At our stated meeting on April 9th, the lodge approved the two amendments to the Lodge By-Laws that were proposed on page 4 of the April Lodge Bulletin. With the Lodge dues now set at $23.00 and the Grand Lodge Per Capita Tax being $12.00, your dues statement, which you will receive at the end of this year, for 1993, will reflect the amount of $35.00. This also means that the cost for perpetual membership will be $525.00.

The Lodge has nominated Worshipful Robert Clay Swiger to serve as the District Deputy Grand Master for Masonic District 1A for the term February 1993 to November 1994. On behalf of the Lodge, I extend congratulations to Worshipful Brother Bob and wish him the best for the coming Masonic Year.

The month of May will continue to be very busy for the Lodge with many activities scheduled. The events from the Trestleboard which need emphasis are as follows:

+ - On Sunday, May 3, at 3:00pm, we will hold a coordination meeting in the Lodge Room to develop and discuss the plans for the visit of Constitution Lodge from Beverly, England, which will occur during the week of October 12, 1992. We will need a lot of support for this visit and a lot of assistance from the members of the Lodge. To name only a few items, we need hosts to house our visitors, drivers for vans, guides for sight seeing trips, members and Ladies to support a Reception and many other chores. All members and their Ladies who are interested in being involved in this visit should plan to attend this meeting. This will be the first of several meeting. The Committee Chairman is Wor. Bro. John Ranck, (703)660-6275.

+ - The William Hiram Wood School will take place on Friday evening and Saturday morning the 15th and 16th at Springfield Lodge #217. All Master Masons are invited to attend to learn the ritual work.

+ - On Thursday the 21 st, we will make an official visit to Naval Lodge #4, which meets in the Naval Lodge Hall at 330 Pennsylvania Avenue, S.E., Washington, D. C. I hope to see many of you present for this meeting.

+ - Seventeen (17) members and their Ladies from Liberty Lodge, Beverly, Massachusetts, will be visiting with us from Friday evening the 22nd to Sunday the 24th. There will be a Called Communication on Saturday the 23rd at 1:00pm, at which time we will receive the Liberty Lodge members and confer the Master Mason degree on one of our members. The first section of the degree will be performed in the Replica Lodge Room. The dress for the officers will be normal "Black" Tuxedo. Our visitors from Massachusetts will also be in "Black" Tuxedo. On Saturday evening at 6:00pm, we will take our Liberty Lodge Guests to the West End Dinner Theater for dinner and to see the show, Grease. Again, the dress for the officers of the Lodge will be "Black" Tuxedo. The tickets for the Theater are $30.00 per person. If you would like to join us for this event, I must have your check for the tickets by Friday, May Bth. Call me to let me know that you plan to attend and send your check, made payable to "Alexandria-Washinglon Lodge," to my home address. If I do not receive your check by Monday, May 11th, I will not be able to include you in the Group as this is the day that I must pay the Theater for the tickets.

+ - The Master's and Warden's Association meeting on the 29th will be a business meeting only. However, any Master Mason who desires to attend can do so.

+ - On the 30th, starting at B:OOam, the Grand Master and Grand Lodge Officers will conduct the Area Leadership Conference, at the Scottish Rite Temple. This meeting is for all officers in line, from the Stewards to the Master, to meet with their counterparts at the Grand Lodge level. It is important that all officers be in attendance.

The following are future events which must be planned now and preparation completed at the earliest possible time:

o - On Thursday, June 4th, we will make an official visit to Elkins Lodge #646, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. We will leave this area around 1 :30pm and return at approximately 1 :OOam on Friday morning. I plan to leave from work, in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, at approximately 2:00pm. Those who will ride with me in the van must meet me in Upper Marlboro. MW Don Robey will leave from Alexandria and several members can ride up with him. If you would like to make this trip and need transportation, please contact me, as soon as possible, so we can work out the details.

o - The Grand Master will make his official visit to Districts 1 A and 1 B on June 19th, at the Scottish Rite Temple. The cost to attend the dinner which will follow the tiled Lodge meeting is $10.00. I received, for our Lodge, a total of 16 tickets for this dinner. These tickets have been dispersed, however, if you would like to attend the dinner, let me know and I will try to get additional tickets from the District Deputy Grand Master. I will not attempt to get the additional tickets unless you request them, so let me know.

o - On Saturday, October 10, 1992, we will celebrate Ladies Night with our Ladies and guests from Elkins Lodge #646. For this event, we will attend the West End Dinner Theater to see the show "The King and I." I have reserved 150 tickets for this show. The tickets are $35.00 per person. I will assign the seating locations on a "first request first serve basis." I am now accepting payment for these tickets. If you will be attending our Ladies Night, please send me your request for tickets as soon as possible. Make your check payable to "Alexandria-Washington Lodge" and send it to my home address.

o - Mark your calendars for Thursday, October 15, 1992. On this date, we will have a called meeting to receive our visitors from Constitution Lodge. During this meeting, we will also receive the Grand Masters of Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. The Grand Master of Pennsylvania may also attend. Following the meeting, we will have a Festive Board in the Dining Room in coordination with Andrew Jackson Lodge. This will be a very special event so plan to attend.

