MEDINA LODGE NO. 58, F. & A. M. CHARTERED JANUARY 31, 1820

An Ancient Document

In tracing the genealogy of Freemasonry we eventually arrive at the date 1390 A.D., when the Regius manuscript, the oldest known and most important version of the Old Charges, is supposed to have been written. Traditions lead back to the creation of the world, and include most of the great teachers of mankind as Masons; but to those who insist upon applying the approved methods of historical research to the study of Freemasonry, the Regius Manuscript affords a starting point in cumulative documentary evidence relative to the direct ancestry of the fraternity. The Regius Manuscript, as it is known, is a poem written on sixty-four pages of vellum, handsomely bound. It was presented to the British museum by King George II, in 1757. It was at first catalogued as a poem of Moral Duties, and this may have caused its tardy discovery in 1839 as a Masonic document. (Courtesy of http://web.mit.edu/dryfoo/Masonry )

The Regius Manuscript…

… the oldest of the known manuscript charges of Freemasonry is written in the old English of Chaucer's time, and is very difficult to read. This old document contains 15 articles and 15 points, of which the following is a free transcript, care being taken to convey the spirit of the thought, rather than literary accuracy:

The Articles

(1) The Master must be a trusty man, an honorable and impartial medium between the lords who hire and the operatives who labor.

(2) He must be punctual in his attendance at the assemblies.

(3) He must take no apprentice for a term of less than seven years.

(4) He must take no apprentices, save the free and well born.

(5) He must take no mutilated person for an apprentice.

(6) He must not take Craftsman's wages for apprentices' labor.

(7) He must take no immoral or depraved person for an apprentice.

(8) Finding an employee incompetent, he must immediately discharge him.

(9) He must undertake no work that he cannot finish.

(10) No master shall supplant another in his business.

(11) He shall not require his workmen to work by night, except in search of knowledge.

(12) He shall speak no evil of his fellows' work.

(13) He must instruct his apprentices in the Masonic science.

(14) The Master shall take no apprentices for whom he has not sufficient labor.

(15) He shall not compromise with his fellows in their sins for any profit.

The Points

(1) The Mason must love God and his brethren.

(2) He must work diligently in working hours that he may lawfully refresh himself in the hours of rest.

(3) He must keep the secrets of the brethren with fidelity.

(4) He must be true to the Craft.

(5) He shall receive his wages without murmuring.

(6) He shall not turn a working day into a holiday.

(7) He shall not carnally lie with a brother's wife.

(8) He must be just and true to his Master and brethren in every capacity.

(9) He shall treat his brethren with equity and in the spirit of brotherly love.

(10) He must live peacefully and without contention with his brethren.

(11) Seeing a brother about to err he must admonish him with kindness.

(12) He must maintain the general regulations of the Craft.

(13) He shall commit no theft or succor a thief.

(14) He must be steadfast to these laws and to the laws of his country.

(15) He shall submit to the lawful penalty for whatever offenses he may commit.

(Courtesy of http://web.mit.edu/dryfoo/Masonry )

I would like to start off by wishing everyone a Happy New Year. It seems like it has been a while since that last stated meeting, which means the next one will probably be a long one again! My goal is to have stated meetings done by 9:00; but I already missed that mark on the first meeting. WB Cover & myself will be experimenting a little on trying to streamline our meetings.

As the new master I should probably introducing myself. I’ve belonged to the Medina lodge for five years and I know I probably haven’t met at least half of you. So for those of you who haven’t been to lodge in the last five years, let me be the first to invite you to lodge. My name is Larry Donovan, I am an attorney with a law firm in Cleveland, I have a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering and am a former police officer. I was raised by WB Ken Crouse in 1996 and since then have served this lodge as Junior Steward, Junior Deacon, Senior Deacon, Senior Warden, and now the master. I also belong to the Scottish Rite, Shrine, Chapter, Counsel, and Commandery. Some day I may even attend all their meetings.

A couple of goals I would like to set for this year is to continue the work of WB Kurtz in getting the Temple back in order; to continue the tradition of Medina being one of the best Lodges for ritual work; to meet as many of you brothers during the year as possible, and, oh yes, have some fun & fellowship too. But enough about me, let’s get on to some lodge business.

I know that in the last Trestleboard a schedule was printed, so I’ll just mention a couple that are fast approaching. Monday, Jan. 15 at Mansfield, in the EA degree. Also a favorite is coming up, West Salem on Jan. 29 in the FC degree. Those of you who have traveled before know that West Salem is famous for making their own bread. I’ll be there!!! Reservations are required for those brothers who wish to go.

Rainbow

The girls have initiated a new member. They will be having installation of officers on Jan. 20^th at 7pm.

Next dinner is on Jan. 24^th at Medina – no excuse that you can’t find the place. Dinner is beef tips and noodles and there will be a singing group of entertainment. P.S. pay your dues.

