grand master’s message
Grand Master’s Message
T
he cover page of this issue of The Voice of Freemasonry features a scene of George Washington and fellow brethren in procession at the commencement of a service in observance of Saint John’s Day at Philadelphia’s Christ Church in 1778. In choosing the Holy Saints John as patrons of Masonic Lodges, our predecessors chose wisely. While we cannot know with certainty why they made that choice, we can infer many reasons which may well guide us in the conduct of Masonry in the 21st century. In recalling the words in the opening of the First Degree, we are forcefully reminded that our journey into Masonry began under the auspices of two well known biblical characters – John the Baptist and John the Evangelist. From that mythical Lodge in Jerusalem, we began our trek to enlightenment with a simple, rational admonition to control our passions and to gain knowledge in the practice of our Craft. Let’s focus on the Patron whose Feast Day we recently honored with a Festive Board in June and what lessons we can garner from his life.
ately applied to the honor we bestow on our Craft’s patron saints. Can we learn something else from the Baptist? Picture, if you will, what this Saint John might have looked like as he preached repentance and baptism in water. Dressed in scruffy animal skins, with a matted beard and uncombed hair, dirty feet in sandals, and perhaps a fetid odor of one living in the desert, he drew enormous crowds to listen to his words and receive his ablution on the one hand and on the other, reject his words as a direct and personal threat to licentious living. How often, today, do we as Masons, when evaluating the candidacy of a petitioner for the Masonic Degrees, reject him for personal feelings, based on a mindset rather than on reason. My Brethren, harken well to the wise lessons of our Patron Saints.
I write this message at the half-way point in my tenure as your Grand Master and, to date, my experiences have been, on the whole, very positive and memorable. Working with a committed and dedicated elected line has afforded me the opportuMost Worshipful Brother Paul D. Gleason Saint John the Baptist, son of nity to better understand the Zachary and Elizabeth, was, as history reveals, born principle of tolerance and the value of free and open six months prior to the birth of Jesus. Known as the collegial discussions within the executive commitprecursor, he lived a solitary desert life preaching tee. It has also been heart-warming to watch newly forgiveness through baptism in water and urging his elected Masters of our constituent lodges effectively followers to live a life of righteousness and repenmanage the business of a lodge and, with innovation tance for past failings. Within Masonry, Saint John and creativity, establish an atmosphere conducive to the Baptist, coupled with Saint John the Evangelist, both Masonic education and lodge-centered activirepresent the dualism of man, namely, passion and ties. Taking part in the dedication of a “new” lodge reason. When placed together and represented by room as part of a Grand Lodge Visitation will be a the two parallel and tangential lines which border long-remembered evening of gustatory and auditory the circle in which we are the central point, they pleasure. Well done Old Federal! symbolize the perfect balance of darkness and light, This year’s Grand Lodge Visitation program has, as of life and death, of passion and reason, of will and many of you know, a new format. Established to emotion, of action and constraint. And so the Latin provide the Grand Master and the elected Grand phrase vere dignum et justus est is most appropriLine the opportunity to visit each lodge individucontinued on next page The Voice of Freemasonry
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