The Communicator, September-October 2019

Volume 66 No. 05

September-October 2019

Our Most Valuable Asset - pg 6

Masons Table

Beerfest

Get your Shirts

pg 2

pg 9

pg 10

2 Seattle Scottish Rite

Scottish Rite Communicator Valley of Seattle

www.seattle-scottishrite.org

SCOTTISH RITE OFFICERS Ill. James D. Cole, 33° Sovereign Grand Commander Ill. Alvin W. Jorgensen, 33° S:.G:.I:.G:, Orient of Washington Ill. Sat Tashiro, 33° Personal Rep. of S:.G:.I:.G:. pr@seattle-scottishrite.org Daniel Southerland, 32° General Secretary Communicator Editor secretary@seattle-scottishrite.org Gene Ulrich, 32° KCCH Treasurer Ill. Tom Lamb, 33° Almoner PRESIDING OFFICERS Gale Kenney 32. KCCH° Master of Kadosh, Consistory Adam Creighton 32° Commander, Council of Kadosh Bob Dearborn 32° KCCH Wise Master, Chapter of Rose Croix Bryan Reagan, 32° Venerable Master, Lodge of Perfection Seattle Scottish Rite Center 1207 N 152nd St. Seattle, WA 98133-6213 206 324-3330 voice 206 324-3332 fax

The Communicator (USPS 485-660) is published by the Valley of Seattle, A&A Scottish Rite, 1207 N 152nd St., Seattle, WA 98133-6213, for the benefit of its members, bimonthly and is mailed as a non-profit publication to all members of the Valley of Seattle and to specified other interested parties. $2.00 per member is assessed for the publication of The Communicator. Periodicals postage paid at Seattle, Washington and at additional mailing offices.

The material contained within this publication is intended for the education and enjoyment of the members of the Masonic Fraternity and all material published becomes the property of Seattle Valley of Scottish Rite. Postmaster: Send address changes to — The Communicator at 1207 N 152nd St., Seattle, WA 98133-6213.

Freemasonry at the Table Few should be surprised to learn that the early history of the Masonic Fraternity was spent in taverns. The Craft met, as did virtually every other club and society of the day, in local inns and taverns. Often, the proprietor would start a club simply as a means of drawing more business for his establishment.

Freemasonry enjoyed a cheerful, convivial nature, and prints of the period reveal that Lodges would actually perform Ritual work while seated at a table spread with glasses, bottles, and copious punch bowls. As the Ritual became more precise and stylized later in the eighteenth century, the habit of sitting at the table was replaced with the familiar practice of calling off to refreshment.

Freemasonry exhorts the Brethren to follow a number of virtues, including temperance, and even the earliest constitutions carried regulations against drunkenness in the lodge. The practice of enjoying wine and spirits in the Lodge room was largely lost in America during the prohibition movement of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. For many of us, the physical remains of that era of wine and song are strange indeed.

Pitchers used for ale or beer were a favorite with early Masons both at home and in the Lodge room. Some were fairly expensive, hand-painted jugs with carefully delineated working tools and emblems along with attractive floral sprays. The use of profuse Masonic symbols on all these objects indicates the practice of using them as a sort of tracing board for instruction while enjoying a glass of beer!

Other pitchers, of cheaper production, were also printed with Masonic designs. Made about 1810 until 1820, and filled with working tools and other symbols, this pitcher contained the words to a popular Masonic song. The two pillars, sometimes marked "J" and "B," were the object of Grand Secretary Laurence Dermott's joke in the introduction to the Antient Grand Lodge of England's 1754 book of constitutions, know as the Ahiman Rezon. Dermott chided the Fraternity saying that many Brethren were of the opinion that the pillars were barrels marked to distinguish the Jamaican rum from the Barbadian!

Glassware also played an important role in the table of refreshment. These pieces range from crudely-molded glass hip flasks with Royal Arch and many other Masonic symbols, circa 1820 to beautifully engraved leadcrystal wine goblets with a simple Square and Compasses design and delicate borders, circa 1790. Criticism from within the Fraternity that the use of alcohol made Masons susceptible to ridicule resulted in the eventual ban of its use in virtually all of the United States. However, these intriguing and often very attractive drinking implements are historic reminders of a time when a joyful collection of Masons would make numerous toasts, and sing: The world is all in darkness About us they conjecture But little think, A song and a drink, Succeeds the Mason's lecture.

