(Lecture delivered to the brethren of Dagohoy Lodge No. 84 on January 14, 2006)
Worshipful Master, brethren.
Today’s Masonic Education lecture is titled “Brotherly Love-- Outside the Lodge”. But before I deliver it to you, allow me to cite an anecdote that happened just a while ago that has relevance to this topic.
Before our lodge was opened a few minutes ago, and while waiting for the hat that VW Manuel Mende has ordered brought from his home to the lodge, Bro. Ryan Tirol, who was to act as master of the lodge due to the inability of both the Worshipful Master and the Senior Warden to sit in the East, with the former being indisposed and is scheduled for an operation, while the latter unduly late for the meeting, asked this writer if the lodge cannot be opened unless a hat is available.
Bro. Tirol, being a very young mason (he was raised less than two years ago), deserved to be given an explanation. And so the reply was: “our Fraternity relies heavily on symbolism, and that the master’s hat is indispensable as it makes him on top of all the other brethren. Without it, he will be just like any other, and therefore, subordination in the lodge cannot be effectively carried out.” He thereafter nodded as a sign that he understood.
So let me now get back to the topic.
Our monitor states that the first two things a master do when opening a lodge of whatever degree is (1)puts on hat, and (2) displays working tools. The first has just been explained and the second will now be done.
Note that we don’t have a working tool around. This inadvertence may be understandable as it may have been mislaid somewhere when we demolished our old lodge a few months ago. And so allow me to give the lodge a simple gift which I will now put below the Worshipful Master’s table to be displayed for all the brethren to see, thus complying with the requirement.
How I acquired the working tools is a story in itself. You see, last October, a few weeks prior to my departure for the metropolis to attend with my family the Christmas holidays, I sent two emails to two brethren.
These emails have more or less similar contents and sentence constructions except for the fact that one pertains to a request for working tools while the second for a set of gavels and columns that adorn the tables of the three lights. The first was addressed to Bro. Albert Encarnacion of Laong Laan Lodge No. 185 while the second was sent to VW Jose Ferlu Sudario of Juan Sumulong Lodge No. 169, lodges where the aging lion hold honorary membership, requesting if and would both lodges favor the aging lion with these Masonic furniture as gifts ?!
Let me now narrate what happened to the first email.
Bro. Albert’s reply was to the point. He simply said: “Approved.”
But before he was able to verbally present the request to the lodge, he accidentally met Bro. Rex Ramos, also of the same lodge, who readily said there is no more need to ask the lodge. He’ll buy it himself, anyway, he just closed an insurance deal and the commission was substantial.
The second email was as lucky. VW Ferlu accidentally narrated my request to WB Romulo Ignacio, past master of Antipolo Lodge No. 334 who assured the former that he will have the items carved somewhere at Taytay, Rizal, and to cut the long story short, the sets of gavel and the columns were immediately carved and given to VW Ferlu. And ultimately to the lion when he arrived in the metropolis the first week of December. When asked how much the furniture cost, the giver simply smiled and said: “since it is for your new lodge, Kuya Jun, that will be for free, or in the Castillan language, gratis et amore.”
Now, what makes the story interesting is that WB “Totoy” as the donor is called, and the aging lion, are not really known to each other, especially because the latter has already migrated to the scenic island of Bohol.
The incident that transpired on the working tools was not the same. Although the intended donee and donor have already met the first Saturday of December, the item was not yet purchased. During the multi-district convention that was held at the Grand Lodge last December 17, the aging lion chanced upon WB John Teng and so explained to him his predicament saying he might end up getting home without the item being brought along. Whereupon WB John, instead of replying directly, just dialed his cell phone and said “Bro. Rex, Kuya Jun is here with me at the Grand Lodge. I’m buying the working tools here at the Masonic Supply Store for him and you’ll just have to reimburse me when next we met. And that’s it!
