A new year is upon us and I hope you and your families have enjoyed the Christmas holidays. As Masons, our work is never truly done. Each day brings new promise and unique challenges. I have been taught that God comes first, family comes second, and the rest falls in line after that. This is true about Masons; we need to have a firm spiritual footing if we are to succeed in our labors. We need the devoted support of our families and friends. Always remember, it’s not all about you. There are many suffering people in this world; we need to find a way to help them. Unfortunately, charity does begin at home and we need to bring ourselves and our Lodge back to its previous splendor. This is our primary goal this year. All of you and your families need to be involved to raise the necessary funds to accomplish this. So, get ready to roll up your sleeves and dig in!

Fraternally,
Robert Caffyn, Worshipful Master

via FraternalTies

BY Bro. Walter H. Bonn, Victor, Iowa

It’s not a sign or handshake, a hall where tilers sit,
It’s not a guarded building, where passwords will admit,
It’s not a place of symbols, which Wardens oft display,
It’s not a lodge of members, who meet in white array.
It is the home of justice, of liberty and truth,
Of loyalty to country, of sympathy for youth,
Of succor for a brother, of gentleness and cheer,
Of tolerance for neighbors, whose life is often drear.

Link

Because I am a Freemason….

…..I believe that freedom of religion is an inalienable human right and tolerance an indispensable trait of human character; therefore, I will stand in my Lodge with Brothers of all faiths, and respect their beliefs as they respect mine, and I will demonstrate the spirit of Brotherhood in all aspects of my life.

…..I know that education and the rational use of the mind are the keys to facing the problems of humanity; therefore, I will bring my questions and my ideas to my Lodge, and strive to advance the growth of my mind alongside my Brothers.

…..I know that the rich tradition of Freemasonry and its framework of Ritual are important platforms for growth and learning; therefore, I vow to stand upon these platforms to improve myself as a human being, and I vow to help in the mission of the Craft to provide tools, atmosphere, challenges and motivation to help each Brother do the same.

…..I know that charity is the distinguishing human virtue, and that personal community service is the best demonstration of one’s commitment to humanity; I acknowledge that words without deeds are meaningless, and I vow to work with my Lodge to provide service to the community, and to promote charity, frienship, morality, harmony, integrity, fidelity and love.

…..I know that my obligation to community extends beyond my local sphere and is partly fulfilled in my patriotism; love of my country, obedience to its laws and celebration of the freedoms and opportunities it symbolizes.

…..I know that leadership is best demonstrated by commitment to serving others; I will therefore participate in, and help work at improving individual leadership skills, and serve my Brothers of my Lodge to the best of my ability.

….. I know that friendship, fidelity and family are the foundations of a well-lived life; I therefore vow to be a faithful friend to my Brothers, as I expect my Lodge to respect my personal obligations, and to treat my family as though my family were their own.

…..I know that the last great lesson of Freemasonry- the value of personal integrity and the sanctity of one’s word-is a lesson for all people in all times; I therefore vow to be a man of my word.

…..I know that Masonry’s power is best exercised when its Light is shared with the world at large; I therefore vow to bring the best of myself to my Lodge, in order that my growth might be fostered and nurtured, and to present myself to the world as a working Freemason, on the path to building a more perfect temple.

Because I am a Freemason, these values and aspirations are guideposts for my progress through life.

On November 11, Mariners Lodge hosted Barnegat veterans for dinner, and to honor their service with a donation and plaque. A great night, great dinner and a true honor for the lodge. Thanks to Bro. Pete Rahtjen for the photos! You can see the Facebook album here.

In November, we celebrate the holiday of Thanksgiving. All too often, many think that it is a day off to watch football. It should be a time of reflection of all the good that we have in our lives such as family, friends, good health, etc. It is important for us to realize what is truly important. For me, having the family together is the best part of the day. With everyone’s busy schedule, getting together is harder and harder. For those whose parents are still alive, get in touch with them and let them know how important it is that they are a part of your life and how grateful you are for everything that they have done for you. The values they instilled in you. The sacrifices they made for you. These are things that you do not realize until you are grown or until you have children of your own. When you grow up having only one parent as I did, then you realize how important it is to have both parents. If you are a parent of grown adults, call them, let them know that you are thinking about them and how proud you are of them. If you are a parent of children, sit down and talk to them. Let them know that you want the best for them and their wellbeing is important to you. Give them an extra hug. Tell them how much you love them. Do not take life for granted. Let those that are important to you know it. You never know what is going to happen tomorrow. Make the most out of every day.

Also, in November, we have Veteran’s Day. After thinking about it, it really does make sense to have this in the same month as Thanksgiving. We should give thanks to all those servicemen who have served or is serving our country. They have made sure that we have the freedoms that we enjoy today. So during Thanksgiving, include them in your prayers and when you see a serviceman go up and thank them for their service and all that they do for this country.

Fraternally,
Stephen Ruch, Worshipful Master

2014 Raffle Calendars are on sale now. $30 Each. See a brother to get yours.

DATE: October 26th, 2013

PLACE: Mariners Masonic Lodge, 692 East Bay Ave, Barnegat, NJ

TIME: 1:00 PM

Bethlehem Chapter # 40 O.E.S. Will be holding a Scentsy Party on Saturday October 26th at 1PM. Come out to support our sister chapter. Everyone is welcome so invite your friends and family to come try out the many scents and enjoy a fun afternoon.

When I first became a Mason and went to my first couple of meetings, I was impressed with the fact that during the meetings there were many discussions with many different opinions. At first it seemed as if there was a lot of disharmony and unfriendliness in the lodge but I soon realized that as soon as a vote was taken or the discussion ended all the disharmony seemed to disappear. I was impressed by the fact that from that point it seemed that everyone came together. The respect shown was what impressed me. The respect that Masons had for each other was what I was looking for in an organization. We must keep this “respect” for each other. This “respect” is what makes our fraternity a step above others.

However, it seems that some are losing the way and do not respect others when they disagree. We are not always going to agree with each other. It is only natural that when so many people get together there will be many different opinions. However, we must remember the importance of respecting each other. Instead of talking about someone (especially behind his back which we promise not to do in the Master Mason obligation) because you do not agree with them, the best and most Masonic thing to do would be to talk to that person either one on one or ask a neutral person to mediate to settle any differences.

Many of our disagreements would not escalate if we just communicated with each other in a calm and respectful manner. If you hear a brother being disrespectful to anyone, remind him of the following charge he is given during the closings of the Lodge. “Remember that you have promised to remind an erring brother of his failings, to aid in his reformation, to vindicate his character when traduced, and to suggest, in his behalf, the most charitable judgment”.

Fraternally,
Stephen Ruch, Worshipful Master

I hope I shall always possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man. — George Washington – US President & Freemason