The Masonic News www.MasonicNews.org May 2016 150th Grand Master of the Grand Lodge In This Issue Dennis E. Rix, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge A.F. & A.M. of Nebraska DENNIS E. RIX know the answer to that question. is the property of the lodge. 150TH GRAND MASTER We have each taken oaths that It can be checked out when 150th Grand Master Page 1 OF THE GRAND LODGE burn the answer into our hearts. you or a group visit another A.F. & A.M. OF This brings us to look at our lodge. Fill in the page with the NEBRASKA past, present, and future. When visiting Brothers, then have the Watch One, Do One, Nebraska Masonry began in the visited lodge secretary sign the Teach One As your One Hundred mid 1800’s it was fraught with page and put their lodge seal Page 2 Fiftieth Grand Master, I am physical hardships. The task of on the page where indicated. ready to lead you into another traveling to attend lodge often Worshipful Masters, be sure to year in Nebraska Masonry. We involved a full day of travel in a have visitors conducted west of The “Word of 54” will look to the future with an territory that was largely unsettled. the altar for introduction, and Page 2 eye on the past. Freemasonry Eventually growing to a period of give them a hearty welcome! has passed solidly into the era high membership numbers and of Facebook, Twitter, and instant mighty building projects at the INDIVIDUAL Myrtle Chapter Page 2 messaging. News travels around turn of the century, which placed PROFICIENCY the world in microseconds. A a lodge in nearly every town, Photo courtesy of the Grand Lodge of Nebraska PROGRAM picture or opinion can be shared to the current time of decreased MOST WORSHIPFUL Eastern Star over and over in mere moments membership numbers and BROTHER The individual proficiency Grand Chapter until it becomes somehow true increased lodge closings. There DENNIS E. RIX program started and run by R.W. Page 3 regardless of the actual facts. have been endless discussions as Patrick Barger is still going Like so many things in this world to why these membership numbers took before us. Each of us is the strong! I don’t have statistics to designed for good, it can be have dropped. Many of those most important man in our Lodge. share with you, but the program Electa Chapter turned to evil by fools or those discussions have been centered Some Brothers are better at ritual, has grown from two locations to Page 4 with evil intentions. As with all on recruitment, recruitment, and some at organization, some at four. This program has produced other forms of communication, it recruitment. While there is no taking care of the property or a large number of individually George Washington is not the medium, but the man. denying the need for each of us raising money for a project. No proficient Masons. A side benefit The power to use any form of to bring in a good man to take our other Mason is more important than is the addition of a number Lodge communication for evil purposes place before we drop our working you! We all meet on the level. of Deputy Grand Custodians. Page 4 has always been with us. There tools, being totally focused on We each have one vote. We each The Grand Custodian recently will be additional means of bringing in as many men as have something to contribute to the redistricted the lodges in the City Wide communication in our future yet possible can distract us from what greater good. What have you done state into thirty five districts, to be invented, but they hold we truly need to do. What we to make your Brother feel like he is appointing thirteen new Deputy Kensington the same question for men, do truly need to do is be a Brother. your Brother? What have you done Grand Custodians. The benefit Page 4 good or evil? We as Freemasons What was it that caused to make your Brother want to come will be more time spent helping our forefathers to travel a day to to lodge? What have you done that in a lodge and less on travel. Craftsman Lodge attend Lodge? What made them would cause him to pay out hard Send address corrections to willing to pay the equivalent of earned money on dues that could RITUAL CONTEST Page 4 [email protected] ten times the dues we pay in easily go to so many other things? today’s money? What makes These are harsh questions. Set your calendar for Bethel 5 It is a difficult thing to face. The the Lodge experience valuable? October 15 or 29, 2016 in Page 5 Each return costs us We do! Each of us took the absolute truth is, if a duty is left for