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From the East
Hail, Brethren! Happy February 1st!! By the time many of you receive this, I will most likely be at the Saturday, February 1st - 3pm District 4 & 5 reception for our Most Worshipful Grand Master at Occidental Lodge No. 72 (2006 NW Market Street) in Seattle (Ballard). Hopefully those of you able to attend will be present to meet MWBro. James N. Reid and to share in Masonic fellowship.
| Since being elected as your Worshipful Master, I have had the distinct pleasure of representing St. John's Lodge No. 9 at the following installation of officers: November 25th - University No. 91 (Vancouver, Canada); November 30th the joint installation of Alki No. 152 and West Seattle-Service No. 287 where two of our brothers, WBro. Darrel Womack and WBro. David Carlsen, were installed as Masters in their respective home lodges; December 7th, University No. 141 and Greenwood No. 253; January 2nd, Lafayette No. 241 and January 9th, George Washington No. 251. These brethren heartily greeted me as representative of our Lodge and wished me to convey their appreciation for our support in their activities. | |  |
The Pacific Northwest has enjoyed a very mild winter so far in contrast to that being endured by many throughout the United States. Let us hope that we continue to be blessed by our seasonable weather which allows us to enjoy one of the most scenic states in our great land.
With the recent deployment of two Puget Sound based aircraft carriers ? the USS Carl Vinson and USS Abraham Lincoln - many of our active and reserve military personnel are en route to the Middle East. Please keep all our military personnel in your prayers as they will now represent our country and our zeal in making the world a better and safer place to live. Imagine what it must be like for many throughout the world not to know where your next meal was coming from, where you were going to sleep and no experience with personal Liberty.
Our next stated meeting on February 5th will be a SOCK LODGE! Drag out those outrageous socks (you would never wear in public) and have your shoes shined while we are in our regular stated meeting. As a special bonus, our district deputy, VWBro. Gale Kenney, will be there on his official 2003 visitation. Bring along a brother, meet our district deputy and hear his message. See you in lodge!!
Terry Grove, Master
Ugly Socks and Shiny Shoes to Grace Our February Stated
 | | When the Master opens Lodge this month, he won't rap his gavel to bring us to order. He's more likely to shout "Put a sock in it!" The Organist might play "Shine on, Shine on Harvest Moon?" Or "Shoo Fly, don't bother me?" Or maybe that Canadian favorite "Hose-eh Can You See?" Maybe we'll have a surprise visit from that great philosopher, SOCKrates? Or Joanne Worley might suddenly pop in shouting "Sock it to me! Sock it to me! Sock it to me!?" |
This is all a way of saying that at this coming Stated Communication of February 5, once again the members of St. John's Lodge No. 9 will be displaying wild and colorful stockings as the Job's Daughters labor to add a shine to everyone's shoes.
As a fund-raising project, the young ladies will shine the shoes of every Mason who leaves his shoes outside the tiled recesses of the Lodge. And meanwhile, the one judged to have the most outrageous socks displayed in Lodge will be presented "the most outrageous socks award." Last year Bro. Darrel Womack exhibited the ugliest socks and was rewarded for his "darned" daring. It was Darrel's darned daring display of disgusting digit diapers. Surely somebody can wrest this honor away from the reigning champ!
Innocently entering this "holy" retreat will be VWBro. Gale Kinney, who will be representing the Grand Master on his official visit to the Lodge. As Deputy of the Grand Master for District No. 5, VWBro. Kinney will bring greetings to the Lodge and share information about Freemasonry in our District and throughout the Washington jurisdiction. This will be VWBro. Kinney's first visit to our Lodge since his "unofficial" visit last September.
As usual, those who are infrequent guests at our Stated Communications, we encourage you to state your intentions to join us for dinner. Dinner will be held at 6pm, and is free to all comers. However, we base our estimated count to the chef on our expected turn-out. Those who do not normally fit into this count should call the Secretary VWBro. Jim Russell at 206 623-0261 or send an electronic message to stjohns9@msn.com.
Reception for the Grand Master This Saturday!
WM Terry Grove to report on St. John's
A last reminder for you to catch Districts No. 4 and No. 5 joint reception for the Grand Master, MWBro. James N. Reid, Jr. Come join us on this special occasion. The event will take place at Occidental Lodge No. 72, 2006 NW Market St. in Seattle this Saturday, February 1, beginning at 3pm, with dinner being served at 6pm. There will be a program for the ladies hosted by Diane Reid. On the outside chance that there is still room at the festive board, bring $10 for dinner. The first 150 reservations will be seated.
The nine Worshipful Masters in the District will give a short presentation, no more than a few minutes each, on the state of their lodge. The afternoon will also include the presentation of the Pillars of Progress and the Grand Master's Achievement Awards by both Districts. Deputies VWBros. Bob Jensen and Gale Kenney look forward to greeting you as we honor the office of the Grand Master.
In My Opinion
LANDMARKS
by: Jim Russell
"The prevailing idea of the Ancient Landmarks is that they are those time-honored and universal customs of Freemasonry which have been the fundamental laws of the Fraternity from a period so remote that their origin cannot be traced, and so essential that they cannot be modified or amended without changing the character of the Fraternity." (from The Landmarks of Freemasonry Book One by Carl H. Claudy.)
There have been recent suggestions, nay, pressures, that certain Landmarks peculiar to our Lodge should be abandoned.
That our Lodge has its own beloved set of Landmarks cannot be denied. We escort and conduct from our left. Our Chaplain is in the North. Our Master and Wardens stand at attention with their gavel across the left breast. Were we to "modify or amend" these St. John's Landmarks we would change the character of our Lodge. These customs have been with us for longer than anyone can remember, and were most certainly a part of our character in our very beginning.
For any "outsider" to suggest that we turn our back on what have been important distinctions in our Lodge is not only wrong, it should be offensive to every member of the Lodge.
Trustees and Officers Installed on December 7, 2002
Contact Us Here
Worshipful Master: Terry Grove 425 337-7134
terryagrove@hotmail.msn.com
Secretary Jim Russell: 206 623-0261 stjohns9@msn.com
Webmaster Charlie Tupper: 206 459-8236 webmaster@seattlemasons.org
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