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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

Come join us in honoring our Past Masters

Past Masters Banquet

Saturday  May 13th, 2006 at 6:00pm

Smithfield Lodge #455

 From the East       

Brethren,

Fraternally,

Michael Haygood

Worshipful Master

From the West

Brethren,

I’d like to say congratulations to Brother Harold Webb who has been chosen to receive the Golden Trowel award. He is definitely worthy. Since he served as District Deputy Grand Master when Rite Worshipful Elmer Murphy III was Grand Master, Brother Murphy is coming to Smithfield to present the award. Brother Harold chose June 10^th for the day which also happens to be 130 years from the day our lodge was chartered.

Congratulations also to Brother Richard Muzquiz who has just received his fifty year pin. Since his retirement he has served Masonry very, very well. He celebrated his award at the Sunrise Daylight Lodge (where he is the Junior Past Master) along with many brethren and his beautiful family.

Our garage sale is coming up on May 19^th and 20^th. If you have something you would like to donate, please call me at metro 214-538-9520 and I’ll come and pick it up. I hope we break a garage sale record this year. The last several years have been very good and will be hard to beat.

We have a lot of good events coming up in the next couple of months. I hope to see as many of you as will come out and enjoy them with us. We are going to have a lot.

Fraternally,

Herb Taylor

Senior Warden

From the South

Brethren,

With the mood of the country and indeed the world today, I would like to talk a bit about TOLERANCE.  Tolerance is one of Freemasonry’s watchwords.  In a world where the natural sense man is submerged beneath the weight of intolerance, or the strident nationalism that is the opposite of patriotism, we should be ever reminded that there should be no distinction of color, religion, or social class of any consequence to the true Freemason.  Just as all men are equal in the eyes of God, so they should be to Masonic eyes as well.

   From the earliest days of the speculative Craft, political and religious disputes among Masons  has been forbidden and partisan attitudes, to either  politics or religion, discouraged, according to our ancient charges.  Because of these rulings, men of every shade of political and religious opinion , should be able to meet as friends, their differences set aside, and work together to advance their own moral well being and promote the public good.

  These virtues of tolerance and brotherly love are and always have been, universally present within Freemasonry.  As well as motivating that charity for which the Craft is justly renowned, their practice in times of war have saved countless lives, restored liberty, and where liberation has proved impossible, has eased the lot of prisoners of war.

   It has been the opponents of Freemasonry who have consistently demonstrated intolerance, whether motivated by political or religious  antagonism, or both: from the bigotry of the Inquisition and of the fanatics  who fueled the fantasies of the William Morgan affair, to the current crop of baseless but widely circulated attacks on the Craft in England, Continental Europe, and North America.  Freemasons have responded to such attacks with reason and restraint.  But the need for vigilance in the defense of human liberty is as great within the Craft as in society in general: when assaults upon freedom have been ignored, evil has been allowed to triumph. 

   We as Masons and men of righteousness,  must stand up for human liberty and human rights or suffer the consequences to our families and to the world.

Fraternally,

Rick Montey

Junior Warden/Editor

The Secretary’s Desk

Brethren,

This has been a very sad month for the family. Patsy's niece went to Florida for a holiday. She was 45 years old. one little boy 7, husband who is a good guy. She had a heart attack and died, her son saw all this. They brought her home to be buried near her Mother who died from cancer just prior to the niece's giving birth to her son. I tell you this to bring to mind the uncertainty of our existence. The Masonic burial ceremony makes the point that when our time is up neither money, looks or social standing can buy even one more breath.  
   Those of you are in arrears should have gotten the second notice of your status. We at the Lodge can make arrangements to remit your dues if you cannot pay them. Let's not have anyone go suspended for this reason. We can, and will help only if we know the circumstances. The TEXAS MASON had a very good article on this in the latest issue. Call me at 817-282-1764 if we can help.
   I hope you have had a good Easter season. This time of renewing makes us all better people. Help a brother if you can.
   The Wives and Widows banquet is upcoming, be there, and help us honor our ladies.
   Come to Lodge, good things are happening, and we need you to make them better.

Fraternally Yours,

BR Campbell

Secretary

The Modern Cowan

In Scotland, the operative Mason knew cowans to be ignorant builders who put stones together without mortar. They piled rough fieldstones into a wall without hewing them true, or squaring them. They masqueraded as Masters, but they did not have the Word.

    Now and again, today - fortunately not too often - we find a modern equivalent of the operative imposter. One such is the Mason who manages a place in an officer's line with little or no effect of his own to deserve it. With only that exertion that is necessary to maintain his place, he continues to advance in line until he receives the jewels and honours that he prizes so highly. But he does not know the Constitution, and he does not understand the traditions and dignity of the Craft. As a presiding officer, his vocal ability is more noteworthy than his executive ability; and when his term is ended, he is seldom seen until another honour or prize appears to be within his grasp.

       He is a contemporary builder who works without the benefit of the mortar of real enthusiasm or accomplishments. His structure is liken unto the rough stone wall, having little beauty of value. He is the cowans of modern speculative Masonry.

    He is to be pitied, for he is a Masonic failure. His honours are shallow. Bringing no interest to his position, he received little of the satisfaction and respect that belong to the real Master.

    Masonry has failed to reach him with a clear understanding of those marks of true devotion which she has to offer. He never knows the opportunities that the Craft makes available to those who diligently seek them. He misses the opportunities that the Craft makes available to strive for a just and worthy cause. He misses the opportunity for continuing fellowship and friendship. He misses the opportunity for loyalty and devotion. He misses the opportunity for development of his executive, intellectual and oratorical abilities. And most of all, he misses the opportunity for service - to God - to his community - and to his fellow man.

     These are the jewels that Masonry has to offer, but in his quest for position and honours, the modern cowan misses them. Like the operative cowan, he does not have the Word.

Reprinted from the Masonic Shimbun in the GLBC Bulletin, Nov. '79

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 May, 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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