Autumn 2013 the Line-O-Type MAINE MASON by George P
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The Maine Mason Autumn 2013 The line-o-type MAINE MASON by George P. Pulkkinen Like a cauldron of thick, delicious stew cooking over a bed of glimmering maple embers, THE MAINE MASON is an official publication of the Grand Lodge of Maine, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. The Masonry in Maine is bubbling. material printed herein does not necesarily represent opinions Activities, like that stew, are feeding Masons of the Grand Lodge of Maine. with new information and skills that will nurture At the 162nd Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of and strengthen brethren and lodges throughout Maine in 1981, legislation was adopted to provide THE MAINE the Pine Tree State. MASON to every member of the constituted lodges within this The enthusiam men are showing after attend- Grand Lodge without additional charge. ing the Leadership and Mentoring workshops Members of lodges within other Grand Jurisdictions within the United States are invited to subscribe to THE MAINE MASON at will be demonstrated, in very positive ways, in $3.00 per year. Cost for Masons outside the United States is their lodge rooms, in their personal lives and $5.00 Please send check payable to THE MAINE MASON with throughout their communities. And the Rookie complete mailing address to the Grand Secretary at the address Program provides a fast track for new members printed below. to realize full value from their Masonic member- ADDRESS CHANGES: Subscribers are advised to notify the ships. Grand Secretary’s office of any address change. Throughout this issue you’ll find articles Editor describing these programs and providing infor- George P. Pulkkinen mation about where and when the next ones are 15 Ocean View Road being held. If you haven’t availed yourselves of Scarborough, ME 04074 these exciting offerings, and if no member of 207-883-5085 email: [email protected] your lodge has either, you may want to discuss these opportunities at your next lodge meeting Elected Officers of the Grand Lodge of Maine then register with your brethren and car pool to GRAND MASTER DEPUTY GRAND MASTER an upcoming session. A. James Ross David A. Walker The skills being taught and the information 137 Albion Road P.O. Box 182 presented are designed to make each of us a bet- Windham, ME 04062 Monmouth, ME 04259 ter Mason. That includes being a better-informed SENIOR GRAND WARDEN JUNIOR GRAND WARDEN Mason. John R. Irovando Ronald S. Murphy Speaking of information, the statewide Open 821 Bog Road P.O. Box 6093 Houses scheduled to be held October 19 are Limestone, ME 04750 Bangor, ME 04402 among the best opportunities we have to intro- GRAND TREASURER GRAND SECRETARY duce family, friends and neighbors to the Craft. Scott Whytock Mark Rustin Again this year extensive publicity efforts will be 1 Sextant Lane P.O. Box 430 made to assure your community knows some- Scarborough, ME 04074 Holden, ME 04429 thing is happening. But it’s the responsibility of each of us on the local level to have our lodge Grand Lodge Contact Information & Hours doors open and welcoming. Get the time and 207-843-1086 place announced in your local newspaper or e-mail: [email protected] public access television. website: www.mainemason.org Grand Master Ross provides thoughtful, rea- soned expectations of what lodges should take Grand Secretary’s Office Mon-Fri 8:30 am - 4:30 pm away from their efforts with his message on page Grand Lodge Library/Museum Mon-Fri 8:30 am - 4:30 pm 19 of this issue. Page 2 THE MAINE MASON From the Grand East A. James Ross our principles and values are challenged by the three Grand Master of Masons in Maine Ruffians who have strayed from those same teachings. The Ruffians represent those external forces in life Have you ever stopped to think about what frater- which constantly pull on us in all directions. Like the nalism means to you? Do we sometimes take the word Ruffians, those forces are challenging us to compro- for granted because we who are Free Masons know mise or throw away entirely our high standards of con- that fraternalism is just one of the essentials that define duct we hold for one another and for the people we us? I’ve searched many dictionaries for an appropriate care about in our lives. In the end, Hiram Abif gave the definition of fraternalism which closely describes who ultimate sacrifice rather than compromise the truths of we are as Free Masons. The definition I subscribe to being a Free Mason. is: “turning people into brothers” — conduct- While no man or Mason is perfect, we do ing social relations with people who are find ourselves facing an increasingly chal- actually unrelated as though they were lenging world where our values and siblings, family members or person- truths