But something has happened; something has been lost; something is missing.

There are too many distractions imposed upon the leadership of our Lodges, Chapters, and Councils. And many of them issue from the Grand Bodies themselves. These impediments to effective function, like barnacles that besiege a stately ship, have encumbered the flow of our efforts, and in many instances, have dissolved the resolution of those who would seek a straighter heading. And a fog of tedium and apathy often obscures what is most important is Masonry, forcing us to pursue a phantom of what we once were, never knowing that it passes us by quietly in the night.

We have said it before, but now, more than ever, we think it is time for the Craft to turn back to what it was some two hundred years ago.

Before the establishment of the first Grand Lodge in England, Masonry was an independent animal that roamed and hunted as it wished. It stuck to its primal instincts, apparently in response to some inner compulsion that drove it successfully through seven hundred years of evolution.

From the middle of the Fourteenth Century through the beginning of the Eighteenth Century, we enjoyed the growth of an vigorous vine of development in the Craft. We see the seed of it in an early document the Regis Manuscript and it blossomed into a body of Masonic lore that has inspired men of quality and distinction to seek in its fragrant incense a unity of minds and morals.

The formation of the Grand Lodge of England (frequently known as the "Moderns") was a good thing, for it put into perspective the entire range of Masonic endeavors, and cataloged the "Immemorial" Lodges, as they were called, that existed at that time and at that age. As the years passed, the Lodges that applied to the Grand body for membership increased in number and size. And in every place wherein Masonry thereafter developed, men of accomplishment sought acceptance; the Lodges grew, and the new Grand Lodges grew. But as well constructed as this progression was, it has altered the design of the oldest Masonic concept men of a similar social and intellectual comfort.

We notice the alteration first at the nominal formation of the "Moderns" Grand Lodge in 1717, and by 1721, when the Anderson Constitutions were adopted, the Grand Lodge had already codified a set of Regulations to administer the so-called "Immemorial Lodges." The wild, independent animal was no more; his roaming and hunting were confined by boundaries. The Grand Lodge began to consolidate the various rituals and ceremonies that abounded in England (and that still exist in diverse forms, rather than in a single, Standard Work), and even the Masonic symbols that had evolved over so many centuries were amended and removed as deemed appropriate by the new Grand Lodge. Indeed, changes were unbridled.

By the middle of the Eighteenth Century, however, an attempt was made to restore an older, more traditional form of Masonry. A substantial number of English Masons formed a bloc seeking to reinstate earlier Masonic practices and to re-adopt older symbols; they subsequently formed a new Grand Lodge, known as the "Antients," the practices of which reverted to the principles and symbols that existed prior to the formation of the "Moderns" Grand Lodge. The two English Grand bodies ultimately resolved their respective differences (although it took until 1813 a half century), and the United Grand Lodge of England was formed and still exists; but the schism, we can now see in retrospect, reflects a condition that is significant to us today.

It was not the contre-temps of individual Masons that precipitated the ideological differences in the Crafts, nor was a conflict between individual Lodges; it was, rather, a manifestation of the natural development of society and of social groups that caused this evolution of purpose and of direction. There was nothing wrong with strong leadership; there was nothing wrong with organization; there was nothing wrong with standardization. What went wrong was that People got in the way of the Institution. The "idea" was still there, but someone wanted to make it better, and the way to make it better always seems to be change it!

The changes, in all fairness, were to accommodate a changing world. The revisions were principally to eliminate pagan references and symbols that endured from rural Lodges, and as many clerics were involved in the Fraternity at the inception of the Grand Lodge in England. the introduction of a Christian-Judeo interpretation of those symbols was inevitable.

As the principal religion among the peasant classes of Great Britain during the middle-ages was a form of pagan nature worship, Immemorial Lodges that had evolved in those rural areas adopted the symbols and references most familiar to their members were. And since many Lodges had rural origins at that time, it was only natural that most Masonic symbolism reflected the objects to which the people were accustomed and to which they attributed importance; even though the meaning of the symbols that were adopted had no relationship to their pagan religious concepts at the Masonic level, it was out of-step with the flow of modern thought.

