September has come and gone and it was another successful month for Herndon Lodge. We initiated some new EAs, we passed a brother to a degree of FC and have made necessary requirements to qualify for Noah Hillman Award. However, not all news were great ones. One of our members has laid down his working tools. Even though it was a very short notice request from brother’s family, our SW and our secretary (as I was out of VA) did a quick turn around and executed a beautiful Masonic Funeral Service in different Grand Lodge jurisdiction. Thank you brother Al Diplacidi for performing a beautiful funeral service, and thanks to all brethren that have showed up or have supported this effort. This is a great fraternity for, as brother Mauricio informed me, brethren left their jobs and have showed up at the funeral service to pay their respect to the departed brother.
Our lodge brethren participated in a District Picnic, organized by Henry Lodge and have enjoyed the fellowship of brethren from around the District and their families. Our district is a real Masonic family and I personally believe that it would be great to have more of these District level events that would involve families.
Finally I would like to mention that it was a pleasure to watch brother Ruark, a member of Herndon Lodge as well as of Patriot Lodge #1957, take the East and confer degrees in his mother Lodge. Brother Ruark is going to be the Master of Patriot Lodge next year and we a re proud to be one of the places he calls his Masonic home. October will be even busier for Masons in Herndon. We are starting a round of Fraternal Visits, On September 29 (Saturday) we will be visiting A Douglas Smith Lodge of Research #1949 and I will be leading that visit. On October 2nd our SW will lead a visit to Henry Lodge #57. Moreover we will try to do a visit to Freedom Lodge #118 on October 5th. On our first stated in October (October 1st) brother Rob Martin, our Lodge Blood Coordinator, will present the program titled “The Masonic Tie in Battle”. Rob is a great researcher and I am sure we all will enjoy his work. On our Second Stated (October 15th) there will be a program by MAHOVA Ambassador to discuss the dues increase as suggested for approval at GAC this year.
Also, on October 20th is the Scottish Rite Reunion. Some of Herndon members will be involved in performing “the Herndon Degree” also known as The Fourth Degree. If you are a Scottish Rite Mason please join us in supporting Herndon brethren going to their Scottish Rite degrees.
I was talking to several of our candidates and it looks like we will have to do a lot of degree work in October. In that context I have scheduled both 4th and 5th Monday in October for this purpose.
Masonry manifests through everything we do in life. We as masons are enabled to see it in day to day things and it motivates us to be better men and Masons. I would like to conclude with a very short poem written by brother Walter H. Bonn from Victor, Iowa, in which he describes what masonry is:
What is Masonry?
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 to PDF version of this month’s Trestle Board: https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B1Bfpq2wDwgYY3FnOWI0blo3R1E
