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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

In Memory of

     Joseph Andy Menshew Jr.

February 8, 1930  -  December 6, 2005

"A true and faithful Brother”

 From the East       

Brethren,

Greetings from the East!  Hope everyone has been enjoying this holiday season with great joy and happiness! Many thanks to Mr. and Mrs. John Hay for contributing to the Endowment Fund!  The Lodge greatly appreciates their generous donations!  John is not a Mason, but gives generously to the Lodge.  The Lodge benefits from the Endowment Fund and extends a hearty "Thank you" to Mr. and Mrs. John Hay for their generosity and contributions!

Brethren, we've been reading and hearing about how the drop in membership has been having a negative effect on Masonic lodges and institutions.  It may be more than just declining membership that is having a negative affect on Freemasonry.  I believe that it's necessary to reverse that trend and build Freemasonry for the betterment of Mankind!  Therefore, I will be appointing a committee at the next stated meeting to investigate and make recommendations about building membership, improving the public perception of Masonry, and selling these ideas to other lodges.  It is also my intent to see if the results of this committee can be shared at a MSB or MWSA meeting with recommendations.  Admittingly, this is an aggressive plan, but one that must be started and executed in a timely manner.  Change is necessary, and if we don't like change we'll like irrelevance even less!  The problem is never how to get new, innovative thoughts into our minds, but how to get the old ones out! Brethren, innovation is important to the long-term success of Freemasonry.  I believe that we have to think big in order to do big things.  Good, innovative thinking will help improve the Lodge and further meet the needs of others.  Therefore, I will be holding brainstorming sessions from time-to-time to generate ideas and possibly implement some of the ideas generated by the Brethren.  The backgrounds and experiences of our membership are invaluable and are a leading source of innovation and ideas.

Once again, I sincerely hope that you have had a great Holiday with all the good cheer and giving of the season.  May all blessings rest upon you and your family.  Wishing you a great and prosperous New Year!

Fraternally,

Michael Haygood

Worshipful Master

From the West

Brethren,

Smithfield Masonic Lodge is about to be hit by 2006. We’ve had 130 strong and successful years. We have a few faithful brethren who keep us strong. Billy Campbell takes care of most of our business and records. David Myers handles the finances. Al Hestilow and R.T. Koonce take care of the buildings and grounds. Les Egger runs the floor school. Ricky Monty does this publication. All these brothers work very hard and very well. Our officers tend to their duties and occasionally we get special help like when Ernest Runyon reworked our computer system. Thank you, brethren, for keeping our lodge up to snuff.

What we need now is for more brothers to become involved. There are degrees to be worked, lectures to be given, lessons to be taught and learned, fellowship and fun to be had. Let’s crank it up and live a little Masonry this year. Let’s crowd the booth at the stock show on our day this January. Let’s show up in numbers on 11 January for the Masonic Service Bureau in Granbury. The first Thursday of the month is our stated meeting – bring food!!! Brethren, Masonry has given us all a lot and even though we are busy and our time is costly we should give something back.

Our District Deputy Grand Masters are always the best. This past year has been like having two of the best. We barely had a stated meeting that we didn’t have a DDGM there. One of our members, Harold Webb, was District Deputy Grand Master for District 64B. Not only did he do an excellent job on the road, but he stayed very active here with us. Thank You, Brother Webb, for blessing us in the middle of your busy schedule.

By now I hope each and every one of you have had a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Remember the reason for the season!

Fraternally,

Herb Taylor

Senior Warden

From the South

Brethren,

    I have been thinking a lot lately about the Appending Bodies of Freemasonry.  First let me say, that I fully believe that all Masons should venture into one or more of these brother Organizations.  Personally, I belong to the Scottish Rite, York Rite, and the Knights Templar.  I must say that it is a challenge trying to make all of the meetings that I would like to make.  Think about it, Smithfield meets twice a week for floor school, the Masonic Service Bureau and the Master’s, Warden’s and Secretary’s Assoc. both meet once a month, as do the Scottish Rite, Shriners, York Rite, etc., etc, you see where this is going?

