The Florida York Rite Mason

1 york Rite MasonVol. 1 Issue 3 This Issue is Dedicated to the Order of DeMolayThe Florida2 THE Florida york RITE MASONO fficial Electronic Publication of the Grand york Rite Bodies of Florida Vol. 1 Issue 3In This IssueEditorialpage 2 GHP Messagepage 3 Grand Commander s Messagepage 4 Main Article on DeMolaypage 5700 Anniversary Friday the 13th page 14 Meet Your york Rite Leaders page 19 Grand Chapter Officerspage 24 Grand Council Officerspage 25 Grand Commandery Officerspage 26 News from Around the State page 27 Souvenir Programpage 31 Masonic Vocabularypage 33 york Rite Leadershippage 34 Masonic Educationpage 37 Calendar of Eventspage 43 Companions and Sir KnightsIf you noticed, this edition of the FloridaYork Rite Mason changed a bit. Instead ofpublishing in a newsletter format, we are nowtrying to publish it in a magazine format.

2 TheGrand york Rite Bodies of Florida and you de-serve the best. Your feedback and support arevery important to us. It has kept us energizedand dedicated to publish a magazine that ourGrand york Rite Bodies, Companions and SirKnights will be proud of. Our main goal to maintain a communicationtool that will greatly benefit the Craft. On behalf of Ron Blaisdell,Charles Chic Cicero and myself, we want to thank all of you for yourcontinuous issue of The Florida york Rite Mason is dedicated to theOrder of DeMolay. We all believe that our youth are the future of oursociety. In order for a positive future, our society has youth organi-zations worthy of praise, Boy and Girl Scouts of America, Boys andGirls Club, DeMolay, Rainbow, etc. The youth organization thatclosely resembles Freemasonry is DeMolay.

3 This organization instillsvalues, honor, respect, tolerance, brotherly love, charity and com-mitment in its members. Many of our york Rite and Free and Ac-cepted masons are involved and committed in helping andcontributing to this organization. As our Right Eminent Grand Com-mander states so eloquently, ..DeMolay is one of the quarries wherewe will get members for our Blue Lodges, they are part of our To all, a big Thank You for the work they are doing. To all theThe Florida york Rite Mason is electronically published quarterly by the Grand york Rite Commu-nication Committee (Members: David A. Aponte, Chairman, Charles Chic Cicero and Ron Blais-dell) for all york Rite masons and Free masons requesting it. If any Companion, Sir Knight or BrotherMason would like a copy delivered to his e-mail address, please send your request to David or Charles Chic Cicero.

4 Copyright 2007 EditorialIf any local york Rite Body, Appendant york Rite Body or Blue Lodge wants to pub-lish an article or announce an event, that will happen within the published trimester,in The Florida york Rite Mason , we will be happy to publish it. Please send your ar-ticle or complete event information to or prior to the for the 4th Issue : November 17, 20073 Ink Blots from the Grand High Daniel DaleThe GRAND HIGHPRIEST S THEMETHE WAY WE WEREM asonic Protocol in the Chapter Room1. Remember, when visiting a Chapter wearyour apron as they do in that Grand Those entitled to Grand Honors: MEGHP,REGK, REGS, all PGHP and DDGHP on their of-ficial visit in their district, new HP at the time oftheir installation preserving tradition it is extremely important thatthe dignity and decorum of the Chapter should bemaintained not only in the operation of the Chapterbut during social activities.

5 The station of an absent officer should be filled bya competent Companion prior to the meeting andthen open the Chapter on time. It is important tospeak clearly and loud enough for all to hear. Nomeeting should be opened without the pledge ofallegiance to the flag. Remarks of welcome by theHigh Priest should follow the opening of the meet-ing. When addressing the High Priest, stand, waitto be recognized, and then address him as Excel-lent High Priest. All other Companion should beaddressed as Companion (Surname). Rememberyou should not address anyone in the Chapterwithout first gaining permission from the HighPriest to do so,The business of the Chapter is a concern of allCompanions. It is considered disrespectful for anyCompanion, including Officers, to carry on privateconversations during the course of the , to dress up the opening and closing of themeeting the Officers should learn what little floorwork is involved plus where and when what type ofhand salute is to be of Distinguished VisitorsDistinguished Visitors should be recognized by theExcellent High Priest in the opening welcoming re-marks in the following manner.

