EE XX OO RR II EE NN T T EE Trestle Board for East Denver Lo dge No. 160, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Colorado

Winter 2011-2012 In Pursuit Of Our Past As We Move Toward Our Future Volume 1, Issue 8

East Denver Lodge No. 160 A.F. & A.M. of Colorado

1370 Grant Street Installation of 2012 Officers Denver, Colorado 80203 ______On 21, 2011, East Denver Lodge No. 160 held its Lodge Officers for 2012 installation ceremony for the 2012 Officer line. The Installing Paul Dickerson...... Worshipful Master Officer was WB Tim Hogan, Past Master of East Denver Lodge No. Bert Beaudin……...... Senior Warden 160. The officers for 2012 are: Gary Turner……...... Junior Warden Dave Schweitzer...... Treasurer Paul A. Dickerson...... Worshipful Master R. Gregory Starr...... Secretary Bert E. Beaudin...... Senior Warden Russ Smith…...... Senior Deacon Mark Tenorio...... Junior Deacon Gary S. Turner...... Junior Warden Kevin Mizer...... Senior Steward David C. Schweitzer, P.M...... Treasurer Joseph Burns...... Junior Steward R. Gregory Starr...... Secretary Theo Jones...... Chaplain Russ P. Smith...... Senior Deacon Demitric Boykin...... Marshal Rob Jones...... Tyler Mark F. Tenorio...... Junior Deacon ______Joseph P. Burns...... Senior Steward Committees for 2012 Kevin R. Mizer...... Junior Steward

Financial Advisory Benevolence Demitric Boykin...... Marshal WB Tim Hogan, Chair WB Paul Dickerson, Theo S. Jones, P.M...... Chaplain WB Dave Schweitzer Chair Rob. R. P. Jones, P.M...... Tiler WB Paul Dickerson Bert Beaudin WB Greg Starr WB Dave Schweitzer WB Greg Starr The ceremony was preceded by a formal dinner, attended by Joe Burns nearly 70 members and guests. Audit Grievance Bert Beaudin, Chair WB Paul Dickerson, Chair Gary Turner Russ Smith

Proficiency Scholarship WB Nick North, Chair WB Paul Dickerson, WB Greg Starr Chair Greg Starr Joe Burns WB Dave Schweitzer WB Nick North

Visitation By Laws Joe Burns Bert Beaudin Russ Smith Greg Starr Gary Turner Russ Smith Mathew Ingalls

______Trestleboard Editor R. Gregory Starr “Ex Oriente” is the monthly Trestle Board of East Denver Lodge No. 160. For submission guidelines or to be added to the mailing list, please email the Secretary at: [email protected] 2012 Officer Line for East Denver Lodge No. 160 Postal Mailing Address: East Denver Lodge No. 160 Additional photographs of the installation are presented later in this issue. P.O. Box 181099 Denver, Colorado 80218-8822

Ex Oriente Winter 2011-2012

Ex Oriente Ex Occidente Worshipful Brother Paul Dickerson, Worshipful Master Brother Bert Beaudin, Senior Warden

Greetings Brothers!

Brethren – First off, my best wishes to each of you for a prosperous, rewarding, and joyous New Year. As we move into the third year as a Traditional Observance Masonic tradition informs us that our ancient body, my thoughts and prayers are focused on East brethren held their lodges in the highest hills and Denver No. 160’s continued evolution. We are the lowest valleys. growing in ways that would have been scarcely imaginable a mere decade ago; our collective In all mystical teaching there are frequent allusions objectives have been refined, and the tasks set to mountains. The Vedists of have their before us are nothing short monumental. If sacred Mount Meru, the Greeks have Mount understood in its truest sense, the very utility of our Olympus, the Israelites received there great law on work is the complete and absolute restoration of the Mount Sinai, and the Christians have the Mount of Craft to its rightful place in the pantheon of the Olives and the Sermon on the Mount, just to name a Mystery Traditions from which it sprang. The few. responsibility that comes with such an endeavor is immense. Unity of purpose, open communication, These mountains are not of any physical place but and a sustained sense of advancement are among are allusions to the heights of the spiritual work the tools that have helped to lay our foundation, and being undertaken by the school of initiates and the my since hope is that we will continue to build with light received therein. the same harmony, love, camaraderie, and respect that have characterized our work in recent years Take a moment and remind yourself of this truth the and distinguished us among our community. next time you prepare to enter lodge and join your

