Three Members of Ft. Hawkins Camp Presented the Bennington Flag During the Annual Scottish Rite Flag Program
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September - October 2007 VOL. 84, #5 Three members of Ft. Hawkins Camp presented the Bennington Flag during the Annual Scottish Rite Flag Program. 2 THE SOJOURNER SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2007 OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF NATIONAL LINE OFFICERS NATIONAL PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE NATIONAL SOJOURNERS, JUNE 2007-JUNE 2008 INCORPORATED PRESIDENT THE SOJOURNER (USPS 500-620) is CAPT James E. Vann published bi-monthly for $3.00 per year by 3742 Reston Court National Sojourners, Inc., a non-profit or- Wilmington, NC 28403-6177 ganization, 8301 East Boulevard Drive, Al- 910-350-0666 exandria, VA 22308-1399-26. Periodicals Email: [email protected] Postage Paid at Alexandria, VA and at ad- ditional mailing offices. Date of Mailings: PRESIDENT-ELECT I invite you to take a trip with me….. August, October, December, February, April LTC Joseph H. Baker, Jr. And, oh, the places you’ll go! and June. 238 Fendler Parkway Several years ago, at the St. Louis Na- POSTMASTER: Send address changes Pineville, LA 71360-4728 tional Convention, I had the opportunity to to THE SOJOURNER, 8301 East Boulevard 318-448-0501 travel to the magnificent arch, the Gateway Drive, Alexandria, VA 22308-1399-26. FAX: 318-433-7056 to the West. It is truly an inspiring, archi- PUBLISHER: National Sojourners, Incor- Email: [email protected] tectural feat, in its beauty and majesty. porated. Under the arch and underground is an EDITOR: NELSON O. NEWCOMBE, Na- FIRST VICE PRESIDENT equally magnificent museum, depicting the tional Secretary, 703-765-5000. 1LT Frederick B. Vihovde inspiring history of the westward movement Names and addresses included in this 2162 Water Lilly Lane of our great nation. publication shall not be released for any Eagan, MN 55122-1931 Of particular interest is the exhibit of commercial or charitable enterprise with- 651-808-9229 Brothers Meriwether Lewis and William out the express written authority of National Email: [email protected] Clark, twenty-nine and thirty-three year old Sojourners, Incorporated. Masons, respectively, leading a small “The opinions or assertions contained SECOND VICE PRESIDENT cadre of men, an expedition, sent by Presi- herein, unless otherwise noted, are the LTC Harry E. Sanders, Jr. dent Jefferson, to open up the West. private ones of the writers and are not to 5923 Clermont Landing Court After two years of battling nearly insur- be construed as official or reflecting the Burke, VA 22015-2566 mountable problems – hunger, fatigue, views of National Sojourners, Inc., or any 703-978-0421 desertion, hostile enemies, severe illness branch of the Federal Government.” Email: [email protected] and death – Lewis and Clark and their party reached the headwaters of the Missouri THIRD VICE PRESIDENT River. The advanced scouting reports led PURPOSES LTC William G.L. Turner them to believe that once they reached the P O Box 7788 Continental Divide, they would then have The Purposes of National Sojourners Fredericksburg, VA 22404-7788 only a half-day trip to the waters of the Co- shall be to organize Commissioned Offic- 540-654-5511 lumbia River, down which they would float ers, Warrant Officers and Senior Non-Com- Email: [email protected] safely to the Pacific Ocean. The hard part missioned Officers of the uniformed forces was behind them … or so they thought. (past and present) of the United States, SECRETARY-TREASURER Meriwether Lewis left the rest of the party and Honorary Members, who are Master MAJ Nelson O. Newcombe behind him to climb the bluffs, so that he Masons, into Chapters, for the promotion 8301 East Boulevard Drive could see the other side. He was bursting of good fellowship among its members, Alexandria, VA 22308-1399-26 with enthusiasm. He was sure that when for assisting such as may be overtaken by 703-765-5000 he looked over the bluffs, he would see the adversity or affliction, for cultivating Masonic FAX: 703-765-8390 waters that would carry them the rest of the ideals, for supporting all patriotic aims and Email: [email protected] way. Imagine what he felt when, rather than activities in Masonry, for developing true National Sojourners Website: seeing a gentle, sloping valley, he gazed Patriotism and Americanism throughout www.nationalsojourners.org upon the majestic, rugged, and mammoth the Nation, for bringing together represen- Rocky Mountains! And in doing so, he be- tatives of the uniformed forces of the United CHAPLAIN came the first non-Native American to see States (past and