Another gift that the lion expects to receive, although experiencing a snag in the mails, is a US $400 remittance that WB Dennis Alban of Integrity Lodge No. 997 promised; (in what part of the USA, the lion knows not where). He said he sent it last December 12 and yet by January 14, it hasn’t arrived yet. The aging lion therefore requested WB Moises Millanar, the addressee, to check it up with the post office to find out whatever happened while the lion assured the latter that he will make the corresponding follow-up with WB Dennis via email soonest he reach the lion’s den. This manna, when received, can easily fund the possible replacement of the tables of the three lights and possibly the rickety chairs that was used in the old, old, lodge.
There is yet another cash gift that is given by Bro. Orly Bernales of Leeward Lodge of the Grand Lodge of Hawaii, and at this instance, the lion requested that he stand so that his presence my be officially acknowledged and at the same time personally hand over the US $170 donation, coming as it is from his own lodge in scenic and hula-dancing island of Hawaii.
As you will note, dear brethren, those from other lodges outside our borders are as interested in our efforts to rebuild our own lodge. Time demanded that the old one be demolished as the structure, once mighty and imposing, has outlived its purpose. The founders of Dagohoy Lodge No. 84 surely will not fault us for making this bold move, their souls may even guard the new temple as indeed it is undoubtedly closer to their bones.
Note:
There are other donations received by the aging lion. From American Samoa, he received a total of US$ 80, the proceeds of which were spent mostly on the lion tamer’s harelip project and expenses related to the case of Melvyn Bernaldes who is undergoing treatment at the Vicente Sotto Hospital at Cebu City and to Jonel Lustrado who is taking medicines at home.
Another donor who insisted that he remains unidentified gave the aging lion P5,000 last December with the specific instruction that it be added to the Christmas expenses that the lion and his tamer are expected to incur at their backyard to celebrate Christmas. He said that the amount may not ameliorate or improve their lot, but about five hours merrymaking of these poor folks will already be good enough. He even promised that he will help defray the cost of a new project called “A Mini Park for the Kids” that is now being mulled by the lion tamer and his aging pet at their own backyard by the sea.
Worshipful Master, brethren.
Today’s Masonic Education lecture is titled “Brotherly Love-- Outside the Lodge”. But before I deliver it to you, allow me to cite an anecdote that happened just a while ago that has relevance to this topic.
Before our lodge was opened a few minutes ago, and while waiting for the hat that VW Manuel Mende has ordered brought from his home to the lodge, Bro. Ryan Tirol, who was to act as master of the lodge due to the inability of both the Worshipful Master and the Senior Warden to sit in the East, with the former being indisposed and is scheduled for an operation, while the latter unduly late for the meeting, asked this writer if the lodge cannot be opened unless a hat is available.
Bro. Tirol, being a very young mason (he was raised less than two years ago), deserved to be given an explanation. And so the reply was: “our Fraternity relies heavily on symbolism, and that the master’s hat is indispensable as it makes him on top of all the other brethren. Without it, he will be just like any other, and therefore, subordination in the lodge cannot be effectively carried out.” He thereafter nodded as a sign that he understood.
So let me now get back to the topic.
Our monitor states that the first two things a master do when opening a lodge of whatever degree is (1)puts on hat, and (2) displays working tools. The first has just been explained and the second will now be done.
Note that we don’t have a working tool around. This inadvertence may be understandable as it may have been mislaid somewhere when we demolished our old lodge a few months ago. And so allow me to give the lodge a simple gift which I will now put below the Worshipful Master’s table to be displayed for all the brethren to see, thus complying with the requirement.
How I acquired the working tools is a story in itself. You see, last October, a few weeks prior to my departure for the metropolis to attend with my family the Christmas holidays, I sent two emails to two brethren.
These emails have more or less similar contents and sentence constructions except for the fact that one pertains to a request for working tools while the second for a set of gavels and columns that adorn the tables of the three lights. The first was addressed to Bro. Albert Encarnacion of Laong Laan Lodge No. 185 while the second was sent to VW Jose Ferlu Sudario of Juan Sumulong Lodge No. 169, lodges where the aging lion hold honorary membership, requesting if and would both lodges favor the aging lion with these Masonic furniture as gifts ?!
