December 2009 Ceremonial and Birthdays

December 2009 Ceremonial Meeting

Hello Sojourners,

Please remember that there will be a rehearsal for escorting (for the Supreme visitation meeting on 01-02-10), that starts at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, 12-05-09, for those involved with Supreme escorting duties. If you are not involved in escorting duties, then please plan on being at the rehearsal for the Ceremonial that follows and will begin at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, 12-05-09. The December Ceremonial meeting will open promptly at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, 12-05-09.

Please review your ritual and floor work prior to the rehearsals. Soj. Jada Kubic, our prompter, said that she will only prompt if you look at her for help. Otherwise, she will be giving you a chance to remember what the next line to say should be.

December Birthdays

Happy, Happy Birthday to our wonderful Sojourners, and many, many more! (Again, a note that if you have a birthday in December and are not listed below, please be sure to contact myself or Soj. Joan Arasmith so that the records may be updated. Thanks!)

Soj. Joan Arasmith - Dec. 18
Soj. Dottie Bollinger - Dec. 10
Soj. Chris DiGuilio - Dec. 20
Soj. Anna Mae Gaunter - Dec. 9
Soj. Donna Mehlhaff - Dec. 14

Joys and Concerns:

Joy -- Soj. Roger Noyes continues to improve and hopes to be home for a couple of days for New Year Holiday.

Concern -- Please continue to keep Soj. Betty (& Soj. Joe) Dolosich in prayer about Soj. Betty's recent hospitalization.

Posted by Pam Noyes, WHP

OES Help Request

OES Help Request
(forwarded from a message received from Herb & Kit Trochtenberg)

Saw this in the OES new group.... Can someone Help?

Mon Nov 30, 2009 8:01 pm (PST)

I'm hoping some wonderful people from this list living in the Las Vegas
area will help one of our elderly members that could use some company;
our Chapter is in Idaho so we are unable to assist with personal visits.

Lorraine is 91 years old and blind. Due to health problems she has
been hospitalized and most likely will not be able to return to her
home. She has no family or old friends in the area; they have all pre-
deceased her. The only relative she has, that I know of, is a step-
daughter who lives in Texas. I was contacted by a neighbor/friend of
Lorraine's who has been assisting her this winter and visiting with her
but he is a snowbird who will fly home shortly. Also, this friend is
not Eastern Star and he says most of Lorraine's conversations are about
Eastern Star and her many happy memories of our organization. His hope
is that we can find some kind and friendly Eastern Star members who
will visit with her on a regular basis.

If there are some members willing to provide some company and comfort
to our Lorraine, please contact me off list and I will provide the
contact information.

Thank you in advance for any kindness and help.

Cyndie Bollar, PM
Meridian Chapter # 66
Meridian, ID, GGC

November meeting info and birthdays

Hello, Sojourners and Friends,

Happy Nevada Day and Halloween (Oct. 31st)!

The Starlight Shrine #1 regularly stated meeting will be held on Saturday, November 7, 2009, beginning at 3 p.m. Our "Grateful for Our Blessings" potluck dinner will occur after the meeting.

And, a quick reminder that there will be a Ceremonial meeting on Saturday, December 5, 2007!

Words to the music for the 11/07/09 meeting:

Opening Ode

“Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee” (Psalm 71:23)

Verse 1 only:

Joyful, joyful we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love,

Hearts unfold like flow’rs before Thee, Opening to the sun above

Melt the clouds of sin and sadness, Drive the dark of doubt away,

Giver of immortal gladness, Fill us with the light of day!

Closing Ode

“Just a Closer Walk With Thee” (Philippians 4:13)

Refrain only:

Just a closer walk with Thee, Grant it, Jesus, is my plea.

Daily walking close to Thee, Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

“Come, Ye Thankful People, Come” (Psalm 65:11)

Verse 1:

Come, ye thankful people, come; raise the song of harvest home;

All is safely gathered in, ere the winter storms begin.

God, our Maker, doth provide for our wants to be supplied.

Come to God’s own temple, come; raise the song of harvest home.

Verse 2:

All the world is God’s own field, fruit unto His praise to yield;

Wheat and tares together sown, unto joy or sorrow grown.

First the blade, and then the ear, then the full corn shall appear;

Lord of harvest, grant that we wholesome grain and pure may be.

Verse 3:

For the Lord our God shall come, and shall take His harvest home;

From His field shall in that day all offenses purge away.

