[General
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11 October, 2009 12:27
Brethren
Please take time to pray for the new leaders of the Grand Lodge of West Virginia.
Pray that as a new slate of officers begins to serve, that they will do just that serve the brethren of West Virginia.
Our heritage is rich and the lessons we learned from the Civil War should be all that we need to end the madness. A nation divided can be reunited and flourish and so can this Grand Lodge.
Rumor has it the cost has now exceeded $300,000? Someone should ask "is that true"? Someone should ask "who authorized the spending of your money"?
Don't be afraid... speak out and ask questions!
A Mason
13/10/2009, 21:09
Now that we see all of the great things that have been accomplished because of the existence of this website. Could we please turn it off. It is clear that the WV brethren either like things the way they are or just don't have the balls to change it.
Because of this site three good men and true have been expelled from our craft unjustly, and while I am sure that justice will prevail in the civil courts and these three men will be reinstated to membership it still remains that after the several years that this site has been up less progress has been made not more.
14/10/2009, 05:23
You really think if they win in court they will be accepted back? You guys remind me of the kid on the play ground that didnt get picked to play. "Im taking my ball and going home"
14/10/2009, 15:12
My congratulations to all the officers both appointed and elected. I personally hope you have a wonderful year. I know you have some tough decisions ahead of you and I pray you follow your heart. You all know the three brethren and you should know the testimony provided by the depositions as to the facts of the case thus far. It is my hope that not having been personally involved with most of this your eyes can see clearer and these men are given fair treatment. After having time to cool off reflect, I see the behavior by our outgoing leader and those who trained him in a different light. I now feel somewhat proud of the West Virginia brethren. Not because they stood up to Jerry and his mentors, but because they didn’t lower themselves to his game. We all know the basic truth about that night in Wellsburg and the hateful thoughts that went into all those expulsions.
I still care greatly for Frank, Dick, and Justin and I hope and pray daily for their return to WV masonry. I want the host of this site to know that this site should remain as a reminder of what happens when leaders refuse to talk and the ability to debate things honestly and openly is blatantly taken away from the members of the craft. We, as Masters and Past Masters normally don’t ask for much, just the respect we have earned for the years of service and sacrifice to our gentle craft and the right to be heard. (the right to a trial when attacked by any angry grandmaster too.) After all, the Grandmaster is to represent us while we are not in session, and only then. Come October it should be our turn to talk…
I heard that a few men left in anger near the end of the session and they were not friends of Frank, Dick, and Justin…..
This will not be my last post….
14/10/2009, 16:00
R Saunders, thank you for a thoughtful and truly brotherly post. To the other two brethren, do you not remember the lessons we were all taught? We all grieve for Frank, Justin and Richard. Allowing the wrongs to go unchecked and not at least be questioned is equally as wrong. We all know there are problems with the Grand Lodge of West Virginia. We all know that Charlie Montgomery did not speak for the craft or the will of the assembled Masters (who ARE Grand Lodge).
Trying to shut a site down because it espouses a cause that makes you uncomfortable is no different than burning a book. If you don't like what you read, don't look.
I don't (and I suspect many of the other brethren of West Virginia) do not need someone to tell me what to think or read. Certainly not Charlie Montgomery or Chuck Coleman!
A Mason
15/10/2009, 03:15
/a mason While you think that you are doing some good. You like myself are too much of a pussy to reveal your true identity.
I am too much of a pussy to let my idendity be known. If you don't feel that you can make a difference by outing yourself then you are just like me too worried about your status to really make a difference.
You should be ashamed as I am that you won't stand up for what you truly believe is right. and because of this you shouled kill the site before any more damage is done.
15/10/2009, 05:21
This site will live forever in the hearts and minds of men.
Why is it that Grand Lodges do not have that same passion ascribed to them?
Fraternally,
Torence Evans Ake
Senior Deacon & Secretary Pro Tem
Auburn Park Lodge No. 789
Crete, Illinois
15/10/2009, 06:36
Dimitor.... I'll not get into a debate with you. Please keep the crude remarks to yourself. Secondly I will tell you as politely as I can that you do not know what you are talking about. My record speaks for itself.
A Mason
15/10/2009, 10:07
Torence
thank you for the kind words
Fraternally
A Mason
15/10/2009, 19:34
This web site has served to bring injustices to light, and will no doubt serve to tell the story of healing once it begins - one way or another. It has given scores of West Virgina Masons a voice and allowed concerned brethren in other jurisdictions to voice their support for us.
I stand by this site and applaud A Mason for his work with it.
This will not be my last post.
16/10/2009, 16:08
I am sorry for the crudeness of my last post. It's just frustration with not only everyone here but also myself.
