Not form, but substance

Title

Language

English

Year

1968

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Abstract

Address delivered by WB Mariano Lueco, PM, Grand Lodge Inspector of Hiram, Lodge No. 88, at the Public Installation of its officers on January S, 1968, Plaridel Masonic Temple, Manila, Philippines.

Fulltext

Hot 'pOflHC. &<tt Su&4t**et' (Address delivered by WB Mariano Lueco, PM, Grand Lodge Inspector of Hiram, Lodge No. 88, at the Public Installation of its officers on January S, 1968, Plaridel Masonic Temple, Manila, Philippines). I count it a privilege to be con ferred this honor of being your guest speaker today. I would like to ex press my greetings to all brother masons and non-masons present here tonight — for an occasion like this affords us the splendid opportunity of meeting each other and creating new friends and acquaintances. I congratulate the past officers of this lodge particularly WB Juanito U. Fernandez for a job well done. During his mastership your member ship increased by fifteen. I also ex tend my heartfelt congratulations to the Worshipful Master and other officers who have been installed. I trust that you will consider this honor as an opportunity for greater serv ice and that you will discharge well your responsibilities to your lodge, to the Grand Lodge of the Philip pines and to Freemasonry in general. If I may suggest, at the very start of the year, the officers should draw up plans and set specific targets or objectives toward which your efforts will be specially directed. Do not entertain the feeling that you were elected as a matter of routine in the lodge. Let us constantly remember that when we become recipients of a trust, we must keep and maintain that level of worthiness. “That it was the faith, hope and expectations of our Masonic forebears that we who come after them would strive to prove worthy of what was being passed on to us; that we would work, plan and struggle to preserve the ORDER in all its purity, beauteous splendor and that we would transmit unimpaired through a succession of ages the excellent tenets of Freema sonry.” Let us not only be proficient in the rituals, or in our labors, but let us adhere to the precious heritage we have received from those who came before us. It behooves us to cherish this heritage — appreciate its full meaning, its worth, and understand aptly its message by constant practice of the moral virtues we derive from it. In this spirit, may I enjoin you to avoid unwarranted passions, petty jealousies and personal piques. The Craft is not only after admitting more members in Freemasonry, but promoting more Masonry in men. To achieve this, let each and every one of us get involved in the activi ties of the Lodge. Let us not think of the misgivings of the past but rather regard them as experience and use them as references and guidelines for the success of our future under takings. Let us work together as a team, and discharge our duties for the good of Freemasonry. You know my wife is a "cursillista” and I am not. But of course, she had my permission. The priest of our town, Msgr. Sicat, addresses me always as Brother and I am flat tered. He used to ask me when I would join. But I was non-commit tal. The practice of "cursillo houses” are not the same. Maybe they just chose the guy. I know some Free masons who were admitted without retraction. One of them is Ill. Bro 14 The Cabletow ther Teofilo Abejo 33°. After his lengthy discussion with the priest, he was allowed to continue without re tracting his firm belief in the tenets of Freemasonry. Here we have a brother who has a strong conviction. According to him, when we invited him to speak at Dapitan Lodge which is his Mother Lodge, had they insist ed on his retraction, he would have packed up and left. I heard later that the priest who had permitted him to finish the course without re traction was transferred. At this juncture, allow me to quote from one of Dr. Rizal’s letters dated April 4, 1893. while he was exiled in Dapitan to the Jesuit Priest, Padre Pablo Pastels, in their debate by correspondence on philosophical and religious issues and I quote: “I do not deny that there are pre cepts of absolute necessity and usefulness which are not clearly enunciated in Nature, but they have been lodged by God in tho human heart, in the conscience of man, which is God’s best Tem ple. Therefore, I adore more this good and provident God who has endowed each one of us with all that is necessary to save our selves, who has continuously open ed to us the book of his revelation, becauso his priest is ceaselessly speaking the voice of our con science. “I do not prejudice when I say that the voice of