Let me now narrate what happened to the first email.
Bro. Albert’s reply was to the point. He simply said: “Approved.”
But before he was able to verbally present the request to the lodge, he accidentally met Bro. Rex Ramos, also of the same lodge, who readily said there is no more need to ask the lodge. He’ll buy it himself, anyway, he just closed an insurance deal and the commission was substantial.
The second email was as lucky. VW Ferlu accidentally narrated my request to WB Romulo Ignacio, past master of Antipolo Lodge No. 334 who assured the former that he will have the items carved somewhere at Taytay, Rizal, and to cut the long story short, the sets of gavel and the columns were immediately carved and given to VW Ferlu. And ultimately to the lion when he arrived in the metropolis the first week of December. When asked how much the furniture cost, the giver simply smiled and said: “since it is for your new lodge, Kuya Jun, that will be for free, or in the Castillan language, gratis et amore.”
Now, what makes the story interesting is that WB “Totoy” as the donor is called, and the aging lion, are not really known to each other, especially because the latter has already migrated to the scenic island of Bohol.
The incident that transpired on the working tools was not the same. Although the intended donee and donor have already met the first Saturday of December, the item was not yet purchased. During the multi-district convention that was held at the Grand Lodge last December 17, the aging lion chanced upon WB John Teng and so explained to him his predicament saying he might end up getting home without the item being brought along. Whereupon WB John, instead of replying directly, just dialed his cell phone and said “Bro. Rex, Kuya Jun is here with me at the Grand Lodge. I’m buying the working tools here at the Masonic Supply Store for him and you’ll just have to reimburse me when next we met. And that’s it!
Another gift that the lion expects to receive, although experiencing a snag in the mails, is a US $400 remittance that WB Dennis Alban of Integrity Lodge No. 997 promised; (in what part of the USA, the lion knows not where). He said he sent it last December 12 and yet by January 14, it hasn’t arrived yet. The aging lion therefore requested WB Moises Millanar, the addressee, to check it up with the post office to find out whatever happened while the lion assured the latter that he will make the corresponding follow-up with WB Dennis via email soonest he reach the lion’s den. This manna, when received, can easily fund the possible replacement of the tables of the three lights and possibly the rickety chairs that was used in the old, old, lodge.
There is yet another cash gift that is given by Bro. Orly Bernales of Leeward Lodge of the Grand Lodge of Hawaii, and at this instance, the lion requested that he stand so that his presence my be officially acknowledged and at the same time personally hand over the US $170 donation, coming as it is from his own lodge in scenic and hula-dancing island of Hawaii.
As you will note, dear brethren, those from other lodges outside our borders are as interested in our efforts to rebuild our own lodge. Time demanded that the old one be demolished as the structure, once mighty and imposing, has outlived its purpose. The founders of Dagohoy Lodge No. 84 surely will not fault us for making this bold move, their souls may even guard the new temple as indeed it is undoubtedly closer to their bones.
Note:
There are other donations received by the aging lion. From American Samoa, he received a total of US$ 80, the proceeds of which were spent mostly on the lion tamer’s harelip project and expenses related to the case of Melvyn Bernaldes who is undergoing treatment at the Vicente Sotto Hospital at Cebu City and to Jonel Lustrado who is taking medicines at home.
Another donor who insisted that he remains unidentified gave the aging lion P5,000 last December with the specific instruction that it be added to the Christmas expenses that the lion and his tamer are expected to incur at their backyard to celebrate Christmas. He said that the amount may not ameliorate or improve their lot, but about five hours merrymaking of these poor folks will already be good enough. He even promised that he will help defray the cost of a new project called “A Mini Park for the Kids” that is now being mulled by the lion tamer and his aging pet at their own backyard by the sea.
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