A Message From The East

From the east
Brethren,
 
In our 20th District, we recently had 4 Master Mason degrees in as any weeks. With all those newly raised brethren, I found this poem very fitting:
 
LAST NIGHT I KNELT WHERE HIRAM KNELT
 
Last night I knelt where Hiram knelt and took
 
an obligation. Today I am closer to God and I
 
am a Master Mason. Tho’ heretofore my fellow
 
men seemed each one like the other, today I
 
search each one apart; I am looking for my
 
Brother. And as I feel his friendly grip it fills
 
my heart with pride, I know that while I am on
 
the square that he is on my side, his footsteps
 
on my errand go if I should require, his prayers
 
will plead on my behalf if I should desire. My
 
words are safe within his breast as though my
 
own, his hand forever at my back to help me
 
safely home. Good council whispers in my ear
 
and warns me of any danger, by square and
 
compass Brother now who calls me stranger.
 
I might have have lived a moral life and risen
 
to distinctions without my brothers helping
 
hands and fellow Masons, but God who knows
 
how hard it is to resist life’s temptations knows
 
why I knelt where Hiram knelt and took the
 
Obligation.
 
Brethren, with the holidays approaching, I would ask everyone to consider helping those less fortunate than ourselves. Mariners Lodge is continuing our food drive to support the Barnegat Food Pantry, as well as our yearly toy drive.
 
Fraternally,
Gregory J. Stevens, WM 2016