At the annual session of the MW Grand Lodge of Minnesota AF&AM the following motion was overwhelmingly passed:
Whereas the Grand Lodge of West Virginia has arbitrarily and recklessly ignored the will of their brethren, expelling a Past Grand Master without trial or redress, violating the ancient and accepted customs and tenets of our Fraternity and bring shame and disrepute on all Masons and Freemasonry, and
Whereas they have been named in a civil suit further bringing the Craft into public disrepute and score,
Therefore be it resolved that the Grand Lodge of Minnesota expresses its concern over these actions and will consider suspending recognition of the Grand Lodge of West Virginia upon the recommendation of our External Relations Committee at our next Annual Communication in 2010 if there is not correction of these actions and a renewed willingness by the Grand Lodge of West Virginia to enter into the modern fraternity of Freemasonry."
A Mason
31/03/2009, 03:17
So much for a West Virgnian Master Mason's right to travel, work and receive a Master's wages.
31/03/2009, 11:06
Why did you call what the Grand Lodge of Minnesota did a con?
31/03/2009, 13:55
con = convocation: Calling together; assembly.
31/03/2009, 14:05
Ok, just checking. I thought it was being used as a verb: to swindle; trick or to persuade by deception, cajolery, etc.
31/03/2009, 15:10
sorry brethren... slip of the finger. There is no con. Only earnest caring Masons in Minnesota trying to right a wrong.
A Mason
31/03/2009, 18:40
I for one am heartened to know that there are good caring Brothers looking to step in to aid us in our time of need.
I thank the Grand Lodge of Minnesota for this bold and caring action.
01/04/2009, 05:01
It's the job of us in West Virginia to solve this problem and bring pressure to bear on our leaders, NOT another jurisdiction's. In the end, what has happened here does not rise to the occasion of being something another GL should threaten to yank recognition over. They speak in their resolution of landmarks violated—interesting since most GLs have no officially adopted landmarks.
Minnesota got the crap beat out of itself several years ago when they recognized a second French GL, and a dozen GLs withdrew recognition. At that time they screamed they were sovereign and it wsn't anyone elses business. Now they are nosing around WV's business. I can maybe see some sternly worded official letter, but does this really rise to the occasion of starting a derecognition war? And these kind of "mind your own business" attacks will only make the stubbornness here that much tougher to crack.
On the other hand, I guess it shows what a pariah we've become in our practices. I wish Ohio, PA, MD and VA would try to bring some backroom pressure on Jerry and get this solved, the way was done with the fight between the GLofWashington DC and New York. The rumor keeps flying that the GL has spent over $100,000 fighting the court case, including hiring a private eye to find out who runs this site and who writes on it. How much more are they willing to throw away of OUR MONEY (especially in THIS economy) instead of manning up and negotiating a settlement with Haas?
I saw on another forum somewhere this week that Charlie spoke at the Conference of Grand Masters about how technology is changing the fraternity. Ha! NOT HERE IT ISN'T!
Come on, Grand Master! Do you really want the same legacy as Charlies? Do you want to be the GM on whose watch Minnesota dragged WV through the mud? And if it keeps on, this will undoubtedly come up at the Grand Masters Conference next year. How much longer are we going to be regarded as the redheaded stepchild of US Freemasonry?
02/04/2009, 15:42
The Grand Master of Minnesota as issued an edict calling resolution adopted at the Annual Communication null and void.
02/04/2009, 19:26
> It's the job of us in West Virginia to solve this problem and bring pressure to bear on
> our leaders, NOT another jurisdiction's.
Perhaps the time has come for US jurisdictions, as has been suggested, to adopt a Masonic Bill of Rights for its members.
> I can maybe see some sternly worded official letter, but does this really rise to the occasion of starting a derecognition war?
When a jurisdiction, such as W. Va., extends such heavy-handedness to sojourners traveling through the State, then quarantine is the predictable result. Severing communications is as much a defensive act to protect membership, than it is an assertion.
> I wish Ohio, PA, MD and VA would try to bring some backroom pressure on Jerry and
> get this solved, the way was done with the fight between the GLofWashington DC and
> New York.
Any Fellow Craft knows, at least at first, to counsel privately and in a secure setting. But once the private advice is rejected, and if the dispute concerns the body of Masons in your jurisdiction as well as sojourners, forums such as this one are warranted particularly if best results are the desire. An Action, after all, is what causes the Image of FreeMasonry to suffer, not the fall out discussion from the resulting Confusion in the Temple.
