a mark

I learned many lessons this weekend. They are complex and I am just starting to try and wrap my mind around them. Of all the degrees I took upon myself the Mark Mason has thus far impressed me most.

I have a mark and have long held it. any who have a piece of art signed by me can find it if they look for it. But I had not looked upon a Craftsman's mark as a lesson until now.

This is how I have made sense of this lesson to this point.

What is in a Mark?

A Mark is made any time a pen touches paper,
A Mark is made any time a foot touches dirt.
A Mark is made any time a beast claws stone
A Mark is made any time a gull touches sand.

A Mark is then gone

When the paper is cast into the fire.
When the rain washes the dirt
When the Wind scours the stone
When the wave meets the sand.

The Mark is Forgotten

The Mark is not but ash
The Mark is not but mud
The Mark is not but passing
The Mark is not but sand

How does a Mark hold Fast?

The Mark must be known well
The Mark must be struck well
The Mark must be worthy
The Mark must be well earned.

A Mark then is lasting.

It must not default before rage
It must not fail to memory
It Must Not Be given lightly
It must not be free as sand

A Mark then is lasting

When Written it is a Bond
When Held it is Faith
When engraved it is Enduring
When True it is Eternal

Widows

It was my honor in my Masonic lodge tonight, as Worshipful Master, to give a program honoring the Masonic Widows. A Brother asked me to share the presentation I made. (it's long)

Brothers, Sisters, Family, and Guests;

Tonight we pay tribute to the widows of our fallen Brethren. This is done in memory of Strong and Upright men who believed in their hearts that the sacred idea of the brotherhood of man beneath the fatherhood of God is a divine and indisputable truth.

As we are brothers in our obligation, one and to another, so are the wives of Master Masons our sisters. As a man takes a wife, her brother’s wife is his sister. As a woman takes a husband his brother is her brother.

This is spoken of in our rituals as we invoke the Book of Ruth. So much is it ingrained that the symbol of a woman related to a mason has become over time the blue slipper. Symbolic of the contract between Boaz and his kinsman wherein he offered to take responsibility for Naomi and Ruth and his kinsman, in confirmation, and testimony of assent plucked off his shoe and gave it to his neighbor.

Our Ideal Ancient Grand Master Hiram Abiff Is mentioned in the Old Testament as “A Widows Son of the Tribe of Naphtoli” Who was summoned out of Tyre by King Solomon to cast al the vessels of the Temple.

The Gospel of Luke tells of Jesus being moved by the tears of a widow and commanding her only son to return from death to care for his Mother.

The Gospel of Mark tells of a Widow who gave of herself even if it should affect her own well being and was raised as an example by Jesus to others who would make offering.

In our Masonic practice we are instructed and sworn to maintain and uphold the good name and reputation of any female relation of a Master Mason, but we are particularly Obligated as Master Masons to have a care for the direct care and relief of our Brothers as well as their Widows and orphaned minor sons and unmarried daughters.

Now in our lives boys grow to be men and some become Masons and Daughters become wives and their welfare becomes the responsibility of their spouse. But our Widows and their care remain our responsibility.

In older years before social programs and healthcare insurance, which is less than 100 years ago, I believe this was a great comfort to all of our Brethren. Remember less than 20 years ago we would wait a week to hear from our Kin by mail. Long distance charges made instant communication a luxury. 40 years ago, the mail was much slower. 60 years ago a long distance call might take hours or days to connect.

The knowledge even 60 years ago that if something happened to me my wife would be taken care of, my children fed, would have been a priceless comfort. Think then of times before that when the mail could take months. When aid from relatives a state away was months longer, how priceless then was our Obligation of care.

Tonight we have ask our Sisters to join us in the celebration of our Brothers lives; the Lives of their Husbands and their cherished memories. Let each of us as Masons remember why we are here and what our obligation means.