According to WB Kurtz the roof over the theater needs to be replaced. He should be obtaining estimates shortly. The City of Medina inspector looked over the building and informed us we have a few code violations, most notably electrical problems and exit doors need replacing. The marquee has been removed, luckily before it fell on anybody; a replacement is being investigated. A plan to upgrade the theater is in the works. An estimated appraisal of the building was obtained, hold on to your hats, $870,000 (yes that's right, eight hundred seventy thousand!!!), replacement cost $1,200,000 (that’s right, 1.2 MILLION). So, good thing we hung on to this building after all. We may need to put some money and effort into it; but I think in the long term we will be much better off. Hats off to WB Garris & WB Kurtz who put so much time and effort into saving the Temple. Finally, hopefully by the time you read this, the front office space will be ready for renting. Anybody knows anyone wanting to rent the offices contact WB Kurtz or myself. One of the biggest portions of our dues goes to the cost of keeping and maintaining our Temple, therefore, it benefits us all to try to increase the Temple’s revenues (as in collecting rent), while of course minimizing the expenditures (are you reading this Dave???).

I will be calling a Special Meeting for Thursday, Jan. 18^th to confer an EA degree on our newest candidate. This candidate’s father-in-law is a brother from India (as in between China & Africa) who came to visit our lodge at the last Installation of Officers. Let’s try to have a great turnout; I think if we all reflect when we received the degrees one of the most impressive moments was seeing all those brothers when we were first brought to light. I hear a couple more petitions will be coming in, so stay turned.

We had a visit from our Most Worshipful Brother, Jack L. Allen on Dec. 21^st for a cornerstone laying ceremony at the Inn of Medina near the intersection of Routes 3 and 162. The Grand Master opened the Grand Lodge and Medina lodge for the ceremony, which was quite impressive.

WB Harris is once again in the can recycling business. He requests the old cans be put in the furnace room. He will be hanging a bag on the door knob for them.

We recently learned of the passing of the following Brethren. Our heartfelt sympathy is extended to their families and closest friends.

Jeuel E Guess

As of July 1, 2000 our Lodge had three hundred fifty-six (356) members. We added three by affiliation and one by raising. Nine members passed to the Celestial Lodge and sixteen (4.5%) chose not to renew their memberships. That leaves us, as of January 1, 2001, with three hundred thirty-five (335) members. (The percentage of non-renewals was similar for the year 2000.) These men joined the Masonic Fraternity for reasons known only to them. They continued their memberships from 6 years to 43 years before deciding Masonry did not fulfill their expectations. I was able to contact three of these Brothers who reside out-of-state. One stated he had retired and his Masonic dues was an expense he had decided to cut. The second stated he had moved out of the area and could no longer attend Lodge. And the third claimed he was going to join a Lodge near his residence. No, more satisfactory answers were not offered. Yes, the benefits of a demit were discussed. Yes, there minds were made up.

Thursday, January 25^th, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, February 8^th, 7:30 p.m.

EA Degree, Thursday, January 18^th, 7:30 p.m.

Courtesy of http://www.msu.edu/~benyouss/fmason3.htm

Freemasonry has its lodges in every city in the United States, and in almost every town and village. It has them on the desert, through the mountains, in the wilderness, and among what Isaiah described as "the isles of the sea." It has them in Canada, Great Britain, Europe, Africa, the Near East, India, Burma, Indo-China, Malaya, the Philippines, East Indies, New Zealand, and Australia; it had them in many other countries of the Old World until certain religious and political ideologies forbade their existence.

Not one of them was ever organized as the result of any Masonic missionary enterprise, because Freemasonry has no such enterprise; or for the purpose of making money, or as the result of a bargain with the political and ecclesiastical ruling powers. each lodge came into existence of itself, and because a few Masons desired to have it so.

Freemasonry has spread over the earth as gradually, as silently, and as naturally as the light of dawn. So also has it moved down the long roads of time. There were lodges a thousand years ago. Long before that date, and as far back as the Ancient World, there had been other organizations, called gilds and collegia, so similar to Masonic lodges that historians are unable to tell where one left off and other began. Few things still existing in the world are as old as freemasonry.

During the long period from the time of Charlemagne (about 800) until the Reformation any man engaged in the building crafts was called a mason, and of these were many kinds including quarrymen, dike builders, wallers, paviors, tilers, and all who could build cottages or barns. Among them all there was a special class of builders who could both design and construct monumental and public buildings such as cathedrals, chapels, churches, mansions, borough halls, etc. These latter were called Freemasons. The name had much the same meaning then that architect has now.

Because these Freemasons came from so many different places, and even from other countries, they could not have permanent local organization of their own, as other craftsmen did; instead, they had what we should now call a society, or a fraternity. There was no single ruler of it; it had no one capital; the members were held together by their general observance of a few rules, regulations, and customs. Modern Freemasonry, such as is practiced in lodges across America, is the direct descendant of that early fraternity.

In those days almost every man admitted to a lodge was a craftsman who made Freemasonry his means of livelihood; such men nowadays are called Operative Masons. As time passed, however, lodges here and there began to admit into membership a few men who did not follow Freemasonry as a means of livelihood, but were attracted to it for other reasons, and largely because of its antiquity and its fellowship. Such men were called Accepted Masons; and also were called Speculative Masons, a name which always had meant an understanding of the ideas and principles of Freemasonry. It is for such historical reasons that members of the Fraternity today are called Free & Accepted Masons. (More perusals next issue, Ed.)