Page 2
From
The North Carolina Mason
November/December 2013
the editor's desk
Opportunity knocks
When opportunity knocks, grab and hold on
as best you can.
I never planned to be a professional Freemason. I even tried to avoid it for a while. I had
been a Mason for less than five years when The
North Carolina Mason's legendary editor Reynold
Davenport started pushing me in the direction
of replacing him (though I did not recognize it at
the time). He asked me to do a small bit here and
another project there nudging me toward letting
him retire for the third time. That was 1991.
Five years later, Grand Secretary Pete Dudley became ill and retired. New Grand Secretary Walt Clapp needed an assistant. He offered me the opportunity to come to Raleigh
and work full time as a Mason. Since 1997, I've
worn two hats: assistant to the grand secretary
and editor of The NC Mason.
Now knocks another opportunity. Both my
kids are nearing the end of college. The youngest
graduates from UNC in May, the eldest finishing her masters and beginning her doctoral work
at Johns Hopkins. My wife Kitty has retired after 30 years as a public school elementary teacher. Miss Kitty is looking a partner with a more
flexible schedule and giving me the opportunity
to answer that call. It's an opportunity I'll grab
and hold on to as best I can.
In 2014, I'll hang up the hat of assistant grand
secretary. I'll continue to edit The Mason. I'll be
dedicating some extra time to Grand Lodge
communications, including The NC Mason and
our increasing Internet presence.
That will leave the grand secretary with a slot
to fill. If you think you may be the person to seize
this opportunity, email with a
resume and short statement about why you think
so before February 15. No phone calls, please.
You can go home again
Great Landscape Day
set for March
OXFORD — The Third Annual Masonic
"Great Landscaping Day" at the Masonic Home
for Children is scheduled for March 22, 2014.
Over the past several years lodges and many
service groups have found unique ways to contribute to the care of the Home and the living
environment for our children. One of the most
popular has been beautifying the grounds with
various landscaping projects. Teams of family, friends, and groups such as the Girl Scouts,
DeMolay chapters, local businesses, and lodges
have come to campus equipped with shovels,
rakes, mulch, plants, and a desire to enhance the
landscaping at the Home. Eighty participated in
the 2013 Landscaping Day.
The Home would like to get even more people there this year. Groups and individuals may
register by contacting or (919) 693-5111. Look for updates and
information on the Home's website throughout the winter
and make plans to come out and spruce up the
homes of the children at the Masonic Home for
Children at Oxford.
MIDLAND — Jason Rushing hasn't been a Mason all that long, (he just joined last summer)
but he's enthusiastic about that membership. A carpenter by trade, the Union 618 Mason "decided
to take some of the scraps from the job and construct a 12-foot Masonic logo and adorn it with
Christmas lights for [his] annual display." And, a heck of a job he did. Here's hoping your pride is as
strong. and your holidays as bright.
GM's district meetings
Debris2008 photo
BENTON HARBOR, MICHIGAN — On
June 23, Grantham 725 member Alvia Hearren walked the aisle to receive his diploma from
Benton Harbor High School in Michigan.
Due to our age requirements, few get to make
that walk as a Mason — more especially as an
88-year-old such as Hearren.
Hearren graduated with his class back in
1943, but a date with the US Marine Corps
made him miss his graduation ceremony. While
the other kids were marching down the aisle, he
was marching in formation and becoming an
aircraft mechanic at Cherry Point Marine Corps
Air Station. Not much later, he shipped out to
the South Pacific.
Benton Harbor High Principal Kathy
Brooks said, "He asked if he could come back
and graduate, and we thought it was a wonderful opportunity for him. We were more than
happy to welcome him… We're really pleased
to honor him."
— Sun Journal
Happy holidays, Brothers!
Farewell, Brother
Nelson Mandela
The world recently lost this shining example
of compassion and reconciliation. After his years
of fighting and oppression, followed by years of
imprisonment, Mandela was freed to lead his
people. He used the Masonic principles of faith,
hope, and charity to reverse the course of South
Africa and set an example that has been followed around the world to bring peace to places
with violent pasts.
Mandela was a North Carolina Mason.
Mandela and his wife visited the United States
during the time the end of South Africa's apartheid was being negotiated. During a June 28,
1990 visit to Georgia, a number of Masons visited with him. Among them was North Carolina
Prince Hall Grand Master William C. Parker Jr.
who made Nelson Mandela a Mason at sight.
We celebrate the life and mourn the passing
of our illustrious Tar Heel Brother.
Grand Master Dalton W. Mayo plans to visit
about half our districts this year. His meetings start
in early January and will finish at the end of May.
His meetings will be similar to the area meetings
of the past few years. Pre-meeting meals are scheduled for 6:15 p.m. with the tyled meeting starting at
7:00 p.m. District officers and the grand master will
be received with usual honors.
You may make your lodge's reservation for the
meeting with your district deputy grand master
or host lodge secretary. Please be considerate of
the host lodge. Make your reservations for dinner at least seven days before your scheduled
meeting. It is very frustrating to try to plan for
a meal when reservations have not been made.
Your lodge will be responsible to pay for all
meals reserved. Those who have not made reservations should not expect to eat.
In case of inclement weather, meetings will be
cancelled in accordance with local schools cancellations. If a meeting is cancelled, the host lodge and
district deputy grand master will be notified. Your
lodge may cancel its stated communication to attend your district meeting. Information will also
be posted on the Grand Lodge web site: . This schedule was the schedule as of December 13, 2013. Changes may be necessary. Please
consult your lodge for updates.
