A report on masonic activities
Media
Part of The Cabletow
- Title
- A report on masonic activities
- Language
- English
- Source
- The Cabletow Volume XLIV (Issue No.1) January 1968
- Year
- 1968
- Rights
-
- Fulltext
- GRAVEL AND SAND WB OSCAR L FUNG (7) PM defiant o* jfettoiUe* MWB Conrado Benitez, PGM and Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council of Scottish Rite Masonry in the Philippines, was the recipient of the highest DeMolay Award, the Honorary Legion of Hon or, given by the Supreme Council of DeMolay, on December 23, 1967 in the Green Room of the Scottish Rite Temple. The award ceremonies were presided over by RWB Manuel M Crudo, Senior Grand Warden, who is an Active Member of the DeMolay Supreme Council and its Representa tive for the Philippines, Guam and Okinawa. MWB Benitez was cited for his prominence in Masonic endeavors in the Philippines, his outstanding achievements in educational work in over half a century, his unstinted efforts in socio-economic develop ment of our country, and his lauda ble share in the framing of the Phil ippine constitution as one of the "Seven Wise Men" of the Constitu tional Convention thirty-four years Our congratulations to WB Bayani Raymundo, PM (149), who was recently promoted to Asst. Manager <>f the Davao Branch of PNB. Up to the time of his promotion, WB Raymundo was Cashier of the Davao Branch. Little known to most brethren is the share of WB’s Ponciano Dionido and Jose Buhay, Past Masters of Zapote Lodge No. 29, who are help ing in the First Lady’s promotion of home gardening in the country. Re cently, WB Dionido and WB Buhay were called to Malacahang to confer with Mrs. Marcos on how to en courage more people to have vegeta ble gardens in available plots in their homes in order to raise vegetables and fruits for their own table use, not only to save money but more so to eat vegetables for the improvement of the family diet. That there is an upsurge in vegetable raising even in cities like Manila, attest to the suc cess of the work being done without fanfare by the First Lady and the able assistance of WB’s Buhay and Dionido, who head the divisions con cerned in the Bureau of Plant In dustry. Congratulations also to Bro. Constancio Maglana, (50), who was re cently elected Congressman for the new congressional district of Davao del Norte. Twice prior to the diviof Davao into three provinces, Bro. Maglana was a member of the Pro vincial Board of Davao. Kasilawan Lodge No. 77, held a public installation of officers at the Jose Abad Santos Hall of the Plaridel Masonic Temple, Manila on Jan uary 2, at six o’clock in the evening. Dalisay Lodge No. 14, installed its officers on the same date and time at the Rafael Palma Hall of the Plaridel Temple. Turn ?o P.s« 16 JANUARY, 1968 11 thousands of Free and Accepted Ma sons. He would have loved it. This is the way he wanted things to hap pen.” With these words, the Rev. Robert L. Gannon, former president of Ford ham University, began his talk yes terday at the annual dedication break fast of the Masonic order in New York State. The Masons loved it, too. There were some 5000 of them in two hotels. Father Gannon spoke at both and at each hotel he received a standing ova tion. The Jesuit, the first Roman Catho lic priest to address the yearly gather ing of Masons, drew rounds of hearty applause and guffaws of laughter throughout his speech. VATICAN At one point, he remarked that when the late Pope John XXIII convoked the second Vatican council, he did not expect the Masons to join the Knights of Columbus. “But,” Father Gannon added, “I saw in the paper the other day that you have been playing around to gether Let me warn you to be on your guard. You may wake up some morning and find that you have joined not only the Knights of Columbus, but the Jesuits.” His reference was to an announce ment last month that the Masons and the Knights of Columbus were plan ning joint national programs in the "moral, civic and social action fields.” Antagonism between Masons and Roman Catholics goes back to a Pa pal bull issued in 1738 by Pope Cle ment XII in which he condemned the Masons on the ground that their beliefs and rituals constituted a false religion. EXCOMMUNICATION Roman Catholics still are forbidden to join the Masons under pain of ex communication. The Masonic order, or Freemason ry, came to the United States in the 1730s. The Knights of Columbus was founded in 1882 by a Roman Catholic priest, in New Haven, Conn. Secret organizations were popular at the time and Catholics were not permitted to join them, so they formed their own. A GRAVEL AND SAND . . . From P.s. it Noli-me-Tangere Lodge No. 148 installed its officers on January 3, at the Rafael Palma Hall. The installa tion rites were in a tiled Lodge. After the ceremonies, the visitors were in vited to dinner. Bro. Galen Forsythe of Biak-NaBato Lodge No. 7, was elected Sen ior Warden of George Washington Lodge in Kaiserlautern, Germany. Funeral Services in honor of the late MW Luther Boone Bewley was held last January 4, 1968 under the auspices of the Grand Lodge of the Philippines and the Supreme council of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry in the Philippines. The team that performed the cere monies was composed of the follow ing MW Mariano Q. Tinio, Worship ful Master, RW Manuel M. Crudo, Senior Warden; RW Edgar L. Shepley, Junior Warden; MW Cenon S. Cervantes, Treasurer; MW Esteban Munarriz, Secretary; MW Charles Mosebrook, Chaplain; VW Hermogenes P. Oliveros, Marshal, VW LoTum to pig* 22 16 GOLDEN RULE. . From page 14 good government and sound family life with high morality and sound judgment. The world is torn by political and racial differences and religious strifes. Masonry is above all these