The Grand Lodge of Iowa, A.F. & A.M. GRAND LODGE...

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The Grand Lodge of Iowa, A.F. & A.M. GRAND LODGE BULLETIN Volume 118 Number 1 Cedar Rapids, Iowa March 2016 The First Three Degrees of Freemasonry by Grant Wood in 1921 for the National Masonic Research Society in Anamosa, Iowa See full article on page 5

Transcript of The Grand Lodge of Iowa, A.F. & A.M. GRAND LODGE...

The Grand Lodge of Iowa, A.F. & A.M.

GRAND LODGE BULLETIN

Volume 118 Number 1 Cedar Rapids, Iowa March 2016

“The First Three Degrees of Freemasonry”

by Grant Wood in 1921 for the NationalMasonic Research Society in Anamosa, Iowa

See full article on page 5

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GRAND LODGE OFFICERS 2015-2016Grand Master Arthur G. Crandon, Gilman

Deputy Grand Master Darrell G. Fremont, Des MoinesSenior Grand Warden A.J. Brown, Bloomfi eld

Junior Grand Warden Theodore C. Wiley, Mount PleasantGrand Treasurer William K. Paisley, Omaha

Grand Secretary Craig L. Davis, Cedar RapidsGrand Chaplain Russell D. Altes, Runnells

Tim S. Anderson, Deputy Grand Secretary Cedar RapidsHarvey N. Woody, Grand Marshall, Ankeny

Michael C. Ryan, Senior Grand Deacon, Tiffi nJohn D. Lloyd, Junior Grand Deacon, Osceola

Kenneth G. Tendal, Senior Grand Steward, WhitingSean I. Morgan, Junior Grand Steward, Plymouth

Keith R. Voss, Grand Tyler, CentervilleJeremy W. Owens, Grand Mucisian, Sioux City

GRAND LODGE TRUSTEESRobert H. “Bud” Erickson, P.G.M., Chairman, Des Moines

Terry E. Osborne, P.J.G.W., BrooklynEric A. Rozeboom, P.G.M., Sanborn

BOARD OF CUSTODIANSTerry E. Osborne, P.J.G.W., Chairman, Brooklyn

Arthur G. Crandon, Grand Master, GilmanLoren C. Stein, P.J.G.W., Secretary, Burlington

HOSPITAL CONTACTSMSA Hospital Visitors:

Iowa City Veterans Hospital - Robert J. Holliday, P.J.G.W., BettendorfDes Moines Veterans Hospital - Thomas E. H. Gruis

Marshalltown Veterans Hospital

GRAND LODGE BULLETINGrandSecretaryCraigL.Davis,Editor, email:[email protected]

LODGE SERVICE COMMITTEEDeputyG.S.TimS.Anderson,ExecutiveDirector, email: [email protected]

TRUSTEES GRAND CHARITY FUNDSRealff H. Ottesen, P.J.G.W., Hampton IL • Eldon F. Walton, WestDes Moines • Theodore C. Wiley, Mount Pleasant • Damian N.

Hurmence, Cedar Falls • Jason A. Wolcott, TiptonMarsha Miller, Secretary, Iowa Masonic Health Facilities,

Bettendorf 52722-8370

TRUSTEES ROWLEY MEMORIAL MASONIC TRUSTNeal R. Paulsen, Avoca • John C. Powell, Perry •

Michael W. Fletcher, Winterset • Kyle A. Gordon, Granger •A.Lyle Miller, Manilla

LuCinda L. Friess, Secretary, Rowley Masonic Home, Perry 50220

CONTENTS FOR MARCH 2016

Grand Master’s Message .............................................................3Next Generation Membership Roundtable ..................................4Grant Wood...................................................................................5All Iowa Masonic Golf Outting ....................................................10Grand Tyler Keith Voss Reception .............................................11Generation Gap ..........................................................................13AJ Brown Senior Grand Warden Reception ..............................19Coe College Students Help With Museum Project ................... 20A Quick Guide For Lodge Auditing.............................................21

THE GRAND LODGE BULLETIN"The Bulletin" is published four times annually (March, June,

September, and December) by the Grand Lodge of Iowa, A.F. &A.M., P.O. Box 279, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52406-0279, as a meansof communication between its subordinate lodges and members.Mailed free upon request to Iowa lodges and Freemasons, and asan exchange to public institutions and representative periodicalsthroughout the world. Address all mail subscriptions, change ofaddress notices (P.O.D. FORM 3579), news releases and Lettersto the Editor to the above address. Permission to reprint articlesfrom "The Bulletin" is granted to all recognized Masonic publicationswith credit to the author and/or this publication.

The Iowa Academy of MasonicKnowledge

Proudly Presents

Masonic Mentoring, What and Why

on April 2, 2016 at Signet Lodge No. 264in Carroll IA

and

June 25, 2016 at the Iowa MasonicLibrary in

Cedar Rapids IA

Start time: 1:00 PM

Finish time: 3:30 PM

Pre-registration will be greatlyappreciated. It guarantees you a seat,

registration in the Academy, courseenrollment and handouts.

Please complete the following and sendor e-mail to:

George Harrison

[email protected]

4162 Sherwood Terrace

Sioux City IA 51106-4046

cell: 712-893-6710, leave a voice mail

Information required to register:

Name _________________________________________

Lodge Name & No.______________________________

E-mail address __________________________________

Phone: _______________________

Home address (helpful, not required)

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Grand Master’s Message

Greetings Brethren,

As I sit here on the eve of the political caucuses, I can’t help but think how fortunatewe are to live in a country where we have the privilege of determining our own fate. I knowthat we might not always get our way or agree with the outcome of an election, but we didhave a choice. The freedoms we enjoy are sacred and we should honor those who havefought and died to preserve those rights. Just as in Masonry, we have to agree to disagreeon certain subjects. Remember, we are all Brothers under God, no matter what you wishto call Him. It is so unfortunate that there are those in the world who wish to destroy us forwhat we believe. Our great Fraternity takes in men of all faiths and we agree to meet uponthe level. So where do we go from here? As the great Creator made man independent ofall beings, dependence is one of the strongest bonds of society to provide protection andsecurity. Be ever watchful and guarded in our thoughts, words, and actions when before theenemies of Masonry; remembering those Masonic virtues, silence and circumspection.

There are events ahead of us to help the craft move foward to a bright future that I hope youare able to participate in. The Next Generation of Masons Roundtable discussions shouldgenerate good news. If you were put in charge for one day, what would you change? Mygeneration is going to have to “adapt, overcome, and improvise” to continue to grow thisFraternity. There is a fantastic line-up for the Education Seminar scheduled for February27th. Be a part and try to attend. I hope some of you have taken advantage of the trip wehave sponsored to Washington, DC. The George Washington Memorial at Alexandria, TheHouse of the Temple, Mount Vernon, and the Capitol all have Masonic ties and should providean enjoyable time for those who can go.

In closing, I congratulate the Brothers who have assumed the leadership roles in theirrespective Lodges. As we showed in the Area Meetings you have the tools at hand to makea successful year. The Warden’s Handbook and the several Lodge Awards will help. Solet’s get busy and “Let’s Try Masonry”.

Ar thur G. Crandon

Grand Master of Masons in Iowa

2016 Custodians Regional School ScheduleMarion .................................................................................................................Wednesday, March 9 - 9:00 A.M.Madrid ...................................................................................................................Thursday, March 10 - 9:00 A.M.Waterloo .......................................................................................................................... Friday, April 1 - 5:30 P.M.Bettendorf................................................................................................................... Saturday, April 2 - 9:00 A.M.(Early Morning Lodge No. 672)

Oxford.......................................................................................................................Thursday, April 21 - 9:00 A.M.Pleasant Hill ..................................................................................................................Friday, April 22 - 9:00 A.M.Harlan............................................................................................................................. Friday, May 13 - 5:30 P.M.Sioux City .................................................................................................................. Saturday, May 14 - 9:00 A.M.(Morningside Lodge No. 615)Chariton..................................................................................................................Wednesday, June 8 - 5:30 P.M.Malcom...................................................................................................................... Thursday, June 9 - 9:00 A.M.Adel ...................................................................................................................... Saturday, August 27 - 9:00 A.M.Ottumwa........................................................................................................... Monday, September 5 - 9:00 A.M.(Ottumwa Lodge No. 16)

All Master Masons are welcome and encouraged to attend Regional Schools.Loren C. Stein, Secretary, Board of Custodians 319-752-9639 or [email protected]

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Next Generation Membership Roundtable Followup Meeting

On February 6th, many of you attended a Next GenerationRound Table discussion in your area. All the facilitators ofthese meetings as well as The Grand Master and Grand LodgeOffi cers would like to offer their sincere gratitude to all those who participated in these meetings. Your input is invaluablein shaping our Fraternity for the future.

