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The North Carolina Mason
March/April 2012
A Masonic prayer buffet ASHEVILLE — Carey Harnash, of Mount Hermon
118, has spent almost two years collecting Masonic lodge opening and closing prayers from all 50 states. His recently published Masonic Prayers puts more than 100 to those rit- ual prayers into one volume. Some are similar to the prayers in our own Bahnson
Manual, which suggests, but does not limit the opening and closing prayers in our ritual work. The ones in this book make a simple, very interesting Masonic education for your lodge. Use these prayers instead the usual ones and let your brothers experience Masonry in other places. At the same time, they offer a nice (and acceptable) change of pace in the opening and closing of your lodge. The little book sells for $20 plus shipping and handling.
Home develops emergency response OXFORD — Beginning in the summer of
2010, the Masonic Home for Children began preparing the campus for a state and feder- ally approved emergency multi-response sys- tem. It is similar to systems currently used in the North Carolina public schools. The Home has worked with FEMA, the State of North Carolina, and Granville County Emergency Management Services to create a multi-haz- ard emergency plan. The Home has updated its policies and in-
and the development of an incident command system for the campus staff and residents to use in emergency situations, including severe weather. Director and EM Coordinator and Fire Marshal Doug Logan is seen here
cluded a number of new safety features on the campus, including external emergency notifica- tion systems (horns), text and email messaging,
a table-top drill, giving a scenario on paper for the Home's Emergency Plan to react to, finding those things that work and problems that may need correction. Drills will accompany future table-top exercises on a regular basis with the entire campus and local law enforcement and emergency services. Testing of the plan and its components continues through 2012 culminat- ing in a full-scale drill later in the year.
providing
Masonic Pig Jig returns in May
sonic gathering, the Carolina Masonic Pig Jig, is set for May 19 at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds, next to the new Exposition Cen- ter. This year's event is again held in cooperation with the Got To Be NC Festival. For details visit
RALEIGH — North Carolina's largest Ma-
and or call event coor- dinator Mike Sterling at (919) 272-1353 or or 3356 Six Forks Road, Raleigh, NC 27609.
HALIFAX, from page 1
the chair has the three steps to the master's seat built in. It's rungs are columns of the different orders of architecture. Various emblems of Ma- sonry are inlaid on the chair's back. The lodge still has silver candle sticks for
three tapers from the 1760s. A Bow china bowl still exists — decorated with the name of the lodge, it is "the only known product of the Bow factory in London made specifically for the American market."Don't forget the now rare and valuable chairs the lodge bought to keep its members comfortable. While Halifax was a bustling center of com- -century, industry, government,
merce in the 18th
more energetic members. Plural membership let people join the lodge for love of its history. A consolidation brought them a larger pool of members. Experts from State Archives and His- tory and historical architects helped by offering free advice and restoration plans. Increased positive thinking meant everyone
getting moving toward a "we can do this" atti- tude. Work began. A new, high end metal roof is in place. The
Grand Historian Michael Brantley in the Royal White Hart lodge room.
monthly breakfast at the Fireside Restaurant in Hendersonville.
Horse Creek 719 continues to host a — Horse Creek Lodge
Columbus
p.m. on third Mondays. Renfro Lodge has done lots of work to their
Renfro 691 has changed its meetings to 7:00 Mount Airy
archive room adding cabinets and display cases. John Kidwell of Granite 322 built the cases. They've also launched a new newsletter re-
placing their long defunct one, Lodge Times. — Lodge Times
breakfast on the last Saturday of every month (except November and December). Carthage Lodge plans to host two fundraisers
Carthage 181 has started hosting a lodge Carthage
this year: a fish fry April 27 and chicken and dump- ling dinner October 26. — Quarterly Trestle Board
Tournament May 5 for benefit of the Masonic charities. The tossing will be done at Pearson Park, and entry fees are $40 per team. Cash prizes will be offered in the double elimina- tion tournament.
St. John's 4 is sponsoring a Corn Hole Kinston — Lynn Hill
but Kernersville 699 is facing the inevitable air conditioning replacement. Donations to help are being accepted. Any Monday night when they are not doing
It's never good news for the lodge treasury, Kernersville
and trade moved west over the years. Hali- fax slowly became a sleepy, rural community. Its membership got older, and their numbers shrank. Shrinking income and tired members meant that maintenance slipped, and slowly the building deteriorated. In the last ten or 20 years people outside the lodge started showing an interest and encouraging the lodge to preserve its treasured home. Royal White Hart has long been a popular lodge visit night for other lodges in the northeast part of the state. First, the lodge began getting some younger,
STATE, from page 3 Stedman
lodge room restoration is largely complete thanks to the personal talents and work of lodge Master Joseph Peter Jensen. They are pursuing a pro- fessionally designed, step-by-step plan to make Royal White Hart of real showplace for our Masonic history in North Carolina. Hope and progress are at their highest point in years. Simi- lar trends seem to be happening around the state as more and more young men realize the joys of the historic landmarks they inhabit and have had passed down to them by their forefathers. The new LLC partnership with the NC Ma-
Of that, two dollars goes to the Masonic Home for Chil- dren and one dollar to the repair fund at the Asheville Ma- sonic Temple. You can order copies by email from Harnish at .