> The rumor keeps flying that the GL has spent over $100,000 fighting the court case,
> including hiring a private eye to find out who runs this site and who writes on it.
He must be laughing all the way to the bank, considering that he need only read my signature or email me to identify at least one reader/poster.
> How much more are they willing to throw away of OUR MONEY (especially in THIS economy) instead of manning up and negotiating a settlement with Haas?
Perhaps their lodges were not the principle ones that sacrificed and gave up money for your various funds. Our jurisdiction maintains a record of which lodges contributed and the accumulated amount over time. I know that, for example, my lodge has given $986,000 to our Homes Endowment Fund, aside from the money in the various Per Capita and Life Membership accounts. Members would get quite cranky if money was diverted from its intended purpose.
Fraternally,
Torence Evans Ake
Senior Deacon – Auburn park Lodge No. 789 – Crete, Illinois
PM – Arcadia Lodge No. 1138 – Lansing, Illinois
03/04/2009, 11:34
Dear W. Brother Nelson,
Most Worshipful Brother Thomas G. McCarthy, Grand Master of Masons in Minnesota, has issued an edict, declaring null and void the resolution adopted at the 156th Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota dealing with the Grand Lodge of West Virginia. The full text of the edict and the supporting memorandum can be found on the Grand Lodge of Minnesota website at http://www.mn-masons.org/assets/5767.pdf and you are invited to read the entire document there.
Should you find this edict as noteworthy as the original resolution, we would appreciate your giving it similar coverage on the Philalethes website and in the Philalethes magazine.
Thank you.
Doug
--
Douglas Campbell
Grand Secretary
Grand Lodge of Minnesota
Our mailing address is 11501 Masonic Home Drive
Bloomington, MN 55437-3699
Our main phone number is 952-948-6700.
Our fax number is 952-948-6710
Our 800 number is 800-245-6050
http://www.mn-masons.org
Our preferred e-mail address: grandlodge@qwest.net
04/04/2009, 07:27
R.W. Bro. Doug wrote:
> Should you find this edict as noteworthy as the original resolution, we would
> appreciate your giving it similar coverage on the Philalethes website and in the
> Philalethes magazine.
For what it is worth, IMHO, R.W. Brother Campbell’s request seems reasonable.
The situation in Minnesota can best be understood by reading both formal
Documents (i.e. the initial resolution and its answer). This forum should honor our worthy Brother by starting a new thread.
As a matter of Masonic jurisprudence, and to set a proper tone for the sensibilities
of the laboring age men who are already leading the fraternity in the twenty-first
century, M.W. Brother McCarthy’s response to such an equally reasonable and
lawful resolution would have been better worded as a “Rescript.”
“Edicts”, by their nature and definition, always offend the rights of the Local
Lodge; and a good use for them has never been found for us in the whole of
Masonic history.
While twentieth century Executives produced “Edicts,” and “Dispensations” factory style, we Baby Boomers elect, instead, leaders who find words, particularly those in the
FellowCraft’s degree, meaningful. The Art of our Craftsmanship is that we have
it within ourselves, as Free Masons, to discuss our differences without palliating or
aggravating the tension and producing the sort of killing patience and perduration
that causes other kinds of institutions to fade. Minnesota’s own PGM Neddermeyer identified that more than style, fundamental differences exist between the age groups
in our mutual fraternity particularly when it comes to our modus opperendi.
As we transition from the “Silent” or “Greatest” generation to leadership comprised
of those who cannot remember the family’s first television; but can recall the introduction of color, to those that have always had a world with microwave ovens and gaming consoles but then saw their lifestyles change as cognizant children when their peers of single digit age began carrying cell phones, we have an opportunity to do away with
“Edicts” and “Dispensations” all together and reintroduce “Rescripts” from our Grand Masters as the way to best communicate between officers, committeemen and the rank and file without infringing on the right of the Local Lodge to be the primary overseers
for the Craft.
Fraternally,
Torence Evans Ake
Senior Deacon – Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 – Crete, Illinois
PM – Arcadia Lodge No. 1138 – Lansing, Illinois
04/04/2009, 23:39
So, the 2,000 gorilla in the room is, is PGM Montgomery's account in the proceedings from GL accurate?
Did PGM Haas lie to him in open lodge?
Did our former DGL fail to sit down three times after being asked by the GM?
Very few of us were there. And this is the first time I've heard the other side.
