STATED COMMUNICATIONS

Masonic Temple

105 King Street

St. Augustine, FL

1ST & 3RD Thursdays

Meal – 6:30 p.m.

DEGREE WORK AND PRACTICE

2nd & 4th Thursdays

CHARITY OF THE QUARTER

MASONIC HOME

Ashlar Lodge No. 98 Free and Accepted Masons St. Augustine, FL

Chartered January 18, A.D. 1888, A.L. 5888

904 826-4086

March 2017

at the photographs of Past Masters lining the walls of

the Lodge Room noting those who were husbands or

sons.

The support of all Brothers for this worthy

endeavor is encouraged. I would like to thank W.

Dominick Perez for again providing loving escort to

our Widows. Bro. Bo set the bar high for all future

Senior Wardens.

On Thursday, February 16, we recognized two

Explorer Scouts and an adult leader from Explorer Post

No. 911 sponsored by the St. Johns County Sheriff's

Office. During the year we will also recognize teach-

ers, first responder, and other public servants as well as

our Rainbow Girls and our Veterans. Your attendance

at these (and all) Stated Communications indicates your

support for the Craft as well as for those honored.

We will have an Entered Apprentice Degree

on Thursday, March 23 at which we will initiate sever-

al new Brothers. Mark that date on your calendar.

There will also be a Town Hall Meeting on

Wednesday, March 8, at Pineland Lodge in Palatka to

learn about the Membership Development under direc-

tion of the Junior Grand Warden, R.W. John Wester-

man. The meal will be served at 6:00 pm. Don’t be

late.

Grand Lodge is scheduled for May 29-31 in

Orlando. This year there will be major changes this

year with a reduction in the number of Zones and Dis-

tricts. We will become District 11 (again).

Finally, we are having great Masonic Educa-

tion at each Stated Communication. Bro. Bozard had

told us about how Masons were “made” in the 17th

century and given us the Legend of Noah. Bro. Swen-

ey has informed us about our petition process and why

we conduct Masonic Funerals. There will be Masonic

Education at each Stated Communication.

Oscar Patterson III Worshipful Master

FROM THE EAST

Brethren:

We have begun the year with a combination of

lows and highs. We will deeply miss W. James Davis,

Past Master and Chaplain, and Bro. Bill Tatel, World

War II veteran. The Brothers of Ashlar No. 98 dis-

played true Masonic Love and respect through their

attendance at the services for these two beloved Ma-

sons. Let us remember that we assure all our Freema-

sons three things: fellowship, charity, and a Masonic

Funeral.

If you Cable Tow permits, please attend ser-

vices for our Departed Brethren. Proper attire for a

Masonic Funeral is dark suit, white shirt, plain dark or

black tie, and no pins or other emblems on the coat.

Plain white aprons and white gloves are provided by

our Tyler.

On the positive side, we had an outstanding

Sweetheart’s Luncheon on Saturday, February 18, host-

ed by our Senior Warden, Bro. Bo Bozard with enter-

tainment provided by Ms. Marianna Lerbs. This lunch-

eon is our Lodge’s opportunity to remind our Masonic

Widows of how much their husbands meant to us. I

noted after the lunch that a number of the ladies looked

March 2017

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 District In-

struction Has-

tings, 6 pm

RAINBOW

2 Stated Com-

munication

6:30 pm

4 MLT Mid-

dleburg Lodge

8:00 am. Sect

8-15

5 6

OES

7 8 Town Hall

meeting

Pineland 6

9 EA Degree

Practice 6 pm

pm

10 11

12 Daylight Sav-

ings Time

Ends

13 14 15

RAINBOW

16 Stated Com-

munication

6:30 pm

17 St. Patrick’s

Day

18

19 20

OES

21 York Rite

Chapter/

Council

22 District

Association

Ashlar, 6:30

pm

23

EA Degree

6:30 pm

24 George Wash-

ington Gavel

Dist. 15, Ocala

25 George Wash-

ington Gavel

Dist. 15, Ocala

26 27 28 York Rite

Commandery

29 30 31

Masonic Ethics

When making an ethical decision, one must avoid the obvious traps: everyone else

does it; nobody will care; no one will know; that's close enough; and some rules are made

to be broken. Ethical decision making is the realization that knowing what is right is doing