SIMONS, from page 8
ed about the fracking shale gas mining/drilling. As we moved to a work table with facsimiles of old documents on it, Simons laughed and noted that one was a 19th
vein of coal that was so prominently featured in today's news. His department was not surprised by the rising interest in shale gas. They had al- ready been researching the topic. Simons has traveled the country reviewing the experiences of several states who have had the gas mining. It's a knowledge that may make the difference in the safety of our access to the resource. Two other state geologist are thought to have been Masons. Joseph Austin Holmes served in the office 1891–1905. He was known as a cham- pion of miners as he made many discoveries con- cerning the dangers of mining and crusaded to make the work safer. He appears to have joined Bingham 272 in Mebane in 1908, before leaving the state to become chief of the United States Bureau of Mines. Jasper Leonidus Stuckey, state geologist 1925–1926 was a member of William G. Hill 218 in Raleigh in 1927, listing himself on his petition as a "teacher and geologist." Jim Simons joined Millbrook 97 in 1989. He's is a member there still.
century depiction of the very
Simons examines an early map of NC coal field holding gas deposits.
sonic Foundation will mean they can qualify for more grants to be used to preserve the facility. With luck, it will bring new excitement, and new funding, and speedier repairs.
Master Joseph Peter Jensen has done much of the restoration work.
Mason of the Year for 2011. On November 21, Judge C. Faircloth Jr. was
Henry L. Tew was named Stedman 730's
presented his Veteran's Emblem marking 50 years Masonic membership. Then-Grand Mas- ter Lewis Ledford presented the award. Stedman Lodge collected money and
— The Blueprint
settias delivered for the holidays. Members of the lodge bought and delivered the Christmas flowers. Conover Lodge participated in the January 6
Thirty-two widows of Conover 709 had poin- Conover
blood drive held at the local fire department. — Newsletter
in cooperation with Applebee's on March 10. — David Oates
Wake Forest 282 held a Flapjack Fundraiser Wake Forest
lation for Knights of Solomon 764 in January. Knights of Solomon is an affinity lodge for mo- torcycle enthusiasts.
Eureka 283 hosted the open officer instal- China Grove — Johnny Hatley
They've instituted a monthly breakfast at Oak Island 758. They'll be holding it at the lodge on the Saturday before each stated communication. They're serving at 8:00 a.m. — Bobby Carmon
Oak Island
degree work, Kernersville Lodge is holding what they call Mason's University. It's an informal ses- sion during which members may learn new bits of ritual or practice catechisms.
— Masonic Lodge News
Semper Fidelis 680 was having so much fun with their Ladies' Night Out program that they've started having it monthly. As a group, they carry their wives out to a restaurant. — Trestle Board
Jacksonville drive January 29.
Green Level 277 held a Sunday blood — Ludwik Wodka
Green Level
canned goods for an indigent family during the Christmas season.
was set for March 6. Brothers Ray and Dennis Wheeler were to receive their Veteran's Em- blems for 50 years Masonic membership. You may remember Ray from a recent article in The NC Mason about the Hushpuppy Man.
Past Masters' and Ladies' Night at Kenly 257 Kenly — David Ellis
Service awards were presented at Advance 710 in November. Past Grand Master Lester Martin presented 60-year Diamond Jubilees for Charles T. Robertson and William Ellis. Nor- man Larry Carlton got his Veteran's Emblem for his 50 years membership.
Advance — Ron Vogler
capital campaign. They want to replace the con- crete pad at their entryway. They also want to get a new grill and build a room to store it. It's also time for new aprons and gloves. — Trestleboard
Fellowship 84 continues to work on their Smithfield
Pancake Breakfast on May 12. They're raising funds for the Masonic Homes. — Ray Leonard
Warden Dalton Mayo an honorary member. — Rehobeth Lodge
Rehobeth 279 recently elected Senior Grand Rose Hill
in during the Rowan County Masonic Blood Drive. That was three over their goal.
Spencer 543 reports that 31 units were brought — Johnny Hatley
Spencer Marietta 444 is having their Fourth Annual Ramseur
cooking of the year for March 30–31. On April 28, they are holding their first golf
Tabasco 271 is planning their first barbecue Gibsonville
tournament at Brookwood Golf Course. The lodge is also having an open break- fast at 8:00 a.m. on the first Monday of every month at the Grill Worx in Graham. — Trestle Board
Awards Dinner February 18 at the Metroliner Shrine Club. They enjoyed rib eye steaks and bluegrass music.
West Gate 738 had their Ladies' Night and Paw Creek — Gary Cooke
tion about the Masonic presidents February 20. — Ron Lambe
Nichols-West Asheville 650 had a presenta- Asheville
ing second Saturdays each month to Clean-Up Day. Different sections of the building get at- tention on their own Saturday: library in Janu- ary, dinning room in February, and the kitchen in March.
The Asheville Masonic Temple is dedicat-
meetings of their lodge officers. At their April meeting here at Relief 431, they were to work on refining their district funeral committee proce- dures. Each lodge is to bring one topic of general interest for discussion.
The 16th Masonic District holds regular joint Benson — David Ellis
ters' and Ladies' Night February 24. They were holding their annual barbecue
St. Patrick's 617 was holding their Past Mas- Princeton
fundraiser March 3. Barbecued pork and chick- en were on the menu.
— David Ellis
— Mount Hermon Lodge
Ric Car ter photos
Ric Car ter photo
Ric Car ter photos
