St. John’s Lodge, No. 1, F&AM Stamp 425 Bennett Way Newmarket, NH 03857

August 2017 St. John’s No. Lodge 1 Trestle Board August 2017 August Portsmouth, NH

The Master’s Message Lodge of Instruction

Brethren, Lodge of Instruction Dates for NH Districts: This month’s Stated Meeting will be filled with quite a bit of business. The evening will begin with the Official Visitation of the District Deputy Grand Master, Right September 9th: District 8 Gorham-Sabatis Lodge, Gorham Worshipful Brother Ken Weyler. During visitation, the District Education Officer, Worshipful Brother Steve Welch will be doing a presentation on the Entered September 9th: District 6 Holderness Lodge, Holderness Apprentice Degree. Once the DDGM has left with his suite, we will begin with Our business. Among other things, we will be voting on 2 Investigation Committee September 16th: District 4 Eureka Blazing Star, Concord reports as well as the By-Laws which are attached to this month’s Trestle Board. All of your feedback is welcomed and necessary for these important topics. September 16th: District 1 St. John’s, Portsmouth

On August 9th, we will be having Our Annual Joint Veteran’s Program with St. September 23rd: District 2 Ancient York Lodge, Nashua Andrew’s Lodge. The Grand Master, Most Worshipful Brother John E. Lobdell will be joining us to present 50-year medals and 60-year certificates to our Masonic September 23th: District 3 Benevolent Lodge, Milford Veteran’s. He will also be presenting a few other very special and surprise awards to some very unsuspecting Brethren. I look forward to seeing the look of shock and awe September 30th: District 7 Meridian Lodge, W. Franklin on these Brothers’ faces when they receive these prestigious awards and I hope to see many of you there that evening as well. September 30th: District 5 Winnipesaukee Lodge, Alton

August 16th, we will be passing 3 Brothers to the degree of Fellow Craft. Personally, this is my favorite degree. There is a lot of Masonic Education in this degree and every time I see it I get something new out of it. 3 months ago at the last Fellow Craft Degree, Our Senior Deacon, Bother Jason DeStasio delivered a flawless Middle- Chamber Lecture. A feat I don’t think many of us can claim. And as the District Deputy Grand Lecturer, I was able to present Brother DeStasio with a special pin recognizing this achievement. I hope to see many Brethren on the sidelines as he looks to perform the same accomplishment.

And lastly, it has been brought to my attention that we have been putting added stress on Our Chef, Worshipful Brother Phil Fraiser. And because of that I am asking you all to begin making reservations with Our Junior Warden Brother Gregg Annis, PREFERABLY through his email ([email protected]) or leaving him a message on his phone at (603) 365-6385. We will be working on a more permanent solution to make RSVP’s through in the coming weeks.

Sincerely and Fraternally, Worshipful Floyd Caron Pictured above is one of our 2017 scholarship recipients—Hannah Haslam (second from left)—daughter of Worshipful Brother Thomas Haslam (center). To Tom’s right is his wife, Marcie and his parents John and Marcia. Also pic- tured are Worshipful Master, Floyd Caron, and scholarship committee members Worshipful Verne Anderson and Worshipful Rod McDonald VisitationsVisitations August 2017

We are hoping more members of St. John’s Lodge will be able to Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat attend some of this year’s 1st District Visitations. Dates are as follows: 1 2 3 4 5

August 2: St. John’s Lodge No. 1—Portsmouth 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 September 19: Rockingham Lodge—Candia

September 25: Gideon Lodge—Kingston 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

October 5: Major General John Sullivan—Epping 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

October 9: St. Andrew’s Lodge - Portsmouth 27 28 29 30 31 October 19 : Star In The East—Exeter

October 23: St. James Lodge—Hampton Stated Communication Wednesday, August 2, 2017 Tucker Lodge—Date TBD (Dinner 6:00, Open 7:00) Dinner—Lasagna ($10) Officer dress—White tie, gloves and tails

Special Communication—Veteran’s Night Wednesday, August 9, 2017 (Dinner 6:00, Open 7:00) Dinner—Chicken Cordon Bleu (free for all) Officer dress—White tie, gloves and tails