The facilitators of the several meetings met in Pleasant Hill onFebruary 9th to review what was discussed and determine thenext step in the process.

The general feeling that the Next Generation Round Tablemeetings were adequately advertised and announced aroundthe state. Phone texts were good follow-up to the emails and

personal invitations. The group did not rate Twitter effective.

Attendance at each meeting ranged from 6 to 29 with a total of 176 attending. It was estimated 43attendees were less than 40 years old.

The group then shared comments and observations from the various meetings and discussionsfollowed. Highlights include:

Have more breakout sessions at Grand Lodge, especially prior to the end of day. Time forthese sessions could be gained by shortening some of the time reserved for speakers and awardspresentations. Topics include Master & Warden’s handbook; Electronic social media (Google appsand Google calendar); and Passport to Light.

The Craft want ’feedback’ from the Next Generation Round Table meetings.

Dues - May need to setup monthly automatic payments through member’s banks. Also,consider reducing yearly amount of dues if paid all ‘up front’.

Masonic awareness event;/week - Ask Governor to proclaim a particular week as Masonicrecognition week and encourage each lodge to participate in a public activity.

Other ideas - Iowa State Fair & County fairs at the local level.

Lodges need more activities outside of the hall. Younger members wanted a way to haveactivities and give back. Not necessarily sponcering an event but taking part in an existing one.

Stay connected with new members - Mentoring is needed far beyond the “EnlightenmentCourse.”

Any SNPD should have an “exit conference” with the Brother.

Scholarships - Encourage local lodge members to be visible and participate in their scholarshipprograms in their areas.

The concensus was that Masonry should not be made easier.

Continue to stress the need for good ritual.

Reduce the overall number of publications and pamphlets.

Help lodges move ahead to modern communications. Make the help fi t the Lodge.

The Spring Neighborhood meetings will be dedicated to continuing the discussins began at the NextGeneration Round Table meetings. We solicit your input and look forward to seeing you there!

Next Generation Round Table Trial Lodge 532 Moville

Next Generation Round Table Iowa Masonic Library and Museums Cedar Rapids

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Grant Wood’s “The First Three Degrees of Freemasonry”By Bill Kreuger

The year 2016 marks the 125th anniversary of the birth of one of Iowa’s most well-known artists,Grant Wood (1891-1942). The city of Cedar Rapids has planned a year-long celebration of his life andwork. Fortunately, Cedar Rapids has an abundance of Wood’s work that can be seen throughout thecity. This includes the Iowa Masonic Library and Museum, where one of Wood’s lesser known paintingsis on exhibit. This is the painting entitled “The First Three Degrees of Freemasonry” that was done byWood in 1921 for the National Masonic Research Society in Anamosa, Iowa.

Grant Wood was born near the small town of Anamosa on February 13, 1891. After his fatherhad died, his mother and three other siblings moved to Cedar Rapids in 1901 in order to live closerto his mother’s parents. Wood showed an active interest in art at a very early age. According to onebiographer, he was drawing chickens at the age of three. While in grade school he won third placein a national Crayola Crayon coloring contest. He also illustrated the Cedar Rapids Washington HighSchool yearbook and did scenery painting for school plays.

The painting that made Grant Wood famous was “American Gothic,” and when it was shown atthe annual exhibition in 1930 at the Chicago Art Institute it created almost overnight success for him.The painting was awarded the Harris prize and was purchased by the Art Institute for $300.

While the painting “American Gothic” provided an opportunity for Wood to become successful,very few are aware of his Masonic painting, “The First Three Degrees of Freemasonry.” We do knowthat Grant Wood had become a Mason, joining Mt. Hermon Lodge No. 263 in Cedar Rapids. He wasInitiated, Passed and Raised within about two months’ time in April and May of 1921. It was undoubtedlythe lessons he learned in Masonry that inspired Grant Wood to incorporate many of them in his painting.

The “First Three Degrees of Freemasonry” was acquired by Brother Otto A. Schoitz of Waterloo,Iowa. The painting was donated by Brother Schoitz to the Iowa Masonic Library in April 1944.

The entire painting is divided into three separate panels, which are interpreted as the fi rst, second and third degrees. According to the booklet “A Notable Gift” which describes the painting in1944, the right hand panel symbolizes the Entered Apprentice degree, the left hand panel symbolizesthe Fellowcraft Degree and the central panel symbolizes the Master Mason Degree.

The interpretation of art is sometimes based upon personal feelings and understanding. Myinterpretation of the painting is that the degrees are shown from left to right. The left hand panel, tomy mind, represents the Entered Apprentice degree. Here it shows the temple in the process of beingconstructed and the various working tools spread about. Wood used a sculpture originally done byAlbin Polasek, a Czech-American artist, to show how a person forms himself or herself in the verybeginning of one’s life. This sculpture, entitled “Man Carving His Own Destiny,” was done by Polasekin 1907 and was the frontispiece of The Builder magazine in December 1916.

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The central panel represents the Fellowcraft degree showing two brothers, half embraced andperhaps instructing others to be guided by God and to act upon the level. As you follow the railing atthe rear of the painting, you notice it is deteriorating as it runs from left to right in this panel. We areunsure where Wood got the inspiration for the two fi gures that are depicted here. However, it may be that he used Michelangelo’s sculpture of David as the basis for the way he has these fi gures standing in the front of a Doric columned temple. From somewhere above in the painting, there is a light thatshines down on the two brothers and casting their shadow on the light and dark pavement.

The right hand panel represents the Master Mason degree and in this section, Wood usesRodin’s “The Thinker” as a symbol of age and the passing of life. You also notice that the temple hasdeteriorated, one column has fallen, while another is partially destroyed. The foliage is unkempt andtangled and weeds are growing through the pavement and temple steps.

As Cedar Rapids celebrates this important event in its history, we welcome visitors to come andvisit the Iowa Masonic Library and Museum to see the painting. It is exhibited in the Masonic Museumgallery; perhaps you will form your own interpretation of this unique painting.

Other Grant Wood Sites in Cedar RapidsBy Bill Kreuger

As was indicted in the article on Grant Wood’s painting “The First Three Degrees ofFreemasonry,” there are several locations in Cedar Rapids where you can see Grant Wood’s work.This is a list provided by the Cedar Rapids Convention and Visitors Bureau:

- Cedar Rapids Museum of Art – This museum possesses the world’s largest collection ofworks by Grant Wood, with a selection on exhibit on a regular basis.

- Grant Wood Studio and Visitor Center – A family friend, David Turner who owned the nearbyTurner Mortuary, offered Grant Wood the use of the hayloft above his carriage house as an art studio.Eventually, Grant Wood lived here as well. Many of Grant Wood’s most famous works were done here.It (5 Turner Alley) is located just behind the Iowa Masonic Library building.

- Brucemore – In 1925, Irene Douglas hired Grant Wood to decorate her daughter’s sleepingporch with a plaster relief depicting vines, fl owers and wildlife.

- Veterans Memorial Building – See a 24-foot tall stained glass window that Grant Wooddesigned to commemorate U.S. veterans from the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Mexican War, CivilWar, Spanish-American War and World War I.

- Coe College – Coe has a substantial collection of Grant Wood’s works, including severalmurals, lithographs and paintings.

- Cedar Rapids Community School District – The local school district has a number ofGrant Wood paintings on exhibit at Washington High School, McKinley Middle School, Grant WoodElelmentary School, and in the gallery at the District’s Educational Leadership and Support Center.The school district partners with the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art where several works are housed,including Grant Wood’s Young Corn.

Gloaming Lodge No. 482By Steve Waller

Gloaming Lodge No. 482, Milford recognized and honoredone of their newest Brothers, Casey Carpenter. BrotherCasey is a member of Milford Volunteer Fire Department.Brother Carpenter distinguished himself in helping saveoccupants from a fi re at the Roadway Inn in Milford September, 2011. He was awarded the “2014 SullivanBrother’s Award of Valor” by Governor Terry Branstad forhis heroism.