Sincerely and Fraternally,

Granville C. Canard, Jr.
Worshipful Master

Queer but True: It may be that during your first admission into the lodge you chanced to look up and observe someone in a white apron who, prompted the inquiry in your mind, "I wonder how that man got in here." Perhaps the same man was looking at you and wondering the same things. You know that there is absolutely no accounting for the ideas which some of us hold concerning the other fellow. Now you are going to be surprised at some of the folks you will meet in the fraternity. Perhaps you have noticed that man who sold you the fake-mining stock is an active worker in the same lodge in which you have just received your degrees. It may be that your neighbor whom you know beats his wife was one of the first to greet you with much brotherly kindness. Just remember this, there are hypocrites in the fraternity as well as out of it. You will find many men in masonry who are false to their professions, but this is not the fault of the society. There have been bad men in every human society since the beginning of time and probably will be until time shall be no more. It is very hard to understand how men can assume the obligations of masonry and pretend a faith in the ideals of the fraternity and by their daily conduct show that they are inconsistent. But this is one of the problems of human society. To eliminate the dross from human nature, to rejuvenate mankind, and to implant in the heart and brain the ideals of manliness is the purpose of masonry. Therefore when you behold in the fraternity one whom you know does not measure up to its ideals you should rejoice that he is surrounded by influences which may work a change in him. It does not matter so much what the other fellow does, your concern should be to so deport yourself that no one can point his finger at you and whisper, hypocrite.

At the first meeting of Alexandria Lodge No. 39, February 25, 1783, a transcript of a Code of laws governing Philadelphia Lodge No. 2 was proposed for the regulation of Alexandria Lodge; these laws were to be used until it became necessary to revise, amend or make new ones. The original laws, usually designated "By-laws," contained many requirements which are outmoded; they, nevertheless, show the strictness of Lodge operating during the eighteenth century.

Law No. 4 stated: That every member who is absent at the opening of a Lodge shall forfeit and pay to the Treasurer, one Shilling, except in cases of sickness or absence from town. Excuses must be made to the chair and if judged sufficient by the Master and Brethren present, the penalty may be remitted.

Law No. 7 stated: Any person who shall hiss, ridicule, or make sport of a Brother for what he hath said, or shall raise angry dispute against a Brother to the disarrangement of good order and the disturbance of the Lodge shall, for the first offence, be reprimanded, for the second, be fined five shillings and solemnly excluded from the Lodge for the night. At the Lodge's option, the offending Brother's membership might be suspended until he shall evince his contrition by asking for and obtaining forgiveness.

It is interesting to note, that nine of these 21 laws covering various Masonic offenses were punishable by fines, suspension, or expulsion.

Faith is the bird that feels the light when the dawn is still dark.
-Rabindranath Tagore-

If we succeed in giving the love of learning, the learning itself is sure to follow.
-Sir John Lubbock-

If we would be guided by the light of reason, we must let our minds be bold.
-Louis Brandeis-

The price one pays for pursuing any profession or calling is an intimate knowledge of its ugly side.
-James Baldwin-

May 7, 1792 - They had "press" and "editorial" problems even then. Due to the action taken by Congress on February 22, which promoted Washington's birthday as a National Celebration, (quote) "The day was celebrated by several companies, and some toasts were published manifesting the deep sense which was entertained of the exalted services of this illustrious citizen. These circumstances gave great umbrage to some of those who could perceive monarchical tendencies in every act of respect, and the offenders were rebuked in the National Gazette for setting up an Idol who might become dangerous to liberty, and for the injustice of neglecting all his compatriots of the Revolution, and ascribing to him the praise which was due to others."

NOTE - May 7, 1792 was the date of the first action taken by the Supreme Court on the First Amendment Right of "Freedom of the Press." The National Gazette was exonerated, as they were free to print what was news.

+ LODGE RITUAL SCHOOL - conducted every Sunday at 7:00pm unless otherwise noted in the Trestleboard. This school will cover work in all degrees and in catechisms. The school is for all members of the Masonic Community and ALL are invited and encouraged to attend.

+ OFFICER PLANNING MEETINGS - conducted in conjunction with the Sunday Night Ritual School.

+ MASONIC BIRTHDAYS - recognized on second stated unless otherwise noted.

+ STATED COMMUNICATIONS - second and fourth Thursday except Thanksgiving; Observance of George Washington's Birthday and Installation on Saint John Day, December 27th.

+ OTHER MEETINGS AT GWMNM - Alexandria-Washington Chapter, Order of DeMolay meets the first and third Monday at 7:00pm in the North Lodge Room; Bethel No. 22, I.O.J.D. meets the first and third Wednesday at 7:00pm in the North Lodge Room.