The Trestle board

Work plan 2002-03                                                                                                   

The Martin Shermer pin                                                                                                        Pictures Activity                                

Free at last

Words from the East, July 4th, 2002

Words from the East, August 1, 2002

Words from the East, September 5, 2002

 Home

Lodge El Sol Naciente - Work Plan - 2006/07

TOP

"THE MARTIN SHERMER PIN"

 
ON JUNE 1977, WHEN W\B\JACK BEAUJON WAS INSTALLED AS W\M\OFEL SOL NACIENTE 113, W\B\MARTIN SHERMER AS A TOKEN OF THEIR FRIENDSHIP PRESENTED HIM WITH A ' SILVER SQUARE' LAPEL PIN
HE THEN SUGGESTED THAT, EVEN THOUGH THE PIN WAS A PERSONAL GIFT, IT WOULD
BE A BEAUTIFUL GESTURE TO PASS IT ON TO HIS SUCCESSOR.
THE IDEA WAS DEEMED WORTHY BY W\B\JACK, AND AT THE END OF HIS 3-YEAR TERM
ON JUNE 1980, PASSED IT ON TO HIS SUCCESSOR, W\B\GUNTHER BOSSE, WITH THE REQUEST TO LIKEWISE PASS IT ON TO HIS SUCCESSOR
AND SO THE TRADITION OF THE SHERMER PIN WAS BORN.

THIS YEAR, W\B\STEVE BOVEN PASSED IT OVER TO OUR NEW INSTALLED W\M\GLENN MARUGG.
W\B\SHERMER WAS A WELL-VERSED MASON, AN EXCELLENT LECTURES AND
A REGULAR VISITOR OF LODGE EL SOL NACIENTE 113.
 
HE WAS BORN IN NEW YORK OF GERMAN PARENTS AND WAS A MEMBER OF A GERMAN SPEAKING LODGE IN NEW YORK
HE RESIDED IN JAMACA, NEW YORK AND HAD HIS SECOND HOME IN ARUBA ON THE
CONSTANTIJN HUYGENSTRAAT # 15.

TOP

FREE AT LAST, THANK GOD ALMIGHTY, WERE FREE AT LAST.

At the annual meeting of the Grand East of the Netherlands held on Saturday, June 15, 2002 in The Hague, it came to the demise of the “Provenciale Grootloge voor de Nederlandse Antillen en Aruba” (Provincial).

The news did not come as a total surprise. The proposals, counterproposals and even the last minute modification to the latest proposal by the Gr\E\pointed to a final resolution that El Sol Naciente members would cheerfully embrace.

The news from The Hague on Saturday morning precipitated a flurry of phone calls between El Sol’s members.

A very happy and enthusiastic group decided that to mark the end of our decades’ long struggle, a celebration that evening would be in order. The fact that the DeMolay group was using the Lodge building did not hold them back. They decided to do it out side the building as we always have nice weather.  Br\Charlie Pietersz Jr volunteered takes care of barbecued snacks. Br\Charlie Lampe took care of the libations; several other members brought dips and more drinks. As the brethren arrived at the scene they would spontaneously embrace and congratulate each other like they normally do after the installation of new members or the promotion of members to a higher degree. By six o’clock a fairly large group of brethren and a handful of sisters were happily toasting to the achievement in the The Hague. The celebration continued in the El Sol Naciente tradition till late that night.

What exactly was the achievement? The “Provinciale” now no longer applies to Aruba. Its official name will be “Provinciale Grootloge voor de Nederlandse Antillen.” Period! Big period! No more “en Aruba”

Congratulations go to the W\M\Steve and past masters of El Sol Naciente and their officers for the way they fought the good fight and to the members who loyally stood by them since 1997 when the decision was made that enough was enough.

Our congratulations go also to our new elected W\M\Glenn and our representative to the G\E\Wim Cappon who also contributed in the debate in The Hague.

Congratulation to our sister lodge King Solomon and thanks the members for their support in the struggle that El Sol Naciente has been engaged in for years. This should be the beginning of a great period en El Sol’s history. We have won the struggle, let’s now focus on the real objectives of Freemasonry.

