SPRING 2019 From the Grand East MW WILLIAM M. SARDONE Grand Master 212/337-6643 e have moved into a new calendar year, but as I have in inquiries. Those inquiries are filtered until we see quality Wsaid in my video communications, we Masons are intentions. And then our NorthStar Program kicks in. working together every day of every year. I thank you for your The Empire State Mason is a terrific vehicle to convey continued dedication, passion and love for our Fraternity. information. You may also want to sign up for Hiram’s There are many articles in this issue that highlight some Highlights at [email protected]. It is a digital of the initiatives we launched. Each member of our Grand newsletter that has some up to date information. Line is continuing with his individual responsibilities, from At the time you receive this issue, we will have visited our the widow’s program to security to membership and more. As members who live in Florida, we will have the plans for the a result of their multitasking ability, I can look for new and Grand Master’s Cruise in place, we will have the additional creative ways to stabilize and move our Fraternity forward. Grand Lodge Session on October 5, 2019 all planned out. I will not use up a lot of space in this article to speak to our We will also have the Grand Master’s Day at Camp Turk in multi-pronged approach. But I will say that we are increasing August solidified, our Greenhouse will continue to develop, the awareness of New York Masonry and speaking to clear the entertainment for St. John’s Weekend will be locked down, misconceptions. We know what surveys say. Surveys reflect and more. what people are thinking and saying. And in many situations I am very proud of each and every one of you. As I said in when they don’t have enough information they form their own my video, you invigorate me and make me want to do more. conclusions and brand us. We are taking our brand back. Our And we will do more as we build the future together. Membership Taskforce alone is seeing exponential increases Tour o you know which room at Masonic Hall is classified as Many Masons have this tour on their list of things they must the Egyptian Room? What about the story behind the do and see. Many of them leave a donation at the tour office; DHollander Room? The tour guides do. And they spend hours and in just a few months they have collected $2650 which each day describing the many magnificent rooms, decorations, they gave to your Brotherhood Fund for the Greenhouse etc. for tourists who come from all over the world to see our Project. Our guides are dedicated men who bring additional historic Lodge Building. value. Thank you! 2 THE EMPIRE STATE MASON MAGAZINE Building the Future SPRING 2019 TABLE OF CONTENTS Volume 68 / Number 1 / SPRING 2019 IN THIS ISSUE featured HigHligHts: 238th Annual Communication Hotel Accomodation 9 238th Annual Communication Preliminary Program 10 SPRING 2019 RW Brother Ivan S Obolosky’s Eulogy 11 Cruise with Grand Master 48 Officers and cOmmittees: From the Grand East 2 Deputy Grand Master 4 Cover: Building the Future Grand Treasurer 5 See article on page 16 Junior Grand Warden 6 Grand Secretary 8 Grand Lodge Educational Assistance Program (EAP) 12 Grand Cinamatographer 13-14 Grand Historian 17 Masonic Care Community 20 Camp Turk 24-25 Round Lake 26 Acacia Village 28 Masonic Youth Committee 30 New York DeMolay 31 From the Webmaster 33 Masonic Medical Research Institute 34 Awards Committee 35 Years of Service 41-44 Dates to Remember 44 Submission Guidelines 45 Grand Lecturer 47 TRUSTEES OF THE MASONIC HALL AND ASYLUM FUND Publisher The Empire State Mason is an Official Publication of the Trustees of the Masonic Hall and Asylum Fund. Edited by the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of New York for the members of the Masonic Fraternity and their families. CONSULTANTS POStMAStER: WILLIAM M. SARDONE RIChARD J. kESSLER StEvEN ADAM RuBIN Please send address changes to: Grand Master – Editor in Chief Deputy Grand Master Grand treasurer the Empire State Mason Circulation Department JOAN C. BOWER ChARLES M. ROBERtS RIChARD t. SChuLz 71 West 23rd Street Assistant Editor Senior Grand Warden Grand Secretary Ny Ny 10010-4149 Periodicals Class Publication 56874 ELquEMEDO OSCAR ALLEyNE LORAINE DIBLEy 1-(800) 362-7664 Junior Grand Warden Graphic Designer Website at www.nymasons.org Subscription $6.00 Domestic $15.00 Foreign per year. Subscription free to all members of constituent Lodges of the Grand Lodge F. & A.M. State of New york. Copyright ©2019 by the trustees of the Masonic hall and Asylum Fund. All rights reserved. Reproduction by recognized Masonic organizations is permitted with credit. All others must obtain written permission. Published quarterly in Spring Summer Fall