THE GRAND MASTER Within the heart of every Mason there is a quiet respect and deep fraternal love for a Grand Master. His office is accorded the highest honor that can be bestowed within the Craft. We recognize the uncommon connection that the Grand Master has with our own cherished emotions of Masonic brotherhood. The Grand Master counts not his personal pleasure, his social engagements, his hours of rest, recreation, even his sleep, when duties call. He puts his Fraternity and its needs before anything and everything in his life for this year, save only his family and his God. He is Master of the Craft, but in a very real sense, is servant to his brethren, and takes pleasure in his service, knowing it to be honorable before all men. The traditions of Grand Lodge and of the Fraternity are hallowed in his mind and practice. The Ancient Landmarks are preserved, the laws, regulations and edicts of Grand Lodge lived up to, the bylaws meticulously observed. The Grand Master is guide, philosopher and friend to many brethren for many troubles. The Grand Master keeps constantly before him the need for seeing his problems through a tolerant smile of understanding. He has faithfully before him the conviction that many men have many minds, and that two brethren of directly opposite views may both be honest and sincere. He does not take sides but is a balance wheel; he rules firmly and justly, but the firmness is tempered with kindness and the justice with mercy. The Grand Master preserves the dignity of his office, because brethren respect the man who respects the Grand East. With wisdom and perhaps relief, he hands the gavel of authority unsullied by defiance to the Grand Master who succeeds him. The Grand Master is an ideal Mason; Masonry is a part of him, as he is a part of Masonry. With all his heart and soul and strength he strives to live the Masonic life that all brethren may see that here is no mere figurehead, but a vital force. This month, we are honored to have our own MWBro. Richard Mecartea, Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of Washington make an official visit to our humble Lodge. Let us make a special effort to be there to receive him with all the dignity and respect he and his office are so justly due.
GRAND MASTER TO VISIT LODGE AT JANUARY STATED MWBro. Richard Mecartea will be marking an official visit to his home Lodge, Wednesday, January 10. The officers and members of St. John's Lodge No. 9 are hoping to distinguish themselves and pay honor and respect to our Grand Master. Dinner will precede the meeting at 6:00 p.m., with fellowship highlighting the hour prior to the 7:30 p.m. Stated Communication. MWBro. Mecartea is the ninth Grand Master to have been a member of Sr. John's. He is preceded by Past Grand Masters Daniel Bagley (1861), John T. Jordan (1870), William H. White (1884), Joseph M. Taylor (1894), John Arthur (1902), James H. Begg (1920), Matthew W. Hill (1940), and George H. Bovingdon (1966). MWBro. Mecartea is a Past Master of Elliott Bay Lodge No. 257, which consolidated with St. John's in 1997. He has also served as the Deputy of the Grand Master for District No. 5 and has served many Grand Masters in appointive offices and select Grand Lodge committees
DAYLIGHT LODGE NO. 232 TO INSTALL OFFICERS Daylight Lodge No. 232 will install officers January 20, 2001, at 11am. This public ceremony will follow the 10am opening of a short Stated Meeting. WBro. John Losey, Jr. will be installed for a second term as Master (until he gets it right?). He will be assisted in the West by VWBro. David Julian and in the South by WBro. Phil Ostendorf. VWBro. Coe Tug Morgan will be installed to serve as Secretary for the twenty-seventh consecutive year since 1974! He has served under 18 different Masters.
"COMPANY STORE" SOON TO SELL MASONIC MERCHANDISE
At our December Stated Communication, St. John's Web Master Mark Harrison displayed samples of merchandise soon to be available for purchase through the "company store." (There must be a better name for this new Lodge activity.) T-shirts, caps, letter openers, penknives, and other inexpensive items proudly displaying the Lodge logo and Masonic square and compasses will be sold at or near cost. Look for them on the St. John's Web Page at www.seattlemasons.org.
WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING WBro. Herb White and others express their gratification that
the Lodge will be including Habitat for Humanity in our Charities this year.
Habitat for Humanity has built a house in the Yelm area and has named it the St.
Johns House...
MASONIC WAGES PAID IN LODGE "DOLLAR" BILLS Look for the Senior Warden on your next visit to Lodge. He
will be distributing St. John's $'s to each member attending a Stated Meeting.
These St. John's bills will be redeemable in company store merchandise. A word about paper money: Our Federal Government didn't start printing any money until 1861, one year following the beginning of St. John's Lodge No. 9. Previously, individual banks and states issued their own bills. These first Federal bills were called greenbacks after the color of the ink used on one side (the other side was white and had Lincoln's face). By law, each bill had to be hand signed by the US Treasurer or someone he designated. Today, paper money worth over $12 billion is printed every year. Two-thirds of the bills printed are $1. The current US dollar is one-third smaller than in 1929. The highest denomination printed in the last 50 years is the $100 - all bigger bills have officially been retired for over 30 years.
LODGE TO AID FIRE DEPT. Members of the Lodge were privileged to witness a demonstration of a Thermal Imaging Camera now in use by the Seattle Fire Department. This camera has recently been added by the Department to search for victims and to identify weakening integrity of support structures in burning buildings. The camera is heat sensitive and able to "see" through heavy smoke. It can transmit images back to a command center outside of a burning structure. St. John's Lodge will underwrite the purchase of one of these cameras.
LODGE BUDGET ITEMS
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