Brethren,

I sincerely hope that everyone received many blessing during the past holiday season. We are now confronted with a NEW YEAR and faced with NEW objectives in adjusting to our NEW facilities at Winter Park Lodge. But as in my December 2017 comment, this can be accomplished by using the acronym for TEAM; Together Everyone Achieves More. Being I am on the acronym kick, this month, I would like to illustrate an abbreviation for LODGE.

During the 2009-2010 Grand Lodge year, I was appointed a member of the Foreign Relations Sub-Committee by Chairman PGM Sam Cowan. Our job was to review Grand Lodge proceeding from other jurisdictions extracting information that would be of interest to Grand Lodge of Florida. One of the proceedings I considered was the Grand Lodge of Scotland and exciting points, in part, as follows:

Grand Lodge of Scotland was closed in due form, and the Brethren proceeded to the Sheraton Grand Hotel, Edinburgh, for the celebration (libations) of the Festival of Saint Andrew. While in attendance at the Festival of Saint Andrew an address was delivered by the Grand Master Mason of Scotland a fascinating lecture and termed an acronym for LODGE which warrants repeating. Quote “The word Lodge means a great deal to me. Webster’s and Collins Dictionary both give an almost identical meaning – ‘the home of the beaver, the home of the North American Indian or a small house at the entrance to a large estate.’ But to me, Lodge means several different things. Let me spell it out.

L is for LEVEL. We are all strictly on the same LEVEL as far as Freemasonry is concerned. We must be LOYAL to our Lodges and the Brethren.

O is for OBLIGATIONS. We all promised for the rest of our lives to be faithful to our OBLIGATIONS to conceal and never reveal our secrets, to maintain and support the Laws and Constitution of the Grand Lodge of Scotland, to act as a real and faithful Craftsman, and maintain a Master Masons’ honor.

D is for DISCOVER. We are lead to discover our inevitable Destiny and guide our reflections to that most interesting of all human studies to the knowledge of ourselves.

G is for GOD. The Great Architect of the Universe whose all-seeing eye records our actions both inside and outside the Lodge and will either reward or punish us accordingly as we have obeyed or disregarded his divine commands.

E is for EXAMPLE. That we must live by Example as when we walk down the street members of the public will say there goes a good man, a man always willing to help others and of course he is a Freemason. I urge you all to ENJOY your Freemasonry. Enjoy your ritual and enjoy helping to make good men better and making the world a better place for everyone.”

This acronym for LODGE applies equally well to all blue lodge masons and all Masonic-affiliated Masons.

In closing – May the blessing of heaven rest upon us and all regular Masons, May brotherly love prevail, and ever moral and social virtue cement us! AMEN

Fraternally,
Ill. George R. Van Pelt, Sr., 33°
Master of Kadosh