September 2000 - Grand Master's Message
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
September 2000 - Grand Master's Message What an Exciting Time To Be a Mason! We are beginning a new century and a new millennium. Every facet of the Masonic family is working to improve its public image. A new Masonic Alliance is in its infancy. Our vision and willingness to work will release the potential for the future of our order. What an exciting time to be a Mason! The Templary 2000 Crusade has been a tremendous success. The number of new Knights Templar far exceeded the goal. Many Commanderies have more candidates waiting to participate in the York Rite. At their request, I am extending the Crusade to the end of this year. We will have to order more pins and certificates. We want all new members and top-line signers to receive proper recognition. If you could not be present at the 61st Triennial Conclave in Nashville, Tennessee, you missed a great opportunity for good food, fellowship, and fun. There will never be another like this one! As they used to say on the radio: Tune in next month, "same time, same station." William Jackson Jones Grand Master, KCT, GCT September 2000 2 Knight Templar "The Magazine for York Rite Masons - and Others, too" SEPTEMBER: Congratulations to the officers of the Grand Encampment for the triennium 2000-2003; they are listed on page 5. Grand Master William Jackson Jones presents his first message as the head of Templary on page 2. It's time to gear up for the 33rd Annual Voluntary Campaign for the Knights Templar Eye Foundation; see a number of letters from grateful Eye Foundation recipients starting on page 6 for the inspiration to begin. States should be busy preparing for the next Holy Land Pilgrimage, and the essay of a past Pilgrimage minister on page 8 is surely an incentive. There are recent recipients of the Membership Jewel listed on page 9. And you still have time to join in the Knights Templar pilgrimage to the Holy Land in December, but you should do so now: See page 10 for details. Biographies of interesting Brothers start on page 19 and page 25, and an article on the influence of St. John on Masonry starts on page 23 Contents September 2000 What an Exciting Time to Be a Mason! Volume XLVI Number 9 Grand Master William Jackson Jones - 2 Published monthly as an official News Bulletin! - Congratulations: Newly Installed publication of the Grand Officers of the Grand Encampment - 5 Encampment of Knights Templar of the United States of America. Letters of Appreciation to the Eye Foundation - 6 JAMES MORRIS The Holy Land Pilgrimage - WARD It Was Good to Be Welcomed Home! Grand Master Reverend Karen Knight - 8 and Publisher The Grand Encampment Christian Pilgrimage PO Drawer No. 685 to the Holy Land for Knights Templar - 10 Water Valley, MS 38965 Brother Burton Mossman: CHARLES R. NEUMANN Arizona Ranger and Western Cattle Baron Grand Recorder Sir Knight Ivan M. Tribe - 19 and Editor The First of the First of St. John JOAN B. MORTON Assistant Editor Brother C. Bruce Hunter - 23 Grand Recorder Part I: Brother Tex Hill: Flying Tiger Ace 5097 N. Elston Avenue, Suite 101 Sir Knight Joseph E. Bennett - 25 Chicago, Illinois 60630-2460 (773) 777-3300 Grand Commander's Club (Correction) – 7 Fax: (773) 777-8836 Mail magazine materials and September Issue – 3 correspondence to Editor, 57 N. Elston Avenue, Suite 101, Chico, I1- Editors Journal – 4 60630-2460. In Memoriam – 12 History of the Grand Encampment, Book Il – 16 Material for the Grand On the Masonic Newsfront – 18 Commanderies’ two-page supplement is to be directed to the Knight Voices - 30 respective Supplement editors. Address corrections from members are to be sent to the local Recorders September 2000 3 Needlepoint Kits Available: Several years ago and a red Templar Cross pin is for widows of Sir the Grand Encampment began offering Knights who held office below the rank of Past needlepoint kits for sale. These kits include a Grand Commander (this includes Commanders, printed canvas with the Knight Templar emblem in Past Commanders and grand officers). Honor your red, white, yellow, and black on a white widows at regular or special programs of your background. Kits are still available and include the Commandery. Pins are $5.00 apiece, payable to printed canvas, needle and yarn (finished size is the Grand Encampment. Send to the Grand 10 by 10 inches). The cost of a single kit is $11.50 Recorder Grand Encampment, Knights Templar; postpaid, or $10.50 each in quantities of three or 5097 N. Elston Avenue, Suite 101; Chicago; IL more. Orders may be sent to: Grand Encampment 60630-2460. of Knights Templar, 5097 N. Elston Avenue, Suite Sir Knights, Attention!: An important and 101, Chicago, IL 60630-2460 invaluable booklet entitled The York Rite of Now available: 2-volume set of History of the Freemasonry - A History and Handbook is Grand Encampment Knights Templar of the United available. It is authored by Sir Knight Frederick G. States of America by Francis J. Scully, M.D., and Speidel. This comprehensive, illustrated, 78-page History of the Grand Encampment Knights booklet explains the degrees, history, symbolism, Templar of the United States of America - Book II and benevolent programs of the Blue Lodge, the by Lt. Col. Jacob C. Baird, Chairman, the Chapter, the Council, and the Commandery. There Committee on Knights Templar History. One or are illustrations of the jewels of the officers of each both are a great gift for that Sir Knight or anyone body and of the Red Cross, Malta, and Templar else who is fascinated by Templar history. As a banners. There is no limit on orders: $1.50 each set, the two books are $25.00 plus $3.50 S. & H. under 100 copies, plus shipping and handling; ($28.50). Separately, each book is $15.00 plus $1.00 each over 100 copies, plus shipping and $2.50 S. & H. ($17.50). Make check or M.O. handling. Write your checks to and mail to the payable to the Grand Encampment and send to: Grand Encampment, Knights Templar; 5097 N. the Grand Recorder; Grand Encampment, Knights Elston Avenue, Suite 101; Chicago; IL 60630- Templar; 5097 N. Elston Avenue, Suite 101; 2460. Chicago, IL 60630-2460 Complimentary for Widows: Widows of Knights Announcing: The Widow's Pin - to commemorate Templar are eligible to continue receiving our those who were active Templars: The Grand magazine as long as they desire. To retain or Encampment continues a program to honor reinstate the mailing, simply instruct your local widows of Knights Templar. A green pin is for Recorder or the Grand Encampment of your widows of those below the rank of Commander, wishes. YORK RITE FREEMASONRY ON THE INTERNET - Official Web Sites Grand Encampment, Knights Templar of the United States of America http://www.knightstemplar.org General Grand Council, Cryptic Masons, international http://members.aol.com/GGCOUNClL/HomePage.html General Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, International http://members.aoI.com/GGCHAPTER/HomePage.html York Rite Freemasonry - The International Information Site http://members.aol.com/YorkRiteFM/HomePage.html September 2000 4 September 2000 5 Letters of Appreciation to the Eye Foundation! Thanks to the Knights Templar Eye Foundation, I was able to have very important surgery I could not afford. Without it my vision could have been affected for life! I am still in recovery, but I thought I would write to you and tell you how grateful I am for what your Foundation has done for me. I cannot begin to tell you how much this means to me. George Landy Atlanta, Georgia I would like to thank the Knights Templar Eye Foundation for its generous donation toward my eye surgery. I have been struggling with limited vision for the past several years. Since my job requires me to work on the computer for long periods of time, my work had begun to suffer. I was also beginning to have trouble driving. Because I could not afford the surgery, I allowed my eyesight to deteriorate. I had gotten to the point where I desperately needed this cataract surgery. Your generous support helped me get my eyesight back. I have now had both eyes operated on, and both surgeries were successful. Although I still need to use glasses, my eyesight has greatly improved. I am able to see things clearly and can see things that I didn't know were there! Our sight is one of the most important gifts God has given us. I would like to thank you for helping restore that precious gift. God bless all of you for the wonderful work you do for people in need. I am truly grateful. Sarwat Rizwani Ft. Collins, Colorado A big thank you to the Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc., and also a big thank you goes to Mr. Jack Choate of Sweetwater, Texas, who worked so hard, and to my wonderful surgeon, Dr. Russell E. Swann of Waco. I was legally blind in my right eye, and now I am 20/20 without glasses. Freddia L. Wilson Valley Mills, Texas I would like to thank you for helping me when without your help I would still not be able to see across the street. Now I see just fine. You are doing a wonderful job of helping people who can't afford to pay and would have to go through life blind. My thank you comes from the heart! Ray Hirmen Wilmington, Ohio Thank you very much for paying for my eye surgery. Vision in my right eye now is 20/25, and before my surgery I could barely see.