my conscience can come only from God; I judge by deduction. God could not have created me for my misfortune, for what evil did I ever do to Him beforo I was created, that he should want my perdition. Nor did he create mo for no purpose, or for an indifferent purpose, because what are my sufferings for, what for is the slow torture of my con tinuous longing. He must have created me for a good purpose, and to this end I have no better guide than my conscience, my conscience alone, which judges and appraises my acts. God would be inconsistent if after creating me for some pur pose, He did not give me the means to attain it, like a black smith who wants to make a knife, but will not fashion its edge. "All the brilliant and subtle ar guments of Your Reverence x x x can never convince me that the Ca tholic Church is endowed with in i' allability.” Speaking about conviction, many of you here perhaps have seen in the movies that film “A Man for all Sea sons.” That is the life story of Tho mas Moore who had the courage of his conviction. At the gallows just before his execution he said: “I am the king’s good subject, but God’s first.” In Masonic philosophy, I wish to paraphrase the above and suggest that the Freemasons wither soever dispersed use as guidelines: ‘‘I am a Freemason. I am willing to enter the Cursillo, but there shall be no retraction." As Freemasonry believes in the brotherhood of men under the father hood of God, permit me to dwell just a little bit on ecumenism enun ciated by the late Pope John XXIII as his favorite maxim: “Stress that which unites, rather than that which divides.” He was so imbued with the spirit of ecumenism that he was unselfishly guided by his conviction. A Freemason perseveres in his firm Turn to page 22 ATTENTION: LODGE SECRETARIES AND TREASURERS For Accounting and Bookkeeping Services, we will help you pre pare your Financial Reports. Call or see: ALICIA SAN DIEGO Tel. 5-35-36 APRIL, 1968 15 quested donations from civic leaders of the community to equip the rooms in the new hospital building. The friends of the hospital responded agree ably and most of the rooms in the new building are being built and equip ped as memorials to relatives of the donors. A group of priests have ask ed to donate at least one room if they cannot have two or three. They want to donate them in appreciation of the care the priests have received from the hospital since 1902 when it was founded by Baptist and Presbyterian missionaries. There is also a Catholic hospital in the city. & going places? TRAVEL ADVISORS ... ex perienced personnel . . ■ person alized service . . . Full assist ance in securing passports, visas, clearances, hotel reservations a .• itineraries . . . Far East Caravan ’68: ‘ Grand Visitation” . . .10th personally conducted tour of the Far East. Visit the Exotic and Fabulous East . . • Hongkong . . ■ Talpeh . . • Okinawa for Re gional Convention and Installa tion . • • Osnka. Inland Sea . . Hiroshima (Atomic Bomb Site) . . • Visitation to Seoul & Tokyo plus Grand tour to Kamakura . . . Pearl Island . . . Nagoya . . . Kyoto. Departure. May 21 All Expenses . . . Meals . . • Tours . . . Hotels . . . Porterage . . . Round Trip Jet Fare . . ■ Trip Insurance . . . All for only P2.860.00. Far Particulars & Reservations: Bro. Ernesto Z. Gonzales Call: Tel.: 50-29-50 or Write P.O. Box 3782 Or thru Plaridel Masonic Temple, Tel. 5-35-36. NOT FORM. . . From p.g. 15 belief that Freemasonry, of which he is a member, is the one and only com mon ground for all sects and people, and, unless he believes in this philo sophy and were imbued with a simi lar belief, he ought not continue to be long to this ancient fraternity. There fore, a true Freemason is called upon to contribute his humble effort toward the achievement of ecumenism. Masonry is not a religion but it is a religious fraternal organization. In fact, we pray before commencing any great undertaking. We believe in the saying ‘‘No man should ever enter in to any great or important undertaking without first invoking the blessings of God.” Let us practice Jess form, but more substance in our religious, political or civic endeavors. It is the substance in all our actions and in all our under takings which make us better men and better citizens. It is no, the form but the practice that makes us Christians. A BIAK-NA-BATO LODGE NO. 7, F. & A. M. 1440 San Marcelino St. Manila, R. P. OFFICERS ALEJANDRINO A. EUSEBIO, PAL MASTER JUANITO N. FERNANDEZ, P.M. SR. WARDEN JAIME M. ZAMORA JR. WARDEN CASTOR I. SILVESTRE, P.M. TREASURER OSOAR L. FUNG, P.M. SECRETARY STATED MEETING: EVERY SEC OND TUESDAY OF THE MONTH 22 The Cabletow

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