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Third Degree 3rd Section PowerPoint Presentation now available at:http://grandlodgeofi owa.org/docs/Presentations/3rd_Degree_3rd_Section_Lecture.pptx

During the Grand Lodge session at Burlington in1860 the GrandLodge of Iowa adopted the following resolution: “Resolved, thatthe Grand Lodge now as heretofore declares its unalterableadherence to the ancient Webb work and having the fullestconfi dence in the evidence furnished that the work as exemplifi ed by the Custodians and under their direction by Brothers Morrisand Willson (is the ancient Webb work) does hereby adopt thesame as the work and the only work hereafter to be taught inthis jurisdiction.” In September, 1865, W. B. Langridge, whowas Deputy Grand Secretary from 1857 to 1876, made a tripto Vergennes and with the utmost care trancribed a copy of the“Willson Notes” which copy, duly certifi ed, is now in the Iowa Masonic Library, as the standard, of reference for all time, asto what Samuel Willson did teach and what was adopted as thestandard for all Iowa Lodges.

The Trowel

The Trowel is an instrument made use of by Operative Masons, to spread the cement which unites abuilding into one common mass; but we, as Free and Accepted Masons, are taught to make use ofit for the more noble and glorious purpose of spreading the cement of brotherly love and affection,that cement which unites us Into one sacred band, or society of friends and brothers, among whomno contention should ever exist, but that noble contention, or rather emulation, of who can best workor best agree.In your progress thru Masonry you have been presented with three sets of tools and have beentaught their several uses. In the olden time the Entered Apprentice and the Fellow Craft preparedthe stones for setting by the Master Mason. The trowel became the Master’s especial tool and in hiscunning hand spread the cement which joined in one perfect whole the stones so carefully wroughtby their skill. As the Master was a conscientious workman and spread naught but the fi nest cement, the building became a solid unit against which the wild storm and tempest beat in vain; but if hewas careless, indifferent or dishonest, and used a cement poor in quality or lacking in quantity, thestones without cohesion or unity soon fell in utter ruin. You are building your life, your character, thetemple of your soul. In your hand we place the emblematical trowel of the master and, as you valueyour happiness here on earth and eternal progress in the life beyond, we urge you, we exhort you,we entreat you to spread the cement of brotherly love and affection. If you are careless, indifferentor dishonest, if personal gain is the aim of your life, it matters not that art, science, a keen intellect orexhaustive study furnish you magnifi cent materials; joined by the cement of selfi shness, your temple will fall a melancholy ruin. But if you heed the lessons so earnestly recommended in Masonry, if youspread all thru your life the cement of brotherly love and affection, if you serve your fellow man, thetrowel in your hand will be the real emblem of the master and the fabric of your life, your spiritualtemple, will rise, stately, magnifi cent, inspiring, a joy to the beholder, a serene satisfaction to yourself and acceptable in the sight of the Great Architect of the Universe.

David G. Cook Raised in Star Lodge No. 115

The members of Star Lodge No. 115 held an Informal Third Degree with the Grand Lodge Offi cers present for Brother David Cook. Brothers Lane Shaver, Kurtis Kruse and Keith Kudej prepared aphenomenal meal prior to the degree.

Brother Brian Ahrens was in the East for the First Section and Fred Erickson was Senior Deacon.The Grand Lodge Offi cers conferred the Second Section with Grand Master Arthur G. Crandon in the East and Senior Grand Warden A.J. Brown as Senior Deacon. Lane Shaver gave the Charge.The Grand Master presented Brother Cook with his White Leather Apron and several other items.

Brother Cook gave a heartfelt thank you to the craft that assisted him on his raising to the sublimedegree of a Master Mason.

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Pymosa Lodge No. 271By Donnie Drennan, Worshipful Master

Recently the Masons of Pymosa Lodge No. 271 at Atlantic participated in their fi rst Fireman’s Parade.

The event is an annual event sponsored by the Atlantic Fire Department in conjunction with FirePrevention week. This year’s parade spanned 10city blocks as there were fl oats, bands, marching dance troupes and more. The theme this year was“Hear the Beep Where You Sleep” in an effort tomake the public aware of the importance of having“working” smoke detectors in your house.

Pymosa Lodge borrowed a Square and Compassemblem from Obedience Lodge in Anita Iowa. Witha little repair the Masonic Emblem was ready forthe parade. Thanks to our brothers from ObedienceLodge.

During the event we teamed up withthe brothers and sisters of Golden RuleChapter No. 194 Order of the EasternStar and provided cookies, iced teaand lemonade in front of the lodge hallwhich is located on the parade route. Therefreshments were offered for a free willdonation.

All had a great time in working togethershowing our pride in Masonry.

Brother Nathan Carey is Raised

Grand Master Arthur G. Crandon and the Grand Lodge Offi cers were invited to Empire Lodge No. 269 for a reception and Third Degree on November 21, to assist in Raising Brother Nathan Carey.

Following the Social Hour, lodgewas opened by Worshipful MasterFrank Wilson. He then invitedBrother Roger Carey to the Eastwho then made a fi ne conferral of the First Section. Brother Rogerjust happened to be Nathan’sfather. Lodge was called torefreshment so all could moveto the dining room for a MinuteSteak Dinner.

After resuming labor, the Grandand Past Grand Lodge Offi cers and Grand Master Crandonwere received and introduced.Brothers Charles Wilt and Roger

Carey were Committeemen. Grand Master Crandon assumed the East as the Grand Lodge Offi cers conferred the Second Section. Grand Tyler Keith R. Voss gave the Charge.

The Grand Master presented Brother Carey with his pin and a set of his own Working Tools. BrotherCarey thanked everyone for being part of his Third Degree and making this a special night for hisfamily. The Grand Lodge Offi cers closed Empire Lodge No.269 with Deputy Grand Master Darrell G. Fremont in the East.

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Bower Lodge No. 464 In Eagle Grove Raises Four Brothers To TheSublime Degree Of A Master Mason In Six Days

By Del Kramersmeirer

On Saturday, November 7th, 2015, Brothers Tim Salmon of Johnston, Iowa, Dennis Salmon Juniorand Robert Glick of Cedar Falls, Iowa were raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason. BrothersDennis Junior and Tim are third generation Master Masons. Their grandfather, Brother George Salmonwas raised in Bower Lodge in 1967 as was their father, Brother Dennis Salmon, in 2004. Brother RobertGlick is a close friend of the Salmon family.

Sean Morgan, Junior Grand Stewardpresided in the East In the fi rst section for Dennis Salmon, Jr. and RobertGlick. Kirk Mitchell Past Master ofSouthgate Lodge No. 657 in DesMoines, presided in the east in thefi rst section for Tim Salmon. Sean Morgan,

Harvey Woody, Grand Marshall andDel Kramersmeier Past Master ofBower Lodge took turns presiding inthe east in the second sections. Delgave the Extended Apron Lecture andBernie Nelson Past Master of VionaLodge No. 538, Renwick, Iowa gavethe charge.

On Friday, November 13th, BrotherIan Decker was raised to the sublimedegree of a Master Mason. The eveningstarted off with a delicious beef sirloindinner at 6:00p.m. The degree workfollowed. Dan Brown Past Master ofAshlar Lodge No. 111 in Fort Dodge,Iowa presided in in the East in the fi rst section. Del Kramersmeier Past Masterof Bower Lodge gave the ExtendedTrowel Lecture. The Grand LodgeOffi cers conferred the Second Section with Most Worshipful Brother ArthurG. Crandon Grand Master presiding inthe east. Michael Ryan, Senior GrandDeacon gave the charge.

Newton Lodge No. 59 Donates to Berg Middle School

Newton Lodge No. 59 donated $750 to students at BC Berg MiddleSchool in Newton for their upcoming to trip to Washington D.C.Worshipful Master Jerry Hannagan is shown presenting the check toTara Zehr and her students.

Pictured from left to right are: Brother Dennis Salmon, Brother Tim Salmon, Brother DennisSalmon Junior and Brother Robert Glick

Pictured left to right, front to back: Darrell Fremont, AJ Brown, Keith Voss Sean Morgan,Harvey Woody, Ian Decker, Mike Ryan, Russ Altes, Grand Master Art Crandon, JohnLloyd, and Ted Wiley.

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2016ALL IOWA MASONIC GOLF OUTING!!!

Friday – July 29th / Marshalltown, 11:30 am Shot Gun Start, 4-Person Best Shot

Grand Master Arthur Crandon would like to have everyone enjoy a wonderful day of fellowship andbrotherly love on the course.

