The North Carolina Mason

Page 2 The North Carolina Mason September/October 2018 By Beth Grace Mason Editor "e exalted station to which the free choice of your Brethren has called you, involves great responsibilities. It elevates you to a position from which the power and prerogatives may depart with the expiration of your term of service, but the honor and dignity, except by your own act, never." Dwight MacLauchlin Sigmon will become the 166th Grand Master of Masons of North Caro- lina in December, capping a 43-year journey of brotherly love and hard work. Better known to his brethren as "Mack," Sigmon was raised in 1975 at Catawba #248, and served as its Master in 1980 but his journey to the Grand Line was not direct, nor continuous. And that's the foundation of one of the messages he will share with his brethren as Grand Master. "For the rst eight years of my Masonic journey, I was very active," he says. "I call the next 20 to 21 years my 'card-carrying Mason' period even though I have never liked this term. I prefer it to be known as an inactive Mason. I paid my dues, but otherwise, I was pretty inactive. I spent a lot of time working with the Boy Scouts and band boosters because of my son's involvement. I value that time even more since my son and family now live in Asia." It was a request from his best friend, Mike Butler, a fellow Mason who also had drifted away, that brought Sigmon back into active Masonry. Butler asked Sigmon to sign his son Garry's petition, and to deliver the third-degree lecture when the time came. at renewed Sigmon's love and respect for ritual and drove him to renew his ritual certication and do more. He reached out to his District Deputy Grand Lecturer and volun- teered to take that post when the incumbent was ready to step down. From there, he later was appointed to the Board of Custodians by then- Grand Master Gene Jernigan. He would serve three three-year terms, including secretary for seven years. is position was the one that gave him statewide exposure to many. Always remember that the greatest part of this journey is the people you cross paths with along the way. His journey is like that of many brothers who join, then fade away. He wants brothers to know that there is always a second – or third or fourth – act. "Our dues cards say that you are a member of a lodge. It doesn't say you are a Mason," he said. "It takes hard work and dedication to the things we Masons believe to be a true member of Masonry. "We have to earn the important title of Mason everyday by our words, actions and appearance. As Masons, we need to hold ourselves to a higher standard if we are to attract the best the world has to oer to our fraternity. If not, we can just as easy make their decision not to join an easy one." Following his service as grand lecturer in 2011, Grand Master Bob Gresham appointed Sigmon as grand steward and he was installed in December 2011. He also is active in numerous other bodies, including the Scottish and York Rites, Order of the Eastern Star and Oasis Shrine where he serves on the ritual cast for all. Sigmon was born July 18, 1951, in the Catawba County town of Newton. He and his wife of 47 years, Linda, have one son, Charles. Charles lives with his wife and three children in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. After working in the automotive and electronics industry for about 11 years, he retired as a Commercial Segment Leader in Sales/Marketing for General Electric's Energy/ Transformer Division in December 2012 after more than 32 years. A lifelong member of the Lutheran faith, he has been an active member of his community. He served as assistant scout master of Troop 333 in Newton for ve years and currently is merit badge counselor for the Lakeland District of the Piedmont Council. at experience sets up a second message for his year as Grand Master: Lodges should get involved in their communities. Not just by holding fund-raising events, he says, but by joining in community activities. Let your neighbors and friends know who makes up the lodge and what Masons do. He will make community interaction part of the updated list of requirements for lodges seeking Lion & Pillar designation in 2019. Finally, he says, his overriding message of the year is a simple but powerful one: Be kind and respect each other. "I love ritual, but more impor- tantly, I love the lessons it teaches. At rst, I memorized the words, but as I got older, the meaning became more important. I dislike nobody, and I have no hate in my heart," he says. "My true message to all this year will be to treat each other well and with respect, and in accordance with the lessons we learn as Masons. You can disagree and have dier- ences, but you can still respect each other. As Masons, our ritual lessons should be guiding us in everything we do and say, it certainly drives my actions." Sigmon will be installed Dec. 1 at the Old Post O!ce Playhouse in Newton. Sigmon elected as our next Grand Master Members of the Grand Lodge elected "Mack" Sigmon to be their next leader. P. SHAUN BRADSHAW Deputy Grand Master R. DAVID WICKER JR. Senior Grand Warden LARRY B. THOMPSON JR. Junior Grand Warden LEWIS R. LEDFORD Grand Treasurer T. WALTON CLAPP III Grand Secretary ALSO ELECTED Grand Lodge members voted for these officers for 2019:

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