The North Carolina Mason

November/December 2013

North Carolina Mason

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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 Good quality pictures, whether color or black and white, are essential for suitable reproduction. The right to reject any submission not suitable for use is reserved. Pictures will be returned to the sender only if accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Submissions and other correspondence should be sent to the editor at PO Box 6506, Raleigh, NC 27628 or . Reproduction of articles by Masonic organizations is permitted with proper credits. Each North Carolina Mason is a subscriber to The North Carolina Mason. If you know a member who is not receiving the paper, please send us his full name, his complete address and the name and number of his lodge. Masonic widows receive The Mason free upon request. Subscriptions are available to others at a rate of five dollars per year. Subscription inquiries and address changes only should be sent to: The School of Graphic Arts, Masonic Home for Children, 600 College Street, Oxford, North Carolina 27565. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of The North Carolina Mason, the Grand Lodge, or Board of Publication.

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