brethren in holding a lodge on the highest of hills I also want to congratulate the newly elected and and returning masonry to its rightful elevated appointed officer line for 2012. It’s a great honor to status. have been chosen to serve as Worshipful Master - an honor that is both deeply moving and profoundly LVX, humbling. I promise to rule and govern with the equal regularity so eloquently inculcated in our Bert Beaudin, S.W. obligations. Above all, I think that we can each embrace the knowledge that our shared efforts impact the greater good of all humanity and that the One Mind which is our common blessing functions as it should when Brethren dwell together in unity. Lodge Contact Information Always remember that our work is a truly universal effort; an ongoing exercise in equilibrium that Name Email Telephone extends to the infinite reaches of the heavens. The Paul Dickerson [email protected] 303.257.7841 great Hermetic philosopher Éliphas Lévi wrote in The Bert Beaudin [email protected] 303.478.7789 Paradoxes of the Highest Science (1856): Gary Turner [email protected] 303-419-9889 Dave Schweitzer [email protected] 303.907.8652 Greg Starr [email protected] 720.280.5048 “Arrived at perfect equilibrium, the man may walk or run without fear of falling. One must be someone to deserve to exist, but one is someone to do something; we    exist only to act; we think to speak. Reason also is the Word, but the Word is not only speech, it is life and action. We are strong, to labor; we are learned, to

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(Ex Oriente, continued) De Clerico WB Greg Starr, Secretary teach; we are physicians, to heal the

sick. We do not light a lamp to hide it Brethren, under a bushel, as Christ said. The light should be placed on a candlestick; each Dues – Dues notices went out in November, but one owes himself to all, as all owe many Brothers have yet to pay for 2012. If you are themselves to each. We must not hide experiencing financial hardship, please contact me. away the talent of gold; we must carry Arrangements can be made to keep you in good it to the Bank. To live is to love, and to standing. love is to do good. We should desire the progress of humanity, the prosperity of Trestle Board – Per guidance from the Worshipful our country, the honor of our family, Master, the East Denver Lodge No. 160 Trestle Board the welfare of all the world. He who “Ex Oriente” will no longer be printed and mailed. It interests himself in no one is a dead will be distributed electronically and made available man who should be forgotten.” on the East Denver website, www.eastdenver160.com. In LVX, Paul Dickerson, W.M. All members of East Denver No. 160 are welcome to submit articles to the Trestle Board – it is not Ex Cancro restricted to just Master Masons. Brother Josh By Brother Gary Turner, Junior Warden Herrera, our newest Entered Apprentice has submitted his second article reflecting on Archetypes.

Brethren – Articles on philosophy, esoteric sciences, history, personal reflections, poetry, book reviews, film

reviews, music reviews, travel logs, etc. are all Reflecting on our Installation of Officers so close to the welcome. Submission deadlines are the 15th of the Holiday observance, it comes to mind that month prior to the upcoming issue – e.g. Articles for the moment of the Winter occurred at 10:30 May are due by April 15th. PM on the night of that installation. A fact the significance of which is lost to many Masons. Also, in the latter part of the year, the Trestle Board For most, the Solstice simply represents the date with will be Quarterly instead of monthly, as after Summer the shortest amount of daylight and longest night of Recess, we only have ~6 stated meetings left in the the year. "Solstice" is derived from the Latin phrase for year. If you have a view regarding this change, "sun stands still." For after months of its daily arc please let me know. changing, the Sun’s path seems to remain stable for a couple of days, before beginning its journey back to the opposing Solstice. From a scientific perspective the Last Wishes – I have received another notice of a Solstice is described thus; “The December solstice Brother’s passing, months after the event. His family occurs when the sun reaches its most southerly had no idea whom to notify of this Brothers passing. declination of -23.5 degrees. In other words, it is when Please make sure you have your funeral the North Pole is tilted 23.5 degrees away from the sun… (it) occurs annually on a day between December arrangements clearly defined in writing, so your loved 20 and December 23. On this date, all places above a ones are not left struggling to try and find numbers, latitude of 66.5 degrees north (Arctic Polar Circle) are addresses, etc. If you wish a Masonic funeral or Rose now in darkness, while locations below a latitude of Croix funeral (for Scottish Rite Brothers), state as 66.5 degrees south (Antarctic Polar Circle) receive 24 much in your will. This will make sure your desires hours of daylight…The sun is directly overhead on the are known and the Lodges are informed of your Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere during passing. the December solstice.” (a point keenly noticed by one who sits in the south) In Fraternitate, The is celebrated by many people around the world as the beginning of the return of the Greg sun, and darkness turning into light. The significance of the Solstice is seen throughout the world. The Talmud recognizes the winter solstice as "Tekufat Tevet." In , the "" Festival is celebrated on the

