September 2007 Newsletter

Many men live a lifetime and never know how the bonds of brotherhood could have helped to smooth life’s bumps. They do not realize that the emptiness inside their heart could be filled by the brotherhood of man under the fatherhood of God. They do not realize that they will not be invited into an order that has this ideal as one of its cornerstones. Freemasonry, the world's oldest, most purposeful and greatest Fraternity. A man must ask for admission and come in of their own free will and accord, without persuasion, for, that is the manner in which the Masons in

America

have been accepted.

We were assembled in Lodge waiting for the knock from the preparation room, quietly chatting with our neighbors. Then the three distinctive knocks sounded and our work was about to begin. A new brother was about to join our ranks. When the candidate arrived at the door to the lodge, he found the door locked and could not enter. He knocked three times on the door and the door opened. This was to teach him that many times in life our way is blocked. But he will discover a door upon which he can knock and the door will be opened to him.

Knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

These great words from Luke.11, in our great book of holy law, personify our principles quite clearly. And I believe that our fraternity demonstrates true examples of this principal -- Masonry helps a man to seek, and God allows us to find.

This life lesson teaches us that as we continue to ask, it will continue to be given unto us, and as we continue to knock, doors will continue to open for us.

The real lesson is that these phrases from the New Testament were originally written in Greek. In the ancient Greek language, “Ask”, “Seek”, and “Knock” were NOT single events. The words meant to continually Ask, to continually Seek, and to continually Knock. The search for Masonic light is a continuing journey and we need to continually ask God to give us His support.

There are many, many life experiences that encourage us to ask, but we must ask “In God's will”, which generally involves three elements:

We have a big responsibility, to live our faith in God’s Will. It’s impossible for us to act like him all the time. After all, he is God -- and we’re not. But, we must continue to try. Fortunately, he doesn’t leave us to do it all on our own, but is more than willing to help us. All we have to do is ask.

The following is a story written by Doreen Tamminga that I have enjoyed. I hope you do too.

A large group of people stands gathered at the door of a great stone castle. Their feet shuffle on the ground, raising dust just as they raise their voices to be heard over all the noise. Young and old are gathered there; women and children are seen among the men and grey-headed. They have come from far, from all over the countryside. What has brought them here? A stranger has visited their country, and told them of a great Prince who has invited them to his castle. The stranger also told them the way to the castle. And the people? What did they do with the stranger’s message? Many of them went to find out if his invitation was true, but many more stayed home; they were too busy, tired, lazy, or didn’t believe his message. But the people who went began the journey to the castle wondering what they would have to do to be allowed in to see the Prince.

And so here is this great commotion of people, gathered before the door of the Prince’s castle. They seem to be arguing. Come closer, and you can hear what they are saying. Listen to the group of men standing closest to the heavy iron door.

“How can that be?” one man asks, pointing up to some words carved in stone above the great door.

“Why would the Prince open the door if we knocked?” the man asks. “We’re only peasants—we’re the poor people of our country.”

“That’s right,” his neighbor agrees. “Besides, how could the Prince even hear us? He’s probably busy inside.”

A few feet away stand some mothers busy with their children. “I’m hot, Mother,” a little boy complains, “May we leave soon?”

“Hush, child,” his mother replies. “Soon. Father said it is important that we come, but soon we can leave.”

A small baby starts to cry, and its mother bounces it gently, trying to calm her child. The father is looking thoughtfully up at the words above the door.

“Hmm,” he says to himself. “So there really is a castle, and we really do have a Prince. It’s good to know that. Maybe we’ll come back some day when we have more time. Come along, children,” he calls, and his family follows him down the path, away from the castle.

An old man and woman slowly edge their way through the crowd up to the great doors. With dim eyes they carefully make out the words carved in stone. “Knock!” the old man says surprised. “Is that all, wife? There must be some mistake. It cannot be so easy.” Helpfully he tucks his wife’s arm through his, and arm in arm they shuffle away. “Besides,” he adds with one last look at the castle, “What would we do in the castle anyways? We’re old. It’s better for us to go back to our home.”

Suddenly a man steps forward from the crowd. The people step aside to let him through. He is dressed more neatly than the poor peasants. He walks boldly up to the door, frowns up at the words, and then, putting both hands to the door handle, pulls at the great door. But nothing happens. “Pah!” the man scowls and spits in the dirt. With injured pride he turns and hurries away down the path away from the castle.

Over to the side we can see two other men, busy with a piece of iron. They are prying at the hinges, seeing if the door can be opened that way. But they too, cannot force the door open.

