Fraternal Greeting from the East.
Brethren of Chino Valley Lodge #427,
I hope everyone had a great 4th of July week in spending time with your loved ones. July is here and the summer is now beginning to be in full swing. Let me take this opportunity to congratulate Bro. Luis Zembrano on his Passing to the Degree of Fellowcraft. As all candidates navigates their journey through Masonry, let us keep guiding others to do the same.
As some candidates are still waiting for their applications to be balloted, and others to be conferred, we all took different paths on our Masonic journey, we all would like to share, and guide our applicants, and to make each event a meaningful and lasting impressions. Waiting a time with patience is always has always been a part of the growth of each candidate and to our lodge. As we continue to blossom and bear into a flourishing lodge, I would like to highlight the importance of the bonds we make as men that brings honor, and Brotherly Love closer to our hearts.
During our last Stated Meeting Dinner in June, our lodge had hosted our District 806th DeMolays and Jobs Daughters International, together with the Chino Valley Unified School District state funded HOPE Program for dinner at our lodge. After dinner, we awarded our fundraising proceeds in the amount of $500 to each of our recipients totaling in $1500 were awarded from our past fundraising events. Let me express my appreciation to our lodge Fundraising and Supply Committees for their efforts, as well as the brethren from the South, and lastly to our ever-supporting lodge candidates in preparing dinner that night. As always, Outstanding work from our committees.
August, we will be working closely again with the American Red Cross in sponsoring another Blood Drive which is our 2nd Charity event this year. I would like to ask each one the support in donating, circulating fliers, advertisement, and participation to this event to meet our target. Looking ahead, to close our lodge Charity events this year, we will be engaging with the homeless veterans at Moreno Valley to share our manifold blessings, and comforts we have as Masons by sponsoring a lunch cookout for them this November Veterans Day, and with this assurance on my part we will accomplish all our planned charity events this year.
I am closing on one of the iconic parts of the master’s Jewel, the Square. While it signifies the squaring of our actions, its positioning on the apron is a reminder to always look ahead. Possibly as a reminder to look ahead to the bright sides of our lives. To look up and be thankful for the brothers and family members who care for you. Its point is up to remind us that optimism and positive thought are worthy of us. It’s a symbol that can indicate moving forward or progress towards a common end. While many of its uses in this position seem to indicate rank, it also symbolizes that there is something more above it, and that together, time, patience and perseverance can accomplish all things.
Fraternally,
John Ehrlich Kiley
CVML #427, WM
WORKING TOOLS: TWENTY-FOUR INCH GAUGE AND THE COMMON GAVEL
The twenty-four-inch gauge or two-foot ruler would have been one of the first tools used in the quarry whence stone was harvested for use in a construction project. The gauge was used to help mark out lines on the stone in the quarry to be chiseled and thus freed from the bedrock. Once a block was thus released, the gauge was again used to measure the size of the stone as it was being chiseled with the common gavel to determine if it would remain of appropriate dimensions for the desired use in the construction project. Divided into twenty-four equal parts, the ruler became a symbol of the Mason’s day, each inch of the measure symbolizing an hour. The youngest Entered Apprentice was thereby taught to devote eight hours of his day to the service of God and a worthy distressed brother, eight hours to his usual vocation as a stonemason’s apprentice and eight hours to refreshment and sleep. The twenty-four inch gauge thus became a symbol of time well employed. With time well employed, we are always prepared to meet whatever challenge may come to us and optimize our accomplishments.
The common gavel was a working tool given to the more inexperienced apprentice in the lodge to break off the corners of the rough stone or ashlar, thus the better to fit it for use by the more sophisticated craftsmen who would further chisel the stone into a suitable cube, rectangular solid or other shape for installation in the building or other part of the project. The true form of the common gavel is that of the stonemason’s hammer. It is to be made with a cutting edge, that it may be used to break off the corners of rough stones, an operation which could never be effected by the common hammer or mallet. It borrows its name from its shape, being that of a gable or gavel end of a house. Symbolically, the common gavel admonishes us of the duty of divesting our minds and consciences of all the vices and impurities of life. Just as the common gavel was used to divest the stone of its rough and superfluous parts, so should we use the common gavel symbolically to divest our hearts and minds of all the vices and superfluities of life, thereby fitting our minds as living stones in the superstructure which is human society. These principles of right conduct are not limited to those who may be Masons. They teach principles by which all men and women should live.
By the twenty-four inch gauge, we can understand that our lives should not be devoted solely to our own particular jobs and means of amusement. As the youngest Entered Apprentice was taught by the twenty-four inch gauge that a third of his day or eight hours should be devoted to the service of God and a distressed worthy brother, so should each one of us be motivated to devote some part of each one of our days to the promulgation of truth among those who may be ignorant of it and to the assistance of those who are less fortunate than we are.
By the common gavel, we should each learn that the human and unpolished mind, like a diamond surrounded with a dense crust, discovers neither its sparkle nor different powers, until the rough external is smoothed off, and its beauties, until then unknown, rise full to our view. Thus does education give what a common gavel does to the stone, not only an external polish and smoothness but the discovery of all the inward beauties latent under the roughest surfaces. By education, our minds are enlarged just as the youngest apprentice in the Masonic Lodge in the Middle Ages was introduced to education through the teachings of the lessons of his new craft.