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Schedule of Events nd Winter Solstice by families getting together and eating special February 22 – Stated Meeting, 6:30 PM festive food. Denver Scottish Rite Masonic Center 1370 Grant Street Until the 16th century, the winter months were a time of famine Denver, Colorado 80203 in northern Europe. Most cattle were slaughtered so that they Fellow Craft Proficiencies and Papers wouldn't have to be fed during the winter, making the solstice a Dinner precedes Lodge, R.s.v.p. required. time when fresh meat was plentiful. Most celebrations of the winter solstice in Europe involved merriment and feasting. In th pre-Christian Scandinavia, the Feast of Juul, or , lasted for March 14th – Stated Meeting, 6:30 PM 12 days celebrating the rebirth of the sun god and giving rise to Denver Scottish Rite Masonic Center the custom of burning a . 1370 Grant Street In ancient Rome, the winter solstice was celebrated at the Feast Denver, Colorado 80203 of Saturnalia, to honor Saturn, the god of agricultural bounty. An Evening of Gnostic Reflections in Lasting about a week, Saturnalia was characterized by feasting, Freemasonry with Timothy Hogan debauchery and gift-giving. With Emperor Constantine's Presentation followed by Formal Agape. conversion to , many of these customs were later R.s.v.p. required. absorbed into Christmas celebrations. th One of the most famous celebrations of the winter solstice in the March 24 – Special Meeting, 9:00 AM world today takes place in the ancient ruins of Stonehenge, Denver Scottish Rite Masonic Center England. Thousands of druids and pagans gather there to chant, 1370 Grant Street dance and sing while waiting to see the spectacular sunrise. Denver, Colorado 80203 For Freemasons, The Solstice brings to mind the feast of one of Fellow Craft Degree our two great Patrons, St. John the Evangelist. Degree followed by Lunch

I ask that you consider the following excerpt from the December March 28th – Stated Meeting, 6:30 PM 1866 edition of The Craftsman: Denver Scottish Rite Masonic Center “All Christian nations celebrate Christmas time - 1370 Grant Street the anniversary of the birth of Christ, the Denver, Colorado 80203 founder of the Christian religion and the object of Entered Apprentice Proficiency and Paper its worship. Many curious ceremonies are Dinner precedes Lodge, R.s.v.p. required. practiced by the people of Northern Europe, on

each recurrence of this festival time, the th signification and origin of which are little thought April 11 – Stated Meeting, 6:30 PM of by those who partake in them. The bringing Denver Scottish Rite Masonic Center in of the great Yule Log wherewith to make the 1370 Grant Street great Christmas fire. The elevation of the oak Denver, Colorado 80203 tree bough, intertwined with the slender Presentation by WB Ray Mahoney branches of the mistletoe, in each house, Presentation followed by Formal Agape. forming the kissing bush, which, for the period of R.s.v.p. required. twelve days, reigns supreme, and requires from all who pass beneath it, whether man or maid, submission to the kissing ordeal or payment of a fine. These and many other Christmas customs of the old world, are associated very closely with the commemoration of this anniversary season, yet in themselves are so foreign to the occasion, or rather are so wanting in all suggestion of meaning as appertaining to this Christian festival, that it is not a little surprising that more do not ask whence come these strange and peculiar usages. They have no natural relationship to the celebration of the anniversary of Christ's birth. There is but one answer to the inquiry here suggested, and that is, that these customs properly belong to the celebration of an anniversary season celebrated in the North of Europe for as many years before the birth of Christ as that time is previous to the present. Two days after Christmas comes the anniversary of the day given to St. John the Evangelist by the Church

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(Ex Cancro, continued) (The Archetype of Tim Tebow and Cycle of Paradigms, continued)

Calendar. Anciently this was the great Masonic the fact that Tim Tebow publicly, and constantly, Festival Day, latterly much neglected for Saint acknowledges a Deity and the role that Divinity plays in his John the Baptist's day, six months earlier in the life. year. The Evangelist's Day was observed as the great Masonic Festival time from the period of At first these characteristics might seem the middle ages, when the Masons in Europe, completely unrelated to such lofty concepts as the shifting actuated by their conflict with the Moslems of the of paradigms or the ending of an age. But I would now ask East, began to Christianize their system by the the reader to consider the profound affect that football has adoption of Saint John as their patron Saint. on American culture. In most of the biggest cities in the Saint John the Baptist's day, on the other hand, nation tens of thousands of people spend hundreds of did not rise to any note, even among Masons, dollars each to amass in giant stadiums and sit for hours until after the year 1720. watching a single game of professional football. Millions more clear their schedules and gather around the We have alluded to the Christmas customs in this television with friends and family to indulge in this display connection, and for this purpose, namely, to of athleticism. Across America, local television is filled with claim that those customs belong with quite as sports casters obsessing over games past and games to much, if not more propriety to the Masonic come. Football’s championship game, the super bowl, is anniversary of St. John the Evangelist on the perennially the single most viewed event on the television 27th of December. We do not claim that these calendar year. All this results in corporations spending customs partake of any relationship to the many billions of dollars to play television commercials Evangelist more than to his Lord and Master. The during the games or place a brand name on some customs to which we allude are associated with particular team’s stadium. These vast sums of money have this period of the year, and refer to celebrations cast a grim shadow of extreme materialism over both the observed by Masons long before the days of St. National Football League itself, and, by extension, over the John or Jesus Christ. Centuries before in the oak masses who invest such a great deal of their time and forests of Germany or Britain, the old time money into the sport. Druids and Druidesses presided over similar Now I certainly do not mean to imply that there is festivals. The conquering church adopted the anything wrong with watching football or even that there is customs of the period, and adapting them to anything inherently wrong with professional football itself. Rather, I mean only to draw one’s consideration to the The Archetype of Tim Tebow and Cycle deep currents of consumer based materialism which have come to dominate the NFL by virtue of its ability to hold of Paradigms the attention of hundreds of millions of people. It is in this By Brother Joshua Herrera, Entered Apprentice consideration that the metaphorical value of Tim Tebow as