And so, as the society developed, Masonry developed. As then, as more modern times approached, more changes and procedural alterations were adopted. By the Time of the notorious Morgan Affair in New York State, the anti-Masonic feelings generated by this cataclysmic event precipitated an entirely new approach to Masonry.

Masons now met in fear of condemnation; they enacted regulations against eating, drinking and other so-called intemperate activities within the Lodge; whatever could be done to eradicate the image of an immoderate, undisciplined Fraternity was implemented. And Masonry began to loose the threads of its original cloth.

And as society grew, things got worse. Today, our modern world imposes upon us stresses and obligations, complications and requirements, that press upon us sorely in our daily lives and limit the level of our social interaction, not only in our Lodges, Chapters and Councils, but in our normal, every-day dealings with people.

Because of the impositions forced upon us by the Anti-Masonic character of the "new" society, our Masonic meetings, changed by Grand Lodge edict, have often deteriorate into a tiresome series of reports and business confrontations; Lodges that own buildings spend inordinate efforts worrying and dealing with the financial problems of maintaining the structure; except for the occasional Degree, the Lodge, or the Chapter, or the Council is void of Masonic activity, and the guest speakers, if any are ever invited, are typically from the I.R.S., the local police, an investment brokerage firm, or some other unrelated organ of the community.

Has anyone stopped to think lately about what this Masonry thing is supposed to be all about? Have we forgotten that we meet as Friends and Brothers, not to discuss business (even Masonic business), but rather to share a few hours of companionship among those who hold dear the principles and the traditions of a gentler age that somehow slipped away? Is it no longer possible to meet as gentlemen, without a defined pursuit, without a charitable goal, without a need to justify, without the pressure of accomplishment-seeking? It should be enough that we enjoy our friends' company and that we can obtain some respite from the exigencies of our high-powered, high-pressured, high-tech, high-everything world. Is not this what Masonry originally was, and is it not what Masonry should be?

Perhaps the time has come to restore some of the old values. Meeting as regularly as we do throughout the year imposes a burden upon a Masonic leader that, today, may be unreasonable. It inhibits Past Masters and Past High Priests from taking the "Chair" again, and for those who do, family, social, and business pressures obstruct the level of performance that leads to success. With fewer and fewer members willing to move into the East, the only recourse, if a Past leader is unwilling to assume the office, is to let the Lodge or the Chapter or the Council dwindle away.

The solution, however, is clear. We need to redirect our efforts to those original concepts that made Masonry popular and successful. Meeting less frequently; meeting in an atmosphere of conviviality; meeting for Masonic social purposes. This is a start. We should be allowed to meet at Table, to share a meal and a moderate libation, to transact our work while we enjoy the comforts of relaxation and refreshment. We must get our priorities in order. We must to get back to Masonry.

Fall 2009

MASONIC EDUCATION:
in Room 931 on 23rd Street, from 10 AM to 3 PM

MASONIC DEVELOPMENT COURSE
24 inch

Will meet on the 4th Monday of the month in Room 931, started September 22, from 7 PM to 10 PM. For addition information, contact:

R.'.W.'.Joseph E. Ruiz,
Grand Director of Ceremonies
of the
Grand Lodge of the State of New York
(Home) 631-543-6282,
(Cell) 516-381-6346
email: jeruiz001@yahoo.com

2009
December 6 - Florida 8th Masonic District Luncheon
December 18 - Lodge Dark Until January 21, 2010 Meeting

2010
January 21 - Lodge of Remembrance
February 4 - Master Mason Degree
February 18 - General Meeting
March 3 - Foundation Meeting
March 7 - Masons & Family Dedicated Breakfast
March 18 - Move-up Night
March 15 - Grand Lecturer's Convention, James W. Husted/Fiat Lux Lodge
March 22 - 8th District Mason of the Year Dinner
April 1 - Master Mason Degree
April 15 - Homecoming
May 1 - District Deputy & Staff Testimonial Dinner
May 4-5 - 228th Annual Communication of Grand Lodge
May 6 - Election of Officers
May 20 - Installation
June 3 - New Master's Meeting
June 7 - Idaho Night, James W. Husted/Fiat Lux Lodge
June 25-27 - St John's Weekend, Utica, New York