6 ME John Doe, theMEGHP of the Grand Chapter Royal Arch Masonsof Florida or RE John Doe, the DDGHP of the 2ndCapitular District, Royal Arch masons of Florida , the regular alarm has been given and attendby the Royal Arch Captain. The Excellent HighPriest should send the Captain of the Host out towelcome the Distinguished Visitors and conductthem into the Chapter room west of the altar andmake the proper introductions. After Grand Honorshave been given, the ranking officer should beconducted to the east and offered the gavel by theExcellent High PriestIf the visit is that of the MEGHP or the official visitof the DDGHP it is improper to speak, even if youare generally offered the floor, once they havecompleted their talk. The MEGHP or the DDGHPmay chose to return the gavel to the Excellent HighPriest to close the Chapter.

7 If this is done no otherdialogue should take place other than what is nec-essary to close the Chapter. EXECUTIVE ORDER #2 RELIGIOUS AFFIRMATION CEREMONYIn keeping with the Traditions of the Grand Chap-ter of Royal Arch masons of Florida it is my orderthat each Chapter of Royal Arch masons inFlorida hold a Religious Affirmation Ceremonyduring the month of October 2007. This cere-mony may be held at a Church, Masonic Lodgeor any other suitable place that may be availablefor your shall be the duty of the Excellent High Priest tocomplete the required form and mail it to A. D Angina, Grand Scribe no laterthan the 20th of November at Palmetto, Florida this 29th day ofAugust 2007 by:M. E. Daniel E. DaleGrand High Priest4 From the Grand Fackler Right Eminent Grand CommanderOn August 18th, 2007, I trav-elled to Lakeland, Florida , tohelp thank Duane Young forhis many years of dedicatedservice as Treasurer for theGrand york Rite Bodies.

8 This was an enjoyabletrip and I was honored to attend. I would also liketo remind everyone that on August 16th I movedto Cocoa, Florida . On the 27th of September I will be travelling toEola Masonic Lodge (3200 E. Grant Street, Or-lando) for a very special honoring of our ownSoutheast Department Commander, Sir KnightRobert E. Burleson. There is a ticket fee of$ per person or $ per couple. Thisevent will help raise money for the york Ritecharities. I hope that we can pack the lodge full ofSir Knights and their wives for this Get Honornight. (It s our turn to get even with him.)It won t be long before all york Rite Bodies willbe back open after the summer break and we willbegin having our district meetings. On Friday,September 21, District No. 10 will have their Dis-trict meeting at Couer de Lion Commandery at189 West Airport Blvd.

9 In Pensacola. District will have their district meeting at HarmonyLodge No. 3 at 3024 Jefferson Street, Marianna, Florida . Registration will run from 9:30 to 10:30am. The meeting will follow at 10:30 restof the district meetings including dates, times,and locations will be announced going back to the old way (or as some say)back to the basics, we are hoping that we can getmore members to come out to the district meet-ings. Remember that these meetings are de-signed to find out what the Grand york RiteOfficers can do to help you. Let s try as much aspossible to get as many of the Officers in thesedistricts to attend. We don t know what you needif you don t come out and tell us. The GrandCommandery and the Grand Council Officersdon t intend on talking just to be heard we wantto know what you want.

10 This can only be done ifyou come out and let us know. Let s foundation of effective Templar communica-tions is the everyday practical living of a life that isguided by religious, moral, and ethical is no substitute for this three-fold ap-proach no slick advertisement or PR campaigncan take its place. The best way to communicateTemplar values is through the individual SirKnight s good daily behavior, with his family, hisbusiness, and among the members of his commu-nity. A good communications program would helpto back up this behavior by explaining to Masonsand non- masons alike how a Sir Knight s involve-ment in his fraternity can help to develop the moraland ethical basis for this exemplary , there is something more that isneeded, especially in today s are all fa-miliar with the problems our fraternity has facedover the past 30 years especially with regard to de-clining membership.