an abstract representation of a force which shatters The idea of writing an article for the trestle board archetypes to catalyze a new paradigm becomes apparent. of a traditional observance Masonic lodge including the At a superficial level, Tebow directly challenges the status name of Tim Tebow in its title may at first seem quo of football by consistently winning games with his out ridiculous to the point of being an outrage. Yet I hope to dated style of play, a feat which was assumed to be demonstrate that there is an interesting lesson inherent impossible by the personalities within the NFL. But beyond in the story of Mr. Tebow which scholars of masonry’s this, the man presents an even greater threat to speculative sciences may find enlightening. I propose professional football as it exists today. He directly that, while Tebow may exist as a spectacle of pop challenges the vanity, egotism, and consumerism which culture, might further embody a case study of the nature plague the NFL. In an interview with Skip Bayless of the of a transitional era, the conceptual line partitioning the ESPN sport channel, Tim Tebow said “What happens on end of one paradigm and the beginning of another. the football field, that's not what defines my life. That's not

what defines Tim Tebow….what it does give me is a Tim Tebow is a professional quarterback playing platform and opportunity to be a great role model, to for the Denver Broncos franchise. However, within the make a difference, to stand up for strength, character, and universe of the National Football League, Tebow has honor.” By all appearances Tebow is also walking the walk. generated a great deal of discussion and has garnered even more attention than is to be expected of a starting quarterback in the NFL. There are three general reasons, Lodge Contact Information amongst others, which have gained Tebow the attention of the masses. The first is his highly unconventional, archaic style of play leading to the use of strategies and Name Email Telephone the emergence of statistics not seen in professional Paul Dickerson [email protected] 303.257.7841 football for decades. The second is an uncanny ability to Bert Beaudin [email protected] 303.478.7789 Gary Turner win games with this unorthodox style and to do so in Dave Schweitzer [email protected] 303.907.8652 dramatic fashion, and the third and arguably most Greg Starr [email protected] 720.280.5048 interesting factor contributing to the public’s obsession is    Page 5 Ex Oriente Winter 2011-2012

(The Archetype of Tim Tebow and Cycle of Paradigms, continued) (The Archetype of Tim Tebow, continued)