05/04/2009, 06:26
Though written as if it were a play by play account from the moment, that portion of the W. Va. proceedings was composed months later and received the benefit of legal counsel before publication. To the point of the Minnesota quandary, M.W. Bro. McCarthy’s edict, defeats its own purpose. After clearing the response with M.W. Bro. Lewis, he then provides sufficient evidence in support of his edict that would be enough to satisfy any need of his foreign relation’s committee to decide the original resolution.
Edicts are always lame and messy things. I would not have us bother with them any further.
The point of the resolution was not to provide a trial in Minnesota, when W. Va. failed to do so; but to permit the delegates to the Minnesota convention an opportunity to consider whether or not W. Va. in this case has kept to our common landmarks and plain, American decency dealing with one another. These three Brothers gave up much of their own time and energy over decades, were praised for their contribution to our fraternity and are outstanding ritualists. Even if the reader were to accept M.W. Bro. Montgomery’s account without examination and condemn them as charged, what of the four grades of penalty (reprimand, definite suspension, indefinite suspension or expulsion) should apply? All parties behaved with fervor that evening. Regardless where I stand on the individual issues, I like that energy in those with whom I share the fraternity. But we do not reserve summary expulsion for treasonists and murderers. They get an examination before being cut away. So why afford any Grand Master the latitude to do so over what amounts to a private pique and quarrel? Dr. Anderson warned us not to venture that way in the 18th Century and foreign jurisdictions should be given an opportunity to man up and voice their displeasure without yet another singular referee interfering.
Fraternally,
Torence Evans Ale
Senior Deacon – Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 – Crete, Illinois
PM – Arcadia Lodge No. 1138 – Lansing, Illinois
05/04/2009, 09:38
Chuck Coleman overturned votes for progress and decency by edict - now it happens in Minnesota. Where next?
The precedence is set and the cancer will continue to spread throughout the Masonic World. Sister grand lodges that never stepped in to help out, who quietly condemned the actions of the GL of WV, but never acted, will now be affected.
Votes now mean nothing, and if other Grand Lodges don't step in and stick to their guns, the power of the vote will be lost forever.
05/04/2009, 14:42
Let me re-phrase that. If every brother in every jurisdiction doesn't step in now, in their own jurisdiction, and change how much power their Grand Master has to overrule vote with edict, the power of the vote will be lost forever.
Learn from West Virginia.
05/04/2009, 15:14
Thanks for the input from Illinois and the opinion on Minnesota. But did Frank Haas lie to GM Montgomery in open lodge?
We can call all we want for other states to get involved, but fixing the GLofWV is OUR JOB IN WEST VIRGINIA. Not Illinois, not Minnesota, or anybody else. Why should any other jurisdiction get involved with us if we can't even be counted on to try fixing our own problems?
I never thought I would ever say this, but if Haas and Blankenship did what was described, no GM on Earth would have failed to act against them. If they did that.
So I'm asking again. Did Haas lie in lodge to the GM to a direct question? Did Blankenship fail to acknowledge the GM three times when told to sit down?
If thy have to wait until the 2009 Grand lodge session to petition for reinstatement, why the hell would Haas go to court before that, knowing the judge wil make him exhaust all GL proceedures before allowing the case to proceed?
Brethren, as nice as these men may be, the real issue is not about the. The real issue is getting the Wheeling Reforms to a PROPER vote. That's where our efforts need to be concentrated now. But if we get caught lying or doing things in an unMasonic manner, we lose the battle and wreck our cause for years to come. Contact our GM. Be respectful, be direct, be honest, and keep personalities out of it. But make our voices heard to him and his successor that GL needs to be given the opportunity to vote on these issues properly. That allowing such a vote is the HONORABLE thing to do.
05/04/2009, 16:14
Maybe I minced my words a bit. I'm with you on the key of this matter - it's about restoring the power of the vote to the brethren on key issues - the Wheeling Reforms in particular.
The problem is, that after the illegal expulsions of those who supported Haas and the reforms NO ONE HAS THE SPINE TO STAND UP TO THEM. No one wants to voice dissent. If I voiced dissent and no one else was with me I would get expelled and no progress would be made. Our "law" makes it illegal to talk about bringing an issue up as a group before we bring it up for vote at Grand Lodge. And if does get to a vote, IT WILL GET OVERTURNED by the next GM. We've seen it once here and we've seen it in Minnesota.
Please if you have any ideas on how to break this cycle, share them.
