Kendallville Masonic Lodge #276

The tools of the Masonic craft are rich in symbolic meaning, representing various ethical principles and values that guide Freemasons in their personal and communal lives. Here's an overview of some key Masonic tools and their meanings:

1. **Square**: The square is a symbol of virtue and morality. It teaches Masons to act justly and fairly towards others, ensuring that their actions align with ethical standards. It serves a reminder for members to measure their actions against this moral standard.

2. **Compass**: The compass represents self-discipline and the importance of setting boundaries. It encourages Masons to control their passions and desires, ensuring they remain balanced and focused on their responsibilities.

3. **Level**: This tool signifies equality and humility within the fraternity. The level reminds Masons that all members are equal, regardless of their social status or wealth, promoting a sense of brotherhood and community.

4. **Plumb Rule**: The plumb rule symbolizes integrity and uprightness. It calls upon Masons to act honestly and ethically in all their dealings, standing firm in their principles and being true to their word.

5. **Gavel**: The gavel is used as a symbol of authority and order. It reminds members to govern themselves and their actions wisely, maintaining discipline within the lodge.

6. **Trowel**: The trowel symbolizes the spreading of brotherly love and affection among members. It encourages Masons to foster a spirit of unity and camaraderie, building strong relationships within the fraternity.

7. **Chisel**: The chisel represents the intellectual and moral refinement of individuals. It encourages members to chip away at their imperfections and strive for personal growth and improvement.

8. **Hammer**: The hammer signifies the need for effort and toil in achieving goals. It reflects the importance of hard work and perseverance in the pursuit of knowledge and virtue.

Overall, these tools serve not only as practical instrum

What is a Mason?

A Mason is a man and a Brother who is Square in all that he Compasses": passes: he has a Rite" understanding and a firm Grip therefore he has no complaints to Lodge against life: by being a loyal Apprentice to duty, he becomes Master of himself and others, and thus whatever his Degree, he ful- fills an honorable career from his first Initiation into the "Order" of humanity, until he receives the final password.

Freedom is never free.

“I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

Happy and Safe Independence Day!

All You Need is Brotherly Love The following was part of a weekly email I received, and I copied it, not knowing how I might use it.

What every human being wants and needs To be part of something larger than themselves To be paid attention to To be listened to To be respected To be loved To matter As I thought about these simple human desires, I opened my Masonic ritual and read several paragraphs in the EA lecture describing Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth.

It is pretty clear that, as Masons, we must endeavor to fulfill these human needs for others.

Masonic lessons teach us we should: Recognize everyone is created by one Almighty Parent Aid, support, and protect each other Relieve others in distress Soothe the unhappy, sympathize with their misfortunes, compassionate their miseries, and restore peace to their troubled minds Promote each other’s welfare and rejoice in each other’s prosperity Reflecting on these obligations, you realize how difficult the tasks are.

How do you pay attention and listen to someone when what they say is so foul, vile, or hateful toward others? How is it possible to love and respect someone who, by their actions, has no regard for the lives or well-being of others?

The above questions are difficult to answer, so the ritual points us to temperance, fortitude, prudence, and justice in dealing with unpleasant and difficult situations.

Mother Teresa said about people’s capacity to accomplish significant tasks, “We can do no great things, only small things with great love.”

So, in those difficult times when trying to carry out our Masonic obligations, we do what we can with Brotherly Love.

Mother Teresa said this about love:
“Spread love everywhere you go: first of all, in your own home. Give love to your children, to your wife or husband, to a next-door neighbor . . . Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God’s kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting.”

DEGREES OF FREEMASONRY.

Although Freemasonry is not a religion there are many parallels between Christianity and Freemasonry that are not always seen by the common eye.....

"Originally membership of the Christian (Catholic) Church involved a sequence of three initiatory rites identical in intention with those of Masonry. The names given to those who had qualified in those Christian rites were respectively "Catechumens, Leiturgoi, and Priests or Presbyters; which in turn are identifiable with our Entered Apprentices, Fellowcrafts and Master Masons. The Church's (in parallel with ours)
🔴 First (1°) degree was that of a rebirth and purification of the heart;
🔴 Second (2°) degree related to the illumination of the intelligence; and their
🔴 Third (3°) to a total death unto sin and a new birth unto righteousness, in which the candidate symbolically died with Christ on the cross, (as with us the candidate is led to imitate the death of Hiram), and then in both cases the candidates were symbolically raised to that higher order of life which is mastership over one's self."

Ah, the Masonic Road of Life! 🌟 A journey filled with twists, turns, and hidden passages. Let us walk together, my friend, as we explore the winding paths of existence.
🔍 Along this mystical road, you’ll encounter:

Symbols: Ancient emblems etched in stone, whispering secrets of wisdom and enlightenment.

Fellow Travelers: Kindred souls seeking truth, fraternity, and purpose.

Lessons: Each bend reveals a lesson—a chance to grow, to learn, and to become more than we were before.

Rituals: Ceremonies that bind us, connect us to the cosmic tapestry, and remind us of our shared humanity.

Mystery: The veiled veil, the hidden knowledge waiting to be unveiled.