He runs a charity which recently built a hospital in the struggled tirelessly to preserve their way of life despite Philippines, and his moral character, in public at least, challenges that hold the potential to facilitate an end to aligns with his stated goal of acting as a role model. Thus the life of excess as westerners know it. Such a line of it would seem that football is merely the means to a thought is highly reminiscent of the much discussed “end greater end for Tebow. He acknowledges that playing of the world” memes surrounding 2012 or, in a more football to win games and score multi-million dollar useful sense, the idea of the ending of an age. After all, contracts is frivolous. Where the National Football League enough food was produced last year to feed 14 billion collectively uses the attention of adoring fans to pitch people, yet over a billion people died of starvation last advertisements, Tebow uses the same attention to pitch year alone. Such a model is inherently unsustainable, the idea that there are more important things in life than and is only a single glaring example of the inability of our football. Yet Tebow offers another, possibly greater, threat culture to sustain itself. Might it then be that all the to mainstream professional football, a threat that even problems faced by the world today are merely heralds of extends beyond the NFL and challenges the whole of pop our own imminent demise? culture. It is Tebow’s open acknowledgement of Divinity, and, beyond acknowledgement, the attribution of his The obscure American philosopher Terence successes to his God. In the virtual universe of television, McKenna constructed an analogy which addresses this dominated by incoherent sitcoms, reality shows, mind- question nicely. McKenna noted that in near death numbing dramas, and extravagant sporting broadcasts, experiences man can see himself moving toward a light the very idea of even acknowledging God has become a at the end of some super physical tunnel in his last sort of anathema. moments of being. However, in the process of birth, as McKenna points out, a child would also experience the Thus the story of Tim Tebow can be understood as phenomenon of moving towards a light at the end of a existing in near diametric antithesis to the current tunnel. This fascinating analogy, demonstrating the embodiment of professional football. As a result, sports correlation between birth and death, sheds an interesting personalities who have spent decades serving their own light on the vast array of tumultuous problems our personal interests by bowing to the materialistic nature of modern world faces. The prenatal life of a fetus could be the NFL were outraged by the affront to materialism itself described as an almost Eden-like utopia. The fetus is that was embodied by the idea of Tim Tebow. So how has always warm and the child’s every need is meet instantly the sports establishment dealt with this curious entity without any effort on the part of the infant. The process within their ranks? The answer, interestingly, is that the of birth would then probably seem something like death athletic world has largely treated the subject of Tebow in a to the child being born. Its perfect world literally very caustic manner. They have attacked his abilities and collapses upon the child, and he would be crushed while mocked him personally. Not unlike a body inducing fever being pushed ever closer to the light. For the child, birth to burn out an infection, the sports world has launched an is a bloody, painful, and traumatic end to a blissful aggressive, seething attack against Tim Tebow in hopes of utopia, and the beginning of existence in a completely protecting its own homeostasis. It is herein that the idea of foreign world. Perhaps at some primordial level this is an archetype represented by Tebow can be explored. the root of man’s fear of change and subsequent obsession with personal and cultural homeostasis. Yet The overbearing materialism of the NFL is merely a the uterine world of the fetus is not truly a paradise, it is microcosmic representation of the general materialism only an incubatory phase necessary to develop the child permeating the whole of western popular culture, which to a state of even greater existence. There lies within places incredible emphasis on physical possession and this a great metaphor relating to all of the problems social status. In fact, western culture has revealingly which man has brought upon himself in his avarice. Man, made physical possessions into a sort of measuring stick while not likely to see this world as a utopia, still for social status. It follows, then, that this cultural homeostatically clings to his current reality, fearing the egregore, breed from man’s ambitions for worldly gain, unknowns of the new reality which would be born at the would seek to defend its own existence in a macrocosmic death of his current culture. But what if the pains of this sense, just as the materialism of professional athletics has world are not the pains of death? What if these feverishly defended itself from the conceptual threat sufferings instead represent the pains of birth? What if offered by Tim Tebow. It then seems to be no great leap to our ever accelerating troubles don’t represent the last assume that western culture as a whole would react in a gasps of life, but instead the first signs of an even similar, violent fashion if it were ever to be threatened on greater life? Maybe our culture as a whole has caught its a grand scale as the world of sports has been threatened first glimpse of the proverbial light at the end of the in the microcosmic sense. Yet it is hard to look at the world tunnel as humanity stands at the line marking the end of around us and not see an anemic culture desperately an age which was unduly fixated on the temporal and trying to perpetuate its own being. Our world today faces a the dawn of a new age and a new world order. And set of problems which threaten life in the culture we maybe the idea of Tim Tebow, as opposed to the actual currently enjoy as never before. Global warming, nuclear man himself, provides an archetypal case study of how a proliferation, national bankruptcy, and international unrest paradigm reacts when it is faced with its own are only a few such threats. Nevertheless, people as destruction, a destruction necessary to facilitate the birth individuals, and consequently cultures as a whole, have of something even greater. Maybe…..

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Rebuttal to Accepting Atheists into Book Review Freemasonry By WB Greg Starr By Brother Mathew Ingalls The Templars and the Grail by Karen Ralls The Theosophical Publishing House, 2003 Freemasonry serves the purpose of providing an initiatic experience. While Freemasonry provides an initiatic I purchased this book based on the author’s position experience, how many Brothers have paused to actually as Curator of the Rosslyn Chapel museum exhibition. I define this experience for themselves? Freemasonry was expecting some detailed insight into Rosslyn, the provides the forms and ceremonies which allow us to teach Templar relationship, and perhaps some esoteric many varied lessons through allegory - lessons which could revelations. Sadly, it was not to be. What I did find was a benefit any man, including an atheist. Then why exclude text that provides some little-known insight into the them? Templars outside of England, Scotland, and France (what The initiatic experience is a spiritual event. By definition an did happen to the Templars in Germany?), some in-depth atheist is “a person who denies or disbelieves the existence information about their economic impact on Western of a supreme being or beings.” How, then, could a man place Europe, and some aspects of their day-to-day lives. his trust in a Supreme Being in the First Degree if he denies While Professor Ralls is dismissive of successor Templar the GAOTU’s existence…and how do you receive the name orders and does not address them in any significant of Deity if there isn’t one? manner, her research into the exoteric aspect of the Poor When asked by an atheist why I would not recommend him to Knights of Christ is first rate. She also touches on the Grail be a member I told him simply this, “Freemasonry’s goals legends, presenting most of the known variants of the have been and will always be to require some kind of spiritual story. Still, this is a scholarly book – there are no great inward journey from its members. You do not believe there is secrets revealed. It reads well, but one down side is a journey to be had. Why would I put you in a position where Professor Rall’s tendency to entice the reader with hints of you may be uncomfortable? Although Freemasonry has mystery or intrigue, and then leave you hanging, members of many religions and no man is asked what their recommending some other research pursue that line of specific religion is, a point we all agree on is the belief in questioning. some Supreme Being. Freemasonry is not just some club I can recommend this book as a quick introduction to the you join because your friends are in it. Sure, you could lie, structure, operations, and historical record of the Templars look on the internet to see what to say to gain membership, and a good overview of the Grail legends. If you are but you would be wasting your time and money, since for you, wanting an exciting read, this book is not it. there is no gain to be had. It’s like calling yourself a painter Rating: (out of Five). with no canvas or paint.”  Balance within the Pillars By Brother Demitric Boykin

