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volume 79 •number 4 PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER DECEMBER 2007 Grand Master’s Christmas Message s I have traveled throughout this practiced in the lodge Grand Jurisdiction visiting lodges room and exemplify them Aand the district lodges of instruction, I am in society. Just practicing reminded at each closing that when we meet on the equality in the lodge room level what a powerful reminder that is of our Masonic and not carrying it out heritage and teachings. To meet on the level means into the community makes more than just the common physical plane upon Masonic lessons hollow. which we stand. Though it represents equality among You are encouraged to the brothers, it does not mean that we are all of the practice out of the lodge same heritage, color, creed, religion or political room the lessons you have persuasion. With Masonic equality we each retain our learned in the lodge room. individual characteristics and religious beliefs while As we approach this sharing with our brothers a unifying belief in a Grand Christmas season, Architect of the Universe. The strength of our remember that Jesus organization is that men with diverse religious beliefs taught that the love of can meet and enjoy brotherhood with other men and God was inclusive and not not have a diversity of beliefs divide them. Meeting on exclusive. He ministered the level mandates us to look for the common values to Jews and Gentiles alike. that unite us with our brothers. Meeting on the level Masonry likewise includes with men from diverse religious beliefs is the product men of many religious of practicing religious tolerance. beliefs—whether Jewish, Religious tolerance is and has been for years the Muslim, Buddhist, or hallmark of Masonry. The formation of the Declaration Christian. Our ability to of Independence, the United States Constitution and unite as brothers, its Bill of Rights were products of the Masonic regardless of religious influence through our Masonic brethren. The first he said, “it is a religion and it has a creed, but its creed differences, is our fraternity’s strength and should right stated in the Bill of Rights is the right of religious does not consist in condemning those who disagree continue to be an example for the rest of the world. freedom and its corresponding separation of church with it.” He later explained that Masonry “rises serene and state. Because the early above the fierce founding of this great country contentions of Our ability to unite as brothers, was by various religious theologians and turns groups escaping religious regardless of religious differences, is aside in disgust from persecution in Europe, the our fraternity’s strength the record of desire that each person persecutions for should have the freedom to opinions’ sake.” David L. Nielsen, Grand Master practice their religion unimpeded by government From the origin of Masonry in 1717, we have interference and oppression was paramount. Religious practiced religious tolerance as a principle that has had freedom, however, cannot coexist with a healthy profound influence upon our society and its formation. government that unites its citizens for a common good However, religious intolerance is as insidious in unless there is an abundance of religious tolerance. civilization today as it was 290 years ago. If as a In the 1916 Semi-Centennial Celebration of the civilization we cannot find good in others who have Grand Lodge A.F. & A.M. of Montana, Past Grand different religious beliefs, we will fail to become unified Master E. C. Day, in speaking of religious toleration, as brothers under the All-Seeing Eye. observed that Masonry is not a church in the In the lodge we practice in a microcosm religious traditional sectarian sense, in that it has no creed of tolerance and equality of others—looking for ways to “fundamental principles, which, if you believe, will become brothers rather than ways to become immediately upon the extinction of this life, translate adversaries. As Masons we can take those lessons you to the elysian fields, or which if you reject them, will transfer you to the regions of the damned.” But, Montana Masonic News US POSTAGE PAID PO Box 1158 Permit No. 197 Helena, MT 59624-1158 Helena, MT Non-Profit Organization ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED 2 MONTANA MASONIC NEWS DECEMBER 2007 Celebration the Feast of Saints John R. Bruce McGinnis ach year during the month of January all Baptist was chosen because he was a man of humility The summer being the brightest day which exemplifies Montana Lodges pursuant to Montana Code § and virtue, a man who steadfastly kept his obligations to the fervency and zeal of Saint John the Baptist. Thus E25060. A., are required to hold and conduct God. For those same reasons he was carried over as the two saints became a compliment to each other. a Saints John Day observance. The code further the patron saint of craft masonry. It is also believed that The Masonic significance of the two Saints are requires the observance to consist of tyled table lodge the operative stonemasons chose him because of the explained in the explanatory lecture of the Entered including a lunch or dinner. The observance by fervency and zeal he Apprentice degree and are masons of the Feast Day’s of Saint John the Baptist and exhibited in his represented in all lodges by a point St. John the Evangelist predate the organization of ministry. Again, within a circle which is boarded by speculative lodges and the organization of the present which are principles 2 parallel lines. The lecture gives an Grand Lodges as we know them. that can be carried esoteric explanation of this symbol According to the Roman Catholic Church law a over to craft within the two parallel lines feast day or holy day is a day set aside to celebrate the Masonry. representing the Saints John, not in “commemoration of the sacred mysteries and events Saint John the their theological significance but in recorded in the history of our redemption, in memory Evangelist became their sense as a calendar, the days of the Virgin Mother of Christ, or of Christ’s apostles, the second patron named after the Saints themselves, martyrs, and saints, by special services and rest from saint of Freemasonry are denoted. Since those days were work. A feast not only commemorates an event or when the Grand the two extremes of the year, the person, but also serves to excite the spiritual life by Lodge of England sun is represented as swinging in its reminding us of the event it commemorates.” Catholic began to celebrate circuit between them. The two days Encyclopedia. The origins of the celebrations or his feast day in are, therefore, the limits of the circle starting-points for the oldest ecclesiastical feasts are 1725. The Grand as set between the lines. Hence, it is the Jewish solemnities of Easter and Pentecost. Lodge of England a symbol of control of conduct. Together with the weekly Lord’s Day, they remained had been established on Saint John the Baptist’s feast A ritual containing the opening and closing of a the only universal Christian feasts down to the third day on June 24, 1717. It celebrated that feast day and table lodge as well as an order for business may be century. held its installation of that day until 1725 until it began obtained from the Grand Lodge office. The ritual also The reasons why Freemasons chose the Saints John, holding its installation of officers on December 26 the provides the protocol for the required toasts. as their patron saints are not entirely clear. It appears feast day of Saint John the Evangelist. It is believed that that some early lodges of operative stonemasons Saint John the Evangelist was selected because he was choose Saint John the Baptist rather than Saint Thomas teacher and as such was a bringer of light. His feast day who is also the patron saint of stonemasons, builders being on the winter solstice, which marks the return of and architects. It is believed that Saint John the light to man until it culminates on the summer solstice. 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