RSVP TO: Marshall Lodge No. 108 26 S 1st AveSte 500, Marshalltown, IA 50158-5033

The American Legion Golf Course is located at:

301 S 6th Street, Marshalltown

4 - Person Best Shot Event

11:30am Shot Gun Start

Limited fi eld, don’t delay – FULL @ 144 Golfers

$ 75.00 Per Person

Includes: Golf, Cart, Range Balls, Box Lunch &Bottled Water

To Reserve Your Spot - Advance payment isrequested

4 Flights, Flight Prizes, Longest Drive, LongestPut, Mulligans for Sale, Raffl e Tickets, Hole

Sponsors, Cash Bar, Awards & Social after Golf

18 - Hole Sponsors / Look for the Signs at eachTee! Hole in One Sponsor

Name: ______________________________

Address: _____________________________

___________________________________

City/State/Zip: _________________________

Foursome / Group: _____________________

Make checks payable to: Marshall Lodge No.108 $ 75.00 - Per Person

All proceeds from the golf outting will be donated to:

“Camp Courageous” and the “Wolf Ranch Life Enrichment Center”

Please save the date! Friday, July 29th

“Thank you to Josh Hoglan and the American Legion Golf Course Staff”

Don’t miss this opportunity to spend a great day spent with iowa mason’s and their ladies!

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Grand Tyler Keith R. Voss

Masons from across the state gathered in Centerville to honor Grand Tyler Keith R. Voss. Membersof Jackson Lodge No. 42 hosted the reception. It was a beautiful fall day. The afternoon began witha social hour hosted by the members of the lodge.

The Masons moved into the Lodge Hall for the receiving and introduction of Grand and Past GrandLodge Offi cers after Worshipful Master Chad M. Butler had opened Lodge. Committeemen were Brothers Michael R. Coulter and Mike Steinbeck. Grand Master Arthur G. Crandon was received andintroduced with Brothers Michael R. Coulter and Mike Steinbeck. as committeemen. Grand Tyler Vosswas received with Brothers Michael R. Coulter and Mike Steinbeck as committeemen. Brother Vossthanked everyone for being there. The honored brother was in the East as the Grand Lodge Offi cers closed Jackson Lodge No. 42.

A Ribeye Dinner was served by the Eastern Star. Keith thanked those present who have helped himon his journey in Masonry. The Grand Master thanked Jackson Lodge No. 42 for sharing Keith withthe Grand Lodge this year. The evening concluded with Grand Chaplain Russell D. Altes giving theBenediction.

Bill Fisher 50 YearBy Morris Anderson Secretary

On Wednesday January 20, 2016 newly installed WorshipfulMaster, James Cox was privileged to give Brother Bill Fisherhis 50 year pin and certifi cate. Bill became a 50 year Mason in November, but had been out of town visiting his family in Montana.He shared some stories about how he decided to become amason. During World War II, Bill was stationed in Englandwhere he met a Mason. After conversations with the Mason, hejoined Fidelitas Lodge No. 364 in Fairfax when he returned toIowa. Bill has been the primary care giver for his ailing wife formany years, so he hasn’t been able to be very active in Lodge,his comments made the Brothers present that Masonry was andstill is very important to him.

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Brother Michael Hemm is Raised

New Hope Lodge No. 480 at Eldon invited Grand Master Arthur G. Crandon and the Grand LodgeOffi cers to participate in the raising of Brother Michael Hemm on December 9.

Lodge was opened by Worshipful Master Steve Wemmie. Charles (Chod) Cremer was in the East forthe First Section and Craig Brown served as Senior Deacon. Grand Master Crandon was informally

introduced and received, he then introduced theGrand Lodge Offi cers that were present. Grand Master assumed the East for the Second Sectionof the Third Degree, Michael C. Ryan was SeniorDeacon and Harvey Woody gave the Charge. TheGrand Master presented Brother Hemm with hislapel pin and a set of his own Working Tools.

Brother Hemm thanked everyone for sharing inthis special event. Lodge was closed by the GrandLodge Offi cers with Deputy Grand Master Darrell G. Fremont in the East.

“OOOPS” – Headline from a Grand Master’s MessageTaken from the December 2015 Emessay Notes

Numerous Grand Masters around the country are communicating with their members with periodicemail messages.

Franklin J. Struble, Grand Master of Wisconsin, in one of his weekly issues of “Masonic Update for theBadger State,” turns a bad experience into a good Masonic message:

“Last night, Wendy and I decided to have some bratwurst for dinner. Well, I cut up the Vidalia onions,put them and the brats in my special brat pan, 2 cans of beer, seasonings and Worchestershire sauce.

Put them on the grill in the pan. Came out after 15 minutes, put the brats on the grill to fi nish went in the house, got sidetracked and ruined the meal. Talk about a burnt offering! Wow, I felt like I shouldapologize to the butcher.”

I’ve seen similar things happen with lodge meetings. Everything is in place for a dynamite meetingthen someone gets distracted and Brothers don’t get notifi ed. Or maybe, the Brother scheduled to make tonight’s presentation lost track of what day it is… a senior moment. Perhaps the lodge is comingout of darkness and we didn’t practice an opening before that night and we are all rusty and stumblethrough things we would normally handle.

Please, give some thought to staying on task better than I did with the brats. I was able to start over andcook some more and we just ate a little later. A poorly executed lodge meeting can turn your Brothersoff on coming to meetings. We cannot afford that. We need every Brother in the Lodge we can get.

Better not schedule me as the cook.

David Dryer Receives a Lifetime Appointment

Former Grand Marshal David M. Dryer a member ofWarren Lodge No. 53 in Indianola has been nameda Regent of the York Rite Sovereign College of NorthAmerica (Lifetime Appointment). Brother David wasalso awarded the Knight Grand Cross from the GrandEncampment Knights Templar of the United States ofAmerica. Congratulations brother Dryer!

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Generation Gap

by Dennis E. Williams

Look around your lodge. There are probably a couple of members who you would not engage withunless you had to, right? Are they older? Younger? Do they “just not get it?” How would your lodge bedifferent if you embraced the diversity and celebrated the strengths of its multigenerational members?You may not see it on the surface, but you’re surrounded by a wealth of resources.

Let’s take a look at the generations that make up our membership and what we can learn from eachand how to work with them.

The Greatest and Silent Generation’s

Born before 1946; strong traditional views of religion, family, and country.

Characteristics: Traditional, Conformers, Respect authority, Disciplined, Joiners and are Savers

Like the written word in a formal format (few pictures) and came through the ranks (paid their dues) toultimately take leadership.

Baby Boomers

Born 1946 – 1964; did not experience the same diffi culties as their parents. Were infl uenced by the civil rights movement, women’s liberation, the space program, the Cold War, and the Vietnam War.

Characteristics: Competitive, Anti-establishment, Flexible, Hard-working and Believe they’ve paid theirdues

Baby Boomers are optimistic and believe their generation changed the world. Personal values, respectand success - main motivators.

Generation X

Born between 1965-1980; Tend to be nontraditional, interested in new concepts and products andhave a global mindset.

Characteristics: Suspicious, Independent, Techno-heads, Entrepreneurial, Self-reliant and Demandwork/life balance.

Called the “misunderstood” generation.

Often thought to be lazy, selfi sh and “don’t want to get involved.”

In reality: need personally relevant value – the answer to “What’s in it for me?” and want activeparticipation as problem solvers.

Key motivator is an enjoyable experience.

Generation Y

Born between 1980-2000; have no recollection of the Reagan era. Their world has always had answeringmachines, microwave ovens, and videocassette recorders.

Characteristics: Techno-addicts, Self-indulgent, Curious, Great at multitasking, 24/7 mentality,Collaborative, Expect continual learning, Demand fl exibility and Social.

This generation includes more than 81 million people, approximately 30%, of the current population,and are greater in numbers than the Baby Boom generation.

They will infl uence changes in the work environment, just as the Baby Boomers did in the past.

Tips for managing the generations

It’s important to treat each person as an individual. But, having insight into what motivates and infl uences each generation can help you fi nd out what makes them tick.

The Greatest and Silent Generation’s

These are the bulk of our current membership base. Take time to listen, Show respect for theircontributions, Allow them time to grasp new technology, Give opportunity for input into decision-making,Ask them for advice And they believe if it’s not broken, don’t fi x it.

Baby Boomers

They believe in living life to the fullest, are career driven, knowledge is power, and expect the mergingof cultures. They are skeptical, yet not cynical, more money motivated, but are team builders and canbe very competitive.

14

Generation X

Generation X’ers tends to be unimpressed with authority, cynical towards the older generation, distrustfulof major institutions and have a sense of disempowerment.