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Lodge Foundation	Lodge Officers	Truman Memorabilia	Extra Photos	Masonic Compact	Annual Fishing Trip
Contact Us	Lodge Communications	Lodge Petition	Whats New at HST	Famous Freemasons	Masonic Links

*WHENCE CAME YOU WHITHER ARE YOU TRAVELING?* FROM THE RAM MAGAZINE NEW YORK EDITOR R. E. Harvey A. Eysman
We think that Masonry is the only function of the Lodges, the Chapters, and the Councils. Who could possibly disagree with that? Masonry prides itself upon a tradition that dates back to the middle-ages, and it claims to maintain a certain continuity with that past. But something has happened; something has been lost; something is missing. There are too many distractions imposed upon the leadership of our Lodges, Chapters, and Councils. And many of them issue from the Grand Bodies themselves. These impediments to effective function, like barnacles that besiege a stately ship, have encumbered the flow of our efforts, and in many instances, have dissolved the resolution of those who would seek a straighter heading. And a fog of tedium and apathy often obscures what is most important is Masonry, forcing us to pursue a phantom of what we once were, never knowing that it passes us by quietly in the night. We have said it before, but now, more than ever, we think it is time for the Craft to turn back to what it was some two hundred years ago. Before the establishment of the first Grand Lodge in England, Masonry was an independent animal that roamed and hunted as it wished. It stuck to its primal instincts, apparently in response to some inner compulsion that drove it successfully through seven hundred years of evolution. From the middle of the Fourteenth Century through the beginning of the Eighteenth Century, we enjoyed the growth of an vigorous vine of development in the Craft. We see the seed of it in an early document the Regis Manuscript and it blossomed into a body of Masonic lore that has inspired men of quality and distinction to seek in its fragrant incense a unity of minds and morals. The formation of the Grand Lodge of England (frequently known as the "Moderns") was a good thing, for it put into perspective the entire range of Masonic endeavors, and cataloged the "Immemorial" Lodges, as they were called, that existed at that time and at that age. As the years passed, the Lodges that applied to the Grand body for membership increased in number and size. And in every place wherein Masonry thereafter developed, men of accomplishment sought acceptance; the Lodges grew, and the new Grand Lodges grew. But as well constructed as this progression was, it has altered the design of the oldest Masonic concept men of a similar social and intellectual comfort. We notice the alteration first at the nominal formation of the "Moderns" Grand Lodge in 1717, and by 1721, when the Anderson Constitutions were adopted, the Grand Lodge had already codified a set of Regulations to administer the so-called "Immemorial Lodges." The wild, independent animal was no more; his roaming and hunting were confined by boundaries. The Grand Lodge began to consolidate the various rituals and ceremonies that abounded in England (and that still exist in diverse forms, rather than in a single, Standard Work), and even the Masonic symbols that had evolved over so many centuries were amended and removed as deemed appropriate by the new Grand Lodge. Indeed, changes were unbridled. By the middle of the Eighteenth Century, however, an attempt was made to restore an older, more traditional form of Masonry. A substantial number of English Masons formed a bloc seeking to reinstate earlier Masonic practices and to re-adopt older symbols; they subsequently formed a new Grand Lodge, known as the "Antients," the practices of which reverted to the principles and symbols that existed prior to the formation of the "Moderns" Grand Lodge. The two English Grand bodies ultimately resolved their respective differences (although it took until 1813 a half century), and the United Grand Lodge of England was formed and still exists; but the schism, we can now see in retrospect, reflects a condition that is significant to us today. It was not the contre-temps of individual Masons that precipitated the ideological differences in the Crafts, nor was a conflict between individual Lodges; it was, rather, a manifestation of the natural development of society and of social groups that caused this evolution of purpose and of direction. There was nothing wrong with strong leadership; there was nothing wrong with organization; there was nothing wrong with standardization. What went wrong was that People got in the way of the Institution. The "idea" was still there, but someone wanted to make it better, and the way to make it better always seems to be change it!	