Volume 74, Issue 1 (1997)

t_ t o E ut IIL oIL UJ (5 o oJ zo E (5, o' UJ o;F UI J tU t^ahlaratt * I 9v{essage-GnnilD iI[sTEn's Brethren: I *ill never be able to thank you enough I for the honor and distinction you have I besto*ed on me-that of sewiig as the SOth Grand Master of our MW Grand Lodge. I will endeavor, to the best of my ability, to be faithful to your trnst. Surely, I will depend on the why our motto during my term is officers and leaders at all levels of the "TOGETHER IS BETTER. Craft to serve as "the offensive front We must, furthermore, make our line" in accomplishing the various Masonry felt more and seen better by thrusts of our administrative program peoplearoundus. Wecandothis, not for this Masonic year, which is centered by doling out goods to our less on the theme FREEMASONRY: fortunate countrymen, but by BROTHERHOOD FOR PEACE, UNITY, providing them with opportunities to AND HUMAN PROGRESS. Of course, I participate in society through expect each and every one of the meaningful and productive activities. members to extend utmct support and Besides, as l.odges or hs Districts, we cooperation to the officers and leaders can work together in planning and of the Craft.. implementing progrms' of action that Actually, the theme is a provide the greater masses of our paraphrase of our Masonic forebears' people not only with basic material vision of a completed spiritual temple needs, but also with opportunities to built of good and strong men. advance and to share in the Therefore, we must persistently strive determination of their own future. for the perfection of our craft and Furthermore, individually and practice in daily life the tenets and collectively, we can get involved in the principles of our Fraternity. achievement of local-community, We must, moreo/er, convince the national, and even international peace world that, as a Brotherhood, we have gmls, so that the Masonic ideal of the a formula for achieving unity. This Brotherhood of men under the means that we have to give maning Fatherhood of God will soon be and substance to the motto "Who best actualized. We will, for instance, can work and best agree." We must, in contribute our share in combating other words, focus our attention on crimes, particularly illegal drugs. what unites us and set aside all things May we, especially during this offensive and defensive whereby the Masonic year, commit and dedicate peace and harmony among the Craft ourslves to the achievement of pea,ce, might bedisturbed. Thus, wewill prcnre unity, and human prqress. So nrcte it bd to non-Masons that we are a group of men who work together in close harmony to accomplish the many worthwhile gmlswe have set before us. Doing things together and accomplishing things topther is, to me, what Freemasonry is all about. That is Grand Master Cabletow -2 TOWARD MAKING OUR GRAND LODGE THE FIRST IN MANY THINGS lllith heart and tongue we S. PUNO, our GM in 1984, who celebrates his STthbirthdayon May W'n'dil" L"o.f ',lf 'il* :l; L7; (2\ MW RAYMOND E. WILMART, June "Happy birthday, MW our GM in 1966, who celebrates his Sirs! " 86th on May 23; (3) MW MANUEL Ten of them celebrate their D. MANDAC, our GM in 1980, who birthdays in the Celestial Lodge, celebrates his 86th on May 27,too; where the Supreme Architect of the (4) MW JOHNM C. NABONG, JR., Universe presides. They are (1) our GM in L989, who celebrates his MW CLIFFORD C. BENNETT, our GM 62nd on June 8; and (5) N'tW RIZAL in 1950, who celebrates his 87th D. APORTADERA, our GM in 1993, birthday on May 5; (21 MW who celebrates his 59th on June 19. NEWTON C. COMFORT, our GM in All these PGMs have one L9l4 arrd GS from 1915 to 1934, common desire, namely, as phrased 112th on MaY by the most senior of them, the late who celebrates his oto 15; (3) MW CHRISTIAN W. MW ComfotL, make our Grand ROSENSTOCK, our GM in 1925, who Lodge the first in friendship, in celebrates his 112th on May L6 (4\ fellowship, in charity, in fraternal IvM EMTIJO P. VIRATA, our GM in zeal, and in loyalty to Brotherman." 