They are into “save the neighborhood”, are pragmatic, and work hard to make money.

They are not lazy, selfi sh or “don’t want to get involved”. They need personally relevant value, “what’s in it for me.”

They are professional problem solvers – they were taught problem solving in school. They’ll questionwhy we do things the way we do, not out of disrespect, but because that’s what they learned to do inschool. And they value fun.

Generation Y

The adage for Generation Y is: if you can convince their peers, you’ll convince them. They are veryskeptical of commercialism. They work to live, not live to work. They are self-focused, not team oriented.They separate work from private life, need fl exible time schedules and like to hear “action verbs” to challenge their thinking. They will join us but they need to be listened to. They demand input.

Communication:

The Greatest and Silent Generation’s: Build trust, face to face, written and more formal.

Baby Boomers: Speak in an open direct style; answer questions directly and expect to be pressedfor details.

Generation X: Learn their language and speak it; use e-mail as your primary communication tool;talk in short sound bites to keep their attention; share information with them immediately and often.

Generation Y: Let your language paint visual pictures, use e-mail and texting as primary communicationtools and constantly seek their feedback.

What can we do?

Change our focus of “us” to “them”

Learn that Membership is the only reason for our existence.

Focus on important things, not extemporaneous things.

Give them what they want.

The following resourses were used in writing this paper: “Generation Gap” by Linda Gravett; “GenerationGaps: In The Workplace” by Lori Gillin; “Generation Gap” - The Huffi ngton Post; “Generation Gap” - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia; Grand Lodge of Minnesota

Two Brothers Raised in Hope Lodge No. 175By Roy Schulze

Brothers Randy Robinson and Jed Wolf were raised to the Sublime Degree of a Master Mason onJanuary 2, 2016 in Hope Lodge No. 175 in Belle Plaine. Randy is the son of Worshipful Master Kenny“Bruce” Robinson. Brothers from Malcom and Grinnell took part in the degrees.

Back row l-r: Erick Winkie,Roney Emerson, Ken Mather,me, Aaron Kinser.Front row l-r: Randy Robinson, Kenneth “Bruce” Robinson, Jed Wolf and Jerry Brewer..

15

Brother Sco� Evans is Raised

Grand Master Arthur G. Crandon and the Grand Lodge Offi cers were invited to Iowa City Lodge No. 4 for a reception and Third Degree on December 14.

Following the Social Hour, a fi ne meal was prepared by Jimmy Jacks Rib Shack. After dinner everyone moved to the Lodge Hall where Worshipful Master Ryan Reid opened lodge and conferred the fi rst section of the Third Degree, Henry Herwig wasthe Senior Deacon. The Grand and Past GrandLodge Offi cers and Grand Master Crandon were introduced and received with Brothers PaulAnderson and Samuel Hargadine serving ascommitteemen. Grand Master Crandon assumedthe East as the Grand Lodge Offi cers conferred the Second Section. Harvey Woody served as SeniorDeacon and Keith R. Voss gave the Charge. TheGrand Master made several presentations, Bible,Apron, Working Tools and of course his lapel pin.

Brother Evans thanked everyone for being thereand being part of his degree. The Grand LodgeOffi cers closed Iowa City Lodge No. 4 with Deputy Grand Master Darrell G. Fremont in the East.

Joint Installation in Davenport

On December 17, 2016 Past Grand Master Dennis M. Zahrtinstalled offi cers for seven Lodges at the Masonic Center in Davenport. In the picture on the left are the Worshipful Mastersof each Lodge: Bruce Thoene (Davenport No. 37), Michael Jones(Early Morning No. 672), David Klein (Fraternal No. 221), BrianPhipps (Brubaker No. 675), Pat Miletich (Hamilton No. 664), ScottKell (Trinity No. 208), Dean Dilly (Roosevelt No. 626)

Signet Lodge No. 264 Hosts Annual Christmas Dinner

Members of Signet Lodge No. 264 give the gift that keeps on giving. On Christmas Day, the Lodgemembers hosted their Annual Christmas Day Dinner. Volunteers start delivering the meals to those whoare homebound at 11:30 in the morning, the sit down meals start at noon. The Lodge does not Charge

for the meal, but donations are accepted. They served approximately 300 people this year. Hy-Vee,Fareway, Market on 30, Smithfi eld Foods and Walmart donate the food and other items for the dinner.

Pictured left to right are: Worship Master Ryan Reed, Todd Evans(Scott’s Brother), Scott Evans , and Grand Master Art Crandon

16

Brother Jesus Rios Raised at Clinton Lodge No 15Clinton Lodge No. 15 in Fairfi eld hosted a Grand Lodge Third Degree Reception on January 12, 2016,

where Brother Jesus Rios was raised tothe Sublime Degree of a Master Mason.Past Junior Grand Deacon Larry Patrickwas in the East for the conferral of theFirst Section and Carl Whennen wasSenior Deacon. Following the FirstSection a wonderful meal was served bythe Lodge Eastern Star Chapter.

When the lodge resumed laborGrand Master Arthur G. Crandon wasconducted to the East and introduced.The Grand Master introduced the GrandLodge Offi cers and they conferred the second section of the Degree. GrandMaster Crandon was in the East andGrand Marshal Harvey N. Woody wasSenior Deacon. Grand Tyler Keith R.Voss gave the charge. The GrandMaster presented Brother Jesus with

his pin and a set of his very own Working Tools. Brother Rios, thanked everyone for being there andbeing part of his degree work. Grand Master Crandon spoke briefl y about his program for the year. The Grand Lodge Offi cers closed the lodge with Deputy Grand Master Darrell G. Fremont presiding.

Scholarship Thank You.

To: Grand Lodge of Iowa, A.F. & A.M.,

My name is Rebecca Loew and I was a recipient of your 2015 GrandLodge of Iowa Scholarship. This letter is to update you with what I havebeen doing since starting school.

I began my fi rst semester of college in August at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. School has been going well, and also very fastdue to my busy schedule! At the beginning of the semester, I startedworking part time in the Student Life Offi ce on campus. It has been nice to have a little income during my time at school. My studies keep mebusy, and as of right now I plan on majoring in Accounting with minorsin Spanish and Theology. I am currently on the President’s list with my4.0 GPA. I have also joined many different groups on campus. The Service Team has given me manyopportunities to give back to the community of Atchison such as visiting nursing homes, deliveringfood to the needy, and any other projects that the town may need of us. Underground, another group Iam a part of, puts on Catholic retreats for high school students every month on our campus. I am alsoa part of the Ravens Respect Life club. This group travels once a week to abortion clinics in KansasCity to pray for the sanctity of life. I also joined the fl ag football and ultimate frisbee intramural sports teams, which helped keep me away from the Freshman 15!

My fi rst semester of college went very well and I have many things to look forward to in the upcoming semester. At the end of January, I will be traveling to Washington D.C. to attend the March for Life,an annual gathering to march and pray for the end to abortion. I will also be going on a mission tripto Calcutta, India during my spring break in March. There I will be working with the Missionaries ofCharity to aid the poor, sick, and dying of Calcutta. I also plan on studying abroad in Florence, Italyin the fall of 2016.

I once again thank you for the honor of being a recipient of the Grand Lodge of Iowa Scholarship. Ithas given me so many opportunities and has helped me to take full advantage of my education, andfor that I am so grateful.

Rebecca Loew

17

“Freemasonry and the Generation Gap, Perception is not Reality”John C. Liley Jr., W. Grand Orator, Grand Lodge of Utah F. & A.M.(2007)

Most Worshipful Grand Master, Brethren, Ladies and Guests Good Evening.

The title of tonight’s talk is “Freemasonry and the Generation Gap, Perception is not Reality”.

One of the defi nitions given to us by researchers, historians and to some extent by our detractors is that Freemasonry is a tired old Fraternity populated by relics of a different era. Without accepting anegative from out of this observation it is true that yes our Fraternity does have a large proportion ofa seasoned membership.

Does this mean that there is a gap between our members both old and new?

I would argue that there is no generation gap merely a span of years.

Men no matter their age join Freemasonry for varied reasons. The phrase “Your Freemasonry is differentfrom my Freemasonry” is not divisive but the very example of our strength.

This “strength” is the attraction for men to join our Fraternity. Although challenges arise these differencesand the fact that we tolerate if not expect these differences, is what makes the fraternity work.

A man’s interest in Freemasonry is in its universality, in it’s consistency and in it’s unique structure.

