FEDERAL LODGE No. 5DOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE

Free and Accepted MasonsDover, N. H.

December 2019

Petition Granted April 28, 1790Original Charter October 24, 1792

Charter Voluntarily Surrendered April 25th, 1798Reorganized November 17, 2018

Re-chartered January 1, 2019

December Calendar

Event: Master Mason Degree Rehearsal Date and Time: Tuesday December 3rd 6:30pm at lodge hallDress Code: CasualCost: NA Description: Master Mason Degree RehearsalWho can attend: All Officers required, All Master Masons welcome.

Event: Fellowship Dinner Date and Time: Wednesday December 4th 6:30pm at lodge hallDress Code: CasualCost: Usually less than $10.00Description: Fellowship dinner with your Brothers and our Friends from the GrangeWho can attend: All Masons, Grange members, and Guests.

Event: Master Mason Degree Rehearsal Date and Time: Tuesday December 10th 6:30pm at lodge hallDress Code: CasualCost: NA Description: Master Mason Degree RehearsalWho can attend: All Officers required, All Master Masons welcome.

Event: Special Communication- Master Mason DegreeDate and Time: Thursday December 12th Lodge opens at promptlyat 6:30 pmDress Code: Officers Tuxedos and Gloves, all others Jacket and tieCost: Donation for Collation Description: Master Mason Degree for Brothers Casey Bova, Jason Merrill, and Nick Kozulin.Who can attend: EA’s and above.

Event: Stated Meeting- Annual Business MeetingDate and Time: Thursday December 19th Pizza at 6:15, Lodge opens at 7:00 pmDress Code: Officers Jacket and ties, all others business casualCost: Donation for Pizza Description: Annual Business Meeting, Election of Officers, Lodge of Sorrows, Budget presentation for coming year, and program TBD.Who can attend: All Master Masons.

Event: ChristmasDate and Time: Wednesday December 25th. All DayDress Code: Whatever you and your family decide!Cost: Depends on your Traditions Description: A day to celebrate with family and friends. Who can attend: Family and Friends.

District 5 Calendar

Event: Winnipesaukee Lodge Breakfast Buffet Date and Time: Sunday December 15th 7:30 am-11:00 am at Winnipesaukee Lodge in Alton NHDress Code: CasualCost: $10.00 Description: Famous Breakfast Buffet, if you go away hungry, it is your fault!Who can attend: Public event All are welcome!

Event: District 5 Master’s ClassDate and Time: Wednesday November 27th 7:00-9:00 pm at Humane Lodge in Rochester NH.Dress Code: CasualCost: Donation for Collation Description: Master’s Class: Topic TBDWho can attend: All MM’s are encouraged to attend!

Secretary’s DeskThank you to all who have paid their dues on time! Please make every effort to pay these quickly as the Lodge depends on this money to be able maintain our building and pay the bills. If you can’t afford your dues or have other issues preventing you from paying them please contact me or any officer, we may be able to work out a solution.

When was the last time you came to a meeting? What a great time to come to Lodge! Come be a part of your new Lodge, meet old friends, make new ones and enjoy some brotherly love and affection! We as your officers know that your time is valuable and should not be wasted! The meetings are fun and informative. Can’t remember the signs or you don’t feel you know anyone, don’tworry, we are all brothers and will greet you with open arms.

Something as Masons that we all need to think about! Have you made your wishes known to your family about a Masonic Service when you are called from labor to rest? Does your family know who to contact? Does your family know where you keep your white apron? These are important thingsto take care of!

Please visit our website www.nhfreemasons.org for upcoming events.

