september_2008

The Newsletter of the Orient of Virginia Scottish Rite

Volume 2, Issue 3 September 2008

Table of Contents

Page 2 - SGIG Message Page 3 - End of Lead story Page 4 - Masonic Library Page 5 - Color Symbolism Page 7 - Knights Templar Page 8 - Secrecy 0 - New Personal Representative & SR Din-ner Fund Raiser Page 11 - Seeking More Light in Masonry Page 12 - Valley Photos Page 13 - Valley Informa-tion Page 14 - Valley Informa-tion Page 15 - Valley Informa-tion & Conference’s Ne-crology Report Page 16 - License applica-tion

Copyright © 2008, The Orient of Virginia under

the auspices of The Supreme Council, 33°, Ancient and Accepted

Scottish Rite, SJ, USA. No part of this publication may

be reproduced without permission of its Editor at

[email protected]

Show Your Pride in Scottish Rite Freemasonry

Don Quixote, a novel written by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, tells the story about Alonso Quixano, a retired country gentleman in his forties, who lives in an unnamed section of La Mancha with his niece and a housekeeper. He has become obsessed with books on chivalry and believes their every word to be true, despite the fact that many of the events in them are clearly impossible. He eventually goes on adventures or quests as the knight-errant, Don Quixote, the Man of La Mancha; but the rest of the countryside seems to think he has lost his mind. Does the Commonwealth of Virginia have its own Don Quixote? Brother William A Parks, Jr., KCCH, has been working almost two years on a quest of his own. His quest…Scottish Rite Freemasonry license plates authorized by Virginia’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). He noticed that about every other appendant body in the Commonwealth has their own license plates, so why doesn’t the Scottish Rite? Through his research, diligence, and perseverance the quest’s ending appears to almost be in sight. The only thing holding him back is obtaining 350 names on a list to be provided to DMV. Below is an example of what the plates will look like, if the quest comes to fruition. If you are interested in helping Don, uh, I mean Brother Parks in his quest, please continue reading more about his quest on Page 3 and the application is on Page 16.

The Virginian Light©

Published monthly for the Brethren of Virginia

Ill. Ronald A. Seale, 33°

Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme

Council, 33°, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, SJ,

USA

Ill. James D. Cole, 33° Grand Treasurer General

and Sovereign Grand Inspector General in Virginia of the Supreme Council, 33°,

Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, SJ, USA

Ill. William L. Holliday, IGH Personal Representative to

the SGIG in Virginia

Bro. David A. Burkus, KCCH Newsletter Editor

Editorial Staff

Ill. Walter S. Downs, GC Ill. William A. Wells, IGH Ill. Orville L. Lindsey, IGH

Bro. Danny O. Belott, KCCH Ill. Paul W. Pennybacker, IGH Ill. W. H. ‘Andy’ Anderson, IGH Bro. Bradford F. Burnett, KCCH

Bro. Paul D. Sleeper, 32°

WEBSITE: http://Acacia16.org/TheVirginiaLight

Brethren, Scottish Rite Masons and their Ladies from around the Common-wealth have arrived home … extra food, carted from the hospitality suites, cooked by motivated friends, has been put away (or perhaps eaten already) … the many workers and planners that made it suc-cessful are beginning a well deserved rest. Many of us are still talking about the great times we enjoyed. The eighty-fourth annual Orient of Virginia Scottish Rite Conference has concluded. The tradition was certainly upheld. We traveled to Richmond, were greeted by a well-prepared Conference Committee, then listened and learned on Friday afternoon as two great presentations, one on Valley Organizational Structure and one on the Master Craftsman Program, were given by excellent speakers. On Friday evening, after a delicious meal, we heard from a young college student who, a dozen years ago, entered our Childhood Language Center in Richmond able to speak only three words, “Mama, Daddy and Pizza.” We heard that young man give an eloquent ten minute talk that left everyone with tears in their eyes. Those tears then ran down the cheeks of the attendees when the young man’s mother took the podium and spoke of what a difference Scottish Rite had made in her family. After the banquet, dozens of Scottish Rite Masons crowded the various hospitality suites hosted by the individual Valleys, where each show-cased some special food, dessert or brand of fellowship. Friendships were renewed, plans were made for upcoming events, stories of family were shared and our new Scottish Rite programs were discussed. Saturday brought informative reports from each Valley and a very motivational and inspirational report from the Director of the Richmond Childhood Language Center. Later, friends joined for ad-hoc meetings. During the afternoon, various ball games and sporting events were watched and then we joined for a final banquet. At that dinner, we rejoiced in our successes and welcomed the new Confer-ence President and his Committee as the plans began anew for the eighty-fifth Conference, to be hosted in Portsmouth. A GOOD time was had by all. The only ones that did not have a great weekend with their Scottish Rite friends were those who did not or could not attend. To any member reading this article, talk to your Valley Secretary NOW about attending next year, September 25-27, 2009. The Conference and its great tradition as a “fun and educational family outing” is open to any member of Virginia Scottish Rite. Fraternally, James D. Cole, 33° Grand Treasurer General and S.G.I.G. in Virginia

