I spent some time this week thinking about the words we use in Freemasonry and wondering why we use those particular words. For instance, why do we call a meeting a communication?

What is meant by COMMUNICATION?

Community and communication (from Latin, communis, sharing) means living together for mutual benefit and sharing of what is needed for everyday life. Eventually this word came to mean a sharing in or partaking of information, news, counsel, conference. One man who shares information or news with another is therefore said to communicate with him. An informal, unofficial gathering of Freemasons is called a meeting, or an assembly; but a meeting held officially, at a time and place specified under bylaws, rules, and regulations is called a communication, such as the stated communication of a lodge. It is so called because each member of the lodge shares in the conference and counsel equally with every other member.

What is a STEWARD?

The Stewards assist the Deacons in the lodge in carrying out their respective duties and in conducting the candidate through a portion of the initiatory ceremonies. The dictionary defines a steward as a person entrusted with the management of estates or affairs that are not his own.

The first impression that the candidate receives at his initiation is made by the Stewards in the preparation room. It is critically important that the Stewards make the candidate feel comfortable, safe, and secure, assuring that he will in no way be embarrassed or alarmed.

The badge or ensign of a Steward is a rod surmounted by a cornucopia, the horn of Amalthaea. The God Zeus, or Jupiter, was raised on the milk of the goat Amalthaea. The goat broke off one of her horns, filled it with flowers and fruits, and presented it to Zeus who placed it among the stars. It was regarded as the symbol of inexhaustible riches and plenty, hence its name cornucopia or horn of plenty.

The first written account of a Masonic procession refers to a ceremony on June 24, 1724 in London, England. It stated that the Stewards walked two and two abreast with white rods.

What is a DUE-GUARD?

The due-guard is a sign which symbolizes the obligation. It is regularly used as a salute to the Master before the Altar, and to the Wardens during the conferring of a degree. It serves as a reminder that the person giving the due-guard remembers his promise.

Masonic authorities are not in complete agreement as to the derivation of the words, although they do agree as to what the words signify. Albert Mackey thinks the word means “to duly guard against.” Other authorities are convinced the phrase has a French derivation coming from "Dieu Garde"—God guard (me or you).

As you can imagine, there is no shortage of words used in Masonry that make us scratch our head and wonder, "What's that mean?" So, tune in next week when we'll consider the burning question, "What is a CABLE-TOW?"

Fraternally yours,

Tim Couch

Information sourced from the Missouri Handbook of Freemasonry, 2010.

Now, on with the news........................

Tuesday, April 10, 2012: Billings Lodge No. 379 will honor Brother Gary L. Hale for fifty years of Masonic service during their regular communication. Dinner at 6:00 followed by the ceremony to honor Brother Hale at 6:45 PM, and Lodge will be duly Opened at 7:00 PM.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012: Friend Lodge No.352 will meet in Special Communication at the lodge hall in Sparta, MO for work in the 2nd Degree of Freemasonry. Brother Rob Turrentine will be presented for advancement to the degree of Fellow Craft. Dinner at 6:30 and Lodge will be duly Opened at 7:00 PM.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012: Gate of the Temple Lodge No. 422 will meet in Special Communication for work in the 3rd Degree of Freemasonry. One candidate will be presented for advancement to the sublime degree of Master Mason. Lodge will be duly Opened at 6:00 PM and there will be nourishment following the work.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012: Mansfield Lodge No. 543 will have work in the 1st Degree of Freemasonry in conjunction with their Regular Communication. Two duly elected candidates will be presented for initiation into the mysteries of Freemasonry. Dinner at 6:30 and Lodge will be duly Opened as soon as possible thereafter.

Saturday, April 14, 2012: Friend Lodge No. 352 will meet in Special Communication at the lodge hall in Sparta, MO for work in the 1st Degree of Freemasonry. Dean Jenks, who has been duly elected, will be presented for initiation into the mysteries of Freemasonry. Lunch at 12:30 and Lodge will be duly Opened at 1:00 PM.