Often we the younger membership are asked what we want. We have shown that we want the sameas the more seasoned membership. We want in some cases to emulate their characteristics. Thesecharacteristics and traits they acquired from Freemasonry.

The fraternity, this educational source hands down her “secrets” through the experience and knowledgeof well-learned Masons.

The thought that in becoming a Mason you suddenly inherit this great living source of wisdom,knowledge, history and perspective over night is something that unfortunately some of the youngermembership never understands.

The term “old guy” or “past master” are descriptions I have tried to remove from my vocabulary. Thewealth that is there in the more seasoned membership comes at so little a price we often overlook itas if passing a penny on a city street.

The energy and the vitality in the hearts and minds of young men can be infectious to a tired lodge.That excitement is so often dismissed by those that have been there and done that, that they oftenquench a fi re stoked and ready to blossom before it has a chance to grow.

The confl icts I believe come not because of someone’s age be it young or old but in not truly practicing some of the fi rst lessons we are taught in the Entered Apprentice Degree. Subduing our passions is not easy for most men. We are competitive, we are stubborn and no matter who we are sometimeswe think we are always right.

This my friends is not just owned by the “old guy” or the “whippersnapper”, but by all of us.

It’s hard for the Mason that has held this “thing” together for so long to give a little up. And it’s hard forthe Mason new and full of exuberance not being able to have it “all” now.

Funny, don’t you think this sounds as if we all have something in common after all?

The fact that we recognize these confl icts proves to us that Freemasonry is still working and will survive. If we did not have the pull and push the ying and yang if you will we would be representative of whatthose detractors believe we are.

The beauty is that so many Masons have labored long and kept lodges running. We have that examplein the three lodges we visit here today.

Perseverance has paid off and attracted new membership Story and Damascus have been performingdegree work and rebuilding their offi cer lines. They are working together for a common goal. And today for the fi rst time in a long while Tintic Lodge has created new members not by affi liation but by initiation.

The perception of the generation gap is that there is this great void or chasm between what was andwhat is. Yes for a long time “we” were in the shadows perhaps even a little lost. But what we learnedand what we did was that old and new a like found a way to bridge the span, create ways to cometogether, to modernize yet leave the old patina so that the attraction is still there.

Although many of my friends may be perhaps ten, twenty thirty or more years my senior the reality isthat we have a lot in common. A man that was fi fty was once thirty and man of eighty was once sixty. “We” have all been there before and “we” are all there for the fi rst time.

18

Freemasonry binds our membership in a way you cannot explain to the outside world. Sometimes thebond is stronger than that bond which we have with our Fathers, Uncles and Grandfathers. This factmay be unfortunate but in some cases is the saving grace to the younger man without a father fi gure and to the older man without a relationship with his son.

Freemasonry provides the tie that closes the gap. The Fraternity helps, aides, and assists in so manyways for so many Brethren that the perception is not reality.

The Generation Gap may very well be our strength and not our folly.

Preston Lodge No. 218

The Members of Preston Lodge No. 218 were proud to present Steven Lehey and family with theproceeds from a chicken noodle dinner held at Preston Lodge in Prairie City, Iowa on January 23, 2016.

The benefi t dinner was held for 10 year old Leila Lehey. Leila spent a year in University Children’s Hospital in Iowa City waiting for a heart transplant. A donor wasfound in September of 2015 and the successful surgery took placeimmediately.

After the heart transplant surgery, doctors informed the family thatLeila needed a kidney transplant which she is still waiting for assoon as a donor is found. Leila is home now, but the family takesher three times a week for life sustaining dialysis at U of I Children’sHospital. The family lives in Ankeny where her father is a full timeyouth pastor at a church in Ankeny.

The fi nancial strain on the family is tremendous. After becoming aware of this situation, the members at Preston Lodge went intoaction to provide the support the family desperately needed. Preston

Lodge provided the family with a gas card from Casey’s General store, and planned the Chicken NoodleDinner Benefi t for Leila.

Proceeds from the benefi t will help with daily necessities, food, clothing, and supplying the needs of the family. Thank you to the many people who attended the benefi t for Leila from all over central Iowa.

Special thanks to the Brothers from Preston Lodge who contributed time and money toward helpingthis family so they could provide for the needs of their little girl.

Scholarship Recipient Thank You.Dear Grand Lodge,

This fall semester was fi lled with wonderful experiences and opportunities. I have enjoyed all the memories that have occurred this passed semester. I was involved in many groups and signed up for many clubsthrough the University. First, I signed up with the STAT (Students Today, AlumniTomorrow). Next, I signed up for the UI Biology club which talks about manyopportunities for a biologist. Third, I signed up for the Medicus Club which is a groupfor students in the pre-health fi elds. This club allowed me to become certifi ed in the HIPAA standards and become CPR certifi ed.

I have also done well academically. I have received a 3.31 University of Iowa GPAand overall, counting the transfer classes from DMACC, I have a GPA of 3.63. I haddecided to switch my major to nursing from pre-medicine, because volunteering inthe hospital made me enjoy the work, and interactions nurses do are more fi tting to me. I have also declared a minor in psychology. I am thinking about the healthand human physiology minor as well. The classes last semester were worth 18credits and this spring semester will be worth 13 credits. Lowering the credits willallow more time to focus on studying the materials.

Along with school work and clubs, I have spent time earning money and volunteering in my community.I have been giving plasma to help pay for school tuition along with books. On Fridays, I have beenvolunteering at the University of Iowa’s Hospitals and Clinics. I have been volunteering in the Patient’sLibrary Unit where I deliver books and movies to the patients in the hospital to entertain them. This springsemester, I am planning to apply for a job at a local daycare to help pay for tuition.

I would like to thank you for all the help that this scholarship has given me throughout the semester. It wasvery comforting to know I could focus on my studies instead of how I was going to pay tuition to college.

Breanna Peters

Steve Lehey and family with off icers ofPreston Lodge

19

Senior Grand Warden A.J. BrownThe brothers of Ottumwa Lodge No. 16 honored Senior Grand Warden A.J. Brown at a reception atthe lodge on December 5. Masons and their ladies from all across the state came for the fellowship,

food and fun to pay tribute to this hard workingMason.

Following the Social Hour, the Masons movedto the lodge room where Worshipful MasterBuddy Harsh opened lodge. Brothers LarryPatrick and Mark Lawson were committeemento receive and introduce the Grand and PastGrand Lodge Offi cers. Brothers Frank Wilson and Gene Kindley were committeemen toreceive and introduce Grand Master ArthurG. Crandon. Floyd Brown (A.J.’s dad) andRobert Pedrick served as committeemen toreceive and introduce Senior Grand WardenBrown. The honored brother was pleased towelcome a nearly full room of Masons and

made comments “it was nice to see this manypeople in our lodge.” Lodge was closed by the Grand Lodge Offi cers with the Senior Grand Warden in the East, and a big surprise at thedoor of the lodge room (special guestTyler, London).

Brother Harsh served as Master ofCeremonies. Grand Chaplain RussellD. Altes gave the invocation priorto all enjoying a Roast Pork dinner.Brother Brown’s family prepared thiswonderful meal and we were serveddrinks by Brother Brown’s daughters,Sydney, Maren and London. Tianahelped in the kitchen. Following themeal there were several introductionsand presentations were made. A.J.thanked everyone for his journeythrough Masonry and how it makeshim a “little bit better each day.”

City Ranks No. 8 on Annual Aff ordability ListFrom the Des Moines Register

Livability.com ranked Cedar Rapids No. 8 in its annual list of the 10 best affordable places to live,thanks to a reasonable cost of living, revitalization of downtown, strong economy and job opportunitiesand a variety of low cost things to do.

“Cedar Rapids is an affordable city that you’d actually want to live in,” according to the website thatexplores “what makes small to mid-sized cities great places to live, work and visit.” “It offers incomeequality, robust entertainment options, favorable economic conditions and ideal consumer spending.”

The ranking considers cost of living compared to national averages for housing, transportation, foodand utilities, and incomes compared to costs to see how far a dollar goes. “Cheapest” is not the topcriteria in the list, but rather costs balanced against other factors.

Residents spend less than 24 percent of annual income on housing and less than 3 percent onutilities, and have a median household income of $54,465, according to Livability. Low cost activitieslisted include attending a Cedar Rapids Kernels game, a stroll at Indian Creek Nature Center, andchecking out artifacts at the Masonic Library & Museum.