Special Communication—Fellow Craft Degree Brothers Cedric Jones, Tim Campbell, Steve Mason Contact Floyd Caron Robert L. Sutherland, Jr. Information: Worshipful Master Secretary Wednesday, August 16, 2017 [email protected] [email protected] (Dinner 6:00, Open 7:00) (207) 577-3028 (603) 828-5246 Dinner—Chinese Buffet ($10) Officer dress—White tie, gloves and tails

Happy Birthday Brothers! Join us for the Stated Communication during your birthday month and the dinner is on the Master and Wardens. Proposed Changes to the By-laws of St John’s Lodge at the Stated Meeting in in the settlement and creation of the great city of . Serving onboard July to be voted on in Aug. USS Decatur during this important time was a warrant officer by the name of A. A. Warren. ARTICLE VII Payment of Dues Augustus Alexander Warren was born to a French mother and an English father in Havre, France, in February 1826. As a young man, he immigrated Now Reads to America and settled in Kittery, Maine, where he became a U.S. citizen in 1853. On September 12, 1853, he received his commission, signed by our Section 1. Every Member of this Lodge, except the Treasurer, Secretary, and 14th President, Franklin Pierce, and served as a sail-maker with the U.S. such other Members as shall be exempted by vote of this Lodge, shall pay to Navy. He joined the crew of USS Decatur which was stationed at the Navy the Secretary the sum proposed at the Stated Meeting in August and approved Yard, and in 1854 set to sea for the Pacific to defend settlement of Seattle by vote at the Stated Meeting in September for annual dues, plus the Grand against "all the Indians occupying the Northern portion of the United States." Lodge per capita and any assessment, all payable in advance by the Stated Upon his return home to Kittery, he married Delia and they had five children, Communication in December. Newly raised Master Masons shall pay dues three of whom died as young children. pro-rata from the beginning of the next calendar month after being Raised. Warrant Officer Warren continued to serve in the Navy and sailed in support Change to read of Charles Francis Hall’s third expedition to the North Pole in 1871. While at sea, he kept a journal that included precise geometrical illustrations of the Section 1. Every Member of this Lodge, except the Treasurer, Secretary, and numerous types of sails required by navy ships at the time, complete with such other Members as shall be exempted by vote of this Lodge, shall pay to detailed measurements and instructions for constructing them. His journal the Secretary the sum proposed at the Stated Meeting in August and approved also had numerous pencil drawings including scenes of ships amid icebergs by vote at the Stated Meeting in September for annual dues, plus the Grand and touching images of an imagined reunion with his wife upon his eventual Lodge per capita and any assessment, all payable in advance by the Stated return home. Communication in December. In the years following his service in the North Atlantic, he sailed along the coast of South America through the early 1880s. After more than 30 years of service with the Navy, Augustus Warren died in Kittery on March 24, 1885. ARTICLE VIII He is buried in the Orchard Grove Cemetery in Kittery with his wife Delia Duties of Officers who died four years later.

Now Reads Augustus Alexander Warren was a good man, a good husband and father, and a patriot who served his country with distinction, directly supporting the Section 2. TREASURER - The Treasurer, prior to his installation in office settlement and development of Seattle, and the protection of American and before performing any of his duties, shall be adequately bonded by the interests around the globe. It should not be a surprise that he was also a Grand Lodge and, if deemed necessary, an additional amount of bonding pur- Freemason; but what is remarkable is that he was a member of St. John’s chased by this Lodge. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to receive - at least Lodge, No. 1, in Portsmouth, having been Raised a Master Mason in our monthly - bank deposit receipts issued by the bank of deposit for the Lodge, Lodge on July 3, 1861. together with a detailed summary of all monies received or collected by the Secretary, and to collect and receive all other checks, notes and obligations due this Lodge. He shall pay all debts of this Lodge by authorization of the Alan M. Robinson, PM Worshipful Master and the consent of the Lodge. He shall keep a true account Historian of all monies received and expended and furnish the Lodge with an annual statement of the receipts and disbursements with supporting vouchers; he shall also submit an annual statement of the funds of this Lodge stating where the same are invested. He shall have custody of all notes, bonds, obligations, deeds, certificates of stock, insurance policies, documents and all other per- sonal property of this Lodge; and at the expiration of his term of office he shall deliver all the records, papers, notes, bonds, obligations, deeds, certifi- cates of stock, insurance policies, documents and all other personal property of this Lodge to his successor in office, in the presence of the Worshipful St. John’s Lodge Historical Sketch Master. The Treasurer, on authorization of the Lodge, shall invest and reinvest the surplus funds of this Lodge in such investments as are legal Last month we read about Brother Stephen Decatur, Jr. Like his for savings banks under the laws of the State of New Hampshire. He contemporary, Brother John Paul Jones, Commodore Decatur was a world shall not be paid any compensation for services rendered, but he shall be famous naval officer and one of the 's greatest heroes. In paid such sum, as the Lodge shall determine to assist in defraying the the years since his death in 1820, Brother Decatur has had five U.S. Navy expense of travel required to conduct the business of the Lodge. Prepare ships named in his honor. The first of the ships named USS Decatur was a a budget of operating funds for the ensuing year and present such budget large sloop-of-war built in 1839 in the Navy Yard in New York. for approval at the Stated Communication in August of each year.