This Month’s Education Article is entitled “The Need for Masonic Education”

The District 5 Calendar at: https://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=5thmasonicdistrictofnh%40gmail.com

NH Grand Lodge Web site at: www. nhgrandlodge .org

Webmaster: dovermasons@nhfreemasons.orgFacebook: TBDNOT RECEIVING THE TRESTLE BOARD BY EMAIL???If you would like to get it as soon as it comes out and save the Lodge a stamp send your email address to bears123@comcast.net

FEDERAL LODGE #5, Dover, NH

Officers & Appointments for 2019Worshipful Master: Wor. John T. Pond, Jr. 603-978-8940Senior Warden: James Smith 603-312-1748Junior Warden: Richard Lapointe 603-905-9953Treasurer: Wor. Anthony Indusi 603-7425407Asst. Treasurer: RW David Akridge 603-781-4453Secretary: RW Michael Steward 603-742-6342Asst. Secretary: Daniel Hanson 603-770-8584Representative to Grand Lodge: Cutis Marcotte 804-245-9884Chaplain Wor. Kristopher G. Furtney 603- 969 -8408Asst. Chaplain Cutis Marcotte 804-245-9884Senior Deacon: John T Pond, III 603-405-8411Junior Deacon: Christopher J. Pond 603-978-3805Senior Steward: Griffin Hanson 603-740-3621Junior Steward: Wayne Whitney 617-429-1522Marshal: Orman Hall 603-781-1444Tyler: Wor. Glen Eldredge 603-509-8868Musician: RW Dave Akridge 603-343-1388Historian: Andrea Marocchi 603-750-0294Asst. Historian: RW David Akridge 603-343-1388Finance Committee: Trustees of Charity Fund Special Ladies Program Chairman Vincent R. Puleo 603-491-1639 Dave Baylor 904-762-5385Gates: #1-,James Miller #2- Daniel Hanson #3- Orman HallRepresentative to Evergreen Place: Building Committee:

Webmaster John T. Pond, III 603-405-8411

Public Affairs Officer James E. Lewis 603-767-8698

MASTER’S MESSAGE

Brethren:

I hope this Trestle Board finds you all well and enjoying the start of theholiday season. With Thanksgiving behind us we look forward to a busy and fun month of December. We will start off with our regular Fellow-ship night with our friends at the Grange on Wednesday the 4th starting at6:30.The District Dine A Round will be on December 18th starting at 6:30 pm at Magrilla’s Pub in Rochester, this will be a masonic unity evening as all masonic bodies are invited. Being a gift and take part in the Yankee Swap! Family and friends are invited.Our annual meeting will be held on Thursday December 19th. This is a very important meeting for your Lodge. We will have a Lodge of Sor-rows, we have lost 11 brothers this year. The budget for 2020 will be pre-sented and voted on, and we will have an election of officers. This wouldbe a great meeting for all Brothers to show up at. The Installation of Of-ficers will be on Saturday January 11th Starting at 1:00 pm. The big news for the month is that we will raise three Master Masons on December 12th. This will be a special communication of the Lodge. I hope to see many of you there to support this historic event for Federal Lodge. Finally, Brethren Julie and I want to wish each of you and your families the very Merriest of Christmas’ Stay safe and come back to Lodge in January ready for a exciting New Year.

Fraternally and Respectfully, Worshipful John T. Pond, Jr. bears123@comcast.net PH. 603-978-8940

THIS MONTHS EDUCATION ARTICLE

SO, IS MASONRY EDUCA-TION?

Yes. In a very real sense, education is at the center of Masonry. Wehave stressed its importance for a very long time. Back in the Mid-dle Ages, schools were held in the lodges of stonemasons. You have to know a lot to build a cathedral -- geometry, and structural engineering, and mathematics, just for a start. And that education was not very widely available. All the formal schools and colleges trained people for careers in the church, or in law or medicine. Andyou had to be a member of the social upper classes to go to those schools. Stonemasons did not come from the aristocracy. And so the lodges had to teach the necessary skills and information. Freemasonry's dedication to education started there.

It has continued. Masons started some of the first public schools in both Europe and America. We supported legislation to make edu-cation universal. In the 1800s Masons as a group lobbied for the establishment of state supported education and federal land grant colleges. Today we give millions of dollars in scholarships each year. We encourage our members to give volunteer time to their lo-cal schools, buy classroom supplies for teachers, help with literacy programs, and do everything they can to help assure that each per-son, adult or child, has the best educational opportunities possible.