Coming up along the side of the crowd is a young man and woman. They have carefully prepared themselves to meet the Prince. You can see that their hair and clothing is neat, in their hand is a gift for the Prince, and they have prepared a beautiful speech to read to the Prince. “Where is the servant that keeps the door?” the young man asks when he reaches the door.

“I don’t see any servant,” the young woman answers him, “It says we must knock.”

“What? No servants?” the young man exclaims in disgust. “What kind of a Prince and castle is this? Let us leave this place at once.” And with that, he and the young woman turn away.

And so it goes. Some are curious about the words, some wonder if they are really true. Some are in too much of a hurry to stay long. Some wonder if there is any other way to get in without knocking. Some are trying to make themselves ready to see the Prince. And some are too embarrassed to go forward and knock.

Then the sky grows dark. Heavy grey clouds cover the sun. Rain begins to fall, first in drops, and then in great sheets of water. The people try to shield their faces from the rain. Many peasants, bothered by the rain and disappointed with the words they see above the gate, turn away and hurry back down the path to find shelter. But do they all leave? No, a few stay behind, squinting longingly up at the words carved in stone.

We will stay also, for look over there! A small figure comes hurrying up the path. It is a young girl, her clothes soaked through by the rain, with water streaming out of her

shoes. “Am I too late?” she asks, out of breath. But no one answers. They turn and look down silently from the words to the girl. “What is it?” she asks once more. “Will the Prince not let us in after all? What must we do to come to him?” In answer, an old man points slowly up at the words carved above the door.

“Is that the way?” the girl cries. “Then I am not too late after all!” And with that she hurries to the great door, raises her small white hand and knocks. The others look with wonder as the great door to the castle swings open, and then close, as the girl disappears inside.

Prayers for our Brothers and their Families

Please feel free to send me the names of any of our Brothers and/or their family members, who may be in distress as we pray to our creator for their comfort and relief.

Therefore let us come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16

Remember those listed below in your prayers. We name the welfare of our brethren in our petitions because we love them; and knowing our own need of their prayers, we realize their need of ours.

For Healing and Support	For Thanksgiving	For Comfort
Bro. Buddy Schesso, now residing in Friendship Manor.	For our Sister Linda Bican’s brother, who went home on 6/14/2007. He has now been healed of all earthly pain and distress.	For Bobbie Wiggins (Bro. Schesso’s Sister)
Bring the help and comfort of our Lord’s grace to David Peterson, father and grandfather of our Brothers Tom Peterson and Tom Smith.	For our Sister Flossie Eidsvold, who completed her journey here on Earth 7/13, who has now gone home. She has now been healed of all earthly pain and distress.	For our Brother Timothy Jacobs and his family at the loss of his father.
Our Brother, Tim Bollinger’s Grandfather is quite ill. We pray for our Lord’s peace, comfort and grace for Tim, his family and his Grandfather		For our Sister, Joanne Erickson, whose Husband Ron went home this past March.
Pray for help and comfort for our Brother TJ Berg and his family, that, through our Lord’s grace, they will be granted relief from this passage in their journey of life.		For Linda and Jeff Bican and family on the loss of Linda’s brother on June 14^th.
Pray for help and comfort for our Brother Lew Price and his family, that, through our Lord’s grace, Lew’s brother, Richard Price, will be granted relief and healing during this passage in his journey of life.

Our best wishes to the following brothers who will celebrate their birthday in October:

Walter Loggers	Oct 4
Bob Wold	Oct 5
Charles Clark	Oct 9
Steve Clark	Oct 9
Rev David Brueshoff	Oct 9
Bill Allen	Oct 11
Rich Waldie	Oct 11
Regis Seaman	Oct 14
Keith Rieck	Oct 17
Dean Brunkow	Oct 19
Donald Geis	Oct 24
Carter Christie	Oct 29
Mark Hafen	Oct 29
Ed Novak	Oct 30

"7 days without God makes one weak."
***********************
At a Tire Shop in Milwaukee:
"Invite us to your next blowout."

One of our Brothers provided a detailed answer to this question. I'm going with my answer because it is more simple and relates the answer to Masonic ritual. This should be fresh in your memory from the Third Degree recently.

One hundred head of cattle. Pythagoras is stated (Masonic ritual) to have "sacrificed a hecatomb" upon "discovering" the forty-seventh problem of Euclid.

The ritual here is not factual. Pythagoras was poor and could hardly have possessed a hundred head of cattle. He was a vegetarian and reverenced animal life; he would not have killed one cow, let alone a hundred, to "celebrate" his discovery. He may have cried "eureka", but could hardly have been "raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason" which did not take even an ancient and simple form until centuries after he died.