The Virg in ia L ight—Sept 2008


"Scottish Rite Freemason" License Plate INSTRUCTIONS

Attached (see last two sheets), you will find a DMV form for applying for a "Scottish Rite Freema-son" license plate. If you would like to obtain such a plate, please fill out the form in full and send it with a check payable to "Scottish Rite License Plate" in the amount of: A. $10.00 for the plate; or B. $20.00 if you want the plate personalized. TO:

William A. Parks, Jr. P.O. Box 1175 226 West Locust Street Covington, VA 24426 540.962.2222 540.963.2234 (fax)

Upon receipt of 350 applications, the package will be sent to DMV for final design and issuance of the plate. FAQ’s in Regards to Obtaining the License Plates

Can I get a “Scottish Rite Freemason” license plate for my passenger car, multi-purpose vehicle, van, or truck? Yes, license plates are available for passenger cars, multipurpose vehicles (i.e. Jeeps, Blazers, motor homes), vans and trucks weighing 7,500 lbs. or less.

Can I get a “Scottish Rite Freemason” license plate for my motorcycle? No, license plates are not available for motorcycles. Can I get a “Scottish Rite Freemason” souvenir plate? Unfortunately, souvenir plates are not available until after the plate development process is complete. Applica-tions for souvenir plates cannot be included as part of the required 350 applications submitted. I have a disabled plate. Can I get a “Scottish Rite Freemason” disabled license plate? Yes, disabled license plates are available. If I already have a personalized plate and wish to put the same character combination on the new plate, what do I need to do? Complete the application, check the box next to “transfer existing license plate”, record the character combina-tion in the boxes provided on the application, and submit the fees. Will I receive a refund if the “Scottish Rite Freemasons” are unable to obtain the required minimum number of prepaid applications in order to sponsor a license plate in Virginia? Yes, if we do not collect a minimum of 350 prepaid applications, you will receive a full refund. How will the license plate numbers be assigned? The numbering system for special license plates is usually four numeric and two alpha characters for a series. Examples include: 1001ZZ – 9950ZZ or ZZ1001 – ZZ9950. We hope that “SROOOO” will be followed


Building a Personal Masonic Library By Bro. Jonathan Mark Mills, 32°

Valley of Roanoke It is my belief that every Master Mason should have a personal Masonic Library. A personal library is just that…personal. There are no set rules on what types of publications you should include, but I will give you some recommendations. Most of us have the odd book or two that we have kept over the years but not many actually work at building a personal library of special interest material. Your library does not have to be fancy or expensive. A single shelf or small bookcase will do for starters. As for what items you can include on that shelf or bookcase, you should al-ready have the beginnings of a personal Masonic library. In becoming a Master Mason, you progressed through the application for membership and the first three de-grees of Masonry. At each phase, you were given a small booklet to read that you might learn more about Freema-sonry. Locate those four booklets or ask your Lodge Secretary for copies of them. The four booklets are titled: Taking the First Step, The Degree of Entered Apprentice, The Degree of Fellowcraft, and The Degree of Master Mason. Additionally, no Masonic library should be without a Masonic Bible. Your Lodge may have presented you with one when you were raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason. If not, obtain a personal Masonic Bible for your library. Another volume that should be in your personal library is a copy of the Presentation Volume. This publication of the Grand Lodge of Virginia contains six separate publications. These are: The Book of Constitutions, Historic Records, Manual of Work, Manual of Ceremonies, Table Lodge, and the Mentor’s Manual. Each of these, except for the Historic Records, is available as a separate publication from the Grand Lodge. Put either the Presentation Volume or one each of the separate publications in you library. One other publication that you should consider for your library is a copy of the Methodical Digest. It contains the laws, rules, and regulations of the Grand Lodge, A.F. & A.M., of Virginia. It is a great source of functional, as well as organizational, information. When you progressed through the Scottish Rite degrees, you probably received a copy of A Bridge To Light. This would be another excellent volume to add to your collection. If you enroll in the Scottish Rite Master Craftsman Program, you will receive a copy of The Scottish Rite Ritual Monitor and Guide. The program will make you a much better informed Scottish Rite Mason and you get to add another great publication to your library! There are a variety of organizations, research societies, and associations that you can join to obtain more publi-cations on Masonic subjects. You can join the Masonic Service Association of North America, http://www.msana.com/, and for a nominal fee ($6.00 per year as of the writing of this article), you will receive their Short Talk Bulletin each month. One of the best deals going today is the Scottish Rite Research Society (SRRS). Since 1991, the SRRS has be-come one of the most dynamic forces in Masonic research, pursuing a publication program emphasizing quality, both in content and physical form. While it has its administrative offices at the House of the Temple in Washing-ton, D.C., it is open to all. Membership cost is currently $45.00 per year. The best part of this deal is the fact that you receive an annual copy of Heredom, a scholarly collection of essays about Masonry. You also receive their quarterly publication, The Plumbline. But wait…it gets even better! The SRRS also provides each member a copy of one of their publications called the “Bonus Book”. These are the bonus books I have received over the past three years:

