Happy Holidays and greetings from the West. I would like to thank everyone who helped with all the preparations the Widows dinner that was held on November 5th. A special thanks should go out to Master Chef WB Doug Roswold for the wonderful meal of turkey with all the trimmings.
The open installation of officers for Arcana Lodge is fast approaching, and there are still a few vacant chairs that need to be filled. Please let me know if you are interested in joining the ‘Line’ at the Lodge.
The youth groups at Arcana are doing fine, especially the Jobs Daughters. I was fortunate to be able to attend their recent ‘Friendship Meeting’ at Bethel #76 in White Bear Lake. It was very encouraging to see so many young ladies actively participating in their Bethels.
The Annual Arcana All Temple Christmas Party is coming up on Sunday, December 10th, 2000, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM. I look forward to seeing a good turn-out of people.
Of course, don’t’ forget about our Annual Meeting and Elections on Monday, December 11th. Tradition will again hold true and following the meeting we will serve a steaming bowl of Oyster Stew, coffee and desert.
Fraternally yours,
John Fosdick, Senior Warden
Well, the year is almost over, it's several weeks after our General Election, and as of this writing, we still don't know who our president is going to be!
Kind of a shaky way to start the new year, don't you think? Happily, we DO have a pretty good idea … barring a demand for a recount ... that the Master for Arcana Lodge for 2001 will be John Fosdick! I'm confident that he will do an excellent job. Let's all give him our support for the coming year. I'm sure he will be happy to accept any and all help you can give him.
It's been a rather busy year for me in the South. Three sets of Master Mason degrees were held at Arcana this year, and as your Junior Warden, I participated in all of them, although not all of the individual degrees. I was in the East for two of the Fellow Craft degrees, and also was in three Entered Apprentice and two Master Mason degrees. They all went well, I thought, and we have that many more Master Masons now to add to our lodge rolls.
Although it's history, I think that it's worthwhile mentioning that the annual Arcana Great Pumpkin Giveaway was once again able to again provide several hundred children with a Halloween pumpkin that they might have been unable to afford! And a number of children were again registered on the Kid's ID program that same day. Several of us were able to provide "transportation" for the pumpkins from the farm to the Lodge parking lot. The annual Arcana Widows dinner on November 5 went well. The food was great, and we had good entertainment too. The ladies all had a good time, from the sound of it. They sure got into the music!
By the time you read this, the Arcana All Temple Christmas Party on December 10 will have happened. At this time I will thank all of you who helped with the party. It was a lot of work, and I appreciated everyone's assistance.
Thank you all for your support throughout the year, and for helping make this a good year, both for me and for Arcana Lodge.
Fraternally yours,
Bernie Wiklund, Junior Warden
I am Freemasonry
I was born in antiquity, in the ancient days when man first
dreamed of God. I have been tried through the ages, and found true. The
crossroads of the world bear the imprint of my feet, and the cathedrals of all
nations mark the skill of my hands. I strive for beauty and for symmetry. In my
heart is wisdom and strength and courage for those who ask. Upon my altar is the
Book of Holy Writ and my prayers are to the One Omnipotent God, my sons work and
pray together, without rank or discord, in the public mart and in the inner
chamber. By signs and symbols I teach the lessons of life and of death and the
relationship of man with God and of man with man. My arms are widespread to
receive those of lawful age and good report who seek me of their own free will.
I will accept them and teach them to use my tools in the building of men, and
thereafter, find direction in their own quest for perfection so much desired and
so difficult to attain. I lift up the fallen and shelter the sick. I hark to the
orphan's cry, the widow's tears, the pain of the old and destitute. I am not
church, nor party, nor school, yet my sons bear a full share of responsibility
to God, to country, to neighbor and themselves. They are freemen, tenacious of
their liberties, and alert to lurking danger. At the end I commit them as each
one undertakes the journey beyond the vale into the glory of everlasting life. I
ponder the sand within the glass and think how small is a single life in the
eternal universe. Always have I taught immortality, and even as I raise men from
darkness into light, I am a way of life.
I am freemasonry.
-Ray V. Denslow-