06/04/2009, 04:17
I am from Minnesota and I am a PM and SW in my lodge. I was present for most of the GL and the debate on WVa. As stated in GM McCarthy's edict, we did not have all of the facts before us at GL. While any hearing be for the committee on A&G might have been biased at best, they did receive an appeal before A&G, and if they must wait until the next GL before they can be reinstated, IMHO, I believe that GM McCarthy acted in our best interest. In MN any edict that a GM issues MUST be voted upon at GL or the edict dies when the new GM is installed. It appears that this does not happen in WVa. The 2nd Part of the edict does state that if the case is resolved that it would be referred back to external relations, if warranted. Those who were DeMolays will know the line “I will not be hasty in my judgment of others…” While many of the reforms that PGM Haas presented should be enacted, IMHO, I will stand with my GM and say that we were a little hasty in our judgment of WVa. (I am speaking for myself and ONLY myself.)
07/04/2009, 04:12
The prerogative of a Grand Master to “Edict” and “Dispense” has fairly well seen an end to effectiveness in our fraternity. Oh sure, we have it in our obligation and constitutions, today, to pay homage to the notions; but the only Grand Line Officers who attempt to employ them for anything other than a cursory or ceremonial purpose are stuck mentally somewhere in the most recently expired century.
Grand Master authority has as its origins Roman and Byzantine Legal practice and custom. Up until the time of Diocletion, the Roman Emperor, or “Princep”, was not permitted to decide matters of law but had to refer all inquiries to the “judica common” or “juris consult,” the judges. The Judges then assumed prerogatives of their own and issued decrees “extra ordinenem,” more than the scope of the written legislation. After the sixth century, and the publication of the Roman Corpus Iutis, the law was redefined as an expression of Sovereign Will and most European governments spent a thousand years attempting to make that work with predictable and destructive results.
The foundation of Masonic Law rests with the de facto conditions at the Local Lodge. All the Grand Line Officers, District Deputies, Committeemen etc. cannot effectively impose a restriction or open up a lodge to a new program at will. Prince Hall recognition is a good example. Can anyone know whether or not his Lodge Brother or a Sojourner sitting next to them in lodge also holds concurrent membership in a Prince Hall Lodge where the restriction remains? How will a candidate applying to the fraternity who already has PH membership going to answer the question, “Do you belong to any organization incompatible with the Masonic fraternity?”
After the formative period when de facto law was attempted to be reduced to writing, a
custom grew up among lodges and individual Masons to ask questions of their Grand Master particularly regards to usage. Such minute topics would cross his desk as whether the Senior Deacon could pull the VSL towards him before illuminating the Great Light, to whether or not a candidate who wears a truss conforms to the physical criteria for
membership.
The written answers received by lodges from the Grand Master were termed “Rescripts,” and lodges acted according to the “Rescripted” authority. But about a hundred years ago, Grand Masters realized that most of these inquiries were not inquiries as to how to best apply the law at all. Rather, most were requests to set aside or circumvent Masonic law. Today, “Rescripts” are generally unknown while American Grand Masters issue hundreds of pages of “Dispensations,” and even a few “Edicts” factory style.
A proficient Twenty-first Century Grand Line Officer knows how to use the “Rescript” before any of the more heavily yielded tools out of his work box. Being formally asked by the Brethren whether or not this question or that should be posed at Grand Communication, a rescripted recommendation that the question is likely being proposed too early is the proper response, leaving the Brethren to decide how much, if any, time should be set aside fro the debate. An Edict, however, steps on one of the principle five American Freedoms, Speech. The de facto condition still prevails that the matter is going to be discussed either formally during open lodge, before or after as “Free” Masons employ another of the five freedoms, their Right to Assemble.
When you have the de facto condition that suspended or expel members continue to participate with our fraternity, a situation by the way that is not unique to W.Va., those who are planning to assume the Grand East in this generation should get real enough about Masonic Life to respect that in the end it is the Local Lodge that will be the proper Overseer for our Craft.
Fraternally,
Torence Evans Ake
Senior Deacon – Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 – Crete, Illinois
PM – Arcadia Lodge No. 1138 – Lansing, Illinois
20/04/2009, 10:47
Hello, I am a MN Mason and Past Master of my Lodge. In reading this thread, i see over and over again, people asking if the claims outline in the WVGLC are true, did a PGM lie in lodge?, did a GLL not sit down when directed to. Whatever the differences are, at some point we as masons need to show respect for the GM if we expect them to do the same. Can anyone who was in attendance answer the simple question of did these brothers do or say what they are accused of. If no one wishes to discredit the statements then they would seem to stand with merit.