Three volumes of Heredom (regular price is $35.00 each) Symbolism of the Blue Degrees of Freemasonry, Albert Pike’s ESOTERIKA (regular price is $60.00) Albert Pike’s Lecture on Masonic Symbolism and a Second Lecture on Symbolism: The Omkara and other

Ineffable Words ($55.00) Valley of the Craftsmen: A Pictorial History: Scottish Rite of Freemasonry In America’s Southern Jurisdiction

($45.00) As you can see, that is over $265.00 worth of books which far exceeds the fee for membership in the SRRS!! I sincerely hope that these suggestions will put you on the path to building your own personal Masonic Library. However, I should note that it should truly be a “personal” library. I cannot begin to tell you what books or publi-cations you should acquire, for then it would not be your “personal” library, but a mirror of my choices and ideas. You do need to learn to be selective, and over time, you will develop a wonderful Masonic library that will assist you in receiving “More Light in Masonry”.


Color Symbolism By Ill. Benjamin E. Hill, IGH

Valley of Portsmouth

Introduction In Freemasonry, seldom are things as they appear. In his book Sources of Masonic Symbolism, Brother Alex Horne says that “the wide use of symbols in Freemasonry is the characteristic that distin-guishes it from all other organizations. From start to finish, all our Masonic teachings and ceremonies in our Lodges and in our appendant bodies utilize various things and ideas as symbols to teach basic moral truths.” He lists colors of one of the nine categories of symbols used in Freemasonry. General Discussion In reviewing the literature, five colors tend to dominate: Blue, White, Black, Red (scarlet or crimson), and Green. Blue indicates universal brotherhood and it is representative of the canopy of heaven. From it we are taught the principles of immortality, eternity, chastity, and fidelity. From light blue we are taught prudence and probity. It is not known how or when blue became the characteristic color of Craft Ma-sonry, but the idea seems to have arisen in the early 18th Century. White represents purity. As an Entered Apprentice, the candidate is presented a Lambskin or white leather apron as an emblem of innocence and the badge of a “Free and Accepted” Mason; a sym-bol of the purity of life and rectitude of conduct. Its use is thought to have originated with the rite of baptism I deference that one had obligated himself to live an unspotted life. In the middle of the 14th Century, Black was introduced as the symbol of sorrow or mourning. Although it is often thought in its negative terms of darkness, its positive aspects are to each gravity and sobriety. It is also associated with rebirth and transformation. In the French and Scottish Rites, the third degree is decorated in black, emblematic of the sorrow over the death of Grand Master Hiram Abiff. It is most often seen in American Craft Masonry during the funeral ceremony. “Universally, [Red] (scarlet or crimson) is emblematic of faith, fortitude, divine love, and mar-tyrdom. It is peculiar to the Royal Arch and “…symbolizes fire, the sign of regeneration. (It is said) those who pass through the Royal Arch ceremonies undergo a purification of life and a regeneration of the soul.” Green is directly associated with resurrection and immortality. It has been adopted by the Allied Masonic Degrees whose teachings are closely associated with the immorality of divine truth. In the Mas-ter’s Degree, the sprig of acacia symbolizes moral life, rebirth, and immortality in the tale of Grand Master Hiram Abiff. York Rite Other colors found in use include yellow (or gold), silver, and purple. Yellow is used to repre-sent gold, emblematical of the sun and constancy, while silver respects the moon. Purple is characteris-tic of the Cryptic (or Council) Degrees within the York Rite representing the connection that exists be-tween Craft Masonry and the Holy Royal Arch. Although colors have been used in Freemasonry for some time, their application tends to vary. For instance, blue is universally accepted as the color of Craft Masonry, more especially on the Euro-pean Continent and the United States of America. However, while the Grand Lodge of England has adopted dark blue as its color, the Grand Lodge of Ireland chose light blue in contrast. The Scottish Grand Lodge is represented by thistle green and in the United Stated various Grand Lodges employ dark blue, light blue, gold, silver (or silver-gray) and purple to trim their aprons, Baltic’s, and other Lodge clothing.