Fremont. Fremont Lodge No. 15 $0.75. Help us keep your same oaths to uphold the same somebody to do, nobody will do it. will be the host lodge for the 2016 Hickman Lodge subscription rates down. obligations that our forefathers Master Mason First Section Ritual MASONIC BIG BROTHER Contest. Fremont will supply the Page 5 PROGRAM Tyler and the Candidate. The big change for this year is a lifting Starcraft Chapter The Masonic Big Brother EASTERN of the restriction on participants Page 5 program attempts to face these to belong to the same lodge. STAR questions. As your Grand Master, The host lodge will be awarded I have charged every Worshipful the plaque, however, you may Bethel 63 GRAND Master in Nebraska with the task pull your participants from ANY Page 6 SESSION of pairing up each Brother of his lodge. Each participant is limited lodge with another Brother. It to competing on a single team. Trestle Board is supposed that they possess the We are prepared to offer additional More on Page 3 of The Masonic News Page 7 wisdom to lead their lodge in this competition dates as needed. endeavor. When you are notified DUES ARE DUE that you have been paired with CALENDAR AND BLOG Cotner Lodge a Brother, contact him. Get to Page 7 know him better. Talk. Listen. Finally, go to www.glne.org Do the things Brothers do. If to keep up with what is happening Coming Events you can do it in the lodge, then in Nebraska Masonry. Go to the Page 8 great! If that is not possible, use calendar to follow everything Dues for all Nebraska Masonic Lodges for 2016 are your imagination. Be friends on that is sent to the office. Follow due Jan. 1. Send payment to Facebook. Email, talk on the another link to the Grand Lodge East Lincoln Lodge your Lodge Secretary. Members phone, even email. You will Blog to see pictures of Grand Page 8 with unpaid dues are delinquent both be the richer for it. If your Lodge officers doing those things as of March 1. Suspension by lodge does not contact you soon that Grand Lodge officers do! Get Your Masonic News Grand Lodge comes April 30. with a Brother to get closer to, If you have pictures to share, Suspension in Blue Lodge also in color at means suspension in Eastern contact your Worshipful Master. please write up a description of Star, York Rite, Scottish Rite He was elected to lead, and this the event with names to identify www.MasonicNews.org and Shrine. is too important to let it slip away. those in the picture, then attach Look at your dues card. the picture as a .jpg file and send it if it does not say 2016, send payment today to your MASONIC PASSPORT to [email protected]. Be patient, NEXT MASONIC Secretary. she is a very busy woman, but NEWS BOARD The Masonic Passport is Eastern Star dues are she will do her best to see that MEETING: also due Jan. 1. Send dues a fun way to get out with your it is posted in a timely manner. to your Chapter Secretary. Brothers and visit other lodges. Be good to each Tuesday, Nov. 15 Unpaid members will be- come delinquent Oct. 1, with Every lodge in Nebraska was other! Nebraska Masons: 7:00 pm suspension Dec. 31. issued a Masonic Passport, which Leading by Example. 1635 L St. Page 2 The Masonic News May 2016 The Masonic News USPS-332-880 Volume 111 · May 2016 · No. 5 Published Monthly · Lincoln, Nebraska By The Masonic News Inc., 1635 L St. 68508 Deb Kendle, Editor Bette Cummins, Business Manager Send all correspondence to: The Masonic News P.O. Box 82304 Lincoln, Nebraska 68501 News/Editorial/Mailing List Attn: Deb Kendle or via email to: [email protected] Authorized Factory Service Advertising/Subscriptions Attn: Bette Cummins Rebuilding · Rewinding · Repairing Address Corrections? New & Used Motors Ad Rate Information? Periodicals postage paid at Lincoln, Nebraska POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Masonic News, P.O. Box 82304, Lincoln, NE 476-2121 · 520 West “O” Street E-mail Notifications? 68501 Bob Jr. & Ron [email protected] The Masonic News has been publishing news of the Lincoln Masonic Community since 1921. The Watch One, Do One, Myrtle Chapter 94 “Word of 54” Connie Weir, Correspondent Teach One Kent Millington, Corr. Submitted by Adam Thayer SCHOOL OF different time so that we may INSTRUCTION accommodate the needs of all ENTERED APPRENTICE FOR BRUCE we’re wise we continue to watch involved. For this meeting and DEGREE degrees for other men as well, April has been a busy this one only, we will have our Growing up, I didn’t know and learn both the words, and the month for Myrtle Chapter.