Obituary

Harley Hobart Clouse, age 91, of Rockford, passed away Saturday, March 12, 2016 at Summit View-Farragut in Knoxville. Preceded in death by his beloved wife, Ruby Clouse and parents, Conley and Alice Kivett. Survivors include his son, Vernon Clouse of Rockford, son and daughter in law, Gerald and Marilyn Clouse of Maryville; daughter and son in law, Teresa and Wayne Mouser of Maryville; grandchildren, Todd and Tonya Clouse, Melody and Ronnie Pryor and Jason Mouser; several great grandchildren; two great great grandchildren; brothers, Talbert and wife Bobbie Kivett and Gene Kivett; sister, Bernice and husband, Bobby Thomas; and several nieces and nephews. Funeral service 7:00 PM Tuesday, March 15, 2016 at Miller Funeral Home Cedar Chapel, Rev. Butch Cooper officiating. Entombment service 12:00 PM Wednesday at Sherwood Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to: St. Jude Tribute Program, P.O. Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38148-0412. The family will receive friends from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM Tuesday at Miller Funeral Home, Maryville, (865) 982-6041,www.millerfuneralhome.org

INSPIRATIONAL: THREE STORIES

Brethren:

Three stories I have to share with you this evening that I find rather relevant to our current times.

JUSTICE SCALIA AND JUSTICE GINSBURG

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia passed from this life recently.  You may have seen a line item of it in the news.  What many don't know is that his ideological opponent on the High Court, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, was his closest friend.

The two took many trips together with their respective families.  During one trip to India, Ginsburg and Scalia rode an elephant together.  When a photo of the two resurfaced, Ginsburg caught flack from her office over the fact that she was riding behind "Nino" on the elephant.

Her response? "It was all about weight distribution."

When Scalia would get asked about his friendship with "The Notorious R.B.G," he would respond "Don't be stupid.  You can still be friends with someone and not like their ideas."

In fact, the two would often exchange drafts of dissents or opinions they'd written to each other well in advance.  Ginsburg said at Scalia's memorial service that she relished the days when Scalia would send her drafts of his opinions.  "It challenged me to think about things I didn't agree with.  It opened me up to ideas that I didn't like."

THE OLD LADY, THE JUDGE, AND THE BIKER DIVORCE

In our state, there was a divorce trial where a known biker who was a methamphetamine dealer was filing for divorce from his wife.  The biker was never going to pay his wife any sort of alimony, and the wife knew it.  She worked with the attorneys to "downward deviate" the plan to a point where she didn't get a dime of alimony.

When the final order was presented to the Court, the judge said "Ma'am, you know there's no alimony in this order, right?"

"Yes."

"Do you really think that's a reason on which to hinge this divorce?"

"I don't care"

"Were you put in a position where you were required to sign this document by these attorneys?"

"No."

"Ma'am, I'll be happy to put in alimony for you."

"Just give me my divorce. He won't pay me a thing."


THE PRESIDENT AND HIS IMPEACHMENT

Andrew Johnson, one of our Brothers, made it clear that he was ready to make sure the former Confederacy lived with his predecessor's decisions, whether they liked it or not.

The people in Congress didn't like him or his ability to impose Reconstructionist ideologies on the southern states.  So they came up with a plan. Congress passed the "Tenure of Office Act," which made it a "high crime and misdemeanor" for a sitting President to fire a cabinet member absent the express permission of the Senate.

Johnson wanted to fire Edwin Stanton as his Secretary of War, and did.

He was the first President in history to be impeached. President Johnson had tickets sold to the trial of his impeachment.

One of the two Senators that filed the Articles of Impeachment against him was a brother Master Mason.