And Masonry supports continuing education and intellectual growth for its members, insisting that learning more about many things is important for anyone who wants to keep mentally alert and young.

What does Masonry teach?

Masonry teaches some important principles. There's nothing very surprising in the list. Masonry teaches that:

Since God is the Creator, all men and women are the children of God. Because of that, all men and women are brothers and sisters, entitled to dignity, respect for their opinions, and consideration of their feelings.

Each person must take responsibility for his/her own life and ac-tions. Neither wealth nor poverty, education nor ignorance, health nor sickness excuses any person from doing the best he or she can do or being the best person possible under the circumstances.

No one has the right to tell another person what he or she must think or believe. Each man and woman has an absolute right to in-tellectual, spiritual, economic, and political freedom. This is a rightgiven by God, not by man. All tyranny, in every form, is illegiti-mate. Each person must learn and practice self-control.

Each person must make sure his spiritual nature triumphs over hisanimal nature. Another way to say the same thing is that even when we are tempted to anger, we must not be violent. Even when we are tempted to selfishness, we must be charitable. Even when we want to "write someone off," we must remember that he or she is a human and entitled to our respect. Even when we want to give up, we must go on. Even when we are hated, we must return love, or, at a minimum, we must not hate back. It isn't easy!

Faith must be in the center of our lives. We find that faith in our houses of worship, not in Freemasonry, but Masonry constantly teaches that a person's faith, whatever it may be, is central to a good life.

Each person has a responsibly to be a good citizen, obeying the law. That doesn't mean we can't try to change things, but change must take place in legal ways.

It is important to work to make this world better for all who live in it. Masonry teaches the importance of doing good, not because it

assures a person's entrance into heaven -- that's a question for a re-ligion, not a fraternity -- but because we have a duty to all other men and women to make their lives as fulfilling as they can be.

Honor and integrity are essential to life. Life, without honor and integrity, is without meaning.

Old Past Master Speaks

A MASON'S CHRISTMAS

"I don't believe in a Christmas celebration by the lodge. I don't think we ought to have one, or be asked to contribute to one or in any way engage in Christmas festivities."

"The Junior Mason spoke emphatically and with marked disap-proval of the little ante-room group nearby, making happy plans for Yule-tide.

"That's very interesting," commented the Old Past Master. I like to hear points of view unfamiliar to me. Would you mind telling me why?"

"Of course not. It's very simple. Masonry is not Christian. King Solomon, of course, wasn't a Christian, nor were either of the Hi-ram's. Masonry admits to her ranks any good man of faith; Chris-tian, Jewish, Mohammedan, Buddhist... it makes no difference, so he has a Faith. Then, as a lodge, we celebrate a holiday belonging to one faith. Now I personally am a Christian, and of course I cele-brate Christmas. But my brother across the way is a Jew, who doesnot recognize Christianity. To ask him to spend his proportion of lodge funds in celebrating the birth of a Leader in Whom he does

not believe would be exactly like asking me to celebrate, with my proportion of lodge money, the birth of Confucius. Of course, I have only one vote and the majority rules, but when it comes to personal contributions to a Masonic Christmas celebration, my hands will never come out of my pockets."

He shoved them deeper in as he spoke to emphasize his intention not to spend.

"Hum!" answered the Old Past Master. "So you think your Jewish brother across the way doesn't recognize Christianity? Don't you mean he doesn't recognize Christ as the Son of God? Wait a minute... Oh, Brother Samuels." The Old Past Master called across the ante-room. "Here a minute, will you?"

The Jewish brother rose and came forward.

"I just wanted to ask you if you are in favor or against the lodge Christmas celebration?" asked the Old Past Master.

"Me? I am in favor of it, of course, both for the lodge appropriationand the individual contribution."

"Thank you," nodded the Old Past Master. Then as the Jewish brother went back to his seat, he turned to the Junior Mason.

