Grand Master's Message
Grand Master’s Report at the Annual Communication Most Worshipful Brothers, Right Worshipful Brothers, Worshipful Brothers, and Brethren all! My theme this year has been the Triple E (EEE) standing for Education, Ethics, and Empathy. This theme has been resonating not only in this jurisdiction, but also in other states and in many countries throughout the world. This motto has delivered effectively the strong message of the core purpose of our esoteric philosophy as men and Masons. I have used the mathematical concepts of our ancient brother and friend the Great Pythagoras to point out the major constituents of the principles on which our distinguished fraternity is established. We should walk upright, squaring our actions by the square of virtue, and never step beyond the boundaries of our ancient landmarks. The right Pythagorean triangle has a hypotenuse that is the diameter of the circle which represents education as the basis of our improvement in the art and sciences. The other legs or sides of the triangle always form an angle of ninety degrees no matter how we go round this circle and on the circumference line; they are referred to as “ethics” and “empathy,” which are essential applications of the base or diameter of the circle called “education.”
Shriners Installation of Officers. Indeed, a running theme of my term has been to demonstrate Grand Lodge support for the Appendent Bodies, which would continue in February with our support of the Installation of Officers at the District of Columbia Scottish Rite and being one of the few speakers to address the 2019 Biennial Session of the Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction, at the Capital Hilton Hotel. In March, our Grand Lodge attended the Royal Arch Installation of Officers. Most recently, I rounded out my support of the appendent bodies by participating in the Cryptic Council Banquet celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Cryptic Masonry in Washington, D.C.
Our Grand Lodge is small in terms of territorial boundaries but large in influence, and thus travelling was an important aspect of my term in order to make our Grand Lodge and the Triple E known throughout the Masonic world. This began with a trip to Texas in mid-March and New Jersey in mid-April, to Ohio in the middle of the year, and most recently a trip to Delaware in October. It is no secret that our Grand Jurisdiction is diverse and international, and this was reflected in my official Masonic visits to Italy, the Republic of the Philippines, and then in May Quebec, celebrating in this year the sesquicentennial of Freemasonry in the Province. Most Worshipful Brother Charbel T. Fahed I made sure this year, right from A trip to Armenia followed in the onset, to instill in the mind June. Perhaps most memorable for me was a Masonic trip to Lebaof our Craft the importance of rituals which inspired me to devise non, the land of my birth. I shall be visiting Scotland for a Masonic the Triple E in order to nourish our hearts and minds to improve trip late November. Needless to say, I also attended the Conference ourselves and help others improve themselves, that we and they of Grand Masters in the Midwest during the wintry weather of may become better men and Masons contributing to the welfare February and the Northeast Conference in May in the beautiful of their families, their friends, our beloved nation, and indeed the spring weather of May. whole world. I would like to share with you, my Brethren, major activities of my term, each dedicated in some way to bringing about awareness of the Triple E. January got things off to a vigorous start balancing duties with fraternal conviviality in the executive meeting and furlough dinner. My officers and I also attended the the Almas
While international in outlook and scope, our illustrious Craft has deep roots in American history, boasting fifteen Masonic Presidents who held Masonic membership. In March, the Grand Lodge and I attended a wreath laying at Mt. Vernon in order to remember Brother George Washington, the First President and Father of (continued on next page) ISSUE 4, 2019 The Voice of Freemasonry 3