Warmest Regards,

Bro. Christopher Seaton
Junior Warden, Rockford Masonic Lodge #469

Obituary

Paul Harvey Hinchey
(1929 - 2016)
Paul H. Hinchey, age 86, of Knoxville, passed away on Saturday, February 20, 2016 at Select Specialty Hospital. He was a long standing member of Southside Baptist Church. Paul served in the U.S. Army; was a 32nd Degree Mason in the Rockford Lodge #469; and a member of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local Union #917. Preceded in death by parents, George and Minnie Hinchey; brother, George Hinchey, Jr.; sisters, Annalee Headrick, and Georgia Miller; granddaughter-in-law, Rebecca Norris. Survived by wife, Dorothy J. Hinchey; children, Patricia Norris, Rick (Lori) Hinchey; grandchildren, Brian (Kelly) Norris, Scott Norris, Liana (William) Mitchell, and MaKenze Hinchey; great-granddaughter, Ainsley Norris; and several nieces and nephews. The family will receive friends Tuesday, February 23, 2016 from 5:00pm – 7:00pm in the Chapel of Berry Funeral Home, 3704 Chapman Highway. The funeral service will follow at 7:00pm with Rev. Clarence Gresham officiating. Family and friends will meet Wednesday, February 24, 2016 at Mt. Olive Cemetery for a 2:00pm graveside service. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Kerbela Shriners, 315 Mimosa Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37920 or, the charity of your choice. Condolences may be offered at www.berryfuneralhome.com. 

Inspirational: Kripkean Dogmatism, Confirmation Bias, Straw Man Arguments, and The Garden of the Senses

Brethren:

I'm of a strong mindset that learning new things is a great way to not only better yourself as a man, but also keep yourself healthy.  It's been shown learning about new areas of interest increases neural pathways in the brain, contributes to longevity, and staves Alzheimer's disease.

With that, I want to stray from the normal Masonic discussions and talk about three concepts I've uncovered recently, and how they apply to Freemasonry.

The first is something called Kripkean Dogmatism.  It was a philosophy founded by a guy named Saul Kripke.  Distilled to its plainest form, Kripkean Dogmatism says the mind will hold onto two or three facts about a subject and ignore potentially 97-98 other facts on the same subject to make sure their belief structure (the "Dogma") remains true!

Applying this to our Fraternity, if someone wants to believe that we are an allegedly Satanic Order with connections to aliens because it's something they saw on a History Channel "documentary" then they will continue to believe that despite the ninety-eight facts to the contrary, publicly available to those who choose to engage in a cursory search!

The second concept for discussion this evening is "confirmation bias."  This is a logical principle that says we want to believe what we think true so much that we will seek out people and ideas that believe the same things we do, even if that belief is mistaken or incorrect.  This is especially true in the Internet age, where Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and all sorts of social media allows us to keep ourselves thinking what we WANT to think is true.

Applying again this concept to our Fraternity, if someone wants to believe our Order is anti-Christian, they will do everything in their power to pay attention to those sources that say we are not Christian, because that's what they want to believe.  That person's worldview needs to believe Freemasonry can't be Christian, so they will work to find sources and people to support that view.

Now the "Straw Man Argument."  This is a logical fallacy where people pose an argument, and the responding party takes that argument, turns it into something completely different, proceeds to knock it down, and then declares victory.

Here is the "Straw Man Argument" in action when applied to our Fraternity.  "Freemasonry is a system of morality." "Freemasonry is misogynistic, so it can't be moral, because the Fraternity doesn't admit women."  The average Master Mason would then say "We don't admit women because," and the straw man argument would then be "If Freemasonry isn't misogynistic and amoral, then admit a woman into the Fraternity." You can't win at that point, and must therefore disengage because the person will not be amenable to the discussions that make our Order the bastion of enlightenment through the ages.

Tying all of this together, I leave you with a "therapeutic metaphor" described by Toronto therapist and hypnotist Mike Mandel.  On a trip to France, he and his wife visited a "garden of the senses."  This garden had beautiful flowers to view, wind chimes to hear the wind, berries to taste, plants one could smell, and certain plants like "lamb's ears" with a very kinesthetic (touch based) appeal.

