Jan-15

Letters from District No. 10
Page 1
Free & Accepted Masons of Washington
Published by: Whatcom
Volume 16 - Issue 1
Lodge No. 151...Chartered in 1906
visit us at: www.WhatcomMasonicLodge.org
Happy New Year!!!
Happy New Year !
January 2015
Stated Meeting Dates
of the
District Ten Lodges
Whatcom Lodge Report
Jan 2nd Bellingham Bay - 7:30 p
Special Communication: Our last Special Communication was held on Thurs-
Jan 7st San Juan Lodge - 7:30
th
day, December 4 . The purpose of this meetings was to confer the FC Degree
on Bro. Chris Waters. The Degree was conferred by SW Chris Bonner, SD
Craig Bruner conducted Bro. Waters. The Working Tools were explained by Bro.
Brent Nichols, JW Paul Brainard presented the MC Lecture, and WM John
Brown gave the “G” Lecture. WB Dave Nelson sang “Nearer my God to Thee” and WM
John Brown gave the Charge. All performances were well done.
Proficiency: Bro. Ken Peck, assisted by WB Terrell Goertz completed his FC
Posting Lecture in front of the Brethren. He gave a nearly flawless recitation and
was given an enthusiastic applause.
Stated Communication: Our stated meeting was held on December 18th. WM
rd
John Brown opened Lodge on the 3 Degree and noted that in addition to the
regular lodge business the MM Degree would be conferred on Bro. Chris Olson. The meeting attendance was 23 Brothers and 1 visitor.
The Degree was conferred by WB Jesse Petersen, SD Craig Bruner
conducted Bro. Olson. The Working Tools were explained by Bro. Brent Nichols.
The Drama featured WM Brown as KS, SW Bonner as KH, ruffians were: Larry
West-1, Paul Barinard-2 & Jim Nail-3. The craftsmen were: John Browne-1,
Frank Myers-2 & Monte Thompson-3. The secretary was Bill Hall, Grand
Marshal—Scott Voss and Sea/Wayfaring Man-Jerry Mason.
Degree:
Business: As normal the bills were read and approved for payment, two
Dimits were issued and correspondence read: including an expulsion letter
from GL and the GM’s Edict which put Brothers on notice that failure to fulfill the obligations of their respective offices was Masonic Misconduct.
Visitor: We had the pleasure of welcoming Bro. Srivatsan Rangarajan of Mt.
Lebanon Lodge No. 72 of the M∴W∴ GL AF&AM of B.C. and Yukon, he was
given a hearty Whatcom Lodge welcome.
Up-coming Degrees: Our next degree is scheduled for Thursday, January 8th.
Dinner is at 5:30 pm and Lodge will begin to open at 6:30 pm. WM City John
Brown will confer the MM Degree on Bro. Ken Peck, we hope you’ll attend
and support Bro. Peck as he is raised to the Sublime Deg. of a Master Mason.
Next Stated Communication: The next Stated Meeting will be on Thursday,
January, 15th. Dinner at 5:30 and Lodge to open at 6:30 pm. I believe we’ll have
a Petition for Plural Membership to give it’s first Reading.
Robbie Burns Night: Tuesday, January 27th, Prince David Lodge No. 101,
W∴M∴ GL AF & AM of B.C. and Yukon. Dinner is at 6:30 PM followed by a
meeting - a FC Degree will be conferred. Contact. WB Jesse Petersen is taking
one car load up and there may be one more.
Fraternally ~ VW John F. Browne, Secretary—Whatcom Lodge No. 151 **contact info on page 4**
Jan 9th Lynden Lodge - 7:30 pm
Jan 12th Ferndale Lodge - Dark
Jan 14th Nooksack Valley Ldg - Dark
Jan 15th Whatcom Lodge - dinner at
5:30; meeting at 6:30 pm.
The Best portion of
a good man’s life
is his little, nameless,
unremembered acts
of kindness and of love.
William Wordsworth
1770 - 1850
∴
The tree which moves some to
tears of joy, is in the eyes of others
only a green thing that stands
in the way. Some see nature all
ridicule and deformity...and some
scarce see nature at all. But to the
eyes of the man of imagination,
nature is imagination itself.
William Blake, poet, engraver,
and painter (1757-1827)
∴
Sometimes our fate resembles
a fruit tree in winter,
Who would think that those
branches would turn
green again and blossom,
but we hope it, we know it.
(Bro.) Johann Wolfgang von Goethe,
(1740-1832)
Here is what Bellingham
Bay
Page 2
has going on.
Friday January 2rd We'll read the Investigation Report for
an EA Petition & ballot on the same. Lodge opens at 7:30 p.
Friday January 16th Special Communication - we’ll do an
The Will is the link between the Soul
and the Universe ~ Ian Nottingham, Witchblade
Whatcom Lodge - 2014,
Year in Review
EA or FC degree this night and try to squeeze in another
special this month for the other degree. WM Arne Hanson
will be out of town so SW Scott Saunders will step up to the
East. Lodge opens at 7:30 pm
Whatcom Brothers, another Masonic year has passed
and though we elected some new members our overall
Master Mason roster went down. Whatcom Lodge started
the year with 130 Master Masons on our roll and it may
end as low as 120.
