Honored men... Masons in nation building

Title

Creator

Baradi, Mauro

Language

English

Year

1967

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

Honored Men... • Masons in Nation Building MW Mauro Baradi, PGM • (Remarks of Past Grand Master, MW Mauro Baradi, Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the Philippines, at the 56th Annual Convention of The George Washington Masonic Memorial Association, Alexandria, Virginia, February 22, 1966.) The Philippine Flag and the Association In 1954 or twelve years ago today, in my capacity as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of the Philippines, I had the honor of addressing the George Washington Masonic National Memorial Association at its 44th Annual Convention. On that occasion I presented the Association with the flag of the Philippines — as consecrated and honored by the Filipino people — inspired by a Freemason, General Emilio Aguinaldo, leader of the Philippine Revolution and President of the first Philippine Republic which was inaugurated on June 12, 1898. This great man and active Mason died in 1964 at the age of 95. Masonic Stone from the White House Also in 1951, the Grand Lodge of the Philippines was the recipient of a White House stone with Masonic marks, as a gift of President Harry S. Truman, Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Missouri; for this cherished memento, we from the Philippines reiterate our sincere thanks. The Grand Lodge of the Philippines To this, the 56th Annual Convention of the Association, I have come in the name of our Grand Master, MW Brother Serafin L. Teves, as well as that of the Grand Lodge of the Philippines. Our presence here as in the past, is evidence of our whole-hearted support of the objectives of the Association. Anything worthwhile in a Masonic organization is a credit to our Fraternity as a whole. Nation-Builders Let me state here, that in the history of the Philippines, Masons have assisted effectively in the task of nation-building. We may cite, among others, the following: (1) the Constitution of the Philippines adopted by the Philippine Constitutional Convention in 1935, was approved the same year by the President of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt, a Mason; (2) the Commonwealth of the Philippines which was inaugurated on November 15, 1935, had as its first President, Manuel L. Quezon, a Mason; (3) the Philippines was liberated from the Japanese in 1944 by the American forces under General Douglas MacArthur, a Mason; tlyoughout the Japanese occupation, the Filipinos gallantly resisted the enemy through underground work and guerrilla warfare; (1)) the Republic of the Philippines which was inaugurated on July 4, 1916, had for its first President, Manuel A. Roxas, a Mason; and (5) the United States which redeemed its pledge to grant independence to the Filipinos, sent as its first Ambassador to the Philippines, Paul V. McNutt, a Mason. These acts, Masonic in nature, have Turn to pago 3S APRIL, 1967 of protection from others that we arc willing to give them. If we want the Philippines to be a better place in which to live, let us start doing our share as Masons today!” This is only one example of a community problem to which the teachings of militant and dynamic Masonry may be applied. In the past, to many people, the leachings of Masonry are something away from the domain of reality, enveloped as they are in strange rituals and symbols. And the Masons arc looked upon as another people coining from another world. Nowadays, attitudes are changing. Dynamic Masonry is welcome as practical, livable in the lives of the people, a potential force in involving the citizens in the solution of community problems. Under the idea of involvement, once the people arc involved in their problems, the peoples' attitudes, their participation becomes more purposeful, more active, more productive of good results. But Society as it is has many defects and idiosyncracics, because the activities of men are either good or evil. We need leadership based on moral righteousness. Men of light and leading are few in a community, but it is incumbent upon them to contribute their share of leadership, otherwise, society will fall and decay. The Masons steeped in the philosophies and virtues of Dynamic Masonry are potential leaders. Leadership to lead must be by the power of examples, musi construct and build, not with stones and steel, but with men’s minds and hearts, so to speak, forged in the anvil of Jove and brotherhood. A FREEMASONS IN. . . From page 5 brought our two democratic countries and freedom-loving peoples closer to each other. And it is only through democracy that the objectives and teachings of Freemasonry can be realized. The Association and Its Great Work It is now twenty years since our second Republic was born. In remembrance of that historic event and on behalf of the Masons of the Philippines, I am happy to present to the Association for its Endowment Fund, a check for $20.00. May the Association continue its great work in keeping alive the message derived from the life and labors of George Washington, Man and Mason. A The Masonic Press Club of the Philippines is in the process of organization. Membership is by invitation only once and is limited to Master Masons who write for their Lodge newsletters, magazines, yearbooks, The Cabletow and other Masonic publications as well as for local and national publications of general interest. No invitations will be extended to non-writing writers. Junior members may be selected from DeMolays on application. The first bull session of the original group was held on March 31, 1967 and the first no-holdsbarred, off-the-record meeting will be held on April 27, 1967. Any Brother invited to join will be required to write a Masonic paper before he is given a membership card. One tradition they will establish is that their members are those “whom the lust of office does not kill, whom the spoils of office cannot buy". WB Oscar L. Fung has been designated Secretary-Treasurer. APRIL, 1967 35

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