While Mike was in this garden, he heard four French women conversing.  Mike was slightly knowledgeable of French, so he stopped to listen and see if he could understand their conversation.  The more he listened, the more he was proud of his ability to understand French.  It was a proud moment for him!  His linguistic studies were paying off!

It took Mike twenty minutes to finally realize the four women were speaking English with very heavy French accents.

I look forward to writing again for you all.

Warmest Regards,
Bro. Chris Seaton
Junior Warden, Rockford Lodge No. 469

FROM THE SOUTH

Brethren:

Hello again!  We're past our Stated Meeting, moving at a lightning pace, and going so fast this year that we're excited to see what's in store for the next ten months.

Our Stated Meeting saw us read the proposals for Grand Lodge next month, and discuss the Grand Lodge Degree (which will be a blast as it has been the last two times we've done it, so please come if you're going to Grand Lodge this year).

March is going to be a great month for us.

We're going to have a blast with the Lodge Maintenance Day and Roadside Cleanup activities on March 12, starting  8 AM.  This is an important task and community service we do, so if you're available and want to help keep our area clean, we'd love to have you.

We're moving the Lodge Maintenance and Roadside Cleanup day to the 12th because on March 5 we're going to take a trip to Sweetwater and visit our brethren there.  It's been nice to see brothers from Sweetwater show up at Rockford, and March 5 is their fish fry, so we're going to make a trip and eat like Rockford Masons do to support Sweetwater.

The 22-24th is Grand Lodge, and with it the Rockford Master Mason's degree.  We've raised people on the floor of the Grand Lodge in Nashville two times now and we hope to have an even larger audience this year.  If you'd like to take a part in this degree, either large or small, please contact us and we will point you in the right direction.  Regardless, this is not just a "must-see" event for Master Masons in Tennessee.  It's a "can't miss."  You will regret missing the Grand Lodge degree, just ask anyone who's been to one before!

March 26 will see us host an Easter Egg Hunt for children at the Lodge.  We pride ourselves on being very family friendly, and we encourage any Master Masons and their families who would be interested in such an event to show up at 9 AM.

Finally, we will close out March with another Family Night on the 31st.  We will eat at six, as usual.

I look forward to seeing all of you in the near future!

Best,
Bro. Chris Seaton
Junior Warden, Rockford Lodge #469

From the East

Brethren,

I'd like to talk to you a little this month about my early experiences running a lodge.  Having only been the Worshipful Master for a short time and having succumb to many of the fears new WMs face, I feel like it's a good time to talk about one aspect I have been faced with so far, committees. Committees are not something that should be dismissed. We assign committees for all kinds of things in the lodge. A committee can not function properly if it's members don't know how a committee works. First, the head of a committee should be viewed and should view himself as the organizer, not the leader. A brother might find himself in the roll of head of a committee and feel like he has to make all the decisions when in reality his only responsibility is organization and to facilitate communication. All members, to include the head, share equal work and input. For one member to take on the burden of the whole committee or to control it would dissolve the purpose in having a committee.
For those members not in a committee, look well to the decision of the committee. Those members were chosen by the WM to do the work or make the assessment. If you have a service or knowledge that may assist the committee do not be afraid to offer it but in the end trust in the wisdom of your brothers whether they take your advice or not.
Lastly, If you have never served on a committee please don't slide down in your seat the next time the WM is forming one. Our society could achieve nothing without the volunteer work of its members.

Yours in the Light
~WM Dustin E Wade (Buddha Biscuit)

FROM THE WEST

Brethren:

Greetings from Rockford! The month of January was as most can be for Rockford: a time of hibernation where we are adjusting to the new line, scheduling the calendar for the year, and working hard to make sure once February kicks into high gear we're off and rolling heavy.

January saw Rockford reset its vision and come into focus where we promote an environment "Where Masons Meet, Work Well Together, and Have Fun." That's been our goal for years, and the month of January was great for that.  A special thanks to all the Past Masters who came to meet with the Worshipful Master and Wardens to offer us advice on trying issues.