🌌 And as the sun sets on this winding path, remember that every step you take is part of a grand design—a cosmic blueprint woven by unseen hands. 🌠
May your journey be filled with light, compassion, and the joy of discovery. 🌟 Safe travels, my fellow wanderer! 🚶‍♂️🌿

Br. Gene has had the opportunity to visit the UGLE while in the United Kingdom!

The Lamp of Knowledge is a well known symbol for knowledge and education both in academic circles and in scripture. It’s used by several universities, study groups, research groups etc.

Its simple explanation is the best, an on going source of light to illuminate ideas that are in the dark.

There's significance applied to the symbol of an oil lamp in many of the major religions, from Judaism to Christianity, Muslim and Hinduism, making its use in Freemasonry even more pronounced as a sectarian society.

"He [i.e. John the Baptist] was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light." (John 5:35);

Our Junior Warden, Gene, visited several European sites this past month finding some amazing Masonic treasures hidden in the architecture! 😉

The first 5:

“These photos are from Saint Stephen's church in Vienna. The guy looking to the east is Anton Pilgrim, a master mason who actually built several churches in Vienna and elsewhere throughout Europe.”

The next 5:

These are some of the Monuments to and Graves of famous free masons of Austria.”

Freemasonry is the world’s oldest, largest, and best-known gentleman’s fraternity.

Founded in London, England in 1717, its current worldwide membership totals 3.5 million members, 1.3 million of which are in the United States. As a fraternal organization, Freemasonry unites men of good character of different religious, ethnic, and social backgrounds, who share a belief in the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of mankind.
Freemasonry (often simplified to “Masonry”) is based on the medieval stonemason guilds who built the great castles and cathedrals of Europe.

The traditions of the fraternity are founded upon the building of King Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem, and modern Freemasons likewise use the tools, traditions, and terminology of those earlier stonemasons as allegories for building temples in the hearts of men. Its body of knowledge and system of ethics is based on the belief that each man has a responsibility to improve himself, while being devoted to his family, faith, country, and fraternity.

Salt, Wine, and Oil – The Square Magazine Salt, Wine, and Oil It is common knowledge that the ancient wages of a Fellowcraft Mason consisted of corn, wine, and oil. Many however, object to this assertion. How can corn be associated with these ancient wages when—clearly—corn was first discovered in the New World? Corn was first brought b...

Saturday December 2, we hosted a Master Mason Degree for for two of our own and two for DeKalb Lodge #214. With help from Angola, Avilla, Leo, and Warsaw Lodges.

George Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1789
General Thanksgiving

By the PRESIDENT of the United States Of America
A PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me "to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLIC THANSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"

NOW THEREFORE, I do recommend and assign THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH DAY of NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed;-- for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish Constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted;-- for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge;-- and, in general, for all the great and various favours which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also, that we may then unite in moft humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions;-- to enable us all, whether in publick or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by conftantly being a Government of wife, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us); and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

GIVEN under my hand, at the city of New-York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.
(signed) G. Washington

The first official presidential proclamation issued in the United States. Published in the The Massachusetts Centinel, Wednesday, October 14, 1789.
Christopher Hodapp at Thursday, November 22, 2018

In honor of all who have served at home and abroad. With brotherly love and affection, we thank you.

Today is the 271st anniversary of George Washington's initiation or "making" as a Freemason. He was made an Entered Apprentice Mason at the age of twenty in the Lodge at Fredericksburg, Virginia, on November 4, 1752. He paid £2, 3 shillings, which would be approximately $488 today. At the Memorial, we honor him as America's foremost Freemason. Shown here is the Bible upon which Washington took his Masonic obligation, which is still maintained by Fredericksburg Lodge.

Brothers please join us for our monthly stated meeting Monday February 6th. Dinner at 6:30pm and meeting at 7:30. We will be planning degree work and discussing plans for the coming months

Congratulations to our Lodge officers for 2023. May they serve well.

Tonight was the Feast of St. John. Hosted by Concord #556. Brothers from all around came out to spread brotherly love. Most Worshipful Grand Master of Indiana, Richard Lentz, was in attendance. And the flag presentation was performed jointly by Apollo and Angola Commanderies.

The Masonic Service for Richard Dalrymple will be on Thursday, December 8, 2023, at Young Funeral Home in Kendallville at 2:30 PM. Calling is from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM. After the Masonic service he will be taken to a cemetery in Kendallville for internment.

Richard served the Pokagon Shrine Club well for the past few years. He was President at the time of his death on October 22, 2023. He is a Past Master of Kendallville Lodge #276.

We want to encourage your attendance at the Masonic Service.

If you know of someone else who knew him, please forward this message

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families. From the Kendallville Masonic Lodge.

Meeting tonight. Dinner at 6:30, followed by our stated meeting. There will be much to discuss as we end this year on a high note. And prepare for the upcoming year.

Please send your prayers and strength to the family of one of Kendallville Masonic Lodge #276 Past Worshipful Masters.
Brother Richard Dalrymple, PM passed away October 25, 2022.
https://www.youngfamilyfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Richard--Allen-Dalrymple?obId=26235569 #/celebrationWall