As human beings we create reason around everything. Reason for the universe, the sky, the stars, and their rotation as it correlates with our purpose, evolution; our position as it relates to other life forms, and messages from the signs and symbols of even this fraternity. Reasoning and emotion is what makes us human beings. In some ways it allows us to understand the way everything works in respects to everything else. Most human beings tend to believe that we are somehow different from everything we are around, and by this our reasoning becomes bias and exclusive rather than open and accepting of the concept that all things are one. Let’s say that we are different for the sake of argument. If this were so, the ability of the human anatomy to function completely independent of all other living things would be accomplished every day. Instead, in one example, we rely on the sun to nurture the crops we pick, that in return replenish our bodies to allow us to maintain a balance of life. Our reasoning allows us to determine where to house the crops, but does not diminish our need of receiving them. The point is this, we rely on our reasoning and emotion to create our understanding about the world around us, but this does not change what the world around us is. It sustains life not because of how we perceive the world to be, but because balance is simply its existence. Masonry is designed to assist in the restoration of understand that balance lies within us, and will never cease to escape; so long as our reasoning does not try to negate its involvement. In moving further into light, it becomes the initiate’s experiences in balancing the old/new Self that allow for further advancement in realizing the complete balance we all carry. Even given the Operative working tools of a Mason, it is said that they are now used for more nobler purposes. This is important because Operative Masons’ used these tools for physical labor. The building not built with hands suggest, only a spiritual understanding of how to use these tools can take place before one is able to really preserve the true essence of the craftsmanship. Each pillar in Masonry represents a half of what is needed to develop balance as a whole. Strength and Establishment alone cannot sustain, for it is the element of the other, and the area (void) that each must meet at in the middle that makes the

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(Balance within the Pillars, continued) balance attainable. Now, let us remove our ability to reason, and express emotion. Would that change our status in the universe? No, it would however change our perception of the signs and symbols of our fraternity. Masonry is a fraternity designed aroun d balance. The reasoning behind that balance depends on the particular brother, but that balance does not change due to our reasoning. Our reasoning allows for the understanding of the meaning it holds, but must meet the emotion felt from that understandin g to become completely applicable.

In moving from darkness to light, you are asked, what do you most desire. With light, further light, and more light being the answers’, to receive only light would not make for a balance. As the extension of light travels further out, the extension of darkness must match its travels. In attaining more light, the master realizes that turning around and traveling back to darkness would not start at the same point as first desiring light, but involves a much lengthier return. This is also represented in the symbolism behind the idea of the checkered floor. Every square represents its opposite in the next, which once again suggest that balance must exist. It can even be seen again with the rough and perfect ashlar, while the master of the lodge sits balanced in the middle. No matter what one thinks of, its opposites must co-exist to maintain harmony. Masonry is a tug of war match in locating that harmony which often reasons us to believe which side is stronger. Becoming the knot in the middle of the rope is that which creates the middle point for the tug of war to take place. The knot is representative of our existence, both individual and collective. We start out at birth in the middle, and our reasoning pushes or pulls us (the knot) to one side or the other as we age. This however, does not change our placement on the rope, just the positioning of the knot in between the pillars. It is ones reasoning or perception that creates the unbalance.