Give His angels charge at last in the fire the tares to cast,

But the fruitful ears to store in His garner evermore.

Verse 4:

Even so, Lord, quickly come to thy final harvest home;

Gather Thou thy people in, free from sorrow, free from sin.

There forever purified, in Thy presence to abide.

Come, with all Thine angels come; raise the glorious harvest home.

Below are the November birthdays. Again, if you have a birthday in November, or know one of our member's birthday is in November and you or they are not listed below, please notify Soj. Joan Arasmith and/or myself so we can update the records. Thanks.

Happy, Happy Birthday (and many more) to:

Castro	John	11/1
Davis	Ben	11/18
Gilberg	Bill	11/18
Harrison	La Ree	11/1
Peterson	Pete	11/20
Robbins	Toby	11/9
Weddle	Carole	11/19

posted by Pam Noyes, WHP

The Meeting of the Famous Masons

Dear Sojourners and Friends,

Here's another great story to share with you that comes from David Hunter of Hiramhunter Masonic Supply.

Posted by Pam Noyes, WHP

October 24, 2009

**********************************************************

The Meeting of the Famous Masons

(A bit of Imagination is required)

INSTALLATION NIGHT AT THE CELESTIAL LODGE

As we are all well aware, and as is pointed out in the North East Angle Lecture in the Canadian Rite Ritual, it cannot be denied that we always had many members of rank and affluence.

Over the centuries many well known men have been members of our Noble Craft.

For a few moments, please allow your imaginations to run wild and consider what may take place at the Installation of The Celestial Lodge, otherwise known as the Grand Lodge Above.

Even though it was late fall, there was a warm breeze blowing and the sun was setting behind the Lodge Hall.

Gathered in the parking lot filled with their works were Bros Henry Ford, Ransom Olds, Walter Chrysler, John Willys and Andre Citroen. The only vehicle missing was Bro Hart Massey's tractor.

Greeting members in the entrance hall was Bro Cliff Arquette of Charley Weaver fame and Bro Ed Wynn.

In the boardroom, a group of senior DeMolays were gathered including Bros Walter Disney, Chet Huntley, Wendell Corey, Van Johnson, Robert Cummings, John Steinbeck, Fred McMurray and John Cameron Swayze.

King Gillette, razor in hand, passed the lodge caretaker who was having a minor problem with his vacuum cleaner, which was quickly cleared up with the help of its inventor, Bro Frank Hoover, while at the other end of the hallway Bros Emmett Kelly, Clyde Beatty and all seven of the Ringling Bros were discussing the Shrine Circus.

Taking a quick look into the Banquet Hall, Bros John Molson, Frederick Pabst and Joseph Schlitz were busy rolling in some kegs of beer for Bros Sam Bronfman, late President of Seagrams Distillers, who was setting up the bar for the Festive Board to follow the Ceremony.

Bro Colonel Harland Sanders was cooking up a storm in the kitchen and it was an easy guess as to what the evening meal would consist of.

The orchestra members for the dance to follow the Banquet were tuning.

Members of this All-Star group included leader Paul Whiteman, WC Hardy, Nat King Cole, Irving Berlin, George M Cohan, Cyril Stapleton, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie and Al Jolson.

Tonight's performance would be M.C.ed by Bros Arthur Godfrey and Danny Thomas.

Magical Bros Harry Houdini and Harry Blackstone were setting up their props while Bros WC Fields, Oliver Hardy, Bud Abbott, Harpo Marx, and Foster Brooks were fine tuning their comedy routines for tonight's show which was being produced by Bros Cecil B DeMille, Flo Ziegfeld, Louis B Mayer, Hall Wallis and DW Griffiths.

A number of sports celebrities were gathering together, including Bros Abe Saperstein, creator of the Harlem Globetrotters, who was explaining his version of the game to Bro James Naismith, the inventor of the game.

They were joined by baseballers Bros Charles Ebbetts, Ty Cobb, Branch Rickey and Cy Young, the first pitcher to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

A little further along the hall was an array of masons dressed in knee breeches, lace cuffs and powdered wigs, others in tuxedos, including Bros Kit Carson, Davey Crockett and Buffalo Bill Cody, clad in their familiar buckskins, Chiefs Crazy Bull, Tecumseh and Joseph Brant in their native attire.