We remain anonymous because it allows us to speak without retribution. We are cowards. We realize that out of the 20+ thousand masons in WV probably fewer than have even heard the names Frank Haas, Charlie Montgomery and Chuck Coleman. Fewer have heard of Bosley or Blankenship. After this site was put up to debate the unfairness of how the Grand Masters of past years have overturned votes of the Grand Lodge.
The items overturned were not earth shattering or so important that they had to pass. Nor were they so evil that they had to fail. Most items were small and insignificant.
Because many brethren were frustrated by having their votes overturned they reacted by posting here.
From that the result is that 3 men were unjustly expelled from Masonry.
This site should not be forgotten but can you not see that the damage done has been greater than the good accomplished.
The longer the site is up the more likely that someone will slip up and reveal themselves and we will loose still more good men and true.
Is that what you truly want. AS for your record A Mason I have seen you speak on the Grand lodge floor to oppose actions of the grand lodge that were unjust many times You may have seen me as well, and while "our records" may seem to you to be something of pride. How much have we truly accomplished? How many times have we prevailed?
17/10/2009, 19:06
Demitor,
I appreciate the apology and the spirit it is given in. The oldest trick in the book is to divide and conquer.
The other thought that I try to live by is this:
Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow"
A Mason
27/10/2009, 12:56
Ahh yes, he is a Pig - Pretty Intelligent Guy. I respect your right to hate intelligent guys, those who are pretty intelligent, and those who are somewhat intelligent, like myself (Sig’s). As a hater of the intelligentsia I know this suggestion will fall on deaf ears (that means you are likely to ignore it) but you used “your” (the personal possessive) in your post when you meant write “you’re” the contraction for “you are.”
Here are some quick tips:
•Remember that you're is actually a combination of two words and thus fulfills two very important roles in a sentence or clause. Because it includes both a pronoun and a verb, you're will always be the subject and at least part of the verb of any clause in which it appears.
•Try replacing “your” or “you’re” with “you are” if you are unsure which to use. If the sentence makes sense, use “you’re.” Remember that only “you’re” is a contraction, and it omits the letter “a.” The apostrophe in “you’re” signifies the omission of the letter “a.” If the sentence does not make sense, you will know to use “your.”
•For example:
o“You’re a good writer!” → “You are a good writer!”
“You are” makes sense in this sentence, so you can use “you’re.”
o”I cannot read you're handwriting.” → "I cannot read you are handwriting."
“You are” does not make sense in this sentence, so you should use “your.”
•Try not to think that proper writing is strictly "academic". It makes you appear more intelligent. More importantly, it eliminates the risk of bad habits "slipping out" in situations in which it is critical to convey properness, such as writing a college essay or a job résumé.
•Just remember "You're not spelling your words correctly," and it all falls into place.
•While acceptable in text messaging, the increasingly popular "ur" should never be used in writing.
Additionally you might want to keep in mind that “was” and “were” are not interchangeable, nor are “is” and “are”, or “those” and “them.”
31/10/2009, 05:58
Is the trial date still set for Monday or have there been additional last minute delays?
Fraternally,
Torence Evans Ake
Senior Deacon & Secreatry Pro Tem
Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 - Crete, Illinois
PM - Arcadia Lodge No. 1138 - Lansing, Illinois
31/10/2009, 13:29
Yes it has been delayed. The Judge was appointed to the federal bench by President Obama. The new date is sometime in July 2010.
A Mason
31/10/2009, 13:33
Brother Torence, I do believe the trial date has been moved to the spring sometime based on case load and I do not believe it has anything to do with the case. We seem to have a very level headed mason in the Grand east this year and it is my hope he does the right thing to end this situation. I'm sure he is getting pressure from both sides of this standoff. I hope and pray for him as his words are encouraging, but if not followed by action all the discord and animosity will still prevail...
03/11/2009, 07:43
I see no comments about expenditures was really discussed.
I bring up the same question to Ohio masons who still belong to the system.
"Who authorized this expenditure?"
The Grand Lodge of Ohio has spent well over $200,000 on Baker Hostetler and got nowhere, fired them and now have a mason handling it for cheap. Alot of Masonic money was thrown to a large Law firm with no results. Why no mason is not calling out there leaders as to the waste of money, not for profit money, is being spent on an offensive law suit?
I know this money was not budgeted for.
could not some worthy distressed masons benefited from this money, instead of law firms?
Why is the Craft so silence in the face of gross abuse of priveledges and money?
So silent ....
what happened to making strong leaders who stand up to Tyranny?
Wasteful use of money not budgeted for or voted upon.
Ohio and West Virginia must have so much money in these bad times to just waste in the court systems.......
Which degree taught this behavior?
An ohio mason
22/12/2009, 20:01
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
How many masons are unemployed?
How many Widows are barely getting by?
But Ohio and West Virginia have basically crapped away close to a 1/2 million $$$$$ for nothing.
EGO's, which the setting maul should have destroyed long before becomming a Grand Officer.
Humble servants of the Craft? LMAO