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Color Symbolism (Continued from Page 5)

Knights Templar “The garments of the Knights Templar were originally white (to represent the purity of their purpose) but after the death of their Grand Master Jacques de Molay, they changed to black as a token of grief for his loss.” Two other colors which appear in a Commandery of Knights Templar are red (representative of war and the blood and sacrifice suffered by the Knights Templar) and green (emblematical of the chivalric order, resurrection, and the immortality of life). Scottish Rite There does not appear to be a significant or dominant color within the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry and to address each of its thirty degrees separately exceeds the scope of this paper. However, the use of colors within the Scottish Rite does reflect symbolic meanings:

• Black is used to commemorate the death of Grand Master Hiram Abiff and generally repre-sents grief and sorrow. In some degrees, black is used to represent darkness and evil, while in other degrees black is used to represent the solemn nature of the lessons being taught. Black is also used to represent ignorance, tyranny, despotism, and vice.

• White represents purity and justice; it is truth, morality, and emblematical of the Deity. • Blue represents the Symbolic Lodge--the foundation of Masonry. It also stands for temper-

ance, irreproachable conduct, and immortality. • Red represents fire which tries and purifies all thing and leads to truth. It is indicative of

severity, fervency, and zeal. Red also symbolizes vengeance, retribution, blood, and the wars which delayed the rebuilding of King Solomon’s temple for seventeen years.

• Green is infinite wisdom. It signifies manliness, uprightness of chivalry, and the renewal of virtue. As an emblem of immortality, it signifies hope beyond the grave.

In the Scottish Rite colors are used to represent the Deity: white represents the beneficence of God; blue, His profound and perfect wisdom; purple, His power; and crimson, His glory. When associated with the elements: scarlet represents fire; blue is the air; purple is water; and white is the Earth.

Conclusion Freemasonry is often defined as “a system of morality, veiled in allegory, and illustrated by symbols” and every Mason understands that his advancement through the “degrees” and “orders” is a journey in search of “More Light” -- a quest for knowledge and truth. Next time you attend a Masonic meeting, be it the rituals or ceremonial, what are the colors telling you. What basic moral truths are be-ing represented? By understanding the language of Freemasonic symbolism, all Masons will come to see these symbols, including color symbolism, as guideposts in the their search for “Light.”

References • Alex Horne, Sources of Masonic Symbolism,1981, Missouri Lodge of Research, Macoy Publishing and Ma-

sonic Supply Company, Inc., Richmond Virginia • Harry Wilson Coil, Coil’s Masonic Encyclopedia, 1961, Macoy Publishing and Masonic Supply Company,

Inc., Richmond Virginia • Harry Benfield, The Colors Most Used in Freemasonry,” Trinity Council No.32, Miscellanea, Volume XII,

Part Three, Grand Council of the Allied Masonic Degrees of USA, 1984 • The Short Talk Bulletin, Color Symbolism In Freemasonry, Vol. 72, No. 4, April 1994, Masonic Service As-

sociation of the United States, Silver Spring Maryland • Bernard E. Jones, Freemason’s Guide and Compendium, Barnes and Noble Books, Inc., reprinted 1986 • Ray V. Denslow, A Royal Arch Encyclopedia, Grand Chapter Royal Arch Masons of Missouri, 1951 • Rex A. Hutchems, A Bridge To Light, Supreme Council 33° AASR SJ, 1995, pp 15-325



Jacques DeMolay, the 23rd and Last Grand Master of the Knights Templar, is led to the stake to be burned for heresy.

Templars Having A Good Year by Bro. William A. Parks, Jr., 32°, KCCH

Earlier this year, the Vatican released to the world an ancient parchment stumbled upon by a historian in 2001. Called the "Chinon Parchment," it includes the acquittal of the Knights Tem-plar by Pope Clement V on charges of heresy and dozens of other unspeakable acts and blas-phemies. It is one of many documents included in Processus Contra Templarios ("Proceedings Against the Templars"), issued by the Vatican in a limited run of 800 copies. The Supreme Council, S.J. has received a copy now lodged in the Supreme Council Library. For more infor-mation, go to www.scottishrite.org/http://www.scottishrite.org/ee.php?/scottishrite/internal/vatican_secret_archive/ So if the Knights Templar were really innocent and went through all that torture and flaming death for nothing, somebody ought to get sued, right? Yes, indeed, and the Spanish descendants of the Knights Templar are just the ones to do it and they have. The Association of the Sovereign Order of the Temple of Christ, claiming its members are descended from the Poor Soldiers of the Temple of Solomon, have sued Pope Benedict XVI for billions, claiming that Pope Clement V's seizure of Templar property was illegal in view of their acquittal and that such property should be restored to the Order's heirs. So much for the Templars' vow of chastity. For more on The Sovereign Order of the Temple of Christ vs. Pope Benedict XVI, check out http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93613600 and when you get there, click on the link in the fourth paragraph where it says "who wrote about the lawsuit." So now we know that the Pope had the "Templar Treasure" all along!