This is often misinterpreted as the force of the two sides struggling for ultimate power, but can be better suggested as the force of two opposites moving inward struggling to become one. As said in the movie Starwars “The force is with you.” It is the knot moving back and forth in between the pillars that changes the direction of force, causing the tug. It is always said that we see things as black and white, solid and space, good or bad, one side of the other, but in reality it is both sides seeing us as a conduit in the pursuit of fulfilling their obligation of balance; for everything is a conduit for everything. As one stands in between the pillars, on top of the pillars rest an earth and a universe. In reflection, this seems to resonate with the same concept of being in the center. Metaphorically and physically, you are the center of the universe in standing in between. The earth represents the terrestrial while the universe, the celestial or the collective consciousness. Essentially, it is you that creates this balance. Again, it is not the force of the two sides struggling for ultimate power, but the force of the two moving inward to become completely one. Take a moment to exam the theory of GPS navigation under this same notion. You are always the start, and end, no matter where you depart, or arrive, to, or from. Look at the concept of life, from birth to death, the same start and end. Now, think of the concept of Google map for a second. Let’s zoom in on a street level to where you are right now. You are at the center of the earth. You may ask how this is possible, but think about it this way. When a circle is drawn from a compass, the start point is always represented as the center. That center is not always on the middle of the page, but can be placed at any point, anywhere. A circle is always drawn from that point that starts and becomes complete when that same plot point travels around that center 360 degrees. If this point moves, it can change the circle, but even still a new circle can be drawn to complete it. What this says is that one is always complete. The radius needs not be drawn because as human beings we are always moving and the plot point would always change, but the circle could never, not be complete. The size of the circle is irrelevant; the fact that the circle has no start or end point in being complete is what makes this significant. North, South, East and West, along with the depiction of the Earth even show the same trace of a single circle, and it is this that we rely on to navigate the world. It does not show that you start at the beginning or end, in any direction, but that you start from a single point, and complete it as that same point, in a new location. Now, you may say that if “I” am the center, then the question is to be raised then, what is the person next to me. This is valid, and can be answered, as he/she is the center of the universe. This may now seem to be more complicated, but think of it this way. Let’s zoom out from Google map now, to make our view aerial. Keep going so that you no longer see individual people, trees or houses, but can only see countries. Each individual country makes its own circle. Each continent -its own circle. The world its own circle. The galaxies - their own circles, and the universe its own circle. In continuing to zoom out at the end of all circles rest one circle, and in the middle of that circle is an infinite number of plot points. Now, zoom back in to your exact location, and there you stand, the center of the universe, and all circles. It is the same concept as the Russian matryoshka dolls, which is a set of dolls of decreasing sizes placed one inside the other. Each of littler proportion, fit inside the other, but maintains the same shape and balance as the outer most layers. To assume that the inner most layer, differs in balance would be to insist that the outer most layer is unbalanced all together. Whether it falls down or stands straight up is irrelevant because it is always balanced in its nature as it corresponds to the earth and so on and so forth. Being that balance is shapeless, its dimensions north, south, east and west will never differ because it will always be based on its positioning, and even if it was cut into pieces balance has to be maintained to preserve the integrity of everything.

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(Balance within the Pillars, continued) Officer Installation for 2012 Now, if I say that we are always complete, the question The following pictures are just some of the over 350 arises what are we always in search of and what do we seek photographs taken on December 21, 2011, by the renown out of life then. The feeling of completeness is what photographer Richard Alden Peterson. The full album will continues the search. It is the sense of empty and be available soon on the Lodge website, www.eastdenver160.com. nothingness that makes us long for fulfillment. By needing nothing more than you already are, you are in the middle of the pillars. By desiring more than one needs, however, reasoning is being allowed to exercise. This can be taken as a gift or curse because by us being human this further shields us from merely being. In simply being we are balanced; for it is being human that makes us unbalanced by our nature of reasoning. In rationalizing our needs and wants, we tend to misguide our Self by allowing for more wants to surface; then once they are gone, we somehow feel empty again. This creates a need for replacement, and once that void is replaced, it now burdens the next object with the same responsibilities of fulfillment. Again, the balance between wants and needs is what allow harmony to exist. It is by having too many wants or too few needs that the course of balance is disrupted. This is not to say this nature is disrupted, but that the “voice of reason” has begun trying to shape the shapeless. It is the same circumstances of trying to take hold of water in ones’ hand or grab air. The understanding of balance is outside of human reasoning, but more so is something that happens as simple as one breathes or hears. No matter where you are placed on earth, the balance never changes. You are always the center. The earth always keeps a balance, so to assume one is unbalanced inside of the earth is foolish. The spheres around the earth always maintain that same balance, so to assume that the earth is unbalanced is equally as foolish. The Universe could not allow for anything to not balance, if it were unbalanced this on a grand scale would suggest The Circle is incomplete. Without this balance nature would not exist. The significance of walking the middle path as a Mason is not only to show balance, but also so you understand you are the balance of the world/ universe. Everything, everywhere is the balance. And the Light shineth in the Darkness….. Lines can be drawn to infinite spaces, in every direction, but those lines start with you, and must end the same to continue the balance.

Stability in being a human being is what is sought out through all of us by various means of life. Whether through our career, family, relationships, hobbies (etc.); the feeling of fulfillment makes us human. Fulfillment for civilization only seems to come though when everything works. The point then is this, even in it not working, it works. Although, in being aware of this, reasoning and emotion exist, which can explain why it is our gift, and curse. What can be taken from this then is that the plumb is always level, the level is always even and the square is always square. I will leave you with this: Reasoning is a funny thing, but as it was put by Ben Goldacre- “you cannot reason people out of a position that they did not reason themselves into.”… René Descartes’s stated- “I think therefore I am.” Balance is not by our reasoning, but by our being. By reasoning you are human, WB Nick North proclaiming the Officers, Elected and but by design you are everything Appointed, installed

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WB Paul speaking at the Agape Momento Mori