By education, we learn of things around us in our material world and, more importantly, learn with greater clarity that which is above all other knowledge: our real duty to God and Man.
Source: Masons of California Study Guides
Good Evening Brethren,
As part of my 24 inch gauge, the month of July constitutes identifying and approaching members for 2024 open elected and appointed officer positions, review all candidates’ progress towards advancement to name a few. For elected officer positions, I myself included, may I reiterate the need to be ready for each one’s required proficiencies. We have conferrals for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd degrees lined up for the upcoming months leading to the 2023 Annual Communications. This is our chance to deliver on an actual conferral setting. Sounds easy said than done but as our EAM education saying goes “Time is a substance of life. Wisely used, carefully budgeted, it goes far and does much”. We can do this brethren!
For last months’ stated meeting(June), we were able to witness another great performance in the 1st degree long form return proficiency of Brother RJ Penaverde under the masterful mentorship of Brother Horace Daway. May this display of perseverance, motivation and devotion serve as an inspiration to everyone and more particularly to our remaining and future candidates.
Congratulations to Brother Luis Zambrano and to those who participated in the 2nd degree conferral last July 7, it was again a job well done.
This 29th of July will see the Brethren again dwelling together in unity in the 3rd degree of Brother Perry Yodong. Assignments will be handed out in our July stated meeting. Practice day is set on the 28th of July. Please save the dates.
Fraternally,
Anthony Wesley Baguiwet, SW
Brethren,
Greetings!! “July is hollyhocks and hammocks, fireworks and vacations, hot and steamy weather, cool and refreshing swims, beach picnics, and vegetables all out of the garden.” – Jean Hersey. Having quoted that, may you enjoy time with your family and friends and most of all safe travels. A recap on last month’s event, we executed our summer camp at Silverwood Lake, with a lot of delicious food that was prepared, there was nothing that got spoiled, kudos to Bro. Robert Ofo-ob for spearheading this along with a lot of brethren that helped keep the campers belly full. We also had a beautiful first degree last month conferred upon Bro. Lauro Adriano followed by dinner that was catered from Ben’s Catering and second degree, early this month, upon Bro Luis Zambrano with dinner catered from Tony’s Barbeque from our very own Brethren entrepreneurs with lots of food and good followship. Thank you to our brethren helping in the kitchen and also to a new knocker Mr. Erwin Co. Looking forward to more happy times and good sunshine.
Fraternally,
Bro. Paul Henry L. Kiley
Junior Warden
THE APRON
When I was initiated as an EAM, I was presented a Clean White Linen Apron as a badge of a Mason while the Lecture of the Apron was recited to me verbatim. It is a very simple badge, but its meaning is incomparable to none and as I progressed in Masonry, I come to realize that the Apron represents and reflects oneself. It really is a badge and a reward and every Mason to keep his Apron unblemished, free from all stain and remain as pure and spotless.
Inside the Lodge, we wear our Aprons, and some may have different designs or logo on their Apron to distinguish one’s office or station, but the Apron is a Symbol of being a Builder of Strong and True Men of Character.
Below is the Long Form Lecture of the Apron.
It is an emblem of innocence and the badge of a Mason.
More ancient than the Golden Fleece or the Roman Eagle,
more honorable than the Star and Garter,
or any distinction that can be conferred upon you,
at this or any future period, by King, Prince, Potentate or any other person.
It may be that in the coming years,
upon your head shall rest the laurel wreath of victory,
upon your breast my hang jewels fit to grace the diadem of an eastern potentate,
nay more than these, with light added to coming light,
your ambitious feet may tread round after round the ladder that leads to fame in our mystic circle.
and even the purple of our Fraternity may rest upon your honored shoulder.
But never again from mortal hands,
never again until your enfranchised spirit shall have passed upward and inward through the pearly gates shall any honor so distinguished,
so emblematical of purity and all perfections,
be bestowed upon you as this which I now confer.
It is yours —, your name is written upon it — yours to wear throughout an honorable life.
and at your death to be place upon the coffin which shall contain your earthly remains
and with them laid beneath the silent clods of the valley.
Let is pure and spotless surface be to you an ever-present reminder of an emblematical
or unblemished purity of life and rectitude of conduct,
a never-ending argument for nobler deeds, for higher thoughts,
for purer actions and for greater achievements.
And when at last your weary feet shall have come to the end of their toilsome journey,
and from your nerveless grasp shall drop forever the working tools of life,
may the record of your life and actions be as pure and spotless as this fair emblem
which I now (was) placed in your hands.
And when your trembling soul shall stand naked and alone before the Greta White Throne,
there to receive judgment fore the deeds done while in the body,
may it be your portion to hear from Him who sitteth as the Judge Supreme,
the welcome words: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.”
It hoped my brother that, that your will wear that apron with pleasure to yourself and honor to the fraternity.
Fraternally,
Eric G. Calixto, PM
Secretary