Senior Grand Warden A.J. Brown and his father Floyd Brown

Take special note of A.J. Browns socks “black.” He didn’t get the memo!

20

Coe College Students Help with Museum ProjectBy Bill Kreuger

Last fall we were contacted by Bethany S. Keenan, Associate Professor of History at Coe College tosee if Coe students could assist with our World War I poster collection and learn about history at thesame time. Dr. Keenan is teaching a spring course entitled “World at War,” and it covers both World WarI and World War II. We have been able to work with Dr. Keenan, as well as Dr. Ranelle Knight-Leuth,Art History professor at Coe, to have students learn about encapsulation of documents and about theposter collection we have in our library.

The Iowa Masonic Library begancollecting artifacts and materialson World War I both during andshortly after the War took place.According to the 1919 GrandLodge of Iowa Proceedings“The Library has received alarge number of books on theEuropean War and we now havea collection of about two hundredtitles, besides a large numberof pamphlets, maps, postersand post cards. It was thereforethought best during the past yearto start a special alcove for thiscollection.” 1 Some of these itemswere used in our special exhibit,entitled “The Great War: Iowa andIowans in World War I” that wasopen from October 2014 throughJune 2015.

Some of the posters, especially those from England, were donated by William Crofts-Bullen, an EnglishFreemason and frequent donor to the Library and Museum in the early 1900s. The American posterswere donated by the War Department after the Great War ended. This collection, for many years, washoused in the Rare Book Vault on the second fl oor rolled in brown paper. Over the past few years, college students from the University of Northern Iowa have helped to document, encapsulate, andcatalog this collection. Currently there are over 75 Great War posters cataloged in the Library database. Photographs of each poster is attached to the catalog entry so they can be viewed. When theCoe students complete this project, thirteen more posters from the collection will be encapsulatedand cataloged.

To view the posters in our collection, go to the Grand Lodge of Iowa website, www.grandlodgeofi owa.org and look for the tag on the top of the page indicating “Library & Museum.” Use the dropdown to accessthe on-line card catalog, which will take you the Alexandria data-base homepage for our card catalog.In the box at the top of the page, simply type in the word “poster” and click on “Smart Search.” This willbring up the entire collection of posters that have been cataloged and you can view each one. Enjoy!1Annals of the Grand Lodge of Iowa, A.F. & A.M., vol. 27-1919 (Cedar Rapids, IA: Grand Lodge-Iowa, 1919) p. 179.

Emblem

The word emblem and the word symbol had a similar origin in the ancient Greek language, but even atthe beginning there was a clear-cut difference between the two, and that difference remains. A symbolitself has no similarity to the thing for which it stands. A circle with wings on it may symbolize everlastinglife, but everlasting life itself will never be similar to a circle with wings on it. An emblem, on the otherhand, is not only similar to that for which it stands but also is an actual instance of it. A sword is anemblem of war because it is an actual weapon used in war. A pen is an emblem of literature becauseit is actually used in writing. A plow is an emblem of farming because it is actually used in farming. Abeehive is an emblem of industry because the work of a hive of bees is an instance of industry.

21

Audits And Numbers: A Quick Guide For Lodge AuditingTaken from the January 2016 Emessay Notes

William J. Thomas, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of New York, in his “From the East” column inthe Winter issue of the Empire State Mason Magazine, wrote a very useful article on some simpleconcepts for members of the annual Lodge Audit Committee, and MSA thought it valuable enough toreprint in this issue. Please clip this out and share it in your Lodge.

I received a frantic call from a Brother recently: “I’ve been assigned to the Lodge Audit Committee, andI don’t know what I’m supposed to do. I asked both the Master and the Chairman of the Committee,and they didn’t seem to know either. Help!” I could visualize the sweat on his brow, the distress in hiseyes - and the Masonic signs he must be making.

This seems to be one of those questions that everyone has, but nobody wants to verbalize. Who wantsto admit that he doesn’t know something that should be common knowledge to everyone?

Common knowledge? Or is it?

I can assure you that it is NOT common knowledge to everyone, and ignoring the question is muchlike the ostrich putting his head in the sand, and hoping that it will go away. But I can also assure youthat the work is not complicated. Here are some simple

guidelines to help get you started:

Note that there are only three things that happen with monies of the Lodge:

Money comes in - Money goes out - Money remains in an account

The Audit Committee’s work is simply looking at those three things and confi rming that

they happened. Nothing more need be done. And most Lodges’ fi nancial transactions are few and simple enough that it can be done in short order.

Here’s the short course:

• Make a list of all the Lodge accounts, including account number, location:

1. Bank accounts; 2. Savings accounts; 3. Investment accounts; 4. Cash accounts

Make your audit:

1. Use monthly statements to confi rm the beginning balances.

2. Confi rm the monies going in, and confi rm the source (addition).

3. Confi rm the monies going out, and confi rm the vouchers (subtraction). Vouchers should include a paper trail, including a receipt and what it was for. Your by-laws might have additional requirements,such as fi nance committee review or Lodge approval of payment.

4. Use monthly statements to confi rm the ending balances.

Write a report for each account.

1. The balances agree, or 2. The balances don’t agree, and give your opinion why they don’t agree.

And that’s it.

• You don’t need an accounting degree.

• You don’t need to pay for an expensive outside audit.

• You don’t need special software.

There are some pitfalls:

• Cash in: The paper trail with cash is feeble at best, and lends itself to questions. It is much easiertodocument transactions with a non-cash paper trail and nobody is being accused of irregularities.

• Cash out: Avoid cash disbursements completely.

• Third-hand receipts: Vouchers should refl ect who paid for something and how. It’s diffi cult to follow a paper trail that travels among multiple people.

Keys points:

1) Avoid cash. 2) Keep the payment system simple. 3) Make monthly audits, rather than waiting until theend of the year. 4) If you don’t understand the answer to a question, ask it again until you understandthe response. Don’t be hoodwinked by terminology that is otherwise simple. 5) Finally, avoid cash.

Yes, there are other issues to consider. This is not an all-inclusive primer. But it will help get you started.

22

Local Mason goes World Wide (with some Brotherly help)By Michael A. Smith

This all started one cold December evening two years ago, when I was serving as the Tyler for ourstated meeting at Freeport Lodge No.23 in the great State of Maine. As I was scouring the anteroomfor random eavesdroppers, my gaze fell upon a dusty line of books that had likely been standing uponthe display case for decades. One title grabbed me, “Short Talks on Masonry”, by Joseph Fort Newton,published in 1928.

I have been producing and publishing audio books for several years in many genres, but this wasdifferent. This was a book made up of short, digestible, independent chunks, expounding on the history,allegories and meanings to be found within Masonry, and exceedingly interesting to my recently raisedeyes. For example, in the Short Talk entitled “The Ruffi ans”, Newton talks about the blows given by them to the throat, heart and head, which are allegories for statecraft, priestcraft, and the mob mind,that kill by robbing us of our freedoms of speech (throat), belief (heart) and thought (head). This wouldmake a great audio book, I thought.

In pursuing the rights to turn this excellent book into audio, I eventually ended up corresponding withMost Worshipful Brother George Braatz, Past Grand Master of Ohio and current Executive Secretary ofthe Masonic Service Association of North America. Apparently, no one had ever seriously consideredproducing audio from their publications, so I composed a contract that brought profi ts back to the MSANA to directly support their worthy campaigns, and sent it off. Five months later, I had a dream inwhich my deceased Grandfather, a 58 year member of Hiram Lodge in South Portland, stood talkingwith somebody I perceived to be Exceedingly Worshipful, and they were both smiling at me. Two dayslater, I received confi rmation of the contract.

“The Builders – A Story and Study of Freemasonry”, also by Newton, a seminal work on the historyof Freemasonry was next on the list. Rather than keep all the fun for myself, I contracted with anothernarrator, Brother. Craig Hummel, who also happens to be a Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodgeof Iowa. He has produced an eminently listenable audio book, and had this to say about it: “…By theway, this project has been an immense joy and educational experience. It may have been written over100 years ago, but his observations, like Masonry, are absolutely timeless.” Both it and the fi rst Short Talks on Masonry audio books are available through Audible.com, Amazon, and iTunes.

I discovered that the Short Talk Bulletins have been published by the MSANA every month since 1923,and the 33 that I produced for the book were but a drop in the bucket. The MSANA is currently publishinga fi ve-volume anthology, containing more than 1100 Short Talks. If Masonry in North America was a church, these would be the sermons.