Ms. Nicola Donovan, And so it begins…WB Paul taking the lead…. a frequent guest at our public functions

WB Tim Hogan, WB Paul Dickerson Bro. Bert Beaudin Bro. Gary Turner Installing Master Worshipful Master Senior Warden Junior Warden

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(Ex Cancro, continued)

their new religious systems, assigned to them a Christian name, but failed to give to them a Christian signification. The Masons, finding the St. John's day of the church occurred about the time when, for reasons having nothing to do with St. John the Evangelist, they had been in the habit of enjoying a festival season for ages, chose to call it St. John's day, and so observe it; until those who have inherited their Masonry, having overlooked the true Masonic reason for the celebration at this season of the year, have very generally ceased to celebrate it, even as the anniversary of one of their patron Saints. We regard it as very much to be regretted that Masons fail to celebrate the day of the Evangelist St. John. It is a loss to Masonry. It is a surrender of an opportunity to direct the minds of the Fraternity to the origin of their Institution, antedating the times of Christ and the Evangelist, antedating the times of the ancient Druids, who in celebrating the great winter festival were merely commemorating a season which had been observed by men and Masons from the beginning. "And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven, to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years." As the sun ruled the day and the moon the night, so the moon marked the week of seven days and by its quartering the month of four weeks; so the sun measured the year, and the earth by its revolution and the eccentricity of its axis, pointed out the equinoxes and the . Very much in Masonry has thus an astronomical origin. The moon has always been used to indicate by its quarterings the time for lodge meetings. And among all the nations of antiquity, the equinoxes and solstices were ever regarded as seasons of great importance. Especially in the ancient mysteries, was great stress laid upon the solstices, and the winter and summer solstice, the shortest day and the longest day of the year, commemorated with great ceremony. The well-known Masonic symbol, the point within a circle bounded by the two parallels - refers to this - the point, the sun, the centre of the solar system; the circle, the earth's orbit around the sun; the parallels, where they touch the circle, the winter and summer solstice, the limit of the sun's apparent course to the Northward and Southward of the Equator; the left hand perpendicular, Boaz or the Northern Pillar, the right hand perpendicular, Jachin, the Southern Pillar, standing in the porch of the Temple of the Lord, which is the Universe, while the Bible, as now placed in the symbol, or more properly in our opinion the sun, as the symbol of divinity, has its place in the Orient. Just in the same manner as the Christmas celebration, and the Evangelist St. John's celebration, Masonically refer to seasons having an astronomical origin, so even do those celebrated pillars in front of Solomon's temple, although usually referred to the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire, which followed and preceded the Hebrews in the wilderness, - so even do these pillars refer to that older custom of erecting in front of temples one pillar to fire and another to the wind, in allusion to the solstices, in the one when the rays of Sol are most fiery, and in the other, when the winds of Boreas are most piercing and violent. The summer solstice occurs about the twenty-first of June, near enough to the anniversary of St. John the Baptist to lead to the ready adoption by the Middle Age Christianizing Masons of that day, in preference to the twenty-first. The Winter solstice occurs about the twenty-second of December, near enough to the day given by the Church to St. John the Evangelist, to induce the Masons to surrender to it their preference for the twenty- second. A day or two either way, it was thought, no doubt, made no essential difference. But a great mistake was committed. It cast adrift the Fraternity from the reverence for days and seasons of deep Masonic significance, and led them to the adoption of anniversaries which have no essential Masonic meaning. And during the present generation the entire neglect of the anniversary of St. John the Evangelist has led to the surrender of the Christmas festivities to the Church, which more properly and only legitimately belong to the Freemasons. Can this departure from old Masonic custom have gone so far as to render it altogether hopeless to expect that the great Masonic festival of the Winter solstice may ever be revived ? I would suggest, that from my vantage point in the south, with the sun directly overhead, Masonry has in fact begun to revive this (and many other) ancient traditions. Let the feast begin! LVX, Brother Gary

Attributions: “The Craftsman” Dec 1866 edition; “THE FESTIVAL OF ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST” “Winter Solstice 2011: Shortest Day of The Year Marked By Pagan Celebrations”, The Huffington Post, Jahnabi Barooah, Dec. 19, 2011 “December-solstice”, TimeandDate.com.

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A More Appropriate view of American Freemasonry and its Appendant Bodies Graphic submitted by WB Tim Hogan, designed by WB Mark Tabbert of the George Washington Masonic Memorial, text by WB Greg Starr

All Masons have seen or heard “higher” degrees referenced; some of us hold higher numbered degrees in the Scottish Rite. There are many charts and diagrams showing these other bodies in “higher” positions than the Blue Lodge, and this is very misleading. The Blue lodge is the foundation for all other recognized Appendant bodies. The Blue Lodge is the pool from which they draw members. Thus, is it nice to see a diagram showing the Blue Lodge as the core of Freemasonry in the United States.

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