Seattle Scottish Rite 3

News from the Personal Representative

This Communicator will find many of the members of the Seattle Valley refreshed from their summer break and time to return to our activities in the Seattle Valley. The slow decline in our daytime temperatures is also a reminder that summer has ended and fall is upon us.

The coming four months will include not only the stated meetings, but also include those non-terminal degrees remaining for the second year of our four year cycle to perform all 29 Scottish Rite degrees, the remaining terminal degrees for this year, and a special event in December with a major speaker. , The 30th, Knight of the Kadosh is scheduled for 14 September, Saturday, while the 32° Master of the Royal Secret, is scheduled for 26 October.

We will be hosting the Cap and Ring Ceremony in 9 November for the class of 2019. It will be a formal event concluding the journey to the 32° with wives or ladies invited to this celebration of receiving their black hat, symbolizing their attainment of a 32nd degree Mason. Black suit or tuxedos will be the dress. The dinner will be complimentary to the class.

You are reminded that we are in the 2nd year of our 4-year cycle to complete all 29 Scottish Rite degrees. This will provide the opportunity of all Scottish Rite members to check off in their red cards or passports the attendance at the entire set of degrees.

The remaining non-terminal degrees scheduled for the remainder of this year will be the 20° and 24° degrees on 12 October and the 28° on the first week of December. Plans are also underway to perform the Knights of St. Andrew degree, 29°, performed by the black hats of our KSA. Our stated meeting for September 17 will be highlighted by the annual scholarship dinner recognizing the scholarship winners from the Seattle Valley, and a recognized speaker on education issues in these times, followed by a brief business meeting on budget decisions resulting from needs for our Early Life charity.

In October 15 our stated meeting will be the annual Table Lodge format, hosted by the Lodge of Perfection. The business will follow the Table Lodge ceremony. The entire meeting will be held in the dining room As reported previously Brother Bob Cooper, Curator of the Grand Lodge of Scotland will be visiting us in midDecember. The meeting is tentatively scheduled for 17 December. All Masons are invited. Further details will be forthcoming in future Communicators.

Membership drives our valley forward. We will be planning events in the coming months for those who may be interested in the Scottish Rite. We are also inviting potential members to attend our stated meeting dinners as our guests to become acquainted with our members and to learn about our Valley.

Members are urged to act as quasi-ambassadors at their respective blue lodges, and to inform the lodge that class of 2020 is being formed. Membership packets are available in the office.

The West Seattle Scottish Rite Club (WSSRC) will be having its next meeting at Southgate Masonic Center in Burien on 7 September at 9 AM. The speaker will be Ian Hyde,32°, KCCH. Further information on future meetings can be obtained by contacting Brother Richard Syson at nosys@comcast.net.

4 Seattle Scottish Rite

The Eastside Scottish Rite Club (ESRC) has been divided into two branches, Philosophic & Esoteric and Master Craftsman. The next meeting of the Philosophic & Esoteric ESRC will meet on 30 October, 7 PM at Myrtle Lodge, Issaquah.

The meeting of the Master Craftsman (MC) Program of the Eastside Scottish Rite Club (ESRC) will be held on the 4th Tuesdays of the month. The program utilizes ‘Scottish Rite Ritual Monitor & Guide’, 3rd edition by Arturo De Hoyos. They can be purchased for $40 from the General Secretary. Contact him at secretary@seattle-scottishrite.org or his phone at 206-324-3330. Please contact Dean Markley, who has organized the MC Course, wdeanm@gmail.com for additional information.

All Scottish Rite members of the Seattle Valley receive the Communicator, but may miss the fellowship with their fellow members within the valley and find the difficult-travel-miles to-and-from our Shoreline building a major problem. Please attend these club meetings.

Fraternally, Sat Tashiro 33° Personal Representative of the S:.G:.I:.G:.

The Greatest of These Rob Morris

The Word of God, the rule of faith to Masons true and free, Sublimely says, The greatest grace in man is Charity, To feel the sympathetic glow for souls in sorrow driven And lend relief, — 'tis this that brings the Mason nearest Heaven.

This broad-spread land, the Empire State, foremost in every art, Hath lately shown in Charity the largest Mason heart A Brother from a distant land came empty to their door, And lo, the generous Brotherhood threw open wide their store.

