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The Trestle Board

Smithfield Lodge #455 A.F. & A.M.

8013 Main Street, North Richland Hills, Texas

P. O. Box 821413, Fort Worth, Texas 76182

Lodge telephone number:   817.656.2311

Contact the Lodge on  Tuesday and Thursday evenings between 7 PM and 9 PM

                                      WEB ADDRESS: http://www.smithfieldlodge.com

October  2005

In Sacred Memory of

“He was a true and faithful Brother among us.”

From the East

Brethren,

As we start the new Masonic year, it's always great to look for opportunities to help others.  The Katrina hurricane has created a large response from businesses, individuals, churches and more.  Many of the lodges in Louisiana and Mississippi no longer exist or are in bad shape.  As brothers to all mankind, we have a responsibility as Masons to help our fellow man.  I encourage all brothers and people who can donate, help or give to the Katrina recovery effort to please do so!  If you're an amateur radio operator, the Red Cross is currently in need of a considerable number of radio operators.  Now is the time to come to the aid of the folks in Louisiana, Mississippi and other states that were devastated by hurricane Katrina.

All throughout the history of Freemasonry, Masons have served their fellow man with a great love that is sometimes hard for others to understand or explain.  There are so many unsung heroes and great leaders that it's impossible to know all those who have contributed to the success of this country and our fellow man.  I see people reaching out to others and helping those in need.  It makes me feel good to know that we live in a country where people freely give of their time, resources and talents to help others.  Our lives are a great example to all those who care and wish to examine us as a nation of people dedicated to the good of mankind.

During this tragedy of hurricane Katrina, I've noticed that many people are using creative methods and inventing new machines and processes to help the people of New Orleans and Mississippi.  For example, some business men in the steel industry came up with a way to reduce the flood waters in New Orleans by several inches per day.  They drew up their idea on the back of a napkin and are currently working around the clock to produce a pumping system that could drain an entire olympic size swimming pool in less than 10 seconds!  They're using a system of oil drilling pumps coupled with customized steel pipes to drain large amounts of water.  As Masons, we should strive to be creative and create new methodologies for the Masonic order as a whole.  There are many great traditions in Freemasonry, but sometimes a little ingenuity and simplistic thinking goes a long way to improving the system.  Try to think of at least three ideas that would improve Masonry or your lodge as a whole.  Brainstorm your ideas with others.  It's possible that these brainstorming sessions might yield some great fruit.  Contact an officer of the lodge and share what you've discovered or invented.  By sharing the ideas, it gives the lodge the change to seek improvement and give of ourselves as Masons.

Hope you've had a great week.  Always remember that the lodge is here to serve you and others.  We dedicate ourselves to being great men and Masons.  Keep up the good work!

Fraternally,

Michael Haygood

Worshipful Master

From the West

Brethren,

  One night in 1982,  I was coon hunting in the National Grasslands near Forestburg, Texas. In the middle of nowhere, while climbing up a rough hill, I spotted a tombstone. It was over a hundred years old but you could still clearly read the inscription. It said, “He was a good man and a Mason”. For a while I pondered how he might have died. It could have been from sickness, or Indians, or old age. Then I wondered how someone could have brought this fine but heavy stone to the place where it lay without many roads or bridges. I came to the conclusion - this was a very special man and someone must have loved him very much.

   I always knew there was something special about the Masons. My father and uncle were Masons. So I turned to my coon hunting partner (who also is now a Mason) and told him, “I’m going to be a Mason. And someday someone might just put something good on my tombstone.”

   I joined the Masons and have never looked back. To maintain “purity of heart and uprightness of conduct” in both thought and deed is not as easy as it sounds. Hell raising is a lot more fun but it doesn’t give you a sacred band of friends and brothers who will keep your deepest secrets. And when I go to Masonic meetings I meet men of honor and character, like many of the heroes this nation has produced. I am always amazed at the talent, skill, and wisdom in any Masonic group. With unity we are able to do anything.

   I hope to see you all at our next stated meeting or at floor school on Tuesday or Thursday. One man can make a big difference. 

Fraternally,

Herb Taylor

Senior Warden

From the South

Brethren,              

As a Mason, I am but yet a newborn infant.  I have much to learn about the esoteric work, the philosophies, the history, etc., etc.  However, having been recently elected to the office of Junior Warden, I feel I must thrust myself into a learning mode. 

