TheMaster’sMessage
From the slumber of winter, the days are slowly getting just a bit longer. Spring is upon us and I want to cherish this time by getting together in our banquet hall. I will let the Junior Warden speak of the coming socials this month but I hope that you will all join me in sharing a meal together in our halls to solidify the bonds of universal brotherhood. Remember that Tuesdays are Burlingame Lodge nights and all are welcome within our halls.
Thank you to those who participated in bringing our brothers into the light by which Masons work. Personally, much of my Entered Apprentice Degree was a blur. The most important thing that I remember were the brothers that were present, especially Gale Dreisbach, who would become my coach, mentor, and friend. The brethren present for my degrees helped mold my masonic education and I am forever indebted to them for this service.
As the old saying goes, you get into masonry what you put into it. It is my hope that each one of us that have passed through the ceremonies of our degrees do some small thing to promote our gentle craft. Be it at dinner, social events, or even sidelining at a degree. I believe that everyone has something to contribute. I pray that I have lived up to the hopes of those that have come before me and helped me on my way.
Gary Stephens, P.M. (650) 255-9140
22146 Prospect St., Hayward
Marty Cusing, P.M. (650) 218-6088
669 Hayne Rd., Hillsborough
David Jolliffe, P.M. (650) 344-9522
715 Acacia Dr., Burlingame
Candidate Coaches
Gary Shweid (650) 302-4639
6 Corte Camellia, Millbrae
Whit Stephens (415) 828-1995
209 Lomitas Ave., South San Francisco
Roberto Diaz, Jr., P.M.2 (650) 245-7338
1316 Vancouver Ave., Burlingame
Vincent Chan, P.M. (510) 332-2015
1781 Vista del Sol, San Mateo
Joshua Cusing, P.M.2 (650) 826-9065
810 S. Humboldt St. San Mateo
March 2023
Fraternal Love, Vince D. Chan, P.M. Master
A Warm Greeting My Brothers,
aint Patrick was a fifth-century Romano-British Christian missionary and the second Bishop of Ireland born by the name of Maewyn Succat.
When Maewyn, a.k.a. Patrick was a youth, he was kidnapped and taken into slavery, where he later escaped to the European mainland. During the time Patrick was a slave he converted from paganism to Christianity, and found refuge at Marmoutier Abbey, a French monastery.
It was at Marmoutier Abbey that Patrick found his calling; namely, to convert other pagans to Christianity. After establishing his religious calling, Patrick returned to Ireland and became very successful at making those same conversions on the Emerald Isle. So, there is some credence to the popular myth that the "serpents" Patrick figuratively drove out of Ireland were the pagan Druids, not actual reptiles.
Patrick enjoyed a successful ministry and retired to County Down, where he passed away on March 17,
Slate 18th century, St. Patrick's Day was not that big of a deal. The same was also true in North America, where the churches in Boston, with its large Irish population, did not recognize St. Patrick’s Day until 1737.
Turning to Freemasonry and St. Patrick’s Day, about 20 years after 1737, during the French-Indian War, a young Masonic Colonel recognized the morale among his troops was low. Being a smart and intuitive Mason, this Brother decided they needed what today we would call some "downtime." The month was March, at the end of a long, brutal winter and many of the troops under his command were Irish. It did not take this Masonic Colonel long to figure out the best day to declare a general holiday would be St. Patrick's Day.
Several years later, that same Freemason, was now a General in Command of the Colonial Troops during the American Revolution and was faced a very similar problem. Billeted at Morristown, New Jersey, his troops were discouraged after a long
461 A.D. Although Patrick was never officially canonized by the Roman Catholic Church he is never-the-less, in fact, recognized as a saint; and today people around the world celebrate the Feast of St. Patrick, or St. Patrick's Day, on the anniversary of his death.
Notwithstanding his larger-than-life background story, even in Ireland prior to the
March 2023
FromtheWest
St. Patrick’s Day and Freemasonry
winter of devastating fighting and losses. On top of that, the preceding winter of 1779-80 was brutally cold. That Masonic General, George Washington, again had many Irish troops under his command and once again he saw the opportunity of celebrating St. Patrick's Day to boost morale.
As the story goes, Brother Washington issued an order giving his troops their first day off in over two years, “The General directs that all fatigue and working parties cease for tomorrow the SEVENTEENTH instant, a day held in particular regard by
the people of [Ireland].”
And now you know the special connection between St. Patrick’s Day and Freemasonry. “Erin Go Bragh” (“Ireland until the end of time”)!
Fraternally, Robert O. Whyte Senior Warden
The George Washington Masonic National Memorial Centennial Cornerstone Celebration: Washington, DC by Marty
One of the perks of serving as an appointed Grand Lodge officer as Junior Grand Deacon is being able to travel with the Grand Master and take part in things that I would otherwise never have the opportunity to do so. This last month I joined in the optional Washington, DC trip to visit our nation’s capital to celebrate the centennial reenactment of the George Washington Masonic National Memorial cornerstone laying from February 16 to February 21. As a representative of the Grand Lodge of California and Burlingame Lodge, I thought I would share a few photos and stories about this historic event on the pages of our trestleboard.