Secrecy By Bro. Patrick C. Murphrey, 32°

Valley of Newport News

“When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea of Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.” ...Matthew 16:13-20 (New International Version) In Eugene Patterson’s The Message translation, verse 20 reads “ He (Jesus) swore his disci-ples to secrecy. He made them promise they would tell no one that he was the Messiah.” For Christians one of the greatest truths is that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ, or Messiah, who came with a promise of salvation to the world. But why did he swear his disciples to keep secret this great truth that would benefit all mankind? This revelation could probably be classed as the greatest “secret” of all time. The disciples must have known that Jesus’ true identity would not remain a secret. But Jesus knew that there was a proper time and place for that information to be revealed. Even then only the worthy would accept it as truth. So what is a secret? Secret is defined by the Random House College Dictionary as “a method, formula or plan, etc., known only to the initiated or the few.” (p. 1189) In other words a secret could be defined more narrowly as being knowledge or truths that one does not know or is not aware.

In Masonry, we are taught, indeed obligated, that secrets should not be revealed to those not eligible to receive them. This is further illustrated in the 4th degree of the Scottish Rite, or Secret Master, in which the candidate is welcome into further knowledge but is warned of his continued duty to protect that knowledge from the unworthy. The acquisition of knowledge or secrets should not be sought after simply for the sake of knowing, but for applying the informa-tion to achieve good. When we first ask admission to the Masonic lodge, we are admonished not to seek membership out of idle curiosity but for the earnest pursuit of lofty ideals. In fact, obtain-ing the secrets of Masonry is more than a privilege, but a responsibility. There is a duty to not to reveal secrets to those not eligible to receive them, but also to accept and act on their truths once revealed.

There is an ethics of secrecy, meaning that there is some knowledge that should be with-held from those unworthy, but also some knowledge that must be disclosed to all. The best ex-ample of knowledge meriting full disclosure is the law. Saint Thomas Aquinas defined law as “…nothing more than an ordinance of reason for the common good, made by him who has care of the community, and promulgated.” The word “promulgated” means to be made public or not

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Secrecy (Continued from Page 8)

be secret. In other words, law cannot be just or rightly enforced, unless it is made known to the gen-eral public. Also, in a democratic society, citizens must have access to certain (non-national security related) information about how their government operates. As James Madison says: “A popular Gov-ernment, without popular Information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a Prologue to a Farce or a Tragedy; or; perhaps both. Knowledge will forever govern ignorance: and a people who mean to be their own Governors, must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives.” These thoughts have given rise to such legislation as the Freedom of Information Act and the free distribution of the U.S. Constitution to all interested citizens through their Member of Congress.

Secrecy, as a principle, is not a matter of “not” but “not yet”. The Bible tells us that there is a time when all secrets will be made known and all hidden knowledge will be shouted from the house-tops. So why have secrets? The answer is simple. The flawed nature of man requires it. In the Gar-den of Eden, Adam and Eve sinned when they disobeyed God and ate from the Tree of the Knowl-edge of Good & Evil. Their actions caused them to be banished and the knowledge contained in the Garden to be guarded forever. Since the Garden of Eden, knowledge has been protected. The protec-tion comes in the forms of institutional education, life experience, fraternal initiations, or religious experiences. In the government, secrets are protected by the security clearance process. The individ-ual must be worthy, willing, and able to work to acquire knowledge. Without the proper safeguards, the acquisition of knowledge could be used by certain people for evil. For example, while knowledge has led to vaccines and landing a man on moon it has also led to the development of the atomic bomb and weapons of mass destruction. If one joins organizations or feigns piety simply in the pursuit of the “ultimate” secret knowledge, they will be sorely disappointed. For the search for knowledge is unending. As Ill. Brother Robert Davis put it: “[i]t is the search for the Holy Grail. It is the journey of the Master Mason for the Lost Word. It is the quest in the Scottish Rite for the Royal Secret.” So we continue to search and continue to strive to be worthy of the responsibility that comes with holding the precious gift of knowledge. Scientia Est Potentia, Knowledge is Power.

From “Statutes of the Supreme Council of the Thirty-third Degree, Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, S.J., U.S.A.

ARTICLE XV Regulations Governing Subordinate Bodies

SEC. 9. Stated Meetings of a Lodge of Perfection must be held at least monthly, and of a Chapter of Rose Croix and a Council of Kadosh, at least once in two months, except during the months of July, August, and September. A Consistory must hold regular meetings at least once every three months.


Did You Know . . .