what is

a

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

2 3 OES 4 5 District

Instruction

Lake

Rainbow

6 Stated

Communica-

tion

7 8

9 10 11 12 Open

Book Pine-

land 6-9 pm

13 EA De-

gree

14 15

MM I, II, III

Ashlar

8:30 am

16 17 OES 18 York

Rite

Chapter/

Council

19 Rainbow 20 Stated

Communica-

tion

21 22

23/30 24/31 25 York

Rite

Command-

ery

26 District

Association

Middleburg

27 Lodge

Practice

MM Degreee

28 29

April 2017

Ethics (continued)

to “never forget these requirements, these ethics. Rather cherish them keep them close to

your heart. And hold them in reverence . . . For as long as you live. They will never fail

you. We would do very well to follow our distinguished Brothe4r’s advice.

Freemasonry offers its members and the world sound guidance on the proper way to

make ethical decisions. If a Freemason follows the lessons taught in the various lectures, ob-

ligations, and rituals, he will find himself well prepared to serve as a role model and he will

make good ethical decisions doing so. Freemasons, for example, are taught to keep their

promises, no matter how small. Consider the public attention given to Masonic secrets and

the Craft’s demand that a Brother keep such secrets. In fact, Masonic secrets are few—

recognition and some ritual—and even they are not that secret in the Internet age. At issue in

the obligation to keep secrets is the ability to keep one’s word. If you can’t be trusted with the small things,

how can you be trusted with “big” things? “'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with

a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.”

LAST CALL

Military Veterans of Ashlar Lodge No. 98, F. & A. M.

We have begun a project to recognize all VETERANS who are now or who have been

Members of our Lodge and who are not listed on the World War II memorial hanging on our

West Wall. An appropriate plaque is being constructed to display the names, military affilia-

tion, and service of all Brothers who are Veterans.

If you are a Veteran, please complete the form below and return it to W. Oscar Patterson

III . If you know of a Brother who is deceased or who does not attend regularly and you can

attest to his military service, complete a form for him, as well.

FULL NAME: ________________________ Membership No.: __________________

BRANCH OF SERVICE:______________________ PERIOD: ____________________

MAIL COMPLETED FORM TO: W. Oscar Patterson III, Ashlar Lodge No. 98, P.O. Box 236

St. Augustine, FL 32085-0236

Examples: Alfred W. Adams, U.S. Coast Guard, Korea

James J. Smith, U.S. Army, Vietnam

John Q. Public, U.S. Navy, Gulf War

Four Cardinal Virtues.

The four Cardinal Virtues so familiar to all Entered Apprentices: fortitude (bravery or courage,

forbearance, ability to confront fear uncertainty, and intimidation); prudence or wisdom (the

ability to judge between actions with regard to appropriate actions at a given time; temperance

or restraint (the practice of self-control, abstention and moderation); and justice or fairness, the

most extensive and most important virtue. A fifth virtue, alluded to by Plato and others is piety

which includes religious devotion, spirituality, or a mixture of both, but the most common ele-

ment of piety is humility.

LODGE INITIATIVE

A major initiative over the next several years within the Grand

Lodge of Florida is Membership Development under the direction of

the current Junior Grand Warden, R.W. John Westerman. This initia-

tives focuses on: improving the membership experience; enhancing

Lodge attendance; and diligently investigating the quality of those who

petition for membership.

On Wednesday, March 8th, there will be a Town Hall Meeting

with R. W. Westerman at Pineland Lodge No. 86 in Palatka. Note this

date on your calendar and plan to attend.

At Ashlar Lodge No. 98, we are working to do exactly the same

thing by having sound Masonic Education at each Stated Communica-

tion; good fellowship; and increasing our attendance through the “Ask

an Absent Brother”.

Look about you at Lodge and think about those who were in your

EA , FC, and MM class. Are they attending regularly? If not, give

them a call; let them know that they are missed; and invite them to meet

you at the next Stated Communication. You might even offer them a

ride to and from Lodge.

Regular Lodge attendance like regular church attendance and so

much else in life is a good habit. But one broken, it may be difficult to

reestablish.

And when at Lodge, let us always keep in mind that we are there

for fellowship. Talk with all Brothers. Congeniality goes a long way in

encouraging Brothers to return.