present) in a united effort LTC Ira M. Flax those immense peaks. to further the military need of national de- 3519 Kingshill Road What do we do when we think our big- fense, and for opposing any influence what- Birmingham, AL 35223 gest problems are behind us, only to find soever calculated to weaken the national 205-612-5838 out that we have just been warming up? security. Email: [email protected] How do we rally the troops? Eventually, the crossing of the Rocky NATIONAL COMMANDER Mountains would become the supreme Referencing previous is- CWO David C. Warburton achievement of the entire trip, for it would sue in the new members, 834 Lordshill bring out from each of them enormous please make note the correct St. Louis, MO 63119-5457 courage and perseverance, because when spelling of the new member 314-961-4748 they had conquered the Rocky Mountains, is Mr. John M. Kriesel. Email: [email protected] they knew that they would then conquer anything. And this, my brothers, seems like the SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2007 THE SOJOURNER 3 perfect story with which to begin this col- And when you’re in a slump … you’re My brothers, I present to you, and to each umn, when, after years of continuous ser- not in for much fun … of you, these few words by Longfellow, vice, National Sojourners finds itself en- For un-slumping yourself is not easily which I fervently hope you will read care- gaged in discussions between brothers, done. fully and take unto yourselves: involved in strongly-held positions be- You will come to a place where the Lives of all great men remind us tween brothers who have become so streets are not marked. We can make our lives sublime, caught up in their own beliefs that they tend Some windows are lighted … but mostly And, departing, leave behind us to forget their promises to whisper wise they’re darked. Footprints on the sands of time: counsel in the ear of erring brothers, not (It’s) a place you could sprain both your Footprints, that perhaps another, to speak evil of their good names, and to elbow and chin! Sailing o’er life’s solemn main, aid, support and protect each other. Do you dare stay out? Do you dare to go A forlorn and shipwrecked brother, And so, on this day, with so many op- in? Seeing, shall take heart again. portunities and so many challenges pre- How much can you lose? How much can Let us, then be up and doing, senting themselves to Masonry, like you win? With a heart for any fate; Meriwether Lewis, I feel a sense of excite- And IF you go in, should you turn left or Still achieving, still pursuing, ment and anticipation as you and I stand right… Learn to labor and to wait. one step away from looking over the bluff, Or right-and-three-quarters? Or maybe, Again, we find ourselves at The Waiting and as we take the next step forward, we not quite? Place, and my prayer for you and for every can see that although we have climbed Or go around back and sneak in from Sojourner wherever he might be…is that one mountain, a whole range of moun- behind? we might be gripped by the power, the pres- tains looms before us. Simple, it’s not, I’m afraid you will find, ence, and the purpose of Freemasonry in I see Lewis and Clark … and I see every For a mind-maker-upper to make up his its truest form…so that wherever we go Sojourner everywhere … in the same boat mind. and whatever we do… we will change the … asking the same questions: You can get so confused that you’ll start world for the better and for God. Where do we go from here? in to race Thank you for all that you do for National What do we do from here? Down long waffled road at a break-neck- Sojourners, Inc. How do we go on from here? ing pace… God Bless You and God Bless America! Why do we go on from here? And grind on for miles across weirdish What is the purpose of our going for- wild space… ward? Headed, I fear, towards what feels like a James E. Vann Today is a day about journeys … a day most useless place. about mountains … a day about seeing The Waiting Place… challenges as opportunities … a day about For people…waiting. new beginnings for all of us. Waiting for a train to go…or a bus to I find myself reflecting on one of my fa- come…or a plane to go… vorite Dr. Seuss books, entitled, “Oh, The Or the mail to come…or the rain to go… Places You’ll Go!” It is written for adults, Or the phone to ring…or the snow to and it is certainly applicable to each of us snow… today. It is excellent reading and appropri- Or waiting around for a Yes or a No. FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, THE ate teaching, with interspersed reality. Or waiting for their hair to grow. LEADERS OF FREEMASONRY Oh, The Places You’ll Go! Everyone is just waiting.