    Before your eyes start to glaze over thinking about it, let me say it IS worth the time you put into it!  Do I have to go? No!  Do I need to go?  Definitely!  First, you will learn a lot more about the history of Freemasonry and some of the things you learn in Blue Lodge become clearer.  Not to mention the number of friends and Brothers you have, will at least double.  We have some really good men in Smithfield Lodge, but I have been privileged to know many more through these appending organizations.  Don’t misunderstand me, I do not in any way think you should abandon your Blue Lodge to venture in these other organizations.  The Blue Lodge is the heart of all Masonry, and we should stay true to it.  The Blue Lodge is where you learn the basics, the customs, and the rites of passage in Freemasonry.  I just feel that we can expand our friendships, broaden our horizons, and enhance our knowledge and understanding of Masonry by being a part of the other Masonic organizations.  Is this for every Mason? No.  Some are content showing up for stated meetings, some may go for the occasional floor school.  Some may be over-doing it with their commitments.

     All I’m trying to get across is that you can consider additional outlets without abandoning your Blue Lodge.  I truly believe that having been involved has made me a better Mason.  I have more friends, and some I know, will last past when I’m gone.

    I hope that my 15-year-old son will see the man that I am becoming and will someday want to be a Mason himself.  That would make everything I do as a Mason worth while.

Fraternally,

Rick Montey

Junior Warden/Editor

The Secretary’s Desk

Brethren, 

   I do like this time of the year. We get to give and receive gifts. Visit family and friends. Good food, good memories, and above affirm our belief in the birth of our Savior. Good times.

   We get to make resolutions, that we never keep, but we have the best intentions.

   We look forward to parties with old friends,  decorate our houses, even greet our neighbors while doing this, yes good times.

   We had a good Grand Lodge meeting this year. Some serious business, some fun.

One of the humorous things came when Leonard P. Harvey, PGM was making his report on one of the resolutions, it was a rather long report, he wanted to make three parts of it, and asked  permission of the Grand Master, M.W. Elmer Murphy, III. The Grand Master had had someone approach him in the East. It was obvious that his attention was not on what Bro. Harvey had been talking about. Bro. Harvey stopped , looked at the Grand Master for permission to continue, It became quiet, the Grand Master looked confused, asked Bro. Harvey what he had said. The caustic retort was "pay attention". A big laugh relieved the tension.

   We elected Brian Dodson, Grand Master, the other officers advanced, and Rt.W. David Counts as Grand Junior Warden. You may remember him as he served in the Texas legislature for some time, it is a good line of officers.

   Thank you for your promptness with your dues. We are in good shape for the remaining part of the Masonic year.

   Don't forget Rt. W. Bob Jernigan will make his official visit at the January stated meeting. Come and enjoy your brethren.

Fraternally Yours,

BR Campbell

Secretary

                           GRAND MASTER'S TOWN HALL MEETING

At the Ft. Worth Masonic Temple, 1100 Henderson February 8th, at 7:00 PM. The meeting will be in the Commanderary Room. The purpose of these meetings is to allow the Masons of Texas to voice their views on important issues facing the Grand Lodge of Texas.

This is an effort to take action from the "bottom-up" instead of "top-down." The Grand Lodge Trustees wish to use these meetings to determine how the Masons of Texas feel about these issues. Ultimately, the input from these meetings will be used to produce Grand Lodge resolutions, Grand Master's recommendations, and planning for programs initiated by the Grand Lodge. Most meetings will focus discussion on two of the following three topics:

(1.) catechism and proficiency requirements; (2.) one-day classes; (3.) qualifications for membership (age, race).

The official visits of the District Deputy Grand Masters will also provide additional information.

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.  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 January, 2006

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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