Notes from Lynden Lodge No. 56
This year Father Time collected four Whatcom Brothers
for the Celestial Lodge and we learned about another
Brother who had passed on a previous year.

Jan 8th
nd
Jan 22
Stated Meeting
7:30 PM
Special Meeting
7:30 PM
Greetings Lynden Brethren:
We had a very productive Stated Communication on December 11th. There a couple of important Bylaws matters which
were handled and are presented below for your information.
The first item was the motion to change the meeting time
start time from 7:30 to 7 pm. The new start time will not
take place until the GM’s approval.
Unfinished Business: A written motion was made by W. Master
Grahame at the November 13, 2014 stated communication to
amend the By-laws, ARTICLE II, Communications, Section 1, to
change the time of the monthly stated communication from 7:30
PM to 7:00 PM. Seconded by VWB John Sleeth. This motion
was tabled by W. Master Grahame until Due Notice could be
given to the brethren. Due Notice was sent by Secretary Pro
Tem John Browne. W. Master Grahame asked if there was any
discussion on the motion; there being none, the vote was taken
and passed by the required ¾ of the members present. Amended By-law, ARTICLE II, Communications, Section 1, will be submitted to the Grand Lodge for the approval of the Grand Master
The second item relates to our Standing Rules. By now you
may have already received the mailing I sent out before
Christmas - here is how the minutes read.
New Business: A written motion was made by Secretary Decima to amend the Standing Rules in accordance with the recommendations by the Audit Committee for the 2013/2014 fiscal
year and the acceptance of these recommendations by the
Lodge at the stated communication on November 13, 2014.
Motion seconded by VWB Jerry L. Mason.
The proposed
amended Standing Rules was distributed to the members present at the meeting; a copy is appended to these minutes. Due
Notice will be sent to the brethren and the motion will be balloted on at the January 8, 2015 stated communication.
WM Gordon Grahame will need your support brothers so I
do hope you find time in your busy schedule to attend Lodge
and help restore it to health. If you have any questions or
need clarification on any matters concerning Lodges Bylaws
or operation please feel free to contact me, contact information noted below.
Next Stated: Thursday, January 8th at 7:30
WB Dick Decima - Secretary
Ph. 392-0145 Email: [email protected]
Though we lost those brothers to we gained two members by being raised to the Sublime Degree. Bro. Brent
Nichols was raised on 8/7/2014. He was followed by Bro.
Chris Olson who was raised on 12/18/2014. This year we
conferred a total of 9 degrees: 4 EA’s, 3 FC’s and 2
MM’s. Whatcom lodge lost 4 Brothers through Demission. The number has not been finalized by the time of
this report but we may loose as many as 4 for Non Payment of Dues. On the plus side we’re going to confer a
MM Degree on January 8th, so our New Year looks bright.
Secretary - ‘country’ John
Nooksack Valley Lodge No 105
Lady’s Luncheon: On Sunday, December 14th at 2 pm the
Nooksack Valley Brothers held their annual Lady’s
Luncheon. The turnout was excellent and we had on hand
Grand Master Sam Roberts and Junior Grand Warden
Warren Schoeben along with their respective Ladies.
New Year’s Party: As of the writing of this article we’ve
not yet met for our annual New Year’ Party. Which
means you may still be able to join us. This year we meet
on Saturday, January 3rd in the WB Michael Beaudry Fellowship Lounge at the Nooksack Valley Masonic Center.
The party begins at 6 pm - this is NOT a dinner but could
be thought of as desert. Bring your favorite munchies and/
or beverage.
We will gather to have fun and fellowship, looking at
the year that is passing and toward the year which is about
to begin. Brothers are encouraged to bring guests as this is
a family style event matching the emphasis of the Lodge
on Fraternalism and Family involvement.
Let me take this opportunity, on behalf of WM Tim
Springstead, to wish all our Masonic Brothers reading this
Newsletter a very Happy New Year!
Warmest fraternal regards,
VW John Browne
Treasurer - Nooksack Valley Lodge No. 105
Page 3
Exploring the Great River that is Freemasonry
How often have you heard history described as “flowing”? Like time we often
describe the progress of history in the same terms we use to describe the passage
of a river. I like this analogy, because in my mind it gives us two ways to experience History. The first is to sit by the bank and watch it pass, the other is to
board an imaginary boat and explore the river’s course, tributaries and backwaters.
Any study of Freemasonry is eventually a study of history. You may have noticed that there are hundreds of theories that explain the origins of this great river we call the Craft. These theories generally
fall into two large camps, one is the “authentic camp” the other the “ romantic camp”. The former is
based in source documents and a methodical scientific approach to history that seeks to limit its conclusions to that which data directly supports. The latter will apply a more liberal approach to data
analysis and will often stress single historical events over others. Brethren in these camps will often
defend their approach with near religious zeal.
I have found in my research that the exploration of Freemasonry’s history is like exploring a river.