20/04/2009, 16:54
As you no doubt have heard, it is illegal for any WV Mason to read this site,(I for one disregard that law, but I'm not a member of Haas + Bosley's lodges) so trying to get witnesses on this site will be of little use to you. You could contact Bro.Haas's former lodge directly, but who of them would risk expulsion to talk to you and tell you what happened?
Once again, this is not just about Haas, Bosley, and Blankenship, this is about a flagrant disregard for the rights of the Brethren of WV - summary expulsions are only part of the problem.
I wish you luck with your findings, but hold no hope.
21/04/2009, 04:02
> Can anyone who was in attendance answer the simple question of did these brothers do or say what > they are accused of. If no one wishes to discredit the statements then they would seem to stand with > merit.
Respectfully, W. Bro. be sure that you are not drawing a conclusion too narrow. A momentary lapse,
assuming that the worse for these three Right Worshipful Brothers, when bullied pales in comparison
to a rogue Executive who will not abide by legislated reforms that merely causes an aged organization
to conform to twenty-first century American ideas of fair play and decency. Our mutual club is known
around the world to be a place where reason prevails and change is peaceably hashed out. Lesser men
then honorable FreeMasons could have resorted to assault. We are also known for our grades of
punishment, reprimand, definite suspension, indefinite suspension and expulsion to mitigate within
our own ranks such differing points of view. When the lead Executive strips the organization of its
legislative rights, then singles out men of equal or superior accomplishment for summary court martial
and Masonic death, he invalidates himself as the Executive and diminishes his office.
I find it curious that the accuser would not welcome the opportunity to face the accused; but formally and elaborately frame charges and specifications behind closed doors, making lightly veiled
attempts to run those challenges through committees that he appoints claiming their verdict to
validate his actions. Having already nullified and voided the legislature on matters affecting the enitre
population of FreeMasons, the Masonic Senate, in reviewing the case for these three individuals, was left with nothing to say. Personally, I did not graduate from the Pontius Pilot School of Law and cannot
fathom how such a system would work for anyone. The question remains for us outside the W. Va.
border, is the club there that contains our Brothers a Masonic one? Would our membership be safe
traversing its Lodges and can its Officers and Members coexist peaceably with ours should they knock upon the doors of our Lodges for admission as visitors? Without established Masonic jurisprudence, a society places itself in the same category as those quasi-Masonic clubs that adopt our trademarks, our cermonial processes and our name; but leaves with us that structure which supports the frame.
Fraternally,
Torence Evans Ake
Senior Deacon - Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 - Crete, Illinois
PM - Arcadia Lodge No. 1138 - Lansing, Illinois
22/04/2009, 01:13
aaah the power of the internet, thanks for chiming in Charlie. ;)
29/04/2009, 10:39
Former mason Haas violated a major landmark in freemasonry by suing the GL.
He should just join the Prince Hall Masons and then he will be happy.
But no he wants to create disharmony among WV freemasons.
13/05/2009, 23:04
Our Worshipful Grand Master Jackson has now resinded this statement by Grand Edict. The grounds are basically...there are two sides to every story, we only heard one, we didn't have enough complete info to make such a statement in the first place. We'll let West Virginia iron it out themselves adn stay out of it for now.
06/07/2009, 08:00
Haven't heard anything concerning West Virginia, any news?
26/07/2009, 19:25
This is not on topic for this thread,but certainly worthy of further press - The Grand Lodge of Kentucky has put forth a positive edict regarding race.
http://networkedblogs.com/p7966560
Bravo, MWBro. Herman M. Forrester, bravo.
30/07/2009, 15:47
The thing you don't understand about all this is that the W.V.GL used coersion and fear tactics to get thier way. Nobody is going to stand up for fear that the same thing will happen to them. I don't know about other GLs constitutions, but in Colorado we have a right to trial and redress. MWB Hass and Bro Blankenship were not given the rights we take for granted. THAT IS WHAT I FOR ONE AM UPSET OVER. No GM can set himself up to be a dictator, Montgomery, and Colman did just that. That is why we are angry. The issue of the vote on his amendments was legal. But because they didn't like the changes,they came up with thier own plan to dicredit MWB Hass and said the vote wasn't done right. Then to make matter worse they belittle him in front of his own lodge and in front of his Father no less. I have followed this for a long time now, and was glad a GL finally said its wrong.
30/07/2009, 16:24
He sued because he couldn't get the Grand lodge to let him redress the expulsion. And to clear his name. What would you do if they had done what they did to him in front of your father?
