GRAND MASTER’S MESSAGE
Grand Master’s Message Brethren: How quickly flow the sands of time! When you receive this issue of the Voice, more than half of Masonic Year 2006 will have already elapsed. During that short span of six months, much has happened to Masonry, here in the District of Columbia, elsewhere in our nation, and throughout the world. And most of it is good. Slowly but surely, the merits of the Craft are becoming known. But in making Masons and non-Masons alike aware of our Masonic values, we can do still more, by being ever alert to opportunity and by putting our best foot forward in environments where our virtues are either unknown or misunderstood. Hence I urge the Masters and Wardens of this jurisdiction to give serious thought to participation in the Twain Program of the Masonic Information Center. As a Grand Lodge we are making significant progress in our efforts to make the public aware of what we do and what we stand for here in the Capital of our nation. I am particularly proud of our sponsorship of the “Octagon Project,” of the Special Olympics in D.C., of our scholarship program, of our activity in the Palisades celebration of the 4th of July, and of our effort, along with the Prince Hall Grand Lodge, to promote the Washington Nationals among the youth of this city. During the course of the past six months I have made a special effort to visit our local lodges, some more than once, our appendant bodies, a few sister Grand Lodges, and, of course, the Grand Master’s Conference, held this year in Nashville, Tennessee. On the strength of what I have observed, Masonry is as strong in D.C. as it is anywhere else, and in many respects, it leads the pack. We are doing well. It is incumbent on me to express gratitude for the many kindnesses that have been showered on me since my installation. In that regard I must single our my mother lodge, East Gate No. 34, for making my homecoming memorable. On that occasion we enjoyed good food, good music, and good fellowship in great abundance. And it provided Mary and me a platform from which we were able to announce a really big event in our family — the forthcoming birth of our first grandchild!
not already done so, are approaching the 50- and 60-year milestones of their careers in Masonry. I wish that I could personally present each newly qualifying Mason with his pin when it is due. Obviously M.W. Brother that is impossible. But I Albert McNair Smith treasure the opportunities I have had to make several such presentations, including those to Brothers Ojukotu-Macauley (1777), William M. Edwards (14), and Oran W. Conrad (34). I want to express my gratitude to all of those who made our International Brotherhood celebrations the success that it proved to be. The program was innovative and it was structured to reveal the great strength of our Grand Lodge and of the principles on which the government of the United States stands, in theory and practice. I am certain that our visitors, particularly those from abroad, returned home with new insights on the significance of this city and nation in the world community that we share. I cannot close without again thanking my lodge, East Gate No. 34, for sponsoring a testimonial in my honor as the final event of International Weekend. It was wonderful to be able to return to a building in which the Grand Lodge of D.C. was housed for most of the past century. It is a magnificent structure and its Masonic origins are still clearly evident. In order to make it possible for our younger Masons, who did not have the opportunity to attend lodge in what was at one time our Masonic Temple, I have asked the editor of the Voice to present some views of what it was like when it was originally constructed. This explains the inclusion of the comments of the architect, offered at the laying of the cornerstone in 1907. I commend his remarks to your careful reading. Sincerely and fraternally, Albert McNair Smith Grand Master
During the first half of my term as your Grand Master I have been afforded the privilege of presenting a number of veteran’s awards. Many of our members, if they have The Voice of Freemasonry
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