USS Decatur was 117 feet long and 32 feet wide and had three sailing masts. Change to read It had fourteen 32-pounder guns (cannons) and two 12-pounder rifles. She sailed at 10 knots with 150 officers and men aboard. Her mission was to Section 2. TREASURER - The Treasurer, prior to his installation in of- protect American interests in the South Atlantic Ocean, including the fice and before performing any of his duties, shall be adequately bonded interception of ships involved in the African slave trade, and she served by the Grand Lodge and, if deemed necessary, an additional amount of valiantly in both the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War. bonding purchased by this Lodge. He shall have custody of all notes, bonds, obligations, deeds, certificates of stock, insurance policies, docu- In late 1847, after successfully assisting Commodore Matthew Perry in his ments and all other personal property of this Lodge; and at the expiration attack on Tuxpan, the nearest seaport to Mexico City, USS Decatur returned to of his term of office he shall deliver all items in care to his successor in . She then joined the African Squadron and cruised along the northwest coast of Africa on the lookout for slave ships for most of the years 1848 and office, in the presence of the Worshipful Master. The Treasurer, shall 1849. Following that service, she was homeported at the Portsmouth Navy invest and reinvest all funds of this Lodge in such investments as are Yard and from there cruised the Atlantic Coast down to the Caribbean legal under the laws of the State of New Hampshire. He shall not be protecting American interests. In the summer of 1854, she set sail to join the paid any compensation for services rendered, but he shall be paid such . sum as the Lodge shall determine to assist in defraying the expense of travel required to conduct the business of the Lodge. Submit a budget of The transit from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean was treacherous. She operating funds for the ensuing year and present such budget for approv- navigated under sail through the notoriously stormy Straits of Magellan which al at the Stated Communication in August of each year for approval at are difficult in the best of times due to the narrowness of the passage and the Stated Communication in September unpredictability of the winds and currents. She arrived at Valparaíso, Chile, in January 1855 and continued to Honolulu arriving at the end of March. In June she set sail for Washington Territory, entering the Strait of Juan de Fuca in July 1855.

While in Puget Sound, she accidentally ran aground on an uncharted reef near Bainbridge Island on December 7, 1855; fortunately, she righted herself on the next high tide and continued on, making needed repairs as she could. In January, she was able to continue her mission of deterring Native American outbreaks and provide support and protection to the settlers of the area. By the way, that unmarked reef is now on the navigation charts and named Decatur Reef.