02/08/2009, 13:32
It is my understanding that the rumor being spread that the Grand lodge tried to mediate with PGM Haas is a 100 percent lie and that Grandmaster Lewis is now visiting lodges and spreading false information concerning the lawsuit and the actions that put us where we are today. I have not heard it first hand, but then again I can find nowhere in the Gl of WV website or any where else giving the places our leader will be. I guess you need to call him to find out what he is up to.... One thing we also need to remember is that the lawsuit was filed after the expulsion of then sitting Master Justin Blankenship. His expulsion “was the straw that broke the camels back” so to speak.
If the lawsuit had not been filed lord only knows how many people would have been cut from the ranks in an effort to intimidate anyone who agreed with the idea that our vote, the members who make-up the brethren of West Virginia, was taken away from us!
The court is the only place to get to the truth in this matter. Go Frank!!!!!! I wish you the best and I am sure the future generations will thank you for what you have done.
I also heard the GL expenses are well over $120,000.00 !!!!!!!!!
That would have gone a long way to help some of our struggling lodges pay their utilities. The suit is near brethren and so is our annual session....GOD BLESS
03/08/2009, 04:32
Posted by: Mike Madden JW Eureka No.66 | Merit??? [ Reply ]
30/07/2009, 15:47
> I don't know about other GLs constitutions, but in Colorado we have a right to trial and redress.
Unfortunately, Brother Madden, evidently to a whole generation of Grand Line Officers that are, thankfully, passing, the safe guards that most jurisdictions put in place more than a century ago mean very little. Their experience growing up Masonically was unlikely to instruct them on the use and importance of trials or a Grand Master’s proper relationship in regards to the Local Lodges. And, being unwilling to learn at their age, any arbitration that involves a rethink on a particular posture, once taken, is easily discarded. I know. I was tried in 2003 when a Grand Master interrogated the members of my Lodge on their individual votes on accepting or rejecting particular candidates; and, I complained of his action to our grievance committee. I sued to get my due process, and am now restored because of it. (See the Illinois Grand Lodge Proceedings for 2003 & 2004). Should you find yourself on the receiving end of similar disfavor, you will need to find the same resources that I did to actually get your remedy.
Posted by: Co. Mason | martha31 [ Reply ]
30/07/2009, 16:24
> What would you do if they had done what they did to him in front of your father?
Should any Brother find himself defending our common sense principles, the right of the Lodges to decide for themselves the big issues and due process, the only hope for redress through our own processes for mediation and change without going to the outside courts would be if he found himself in a jurisdiction where a Laboring Age Master Mason is in the Grand Oriental chair, someone who can act more like His Magnificence King Solomon and a little less like Herod. In Masonry’s Hey-Day, the Grand Lodges were operated by men who were still employable outside the fraternity. Most jurisdictions in the twentieth century took a wrong turn and altered that plan by imposing long years of politicking before ascending the East. That M.W. Bro. Haas is of one generation and the Grand Officers who cower behind some supposed Majesty to degrade him are of another cannot be discounted. Grand Masters are the creatures of the Grand Lodge. If the Laboring Age Master Masons who are busy doing degree work and otherwise operating their Local Lodges give out their proxies to indolent Brothers to vote in their stead, Brothers who will shoulder none of the responsibility of executing programs and initiatives or deal properly with big issues, then additional such injustices are the likely result. Our fraternity has an urgent need for Laboring Age Principle Officers to fully vest themselves. Our best candidates for Grand Line Office for this new century will be the ones who have no experience outside the Local Lodge and are drawn from them.
Posted by: R. Saunders | [ Reply ]
02/08/2009, 13:32
>If the lawsuit had not been filed lord only knows how many people would have been cut from the ranks in an effort to intimidate anyone who agreed with the idea that our vote, the members who make-up the brethren of West Virginia, was taken away from us!
Any right you have as a Master Mason is vested in your local Lodge, not the Grand Lodge. The trouble with Lodges having large rolls of indolent members, who do no more than pay their dues, is that a Grand Line could easily feel that they do not need the Local Lodge Principle Officers to do whatever it is that they want, sometimes right, sometimes wrong. The cure is to attend lodge and support your Local Principle Officers in doing their work. Then when the time comes for Grand Lodge, if you can, go with them to the session. However, respect that they are the voters and work through them to correct any errors done in the past. After all, if they are of Laboring Age and they will have to live with and will be the most affected by West Virginia’s reputation for a much longer period of time.
Fraternally and Best Wishes to W. Virginia
Torence Evans Ake
Senior Deacon – Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 – Crete, Illinois
PM – Arcadia Lodge No. 1138 – Lansing, Illinois