All honor, praise, respect to them, the noblest in the land, And honor their Grand Master, right worthy of command And honor over all, to Him, the Sovereign King of Heaven,

Seattle Scottish Rite 5

Greetings All, We hope you have been enjoying the summer months as they come to a close and Fall creeps in. With the change of the seasons we also see our lodges come back into session and the work in our quarries ramp up even higher, although I see so much happening even when they are dark it sure is a excellent sight. I know we have so many of our great brothers willing to help in all we do so I am asking you who can to seriously think of ways to help our Early Life Speech & Language Centers. They are all going through a serious change through out our Orient. With the dwindling funds they will be looking at changes of how best to serve the children. We here at Seattle Valley are no exception. As most of you know all valleys have been directed by our SGIG to step up to help fund our centers and it looks like that is exactly what is happening. With this in mind we need your help. Please if there is any way you can also stand with us, Do! Weather it be financially or in a volunteer capacity, they need you all to stand. We have formed a council here at Seattle Valley to make this happen and anyone is welcome as we look to the future.

We are already working on the 2020 ELS&L Beer Fest so get your tickets now as this is a great way to support and also to meet the Our September stated meeting will have some of our Scholarship recipients attending the dinner so we hope you all come out to meet these great students and congratulate them on their achievements.

Our center has been getting some much needed additions this summer as we have expanded our members lounge and combined it with the conference center complete with online conference capabilities.

This will give us much more room for fellowship. As you all know it gets pretty crowded after our meetings so this will give us more room. Along with that we did some work in the offices and library.

The library is now a true library with chairs to sit and enjoy the great books. Last but not least we moved me up to the front of the offices to better greet you all when you come in and gave our PR his very own office which I might say he seems to really be enjoying. The grand unveiling will be at our September meeting so be sure to come out and see how your valley in improving to better serve you .

As you all know we have a new Illustrious Grand Commander James D. Cole 33°, I know you all join me in wishing greetings and look forward to his wise leadership to come. I would also like to send our regards to Illustrious Ronald Seale 33° as he starts his next chapter in life. We thank him for his many years of dedication to our craft and making us better to have had him as our leader for these many years.

With so many changes in our craft as we look to the future we need to remember there is always one constant. We are here for a reason and that is to be light to all who need it, so remember to be the reason some one look to you ass the example of masonry, no matter the branch. We all have the same goals.

As we complete this years degree class and look to the next year we also want to remind everyone to reach out to all your brothers who would like to better themselves by becoming Scottish Rite and invite them to dinner or bring them by anytime so they can experience this great fraternity while learning what it means to be a Scottish Rite Mason.

Fraternally, Dan Southerland, 32° General Secretary

6 Seattle Scottish Rite

OUR MOST VALUABLE ASSET: FRIENDSHIP

By Alphonse Cerza Grand Historian, Grand Lodge A.F & A.M. of Illinois

Freemasonry has many facets which have attracted men of good will of every race, religion, political view, and social position into its ranks throughout the world for many years. Every member has his own individual reason for joining the Craft, but generally its chief appeal is the charitable work it does, the philosophy of life taught by the Craft with its visible exhibition by Freemasons in their exemplary conduct in the everyday world. All these items are important, but to the non-member who has given this matter any thought whatsoever it soon becomes apparent that the greatest asset in Freemasonry is the spirit of friendship that exists between Freemasons in their relationship with one another and their attitude of thoughtfulness for the welfare of others. For example, many years ago the words "Mason" and "friendship" were often used synonymously.

Our historical background supports this view. Dr. James Anderson in his Constitutions of the Free Masons, published in 1723, reflected the traditional fundamental principles of the Craft when he stated in the first Charge that "Masonry becomes the Center of Union and the Means of conciliating true friendship among persons that must have remained at a perpetual Distance." And in the 1738 edition of the same book, the wording was changed slightly but the meaning was the same when he stated "Thus Masonry is the Center of their Union and the happy Means of conciliating Persons that otherwise must have remained at a perpetual Distance." This idea was not new with Anderson since the idea of friendship prevailed in the Ancient Manuscripts which required the members to address themselves as "brothers," attend to their religious duties, respect other members of the Craft, and that all lodge members be considerate of each other both inside and outside the Craft. There were also provisions that members help each other in finding employment or giving work to members seeking employment or to give them money to enable them to travel to the next place where employment might be available. Furthermore, when the Grand Lodge was formed in 1717, in London, the leaders adopted a non-sectarian rule and also prohibited the discussion of political matters in the lodge. These new rules were intended to eliminate friction and disharmony among the members and further promoted the idea of friendship. Requiring a belief in God, teaching that all men are brothers, and that we should always be kind and charitable towards others has created an atmosphere of harmony among the members and has promoted the development of warm and enduring friendships between the members of the Craft. It has also encouraged our members to be good neighbors, good citizens, and to be loyal to established government.