Saturday, April 14, 2012: Anderson Lodge No. 621 will commemorate the 100th Anniversary of their Lodge Charter with a re-dedication and symbolic re-laying of the cornerstone. The Grand Master of Missouri Masons, MWB John W. Hess, will attend and the ceremony will be conducted by Grand Lodge Officers. The Lodge will be Opened as a Grand Lodge at 1:00 PM and the ceremony will commence at 2:00 PM. This event is open to everyone and all are welcome to attend.
Anderson Lodge is located at 600 West Highway 76 in Anderson, MO, and can be found on the Missouri Masonic Lodge Map.

Monday, April 16, 2012: United Lodge No. 5 will have work in the 3rd Degree of Freemasonry in conjunction with their Stated business meeting. Two candidates will be presented for advancement to the sublime degree of Master Mason. Dinner at 6:00 and Lodge will be duly Opened at 7:00 PM.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012: The Buckeye Ritual Club will meet at Central Crossing Lodge No. 674 located in Bridgeview Plaza in Shell Knob, MO, at 6:30 PM for fun, fellowship and education on our beautiful Missouri Masonic Ritual. This month's education will focus on Opening on the 2nd Degree, lost password, late arrival, Brother who leaves early, and Closing the Lodge. The Buckeye Ritual Club is centered in the 44th Masonic District of Missouri, but of course all Master Masons are welcome. The club will meet on the 3rd Tuesday of each month and will travel to differing lodges within the 44th District. Click here to see the 2012 schedule. Mark your calendar and plan on coming out to have some fun with your Brethren. The Buckeye Ritual Club is also on Facebook. Click here for the Buckeye Ritual Club Facebook page.

Saturday, April 21, 2012: Gate of the Temple Lodge No. 422 will meet in Special Communication at Rice Camp for work in the 3rd Degree of Freemasonry. Two candidates will be presented for the sublime degree of Master Mason. The Brothers at Rice Camp always provide VERY good grilled food. It's on the lake so it's a beautiful setting and you can swim or use their boat ramp to put your boat in for a ride. A schedule and any additional information will be posted at Masonsmart.com/Masonic-events.html as it becomes available.

Saturday, April 21, 2012: Mansfield Lodge No. 543 will host a Grand Lecturer's School of Ritual Instruction beginning at 10:00 AM. RWB Robert Floyd, Grand Lecturer of Missouri Masons, will conduct the school. All Master Masons are invited in.

Saturday, April 21, 2012: Solomon Lodge No. 271, in Springfield, MO, will host a Concealed Carry Firearms class beginning at 9:00 AM at the lodge building, 1930 West Catalpa Street in Springfield, MO.

• Cost for the class is a minimal donation of $75.
• Participants must be 21 years of age
• A Missouri resident
• And, a U.S. citizen.
• Each class member will need a minimum of seventy each of revolver and semi-automatic rounds.
• You do not need to qualify using the weapon that you intend to carry concealed.
• A limited number of weapons will be available to rent.
• Class size is limited so a reservation is recommended.

Monday, April 23, 2012: Annual Election of Officers for Springfield Chapter No. 15 RAM, Zabud Council No. 25 Cryptic Masons, and St. John's Commandery NO. 20 Knights Templar will be held during the Regular Communication of the three Bodies. The meeting will begin at 7:00 PM and all York Rite Masons are encouraged to attend.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012: A Masonic and Military memorial service will be held in honor of Worshipful Brother Clayton P. (Shorty) Cooper. WB Shorty Cooper was a Past Master of Forsyth Lodge No. 453 and Father of WB Clayton Cooper, also a Past Master of Forsyth Lodge. The services will be held at 2:00 PM in Springfield National Cemetery located at 1702 East Seminole Street in Springfield, MO. All are welcome.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012: Friend Lodge No. 352 will meet in Special Communication at the lodge hall in Sparta, MO for work in the 3rd Degree of Freemasonry. Brother Thomas McInnish will be presented for advancement to the sublime degree of Master Mason. Dinner at 6:30 and Lodge will be duly Opened at 7:00 PM. All Master Masons are invited in.

Thursday, April 26, 2012: Branson Lodge No. 587 will host a 43rd Masonic District School of Ritual Instruction to be conducted by RWB Tom Williams, DDGL 43. Instruction will begin at 6:30 PM, and all Master Masons are invited in.