In January 1856, USS Decatur lay at anchor in deep water, in a position from which it had total command of the settlement. Several of the marines onboard the ship went ashore and assisted the settlers in the building of a blockhouse. Standing Committees On January 26, 1856, hundreds of Native Americans assembled to attack the ARTICLE X settlement. The settlers, assisted by the powerful warship USS Decatur defended the settlement, and the Indians retreated. Their defeat in what is now Now Reads called the so discouraged the hostile natives, that they never again amassed a comparable force. This important battle was a turning point Section 3. FINANCE COMMITTEE - The Finance Committee should consist of the Treasurer, the Assistant Treasurer and three other Members of this Lodge, appointed by the Master. to deal with investments and other financial matters. The of this lodge appointed annually by the Worshipful Master, and they shall duties of this Committee shall encompass all financial matters of this Lodge, cor- preform the duties of the Ward/Day Educational Fund. as listed in Section 4 porate or trust. They shall advise the Treasurer in the investments and reinvest all a-d of such funds as are needed to produce income keeping in mind the fact that safety a. The Committee shall work under the guidelines of the George B. Ward of principal is to be considered more than income earned. Notify the Scholarship Scholarship Fund, an irrevocable Trust. Committees and the Dorrall L. Snow Memorial Fund Committee of the amounts of b. The Committee shall publish at least once yearly in the Lodge notice that income they may have available for awards and disbursements from same. Three it is ready to receive applications from students, giving instructions relative Members shall constitute a quorum to conduct any business. to the type of application, the name and address of the persons with whom the application must be filed, and the final date for application acceptance. Change to read c. The Committee shall solicit applications from students during March and April each year and shall select the student or students designated to receive Section 3. FINANCE COMMITTEE - The Finance Committee consists of the the income from the Trust no later than June 1st of each calendar year. Treasurer, the Assistant Treasurer and three other Members of this Lodge, appoint- d. The name or names of the selected recipient(s) and amount of award shall ed by the Master. The duties of this Committee shall encompass all financial mat- be announced at the June Stated Communication and published in the July ters of this Lodge, corporate or trust. They shall advise the Treasurer in the invest- Lodge notice to all Members. ments and reinvest of all such funds as are needed to produce income keeping in mind the fact that safety of principal is to be considered more than income earned. Budget Committee (NEW #5)

Section 5. Budget Committee – The Budget Committee shall consist of the ARTICLE X Treasurer, the incoming Worshipful Master and three other Members of this Standing Committees Lodge, appointed by the Master. The duties of this committee shall be to assist the Treasurer in preparing his Annual Budget, to be submitted to the Now Reads Lodge by its August Stated Communication. Three Members shall consti- tute a Nquorum one of whom shall be the Treasurer. Section 4 DORRALL L. SNOW MEMORIAL FUND COMMITTEE - This Committee shall follow the directions under the Last Will and Testa- ment of the late Martha E. Snow as probated in Rockingham County Pro- bate Court. The Worshipful Master shall appoint annually five Members From the Desk of the Sect. of this Lodge to serve on this Committee and determine the recipients of any income to be disbursed as provided by the Finance Committee. Three My Brothers we have 16 of you that owe two years dues, Members shall constitute a quorum I will be sending you a notice the first of next month that Section 6. The WARD/DAY EDUCATIONAL COMMITTEE - This your names will be read for suspension if not paid before Committee shall consist of the Treasurer and two Members of this Lodge the Stated meeting in Dec.. Also we have 38 brothers that appointed annually by the Worshipful Master. still owe 2017 dues. Brethren PLEASE at your dues card Change to read (new section 4 &5 replaces old section 4 &5 and make sure it is 2017 if not I will be sending you a reminder notice, so please get those dues in your Lodge Section 4 COMMITTEE ON ENDOWMENTS - This Committee shall follow the directions under the Last Will and Testament of the late Martha E. Snow as probat- needs the income. The dues outstanding due the lodge is ed in Rockingham County Probate Court; over $10,000.00. Don’t be one that gets a note from me. b.The George B. Ward/ Day Educational Fund, an irrevocable Trust; and the direc- tions under the Last Will and Testament. Thank you for your quick reply it is needed. c. The Wor Calvin C. Wilder fund, to be probated in the Rockingham County Pro- bate Court; d. And any additional funds that may be left to the Lodge. Robert Sutherland Jr. Sect. RWPDDGM The Worshipful Master shall appoint annually five Members of this Lodge one of whom shall be the Treasurer to serve on this Committee and determine the recipi- ents of any income to be disbursed from the income only of these investments. Three Members shall constitute a quorum one of whom shall be the Treasurer. A sub committee of the Committee on Endowments shall be the Ward/Day Educa- tional Fund and the sub committee shall consist of the Treasurer and two members