Definition of a Mason…

Title

Language

English

Year

1966

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

When is a Man a Mason? When he can look out over the rivers, the hills, and the far horizon with a profound sense of his own littleness in the vast scheme of tilings, and yet have faith, hope and courage. When he knows that down in his heart every man is as noble, as vile, as divine, as diabolic, and as lonely as himself, and seeks to know, to forgive, and to love his fellow man. When he knows how to sym pathize with men in their sorrows, yea, even in their sins—knowing that each man fights a bard fight against many odds. When he has learned how to make friends and to keep them, and above all how to keep friends with himself. When be loves flowers, can hunt the birds without a gun, and feels the thrill of an old forgotten joy when he hears the laugh of a little child. When he can be happy and highminded amid the meaner drudgeries of lite. When star-crowned trees and the glint of snnli'dit on flowing wa ters subdue him like the thouidit of one much loved and long dead. When no voice of distress reaches bis ears in vain, and no band seeks his aid with out response. When lie finds good in every faith that helps any man to lay hold of higher things, and to sec ma jestic meanings in life, whatever the name of that faith mav be. When he can look into a wayside puddle and see something besides mud. and into the face of the most forlorn fellow mortal and see something beyond sin. When he knows how to pray, how to love, bow to hope. \\ hen he has kept faith with himself, with his fellow man, with bis Gori; in his band a sword for evil, in his heart a bit of a song—glad to live, but not afraid to die! In such a man, whether he be rich or poor, schol arly or unlearned, famous or obscure, Freemasonry has wrought her sweet ministry! Such a man has found the only real secret of Freemasonry, and the one which it is trying to give to all the world. Freemasonry is a charitable, benev olent, educational, and religious so ciety with a purpose to teach by ritual and symbolism the building of good character. It is charitable in that its income is not expended for private gain, but is devoted to the improvement and pro motion of the happiness and well being of mankind. It is benevolent in that it reaches altruism—an unselfish concern for the welfare of others—as a duty and ex emplifies it by relief of poor and dis tressed brethren and their needy wid ows and orphans. It is educational in that it teaches by prescribed ceremonials a system of morality and brotherhood based on the Sacred Laws. It emphasizes the duty of man to be curious about the world; to develop his intellect and skill; to be just; to follow precepts of con science and exercise self-control; to be earnest and sincere. Freemasonry’s Lodges, Temples and Libraries arc aids to this end. It,is religious in that it teaches be lief in one God, a belief prerequisite for membership, though without refer ence to dogma or creed—for Free masonry is not concerned with creeds or theology. Every Lodge must have an altar, and on it. when the Lodge is in session, must be o]>encd a Volume of tlie Sacred L.aw. Freemasonry is secret only in its methods of recognition and of its sym bolic instruction. It is not a secret society as many claim. Turn to next pege June, 1966 29 Freemasonry is social in that it fos ters the natural friendliness and a true spirit of brotherly love and affection that should take place in the lives of men assoiated and united for noble purposes. A —Joseph Fort Newton, 1880-1950 RAFAEL M. SALAS (From p.e. 20) sibility — a sensibility strenghtened by a pursoseful mind incessantly in the service of tracking new knowledge and deriving insights from books, from nature, and from people. Editor's Note: It will interest the brethren to know that Mr. Rafael M. Salas, at the time Catalino G. Aurelio Chapter, Order of DeMolay, was or ganized in 1947 in Bacolod City, be came a member of the Order and served the chapter as its Mater Councilor. His father Worshipful and Illusfrious Brother Ernesto Salas, PM 33° and an uncle, WB Angel Salas, PM, were pillars of Kanlaon Lodge No. 64. A IVe arc deeply sorry for tlic unin tentional mistake of not including the name of VWB Guillermo E. Bongolan PDDGM, among those who were honored with the rank and decoration of Knight Commander of the Court of Honor by the Supreme Council on February 13, 1966 (Cabletow, Feb. 1966, p. 28). In an early press release, the list did not in clude his name. In a later release, which we did not get, VWB Bongolan's name appeared. He was elected to receive the honor in Feb. 1965, but due to ill ness, he was not able to receive it then and only came to be honored in Feb. 1966. In the picture caption (Cabletow April 1966, p. 18), the name of WB Prcsa was listed instead of WB Adorador. WB Adorador is Worshipful Mas ter of F.D. Roosevelt Lodge No. 80. A Grand Lodge Committees... (Cont. from pago 14) BOOKS MW William H. Quasha .... ( 80) Chairman WB Federico Piedad ........... ( 64) Member WB Oscar Fung .................. ( 7) Member BUILDING AND PUBLIC SERVICE MW Vicente Y. Orosa ....... (63) Chairman MW Pedro M. Gimcnez ... (57) Member WB Benjamin Gotamco .... ( 93) Member MW Charles Mosebrook .... (32) Member WB Lucio Ildefonso ........... ( 57) Member EDUCATION AND PUBLIC SERVICE MW Luther B. Bewley ....... ( 3) Member RW Macario C. Navia ....... (88) Chairman WB Mariano Sanchez ......... ( 7) Member WB Gregorio Robles ......... ( 73) Member WB Jose T. Enriquez ........ ( 4) Member YOUTH RW Will K. Presti.lge ....... (118) Member VW Mamerto Buenafe ........ ( 4) Member WB Leon Vidallon ............. (18) Chairman WB Hubert Reynolds ........ ( 63) Member WB Nestor Niguidula ........ ( 34) Member WB Homer L. Willess ...... (123) Member REVISION OF CONSTITUTION RW Manuel M. Crudo ....... ( 4) Chairman VW Juan C. Nabong, Jr. ... ( 88) Member WB Nestorio Melocoton .... (29) Member WB Mateo D. Cipriano .... (14) Member WB Isaac Puno .................. ( 88) Member CUSTODIAN OF THE WORK VW Damaso Tria ................ ( 4) Member WB Jose Veto .................... ( 4) Chairman WB Mariano Gonzales ......... (12) Member RESOLUTIONS WB Adceb Ilamra .............. ( 80) Chairman WB Leon C. Santiago ......... (46) Member WB Jose B. Perez, Jr.......... (59) Member NECROLOGY WB Pedro P. Aguda ......... ( 18) Chairman WB Amando K. Gaitos ....... (150) Member WB Luis Barretto ............ (37) Member CREDENTIALS WB Jose F. Ditan .............. (104) Chairman WB Gregorio G. Niduaza ... ( 70) Member WB Vicente P. Flechero .... (57) Member ADMINISTRATION OF LODGES RW Joseph E. Schon ....... ( 91) Chairman WB Augusto P. Santos ....... (30) Member WB Ramon Ponce de Leon .. ( 91) Member ACCOUNTS WB Mateo D. Cipriano .... (14) Chairman WB Alejandrino Eusebio ... ( 7) Member WB Juan Panadero ............. ( 8) Member 30 The Cabletow

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