and Winter months by the trustees of the Masonic hall and Asylum Fund 71 West 23rd Street Ny Ny 10010-4149. thE EMPIRE StAtE MASON (ISSN 0013-6794 Published at 71 West 23rd Street Ny Ny 10010-4149). Periodicals postage paid at New york Ny and additional mailing offices. Deputy Grand Master RW RIChARD J. kESSLER deputy Grand Master [email protected] rothers, your Grand Lodge continues to explore must maintain the qualities which made us great and have also Bopportunities to attract candidates and engage our Brothers been beneficial to society. st to be life-long members. As we move into the 21 century, Although memorization is a skill no longer essential in our I can’t stress enough how important it is for us to become educational system, the proper learning and recitation of ritual an attractive option for upright men to become productive must not be sacrificed in the quest for membership. The ritual members of our Craft. to which I refer concerns the genuine and profound mysteries I emphasis “life-long” because there have been countless of Freemasonry and its effects on the psyche or consciousness programs designed to entice qualified men to join our ranks. of man. Just how important is symbolic Masonic ritual to the Unfortunately, somewhere between recruitment and long- well-being of the individual and to the Craft and our lives? term commitment we have lost many good Brothers. There Why do we, as intelligent and rational people, submit to are probably countless reasons but I feel that the greatest arcane and dated actions? What significance if any do they cause is that the necessary connection was not properly hold? established. This quickly results in disinterest, boredom and The issue of ritual, its meaning and importance is still disappointment, which are counterproductive to our best relevant today, perhaps more so than in the past. Our global intentions. society, ever expanding, becoming homogeneous in nature and Our Grand Master has just implemented a new program activity is more concerned with the acquisition of material and that will engage our newest Master Masons in a dialogue temporary satisfaction. I believe that this moment in history is about their Masonic experience. The thrust of this format more important than any before. A society that values wealth, is to be proactive in the detection of problems and develop power and acquisition is seriously out of balance and cannot strategies to overcome these difficulties before they become sustain itself indefinitely. Freemasonry, as a truly ancient unmanageable and we lose one more member. institution, must be the standard-bearer of ritual, enabling its We also must balance the importance of our history members and providing them with a positive sense of worth and traditions against the backdrop of an ever-changing and of value. Indeed, Freemasonry, properly functioning, modernistic world. Our traditions are essential to our very sustains its brethren and the society in which it operates. existence. Our traditions form a common history, shared More and more we find young people unconnected to any beliefs and convictions that are the very bedrock of our particular positive spiritual, religious or social activity. Thus, Fraternity. They connect us to the ancient guilders of the young people feel alienated and disassociated from the rest of Middle Ages, the Ancient Charges and Landmarks that extend society. Ritual is especially important for young people as it to the Period of Enlightenment. These Landmarks are our provides them with a sense of connection to a larger world. life blood and encompass brotherhood, civility, rectitude of Studies show that they are searching for something to fill this conduct, tolerance, faith and charity. void. Our challenge is to present ourselves as that missing The 21st century has its own distinct challenges, but is fertile element in their lives. ground for Masonic growth. Some Masonic leaders believe Remember that one of our core values is charity and to care that Freemasonry of past centuries is not a good fit for modern for needy and destitute Masons and their families. Please keep society and that we must change our operational precepts to our Grand Master’s Greenhouse Project as one of your charity adapt to this modern world. This is not the case; Freemasonry options. This program is directed for both the residents of has never strayed from its core beliefs or its principles and the Masonic Care Facility and the children from our day tenets. That is why we have thrived as an organization for over care center. Many scientific studies have determined the vast 300 years. Now is not the time to dilute our product for the benefits that programs such as this result in, such as upswings sake of some hopeful upswing in membership.