Arcana Lodge #187
Ancient Free & Accepted Masons

920 Lowry Avenue NE
Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55418, USA

News from the East

As I write this we have just finished with our widows dinner.  A great time was had by all.  The see the ladies smiling and greeting one another again did my heart good.  Many of the women use to see each other at the lodge functions, but since the passing of their mason husbands, most of these friendships quelled.  However, after seeing each other once again heir friendships were sparked anew.  Truly, the ties of the Masonic fraternity know no bounds.

Speaking of camaraderie, the brothers who put the dinner on, from our Senior Warden Vern Bandel who got it all together, to all who helped setup and serve, had a ball.  This again is our Masonic fraternity in action.  To everyone of you gents – thanks for being there.

I also want to mention that family life comes first.  This became very prevalent in the past few weeks because of some family doings I had to ask other brothers to  help me out and do some of my jobs including a 3rd degree.  All brothers stepped up to help when assked.  This again speaks eloquently of oour amazing fraternity.  So if any brother reading this is worried about the lodge taking them away from family life, I want to say not true.  This is even stipulated in our obligation.  Come on back to the Lodge and have some fun.

Finally, I want to relate this anecdote.  My boss knows I’m a Mason, and informing him about the fraternity I told him we are eerywhere.  We just hired a new guy, and guess what?  Yep – he’s a Mason.  I told my boss this and heis jaw dropped.  I t just goes to show you that we, and what we stand for, are everywhere.  Keep up the good work!

Fraternally yours, Joe Macko, WM

News from the West

Sunday, June 11th, we had a very successful Widows Dinner.  It was successful because we had delicious food, good music, and a sense of purpose, willingly shared.  The event was my responsibility, and in spite of some poor planning, the guests were all very well pleased.

The ladies we served were Alice Dickey, Mary Gursky, Georgia Lundeen, Ellen McFarlane, Sharon Olson, Ethelda Seaman, Flossie Treff, Harriet Watten, and Marie Zander.

Profound thanks go to WB Doug Roswold for an excellent turkey dinner, to WM Joe Macko for his super accordion music, and to the following (some on short notice) for helping to prepare and serve the dinner. In the kitchen with Doug, were WB Dave Sibben and his wife Dee. Helping me in the dining room were WB Kevin Erickson and brothers Roy Downs, Dennis Diggeros, and Corey Erickson.   A couple of these brothers have no office in the lodge, but since I called them with a problem, they pitched right in.

I had purchased roses for the ladies, with no provision for keeping them hydrated on the trip home.  WB Dave, assisted by Bros Corey and Dennis attached plastic bags containing wet tissues  to the stems.  To me this was a good example brotherly thoughtfulness and devotion to duty.

I don’t know many of you brothers in this Lodge.  Don’t be surprised if you receive a personal call from me for help in solving a problem involved in meeting Lodge objectives.  I have in mind officers and committee men for next year.  Sit by the phone so I can reach you when I need you!  Or you can call me, if you want to get your choice of the opportunities!

Vern Bandel, SW, 763-571-4003

Masonic Light

In the Charge of the first degree of Masonry is the phrase "At your leisure hours, that you may improve in Masonic knowledge, you are to converse with well-informed brethren, who will always be as ready to give, as you will be ready to receive, instruction."

Taking this seriously a candidate requested information after receiving his third degree; "What is a cable tow, and how long is it? What is the difference between a cowan and an eavesdropper? Tell me what a hecatomb is? What is the difference between ample form and due form, and what is a pilaster?'

Not a brother in Lodge could answer all the questions!

Here are the answers to several common questions. Perhaps they will be of use to others than initiates:

Allegory: "Freemasonry is a system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols." Allegory is an extended simile; metaphors is an abbreviated simile. Allegory is a parable, fable, fiction. It tells its story as if true, leaving the hearer to discover that it is fiction and from the discovery, learn the lesson. The fictitious character of the allegory is not deceptive; the fiction is used to teach just as the Great Teacher used parables to instruct.

Ample form; due form; form: designate the particular variety of ritual used. Ample form refers to what is done by a Grand Master or the Grand Lodge. Due form, or form as "The Lodge opened in due form "refers to a correct manner, all that is necessary, appropriate, usual, required by law or ancient usage. Due and ancient form; due form; form; used in different Jurisdictions, means the same.

Artificer: Differs from mechanic, workman, craftsman, in that the artificer uses skill and art combined; the sculptor is an artificer, the bricklayer an artisan. Tubal Cain, worker in brass and iron, was an artisan; Hiram was an artificer.

Ashlar: A building stone. They are "rough" and "perfect" in a Masonic Lodge. the "rough" stone being but partially cut, while the "perfect ashlar" is truly squared.

Cable tow: Probably from the German "Kable tau." Originally the term was "cable rope." Symbolically, like the umbilical cord which attaches infant to mother, it attaches the initiate to his Lodge. It is removed as soon as the spiritual bond of the obligation takes the place of physical restraint. The Baltimore Masonic Convention of 1 843 defined the length of the cable tow as "the scope of a brother's reasonable ability." Half a mile might be beyond the length of a cable tow for a lame man and a hundred miles within its length for one with a car and a good road.

Calendar: Masonic Calendars differ from civil calendars. Four thousand years are added to civil dates to get Masonic dates; thus, this is the year 5941, A.L.-standing for Anno Lucis. (After Light). Each Rite of Freemasonry-Royal Arch, Royal and Select Masters, Knights Templar, Scottish Rite, has its own Calendar.

Caviling: Frivolous argument; raising hypercritical objections; asserting untruths to gain an end. Those who cavil attempt to persuade by means they know are not true; those who argue may present what they believe to be facts. The man who argues may be wholly sincere. He who cavils is not.

Chapiter: Often confused with Chapter. Chapiter is the capital of a pillar. Chapter is a division, usually of a book or treatise. In the church the Chapter is the body of the clergy connected with a cathedral. In Freemasonry the Chapter is a body of Masons, usually of the Royal Arch or the Scottish Rite.

Circumambulation: Walking around a central object, as an Altar. The Rite of Circumambulation was practiced by the most ancient sun worshipers. Masonic circumambulation is from East to West by way of the South, an imitation of the apparent course of the sun in this hemisphere. Anciently circumambulation from East to West by way of the North was symbolic of death. Originally such reversed circumambulation was used in Freemasonry but "ritual tinkers" and well intentioned but ignorant Custodians of the, Work have here and there sanctioned reverse circumambulation in Masonic degrees with no significance beyond that of convenience.

Additional excerpts from this Masonic Service Association’s Short Talk Bulletin will appear in future issues of the Arcana Trestleboard.

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