A charitable donation was made, this month, by our lodge. We donated 13 Kindle Paperwhite e-readers to a third grade class at Harrison Park School, in southeast Portland. Also, we donated appropriate accessories.
Support for public education is a longstanding Masonic tradition. Unfortunately, our public schools are under considerable financial stress. Some schools could benefit from donations of educational equipment. Read More
We hear it said that the purpose of Masonry is to “make Masons.” But, how exactly do we do that? My personal experience as a brother of “Friendship Masonic Lodge #160, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons” has been unusual in some respects. Like 5 of my brothers, I was raised in the “united” Friendship 160, during the period when we were consolidated with Kenton 145. Yet, the first time I ever spoke in open Lodge, other than during my degrees and proficiency testing, was to offer prayer as Chaplain the night our Lodge was divided by the Grand Master back into its predecessors. The lines of our closing prayer – “[n]ow that we are about to separate …” – have never rung so strongly for me as they did that night. Read More
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!
I’ve been turning this familiar piece of scripture over in my mind for a bit now because it seems to connect two ideas that I had previously found to be paradoxical, though individually agreeable, and harmonizes nicely with our present theme of charity. Read More
Last Wednesday, September 21st, Friendship Masonic Lodge No. 160 conferred the Fellowcraft Degree on Brother Kent Smith. The degree was conferred by WB Bob Casey, the lodge’s current Worshipful Master, with brothers from various lodges in attendance.
Brother Christopher Chase, the lodge’s current Senior Deacon, delivered an exceptional rendition of the staircase lecture, while Brother Joey Piazza, visiting Senior Deacon from Kenton Lodge No. 145 delivered the G Lecture.
Something special is planned for this month’s stated communication. Mary Mitchell, a published author and professional speaker, will make an informative presentation on social graces appropriate in public settings. In fact, the title of her talk will be the same as the title of this article. Read More
The word “libertine” was first coined in the 16th century by the Protestant reformer John Calvin, to deride those who opposed his insistence that the discipline of his church be uniformly enforced against all citizens of Geneva, Switzerland. In later centuries the term became more generally equated with debauchery. Now, Merriam-Webster defines a “libertine” as “a person (especially a man) who leads an immoral life and is mainly interested in sexual pleasure.” In the 18th century, the “libertine novel” emerged as a recurring literary genre, focused on stories with anti clerical, anti-establishment, and erotic themes. One of the most famous novels of this genre, Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Dangerous Liaisons), was re-popularized in the 1980’s through an award-winning West End and Broadway play, and later a film which received multiple Academy Award nominations. This story centers on aristocratic adventures in seduction, revenge, and marriage-wrecking. Read More
I am caught unarmed and ill prepared – shamefully so, as this situation is one of my own design. It’s time I address the virtue of faith. To be fair, I ought to have done this in June, but kicked that can down the road in the hopes that my study and reflections over the summer months would give greater clarity and empower me to share something of merit. But alas I stand defeated, though I will happily explain my reticence about faith. It confuses me. Read More