New Personal Representatives By Ill. James D. Cole, 33˚

S.G.I.G. At the eighty-fourth annual Scottish Rite Conference, we celebrated the Masonic career and faithful service given to Scottish Rite by Illustrious and Most Worshipful James B. Wilkinson, 33˚ Grand Cross, who requested to retire from active service in the position of Orient Personal Representative. The Sovereign Grand Inspector General in each Orient has the authority to appoint one person in each Valley and one man in the Orient to serve as his Personal Representatives. Illustrious Brother Wilkinson, “The Judge,” has served as the Orient Personal Representative of the Sovereign Grand Inspector General in Virginia for many years. He has been instrumental in establishing and leading the Richmond Childhood Language Center. His wisdom, insight, and strength of character have served to support both Scottish Rite and everyone with whom he has had contact. With great regret, I accepted Illustrious Brother Wilkinson’s retirement, on the condition that he continue to guide the Childhood Language Center and that he have an “active retirement” by continuing to provide his advice and insight for our Rite. Therefore, he shall henceforth carry the title of Orient Personal Representative Emeritus. With the enthusiastic concurrence of Illustrious Brother Wilkinson, I have appointed Illustrious and Most Wor-shipful William Lee Holliday, 33˚, as the new Orient Personal Representative for Virginia. Illustrious Brother Holliday has served successfully for several years as the Personal Representative for the Valley of Norfolk. I accepted the recommendation of Illustrious Brother Holliday and appointed Illustrious Carlton Lee Gill, 33˚ as the new Personal Representative for the Valley of Norfolk. Illustrious Brother Gill has been very active in Valley affairs for several years and was one of the first in Virginia to complete the new Master Craftsman Program. Please join me in expressing both your appreciation and support for these fine men.

Scottish Rite Friends Dinner By Bro. Paul D. Sleeper, 32º

Brethren, if your Valley has not held its Friends’ Dinner yet, you are in for a treat. The Valley of Roanoke held it’s Friends’ Dinner in early August with the assistance of the Southern Jurisdiction and the Valleys of Danville and Lynchburg. The food was great. Did I mention how good the food was? The fellowship was great. Did I mention how great the fellowship was? Overall, the evening was fantastic. Did I mention how much fun it was? The evening started off with a very relaxing mood. There was plenty of good fellowship to be found, with am-ple time to scout out the items you wanted to bid on. Or in some cases, the items your wife asked you to be the highest bidder on. There were plenty of items donated for the silent auction that caught the eye. Lisa came away with a Scottish Rite clock that was very nice. During the preview/fellowship time (which was called the Silent Auction), we enjoyed a nice variety of snack foods, wine, cheese, and crackers. We were able to purchase raffle tickets from the Scottish Rite Ladies for the P. Buck-ley Moss framed print. You could purchase a glass of champagne with a chance at a diamond or a cubic zirconium as a consolation. Illustrious and Most Worshipful James M. Scearce, Jr., finally bought Judy that diamond. We had prime rib AND salmon with a side of a really great mashed potato casserole, strawberry spinach salad, and steamed vegetables. The dessert was worth skipping dinner for - Chocolate Decadence with Raspberries. Everyone that knows me knows that I like to eat, and I was very pleased to say the least. There were many comments overheard about the quality and quantity of food, not one person left hungry, and there was more food than people could eat. After dinner came the auction for some really nice donated pieces. I do not know what the biggest hit was. It may have been the DeMolay bobble headed doll that looked like Right Worshipful Terry Ellison, Grand Senior Deacon, or it may have been the Secretary Desk that sold for over $1,000. Really, it just depended upon what interested you, as there was something for every taste. There were resort vacations to furniture to jewelry to… All of the donated gifts were of high quality. We had 28 sponsors and underwriters, 19 donors, and a committee of 17 that made the evening possible. Wow, what a great time it was. There is always next year, I can’t wait! As a bonus, we raised over $10,000 for the Scottish Rite Charities.