There are many definitions of the word "friend." It means one who is in a warm personal relationship with another person. It means a person who is ready to assist you in your plans. Many years ago an English periodical had a contest and offered a prize to the person submitting the best definition of the word "friend." Here are a few of the definitions which were sent to the publication: "One who multiplies joys, divides grief, and whose honesty is inviolable."

"One who understands our silence."

"A watch which beats true and for all time and never runs down."

And here is the definition that won first prize: "A friend is the one who comes in when the whole world has gone out."

Many years ago, my father stated to me that the most valuable thing anyone can have is to have a friend.

But then he added that in order to have a friend, you must be a friend. On other occasions he would say that a friend is worth more than a thousand ducats. You will note that the idea is in the nature of a twoway street. Freemasonry with its emphasis on the obligations we owe to others exemplifies this idea of the value of friendship in the strongest way possible.

Seattle Scottish Rite 7

What great persons have said about the subject of "friends" is of interest because the statements reveal a deep need for friends and their importance in the lives of persons to make them happy. Aristotle, in his Nichomachean Ethics, said: "The perfect friendship is that be-tween good men, alike in their virtues." Keats, the great English poet, compared friends to "a beacon light guiding a ship into port on a dark misty night." Brother George Washington, in one of his letters, said: "Actions, not words, are the true criterion of attachment of friends." Thomas Jefferson said: "One gives meaningful expression to friendship only when he does something thoughtful, unselfish or pleasantly surprising for the person he esteems." In a poetic mood, Oliver Wendell Holmes described friendship as "the breathing rose with sweets in every fold." Seneca, the Roman savant, once said: "Friendship sweetens all our cares and dispels our sorrows." Coleridge, the English poet, said: "Friendship is a sheltering tree." Sir Francis Bacon wrote that "friendship redoubleth joys, and cutteth griefs in half." And let us not forget the lesson exemplified in the fifteenth Scottish Rite degree of the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction: "Life Without Friends is Worthless."

The true value of friends cannot be underestimated. There is nothing worse than being alone or having the feeling that there is no one around that you can rely on for help or companionship. Nothing can be more depressing then the feeling that there is no one that cares about your welfare. On the positive side, the mere fact that one knows that he has friends is a comforting feeling. So that the possession of friends is an absolute necessity in life in order to be happy. I remember an old friend who was a bachelor and had no close relatives. He lived in a rooming house where most of his fellow roomers were transients.

Being a member of the Craft opened up many opportunities for him to spend his time profitably. Rather than going to his room each evening after work, he managed to go to his lodge on each meeting night.

He also "adopted" a number of other lodges within a reasonable distance and visited them regularly.

Many of the members of those lodges saw him so regularly that they never realized that he was only a visitor and not a regular member of that lodge. He always pitched in when there was a need for workers and he made himself useful. At these lodge meetings he paid special attention to the reports about members and he took notes. On nights that he was not attending lodge meetings, he visited sick members, offered to do things for them, and cheered them up with his presence. Thus he was being a real friend toward his fellow members and it gave him a genuine "lift" to feel that he was utilizing his time doing something worthwhile. This illustrates how Masonic friendship is a two-way street in that benefits result to everyone with these many contacts at meetings and with other relationships.

I am also reminded of the member who came from a family in which he was an only child. He missed the usual activity within a family unit where there are a number of brothers and sisters. When he joined the Craft, he acquired a large number of Brothers and he acquired the feeling that he was no longer alone. To him the word "Brother" meant a great deal more than it did to the average member. Joining the Craft was a deeply moving experience for him for he realized that he had acquired an unspecified number of friends to whom he was bound by an obligation stronger than any physical binding could be.

The member who becomes active in his Masonic lodge and engages in its work by necessity will be in contact constantly with other members who are also similarly engaged. Taking part in meaningful and worthwhile projects with other good men creates a camaraderie between them which blossoms forth in-to intangible and unexpressed respect by one person for another. Because of these projects, Freemasonry offers unlimited opportunity for the creation of warm and close friendships among its members.

The Mason who does not regularly attend lodge meetings and also engages in some work for the lodge and its members misses one of the valuable assets which the lodge has to offer its members. The opportunity to make friends.

