masonic matters
Title Unknow
by Ed Halpaus
Grand Lodge Education Officer
Grand Lodge of A. F. & A. M. of Minnesota
"Don't consider losses a waste of time, consider them an apprenticeship." Greg
Norman
"Love comes unseen - we only see it go." Henry Austin Dobson
As I write this I happen to be listening to National Public Radio, and there is
a woman on there who is talking about Henry the 8th She is saying that King
Henry the VIII was a Romantic. That's a new thought to me, and I'm reminded what
King Henry VIII is reported to have once said, he turned to his wife and said;
"I won't keep you long."
"Don't let life discourage you: Everyone who got where he is had to begin where
he was."
Richard Evans
When I was a kid I would hear an expression, which to me seemed much too often,
a man would say to a friend or acquaintance "Hi, how are you doing?" And the
forthcoming answer all too often would be "Everyone I can and the easy ones
twice." I know now it was just some sort of smart remark to make between friends
and acquaintances, but it still doesn't seem right to me, especially among
Masons.
One of the things I like about Freemasonry is how it builds character in its
adherents, and while Masons are men first, I have found Masons to generally be
men of good character who do the right thing because it is the right thing to
do.
Here is a quote from Phillips Brooks I like: "Some day in the years to come, you
will be wrestling with the great temptation, or trembling under the great sorrow
of your life. But the real struggle is here, now . Now it is being decided
whether, in the day of your supreme sorrow or temptation, you shall miserably
fail or gloriously conquer. Character cannot be made except by steady, long
continued process."i
Have you ever thought it would be nice if men were as honest in the little
things in life as they are in the big things? Something I heard many years ago
is that it's the little things in life that turn out to be the big things, and
as I have moved on in my own life I have found that statement to be a truism. I
also have learned that what to one man may be an unimportant thing, to another
it is viewed as being all important; as a value and principle that he will not
violate. This is exemplified in a little story you may have heard before, but
please bear with me.
Character is what you are when you think no one is looking, but there are times
when we are being observed when we least expect it. As I mentioned this is
illustrated in a story about a man who was Captain of a ship during the reign of
King Solomon. The crew of the ship was beginning to make ready for a voyage,
when the Captain was approached by three men who asked him questions about where
his ship was bound and if he took passengers, he was courteous to these
strangers and answered the questions they had, but when they asked if he would
take them on his voyage he didn't tell them about the cost of passage, or ask to
see the color of their money, he just asked for them to produce the permit they
needed in order to take such a voyage. The three strangers in a most charming
manner said in effect, "Just name your price, nothing else is necessary there is
no harm in a little trip." That's not an exact quote of course, but even though
they did their best the captain refused to allow them to board his ship.
This exchange between the Captain and the three strangers was seen and heard by
an unobserved, but observant man who was traveling by foot from one place to
another. Later when he was asked for help to locate some who were thought to be
in the area - he freely gave the help he could. He didn't seek to ask why they
needed his help, or to get any payment or thanks for what he might know, he
thought first to lend assistance and after doing so he went back to his
traveling.
This story was first told to me a number of years ago by some friends of mine
who were Freemasons. Freemasons are good at telling stories, and they are also
good at helping a friend and brother understand the story behind the story,
which is what I learned much later when my good friend and Brother Harley
Johnsonii helped me to understand the story behind this story.
Now when I hear a story like this I try to see if there is a lesson I might find
that will help me in my efforts to live up to the ideals I have as a person, and
as a Mason. What I get from this little story is that it is much more important
to have a set of values to live by in my personal and business life than it is
to take advantage of an easy quick deal that would go against my values, and
that as human beings we are always being observed by someone who might be
looking to us to see what kind of example we set. I have learned we all serve as
an example in our interactions with people every day of our lives; I want to
strive to be a good example.
"A mind that is conscious of its integrity scorns to say more than it means to
perform."
Brother Robert Burns
"The Goesinto."
Our Past Grand Master Ed Waldon died in December of 2003. He was an interesting
man and I wish I could have spent more time with him. I firmly believe the more
time you can spend with some Masons the better off you will be as a Mason, and
Brother Ed Waldon was that kind of Mason.
One of the things that he said once was; "The most important thing that a Mason
can bring when it comes to his Masonic Lodge, and his role in it, is his
'Goesinto."
This is what one might call one of those little known secrets, and I was
fortunate enough to be present when Brother Ed explained it to a small select
group of Masons at the Mid-West Conference on Masonic Education in St. Cloud
some years ago.
The 'Goesinto' what is it? How can you use it?
It is what "Goes Into" your thought process when you are presented an idea, a
change, a situation, or a problem, both in and out of Lodge. It is what goes
into your thought process before you speak, or act.
It is what goes into your research, preparation, and work when you are given a
job to do:
If a minimum amount of work, preparation, or thought is what is invested,
(Goesinto,) then a minimum amount of result is what will be received.
It is what goes into your part of any program or project you might be involved
in with your Lodge.
Your 'goesinto' is one of the most important things you can bring with you to
any and every aspect of your life. Begin with the end in-mind, think about what
you want as a result; use your goesinto to bring about the best result possible.
"Genius is the ability to reduce the complicated to the simple." C.W. Ceran I
was watching TV with my wife last night, and one of the actors said someone was
a Schmuck. Another actor said Schmucks have a right to live a happy crime-free
life too.
That's true, and I immediately thought of a Mason who's listed in 10,000 Famous
Freemasons: He is Brother Elmer N. Schmuck, who lived from 1882 to 1936. (Not a
very long time when we're speaking of a human life.) He was born July 27, 1882
in Peoria, Illinois, and graduated from the Seabury Divinity School in Minnesota
in 1905. Brother Schmuck received his degrees in Star in the East Lodge #33 at
Owatonna, Minnesota on September 8th October 27th & November 10, 1909. He was
the Episcopal Priest in Owatonna at the time. Before becoming a Freemason he
served churches in New Ulm, and Sleepy Eye, and after he was a Mason he served
as an Episcopal Priest in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he affiliated with Lake
Harriett Lodge #277 on January 23, 1913 serving as Master of Lake Harriett Lodge
in 1921. Brother Schmuck served as the Protestant Episcopal Bishop of the State
of Wyoming from 1929 to 1936, and he died April 28, 1936. So what's in a name?
Well in the name of Schmuck was a pretty nice guy who happened to be a Clergyman
and a Brother.
"The names of such flowers as fuchsia, gardenia, begonia, camellia, magnolia and
poinsettia are so appropriately floral that it always comes as a surprise to
remember that these lovely words are just adaptations of the commonplace names
of botanists - such as Leonhard Fuchs, Michel Begon, Georg Camelli, Pierre
Magnol, and [Brother] Joel R. Poinsett." Sydney J. Harris
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