A big thanks to all the brethren who helped come out on the 9th to make tamales.  That's become such an important fundraiser for our lodge that we appreciate the work of all who show up to help.  

Another thank you goes out to our Senior Steward, Bro. William Murphy, who has kept us well fed and brought more Master Masons into our lodge on Stated Meeting nights due to his expert cooking ability.

February is almost to a close, and with it Rockford's beginning to take off at the normal lightning quick speed at which we have events, degrees, and planned events.  Keep an eye out.  We've got great things coming.

Regards,
Bro. T.C. Kittrell
Senior Warden, Rockford Lodge #469

FROM THE EAST

Brethren,

I would like to talk to you today about the meaning of charity. I feel that we often limit the meaning of this word to its simplest meaning, that which we learn in our first degree, giving money to those in distress. 

As masons we place symbols in high regard. I believe our ancestral brethren chose symbols, not out of a necessity for secrecy but because symbols can carry more meanings than words.

Charity, to me, means compassion. Though giving money to a distressed brother or worthy cause might be noble and in standing with the honorable history of freemasonry, in an effort to make good men better, we should look at WHY we give. Is it for the benefit of others, a since of duty to the fraternity, or because it feels good to us or even because it makes us look good? 

Take a moment to imagine yourself standing on a crowded subway. An old widow standing in front of you falls as the car lurches around a bend in the track. What do you do? You reach out and catch her! Do you stop to think "I should catch her because I will be a hero, or because it is what is expected of me?" If you did she would hit the floor. No, you react instantly because you instinctually know that not to act would cause harm. 

This is how we should approach charity. Not as a self serving sacrifice but as compassion. The true love and connection with our fellow man. So I ask, when next you are face with the option to give, be it money, time or even an ear to listen, approach it, not with a since of duty or honor, but with compassion in your heart.

Warmest Regards, 

Dustin Wade 

Worshipful Master, Rockford Lodge No. 469

Inspirational

To the Brethren of Rockford Lodge No. 469:

You may remember in my last inspirational piece I spoke of Carl Claudy's Old Tyler Talks.

It is again, late at night when my children and wife are in bed, that I turn to the same.

Our subject this evening is the talk "Atheist and Agnostic," which you may find here.

When confronted with the news that a brother is an atheist, the Old Tyler recommends the preference  of Masonic Charges against the brother who does not believe the same as the Young Brother does.

The charge the Young Brother believes worthy of bringing to the Old Tyler is thus: Brother Smith does not believe in the Divinity of Christ.

The Old Tyler responds with his wisdom:

"Oh! Is that what made you call him an atheist? Many thousand Masons don't believe in the divinity of Christ; some are in this lodge. Jews do not; the Chinese do not; Mohammedans do not, but that doesn't mean they don't believe in God."

The Old Tyler responds further.

"There is a conception of God in several churches in which I don't believe, either I" retorted the Old Tiler. "The God in whom I put my trust is not a vengeful God, swayed by passion or prejudice. The God in whom many good people believe is a terrible God, who gets angry and is revengeful and plans horrible torments for those who do not please Him. Because I don't put my faith in that particular idea of God doesn't mean I don't believe in God. And the people who believe in the Deity as pictured by Calvin and Luther and the Puritans may think my conception of Deity is all wrong, but that doesn't make them call me an atheist."

On reflection, the Old Tyler (as usual) makes a point.  Freemasonry requires we espouse at the beginning a belief in a Supreme Being to whom all men are accountable.  Just because we place certain ideas before others doesn't mean those with whom we sit in lodge don't believe in God.  

I had an occasion to visit the Scottish Rite Grand Temple about a year ago when I was admitted to the United States Supreme Court Bar.  On their floor the altar contains three books: the Holy Bible, the Torah, and the Q'uran.  This is by design of the Scottish Rite and the council of 33 members that comprise it.  

In Tennessee we are required to keep the Holy Bible on our altar as the Book of Law.  That doesn't mean we cannot admit Muslims, Buddhists, Hindis, or Jewish brethren.  It means that we are required to follow certain precepts as set down by Tennessee code.  It is law, and we abide by it.  

