The past master's jewel

Title

Creator

Austin, Sidney F.

Language

English

Year

1957

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

ing your income, and stifling your voices. Religious dictators preach love and brotherhood while at the same time persecuting and spreading lies about peoples who differ from their beliefs.. How can you practice love when at the same time sow the seeds of hate? AU these are the result of not really loving our fellowmen in deed and in act as Jesus Christ have taught us to do, but of loving only our own ego, our own ambition to surpass everybody in order to rule one and al! with power and impunity, with money and slavery. Such selfish love can never attain peace and happiness within your own self. To wipe out hate, selfishness and greed, let us pray to God to give us more loving power, the power to love even those who hate or is against us that our love may strike a responsive chord within their hearts. With love in our hearts we will be able to practice that Masonic tenet of not trying to surpass anyone for our own good only, but of contriving who best can serve for the good of the many. Let us begin by praying to God for the salvation of all and beseech Him to wipe out all hatred and envy, but replace them with love in our hearts. For love can think of no evil, bears no malice, but wiD always be-ready to aid and assist everyone without distinction of race, color, creed, station, or nationality. For that is the only road, the only way to attain that Glorious Kingdom, the Heaven promised us in the Bible to our forefathers. Note: The above is the inaugural speech of Wor. Bro. Numeriano Millonado on the occasion of his installation as Master of Teodoro M. Kalaw Memorial Lodge No. 136 for the ensuing Masonic Year 1958. ---- oOo----THE PAST MASTER’S JEWEL By Sidney F. Austin, P.G.M. The custom of presenting a Past Master’s Jewel to an outgoing Master after he has completed his term of office is a fairly old one but not, as some believe, of "time immemorial descent, in fact, the first mention of a past master’s jewel that I have been able to find is dated during the year 1739 and this particular jewel was intended to designate the position of the immediate past master of the lodge and it was not until the year 1777 that a presentation of a past master’s jewel was made as an appreciation of a year’s work well done. Page 212 THE CABLCTOW Date .................................................. APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP The Secretary Masonic Hospital for Crippled Children, Inc. Plaridel Masonic Temple 1440 San Marcelino Street Manila, Philippines. Dear Brother, I enclose the amount of P ............................ Post Office Money Order No........................... or Check No........................................................... ......................................................... for my membership fees and/or dues (name of Bank) to the MASONIC HOSPITAL FOR CRIPPLED CHILDREN, as indicated by mark "X” in the corresponding parenthesis below: CLASSIFICATION OF MEMBERSHIP ( ) Life Member ........... P500.00 ( ) Sustaining Member.... PM0.00 yearly fees; after paying five (5) consecutive years, entitled to Life Membership ( ) Regular Member .... P 7.00; P5.00 entrance fee P 2.00 annual dues for which please send me the corresponding Receipt and Certificate of membership thereof. My Blue Lodge is ...................................................................................... My present address is ............................................................... Fraternally yours, Signature of Applicant Xtune of Applicant (Printed) The immediate past master of a lodge was authorized to wear a jewel as an indication of his position at about the same time that it became general for the Master and Wardens of a lodge to wear their jewels of office and as evidence of this I quote hereunder an excerpt from the minutes of the Mother Grand Lodge dated the 24th June 1727:— "Resolved that in all private lodges and Quarterly Communications and geneaal meetings, Master and Wardens do wear the Jewels of Masonry hanging on a white ribbon (viz) that the Master wear the Square, the Senior Warden the Levell, the Junior Warden the Plumb Line", unquote, apparently the Past Master’s Jewel was added to that list a few years later. From the proceedings of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge of research dated 1912, we can read an article dealing with An-iquity Lodge, one of the four “time-immemorial” lodges and which is still counted among the leading Masonic lodges of the world, and I quote a part therefrom:— "The Fast Master, or as we should call him, the Immediate Past Master, is first mentioned on the fifth of February 1745, although the lodge had been in possession of a Past Master’s Jewel since 1739, an early date for that badge of office, and the Past Master had certain duties. It was the custom that any Brother who had passed the Chair was distinguished by the initials P. M.; only the official, if he can be called such, being termed the Past Master". We have one mention of a P. M. pro-tem, the member so acting not having served a mastership. It was not until the year 1777, that we find the usual Past Master's Jewel was voted and presented for having served a term aa Master, again I quote:— "1777, 17 Dec. The usual compliments being paid to Bro. William Compliments of impliments £*o. Zt Clung "Ciong Confucius Chapter, No. 16 R. A. M. of a BROTHER ) December, 1957 Pxge 213 Preston, Rt. W. Past Master; Bro. Donaldson moved that as an acknowledgment for his past services and steady conduct in supporting the Antient Rights and privileges of this Lodge during his Presidency, he was presented with a jewel at the expense of this Lodge . . . Resolved that five Guineas be allowed for the said jewel" unquote. — 0O0 — MY REFUSAL TO BE SWORN By George M. Dallas, Past Grand Master Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania January 1836 Citizen, Public Servant and Mason Reprinted from Wisconsin Freemason "During the anti-Masonic agitation and excitement, calling into action religious fanaticism to act in concert with political profligacy and political prostitution, the man who had the courage to stand up in the defence of Masonry, and bear aloft the banner of her undying principles, was a demi-god in comparison with the leaders of that foul persecution, that sought then (as it does now) the ostracism and destruction of all who oppose the interests of a class. "In January, 1836, George M. Dallas was summouned to Harrisburg, to gratify the political animosity of certain political leaders in that State, by giving testimony regarding the secrets of the Craft. He was detained and threatened with imprisonment, but true to himself and his manhood, made to the Committee the following protests, which will forever stand a withering rebuke to the disgraceful actions of that disgraceful body that sought to use the power of the State for the accomplishment of their own private ends: "Gentlemen of the Committee: "I am a citizen of Pennsylvania by birth and constant residence. Having imbibed in early youth, 1 still retain, a strong sense of the free spirit of her institutions; and am unconscious of ever having, directly or indirectly, intentionally or inadvertently, committed an act or uttered a sentiment repugnant to her constitution, inconsistent with here laws, injurious to her morals, or derogatory to her character. My present purpose is to do that which, under existing circumstances, best harmonizes with my past life, and with an unabated devotion to her highest, purest, and most lasting interests. Page 214 THE CADLETOW

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