A lot has been written about Masonry, both good and bad.  Trying to sort it all out can be overwhelming at best, but I would to like think that I have at least a small grasp of understanding.  Masonry can be many things, but from what I see, is different and unique in some ways to each Brother.  Yet there should be some parts of Masonry that should be the same for all.  Seeing the results of Hurricane Katrina, and looking back at the aftermath of 9-11, I am reminded of a paper I recently read, titled “Masonic Philosophy” by Dr. Joseph F. Newton, 1880 – 1950.  Brother Newton understood that part of Masonry we should all feel, believe, and practice as Masonic Truth.  Paraphrased, he wrote:

  “Because the human soul is akin to God, is endowed with powers to which no one may set a limit.  It is, and by right should be free.  Thus by the logic of its philosophy, Masonry has been compelled to make its historic demand for liberty of conscience, freedom of intellect, and for the right of all men to stand erect, unfettered, and unafraid.  Equal before God and the law, each respecting the rights of his fellow man.

Through the ages, Masonry has stood for the right of the soul to know the truth and to look up unhindered from the lap of humanity into the face of God.  Not Freedom from faith, but freedom OF faith.

Someday the cloud of prejudice will be dispelled by the light of truth.  Then, the world will honor Masonry for its service to freedom of thought and the liberty of faith.

The real question is not the quantity of life, but its quality, its purity, its fortitude of spirit and gesture of soul.  Hence the historic emphasis of Masonry upon the building of character and the practice of righteousness, without which man is rudimentary and his intellect, the slave of greed or passion. 

How to live is one matter, but man in his ripe age has yet to seek a wiser way than to build upon a foundation of faith in God, using the Square of justice, the Plumb-line of rectitude, the Compass to restrain the passions, and the Rule by which to divide our time into labor, rest, and the service to our fellow man.”

This philosophy sheds a lot of light on Masonry and opened my eyes as to how I will practice my Masonic journey,  how about you?

Fraternally,

Rick Montey

Junior Warden/Editor

The Secretary’s Desk

Brethren,

Things are going well at Smithfield Lodge. We are having Degree work, the candidates are studying, floor school is still going on. Come and join the fun.

Rt. W. Harold Webb, DDGM 64C, has placed an article in the Trestle Board that you might better understand the Lodge finances. We are fortunate to have members who are interested in the condition of the Lodge, both physical and fiscal. His article was not to intimidate, but to explain the facts of running the Lodge.  

We still have much to teach young men on how to become better men. Keeping the Lodge open is viable even in this age.

The Grand Master has planned a town hall meeting in Waco this year. The main topics of discussion will deal with how we treat our fraternity in coming years. These topics will be on the Grand Lodge Internet site. Be informed, be in attendance, and be counted for our good.

If you have not renewed your commitment to this periodical's support for this year, the Treasurer says now is a good time to do that. We hope everyone supports the attempt to keep you informed, your support will help do this.

It will soon be time to send out dues notices, when you get yours deal with it promptly, this will also help us keep on track.

Thank you for allowing me to be your secretary again this year, it keeps me interested in the well being of our Lodge.

Fraternally Yours,

BR Campbell

Secretary

The Audit Committee 

   Brethren,

I would like to report a portion of the audit report results. This is in part to make you more aware of the financial condition of your Lodge.

Some of the more expensive items in the budget are:
Utilities 4,574.04
Insurance 1,357.00
Grand Lodge Dues 2,231.00
Taxes 1,760.08

As you can see these are fixed expenses, over which we have little control. Several Lodge programs are funded by the generous donations of the members of our Lodge. Lamar Award and scholarship, Grand Masters dinner, Trestle Board to name but a few.
We have 45 endowed members.
We have 6 deceased endowed members.
We have 18 exempted members (50 year/Life members).
We have 151 full dues paying members.

Based on this data, we have 202 members that pay dues. The members divided by the total expenses give an expense per member of 60.01. Our dues during the 2003-2004 year were 50.00 per member.

The members that attend lodge are here, and know where the money goes. The other members however, may not know the details of where your dues go. I hope that this report will help you to understand why the dues had to be raised, and that even with the 65.00 amount, we don't have much wiggle room. Thanks for considering this problem.

           Your Audit Committee
     Harold Webb, P.M. Chairman

The Grand Lodge of Texas Announces:

The First Grand Lodge Town Hall Meeting

Saturday October 22, 2005  10:00am—12:00noon

Moderated by Grand Master Elmer Murphey III

Grand Lodge — Lower Auditorium  Waco, Texas

Remember the "Smithfield Masonic Lodge Permanent Endowment Fund"

Your support is a continuing need.  Any donation is welcome.  A donation of $100.00 or more puts your name, or the name of someone you wish to honor, on a plaque in the dining area of the Lodge building.  Please send your donation to Smithfield Masonic Lodge #455, A.F. & A.M., P.O. Box 821413 , Fort Worth, Texas 76182

Thanks to our Trestle Board Sponsors

Masonic Birthdays for September, 2005

The following brethren will observe their Masonic Birthdays. They were raised to the sublime Degree of Master Mason during this month.

Congratulations Brethren!

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