From the West – September 2019

Brethren,

Summer is quickly coming to a close and an active Masonic fall season will soon be here. The Washington Degree Team with a little help from past masters from Kenton and Portland came together to deliver an excellent presentation. Mathew Cox is our latest Master Mason. Do welcome him as such when you next meet.

We have petitions to read, investigations to make and more degrees to confer. Come and renew your friendships and bring a Brother with you.

The history of Washington #46 is also the history of four other lodges, Oregon #101, Hawthorne #111, Palestine #141, and Maritime #193. The collective membership in this history includes well over 3000 brothers. WB Dave Munson is leading a project to identify each of these unique persons and to preserve what we know of their participations. If you have an interest and can lend a hand WB Dave would love to hear from you.

A thought from a friend and Brother:

THREE

Craft Masonry = the first three degrees, namely Entered Apprentice, Fellow of Craft and Master Mason. Possible references include:

- Three levels of the stonemason’s craft (as above).
- Three as a symbolic number in the Bible; the Holy Trinity; the three virtues of faith, hope and charity.
- The third letter of the Hebrew alphabet (G) as a Masonic symbol for God, the Great Architect of the Universe, the Grand Geometrician.
- Saying: Three make a lodge (as in three Masonic officers). In the three Craft degrees there are:
  - three principal officers
  - three original Grand Masters
  - three supporting pillars
  - three lesser lights
  - three greater lights
  - three movable jewels
  - three immovable jewels
  - three raps
  - three gates
  - three steps on the Master’s Carpet
  - the three-storied temple
  - A special meaning for three in the 47th Problem of Euclid
- Other connotations include: The first three Masonic lodges, claimed as the Tabernacle, Solomon’s Temple and the rebuilt Second Temple.

Fraternally,

Warren Burkholder
Sr. Warden