Emessay Notes June 2012 

Minnesota Masonic Charities Helps Relieve Hunger

Minnesota Masonic Charities, the philanthropic arm of Minnesota Masonry, contributed nearly $800,000 in March to several hunger relief organizations throughout the state.

From Dec. 1 to March 1, 129 participating Masonic groups, including 62 Lodges and 35 Eastern Star chapters, raised more than $263,000.  Minnesota Masonic Charities then matched that amount on a 2-for-1 basis, adding more than $526,000.

Numerous Lodges went out into their communities with many projects to raise the funds in a short period of time.  They developed alliances with other organizations, community groups, and even churches, to help maximize this opportunity to earn matching dollars.

The nearly $800,000 was able to buy nearly $16 million dollars in food to help feed many needy families in every part of the state. Not only did the Masonic Fraternity in Minnesota make a huge contribution to helping a worthwhile cause during a time of economic uncertainty, but it communicated the positive face of Freemasonry to many thousands of individuals across the state at the same time.

Familiar TV Newsman Now Honorary Past Master

David Goodnow, one of the original anchors when CNN Headline News was launched in 1982, has been named an honorary Past Master of Nelms Lodge in Georgia.

In his television news career, Brother Goodnow became one of the most familiar faces on American television news.  He is now retired, but continues to be active in numerous community and Masonic activities. 

He is a long-time member of the Steering Committee of the Masonic Information Center, the information arm of the Masonic Service Association of North America.

A native of Vincennes, Indiana, Brother Goodnow is a member of Vincennes Lodge, No. 1, which was the hometown and home Lodge of Red Skelton.  Brother Goodnow became a DeMolay in 1952, and is an honorary member of the International Supreme Council of DeMolay.  He is a 33rd Degree Scottish Rite Mason.

He also is a member of Nelms Lodge in Smyrna, GA, where he resides. The presentation of the honorary Past Master title included a certificate and apron.

(Source: Georgia Masonic Messenger, April, 2012)

Freemasonry Source Of 'Cutting Edge' Concepts

According to an article by John L. Cooper, III, Senior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge of California, Freemasonry has had a long history of developing "cutting edge" ideas, which later became accepted parts of society.

He referred to conclusions by Dr. Margaret Jacob, the prominent historian of Freemasonry in the 18th Century, that "Masonic Lodges were the places where civil society first learned democratic practices -- practices which were then copied by emerging democratic governments, such as the United States."

In the 19th Century, Freemasonry established public schools and non-sectarian colleges, which later became universal features of modern nations.

And in the 20th Century, Right Worshipful Brother Cooper wrote, Freemasonry pioneered the idea that our youth could learn to lead through taking responsibility for their own organizations, and learn to make sound decisions in life by being surrounded by teachings which encourage right thinking.

"DeMolay, Job's Daughters, and Rainbow did it first in the 1920's, and they do it today," Brother Cooper wrote.

The April-May issue of the California Freemason is filled with feature stories about the Masonic youth organizations and relationships within the Masonic family.  Online copies are at www.freemason.org.

 

Just Because It's Not In The Ritual . . .

A great quote from Larry Jacobsen, member of the Education Committee of the Grand Lodge of Nebraska:

"So, is 'personal integrity' a Masonic principle?

"Well, it seems that 'Integrity' joins the words of 'Ethics,' 'Toleration' and 'Civility' as never showing up in the Masonic ritual and yet those four words go a long way in defining the relevance of Masonry in the 21st Century."

(Source: The Nebraska Mason, Winter, 2011.)