That does not in any way mean we discount a man's version of what their religion states.  

And we always leave religion and politics at the lodge door, knowing the divisiveness those subjects will bring.  

Always, brethren, no matter what, remember that each man who comes to the lodge comes as an equal.  Someone who espouses a belief in a Supreme Being to whom all men are accountable.  The nature of that being is of no consequence to us; it is a requirement of the Fraternity.  

Warmest Regards, 

Bro. Chris Seaton 

Junior Warden, Rockford Lodge No. 469

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: PAST MASTER'S MEETING THURS JAN 28; PRACTICE CANCELLED

Brethren of Rockford Lodge No. 469:

After conversing with our Worshipful Master, I have been asked to convey the following amongst the brethren:

Practice this Thursday, January 28, is canceled by order of the Worshipful Master.  In its place the Worshipful Master requests the Past Masters of Rockford Lodge gather for a Past Master's Meeting.

The attendance of every Past Master of Rockford Masonic Lodge No. 469 is welcomed and strongly encouraged.  Worshipful Master Bro. Dustin Wade will be contacting each Past Master via telephone and issuing a personal invitation.

Any further questions may be directed to either W.M. Wade or myself via telephone.

Warmest Regards,
Bro. Chris Seaton
Junior Warden, Rockford Lodge No. 469

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING 2/5/16 HAM BREAKFAST

Brethren:

We had a Country Ham Breakfast scheduled for February 5, 2015 as a fundraising event.  That has since been changed to a day where we will make tamales.  All brethren and their families are invited to come participate in making tamales with us.  There will probably be coffee and doughnuts.  We're just not doing the scheduled Country Ham Breakfast.

Kindest Regards,

Bro. Chris Seaton
Junior Warden

Inspiration

January sees the start of the year with new officers and a new group of men ready to assume the duties of caring for the lodge.

Carl Claudy, around 1921, published a series of talks later called the "Old Tiler's Talks," which would later reach publication in a volume of thirty-one of Claudy's hand-picked selections in a volume for publication.

It is in that respect that I look to the Old Tiler's Talk called "Gift of the Magi." In it, a young brother speaks with incredulity to the grizzled Old Tiler that a "Brother Smith" approached him with the possibility of serving as Junior Steward for the year.  The Tiler called it "natural and reprehensible," and assumed the Young Brother said "yes." Unfortunately, this was not the case.  The Young Brother asked why it was "natural and reprehensible" for Brother Smith to ask the Young Brother to serve as Junior Steward, and why he should have taken the position.

The grizzled Old Tiler sees this as an opportunity to take the Young Brother to the foot of the learning tree.

"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 conversation!

The Old Tiler then asks why the Young Brother didn't want to take the position of Junior Steward.  The Young Brother responds quite readily.

Why, Old Tiler, you know well enough why not! I have heard you talk 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 as that? What does the officer get out of it, anyway? Nothing but fifty dollars' 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!"

The Old Tiler then explains the purpose of the office, and explains why the Young Brother wasn't quiet ready to assume the honor of serving at the junior end of the line.

"The lodge looks upon the election to the junior end of the line as a signal honor. In all probability, the man elected Junior Steward this year 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 election to the East which it can pay. As betrothal is to marriage, so is election to the foot of the line to the Mastership.

 ''To be Master of a lodge is a position of responsibility. It means work. It means effort. It means trials. It means difficulty. But it also means much in education, in assurance on one's feet, in knowledge of character and strength of will and wit. Being Master brings great rewards, of which your 'fifty dollars' worth of gold' is but the symbol, not the substance.

"But we all make mistakes, and Brother Smith and I both made one. When he asked me about you, I said you had good stuff in you. So he spoke to you, but you don't want to bring it out for the lodge. That's your business. It was our error. So we will take the better man.''

''Why . . . Why didn't you take the better man in the first place?'' asked the New Brother.

