Message from the Master

Brethren, 

I have conversed with many of you over the years and several of you have spoken of that special “moment” that you had in Masonry. Some when you raised a son, a close friend and once I spoke to a Brother that raised his father. I had always been envious of these Brothers and looked forward to having my “moment.” I have two sons, one of which is a DeMolay, so I thought that I may eventually have that “moment” if I was patient. Well Brethren, it has happened sooner than I thought, but to my surprise, the “moment” wasn’t mine alone.

My father is a Mason out of the State of Iowa; however, he now presides in Gainesville. The Grand Lodge of Iowa recently contacted our Grand Lodge with a request to present my father with his 50-year pin and certificate. Our Grand Lodge reached out to Hay Market Lodge No. 313 to present the award since they were the closest Lodge to his home. My father informed Hay Market Lodge that I was the Worshipful Master here at Unity and asked to have the presentation made by me. The Brothers at Hay Market were happy to facilitate his request and even traveled to Unity to be in attendance.

I was informed that I would be presenting this award to my father five days prior to our February stated communication so I hit the Presentation Manual hard in an effort to learn the Presentation of Fifty-Year Masonic Veterans’ Emblem. Of course, I became ill and was in no condition to retain anything let alone wanting to get out of bed. But I made my notes and arrived at Lodge with a hoarse voice and nagging cough determined to provide my father with the best that I was capable.

The Lodge room was packed with more Brothers than I have ever seen at one of our meetings. We had Fraternal visits from five different Lodges and had over 40+ in attendance. That night was to be the official visit of our District Deputy Grand Master, so no pressure being in the East, or as we like to refer to it as the “hot seat,” under those circumstances.

However, I can tell you that when Right Worshipful Dennis Haas and Right Worshipful Mike Bible escorted my father to the foot of the East to receive his honor, it was as if it was only the two of us were in attendance. I looked at my father and spoke the words of the presentation through my horse voice and no doubt reeking of honey lemon cough drops and once I was completed with the written words and really spoke of my father, I became quite emotional.

I am told that I spoke quite well as I introduced my father to the Brothers in the Lodge and spoke of what a good man that he was, but I don’t quite remember what I said or did.

My father standing beside me. A single tear that ran down his face. His embrace. Him telling me that he loved me. It was the “moment”, but it wasn’t mine. It was ours. If God permits me to live long enough to receive a Fifty-Year Emblem as my father did, I do not think that I will experience a more memorable night in Masonry, and I hardly remember the night at all. But I can still feel it.

Brethren, it is not about having that one moment that stands out in your memory. It is about sharing your life with the ones that you love. And I am happy that we could share our “moment” with all of you.

With this in mind I say, what a fantastic month February has been for Unity Lodge and for me in particular. Not only has the month seen the official visit of the District Deputy Grand Master and the raising of Brother Eric Broome to the sublime Degree of Master Mason, but it has now also seen the return of the Traveling Gavel to Unity after so many years. It will soon be taken away, but I am confident that we can get it returned this year, but only if you travel with me.

Please join us next month for our Past Master’s program. I am excited to see Worshipful Bill Wood, after an absence of 57 years, preside in the East as part of the program. We will be having Past Masters sitting at the various stations preforming ritual to open and close our Lodge as well as give us their insight on lessons learned for there time in the East. We will also be voting for the 2022 DDGM for District 3.

God Bless,

Charles