8 Seattle Scottish Rite

Another element which contributes to this development of close friendships within the Craft, is the philosophy that Masons are taught to be charitable and that this word is to be construed in its broadest sense. To the Mason it means more than just giving alms it means more than writing a check for a worthy cause. It means that you will go that extra mile to help another person in need of help beyond any call of duty. It means that you will listen to a Brother’s troubles as he seeks to unburden himself of his feeling or desire to talk things over with someone. It means to sympathize with a person who is in pain or in trouble and thereby help him to lighten the burden. The lesson of the faithful breast and the listening ear are always before us.

Masons who join appendant bodies of the Craft often do so in order to expand their Masonic contacts and to extend their charitable work because these bodies always have such projects. When good men gather together to accomplish something that will benefit the Craft, its members, and the community these types of associations are by necessity ones that cover long periods of time and require many hours of working together with good men to accomplish worthy goals. Such increased association is bound to develop mutual respect among members working together which will develop into warm friendship.

When a Mason meets another Mason for the first time, he knows that the other person believes in God, that he therefore believes that all men are brothers, and that as a result he must be kind to other persons and help them in every possible way. Such knowledge is bound to bring the two persons closer together for they instinctively realize that they have many beliefs in common. You know without any express statement that a spiritual tie exists between Masons because you can expect honorable con-duct from the new contact.

For one who travels extensively, Masonic friendship manifests itself time and again. Whether it is visiting a Masonic lodge or attending a meeting of an appendant body, or in the market place, when you meet another Mason you always feel a kinship with him. You always find the door open with a welcome sign. This can be valuable if you are in a strange place. It becomes doubly valuable if you are in need of suggestions, advice or help of some kind. You not only have a comfortable feeling because you know help is near, but there is also a feeling of trust and faith that is so valuable in all human relationships.

Non-Masons often have observed that there exists between Masons an elusive something that creates a spirit of friendly relations be-tween Masons. It is to be noted that strangers who meet and discover that both are members of the Craft immediately feel a kinship with each other. Masons recognize this mutual feeling and describe it as the "tie that binds" but this general description mystifies and intrigues non-members. He notes the friendly feeling that exists between the members though they may have just met, but he does not realize that when Masons meet for the first time they instinctively feel a close relationship because of the unique teaching methods used in the confer-ring of the three degrees, whereby certain obligations are assumed which bind Masons to a high moral code which makes them better men on the spiritual and moral level.

This valuable asset of Freemasonry too often is so obscured that few of our members are aware of it.

We should call this to their attention. Having a large number of friends will make a person happier, a better person, and happy persons help make this a better place in which to live. This elusive element of Freemasonry is the most valuable asset that each of us has as a member of the Craft and it is also one of the most valuable assets of Freemasonry as an organization.

Seattle Scottish Rite 9

10 S e a t t l e S c o t t i s h R i t e

Messages Happy Birthday!

Congratulations from all your Scottish Rite Brethren To our members over 90 who have reached a very important birthday!

September

Earl Ingebright 9-21-1917 James Perry 9-07-1921 James McCurdy 9-24-1923 William Barrett 9-21-1924 Rodney Phillips 9-16-1925 Gomer Evans 9-18-1927 Rene Blumenfeld 9-10-1928 Timothy Hurley 9-17-1928 Robert Rosenquist 9-19-1929 Alvin Hendricks 9-22-1929

October

Genaro Garcia 10-19-1921 Thomas Hikida 10-12-1922 Adel Mohsen 10-31-1925 Walter Lain 10-05-1926 Robert Johnson 10-08-1926 William Hartley 10-09-1927 Donald Wilson 10-07-1928 Aurthur White 10-27-1929

Polo shirts are in!

New Lower Price $20.00

S e a t t l e S c o t t i s h R i t e 11

www.seattle-scottishrite.org

MONTH TIME September 14th.

EVENT

10:00am. Kadosh Degree (30°) Day

September 17th.

6:30pm Stated Meeting- Feast of Consistory Scholarship Night October 5th.

9:00 am Excom

October 12th.

10:00am. 20th & 24th Degrees

October 15th.

6:30pm Stated Meeting- Feast of Tishri

October 26th

10:00am. Consistory Degrees (32°) Day

* All events subject to change.

Jackets $40.00 New Lower Price

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Scottish Rite of Freemasonry 1207 N 152nd St. Shoreline, WA 98133-6247

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