February 2005

From the East

Brethren,           

I want to give you a big THANK YOU on behalf of PM’s Bill Winge and Dale Holmen for the turnout of Doric’s January 8^th breakfast.  By supporting these brothers you are supporting your Lodge, Doric.  Please support them and your Lodge at the February 12^th breakfast.  We would also like to thank Cathy and Roy Holm in helping clean up.  Together and only together can we keep Doric the great Lodge it is.

Our January 18^th Birthday dinner turned out to be a success despite the weather.  On my behalf and Past Master Kenn Beauchaine, we congratulated our October, November and December birthday brothers.  You should feel very proud as we are all so proud of you.

February 1^st will be a regular stated meeting, followed by Snacks in the kitchen.  One of the subjects we will discuss will be the perpetual membership plan (PMP).  This is a great program, for it continues to support our Lodge “Doric” even after we are gone.  Grand Lodge also offers a payment plan so you don’t have to pay in one lump sum.  After you are in PMP, you never have to pay dues again.  I will ask our Secretary, Past Master Mitch Custer to explain it all.  “Please consider this”.

February 15^th will be our Past Master’s Night with an open Lodge so our Ladies can sit in.  Before the meeting we will have a Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner.  This will start at 6:00pm until 7:15pm followed by an open Lodge.  There will be awards given out so ladies come and join Doric in these honors.

Before closing, I want to thank Past Master Terry Rieck and Brother Roy Holm for taking care of a couple of electrical problems in the Lodge.  These Brothers have given a lot and we are grateful for it.   I would also like to thank Past Master’s Mitch Custer and Bill Winge for all they have done and continue to do.  I appreciate how you are supporting me and Doric.  Thanks to all the above.

 TOGETHER DORIC WILL REMAIN STRONG.

Fraternally, Chuck

VA Chapel Volunteers For February.

Feb. 6 Tom and Barb Ross

Feb 13 Chuck  Sr. and Chuck Jr. Porter

Feb 20 Elmer Custer

Feb 27 Bill Winge and Terry Rieck

Death Not Due To Masonic Ritual

The Capital Times :: EDITORIAL :: 9A

Saturday, January 15, 2005
Bob James McFarland

Dear Editor: The story and headline appearing in The Capital Times on Jan. 8, "Man convicted in Masonic ritual death," was misleading in its representation of the case. First, the headline implies that the death was part of a Masonic ritual. The story reinforced this by stating that the initiation took place at a Masonic lodge and was conducted by Masons.

While the location is correct, and the men involved were Masons, the ritual was not Masonic. It was a non-Masonic club formed by Masons who provided maintenance and upkeep on the lodge building. Riverhead Lodge No. 645 allowed these men to use the lodge building for their club without any endorsement of their activity. The Grand Lodge of the State of New York knew nothing about their initiation ceremonies, and would not have approved had they known.

As the chaplain of Madison Lodge No. 5, F&AM, I can assure you that there was nothing Masonic about the ceremony that Brother Albert Eid was conducting, and there is no place in a Masonic lodge for a firearm. An edict banning such weapons from all Wisconsin lodge buildings was issued at the Grand Lodge annual meeting in 2003, and restated in 2004 by Grand Master Keith Chamberlain.

While revealing the specifics of actual Masonic initiation ceremonies would not be appropriate here, I will stress that they are solemn and respectful, and do not rely on frightening anyone.