"You see, my son, our Jewish friend is not narrow. He does not be-lieve in Christ as the Redeemer, but he recognizes that he lives in acountry largely Christian, and belongs to a lodge largely Christian. To him the Christmas celebration is not one of His birthday, but of the spirit of joyousness and love which we mean when we sing, at Christmas time 'Peace on earth, good will towards men!' If you ar-gue that 'peace' is only a Christian word, he might even quote to you the words of One who said 'I bring you not Peace, but a Sword.'

"Now let me explain something to you. The Jew has just as much right to refuse to recognize Christ as the Son of God, as you have to refuse to consider Mohammed the Prophet the followers of Al-

lah say he is. But as an educated man, you must know that Mo-hammed was a good man, a devout leader, a wise teacher. As an educated man, you admit that the religion founded by Buddha has much in it that is good, and you admit that Confucius was a wise and just leader. Were you in the land where the birthdays of any of these were celebrated, would you refuse your part in the people's joy in their Leader, simply because you followed another? I trust not. Well, neither do our Jewish brethren or our Mohammedan brethren, desire to be left out of our celebration. They may not be-lieve in the Divinity of Him we, as Christians, follow, but if they are good men and good Masons... they are perfectly willing to ad-mit that the religion we follow is as good for us as theirs is for them, and to join with us in celebrating the day which is to us the glad day of all the year.

"Believe me, boy, Christmas doesn't mean Christ's birthday to many a man who calls himself Christian. It is not because of joy the He was born that many a good man celebrates Christmas. It is because his neighbor celebrates it, because it is a time of joy for lit-tle ones, because it is a day when he can express his thanks to his God that he is allowed to have a wife and family and children and friends and a lodge, because of that very 'peace on earth' spirit which is no more the property of the Gentile than the Jew, the Chi-nese or the Mohammedan.

"It is such a spirit that Masons join, all, in celebrating Christmas. Itis on the Masonic side of the tree we dance, not the Christian side. When this lodge erects its Christmas tree in the basement and throws it open to the little ones of the poor of this town, you will find children of all kinds there; black, white, yellow, and brown, Jew and Gentile, Christian and Mohammedan. And you will find a Jew at the door, and among the biggest subscriptions will be those from some Jewish brethren, and there is a Jew who rents cars for a living who will supply us a dozen free to take baskets to those whocannot come. And when the Jewish Orphan Asylum has its fair, in the Spring, you will find many a Christian Mason attending to spend his money and help along the cause dear to his Jewish brethren, never remembering that they are of a different faith. That,my son, is Masonry."

"For Charity is neither Christian nor Jewish, nor Chinese nor Bud-dhistic. And celebrations which create joy in little hearts and feed the hungry and make the poor think that Masons do not forget the lessons in lodge, are not Christian alone, though they be held at Christmas, and are not for Christians alone, though the celebration be in His honor. Recall the ritual: 'By the exercise of brotherly lovewe are taught to regard the whole human species as one family, thehigh and low, the rich and poor, who, as created by one Almighty Parent, and inhabitants of the same planet, are to aid, support and protect each other'.

"It is with this thought that we, as Masons, celebrate Christmas, tobring joy to our brethren and their little ones, and truly observe the brotherhood of man and the Fatherhood of God, whether we be Jew or Gentile, Mohammedan or Buddhist." The Old Past Master ceased and stood musing, his old eyes looking back along a long line of lodge Christmas trees about which eager little faces danced.Then he turned to the Junior Mason.

"Well," he said smiling, "Do you understand?"

"I thank you for my Christmas present," came the answer. "Please tell me to which brother I should make my Christmas contribu-tion?"

GIFT OF THE MAGI

What do you think happened to me in there tonight?'' asked the New Brother of the Old Tiler.

"Someone give you a dollar?" asked the Old Tiler.

''No, of course not!"

"You give someone a dollar?"

"Certainly not!"

"Well, I can't imagine what happened. Men don't usually get as ex-cited as you are except about getting or giving dollars. What did happen?"

"Brother Smith asked me if I would stand for election as Junior Steward in December!"

