Masonic connections (4/3/07)

Written after a meeting at Acanthus Lodge.

They had a Master Mason Degree and it was excellent. I got to play a part I had never done before and it was nice. After the Degree the newly raised brother was presented with a Masonic ring which had belonged to his father-in-law who had passed away shortly before he had begun his Masonic journey. His father-in-law's friend came over from Panora, Iowa to witness the degree and make the presentation.

I have seen this happen a couple of times, a piece of jewelry is passed down to someone from a relative or special friend and as happened last night there were few dry eyes in the Lodge. In fact it happened to me. The night I was installed as Master of Arcadia Lodge some 27 years ago my mother's sister, my aunt Jean, got up and presented me with my great-grandfather Underwood'sPast Master's Jewel. He was Master of Arcadia Lodge twice, The first time was just 99 years before I was Master.

It is a beautiful jewel coin silver, highly engraved with both a square and an arch on the bottom. It is about 5 or 6 inches long. I wear it every once in awhile, but I am always very careful in doing so. I was dumbfounded to receive it. Aunt Jean really made the evening extra special by presenting it to me. Later I also inherited my great-grandfather Simser's Masonic Jewelry. He was a member of Nevada Lodge and his daughter gave me his jewelry. Included was a Keystone watch fob hanging from a watch chain made from my great-grandmother Simser's hair. It is intricately braided and something that I don't think is being done anymore. I have seen highly elaborate braided hair in museums.

These incidents point out to me that ours is a fraternity with history. My father was not a Mason but both of my grandfathers were and all four of my great grandfathers. It is awesome to me to think that they also knelt at a Masonic Altar and took the same obligations and went through the same ination ceremonies that I did. I did not know any of them except my grandfather Cole but I feel more connected to them than if they had not been members of our "gentle craft" and I feel honored to be allowed to belong to the greatest fraternal organization in the world. (But then I'll bet most of you knew that."