That’s great, I thought, but all of that wonderful information is contained in big reference volumes, andnot exactly accessible by the average brother. But then, after some excellent conversation with our ownGrand Librarian, Ed King, a vision took shape for the Short Talk Bulletin Online Audio Library, wherefor a $20 annual subscription, members receive the current Short Talk Bulletin as a professionallyproduced spoken audio fi le, and also access to ALL of the historical STBs as they are produced, through a smartphone or a computer. It can be accessed through the MSANA web page (www.msana.com) ordirectly at https://gumroad.com/l/STBOAL#

Again, not wanting to keep all the fun for myself, I have recorded several other brothers delivering ShortTalks for the Audio Library. Brother Hummel is enthusiastically taking part, and the vision includesmany more, especially some of the authors of the more recent STBs voicing their own work, like RightWorshipful Brother Arthur Borland (DGM Oregon), and Maine’s own Grand Secretary, Right WorshipfulBrother Mark Rustin, with hope that this thousand-faceted jewel of Masonic Light benefi ts all who might have ears ready to hear.

Craft

Many centuries ago the earliest ancestors of Anglo-Saxon peoples had a word which meant power,strength, and was spelled in some such form as kraefr. After it had been transplanted to England ittook on the additional meanings of skill, trained hands, cleverness, subtlety (which is retained in ourword crafty). At one time what are now called the Seven Liberal Arts and Sciences in our Monitorwere called The Seven Crafts. In the Middle Ages all trained workmen were in gilds, societies, andfraternities, therefore craft came to be the name given to any one of the skilled trades or arts in general.The modern fraternity of Speculative Freemasonry continues, in one aspect of it, to be a craft, partlybecause it is organized, partly because the members of its lodges are skilled in the Masonic arts, andmore particularly because of the ritualistic art of making Masons.

23

Grand Secretary Conferences

GrandSecretaryCraigDavisheld12SecretaryConferencesacross the state of Iowa in January. Topics of discussionduring the meetings were: variety of code questions, Lodgeof the Year, Master and Warden Handbooks, Biennial Filingand Federal Taxes. Attendance averaged about 12-15 ateach meeting, Cedar Rapids had the highest turnout thisyear with 18 Secretaries present.

Square

The square as a working tool is but one of its many appearances and uses in the Rituals of theCraft – from certain points of view it is possibly the most widely known of all the symbols andemblems, and has passed into the familiar phraseology of the people in such expressions as “asquare deal,” “be square,” etc. The history behind the word itself is so old and so complex thata large book could be written about it, but throughout its wanderings there has been one pointof meaning common to all the forms and uses. The number four has been at the center of it.There are four straight lines, four right angles, four of this, that, or the other, hence such wordsas quadrangle, quadrilateral, quadratics, etc. Also, men always have been struck by the fact thata solid or figure square in shapes gives maximum equilibrium – it stays put, will not topple over,will not cave in, it is solid and substantial (in colloquial usage a solid and substantial meal is stillcalled “a square meal”). For a Mason to be on the square means more, therefore, than for himto be truthful and honorable, though his character is of cardinal importance; he also is stable, isnot flighty, can be relied on, stays put. (As a working tool, the square is a try-square, used forproving right angles; it should not be confused with the carpenter’s square, which has inch marksalong each arm.)

Pillars of the Library

The three principal officers in a Lodge are represented by threecolumns representing Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty. Thesecolumns correspond with three orders of architecture revered byMasons. They are Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. There should beWisdom to contrive, Strength to support, and Beauty to adorn allimportant undertakings. With that in mind, I propose that we contrivea plan to support a fund to adorn that magnificent edifice we all ownin Cedar Rapids, the Iowa Masonic Library and Museums.My proposal is a three-year plan dedicated to raising money toperpetuate the upkeep of the Iowa Masonic Library and MuseumBuilding. My goal is to raise $500,000.00 a year for each of the next

3 years. I am asking 500 members of the Craft or Lodges as a whole to each donate $1000.00per year to the Iowa Masonic Library and Museums Building Endowment Fund. As a gift foryour generous contribution, you will receive a column representing one of the original orders ofarchitecture. The first year you will receive a Doric column followed by an Ionic and Corinthian.The Iowa Masonic Library and Museums Building Endowment Fund is a 501(c)(3) corporation soyour gift is completely tax deductible.I hope that you wish to participate in this program. We have a premier Library and Museum, butit requires a substantial amount of funding for upkeep and repair. All you need to do is send yourcheck for $1000.00 to the Grand Secretary’s office designated to IMLMBEF. This program ispurely voluntary, but think of the enormity of the situation. Don’t let the lapse of time, the ruthlesshand of ignorance, or just plain apathy let our Library “fall in utter ruin”. Please give generouslyand help insure the future of our Iowa Masonic heritage.

MonitorThe word monere was employed for centuries with the general meaning of call to mind, to remind,and belonged to that large family of words to which such terms as mind and mental belong. To thatgeneral meaning there came in time another emphasis; not only was something called to mind, it wascalled to mind with a warning, namely, that if it was not learned a penalty would be exacted – hencethe word admonish. A monitor in Freemasonry is a set of teachings or lectures, which are lawful toprint, the purpose of which is instruction, information, explanation, usually about the Ritual.

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15 Fairfi eld Stater, Edwin E22 Des Moines Waddill, Dennis D24 Rochester Hain Jr, Paul F25 Cedar Rapids Griffi th, Charles L29 Keokuk Dockum, Oren A42 Centerville Bain, Virgil E55 Pella Braafhart, Harry J60 Camanche Hupfer, Edward V63 Chariton Laing, Weston K67 Colesburg Holthaus, Lyle J69 West Union Morf, Darrel A77 Osceola Riley, Frank W80 Adel Doty, Robert C103 Sioux City Pratt, O’don C105 Waterloo Cook, Wilbur E108 Marshalltown Rank, Norman R121 Panora Colema , Gary L125 Dubuque Molid, Robert J181 Decorah Christensen Jr, John A181 Decorah Morse, Garland R192 Iowa Falls Harms, Herbert L200 Olin Wessels, Gerald R221 Davenport Adams, James L221 Davenport Paulsen, Kenneth R

249 Ames Converse, James C259 Council Bluffs Jensen, Delbert G263 Cedar Rapids Tharp, Richard L263 Cedar Rapids Pope, Charles W264 Carroll Vincent, Gene E290 Oxford Bartels, James R299 Perry Sheibley Jr, Chester J301 New Virginia Ballard Jr, Kenneth N303 Ogden Sheibley Jr, Chester J312 Spencer Nelson, Philip W319 Garner Gatchel, James A334 Grundy Center Schultz, Dean J370 Pleasant Hill Titus, John R380 Anita Mehlmann, L K407 Altoona Neff, Dennis L412 Griswold Rodr, Ronald E420 Logan Roush III, John W435 Oxford JunctionCosner, Charles M447 Estherville Geerdes, Donald K470 Kingsley Burright, John D502 Sloan Owens, Ralph E508 Sioux City Rooney, Michael J509 Windsor Heights Doty, Robert C519 Laurens Dallenbach, Robert J

519 Laurens Pitluck, Haskell M541 Hillsboro Benedict, Bryce R541 Hillsboro Dinsmore, Gary E548 Marion Herb, Donald K577 WestDesMoines Dearduff, James E592 Des Moines Gordon, Keith A595 Manilla Kerr, Michael S615 Sioux City Wisner, Preston H630 Des Moines Manny Jr, Frank C630 Des Moines Burch, John L630 Des Moines Reynolds, Jerry S631 Council Bluffs Clark, Michael G631 Council Bluffs Wood, Charles C632 Des Moines Wessling, John L633 Windsor Heights Stewart, Jay D638 Lucas Ansley, Robert D639 Cedar Rapids Pope, Charles W649 Mason City Muth, Fred E650 Burlington Magdefrau, Allen R657 Des Moines Feight, Dwayne A657 Des Moines Goforth, C D657 Des Moines Davidson, Charles E662 Sioux City Spaulding, James T664 Bettendorf Rudnick, Sherman B

LodgeNo. Town Name

LodgeNo. Town Name

50 - Year Certifi cates Issued Since The December 2015 “Bulletin”Congratulations to the following brothers who earned their Certifi cates.

Brothers are shown by lodge.

Non-Profi t Org.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDPermit No. 55

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

IOWA MASONIC LIBRARYGRAND LODGE OF IOWA, A.F. & A.M.

P.O. Box 279Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52406-0279

Phone: (319) 365-1438 -- Fax: (319) 365-1439

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

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