Waukegan Lodge #78 AF&AM

February, 2016

THE TROWEL
News | Education | Schedule
Did you know?
NON-MASON
DISCOVERS RARE
MASONIC
DOCUMENT

James O. HalliwellPhillips, and English

antiquarian and librarian,
was not a Mason. While
engaged in his work, he
came across a manuscript
in the British Museum
catalogued as A Poem of
Moral Duty.
It was really a statement
of the "Old Charges" in
poetic form. It is believed
to have been prepared in
1390, thus making it the
oldest known Masonic
document. Now called
the Regius Poem, or the
Halliwell Manuscript, it
was published in 1840 in
a brochure entitled On
the Introduction of
Freemasonry into
England.

www.waukegan78.com

The Masters Message

Brethren,
The first month of 2016 has been quite busy here at
the lodge, as expected. We have conferred a 1 and 3rd,
had our official visit and held our first family day in several
years!
The DDGM official visit was successful! Our lodge is
now on firmer financial ground and we are working hard to
maintain and improve that position. We are now working to
upgrade the lodge records, to have the latest contact
information for each of our brothers. It is important so we
may keep all brothers updated on lodge activities in real
time. (If you have not updated your address, phone number
or email information in the past year please contact WB
Robert Johnson so he can update your information.) We are
close to filling all lodge committees as per our bylaws (any
brother interested joining a committee please contact the
lodge)
The degree work went very well! The turnout for each
degree was good and the energy was high. It was awesome to
welcome a new brother into the fraternity, especially into
our lodge! We almost accomplished all the work in house. It
will be great to be able to confer all our degrees in house in
the near future! (If any brother is interested in taking on a
1

Waukegan Lodge #78 AF&AM

Freemasonry in
the news
Welsh Freemasons
Deal With New Witch
Hunt
Our brethren in Great
Britain are under fire once
again. UK laws requiring
Masons involved in the
police and judiciary to
publicly declare their
Masonic membership were
struck down as being
discriminatory by the
European Union Court of
Human Rights back in
2009 (see this article from
the Guardian about the UK
rescinding their rules about
it in the wake of the Court's
decision).

February, 2016

part please contact the lodge). I want to thank all the

brothers who put so much time and effort into putting on
these two wonderful degrees.
Family Day turned out spectacular! We had a nice
turnout of brothers and their families. There was great
socializing and conversation had by all! The food was
fantastic and the movie, riveting! I want to thank WB
Patterson, WB Lang, SW Duran and everyone else who made
this a wonderful time for all! Im looking forward to our next
event.
The Waukegan Main Street Assn. held their annual fund
raiser on Saturday, February 6, 2016 at the Bonnie Brooke
Country Club. This was the Associations main fund raiser.
Waukegan Masonic Lodge 78 and the Scottish Rite Valley of
Chicago were both named as Sponsors of the event thanks to
a Monetary contribution made on behalf of the Valley and
Lodge, by Brothers John Quinn of Rising Sun Lodge and
Commander in Chief Oriental Consistory and Frank Winans
Waukegan 78 and Most Wise Master Gourgas Chapter of Rose
Croix ,Scottish Rite Valley of Chicago . The donations were
made from their Charitable funds. We want to thank you for
your work with the Waukegan Main Street Assn. and keeping
our lodge involved in community events.

Moving forward this month we are planning to do some

lodge repair and maintenance. We are calling for all
brothers to come down and lend a hand so we can clean,
repair and update our lodge building. Remember the more
hands the lighter the load.

According to the article,

there are 13,000 Masons in
Wales alone.

Of all the things we have done as a lodge this past

month, nothing has bought more joy and excitement to me
than having several brothers return to lodge! Welcome back!

Source: http://
freemasonsfordummies.blo
gspot.com

Worshipful Master,
Erik Solomon

If youre into Masonic apparel, we found a new

kid on the block. Masonic Revival.
www.masonicrevival.com

www.waukegan78.com

Waukegan Lodge #78 AF&AM

February, 2016

Town Hall Meeting coming to Waukegan 78!

Frequently, the Grand Master of the state of Illinois will have Town Hall styled meetings at local
lodges around the state. The Grand Master has chosen Waukegan lodge No. 78 to host one of these
coming up very soon. How soon? How about May 2nd! Its right around the corner and this is one reason
we need all hands on deck for some lodge maintenance.

The town hall meetings are used to discuss many things, including; Grand Lodge happenings,
budgets, per capita, programs and even some training for ocers if they choose to have it. We are
anticipating many Brothers in attendance. As this is an Area event and not just a district event, there
could be representatives fro up to 53 dierent lodges present, however unlikely, it is possible. Rest assured,
a good time will be had. We look forward to the event and to the fellowship!

Secretaries Note*
With the new email service in eect, if you want to stay on the forefront of what is happening with
Waukegan 78, please make sure you get your email address and phone number to the Secretary. He can be
reached at Secretary@waukegan78.com

The Secretary's Masonic Cipher

Rules - Open to any member of Waukegan 78 or Anchor and Ark 1027. Be the first person to email the
secretary with your answer. Include the subject line "Secretary Cipher Answer", your name and lodge
number. Good luck!
*Last month: This person is arguably the ONE and ONLY person who has been made a Mason "at sight" posthumously.
Who was it?.
Answer: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

This months Cipher...

This man is often said to have been a Freemason. He was not. He opened an exclusive
club called Club 33. Who was this man?

R.H. Johnson, PM

www.waukegan78.com

Waukegan Lodge #78 AF&AM

February, 2016

Secretary, W78
secretary@waukegan78.com

Lodge Happenings
Waukegan #78
February 15th -Stated Meeting
February 22nd - Lodge Maintenance Night
February 29th - Instruction Club @ Waukegan
Lodge - Officers required

*Just a note, the schedule is

dependent on the return of
catechisms. We will post updates
to the schedule as needed on
our website as well as weekly
announcements through our
call em all phone system and
Facebook page.

www.waukegan78.com Waukegan Lodge #78

March 7th - TBD

March 14th - TBD
March 21st - Stated Meeting

www.waukegan78.com

www.1stneil.com - 1st NE
District Calendar
www.masonicinstruction.blogs
pot.com - Instruction Club