The week we flew into Virginia was a busy week for masonry on a national, and even international scale. The Western Conference of Masonic Grand Lodges was held on the first day, the Conference on Grand Masters of North America through the rest of our stay, and Masonic Week was held just prior to this (where the grand bodies of many of the appendant and concordant masonic organizations have been meeting for their annual conference in DC since 1938).
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March
November 1, 1923, President Calvin Coolidge, former President and Chief Justice William H. Taft and numerous other dignitaries performed the ceremony before a crowd of thousands of Freemasons from around the nation. On May 12, 1932, the bicentennial year of George Washington’s birth, the dedication of the Memorial took place with President Herbert Hoover participating.
Cusing, P.M.
The first night of our tour brought us to Mount Vernon for a private tour. Mount Vernon is the former plantation of Founding Father, Commander of the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War, and the first President of the United States: George Washington and his wife, Martha. The estate is on the banks of the Potomac River in Fairfax County, Virginia. The night of the tour the temperature was just about freezing, with gusts of wind from the adjoining river. Dinner was held in the Verandah Room and George Washington Room.
Two facts about General Washington was that the property was worked by 317 enslaved adults and children for the Washington family of 5. After his presidency, he relinquished his title as “President” and would only be addressed as “General Washington”, as he believed the honorific “President” title remains with the person in office.
The next day the Grand Lodge of California officers would be invited to Fredericksburg Lodge No. 4, “George Washington’s Mother Lodge”, to open Grand Lodge and be received by the current officers of that Lodge. I was asked to go early and had about an hour to meet with the members and take photos. Fredericksburg Lodge is one of the oldest Masonic Lodges in America, with its earliest recorded meeting on September 1, 1752, though the formation of the Lodge is considered “time immemorial” as there are no other records before this date recording its charter, or from whom it was received. The original Lodge met in several taverns, moving around as appropriate, and George Washington was initiated two months after the first known meeting on November 4, 1772, and raised the following year on August 4, 1753. Meetings were then held on the Entered Apprentice Degree and many Masons never advanced to the Master Mason’s Degree. Right: George Washington’s 1668 Cambridge Bible that was used in his degrees.
March 2023
Left: George Washinton’s office and study. Right: The Washington s bedroom and George Washington's deathbed. Martha Washington would move to the guest’s quarters after his death, never wanting to set foot back into this room.
Fredericksburg Lodge also has the distinction of having the earliest recorded conferral of the Royal Arch Degree in the world, on December 22, 1753. Washington would never see the building of this Lodge’s final home, as he passed away well before its construction though his friend the Marquis de Lafayette and former President James Monroe would visit and eventually affiliate with the Lodge.
Following a private lunch in downtown Fredericksburg, VA brought us in walking distance to the James Monroe Museum former site of Monroe’s law offices and now home to a museum and Masonic cemetery maintained by Fredericksburg Lodge. Monroe’s offices were in use from 1786 to 1789 before he began a very lengthy career in politics, including serving as the fifth President of the United States. The property remained in the family until it was sold and changed hands several times, and was slated to be demolished to expand a gas station. Several of Monroe’s direct descendants and the Mayor of the city halted the destruction and was able to register the property as a National Historic site to display artifacts from Monroe and his family.
Sunday night was one of the highlights of the Washington Tour for me, as we would have a private tour and banquet as the National Archives, the likes of which I would have only dreamt about after watching the movie National Treasure. Security at the National Archives is tough, requiring the usual metal detector screening and display of a government ID. I, however, being the only one to bring a real camera, was asked to
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March
Left: Main Lodgeroom where Grand Lodge of California opened. Right: Upper Lodgeroom dedicated to the Marquis de Lafayette
Left: James Monroe’s Masonic apron. The glass case was opened for us and we were allowed to take very close photos. Center: Portrait of James Monroe post-presidency, illustrating how much he aged during his term in office. Right: James Monroe’s desk used when he was a lawyer.
arrive early for orientation of how and what kinds of photos I could take. I would be given a special badge and was deemed the only photographer allowed to take photos, and no other cell phone photos would be allowed anywhere in the building this while cruising around the numerous “no photography” signs posted throughout the Archives. I again had about an hour of time to walk through the exhibits solo, taking hundreds of once-in-a-lifetime photos and selfies of the exhibits and documents. (I was told I could not take photos directly of the documents, but if a document was in the frame when taking a picture of other people, that could be allowed).
After cocktails in the bowels of the Archives amongst documents like the Magna Carta, we retired to the Rotunda for a banquet in and amongst the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights.
Top: RW Sean Metroka, Deputy Grand Master, viewing the Magna Carta.
Bottom: MW Randy Brill, Grand Master, Susan Brill & VW Allan Casalou, Grand Secretary with the Declaration of Independence.
