From the East by Worshipful Master Rodolfo Alquero

Brethren:

Greetings! To the Brothers of Black Mountain Lodge withersoever dispersed. First, I would like to thank the presence and participation of the Officers and Members as well as our Brethren-Guests from other Lodges in our Degree Conferrals and other Lodge’s activities. Secondly, please join me in congratulating the following Brethren:

1. Mr. Oscar Velasco, Mr. Odon Misola, Mr. Ronaldo Mones and Mr. Mervyn Lansangan upon their conferral of the Entered Apprentice Degree.
2. Brother Christopher Gunn for his successful proficiency on the Lecture of the Entered Apprentice Degree.
3. Brother Ramon N on his installation as the new Junior Steward of our Lodge during our Stated Meeting on March 13th..
4. Brother Ruben Radoc upon his conferral of the Sublime Degree of Master Mason..

Mr. Christopher Pineza’s application was read and if found satisfactory to the three investigations will receive the degrees of Masonry in our Lodge.

I will be leaving for the Philippines on April 18 to attend the Philippine Annual Communication to be held at former Clark Air Field on April 25-April 28. Please extend your support to our Senior Warden Fil Garcia who will seat in the Oriental chair during my absence. Help him do the job of running the affairs of our Lodge.

Masonic Education

Education has been the foundation of knowledge. It has been emphasized by the Grand Lodge of California that we should propagate or promote Masonic Education.
When we were conferred the Third Degree, we became Master Masons. The journey for our Masonic Life did not stop there, rather it just started. If you recall the graduation ceremonies in our Elementary/High School or College, it is called the Commencement Exercises, that means the beginning.

Brothers should therefore show the world that we are worthy to be called Masons. People look up to Masons in a higher degree in the proper conduct of their lives, in terms of their character, morality and relationships to others. As such we should know and learn how Masons should be a Mason. A little learning is no excuse for not knowing things. People expect us to know about Masonry because we are Masons and when we wear those rings, it is not written there that you have just been raised, or a Mason for 2 or 10 years. Brethren with ample knowledge in Masonry should share it among the Brethren in the Lodge or by contributing Masonic articles in our Beacon. That is why I appoint a Brother to do research on a Masonic topic and have it deliberated on our Stated Meetings.

Lodge Attendance

I have been reading other Lodges’ Trestle Boards and they have the same predicaments in poor members’ attendance in degree conferrals, Lodge activities and Stated Meetings. When we were aspiring to finish the Three Degrees of Masonry, we had that enthusiasm to attain them. The question is, why did some of us lose that fire or fervent desire when we reached that goal? Why?  Did they suddenly find out that Masonry is not what they thought it was? Did the Lodge leadership or Members fail them in what reasons they desired to be Masons? Or just the audacity to brag that they are members of this ancient and honorable Fraternity and now can ‘officially’ wear a Mason’s ring and stick a Masonic emblem in their car? Or they can say that I am a Mason by heart and do not need to show up in the Lodge?

Brothers, we need your presence in the Lodge for several reasons. Whether you are a newly raised or old-time Mason, your help is needed in the following manner. Some reason out that if they do not perform in the conferrals, their presence is not needed. Wrong. Your presence during these conferrals is important in that the candidates would feel that they are welcomed by the members in the Lodge. Or recall the time in your life in that moment that you were going through the ritual, a moment that you have experienced only once. Or try to learn more about the meanings of these rituals. Be involved in the affairs in the Lodge and attend the Stated Meetings. Or sit next to a first time visitor and make them feel at ease, be a member of a committee, learn from others or teach our newly initiated, passed or raised Brothers in their Masonic Education. I also hear some old timers say, hey, I have done my part in serving the Lodge. Why, is our Lodge supposed to stay there only for a short time? Is there such a thing as a part time, retired or burnt out Mason?

Now you probably know the reason why there were few attendees on your own degree conferrals. I am sure that you wished there were more Brothers during that night. Let us reverse that trend. Why don’t we all start attending degree conferrals, Stated Meetings and other Lodge activities to the best we can?

To the Brethren who regularly attend our Lodge’s functions and practice the ideals and tenets of Freemasonry , I salute and applaud you from the bottom of my heart.

Fraternally,

Rodolfo ‘Rudy’ Alquero
Worshipful Master