The changes, in all fairness, were to accommodate a changing world. The revisions were principally to eliminate pagan references and symbols that endured from rural Lodges, and as many clerics were involved in the Fraternity at the inception of the Grand Lodge in England. the introduction of a Christian-Judeo interpretation of those symbols was inevitable. As the principal religion among the peasant classes of Great Britain during the middle-ages was a form of pagan nature worship, Immemorial Lodges that had evolved in those rural areas adopted the symbols and references most familiar to their members were. And since many Lodges had rural origins at that time, it was only natural that most Masonic symbolism reflected the objects to which the people were accustomed and to which they attributed importance; even though the meaning of the symbols that were adopted had no relationship to their pagan religious concepts at the Masonic level, it was out of-step with the flow of modern thought. And so, as the society developed, Masonry developed. As then, as more modern times approached, more changes and procedural alterations were adopted. By the Time of the notorious Morgan Affair in New York State, the anti-Masonic feelings generated by this cataclysmic event precipitated an entirely new approach to Masonry. Masons now met in fear of condemnation; they enacted regulations against eating, drinking and other so-called intemperate activities within the Lodge; whatever could be done to eradicate the image of an immoderate, undisciplined Fraternity was implemented. And Masonry began to loose the threads of its original cloth. And as society grew, things got worse. Today, our modern world imposes upon us stresses and obligations, complications and requirements, that press upon us sorely in our daily lives and limit the level of our social interaction, not only in our Lodges, Chapters and Councils, but in our normal, every-day dealings with people. Because of the impositions forced upon us by the Anti-Masonic character of the "new" society, our Masonic meetings, changed by Grand Lodge edict, have often deteriorate into a tiresome series of reports and business confrontations; Lodges that own buildings spend inordinate efforts worrying and dealing with the financial problems of maintaining the structure; except for the occasional Degree, the Lodge, or the Chapter, or the Council is void of Masonic activity, and the guest speakers, if any are ever invited, are typically from the I.R.S., the local police, an investment brokerage firm, or some other unrelated organ of the community. Has anyone stopped to think lately about what this Masonry thing is supposed to be all about? Have we forgotten that we meet as Friends and Brothers, not to discuss business (even Masonic business), but rather to share a few hours of companionship among those who hold dear the principles and the traditions of a gentler age that somehow slipped away? Is it no longer possible to meet as gentlemen, without a defined pursuit, without a charitable goal, without a need to justify, without the pressure of accomplishment-seeking? It should be enough that we enjoy our friends' company and that we can obtain some respite from the exigencies of our high-powered, high-pressured, high-tech, high-everything world. Is not this what Masonry originally was, and is it not what Masonry should be? Perhaps the time has come to restore some of the old values. Meeting as regularly as we do throughout the year imposes a burden upon a Masonic leader that, today, may be unreasonable. It inhibits Past Masters and Past High Priests from taking the "Chair" again, and for those who do, family, social, and business pressures obstruct the level of performance that leads to success. With fewer and fewer members willing to move into the East, the only recourse, if a Past leader is unwilling to assume the office, is to let the Lodge or the Chapter or the Council dwindle away. The solution, however, is clear. We need to redirect our efforts to those original concepts that made Masonry popular and successful. Meeting less frequently; meeting in an atmosphere of conviviality; meeting for Masonic social purposes. This is a start. We should be allowed to meet at Table, to share a meal and a moderate libation, to transact our work while we enjoy the comforts of relaxation and refreshment. We must get our priorities in order. We must to get back to Masonry. Fall 2009