Saturday, April 28th, 2012: An Evening with The United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE)
Saint Louis Missouri Lodge No. 1 is honored to present The Degree Team of The United Grand Lodge of England. All Master Masons are invited to attend this Special Communication. The event will be held at Tuscan Masonic Temple located at 5015 Westminster Place, Saint Louis, Missouri 63108. There is a $40 per person registration fee which includes a catered dinner. Dinner will be at 7:00 and the program will commence at 8:00 PM. A suit and tie is requested. Some additional notes:

• This is an electronically ticketed event with very limited seating, and is open only to Master Masons.
• Each reservation must be listed separately to allow for verification of membership.
• Please note that Tuscan Masonic Temple has several flights of exterior and interior steps, which are not serviced by elevators or other lifting devices, and might limit accessibility.
• When you have completed your on-line registration you will receive an electronic confirmation.
• Your credentialing packet will be mailed to you on or before April 15th.
• Parking for this event is outstanding, and directions with additional information will be included with your credentialing packet.
• For more information and to purchase tickets visit STLMasons.org

Saturday, April 28, 2012: Solomon Lodge No. 271 will host a MoCHIP (Missouri Child Identification & Protection) Event from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Masonic York Rite Temple, 1930 West Catalpa Street in Springfield, MO. At least 30 volunteers are needed to work this event.
For more information you may call the Lodge Secretary at (417) 425-0083. All volunteers must be signed up at least 12 days prior to the event.
For more information about MoCHIP please visit www.MoCHIP.org.

Saturday, May 5, 2012: Friend Lodge No. 352 will host a MOCHIP (Missouri Child Identification & Protection) Event from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the OTC Richwood Valley Campus located on Missouri State Highway 14 between Ozark and Nixa. This event will be in conjunction with the Christian County Optimist Safetypalooza. For more information on the Safetypalooza click here to visit the Christian County Optimist Web site.
To learn more about the MOCHIP Program click here to visit the Missouri Child Identification Program Web site.

Saturday, May 5, 2012: The Grand Master's C2A (Chance-to-Advance) One Day Class will be held today at the Masonic Complex in Columbia, MO. The day will begin with breakfast at 7:00 and the class will begin at 8:00 AM. This is an opportunity for all Missouri Entered Apprentice and Fellow Craft Freemasons to advance to the sublime degree of Master Mason. Certain conditions do apply.

Saturday, May 12, 2012: Gate of the Temple Lodge No. 422 will host a C2A (Chance to Advance) one day class to confer the 2nd and 3rd Degrees of Freemasonry on duly and truly prepared candidates for those degrees.
The day will begin with breakfast at 6:30, Registration beginning at 7:00 AM, Lodge will be duly Opened at 8:00 AM. The 2nd Degree and the first section of the 3rd Degree will be conferred before lunch, and the second section of the 3rd Degree will follow. The day will wrap up around 3:30 PM.

Saturday, May 12, 2012: The Missouri Lodge of Research continues the Truman Lecture Series with an enlightening presentation and discussion led by Masonic Scholar, Arturo de Hoyos. Worshipful Brother de Hoyos is the Grand Archivist and Historian for the Supreme Council 33rd Degree, for the Southern Jurisdiction of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry. He holds the 33rd Degree and Grand Cross of Honor.
This event will be held at the Masonic Complex located at 6033 Masonic Drive in Columbia, MO. Lunch will be served at Noon with the presentation to follow.
Tickets are $20 and MUST be purchased in advance of the event. Purchase deadline is May 4, 2012 at 5:00PM - While supply lasts! Tickets will be mailed unless asked to hold them at the door. Get your ticket(s) by visiting the Missouri Lodge Research Web site.

As you can see there's lots of Masonry going on in Missouri. See the links below to keep up with the latest or to submit information for your upcoming meeting or event.

For more news of upcoming events and special communications visit the Upcoming Masonic Events page on Masonsmart.com

For a calendar of Stated meetings for many of the Lodges and Masonic bodies visit the Masonic Calendar page on Masonsmart.com

For help locating a lodge building visit the Missouri Masonic Lodge Map page on Masonsmart.com

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