differences. It stands for world unity, with brotherly affection for all creed, color and belief: helping the poor and the needy, and in the search for truth which makes men free, “For whatsover things are noble, whatso ever things are honest, whatsoever things are true, whatsover things are of good report, if there be any vir tue” — do these things. Masons keep the charge. Let your light shine so that men and civiliza tion may continue in their march to progress. Yours is the hand to lift a weary traveler who stumbled in the dark and perilous journey of life. If you fail to perform your duty, you have a part in the destruction of that life for you have received the charge, and yours is the sin of ominission. Living examples are more impres sive and dynamic in their results than volumes of books written or sermons preached. A crime has a far reach ing effect than good deeds, as the power of evil is tenacious and dead ly. Let us destroy the symbols of tyranny and oppression and replace them with deeds of kindness, love and charity. Charity is the greatest virtue. It is the connecting link be tween God and man. Let us do deeds of charity and win the world for brotherly love. Masons are builders indeed. They not only build that strength of char acter, that dedicated life and personal and moral integrity, but nations as well. America the greatest nation to day, had George Washington, whose leadership, together with some Ma sons in his cabinet, laid down the foundation of that great nation. Dur ing the civil war which threatened the national existence, Masons played their part wonderfully. During the period of reconstruction, Masons shared in binding of the wounds of the bleeding nation. In the Restora tion program, Masons worked hard in the rapid growth and progress of the nation. All over the world you will find Masons who helped in the great task of nation building. In the Philip pines, we have Jose Rizal, foremost among the heroes, who struggled and died for the emmancipation of the Filipino people from ignorance, pov erty and slavery. Andres Bonifacio, Marcelo II. del Pilar, Aguinaldo, and a host of other heroes whe fought and died in the defense of freedom and personal dignity. Let us continue the work these Masons have left us, to free the world from crimes and evils of all kinds. Catch the torch of service and hold it high, so that the ideal of Masonry may brighten the world and mankind may live as one people under God. With our living examples of righteous life; “with malice towards none”; ever praying for that divine guidance, and when we come to the end of our life’s journey, we appear before that Supreme Architect of the Universe. He will say unto us “Well done, thou good and faithful servant, enter thou into the kingdom of heaven which is prepared for you”. A WITH OUR YOUNG... From p,g. 19 blanks for their daughters. 'l'hey wanted their young ones to share am. have a part in the beautiful teach ings and ceremonies of the Order. The Sister Jobies are grateful to the Dads of Island Luz Minerva, especially to Dad Hidalgo, new Wor shipful Master, and Dad Romulo, the Secretary. A JANUARY, 1968 21 MWB Luther B. Bewley, PGM, died early morning of December 29, 1967 of complications following bron chial pneumonia. He was 91 years old at the time he passed away. MW Bewley, a Tennessean, arrived in the Philippines in 1902 on the Transport Thomas, and was, at the time he ascended the Celestial Lodge, one of the very few remaining “Thomasites” who came to the Phil ippines at the turn of the century to teach the young ones of the country. He was one of the principal founders and architects of our public school system. He served under all the American governors general and high commis sioners and the first three Filipino presidents of the third republic. He was married to the former Eleanor Gertrude Morris of Indianapolis who died in Manila in 1956. They have one daughter, Virginia, now Mrs. Conrad Geeslin, and three grandsons: Conrad, Keith and Philip. MW Bewley became a Mason in the Philippines and was elected Grand Master in 1960-61. He was a 33°, SGIG, and active member of the Supreme Council. His remains laid in state at Funeraria Nacional until January 3, 1968 at which time it was transferred to Plaridel Masonic Temple and funeral services were conducted by the Grand Lodge on January 4. He was inter ested in the Masonic plot at Cementerio del Norte. Dr. Carlos P. Romulo, President of the University of the Philippines and concurrently Secretary of Educa tion, said of MW Bewley: “Luther B. Bewley served the cause of educa tion in the Philippines with compe tence and dedication. He was one of the pioneers who came to our country on a mission to help estab lish our educational system. He start ed from the bottom and rung by rung he ascended to the positions of res ponsibility that he occupied with hon or to himself and credit to his coun try.” £ GRAVEL & SAND ... pw renzo N. Talatala, Senior Deacon; VW Manuel T Paz, Junior Deacon; VW Benjamin Gotamco, Senior Ste ward; VW Leon A. Vidalleon, Jun ior Steward; VW Jose Ma. Cajucom, Bible Brarcr; and VW Eulogio O. Nadal, Tyler. Ill. Conrado Benitez, Sov. Grand Commander of the Supreme Council delivered the Eulogy for the Supreme Council and MW William H. Quasha delivered the eulogy for the Most Wor. Grand Lodge of the Philip pines. Primera- Luz Filipina Lodge No. 69 held its installtaion of officers for the year 1968 on December 30, 1967 in Binakayan, Cavite. The ceremo nies were conducted in the vernacu lar. WB Legaspi and WB Barcega were Installing Officer and Master of Ceremonies respectively. On the same occasion, WB Maria no llano was awarded the fifty-year gold pin. MW Cenon Cervantes made the presentation. A 22 The Cabletow