Seeking More Light in Masonry By Bro. Paul D. Sleeper, 32°

Valley of Roanoke Why did you join Freemasonry; to sit on the sidelines, to wear a ring, to have another dues card, to influence your standing at work or within the community, to say you belong to the oldest, largest, and in my opinion the best Fraternity? Of course not! First, let me say, I think one of the primary reasons you may have joined the Fraternity was to receive light, to become more knowledgeable, and you wanted to learn how to apply that knowledge. If those were not one of the reasons you became a Master Mason, you would not have become a Scottish Rite Mason. We will get back to this point in a moment. Now let me cover a few of the other reasons you may have joined the Fraternity. You joined the Fraternity to become an active member of the Craft. To experience the friend-ship, companionship, and Brotherly Love you have now grown accustomed to. As you traveled, you have found it possible to enjoy the fellowship of your new family anywhere in the world. You have found a security blanket of friends to help you in time of need. You have found friends who will whisper good counsel when needed, as none of us are perfect. We all came here to improve our-selves, to become better men than we were before we joined. We became better men, better leaders, better mentors, better friends, and better fathers. We applied the lessons experienced within the Lodge room, while attending our places of worship, within our homes, at our places of business, and within our community. But you wanted more; you found yourself thirsty for knowledge. If you were not thirsty for knowledge, you would not have become a Scottish Rite Mason. Why? Because, you, as a Scottish Rite Mason, have continuously strived to obtain light in Masonry; this is after all, one of the first lessons we learn in Craft Masonry. You were also taught we needed to apply these lessons within our daily lives. I know you learned these lessons. You came to the door of the Scottish Rite seeking further light. You found out this was the perfect place to expand your knowledge with not only more teachings, but with lessons on how to apply those teachings. You did as you were instructed; you sought out more light in Masonry. You found out that as your thirst for knowledge continued to grow, you were afforded many opportunities within the Scottish Rite to quench that thirst. For example, I personally, am looking forward to one of those new opportunities, as I am planning on taking and completing the Master Craftsman course. We do need to remember one more basic lesson taught within Craft Masonry: seeking more light is only half of our self-imposed obligation. We must also be ready to share that light of Craft Freemasonry, and the lessons of the Scottish Rite. As you speak to your fellow Brethren, encourage them to continue their journey, and become Scottish Rite Masons. For those who are already Scot-tish Rite Masons, encourage them to take and complete the Master Craftsman course. It is never too late to seek out light. It is never too late to share the light you have experi-enced. Each day brings new opportunities to use your new found light.



Valley of Alexandria Valley of Danville

Valley of Lynchburg Valley of Newport News

Valley of Norfolk Valley of Portsmouth

Valley of Richmond Valley of Roanoke

Valley of Alexandria

Stated Meetings on the 2nd Fri-day @ 7:30PM

Chartered October 1911

Ill. Walter S. Downs, GC

Personal Representative of SGIG

Ill. Walter S. Downs, GC Secretary

Ill. Roy M. Heaster, IGH

Treasurer

Bro. Brian W. Galusha, 32° Almoner

Masters of the Four Bodies

Bro. Thomas A. Reese, KCCH

Venerable Master

Bro. Earl R. Jones, KCCH Wise Master

Bro. Noe R. Poblete, KCCH

Commander

Bro. George D. Seghers, KCCH Master of Kadosh

Building Address:

1430 West Braddock Road Alexandria, VA 22302

Mailing: P.0. Box 175 Alexandria 22313 Office: 703.998.9904

Fax: 703.778.2804

E-mail: [email protected]