January 27...............21..................... Hamlet 532........................................307 Main St., Hamlet
January 29...............18.................... St. Pauls 474..................................314 N.Fifth St., St. Pauls
January 30...............20................... Lillington 302.............................. 909 S. Main St., Lillington
February 10.............8................... Royal Hart 497...............................118 S. Main St., Littleton
February 11.............3...................Washington 675........................ 1115 W. 5th St., Washington
February 12.............1..................... Unanamity 7............................... 215 E. Water St., Edenton
February 24............26.................Walnut Cove 629......................810 Summit St., Walnut Cove
February 25............27...........Lexington Memorial 473.................. 468 Central Ave., Lexington
February 26............24.................... Marietta 444..................................735 Liberty St., Ramseur
March 4...................6.....................Radiance 132...........................112 N. Harper St., Snow Hill
March 5..................14................. Wake Forest 282.............................220 Wait St., Wake Forest
March 18................41...................Junaluskee 145.................................. 50 Church St., Franklin
March 19................34............... Catawba Valley 217......................... 220 Collett St., Morganton
March 20................22........................Bula 409...............................1307 S. Main St., Burlington
April 8....................10...................... Home 613........................... 104 S. Goldsboro St., Fremont
April 9.....................4................ Semper Fidelis 680................. 727 Henderson Dr., Jacksonville
April 10..................12......................Orient 395......................1312 Shipyard Blvd., Wilmington
April 22..................30..................Mooresville 496......................... 114 Institute St., Mooresville
April 23..................36................King Solomon 704...............................214 South St., Gastonia
April 24..................32..................... Temple 676.......................... 3900 Litchfield Rd., Charlotte
April 28..................40..................... Oconee 427.............................62 Clifton Ave., Bryson City
April 29..................39................. Mt. Hermon 118..................................80 Broadway, Asheville
April 30..................38............... Polk Co. Unity 482................................ 622 Ozone Dr., Saluda
May 1.....................33...................... Liberty 45.............................. 1228 School St., Wilkesboro
May 7.....................11.......................Hiram 98....................................... 213 Fisher Dr., Clinton
CHARLOTTE — A crew from Derita 715
visited their Brother Bill Nance August 18. But,
they didn't just hang around shooting the breeze,
they jumped to work. They built an access ramp
to ease Nance's going and coming. There were
even lodge Fellows Craft there to help. Derita
likes to start them early.
— Steve M. Jordan
TBA........................2.................Cape Hatteras 698.........................48338 Highway 12, Buxton
Grand masters generally have the power to make "masons at sight," which means the grand
master can do away with the formalities such as filing of petitions, waiting periods, etc. Some famous
Masons who were made include: William H. Taft, General George Marshall, and General Douglas
MacArthur. Our Grand Lodge does not allow our grand master that power.
— Alphonse Cerza
Discovered artifact leads to new friendships
By Kim Beal
BONLEE — A Masonic sword was found by a farmer (who
The sword was manufactured by M. C. Lilley & Co. of
is also a firefighter) in a field near Fall Creek Baptist Church, Columbus, Ohio. They did business from 1864 to 1933 before
in Western Chatham County. He brought it to Mt. Vernon 143 being absorbed by another company. That makes the sword
which is located in the same building as the Bonlee Volunteer Fire 80–150 years old.
Dept. The farmer/firefighter said he kept hearing a noise from his
Davidson Pride Lodge is searching their minutes for evidence
equipment every time he got to a certain part of the field. He got of the missing sword. Beal says, "We may never know how this
off the tractor and found the sword seen here. It had a square and sword ended up where it did, but it brought some brothers tocompasses and the inscription, "Davidson Pride Lodge 157 F & gether that may have otherwise remained unknown to each other.
AM Thomasville NC."
"I would have returned this sword to the rightful owner regardHow had the sword made its way some 50 miles from the city of less of being a Mason myself, but being a Mason, I understand the
Thomasville, in Davidson County, to the corn field in a remote part significance of such a historical artifact, and what it would have
of Chatham County? This part of the mystery remains unsolved.
meant to me and my lodge, if it had been ours."
Members of Mt. Vernon 143 did some investigating and found
Davidson Pride Lodge Master Michael Rogers, says, "This is
that Davidson Pride Lodge 157, a Prince Hall lodge, was still in what Masonry is all about — bringing people together."
existence. Lodge Master Kim Beal from Mt. Vernon 143, conKim Beal is master of Mt. Vernon 143.
tacted Charles Harris of Davidson Pride 157. Harris said he had
been a member of Davidson Pride Lodge for over 30 years, and
they had used the same two swords since his association with the
lodge. He had heard nothing of a "missing" sword.
Harris invited Beal to the lodge's August 3 fish fry. Beal went
to see them and returned their sword.
The
m i s s i o n o f F r e e m a s o n r y i n N o r t h C a r o l i n a i s t o r a i s e t h e m o r a l , s o c i a l , i n t e l l e ct u a l ,
tenets of B rotherly L ove , R elief , and T ruth , which are expressed outwardly through service to
NORTH CAROLINA
The Mason
(USPS 598-260) is published bimonthly by The Grand Lodge of AF & AM of North
Carolina, 2921 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27608.
Third class postage paid at Oxford, NC 27565.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The North Carolina Mason, School Of Graphic
Arts, Masonic Home for Children, Oxford, NC 27565.
Grand Master
Dewey R. Preslar Jr.
Board Of Publication
John A. Pea (Chair)
Don E. Bolden
R. Kevin Combs
C. Thomas Nelson Jr.
John A. Sullivan
Editor
Ric Carter
and
G od ,
Seen here, from left are Davidson Pride 157 Senior Deacon Robert Little, Senior Warden Rodney
Stevenson, Master Michael Rogers, Mt.Vernon 143
Master Kim M. Beal, and Charles Harris.
spiritual conscience of society by
family , country , and self under the
teaching
the ancient and enduring philosophical
of G od within the B rotherhood of M an .
F atherhood
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