Most colorful are the military uniforms of Lord Nelson, Lord Cornwallis, Captain James Cook, the Duke of Wellington and John Paul Jones.

I was gazing in awe at these members of Celestial Lodge, when the Grand Master, MW Bro Harry Truman, appeared from the preparation room accompanied by Bros John Jacob Astor, Luther Burbank, JC Penney, Adlai Stevenson and Jennings Bryan.

Bro John Diefenbaker had just signed the Tyler's Register with one of Bro John Shaeffer's pens.

He was accompanied by Bros Robert Borden and RB Bennett. fellow Canadian Prime Ministers, and by Bro Joe Smallwood of Newfoundland.

At this time, the Tyler, Bro J Edgar Hoover, informed the brethren that the meeting was about to come to order.

On entering the lodge room the brethren were greeted by the Inner Guard, Bro Paul Revere.

Seated already were polar explorers, Robert F Scott of England and Bro Richard E Bird of the United States, together with Matthew G Perky and Canada's Henry Larsen.

Bro Charles Lindbergh could be seen in deep conversation with Bros Hap Arnold, Gus Grissom, Eddie Rickenbaker and Charles Kingsford-smith.

From the Junior Warden's station came a burst of laughter. Bro Will Rogers had brought broad smiles to the faces of the Royal personages gathered around him, including George 1, Frederick the Great, Gustav V of Sweden and George VI.

To the right of the Junior Warden's chair, architect Sir Christopher Wren was joined by Statue of Liberty sculptor, Frederic Bartholdi.

Bros Norman Vincent Peale and Peter Marshall, who would assume the Chaplain's duties this evening, were in conversation with the DuPonts, Peter and Victor, and the Rothschilds, James and Nathan.

Gathered around the Secretary's desk, Bro Rudyard Kipling was discussing the evening's proceedings with Bro Robert Burns, who was to give one of the Charges assisted by Bro Mark Twain.

Also taking part were Bros Conan Doyle, Walter Scott, Samuel Johnson, Alexander Pope and Robert Service.

The Grand Organist, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, was discussing last minute changes with Bros Gilbert and Sullivan.

Bros Clark Gable, Peter Sellers, Wallace Beery, Douglas Fairbanks and Brian Donleavy were discussing boxing with champions Jack Dempsey, Jack Johnson and Sugar Ray Robinson.

Another small group, in the persons of Bros John Wayne, Hoot Gibson and Tom Mix, were listening to Bro William Thaddeus Phillips, also known as Butch Cassidy.

The founding members, Bros George Washington, Sir John A MacDonald, Guiseppe Garibaldi, Benito Jaurez, John Hancock and Ben Franklin were seated in the East.

They have been joined by Sir Stamford Raffles, founder of Singapore.

The Generals, Omar Bradley, Jimmy Doolittle, George C Marshall, John Pershing and Douglas McArthur, take their seats next to Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill.

The Lodge Treasurer, Bro Henry Knox was busy collecting dues from Bros Thomas E Dewey and William McKinley.

The Master, MW Bro HRH The Duke of Connaught, has rapped the gavel to call the Lodge to order and it is now time for us to depart.

With one last took at this brilliant assembly, one wonders what the public's perception of Freemasonry might be if they were able to visit such a lodge.

IN GOD WE TRUST

The Masonic Blue Slipper

From an email received from David Hunter of Hiramhunter Masonic Supply. Thanks, David, for sharing.

Posted by Pam Noyes, WHP


October 21, 2009

**********************************************************

Many of my customers have inquired about the history of the Masonic Slipper Pin. I ran across a wonder article written by Brother Magee and I would like to pass his research along to you.

I have taken the liberty to share this with you, hope he does not mind.

If anyone else has another view on the history of this pin, please e mail me.
Thanks David

http://www.hiramhunter.com

(This article first appeared in the July 1986 issue of the Scottish Rite Journal.)
The Masonic Blue Slipper

by Clyde H. Magee, 32°

Are you familiar with the Masonic blue slipper?

It is a small lapel pin in the shape of a blue slipper.

Over the years it has been my habit to ask my wife and my daughters to wear one of these slippers on a coat or dress when traveling alone away from home.

What is the meaning of this blue slipper and why should female relatives of Masons wear one?