"Most natural and reprehensible of Brother Smith!" chuckled the Old Tiler. "Of course you told him you would be pleased to do so."

"Why was it natural and why was it reprehensible, and of course I did nothing of the sort!" answered the New Brother.

"It Is natural for men to ask their friends if they want office. It is reprehensible, because Masonry in lodge practice is not supposed to have any politics. An election is supposed to be like a wen, something that just grows without any previous warning or conver-sation! But why didn't you accept with pleasure?''

"I didn't accept at all! What would I want to be an officer for?"

''Why not?''

"Why, Old Tiler, you know well enough why not! I have heard youtalk before about the responsibilities of office. An officer has to serve at least seven years before he gets to the East in this lodge. He has to learn degrees and attend meetings and go to all funerals and visit the sick and labor instructing candidates and I don't know what all besides. Why should I run my head into any such noose asthat? What does the officer get out of it, anyway? Nothing but fiftydollars' worth of squares and compasses to hang on a blue ribbon on his coat and for the rest of his life have some Master say, 'You are cordially invited to a seat in the East!' Not for me, thank you!"

"No, very evidently not for you," agreed the Old Tiler. "Did you tell Brother Smith all this?"

"I sure did!"

"What did lie say?"

"He didn't say anything. He just looked shocked!"

"I can understand that," mused the Old Tiler, placidly. "Most men are shocked when they go to a friend to do him honor and make him the priceless gift, and he laughs in their faces arid calls their gift trash."

''Say, hold on a minute! What are you talking about? He didn't try to give me anything. He tried to wish something on me. He tried . .

"Oh, no, he didn't!" contradicted the Old Tiler. "You are laboring under a misapprehension. You evidently think a lodge has to beg members to be her servants. Such is not the case. The lodge looks around to see which of her sons she will honor. Through a few menshe picked on you. Brother Smith came to you with the Gift of the Magi in his hands. Of course, the gift is not his to make, it is the lodge’s to make. But just because there is, now and then, the unap-preciative, non-understanding member, who would tread on pearls if they were thrown before him, to get at the swill of ease and lux-ury instead of the jewels of labor and their reward, the lodge al-lows certain of its brethren to sound out the others before it offers them the position by in election.

"The lodge looks upon the election to the junior end of the line as asignal honor. In all probability, the man elected Junior Steward thisyear will be the Master seven years hence. At least he can be, if he has ability and love for Masonry and sticks to his job. So the lodge feels that in saying to a brother 'you may be a Master in seven years; at least, we will trust you to try, as we will try you in trust,' it is paying him the greatest compliment outside of an actual elec-tion to the East which it can pay. As betrothal is to marriage, so is election to the foot of the line to the Mastership.

Well Brothers it wouldn’t be Christmas if I didn’t add my family tradition of the Night Before Christmas. This poem was read to mybrother Chris and I every year while we were growing up, and I have read it to my children, Yes, Brother Senior Deacon, for manyyears since. Now I share it with my Grand Children, and Great Grand Children.

Family Tradition

'Twas the Night Before Christmas (or A Visit from St. Nicholas)

by Clement Clarke Moore

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all throughthe house

not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads.

And Mama in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap.

When out on the roof there arose such a clatter,I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,tore open the shutter, and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snowgave the lustre of midday to objects below,

when, what to my wondering eyes should appear,but a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles, his coursers they came,and he whistled and shouted and called them by

name:

"Now Dasher! Now Dancer!Now, Prancer and Vixen!On, Comet! On, Cupid!

On, Donner and Blitzen!To the top of the porch!To the top of the wall!

Now dash away! Dash away!Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,when they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky

so up to the house-top the coursers they flew,with the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roofthe prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my head and was turning around,down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,and his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and

soot.A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,

and he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes--how they twinkled! His dimples, howmerry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,and the beard on his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,and the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.

He had a broad face and a little round belly,that shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,and I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.

A wink of his eye and a twist of his headsoon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,and filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.

And laying his finger aside of his nose,and giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, 'ere he drove out of sight,

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"