"Oh, we didn't know he was the better man until you told us so. You had concealed it from us. We thought you had Master's quality in you. Willingness to serve, love of your fellows, desire to be something in Masonry for what it will do for you and what you can do for others; these make a Master's quality. But we were mistaken." 

I bold those two statements because I didn't really quite understand what I was getting into when I assumed the office of Senior Steward last year.  I didn't understand the "education" I received in learning how to prepare a table for a group of men.  I only grudgingly understood the good-natured ribbing that I got was a preparation for that which I would endure one day in other stations.

There's something to be said for at least a year's worth of education in the Masonic School of Hard Knocks.

Every man who serves in the line at Rockford, from the Worshipful Master on down to the Junior Steward knows when we were approached with the gift of being offered a position in the line, it was an honor.  It was the lodge recognizing we had a Master's qualities.  All of us are appreciative of that gift bestowed upon us by the lodge, and while we may at the lower levels not fully understand everything required of us, we are all committed to the lodge and furthering its tradition of being a place "Where Masons Meet, Work Well Together, And Have Fun."

Yours,
Bro. Chris Seaton
Junior Warden

ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE SOUTH RE PRACTICE 1/21/16

Greetings Brethren: 

After consultation with various parties, the Worshipful Master has stated tonight Rockford Lodge No. 469 will have a practice session. The roads are clear enough for all brethren to reach the lodge if they so choose.  

As usual, we would love to see you at practice, and we always want to see you in lodge with us.  If you need assistance getting to lodge, call a brother and let him know.   

Yours, 

Bro. Chris Seaton 

Junior Warden

FROM THE SOUTH

Hello Brethren of Rockford Lodge, and welcome to 2016!

It's January, and with the cold weather making us all a touch sleepy we don't have a lot going on this month.  Our Stated meeting featured an incredible seafood gumbo with cornbread, french bread, and cake prepared by our new Senior Steward and Junior Steward.  It's safe to say the kitchen has been left in good hands.

February begins a month of events starting with preparation of Tamales on Saturday, 2/6, bright and early.  The more hands we can get, the faster the preparation goes, so bring your friends and family with you and come help us make tamales!

On February 20 at 6 PM we have our annual Family Night and Awards night.  It will be a potluck supper with fried chicken being served as the main protein.  Bring your family and your stomach!

Also, Brethren of Rockford, your attendance is especially requested at our February Stated meeting.  Per the directives of the Grand Lodge, a change to the Bylaws of Rockford Lodge No. 469 are in order, and will be discussed at that Stated meeting.  Plus there's going to be incredible food, so you won't be disappointed.

Here's to a very successful 2016 for Rockford.  I am honored to serve the lodge as Junior Warden and look forward to meeting, working well together, and having fun with all my Rockford brothers.

Cordially Yours,
Bro. Christopher Seaton
Junior Warden

FROM THE WEST

Hello Brethren:

December 2015 was as memorable month for Rockford in many ways.  We had our Stated meeting, with the election of new officers and the annual Christmas Parade, of which we are always excited to take part.

Our Officer Installation was performed by Bro. Daniel Mata, Past Master of Jamestown Lodge 28 and District 13 Chairman.  Our new officers are as follows:

WM: Dustin Emmett Wade
SW: Thomas Colin Kittrell
JW: Christopher Lloyd Seaton
Treasurer: Mark Timothy Dixon
Secretary: Michael Garland Weems
SD: Kevin Hughes Kirkpatrick
JD: Ryan Michael Stansberry
SS: Willam Jerry Murphy
JS: Christopher Robert Kyle
Chaplain: Joe Malcolm Mencer
Tyler: Shane Scott Lowe

Our new officers set to work quickly closing out December with making another round of tamales and delivering food for Meals on Wheels.  A special thanks goes to Bros. Murphy, Kirkpatrick, and our Worshipful Master for taking time out to make those tamales, which are an integral fundraiser for Rockford.