Office Hours Monday through Friday

10AM till 4PM


Valley of Danville

Stated Meetings on the 2nd Tuesday @ 7:30PM

Chartered May 1923

Ill. Ronny L. Lewis, IGH

Personal Representative of SGIG

Ill. Jesse M. Hutcherson, Jr, IGH

Secretary

Ill. J. Robert Denny, Jr, IGH Treasurer

Ill. J. Robert Denny, Jr, IGH

Almoner


Bro. Ted Keith Rice, 32° Venerable Master

Bro. James L. Hodnett, 32°

Wise Master

Bro. Robert L. Warren, KCCH Commander

Bro. Rufus H. Adkins, Jr., KCCH

Master of Kadosh

Building Address: 134 Tunstall Road

Danville, VA 23601 Office: 434.793.9805

Fax: 434.793.9805


Valley of Lynchburg

Stated Meetings on the 2nd Friday @ 7:30PM

Chartered

October 1920

Ill. Lonnie L. Godfrey, IGH Personal Representative of

SGIG

Ill. Orville L. Lindsey, IGH Secretary

Bro. Jimmy P. Carter, 32° Treasurer

Ill. Robert E. Wilmouth, IGH

Almoner


Bro. William A. Robertson, Jr., KCCH

Venerable Master

Bro. A. Alvin Hatter, KCCH Wise Master

Bro. Donlie R. Henderson, KCCH Commander

Bro. Robert R. Eckenrode, KCCH Master of Kadosh

Knights of St. Andrew

Matthew V. Gibson, 32° Commander

Building Address: 214 Lemon Drive Lynchburg, VA

Office: 434.385.4103

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 521

Lynchburg, VA 24505



Valley of Newport News

Stated Meetings on the 4th

Wednesday @ 7:30PM

Chartered October 1912

Ill. Clifford A. Parker, IGH Personal Representative of

SGIG

Ill. Adrian “Pete” Eure, IGH Secretary

Ill. Gerald E. Burks, IGH

Treasurer

Bro. Harold C. Joyner, KCCH Almoner


Bro. John E. Mattison, Jr., KCCH

Venerable Master

Bro. George A. Hollingsworth, III., KCCH Wise Master

Ill. James E. Lassiter, IGH

Commander

Bro. John E. Mattison, Jr., KCCH Master of Kadosh

Building Address: 65 Saunders Road

Newport News, VA 23601 Office: 757.599.6617

Fax: 757.599.0021


Office Hours Monday thru Wednesday and

Friday between 9AM and Noon

Valley of Norfolk

Stated Meetings on the 3rd

Thursday @ 7:30PM

Chartered December 1874

Ill. Carlton L. Gill, Jr., IGH Personal Representative of

SGIG

Ill. T. Dudley Myers, IGH Secretary

Ill. Donnie E. Baines, IGH

Treasurer

Ill. Robert L. Campbell, IGH Almoner


Ill Morris D. White, 33º

Venerable Master

Bro. Peter J. Gordon, KCCH Wise Master

Bro. Raymond T. Brogan, Jr., KCCH

Commander

Bro. Lawrence W. Crocker, KCCH Master of Kadosh

Building Address: 7001 Granby Street

Norfolk, VA Office: 757.489.1076

Fax: 757.489.1742


Office Hours Monday thru Friday

9AM till Noon

Valley of Portsmouth

Stated Meetings on the 1st Monday @ 7:30PM

Chartered

1955

Ill. J. R. “Jack” Goodwin, IGH Personal Representative of

SGIG

Ill. W.H. ‘Andy’ Anderson, IGH Secretary

Bro. Franklin D. Edmondson, KCCH

Treasurer

Bro. Franklin D. Peters, KCCH Almoner


Bro. Carl M. Sharp, KCCH

Venerable Master

Bro. Foy A. Greenwood, KCCH Wise Master

Bro. Franklin D. Edmondson, KCCH

Commander

Bro. Jeffery C. Flowers, 32° Master of Kadosh

Building Address: 3401 Cedar Lane P.O. Box 7276

Portsmouth, VA 23707 Office: 757.484.2930


Office Hours

Monday thru Friday 9AM till 1PM


Valley of Richmond

Stated Meetings on the 4th Monday @ 7:30PM

Chartered

October 1878

Ill. L. Aubrey Stratton, IGH Personal Representative of SGIG

Ill. Robert W. Carpenter, Jr., IGH

Secretary

Ill. Mack T. Ruffin, III, IGH Treasurer

Ill. Clarence E. Whitley, IGH

Almoner


Wayne A. Robison, Sr., KCCH Venerable Master

John W. Andrews, 32°

Wise Master

Shirley E. Tuck, 32° Commander

J. Hugh Russell, Sr., KCCH

Master of Kadosh

Building Address: 4204 Hermitage Road

Richmond, VA Office: 804.264.2050

Fax: 804.261.0071


Office Hours

9:00 A.M. – 3:30 P.M. on M-Th 9:00 A.M. – Noon on Fri

Valley of Roanoke

Stated Meetings on the 2nd Tuesday @ 6:00 PM

Chartered

October 1911

Ill. Louis K. Campbell, IGH Personal Representative of SGIG

Ill. James Campbell Bay, IGH

Secretary

Bro. Charles H. Stowe, KCCH Treasurer

Ill. Warren M. Cratch, IGH

Almoner


Bro. Melvin L. Crowder, KCCH

Venerable Master

Ill. Moody C. DeVaux, IGH Wise Master

Ill. David I. Bower, IGH

Commander

Bro. William M. Keyser KCCH Master of Kadosh

Building Address:

622 Campbell Avenue, S.W. Roanoke, VA 24016-3597

Office: 540.343.6666 Fax: 866.266.4990


Office Hours Monday thru Thursday 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.

Orient of Virginia’s Honour Men (2007-2008)

Necrology

Alexandria Bro. C. Wilbur Dennis, KCCH

Bro. Alvin Warren Frinks, KCCH Bro. David Adam Hubbard, KCCH

Danville

Bro. Robert Gilbert Fisher, Kcch Ill. & Mt.Wor. Matthew Lyle Lacy II, IGH

Lynchburg

None

Newport News Ill. Edgar Credius Lett, IGH

Ill. Fred Malvin Wilson, IGH Ill. John Elbert Blair, IGH

Bro. James Ralph Paschall, KCCH

Norfolk Ill. Goodwin Burnett Spencer, IGH

Ill. Donald Joel Nachman, IGH Ill. George Joseph Wallace, IGH

Ill. Jesse Samuel Greenough, IGH Bro. Theodore Thomas Sakis, Sr., KCCH Bro. Herbert Lee Hutchinson, KCCH

Portsmouth

Ill. Clifton D. Marsh, IGH

Richmond Bro. William Price Gilliam, Jr., KCCH Bro. Leland Alan Jackoway, KCCH Bro. Carl Roland Pepmeier, KCCH

Bro. William Dee Ellen, KCCH

Roanoke Ill. Harry James Hagan, IGH

Although their spirits may have

gone to the Celestial Lodge

above, their memories remain in our

hearts...

september_2008

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