for one another are put to the al friends. Fraternalism for me is test. Though minor infractions of our just that and the condition of hav- conduct may be corrected by aid and ing brotherly qualities. reformation through the good Though the word fraternal- offices of a Brother, more severe ism is never specifically men- infractions have direct and lasting tioned in any of our three negative consequences which degrees, the Entered may be deemed intolerable and Apprentice Degree clearly moreover, unforgivable. Be instructs the manner in how mindful that we who are Free we must conduct ourselves as Masons have sworn to uphold, Masons towards one another perpetuate and live by the highest and before the uninitiated. standards of moral conduct which We are taught that we have a is richly entrenched in our Ritual. binding obligation to take care Our Ritual is not to be taken light- of one another and a Mason’s ly. Our oaths (or obligations) are not family. We are also taught that to be considered archaic sound bites we are dependent on each other merely to wow a candidate while he for security and protection. kneels at our altar. They are not subject Furthermore, these principles should for self-interpretation to be applied when be extended to the uninitiated. The they are convenient to make a selfish point or Entered Apprentice Degree clearly demon- to be used to mitigate or soften the errors of a strates that we have entered the ground floor of an Brother. association or union of men; an environment of frater- What do we as Free Masons have if we do not have nalism. truth, respect and adherence to our Masonic principles The Fellowcraft Degree expounds on these same and high standards contrary to what we would expect principles while it is preparing us for a greater calling from them? Fraternalism can only flourish when we and for a higher expectation which speaks to our moral are mindful of our own actions and inclinations and conduct and truths. These truths are demonstrated as remember that every day, we are somebody’s impres- we become skilled workmen on the edifice we call life sion of what and who a Free mason is, including the and which will ultimately be challenged in the Master considerations and expectations that one Brother has Mason Degree. In the Master Mason Degree we swear toward another. to uphold specific obligations toward one another. In Yours in Service to the Craft, the second section of this degree, those obligations and Jim THE MAINE MASON Page 3 Around the Grand Lodge Water Cooler... R. W. Mark E. Rustin, Grand Secretary Master of the Celestial Temple. As Masons everywhere set about fulfilling this The compasses is the only working tool we have requirement to circumscribe their behavior and pas- which allows us to scribe great arcs and circum- sions, it quickly becomes evident that these areas scribe ourselves and our gifts and passions into overlap. People share gifts, passions, and insights measurable and appropriate bounds. Before we can even though no two people are the same. Two men square our work or plumb our behavior we must might share a passion for fishing but may or not first describe the boundaries within which we work. share other interests. A Lodge forms and thrives The possible forms of human giftedness and where these shared interests and passions, our per- behavior are boundless from our normal perspec- sonal circle, intersect and overlap. tive. Without guidance or boundaries we are without There is no reason to expect every Lodge to be a the understanding of acceptable behavior which copy of the other Lodges. Every Lodge has a wealth allows society and more importantly civilization to of human capacity and insight within its members. happen. The Grand Architect set before Their shared gifts, interests, passions, and Freemasonry a broad acceptable area of light are the bonds which make them human behavior within which Masonry complete and whole. In the common- might thrive. With His compasses he ality of their lives in response to the circumscribed the boundary within Grand Architect’s drawings on the which Brothers may appropriately trestle board of their hearts, a work the Craft. The laws of bond which survives the ages, physics, geometry, good, and evil Lodge Brothers, forms and are but a few examples. allows the Lodge to be greater With that definition, each of us than the sum of its parts. as Masons put down the anchor We celebrate the diversity of point of our individual compasses the lodges in Maine. There is among and circumscribes the field of our them a place for any man of good Masonic endeavor. The light we receive character who wishes to mature—find in Masonry gives us vision to begin to more light—to be among Brothers and understand ourselves and the gifts we possess as grow into being the person drawn in his heart.