Thanks to B\Clyde Harms for this story

TOP

Character and Reputation

It is no secret to Freemasons that character is the greatest of human traits. It is grater then riches, for riches without character may prove a curse. It is greater than social fabric, for, were it not for character, men would fear to associate with one another. It is greater than government, for without character, government would crumble in the dust, anarchy would triumph, property tights would vanish, food and clothing would be for the strong and marriage would cease to be an institution and woman would be the playthings of the powerful.

Character is greater than reputation, for reputation may be despoiled and taken from us by an ill-spoken word, but character is ours while life is ours and cannot be lowered by scandal, nor heightened by undeserved praise or compliment. Reputation and character are not synonymous. Reputation is what folks say about us. Character is what we know about ourselves. We make our own character and can mould it at will, while our friends and our ceremonies make reputation. A scandal may blacken reputation in a moment, but character remains ours to be used in living down the poisoned words of the talebearer. While good name is of inestimable value in our dealings with the world, by loss of good name we have lost something of material value only, while if we retain character, we keep all our spiritual wealth. When character is lost, we lose everything, both material and spiritual, and are poor indeed. Character is symbolic of our attitude towards the laws of God and man. Character is exemplified by our interest in the welfare and comfort of our fellows. Character is fulfillment of duties we are capable of performing in a worthwhile service. Character is everything we are, everything that we hope to be.

GHM

TOP

Character and Reputation ( II )

Never before has there been greater need for men and women of character,

and at no time has there been less apparent interest, by so many persons,

in the nobler and better things,

when there has been more apparent seeking for pleasures and sins that weaken character;

when there has seemed to be less interest in the work of organizations that strengthen character;

when there has seemed to be less interest in the election of men of character to public office;

when there has been greater apparent disrespect for the rights of others;

when there has been more selfishness and fewer sacrifices.

Men and women of character are needed for public places.

Men and women of character are needed as examples of respect for law.

Men and women of character are needed for mothers and fathers of those who soon will take our places.

One of the greatest faults of the world today seems to be that children haven’t the parents children had in what we are inclined to refer to as the “good old days”, to which we would not return, but from which we might learn much in character building.

Building character seems today to be far more difficult than ever because pleasures seem too common, live too free.

That is not so. Human nature is pretty much the same generation after generation.

Building character has never been and never will be easy.

Great characters are built in overcoming trials, in surmounting obstacles, in hurdling obstructions, which others say cannot be overcome, in achieving great ends against great odds.

We are wont to think of great characters such as George Washington, Freemason, the social lion, the man of wealth, who built character that fateful winter at Valley Forge. Of Abraham Lincoln, the emancipator, who built character when he studied by the light of the fireplace.

But character building is not reserved alone for those who go down in the history books.

The father, the mother, the teacher may never have their deeds recorded, but each is just as important when it comes to character building for it is they who are examples for our children who are our greatest possessions and hope.

We can build character by doing things others have done, but we can’t build character by doing things merely because others have done them.

We can build character by doing the things each of us knows he should do.

Lack of instruction is no excuse.

GHM

TOP

The Door to the Human Heart

Holman Hunt’s great picture, “The Light of the World”, shows the Christ at midnight, with a lantern in His upraised left hand, while with His right He is knocking on a heavily-paneled door.

When the picture was unveiled, a critic is said to have exclaimed, “Mr. Hunt, you haven’t finished your picture, there is no handle on that door!”  Mr. Hunt responded, “That is the door to the human heart, it can be opened only from the inside.”

Doesn’t that teach us something in Freemasonry? All of us have often heard that passage of Scripture, “Ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you.” Have you noticed that the important words, “Ask”, “seek”, “knock” are composed of a progressive number of letters, three in “ask”, four in “seek” and five in “knock”, giving us three of the mysterious and sacred numbers of Masonry. Also the initials of the three words, “A”, “S” and “K” give a repetition of the first word “Ask”.

We use this passage of Scripture to point out that the one wishing to become a Mason can’t rush up to the door, open it and crash in. He must wait for it to be opened from the inside. Symbolically there is no handle on the outside of our preparation room door.

Then, after we have received the degrees, we have to open our hearts to the Lessons and Teachings of Freemasonry. They can’t be pumped into us through our ears. We have to open our hearts and invite inside what Freemasonry has to offer; what it is ready to give.

There is no handle on the outside. Open your hearts, Brethern, to our beautiful Symbols, our beautiful Allegories, and our beautiful Teachings.

TOP