15^th Masonic District 
Articles of Interest

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September 2011 Article of Interest

The   Pledge   Of   Allegiance
As Recited By Brother "Red" Skeleton

Freemasons recite the Pledge of Allegiance as part of the opening of every Lodge meeting.
The September "Article of Interest" is a presentation by comedian Red Skeleton about the meaning of the "Pledge of Allegiance"

December 2010 ARTICLE OF INTEREST

This month's Article of Interest entitled  "MOTIVATING MASONS"  was presented by Clyde E. Hegman, Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota, at the 18th Annual Midwest Conference on Masonic Education in 1967. Although this was presented in Kansas over 40 years ago, the message is universal and timeless.

The Article is available HERE

The previous featured articles by Bro. Robert Anthony Di Palma of Bluestone Lodge #338 are available here:

UNITY

"Are We Making Freemasons or Members?"

Brother Di Palma is Worshipful Master of Bluestone Lodge No.338 in Hallstead, PA.  He is a member of the Pennsylvania Academy of Masonic Knowledge and is a Master Masonic Scholar.

The featured Article from March 2010 was entitled 
"The Past Master's Jewel of Pennsylvania" 
and is available HERE

THE PAWNBROKER TALE AND FREEMASONS

A young man passed a pawnbroker's shop. The money lender was standing in front of his shop, and the young man noted that he was wearing a large and beautiful Masonic emblem. After going on a whole block, apparently lost in thought, the young man turned back, stepped up to the pawnbroker, and addressed him: "I see you're wearing a Masonic emblem. I'm a Freemason too. It happens that I'm desperately in need of $25 just now. I shall be able to repay it within ten days. You don't know me; but I wonder whether the fact that you are a Freemason and that I am a Freemason is sufficient to induce you to lend me the money on my personal note."
The pawnbroker mentally appraised the young man, who was clean-cut, neat and well-dressed. After a moments thought, he agreed to make the loan on the strength of the young man being a Freemason.

Within a few days the young man repaid the loan as agreed and that ended the transaction.

About four months later the young man was in a Lodge receiving the Entered Apprentice Degree; he had not really been a Mason when he borrowed the $25. After he had been admitted for the second section of the degree, the young man looked across the Lodge room and saw the pawnbroker from whom he had borrowed the $25. His face turned crimson and he became nervous and jittery. He wondered whether he had been recognized by the pawnbroker. Apparently not, so he planned at the first opportunity to leave the Lodge room and avoid his benefactor. As soon as the Lodge was closed he moved quickly for the door, but the pawnbroker had recognized the young man, headed him off and, to the young man's astonishment, approached him and greeted him with a smile and outstretched hand. "Well, I see you weren't a Freemason after all when you borrowed that $25," the pawnbroker commented. The blood rushed to the young man's face as he stammered, "No, I wasn't, but I wish you'd let me explain. I had always heard that Freemasons were charitable and ready to aid a Brother in distress. When I passed your shop that day I didn't need that $25. I had plenty of money in my wallet, but when I saw the Masonic emblem you were wearing, I decided to find out whether the things I'd heard about Freemasonry were true. You let me have the money on the strength of my being a Freemason, so I concluded that what I had heard about Masons was true, that they are charitable, that they do aid Brethren in distress. That made such a deep impression on me that I presented my petition to this Lodge and here I am. I trust that with this explanation you will forgive me for having lied to you."
The pawnbroker responded, "Don't let that worry you too much. I wasn't a Freemason when I let you have the money. I had no business wearing the Masonic emblem you saw. Another man had just borrowed some money on it, and it was so pretty that I put it on my lapel for a few minutes. I took it off the moment you left. I didn't want anyone else borrowing money on the strength of my being a Freemason. When you asked for that $25, I remembered what I had heard about Masons, that they were honest, upright, and cared for their obligations promptly. It seemed to me that $25 wouldn't be too much to lose to learn if what I'd heard was really true, so I lent you the money and you repaid it exactly as you said you would. That convinced me that what I'd heard about Masons was true so I presented my petition to this Lodge. I was the candidate just ahead of you."

From the January 1977 New Mexico Freemason

A TRUE MASON

“We shall pass this way but once” said the poet of old, and his words call this thought to mind:  If we can show some kindness to one in need, or comfort a fellow human being, let us do it now, that he may have the opportunity of enjoying the roses that may be scattered in the pathway of his life.  By so doing we will experience the happiness and satisfaction which proceed from deeds of kindness unselfishly performed.  If we do this, we may indeed be worthy to wear the white lambskin apron and stand before the world as upright Masons.

The Master Stood and Looked at His Lodge

The Master stood and looked at his Lodge,
The same old few were there,
The ones he knew he could depend upon
The work of the Lodge to share.
But where are the many we've raised these years,
Who craved to be Masons true?
To whom we've given so much of our time
In degree work, guiding them through.
The Master stood and looked at his Lodge
And silently he thought:
Where have we failed that they're not here
In spite of the truth we taught?
Did they really want friendship and brotherly love
As they claimed when they knocked at our door?
Or did they just join, our symbol to wear,
And so won't come out any more?
The Master stood and looked at his Lodge
And said to the same old few:
"Come, Brothers, let's get them back-- Come,
we have work to do!
And they went to work on the stay-at-homes,
And their efforts began to tell;
Old faces and new came out again,
And attendance started to swell.
The Master stood and looked at his Lodge,
No longer worried and blue;
His sheep were back in the fold again,
Sharing in the work ...we all must do.

This poem was found in some old documents at Harmony Lodge No. 3, Marianna, Florida .

What kind of a Mason are you? 
  Some members keep their Lodges strong, 
while others join and just belong; 
some dig right in, some serve with pride, 
some go along, just for the ride 
some volunteer to do their share, 
  
while some lay back and just don’t care; 
on meeting nights some always show, 
while there are those who never go. 
Some always pay their dues ahead, 
some get behind for months, instead. 
Some do their best, some build, some make, 
some never give, but always take, 
some drag, some pull, some don’t, some do. 
Ask yourself, which one are you?

Man in the Glass  
When you get what you want in your struggle for self
And the world makes you king for a day,
Just go to a mirror and look at yourself,
And see what that man has to say.

For it isn't your father or mother or wife,
Who judgment upon you must pass;
The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the one starring back from the glass.

He's the fellow to please, never mind all the rest.
For he's with you clear up to the end,
And you've passed the most dangerous, difficult test
If the man in the glass is your friend.

You may be like Jack Horner and "chisel" a plum, 
And think you're a wonderful guy, 
But the man in the glass says you're only a bum 
If you can't look him straight in the eye. 

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years.
And get pats on the back as you pass,
But your final reward will be the heartaches and tears
If you've cheated the man in the glass.

By Dale Wimbrow 1895-1954