Moonlighter
Steilacoom Lodge #2	VOLUME 5, ISSUE 9

September 2003 Newsletter

Howdy Brothers and Sisters,

I hope everyone has been enjoying the great weather we’ve been having.  But alas the signs of fall are beginning to show.  The mornings seem to be darker longer and the evening sun sets sooner.  Some leaves have even started their twilight journey to rusty red and orange.  Then of course the sounds of fall greet us from our radios and TV’s with back to school sales.

We had a pretty good turnout for our annual picnic.  Some of our Eastern Star sisters came again it was nice to see them return.  Brother John did a great job handling the barbeque.  For those that missed it there was some awesome black berry cobbler dishes.  There was plenty to go around that’s for sure and quite a bit of fun also.

I would like to remind everyone that we are having a lodge pin design contest.  The format is that it should not be any bigger then a quarter and it should celebrate our 150^th anniversary.  The prize is a $50 gift certificate to the restaurant of your choice.  Think about it and try to bring your design to the stated on the 5^th of Sept.  We would like to have something to present to the Grand Master at Tri-Lodge.

Speaking of Tri-lodge that’s coming up soon.  We have a lovely gift to commemorate the event.  It will be open to all so please come and share this special event with us.  We will be kicking off our 150^th year as a lodge.  Our next stated is Sept 5^th and it is Asian/Hawaiian night.  So men wear your Hawaiian shirts, Ladies wear your muumuu’s!  I would also like to say thank to everyone for allowing me to share a little of something I enjoy outside of lodge.  For those of you that missed I asked my Norse family from the medieval re-enactment group to come in and put on a presentation for the Ladies. I hope everyone enjoyed themselves.

We had the South Tacoma street fair on the 16^th.  It was a lot of fun. Brother Bruce did a great job getting this planned.  I would like to thank everyone for coming out and helping.  Brother Glenn thank you and the Shriner’s for letting us borrow the pop corn machine.  Also thank you and Brother Mike for being at the lodge to greet those that stopped by.  Brother Glen makes some wicked cookies!

We will be paying a visit to our sister moon lodge Mount Moriah #11 on Sept 10^th.  We will meet at the lodge at 4:30PM and leave by 5:00.  They have a dinner prior to their meeting, so we will have dinner there. We are on a mission to retrieve the moon plaque, so let try and have a really big turn out.  This will be my first time to do this so let’s have some fun!!

Well that’s about it for now.  Remember to keep those brothers and sisters that are ill in your prayers.  We still need to keep those that are in harms way, whether they are here or in foreign lands, in our hearts and prayers.

Take care,

Tom K., WM

May all your travels be safe,

May the wind always fill your sails,

May your table be filled with plenty,

And may the sun keep you in its' warm embrace!

I have hijacked this portion of the Newsletter [Editor].

September's Stated Meeting Pot-Luck Dinner's Theme is Asian.  This also includes Hawaii, SE Asia, and the rest of Polynesia.  I will be preparing and serving the dinner.  For those of us (information for the Ladies here) that will bring a dish, here are some hints on things to bring:

Oriental Salad, Poi, Dream Deserts, Baby beans, your favorite Japanese dish (other than sushi), you get the picture.

I am bringing a meat dish (Korean), a rice dish (Chinese), and a noodle dish (Thai) for the dinner.  Don't worry, these dishes will NOT be hot and spicy.

FROM THE SOUTH

The Cemetery clean up on the 23rd went a little short handed. There were so many things going on that we were unable to complete everything needed. Perhaps we can schedule another one and get the job done. Next time we will provide lunch and schedule it at a time when more people will be able to attend.

The annual BBQ went well. As promised the WEATHER WAS GREAT, and there was plenty of food. Actually there was enough food to feed 50 more than we had present.

We are still looking for Brother's willing to fill various appointed Officers positions. We will be talking with prospects and encourage you to consider committing yourself to one of these positions. So far we have a few that have expressed interest. If appointed, you will find rewards such as a greater understanding of our Fraternity and depending on the position, Lot's of work. Remember, we only get out of anything what we put into it.

The Special Communications Meeting held each month has been lacking in participation. They provide an excellent opportunity to get help in preparing your self for the various rituals. It is also an opportunity to get assistance if you are preparing yourself to Prove Up. You need to Prove Up in open Lodge before holding an office in the Lodge. If we could improve the attendance on these evenings we would probably provide refreshments. The next one is on 26 Sept. We look forward to seeing you there. It would be great if some of the Deputies would attend and give us some guidance.