The final piece of the Washington Tour concluded in the parade of thousands of Masons in full regalia through the mile long street up to the George Washington Masonic National Memorial, while hundreds of local residents came to line the sidewalks and cheer. Grand Lodges from throughout our Nation and around the world came to be a part of this historic parade, which lasted nearly 3 hours before culminating in the reenactment of the centennial cornerstone laying on the steps of the memorial. The delegation from California was one of the largest groups represented! The parade was televised and a recording can be found on YouTube, amongst other places online.
This year would be important not only because of the centennial, but because MW Ken Nagel, PGM, who was our Grand Master in 2009-2010, would be installed as the President of Board of Directors of the memorial and would serve to preside over the festivities.
My trip included many other visits in and around Washington, including to the Smithsonian, Capital Building, House of the Temple and other national memorials. If you haven't had enough of the photos posted here, you can view the rest of my archived photo folder on Shutterfly at:
link.shutterfly.com/nt29scFiFxb
March 2023
Below: Re-creation of the October 8, 1956 Time Magazine cover: State Masonic Grand Masters. Grand Masters from the States and countries that attended the 2023 centennial.
2023 Officers
Master
Vincent D. Chan, P.M. hydroz1@gmail.com (510) 332-2015
Senior Warden
Robert O. Whyte rwcm@msn.com
(650) 417-5274
Junior Warden CharlieDrechsler,P.M.2 drechslercd@hotmail.com (650) 270-4925
Treasurer
David D. Jones, P.M. Jonesaccountancy@sbcglobal.net (650) 548-4040
Secretary
David R. Jolliffe, P.M. drj715@hotmail.com (650) 773-5034
Chaplain
Roberto Diaz, Jr., P.M.2 drrobdiaz58@yahoo.com (650) 245-7338
Assistant Secretary
Marty M. Cusing, P.M. martycusing@gmail.com (650) 218-6088
Senior Deacon
Joseph J. Becker, P.M.2 jbdesignsinc@gmail.com (650) 291-6220
Junior Deacon
Martin Chavez nobadpit@gmail.com (510) 621-3135
Marshal
Gary L. Stephens, P.M. glstephens5@gmail.com (650) 255-9140
Senior Steward
Shawn M. Snowden shawns103@gmail.com (262) 271-5957
Junior Steward
Renato G. Alferez
renay0814@att.net
(650) 740-1884
Organist
Jack J. Burrous, P.M. jb38banjo@yahoo.com (650) 583-5182
Tiler
Joshua L. Cusing, P.M.2 jlcusing@gmail.com (650) 826-9065
Officers’ Coach
Joseph J. Becker, P.M.2 jbdesignsinc@gmail.com (650) 291-6220
Burlingame Masonic Hall Association, Inc. BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President
Timothy D. Martin, P.M.
Ex-Officio
Vincent D. Chan, P.M. Master
Roberto Diaz, Jr., P.M.2
Vice President
James L. Cutsinger
Ex-Officio
Robert O. Whyte Senior Warden
Charlie Drechsler, P.M.2
Secretary
David R. Jolliffe, P.M.
Aidan Cotter
Gary B. Sweid
The Hall Association meetings are usually held on the fourth Thursday of the month, are generally open to all members of the Lodge and commence at 6:30 PM
Asst. Grand Lecturer: Masonic Division 1
Gary R. Quintrell, P.M. (707) 845-2756 grhlnorcal@gmail.com
Junior Grand Deacon
Marty M. Cusing, P.M. (650) 218-6088
mcusing@freemason.org
Inspector: 153rd Masonic District
Christopher D. Smith, P.M. 3 (650) 430-4301
okiepiper@gmail.com
Master Mason Milestones Years
March
Thomas K. Stoehr, P.M.
Theodor Bodmer
Patrick G. Bailey, P.M.
Eric K. Olsen
Constantino A. Campos
A. David Goodman, P.M.
Gary B. Shweid
The 2023 Leadership Retreats are your chance to get hands-on, practical advice on the issues facing lodges today. Gain fresh ideas, discover new tools, and connect with other lodge officers at these impactful and enlightening sessions.
March Kenneth E. Hayes Shawn M. Snowden John J. Ammenti Reynaldo B. Harrold, P.M. Ephraim J. Cheever Kyle H. Stephens David Melchner Sam E. Mizyed Eric K. Olsen Jack E. Chipley Warren D. Crawford, P.M. Keith W. Hoffman George A. Prymak, Jr. Robert E. O'Dwyer Roger Pai John A. Clover 3 5 7 8 9 9 14 15 15 18 24 24 24 25 30 31 Trestleboard Editor – Marty M. Cusing, P.M. Trestleboard Co-Editors – David R. Jolliffe, P.M. & Aidan Cotter Content Contributor – Roberto Diaz, Jr., P.M.2
Birthdays
3/16/1976 3/25/1986 3/08/1993 3/12/1994 3/31/1998 3/30/2004 3/29/2011 [47] [37] [30] [29] [20] [19] [12]
freemason.org/retreats
Happy St. Patrick’s Day
Fraternally, Charlie Drechsler, P.M.2 Junior Warden