GRAND LODGE F. & A.M. GRAND LODGE F. Official Proceedings of the Grand Lodge FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS OF WISCONSIN 2017 Wisconsin 2017 HENSIAK GRAND LODGE F. & A.M. GRAND LODGE F. Official Proceedings of the Grand Lodge FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS OF WISCONSIN 2017 Wisconsin 2017 HENSIAK PROCEEDINGS OF THE GRAND LODGE FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS OF WISCONSIN Held June 2-3, 2017 Madison Masonic Center 301 Wisconsin Avenue Madison, Wisconsin Wisconsin Masonic Code, Section 52.05 Notice of Grand Lodge Proceedings. A lodge shall take due notice of the proceedings, orders, edicts and laws of the Grand Lodge and be governed accordingly. 1 MOST WORSHIPFUL GRAND MASTER DONALD W. HENSIAK Masonic Biography Symbolic Lodge Lake Lodge #189, Milwaukee Raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason, February 28, 1985 Worshipful Master, 1990 Served as Trustee, Counselor Member, Lake Lodge Pipes and Drums Scottish Rite Valley of Milwaukee, Mo Holtan Class 1985 York Rite West Allis Chapter #84 Ivanhoe Commandery #24 St. Wilfred Conclave, Red Cross of Constantine, Puissant Sovereign, 2016 Wisconsin College Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Foederatis Shrine Tripoli Shrine A.A.O.N.M.S., 1985 Tripoli Shrine Highlanders, Pipe Major Emeritas Lake Shore Shrine Club, Past President Other Sovereign Grand Commander, Southern Jurisdiction, Loyal Order of the Stormy Knights Grand Lodge F&AM of Wisconsin Area Administrator, 1990-1991 District Deputy 2005 – 2008 Junior Grand Steward 2009 Senior Grand Steward 2010 Junior Grand Deacon 2011 Senior Grand Deacon 2012 Junior Grand Warden 2013 Senior Grand Warden 2014 Deputy Grand Master 2015 Grand Master 2016 2 DONALD W. HENSIAK Grand Master 2016-2017 3 MOST WORSHIPFUL GRAND MASTER L. ARBY HUMPHREY Masonic Biography Symbolic Lodge Acacia-Itasca Lodge #329 Raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason, March 18, 1994 Worshipful Master, 1999 Served as Trustee, Counselor, Treasurer Founding member Barnes Lodge #365, Worshipful Master 2010 Served as Trustee Scottish Rite AASRNMJ Valley of Eau Claire, WI Fall Class of 2003 Coroneted a 33° Honorary Member of the Supreme Council - Philadelphia 2010 Active Member of the Supreme Council AASRNMJ since 2016 Shrine A.A.O.N.M.S. AAD Shrine 1999 Past President Superior Shrine Club Plural Member ZOR Shrine 2016 GROTTO (M.O.V.P.E.R.) ELA-ALA Grotto, Duluth MN Other Masonic Memberships Legion of Honor - International Order of DeMolay Chapter Advisor Other Sovereign Grand Commander, Loyal Order of the Stormy Knights, Northern Jurisdiction Grand Lodge F&AM of Wisconsin Area Administrator 2001-2005 District Lecturer 2004-2005 District Deputy 2005-2009 Grand Orator 2009 Junior Grand Steward 2010 Senior Grand Steward 2011 Junior Grand Deacon 2012 Senior Grand Deacon 2013 Junior Grand Warden 2014 Senior Grand Warden 2015 Deputy Grand Master 2016 4 L. ARBY HUMPHREY Grand Master 2017-2018 5 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 173rd ANNUAL COMMUNICATION of the MOST WORSHIPFUL GRAND LODGE F. & A.M. OF WISCONSIN OPENING OF GRAND LODGE The Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Masons of Wisconsin met in its 173rd An- nual Communication on Friday and Saturday, June 2nd and 3rd at the Madison Masonic Center, 301 Wisconsin Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin. A Lodge of Master Masons at 8:30 a.m. o’clock was declared formally opened by the following officers from the Grand Master’s Lodge, Lake Lodge No. 189 F. & A.M. Worshipful Master ..........................................................Michael Zvara Senior Warden ......................................................... Bradley Bingheim Junior Warden .........................................................................Jon Falk Senior Deacon ......................................................... Jeremy Hilgendorf Junior Deacon ...................................................................Mike Clinnin Senior Steward ................................................................Jason Walden Junior Steward ...................................................Charles “Mick” Olson Chaplain ...............................................................................Jeff Thiele Tiler ................................................................................David Schreier ENTRANCE OF GRAND LODGE OFFICERS AND OPENING OF GRAND LODGE The Senior Deacon was asked by the Worshipful Master to escort Deputy Grand Master L. Arby Humphrey and the 2016-2017 Grand Lodge officers into the lodge. The Deputy Grand Master was brought to the east where he and the Grand Lodge officers were given the Grand Honors. The Grand Lodge officers assumed their stations. Grand Master Donald W. Hensiak was then escorted to the east by the Deputy Grand Master, and given the Grand Honors. The Deputy Grand Master presented Grand Master Hensiak with the gavel. INTRODUCTION OF PAST GRAND MASTERS Grand Master Hensiak asked the Senior Grand Deacon, with the assistance of the Grand Marshal, and the Junior Grand Deacon, to assemble the Past Grand Masters and guests and escort them into the Grand Lodge. He gaveled all to