Madison Masonic Lodge 5

Temple Tidings Archive

 Grand Lodge of Wisconsin & Prince Hall Grand Lodge Combined Table Lodge VII

The annual Combined Grand Lodge Table Lodge is almost here, and we would like to make a great showing from our Lodge. The event is on Wednesday, March 31, 2010 starting at 6:00pm, and will be held at the Prince Hall Grand Lodge in Milwaukee. All reservations must be made by Friday, March 19, 2010, and payment of $25.00 per person must be received by the Grand Lodge of Wisconsin in order to participate. Some of our brothers have participated in this event in the years past, and have always had a fantastic time of fellowship. All brothers, reguardless of degree are encouraged to participate. If anyone is interested in carpooling, please contact our Junior Warden, Jon Derer, at (608)320-1642 to make arrangements. Please copy and paste this form into a word document to print it for your reservation, or you can find it in your March issue of the Wisconsin Masonic Journal on page 2. We hope to see you at the Table Lodge!

CLANDESTINE LODGE ALERT!!

Recently, Madison area Masonic Lodges have received communications from a clandestine lodge calling itself the Pythagoras Lodge.  This “lodge” has been formed under the auspices of the Grand Orient of the United States of America, and is not recognized by the Grand Lodge of Wisconsin, F&AM.  This “lodge” promotes divergent beliefs and irregular practices such as feminine and “co-masonic” groups, and therefore is not to be communicated with.  Please bear in mind the oath that we have all taken not to share the secrets of Freemasonry with anyone except for a TRUE AND LAWFUL BROTHER OR WITHIN A REGULARLY CONSTITUTED LODGE.  The Grand Lodge of Wisconsin, F&AM has issued communications to all the regular area Lodges, and has reminded us that under no circumstances are we to communicate on Masonic subjects with this clandestine lodge. 

Please take due notice and govern yourselves accordingly.

The following link is a copy of this letter:

 Pythagoras-Lodge-Letter.gif

This story was found on the Madison Lodge #93, F. &A.M. website. Madison Lodge #93 is located in Madison, New Jersey, and we thank them for allowing us to use this story.

 A  Living Mason

 His name is John.  He has wild hair, wears a T-shirt with holes in it, jeans and no shoes. This was literally his wardrobe for his entire four years of college. He was the top of his class.  Kind of esoteric and very, very bright.  He became a Mason recently while attending college. After moving to his new town, he finds down the street from his new apartment is a well dressed, very conservative Lodge.

One day John decides to go there after work.  He walks in with shoes, jeans, his work shirt, and long hair.  The Lodge has already started and so John starts looking for a seat.  The Lodge is completely packed and he can't find a seat. 

By now the Brethren are really looking a bit uncomfortable, but no one says anything.  John gets closer and closer to the East and, when he realizes there are no seats, he squats down right on the carpet.  (Although perfectly acceptable behavior at a college fellowship, trust me, this had never happened in this Lodge before!) 

By now the Brethren are really uptight, and the tension in the air is thick. About this time, the Secretary realizes that from way at the back of the Lodge, a Past Master is slowly making his way toward John.

Now the Past Master is in his eighties, has silver-grey hair, and a three-piece suit. A good man, very elegant, very dignified, very courtly.  He walks with a cane and, as he starts walking toward this boy, everyone is saying to themselves that you can't blame him for what he's going to do.   How can you expect a man of his age and of his background to understand some college kid in the Lodge? 

It takes a long time for the man to reach the boy.  The Lodge is utterly silent except for the clicking of the man's cane. All eyes are focused on him. You can't even hear anyone breathing.  The Secretary can't even continue with the " Minutes" until the Past Master does what he has to do.

And now the Lodge watches as this elderly man drops his cane on the floor.   With  great difficulty, he lowers himself and sits down next to John and welcomes him so he won't be alone. 

When  the Secretary gains control, he says,  "What  I'm about to say, you will never remember.  What you have just seen, you will never forget.  

Be careful how you live.. You may be the only Mason some people will ever Meet."