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A Prince Hall Mason's Home Page
Alvin M Trotman Franklin Star Lodge #288
A Mason is a man and a
Brother who is "Square" in all that he "Compasses": he has a "Rite" understanding and a firm
"Grip" therefore he has no complaints to "Lodge" against life: by being a loyal "Apprentice"
to duty he becomes "Master" of himself and others and thus whatever his "Degree" he fulfills an honorable
career from his first "Initiation" into the "Order" of humanity until he receives the final password. |
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Coming of Age
Psalms 133:(A Song of degrees of David.) BEHOLD, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aarons beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore. After years of contemplation, raised into Franklin Star Lodge No. 288, subordinate and under the Jurisdiction of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Virginia, Inc. |
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Freemasonry and Courage Amos
7:8 And the Lord said to
me, "Amos, what do you see?"I answered, "A plumbline."And he replied, "I will test my people with
a plumbline. I will no longer turn away from punishing." It is said that Masonry cannot make a bad man into a good man, but it can make a good man into a better man. This implies change-change in character, change in virtue. A change of this nature constitutes a refinement of the personality. Masonry uses the image of the rough stone, (Ashler), taken from the Quarry and worked on with the proper tools, until it is a smooth stone that is checked by the square of virtue, to be used by the Master Mason in a constructive way. The roughness of the stone, (being the remaining wildness of our personality), is our challenge to refine. The square of virtue is our standard of refinement. The remaining crudeness of our thoughts and feelings do not waste and opportunities to flare up, (to some degree at least), at every irritation, thus showing the world just how much farther we have to travel before we achieve that level of virtue which matches up with the title we bear - Master Mason. |
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Freemasonry
and Service
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Ecclesiastes
12:1 Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when
you will say, "I find no pleasure in them."
Of the many definitions of service found in the dictionary, the following seemed closest to our conception of service. 1. The serving of God, as through good works, prayer, etc. 2. Work done for a master or superior. 3. Helpful, beneficial, or friendly action or conduct. 4. Work done or duty performed for another or others. How can a Mason be of service to the Craft? The answer does not seem difficult at all. We can be of service through Lodge maintenance, committee work, coaching, donations, the line of chairs, and much more. Many of us intuitively feel that it is all service to the Craft, whether the Lodge hands you a broom or Gavel. Perhaps then there is not much more to say of our service except that the degree of our sacrifice of personal time and effort in service to the Craft is directly proportional to the degree of our love for the Craft. |
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On
The Square |
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It Matters not whate'er your lot or what your task may be; One duty there remains for you, One
duty stands for me. Be you a doctor skilled and wise, Or do your work for Wage, A laborer upon the street,
An artist on the stage; One glory still awaits for you; one honor that is fair, To have men say as you
pass by:
"That Fellow's on the square." |
Ah, here's
a phrase that stands for much, Tis good old English, too; It means that men have confidence; In
everything you do. It means that what you have you've earned, And that you've done your best . And
when you go to sleep at night ; Untroubled you may rest. It means that conscience is your guide, And honor is
your care; There is no greater praise than this:
"That fellow's on the square." |
And when I die
I would not wish A lengthy epitaph; I do not want a headstone large, Carved with fulsome chaff. Pick out no single deed
of mine, If such a deed there be, To 'grave upon my monument, For those who come to see. Just
this one phrase of all I choose, To show my life was fair:
"Here sleepeth now a fellow who was always on the square." |
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This Web Site
dedicated to the memory of C. Haywood Trotman, Sr. Franklin Star Lodge #288 |
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