Betty and I are going on vacation and will be gone from A.M. on the 5th to the 21st of Sept. I will miss the Lodge activities during this period, but hopefully there will be an opportunity to get a Masonic Fix at some lodge along the way.

John Geier
Junior Warden
 

Announcements

Kaffee Klatsch

Tressleboard for September:

Howdy Brethren,             Ain’t this weather been great for outdoor activates and sports and sunburns.  Do take care not to get burned and dehydrated.  Drink plenty of water and use some type of sun block.  It has almost been hot!  But when I call home in Oklahoma, I am thankful of these lovely days we have here.  And with these beautiful days, I do take time to appreciate what the Supreme Architect has made for us to enjoy.  Even with the littlest things, we need to look at with awe, for time is ever ready to diminish our place here on earth.             Ever time I am thinking of the things to write for our brothers, I find myself asking, who are these brothers we touch with our words?  Then when I look at the rooster of members, I realize that there is such a wealth of wisdom and life experiences that I would love to hear.  So I invite you to take a little bit of your time and share your lives.  And I hope and pray all is well with each of you.             Masonic Age is appropriated to each degree; the Entered Apprentice is three, the Fellowcraft is five, and the Master Mason is seven.  These ages are not arbitrarily selected, but have a reference to the mystical value of numbers and their relation to the different degrees.  Three is the symbol of peace and concord and has been called in the Pythagorean system the number of perfect harmony, for the initiate comes in an Order whose fundamental principles are harmony and brotherly love.  Five is the symbol of active life, the union of the female principle two and the male principle three, and refers in this way to the active duties of man as a denizen of the world. Seven, a venerable and perfect number, is symbolic of that perfection which comes with age and experience.  Thus the mystic numbers in Masonry are 3, 5, 7, 9, 15, 27, 63, and 81.             So I encourage you all to take some time and touch some one you know or would like to know and that warmth of friendship and brotherly love.  May you be blessed and share it with some one. “Search others for their virtues, thyself for thy vices.”     Benjamin Franklin “Things are pretty, graceful, rich, elegant, handsome, but until they speak to the imagination, not yet beautiful.”                                        Ralph Waldo Emerson “Don’t worry about your individual numbers.  Worry about the team.  If the team is successful, each of you will be successful too.                  Branch Rickey “Wear your learning, like your watch, in a private pocket; do not pull it out and strike it, merely to show that you have one.”                                                Earl of Chesterfield   Your friend and brother, Lee R. Webb ‘number 2’

History of Steilacoom Lodge #2

I wanted to share with you a little history of the beginnings of our lodge and part of the beginnings of masonry in the Pacific Northwest in general.  I recently found my copy of “A History of Steilacoom Lodge No. 2, F. & A.M.” written by Brother Christian A. Spreen, whom is VWB Alan Spreen’s father.  I am including a short excerpt here with Brother Allan’s permission.  Thanks VWB Alan.

“At a meeting of Master Masons held in Steilacoom Jan. 19^th, 1854, a petition was drawn up and addressed to the M.W. Grand Master of Oregon, for the purpose of organizing a Lodge at Steilacoom.  This petition was presented on Jan. 21^st, 1854, to the Olympia Lodge.  Olympia Lodge recommended to the Grand Master that the dispensation be granted.  The exact date upon which the dispensation was granted is unknown, the Grand Master at the Grand Lodge Session in 1854 merely stated “In answer to the prayer of a sufficient number of Brethren recommended by Olympia Lodge No. 5, I granted a dispensation to Bro. W. H. Wallace and others to open a lodge at Steilacoom, W.T.”  The dispensation was returned at the annual session June 12^th, 1854, and on June 13^th, upon recommendation of the committee on charters and dispensations, a charter was issued to Steilacoom Lodge No. 7.”

                                                                                    Br C. A. Spreen

Some may be confused by the lodge numbers written above.  Remember this is prior to the formation of the Grand Lodge of Washington, which would not happen until 1858.  Also it was noted that there was an error.  Steilacoom was later changed to number 8 as Temple Lodge in Astoria had received their dispensation before us.  Later with the formation of the Grand Lodge of Washington, Olympia No. 5, Steilacoom No. 8, Grand Mound No. 21 and Washington No. 22 would become Olympia No. 1, Steilacoom No. 2, Grand Mound No. 3 and Washington No. 4.

Tom K. WM