All Freemasons are Brothers who meet on the same level, regard-

less of their social or economic status outside the lodge. Princes, presi-

dents, and captains of business are no better or more important than bus

drivers, plumbers, and paper boys when they sit in the lodge together.

Masonry does not detract from a man’s accomplishments, nor does it

exalt him above his Brothers because of his position outside the lodge.

We meet upon the level, act by the plumb, and part upon the

square.

The Legend of Noah According to Graham 1725

(Spelling taken from the original)

Shem ham and jepheth ffor to go their father

noahs grave for to try if they could find anything about him ffor to lead them

to the valuable secret which this famieous preacher had for I hop all will

allow that all things needful for the new world was in the ark with noah

Now these 3 men had already agreed that if they did not find the very thing

If self that the first thing what they found was to be to them as a secret they not

doubting but did most ffirmly believe than God was able and would also prove

willing through their faith prayer and obedience for to cause what they did

find for to prove as vertuable to them as if they had received the secret at

ffirst from God himself at its head spring so came to the Grave finding

nothing save the dead body all most consumed away takeing a

greip at a ffinger

it came away so from Joynt to Joynt so to the wrest so to the Elbow so they

Reared up the dead body and supported it setting ffoot to ffoot knee to knee

Breast to breast Cheeck to cheeck and hand to back and cryed out

help o ffather as if they had said o ffather of heaven helpo us no Earthly ffather

cannot so Laid down the dead body again and now knowing what

to do – so one said is et marrow in this bone and the second said but a

dry bone and the third said it stinketh so they agreed for to give it a name

as is known to free masonry to this day so went to their undertakings

the virtue did not proceed from what they ffound or how it was called but

ffrom ffaith and prayer o thu it continued the will pass for the deed.

Master Chef Bro. Bo Bozard preparing the salad for the Sweetheart’s

Lunch on February 18.

Rainbow Assembly No. 42

Assisting with registration

Sweetheart’s Luncheon, Feb. 18.

Rainbow Assembly No. 42

Assisting at

Sweetheart’s Luncheon.

Thank you to our Rainbow Assembly

for

supporting

Ashlar Lodge No. 98

Sweetheart’s Lunch

Attendees

February 18, 2017.

Northeast Corner at

Sweetheart’s Luncheon

Explorer Scouts and Leader

Recognized

Left to right:

Explorer Tierney McCann

Explorer Lt. Hannah Stegall

Dep. Wesley Grizzard

Back row:

W. Oscar Patterson III

Dep. Wesley Grizzard

receives Grand Lodge

Certificate from

W. Oscar Patterson

Bro. Ken Schaffner supervises.

Explorer Lt. Hannah Stegall receives

Grand Lodge Certificate and check

from Ashlar No. 98.

Explorer Tierney McCann

receives Grand Lodge

Certificate and check from

Ashlar No. 98.

A FREEMASON

The real Freemason is distinguished from the rest of Mankind by the uniform

Unrestrained rectitude of his conduct. Other men are honest in fear of

Punishment which the law might inflict; they are religious in expectation

Of being rewarded, or in dread of the devil, in the next world. A Freemason

Would be just if there were no laws, human or divine except those written

in his heart by the finger of his Creator. In every climate, under every

system of religion, he is the same. He kneels before the Universal Throne of God

in gratitude for the blessings he has received and humble solicitation for

his future protection. He venerates the good men of all religions. He disturbs

not the religion of others. He restrains his passions, because they cannot be

indulged without injuring his neighbor or himself. He gives no offense, because

he does not choose to be offended. He contracts no debts which he is certain

he cannot discharge, because he is honest upon principal.

A Farmer’s Almanac, 1823

Freemasonry has always existed. . .They allow good men and youths

whom they consider worthy of their company to divine and guess at

their deeds, to see them, in so far as they can be seen. These others

find them to their liking, and perform similar deeds. . . And what

exactly do they boast about? Only such things as one expects of every

good person and every good citizen . . . and deeds speak for themselves. . .

Their true deeds are their secrets. The true deeds of Freemasons are

aimed at making all that are commonly described as good deeds for the most part superflu-

ous. Gotthold Lessing in Ernst and Faulk: Dialogues of Freemasons.