Some 50 or 60 years ago, while I was still living at home, a widowed lady who was a cousin of my Dad's came to visit our home. She vacationed with us for several weeks every summer. She always wore this blue slipper pin. Her late husband was a Mason. The pin that she wore made a lasting impression on me. Through my curiosity and questioning, she told me it was a Masonic pin and served to identify her as a Masonic widow. She declared that Masonic men gave her extra attention while traveling, especially on the railroad (conductors, etc.).

To find out the meaning of this pin, let us go back in history to Boaz' time - the Book of Ruth. It will be remembered that Elimelech, his wife, Naomi, and their two sons, Mahlon and Chilon, fled to the land of Moab to escape the famine in their homeland of Bethlehem-judah. Things went well for a while. Then life fell apart for them. Elimelech died. The two sons married Moabite girls-Orpha and Ruth. Again tragedy struck. Mahlon and Chilon died. This left Naomi a widow in a foreign land with two widowed daughters-in-law from the land of Moab.

In time of trouble, people think of home and more importantly of God. Naomi found out that the famine back home had subsided, and there was grain and food again. So she confided with Orpha and Ruth that she would journey back home and be among her kinsmen.

Certain laws, rules, or customs governed her thinking at this time. Of first consideration was the fact that Naomi was too old to bear a son for her daughters-in-law to marry. Even if she could, the daughters-in-law would not wait for the son to grow up. So the girls should remain among their own people. The girls resisted and started to go with Naomi. Orpha was finally convinced she should stay in Moab. But Ruth remained steadfast and went with Naomi to her homeland.

Naomi and Ruth arrived back in Bethlehem-judah at harvest time. The Scripture passage on which this is based is well-known. "And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me." This passage of Scripture is unsurpassed as a declaration of love and devotion of one person for another. It has been said that it would made a good marriage vow. But, to me it is a different type of devotion.

Naomi also had to take into consideration another law. When Elimelech died, his next of kin was duty bound to redeem his possessions and take care of his widow and her family. Since Naomi was getting old, Ruth tried to earn a livelihood. While gleaning in the fields, she was seen by Boaz. And when he found out about her (that she was Naomi's daughter-in-law, etc.), he arranged special treatment for her. She could work with his girls in the field, and the young men were warned not to bother her. Since Boaz was not married and was kin to Naomi, Naomi decided that she should somehow make Boaz understand his duty to Elimelech's family. So Naomi advised Ruth to bathe and anoint herself and go to the threshing floor after dark and lay at the feet of Boaz. Boaz awoke at midnight and discovered her there. So as not to create a scandal, he gave her some barley and asked her to leave before dawn so that watching eyes would not recognize her.

Business among the tribe of Bethlehem-judah took place at the gate of the city. So Boaz sat down at the gate the next day because he knew there was a kinsman more closely related to Elimelech than he. So when the kinsman came by, Boaz called him aside and asked 10 men of the elders of the city to sit with them. Boaz bargained with his kinsman. The kinsman said he would redeem Elimelech's property. But, when he found out that he would have to take care of Naomi and Ruth, he reneged and told Boaz he would not redeem or protect Elimelech's interest. He would leave it to Boaz.

The passage from Scripture for these events is the following: "And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it. Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbor: and this was a testimony in Israel."

So the kinsman drew off his shoe and gave it to Boaz. Boaz held it up for all in the gate to see. He asked them to be witnesses that he became Naomi's protector, Ruth's husband, and a redeemer of Elimelech's property.

Thus, today we have the little blue slipper as an emblem of the protective influence of Masons for their wives, widows and daughters.

Concerns and Prayer Requests for October 7th

Please keep Soj. Sharene Parini, PWHP and current Worthy Shepherdess of Starlight Shrine #1, in prayer this week as she undergoes medical testing on October 12th.

Also, Soj. Dale Iness has been under the weather recently. Please keep him in your prayers.

Posted by Pam Noyes, WHP

Charlene Curtis 2004-05 WHP Trinity Shrine #35

Charlene Curtis, 2004-05 WHP at Trinity Shrine No. 35, Burbank, has just spent a week at Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital and has now been moved to Sunrise, 1640 No. Fair Oaks Ave., Pasadena, CA 91103-1807. She has had a stroke and can't stand or walk. She has also been told that she has an inoperable tumor, so now is on hospice care. There is no phone in her room, but cards and visits would be welcome.

Charlene is also a member of Fremont Court No. 49, and a PHQ of the IOJD in Burbank.

Posted on behalf of Dorcas Aunger.