1947, who celebrates his 107th on This, too, may as well be the May 17; (5) MW WILLIAM H. desire of our current Grand Master, QUASHA, our GM in 1955, who MW Leon Angel P. Baflez, Jr., who, celebrates his 85th on May 19; (6) like the late MW Bennett, wouldlike lvtw JOE R. GUERRERO, our GM in to see us, members of the Craft, to 199t, who celebrates his 56th on be "men who always subdue our May 19, too; (7) MW MARIANO Q, passions to the dictates of our TINIO, our GM in 1967, who reason; fearless men of conuiction, celebrates his 97th on May 27; (8) who will fight evil wherever it may IvfW WILLIAM W. IARKIN, our GM be found; rnen who, with faith in in 1931, who celebrates his 117th God and a firm belief in those self- on May 27, likewise; (9) MW evident truths taught in our lodges, RUPERTO S. DEMONTEVERDE, SR., will go forth and preach them our GM in 1973, who celebrates his outside, in words as well as in 86th also onMay 27;ar;.d (10) MW deeds." GEORGE R. HARVEY, our GM in The realization of that desire 1915, who celebrates his 129th on depends on each ofus, officers and June 22. members alike, contributing to ttre Five of them are still using, in leadership, direction, and their own measure, life's working management of the Craft. It tools. They are (1) MW REYNATO depends on ttre officers living up to l^ahlatartr a - the expectations of 'the members, the accomplishment of the godls and vice-versa. we have set before us, we expect We, the members of the them, in turn, to encourage those Craft, expect those brethren who ahead of them and to help those have been elected and appointed behind, and that we expecr theno to positions of responsibility to to tell us, the workers, what is make the willing cornmitment to expected of us. Oftentimes those themselves and to the Craft that, who lead us fail to know what they to the best of their ability, they will want and fail to tell us what is perform. Specifically, w€ expect expected and to whom to report. that they consider it top priority Naturally, if we do not know what to aid in the selection and training is expected of us, we have no of future leaders, and that they commitment to perform anything base their selection of leaders to and therefore have nothing be trained, not on worldly wealth worthwhile to report to whomevei and honors, but on demonstrated we should report to. And, not ability to render service-service infrequently, we are not given the for the advancement of the best budget needed to perform the task interests of the Craft, for the love assigned to us. of our fellowmen, and for Hence, it all boils down to progressively building a better this: officers and members mu$t and finer world according to God's live up to each othe:r's plan-or what our Masonic expectations. Both officers and forebears envisioned as the members must work responsibly completed spiritual temple built of and work together in close good and strong men. harmony toward realizing the We, the members, must desire of the Grand Lodge realize at the same time that we leadership, which is also ours, ,,to have an important pait in that make our Grand Lodge the first in service. We must realize that we friendship, in fellowship, in have an important role to play in charity, in fraternal zeal, and in the leadership of our respective loyalty to Brotherman. " Districts and Lodges-and that The realization of this desire role is to participate and get is the best gift we can give to our involved so actively as to give Past Grand Masters, particularly direction to the Craft; for, as I11. those born in May and June, and Bro. Lawrence D. Inglis, 33o, Past to our present Grand Master as Grand Master of Masons in Illinois, we11. has aptly phrased it, "A failure to With the fervenr hope that participate is in itself the same as officers and members of the Craft an officer failing to plan." will live up to each other,s Yes, Masonic leadership is expectations, with heart and the responsibility of every one of tongue we greet our PGMs born in us, members of the Craft. We must May and June (Happy birthday, tell the leaders of the Craft that MW Sirs!" and fervently wish our we expecr them to act, manage, current Grand Master a fruitful and direct the Craft. We must tell and fulfilling year in the Grand our leaders that while they expect Eax' us to assist and support them in --eF..R.eN aabbtow -C TilE SA3)LUTOW tn he Cabletow is, as we know very well, a s5rmbol of those - I -external restraints by which a man is controlled by others I or by iorces outside himself. If a man does not keep the law of his own free will, then he mrilrt be compelled to keep it The removal of the Cabletow signifies that when a man becomes master of himself, he will keep the law instinctively by his own character.

Load more