GRAND LODGE F. & A.M. Official Proceedings of the Grand Lodge FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS OF WISCONSIN 2015 Wisconsin 2015 BEETCHER PROCEEDINGS OF THE GRAND LODGE FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS OF WISCONSIN Held June 5-6, 2015 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 WILLIAM BEETCHER Masonic Biography Symbolic Lodge Harmony Lodge, No. 22, Beaufort, South Carolina ~ Raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason, June 4, 1992 ~ Past Master, 1998 Landmark Lodge, No. 244, Frederic, Wisconsin – Transferred in 1999 ~ Past Master, 2003 and 2009 ~ Secretary , 2004-2007 Nine Rivers Lodge, No. 369 - Plural Member ~ Charter Member, 2011 ~ Past Master, 2011 Silas H. Shepherd Lodge, No. 1843 - Plural Member, 2009 Honorary Member of Warren Lodge, No. 4 Ozaukee Lodge, No. 17 Milwaukee-Harmony, No. 261 Phillips Lodge, No. 225 Widows’ Sons, Grand Chapter, Wisconsin Scottish Rite Valley of New Bern, New Bern, North Carolina, 1993 Valley of Eau Claire, Eau Claire, Wisconsin - Transferred in 2002 ~ Commander In Chief 2014-2016 Elected to receive 33° Degree in Indianapolis, August 2015 York Rite Amery Chapter, No. 112, Royal Arch Masons St. Croix Valley Council, No. 47, Royal and Select Masters St. Croix Commandery, No. 14, Knights Templar Crown and Cork Council, No. 44, Knight Masons Chippewa Conclave, No. 36, Red Cross of Constantine Wisconsin College Societas Rosicruciana in Civititabus Foederatis Shrine Aad Shrine (A.A.O.N.M.S.), Duluth, MN Aad Pipes and Drums, 2001-2005 Zor Shrine (A.A.O.N.M.S.), Associate Member, Madison, WI, 2014 Order of the Eastern Star Frederic Chapter, No. 239, Frederic ~ Worthy Patron, 2008 and 2009 Affiliated Memberships Honorary Member of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota Honorary Member of the Grand Lodge of North Dakota Honorary Member of the Grand Lodge of Wyoming Order of DeMolay – Honorary Legion of Honor Grand Lodge of Wisconsin Skunk Patrol Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons Appointed: District Deputy Grand Master, District 2 2004-2007 Junior Grand Steward 2007-2008 Senior Grand Steward 2008-2009 Junior Grand Deacon 2009-2010 Senior Grand Deacon 2010-2011 Elected: Junior Grand Warden 2011-2012 Senior Grand Warden 2012-2013 Deputy Grand Master 2013-2014 Grand Master 2014-2015 2 WILLIAM BEETCHER Grand Master 2014-2015 3 MOST WORSHIPFUL GRAND MASTER FRANKLIN J. STRUBLE Masonic Biography Symbolic Lodge Valley Lodge #60, Sparta, WI Initiated-September 20, 1978, Passed-October 21, 1978, Raised-January 3, 1979 Past Master 1981, 2001, Chetek Lodge #277, Chetek, WI – Plural Member York Rite Smith Chapter 13 Royal Arch Masons, May 10, 1980 Smith Council 10 Royal & Select Masters, May 17, 1980 Super Excellent Master, May 17, 1980 Knights Templar, Commandery #9, Order of the Temple, July 10, 1980 Scottish Rite Valley of Eau Claire, WI 2009 Shriners International ZOR Shrine (A.A.O.N.M.S.), Madison, WI Order of Eastern Star Sparta Chapter #18, Sparta, WI Affiliated Memberships Order of DeMolay – Senior DeMolay, DeMolay Dad, Legion of Honor National Sojourners #27, MIP, 25 February 1992...Hero of ’76, 2008 Grand Lodge of Wisconsin Grand Orator, 2004 and 2005 District Deputy, District 2, 2007 Junior Grand Steward, 2008 Senior Grand Steward, 2009 Junior Grand Deacon, 2010 Senior Grand Deacon, 2011 Junior Grand Warden, 2012 Senior Grand Warden, 2013 Deputy Grand Master, 2014 Grand Master, 2015 4 FRANKLIN J. STRUBLE Grand Master 2015-2016 5 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 171st 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 171st An- nual Communication on Friday and Saturday, June 5th and 6th 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, Landmark Lodge No. 244 F. & A.M.: Worshipful Master ........................................................ Peter Berklund Senior Warden ......................................................................Hank Java Junior Warden ......................................................Alexander Zacholski Senior Deacon ...................................................................Adrian Davis Junior Deacon ...................................................................Steven Kelch Senior Steward ....................................................Theodore Sandstrom Junior Steward ............... William J. F. Beetcher (River Falls Lodge No. 109) Chaplain ...............................................................................Josh Kelch Tiler ................................................ Dale Brathol (River Falls Lodge No. 109) Secretary ........................Harold Christensen (New Richmond Lodge No. 195) ENTRANCE OF GRAND LODGE OFFICERS AND OPENING OF GRAND LODGE The Senior Deacon was asked by the Worshipful Master to escort Deputy Grand Master Franklin J. Struble and the 2014-2015 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 sta- tions. Grand Master William Beetcher was then escorted to the east by the Deputy Grand Master, and given the Grand Honors. The Deputy Grand Master presented Grand Master Beetcher with the gavel. INTRODUCTION OF PAST GRAND MASTERS Grand Master William Beetcher asked the Senior Grand Deacon, with the as- sistance of the Grand Marshall, the Senior Grand Deacon 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: Allan E. Iding, (1981), James J. Byrnes, (1982), 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), Roger L. Magoon (2005), Rodney A. Paulsen (2006), J.B. Van Hollen (2007) Dr. John W. Wilke (2008), Craig S. Campbell (2009), Joseph B. Harker (2010), Davey L. White, Jr., (2011), Dennis V. Siewert (2012), and Daniel L. Slavik (2013) 6 Past Grand Masters unable to attend were as follows: Charles E. White (1970), Denman G. Kramer (1971), A.D. Anderson (1973) Herman A. Friess (1977), Rusell R. Selbo, (1980) Kenneth W. Shannon (1983), William E. Day (1985), George A. Wallinger (1986), Bruce A. Christianson (1988), Dean T. Massey (1990), Beecher Daniels (1995) Lawrence L. Myers (1998) and Richard E. Black (1999). 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: M.W. Barry Weer, Grand Master of Illinois R.W. Cary Carter, Deputy Grand Master of Indiana W. Kenneth Roy, Jr., Junior Grand Deacon of Indiana R.W. Lyle Miller, Deputy Grand Master of Iowa R.W. Robert Darling, Deputy Grand Master of Minnesota M.W. James Christensen, PGM of Minnesota R. W. Joshua Woodwyk, Deputy Grand Master of Michigan M.W. William LeVeque, PGM of Michigan M.W. Joseph Rival, PGM of New Jersey M.W. C. Michael Watson, PGM and Grand Secretary of Ohio R.W. Eric R. Shaw, Junior Grand Warden of Ohio M. W. Minor King, II, Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Wisconsin R.W. Anthony J. McGaughy, Senior Grand Warden of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Wisconsin Worshipful Grand Trustee, Steven L. Quezaire of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Wisconsin Worshipful Grand Administrative Assistant, Huston Hooker of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Wisconsin R.W. Bill Davis, Past District Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Canada Ancient Free & Accepted Masons, in the province of Ontario, Algoma District. PRESENTATION OF THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Grand Master Beetcher 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. OPENING PRAYER Grand Master Beetcher called up on the Grand Chaplain to lead the assembly in prayer. Grand Master Beetcher declared the 171st Annual Communication, Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Wisconsin opened in ample form. This was imme- diately followed by Grand Master Beetcher declaring the Grand Lodge informal. 7 He called upon the Grand Deacon, and requested that the youth leaders be escorted to the podium for remarks. Raquel Frohm, Grand Bethel Honored Queen of the State of Wisconsin “This year I am proudly representing Job’s Daughter’s International, an organization for young women with Masonic Heritage. This morning I will keep it short and sweet, because I am aware that you have many resolutions and are working to change Masonry in Wisconsin for the better. Job’s Daughters International also works to change for the better. However, there are some things that we do not wish to change. One of those things is our Masonic Heritage. It has been brought up in the past that Job’s Daughters eliminate their requirement that a girl must be related to a Master Mason. I am proud to say that every time it is brought up, it is voted down. Our heritage means a great deal to us, and it makes us who we are. We are proud to be a part of the Masonic Family, and that is exactly what you all are to us---our family. You are our fathers, our uncles and our grandfathers, and if you don’t think this applies to you because you don’t have a young lady in your family, you’re wrong.