The North Carolina Mason

The Mason NORTH CAROLINA Volume 134 Number 1 January/February 2009 Page 8 The North Carolina Mason January/February 2009 In this issue of The NC Mason page 1 The North Carolina Mason The Grand Lodge of North Carolina, AF&AM 600 College Street Oxford, North Carolina 27565 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED NON-PROFIT ORG. AUTO U.S. POSTAGE PAID OXFORD, NC 27565 PERMIT NO. 56 Grand Lodge officers were installed in November. page 2 Max Smith is named Harris-Dudley honoree. page 4 Grand Master's district Meeting schedule is set. Ric Car ter photo page 8 Two grand lodges celebrate recognition. see COMPACT, page 5 Rice is new grand master OXFORD — North Caro- lina's newest grand master is a graduate of our own Ma- sonic Home for Children, as good an advertisement for its work as one could find. He is seen here at the altar at the beginning of his installation in prayer with In- stalling Chaplain and Prince Hall Grand Master Toby Fitch. In- stalling Marshals Don Sizemore and Tommy Jones are at his side. For details and more pictures of the installation, go to page one in this issue of The North Carolina Mason. By Ric Carter RALEIGH —It was not necessary that Ma- sons gather or that anything be signed. We had already taken a step toward the post-racial so- ciety we hear so much about these days. It was a done deal when our Grand Lodge passed its resolution September 19, 2008 recognizing our Prince Hall Grand Lodge counterparts. But, on November 21, the State Capitol was the Masonic place to be for the very much needed celebration of the normalization of relations between the two largest fraternal organizations in North Carolina. Several hundred Masons were there. Prince Hall Grand Lodge passed the resolution in 2004. e setting was most appropriate. It was our Grand Lodge that on July 4, 1833 set the corner- stone of the Capitol. We returned 100 years later to rededicate the edifice. e grounds are a Ma- sonic history gallery with most of the statues on the grounds being of Masons — George Wash- ington, Governors Aycock and Vance, Presidents Polk and Johnson and Jackson. In the rotunda of the old home of our legislature, are statues of Washington and a square and compasses deco- rated bust of Samuel Johnston, our first grand Recognition celebrated at State Capitol Masons announce a new era Clockwise, from above, the Brother- hood Celebration began with a proces- sion of grand lodge officers, Masons filled the balcony, Grand Master Fitch and Cash sign the compact on the historic table, and Prince Hall visited the signing. Ric Carter photos

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