From our LEO

A wonderful piece from the Junior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota. He wrote this in 1979.

The Old Masters Wages'
by Neil Neddermeyer

I meet a dear old man today
Who wore a Masonic pin,
It was old and faded like the man
Its edges were worn quite thin

I approached the park bench where he sat
To give the old brother his do
I said, "I see you've traveled east"
He said, "I have, have you?"

I said, I have and in my day
Before the all seeing sun
I played in the rubble with Jubala
Jubilo, and Jubalum.

He shouted, don't laugh at the work my boy
It's good and it's sweet and it's true
And if you've traveled as you said
You should give these things a due.

The word, the sign, the token,
The sweet Masonic prayer,
The vow that all have taken
Who have climbed the inner stair.

The wages of a Mason
are never paid in gold
but the gain comes from contentment
When you're weak and growing old.

You see I've carried my obligations
For almost fifty years
It has helped me through the hardships
and the failures full of tears.

I'm now losing my mind and my body
Death is near but I don't despair
I've lived my life upon the level
And I'm die upon the square.

Sometimes the greatest lessons
Are those that are learned anew
And the old man in the park today
Has changed my point of view.

To all Masonic brothers
The only secret is to care
May you live upon the level.
May you part upon the square.

Dick Friend, LEO

From our Secretary

We have stricken a member from our lodge roster due to his request. He had been on the lodge roster since 1994. Just think Brothers, what we have paid the Grand Lodge for those years. Remember it’s our money and not be given so freely to the Grand Lodge. This lodge Secretary doesn’t like to strike anybody and over the years I have done my best to not do that. This includes visits, phone calls and mail, which is 33 cents, as you know, per correspondence. As of now, we need to strike 5 members by the end of this year. If not, this costs the lodge $24.25 per member by January 15, 2001.

The person, who took W.B. Gordon Bane’s picture at the installation, would you please send me his picture, as I need it to put our history on the lodge wall. Maybe W.B. Thomas Hone will shake my memory as he also took pictures.

In the year May 2001 elections, I would like to see some good Brother take over as Lodge Secretary. Way back in the 1970’s I was Secretary of King Solomen #44 and at each election I was told the Secretary should be a Past Master. I finally gave in as I had it for about 4 years and no Past Master stepped forward until W.B. Don Case did. Now what I’m getting at is that you don’t have to have that requirement. Look, I never got fired.

Next, I want to personally thank two good Brothers and hope my friends, for their great support since the 1^st of the year and that’s Worshipful Brothers Gordan Bane and Steven Scheffert. It’s always good to work with good Worshipful Masters.

I believe through these efforts and mine we have the Lodge on course. Also there’s many others that have helped in these lodges changes.

Thanks Brother

Kermit Bischoff.

Upcoming Lodge Events/Items in July - August

1. We are working on an Awards Night Banquet for Brother Don Case who will be receiving a Hiram Award that evening. Please watch for the special flier about that event to come out in late July/early August.

2. A decision, with the input of many brothers, was made NOT to participate in Derby Days in Shakopee. The main concern that was brought up, is the lack of organization from the group of people that were trying to put on Derby Days event in Shakopee. We would like to thank those that tried to make this event successful, and hopefully the organizers of Derby Days will be better organized next year, so as we can try to participate again.

3. August 17^th will be the Annual Chicken Fry Dinner with the Knights of Columbus of New Prague and our Lodge. This event, has been taking place for over 30 years and was originally started with the King Hiram Lodge from Jordan. The ticket prices for this event are $8.00 per person. We will start at 6:30 social and 7:30 dinner. It will be held at the KC Hall in New Prague, on Hwy 13, just south of the Hwy 13, 19 and 21 intersection. We are also encouraging brothers to bring a guest to this event. Don Conn will be handling the tickets for this event. We should have tickets at the July 15^th meeting for those that can make it. Feel free to give a call to Don at 952-758-3506 for tickets to the event. This event is a fundraising event between the two groups. Over the past several years it has been the KC’s to make motions to donate the money to the Shriners Children Hospital in St. Paul. So please attend this wonderful event you will have a great time.

As you can see we have a lot of events that we are trying to promote with our lodge. I will continue to promote these events throughout the summer and update the items on the calendar that we send out with the newsletter. Feel free to bring friends that you think may be interested in Masonry to these events.

Financial Committee Report

Lodge C.D. Investments 7-1-00

Citizens State Bank $5,000.00

First Bank $30,000.00

Montgomery 1^st National $12,000.00

Voyager Bank $22,316.66

Voyager Bank $42,293.50

Voyager Bank $58,089.39

Prime Bank $42,103.79

Interstate Bank $100,000.00

Signal Bank $20,891.17

Total $332,694.51

Income

Bank C.D. Interest $22,065.00

Vanguard Mutal Funds $2,494.00

Fidelety Mutual Funds $1,304.00

Dues $2,460.00

Chaska Flower Sale $400.00

Kolacky Days $2000.00

Total (Estimated Income) $30,723.00

Fixed Expenses

Rent $3,540.00

Telephone $730.00

Cleaning $840.00

Insurance $240.00

Committee Budgets

Membership $6,000.00

Financial $500.00

Steering $2,840.00

History $50.00

Publications $2493.00

Properties $600.00

Misc. $900.00

Total $18,733.00

Estimated Income $30,723.00

Estimated Expenses $18,733.00

Positive Cash Flow $11,990.00

See separate sheet for fund report.

We would like to especially thank Brother Don Case and Richard Friend for their help in preparing these reports.

Charles Richter – Chair.

Sad News

We recently lost another Brother of the Lodge, August Tolzman. Please remember August and his family in your prayers.

Lodge Dates for August

The next meeting for lodge will be held on August 1, 2000 at 7:30pm. The Steering Committee is still working on the By-Laws about the date changes for summer. At this time we will NOT have a meeting on August 19, 2000. Until the By-Laws are finished, I will see if we can get a dispensation from the Grande Lodge about not meeting on this date.