rise and give the Past Grand Masters the Grand Honors. The Past Grand Masters present were as follows: James J. Byrnes (1982), Allan E. Iding (1981), Robert E. Moore (1989), James A. Zimmerman (1992), Carl J. Wussow (1993), Stanley R. Jagow (1994), Stephen D. Willett (2000), John W. Hein (2001), James H. Olson (2002), Michael A. DeWolf (2003), Dr. John W. Wilke (2008), Craig S. Campbell (2009), Joseph B. Harker (2010), Davey L. White, Jr., (2011), Dennis V. Siewert (2012), Daniel L. Slavik (2013), William Beetcher (2014), Franklin J. Struble (2015), Joseph H. Rival, Jr., GM, New Jersey 2010, Honorary Past Grand Master of Wisconsin 6 Past Grand Masters unable to attend were as follows: Charles E. White (1970), Denman G. Kramer (1971), Herman A. Friess (1977), Rusell R. Selbo, (1980), Ken- neth W. Shannon (1983), William E. Day (1985), Bruce A. Christianson (1988), Beecher Daniels (1995), Jack C. Allord (1996), Bruce S. Sim (1997), Lawrence L. Myers (1998), Richard E. Black (1999), Roger L. Magoon (2005), Rodney A. Paulsen (2006) and J.B. Van Hollen (2007) INTRODUCTION OF DISTINGUISHED GUESTS FROM OTHER JURISDICTIONS The Grand Senior Deacon introduced the visiting dignitaries, after which they were given the Grand Honors of Masonry. They were as follows: R.W. William Sardone, Deputy Grand Master, New York, Grand Master of De- Molay International R. W. Eugene Herrit, Deputy Grand Master, Pennsylvania R.W. Robert Monacelli, Junior Grand Warden, New Jersey R.W. Keith Newton, Junior Grand Warden, Ohio R.W. Kenneth Roy, Senior Grand Warden, Indiana M.W. Richard J. Elman, Grand Secretary & Past Grand Master, Indiana R.W. Mark Manning, Junior Grand Warden, Michigan M.W. Anthony Cracco, Grand Master, Illinois R.W. William Post, Senior Grand Warden, Iowa R.W. Steven Johnson, Senior Grand Warden, Minnesota M.W. James Christensen, Past Grand Master, Minnesota R.W. Samuel Stotts, Senior Grand Warden, Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Wisconsin, Inc. PRESENTATION OF THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Grand Master Hensiak asked the Junior Grand Deacon to retire and admit the color guard. The Right Eminent Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery of the Knights Templar in the state of Wisconsin presented the flag of the United States of America. The assembly was asked to join in the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, after which the first stanza of the Star Spangled Banner was sung. Grand Master Hensiak declared the 173rd Annual Communication, Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Wisconsin opened in ample form. Organist Jim Stoebe, and sound crew Pat Militzer and Curt Campagna were recognized and thanked with a round of applause from the assembly. At this time Grand Master Hensiak declared the Lodge informal and asked the Junior Grand Deacon to retire and escort the State Master Councilor for the Order of DeMolay, and the Grand Bethel Honored Queen of Job’s Daughters to the east for their remarks. Casey Ferguson, State Master Councilor for DeMolay was introduced for remarks. “Most Worshipful Grand Master, Grand Lodge Officers and Distinguished Guests, thank you for having me here, and allowing us to set up a booth right outside. My name is Casey Ferguson, and I am the State Master Councilor for Wisconsin De- 7 Molay. I would like to show you a short presentation in a video form. At this time a promotional video was shown to the assembly. The short video presentation that you just saw, is a shining example of what DeMolay, this youth organization can really do. The Order of DeMolay takes pride in the skills that we produce and help boys accumulate. Millions of young men have dedicated themselves to the ideals that our Fraternity professes and it improves their life while enjoying their time. As the video explains, our young men have pledged to these seven cardinal virtues: filial love, rev- erence for sacred things, courtesy, comradeship, fidelity, cleanliness and patriotism. By following these seven qualities, a young man can be become a leader in anything he chooses to pursue. It’s so important to have organizations such as DeMolay and Masonry. As much as DeMolays can improve everyone around them, and as much as Wisconsin DeMolay helps the young men who are a part of it, we wouldn’t exist without gentlemen like you. The advisors are the lifeblood of this Fraternity. I’d like to try an experiment. Would all those current and past Grand Lodge Officers who are Senior DeMolays please rise. The amount of Masonic leaders that have come from DeMolay should speak for itself. DeMolay raises young men that become Masons tomorrow. We thank everyone that is involved in DeMolay, but we wish there were more of you. There are 10,000 Masons within the state, and less than 100 of them are advisors for DeMolay. That’s less than 1% of our advisors. We don’t come here asking for funding, we come here asking for your time and your knowledge. It is the most valuable thing. DeMolay is a Masonic youth group, yet we are forced to look outside of Masonry to find advisors. I would like that to change. More exposure for Masonic faces and groups would give the DeMolays the enthusiasm and desire to become a Mason in the future.