This great river has many tributaries, and feeds many offshoot streams, and sometimes it forms lakes
and even seas on its way to the great ocean of the modern Craft. As you seek the source of a river you
have to make a decision about how you will define the source of a river. Is the source the most distant,
or is it the source that provides the most water to the river? The Nile is a good example. It has two
sources, one the White Nile is the most distant source of this historical river, but the Blue Nile provides the most water. When we look at our history we find that the situation is similar for Freemasonry. Some of the sources of Freemasonry are very distant while others provide the most influence.
Which is our source? To make matters worse, each individual Freemason is a tributary of the great
river of our Craft. I feel that the question of how you define the source of the Craft is really at the core
of the many diverse theories of the Craft, and I propose that when you apply this principal to the many
theories you see that everyone is right, well most, from a certain point of view.
Some claim our source is the Roman Collegium (Roman stone Mason guilds). These theories fall into
the romantic camp, as there is no concrete evidence to support this theory. That said, there is no doubt
in my mind that the science of architecture was passed down in part from the Romans to the medieval
European guilds from one Mason to another. Others see an Alchemical source or Rosicrucian source.
These contributions came to the Craft from individual masons who brought that knowledge to the
Craft. There is little doubt that these influences exist in the Corpus Masonic, but there is no evidence
that there was a concerted effort to transition from a secret Alchemical or Rosicrucian brotherhood to
Freemasonry.
As a member of the Scottish Rite Research Society I am intensely interested in the History of the
Craft. Exploration of the great River that is the History of the Craft is a wonderful adventure, and I
would love to invite you to join me in this quest by joining the Society and adding your unique voice
to the story of our beloved Craft.
W:.B:. Mike Priddy, Valley of Kennewick
Chair SRRS for the Orient of Washington
One day, in retrospect, the years of struggle
will strike you as the most beautiful.
Sigmund Freud
Masonic Family Organizations in District No. 10
JANUARY 2015
Page 4
BMC = Bellingham Masonic Center on W. Maplewood ; FMC = Ferndale Masonic Center;
FHMC = Friday Harbor Masonic Center; NMC = Nooksack Masonic Center; SRH = Scottish Rite Hall
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
W #151 - Special
moved to Jan. 8th
BB # 44 stated 7:30 pm.
Evergreen RB # 17
7 p. moved?
***New Year’s Eve***
4th Day of Christmas
4
5 Hesperus Commandery No. 8 - 7:30
11th Day of Christmas
11
12th Day of Christmas
Twelfth-Night begins
at Dusk
12 F # 264 -
Dark
Bellingham Council
No.16 R&SM - 7:30 p
18
***New Year’s Day***
7th Day of Christmas
6th Day of Christmas
5th Day of Christmas
6
9th Day of Christmas
8th Day of Christmas
7 SJ # 175 - stated
ML-OES # 58
(BMC) 7:30 p
8
7:30 p. (FHMC)
Nooksack Valley
Lodge New Years
Party - 6 pm, Masons,
family & friends are
welcome. See our
article on p. 2 for
details.
10th Day of Christmas
W #151 Spl. Dinner
at 5:30 pm. Lodge opens
at 6:30pm. MM Degree
9
10
15
16
BB 44 Spl
Comm 7:30 p.
(SRH)
17
23
24
30
31
V of B Scottish Rite:
Dinner at 6:30 pm & L # 56 Stated, the meetStated Mtg at 7:30 pm
ing is at 7:30 pm
Epiphany
The Wise Men visit
the manger!
13 Bethel # 25
at
6:25 pm
14
NV # 105 - Dark
V of B Scottish Rite:
Education Night at 7 pm
W 151 - stated
dinner at 5:30 lodge
opens 6:30 pm.
Evergreen RB # 17
7 p. (SRH)
19
Bellingham Chp 20 ML-OES # 58
Royal Arch - 7:30 p.
7:30 p. (BMC)
21
SJ # 175 - Spl.
7:30 p. (FHMC)
22
F-OES # 223 7:30 p.
V of B Scottish Rite:
Education Night at 7 pm
Bellingham Temple Association meeting 7:30 PM
28
29
(FMC
L # 56 special
meeting 7:30 pm
Bethel #25 at
6:25 pm
Martin Luther King
Jr. Day
25
26
F # 264 - Dark
27
Widows & Orphans Fund
for
District No. 10
If you would like to know more about the W & O
Fund contact one of the officers listed below.
VW Jerry Mason at 360-303-6583
WB Jesse Petersen at 360– 319-5556,
Br. Chris Bonner at 360-312-4225,
or you may contact your Lodge Secretary
or your Worshipful Master.
Fraternally,
Jerry Mason - President, Jesse Petersen - Vice President
Chris Bonner - Secretary/Treasurer
Has your message missed this publication. Don’t
get left out. Please send your group’s article, event
information and/or calendar note by the 22nd of
each month. In order to promote events occurring at the
beginning of each month I try to send out the newsletter on
or about the 25th of each month. Thanks, John the Editor
To contribute to this newsletter please send your letter,
comment, historical fact, poem or calendar announcement, by
the 20th day of each month, to:
John F. Browne, 9960 Stardust Lane,
Maple Falls, WA. 98266
-599-3481
[email protected]
Ph. 360
e-mail: