The North Carolina Mason

Page 6 The North Carolina Mason May/June 2021 As I said at my installation, I am honored for the opportunity to serve you. And, thank you, brethren, for your support and congratula- tions. e feeling is surreal and time seems to have lost meaning over the last few weeks. Yet, though the many moments sometimes blur together, I can't help but vividly remember standing nervously at the door of the prepa- ration room of Albe- marle #703. I recall being blind- folded with an old velvet hoodwink, my face just inches away from the old pine door, and listening to the shrill ping of the offi- cers' gavels against an inch thick slab of blue slate stone in synchro- nous succession—a unique sound I have never heard in any other lodge. Senses heightened, I turned to my coach, Jimmy Blalock, and asked, "Are they building some- thing?" "Yes," he said, "in a way." He took my wrist and held my hand out to the door. "Are you ready to build some- thing?" he asked. "Yes," I replied. e last thing Jimmy said to me before I made my distinct knocks was, "Just remember in whom you put your trust." I still remember. Twelve years ago, I had no idea what a Grand Secretary was, nor what kinds of business was transacted in the Grand Lodge Office. But through my research as a historian for Stanly County, I quickly found out. Like many of you, I became very interested in the history of my lodge and the men who came before me. I called the Grand Lodge shortly after I was raised to inquire if the Grand Lodge main- tained any kind of archive I could reference in searching for local lodge history. Cornelia Doherty answered the phone, and 10 seconds into my request for information, said, "I think you just need to talk to the Grand Secretary, let me transfer you over." None other than Walt Clapp answered. I was shocked. I was talking to a Grand Lodge Officer – the Grand Secretary! I immediately pictured him sitting at a large desk in an expensive chair wearing his collar and apron while he worked. I stuttered my question back to him. Yet, he was atten- tive and helpful and encouraging, and told me to come visit the Grand Lodge. I have never forgotten the time he took to take my call and answer my questions. A few years later, then-Grand Master Dalton Mayo and Walt were interviewing me to be Assis- tant to the Grand Secretary. After several minutes of reviewing job descriptions and responsibilities, Walt cheekily glanced over at Grand Master Mayo (as he is wont to do) and said, "Our job is to make the Grand Master look good, help the secretaries maintain their records, and serve the brethren – the Grand Secretary works for the membership. And, don't forget it." Grand Master Mayo peered over at Walt, and nodded, saying, "Yes, I like to look good. And, you do work for the members of our lodges." It was another moment I have often thought about again and again lately. I've concluded that I am still building, I am still seeking more light, and I serve you, the brethren of this jurisdiction. It is an occupa- tion, a calling, and an education all rolled into one. Like I said, I am honored by the opportunity. As I think back on my first contact with the Grand Lodge Office, I remember the mystique I perceived to surround the office and Grand Secretary. Seven years into my "apprentice- ship" under Grand Secretary Clapp, that aura still exists, but through a different lens. Far from the deep- state conspiracies most profanes – and a few of our members – perceive it to be, the Grand Secre- tary oversees the business of the fraternity, like a Chief Operations Officer. e "business" of the fraternity encompasses everything from processing petitions and affiliations, lodge elections, and the dozens of forms in place coordinating the massive genealogy of lodge membership to overseeing expen- ditures, audits, investments, and federal and state tax submissions. ere are trials to clerk for, minutes to take at Board of General Purposes and North Caro- lina Masonic Foundation meetings. ere's local, foreign, and inter- national fraternal correspondence, philanthropic outreach, and public relations. Of course, there's serving as personal assistant to the Grand Master, facilitating strategic plan- ning sessions for the Grand Lodge Officers, and implementing policy through laws, rules, and regulations. en, there's the planning and execution of the Annual Commu- nication—a conference that hosts between 1,200 and 1,500 guests. at gathering, of course, requires the generation of Proceedings. It is a lot. But it's a beautiful way to see how Freemasonry serves the greater good. I feel confident that the lessons of service instilled in your Grand Lodge staff – Vicki Lam, Hayley Moll, Matthew Robbins, and myself, by Past Grand Secretary Walt Clapp will continue to serve our fraternity well in the years to come. Brethren, please visit your Grand Lodge. Please ask questions. Please know and understand how your fraternity is administered. We take our work in the quarry very seriously and want to ensure your experience as Masons is as successful and rewarding as we have found it to be. Are you ready to build something good? By Jonathan Underwood Grand Secretary Grand Secretaries of North Carolina since the founding A list of Grand Secretaries elected to office and years served since the founding of our Grand Lodge in 1787: Ã James Glasgow 1787 Ã William J. Dawson 1788-1789 Ã Matthias Handy 1790-1791 Ã Richard W. Freear 1792-1794 Ã Robert Williams Jr. 1795-1807 Ã Thomas L. Williams 1808-1810 Ã Alexander Lucas 1811-1819 Ã Bazaleel Gillett 1820 Ã Benjamin A. Barham 1821-1822 Ã Alexander J. Lawrence 1823-1827 Ã John C. Stedman 1828-1830 Ã Charles D. Lehman 1831 Ã Thomas J. Lemay 1832 Ã John J. Christopher 1833-1835 Ã William T. Bain 1836-1839 Ã William A. Harrison 1840-1843 Ã William T. Bain 1844-1866 Ã Donald W. Bain 1867-1892 Ã Gustav Rosenthal (Acting) 1892- 1893 Ã William H. Bain 1893-1894 Ã John C. Drewry 1895-1916 Ã William W. Willson (Acting) 1916 Ã William W. Willson 1916-1928 Ã John H. Anderson 1929-1944 Ã Charles B. Newcomb 1945 Ã Wilbur LeRoy McIver 1946-1958 Ã Charles B. Newcomb (Acting) 1958-1959 Ã Charles A. Harris 1959-1973 Ã Robert P. Dudley (Installed) 1974 Ã Robert P. Dudley 1975-1996 Ã T. Walton Clapp III (Installed) 1996 Ã T. Walton Clapp III 1997-2021 Ã Jonathan A. Underwood (Installed) 2021

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