The Meals on Wheels program presented us with an interesting challenge as the routes they asked us to take were all on Christmas Day.  Nonetheless, our Master, Bro. Kittrell, and Bro. Norm Walton and his family all stepped up to take time out of their holiday mornings to deliver meals to those who would otherwise not see a lot of Christmas cheer.

In an interesting turn of events, Bro. Seaton found himself with four cheese and sausage trays due to a mailing error.  After a quick phone call, Bro. Kittrell was able to find four families that were extremely happy to have them, including two Masonic widows.

It would be remiss of us if we did not note the passing of our dear friend and Brother Douglas Cable at the end of December.  Rockford Lodge, under the direction of Bro. Mencer, coordinated a memorial service and pot luck supper in honor of our departed Brother.  The service was attended by at least sixty brethren from across the state of Tennessee, which is a testament to how much Bro. Cable was respected in his Masonic endeavors.

Thank you all for a wonderful December, and we look forward to 2016.

Yours in Light,
Bro. Thomas "T.C." Kittrell
Senior Warden

(Ed. Note: Post updated to correct accuracy in names.  We apologize for any inconvenience--CLS)

From the South

Brethren,

This month is another big one. There will be a lot to remember so I encourage you all to check back on the website at Rockfordmasoniclodge469.org for updates and a calendar list.

On Thursday Nov 19th we will be holding our annual Table Lodge. Please bring a dish Meat provided by Rockford Lodge. We will eat at 6:00 pm. and don't be afraid to wear your Kilt! (Kilt not required)

This Saturday, Nov 21st will be our last Turkey Shoot of the year at Rockford football field at 8:00 am.

On Nov 24th we will be taking some of the socks that we have collected this year to New Providence Church to participate in the dinner they provide to those in need. 5:00 pm.

Nov 28th will be the new date for our fall trash pick-up on Russel Rd. and afterward we will be making Tamales. We need all the help we can get with the tamales. We were going to make the first batch last week but we just didn't have enough people show up. This is one of our biggest money makers. Please come support your lodge.

Don't forget, we are voting on the 2016 officers at the Dec Stated Meeting and the installation will be after the Rockford Christmas Parade as follows:

Rockford's 2015 officer installation will be on Dec 12th at 5:00 pm with dinner after. This will be a potluck, Meat provided by the Martha Washington OES.

Officer's pictures will be at 4:00 pm.
Closing the lodge of sorrows will be at 4:30 pm.
Installation at 5:00 pm.
Dinner to follow.

We will also be participating in Meals on Wheels this holiday season. more info to come.

From the West

Brethren,

Things are in full swing at Rockford Lodge. Last month really proved how much one lodge can do.

We started the month of October with a turkey shoot on the 10th led by the Worshipful Master at Rockford football field.  Though we were rained out for the second on the 17th we held a third on the 24th. The community seems to really love these events and we look forward to holding more in the future.

We held a Master Masons degree on the 15th. To our newly raised brother " A warm welcome and  we know that you will make an excellent addition to the lodge.

On the 22nd we held a lodge in conjunction with Sweetwater lodge at the Patricia Neal center at Fort sanders medical center for our worthy brother Douglas Cable.  Brother Cable was presented with a Past Masters Knife and had the day recognized by the city of Knoxville as Douglas Cable Day. Also at this event, two brothers received their Master's certificate having turned in there Master's lecture.
Please keep brother Doug in your prayers.

For more pics of the Doug Cable Lodge Event, click HERE.

Lastly, on Halloween we held our annual Halloween Carnival. A special thanks to the Boy Scouts for once again running the games. You all don't know how much it means to some of these kids.

For more pics of the Halloween Carnival Event, click HERE.

From the East

Brethren,

It was a time not long after Fort Sumter and The War of Northern Aggression was well under way. The Yankees, as they are still wont to do, had promptly flocked to Hilton Head and Tybee Islands, the barrier islands on opposite sides of the mouth of the Savannah River. The Savannah Folks didn't mind much that the Yankees had stolen the good beaches, for the water was still a bit cool for Southern preferences and, besides, they knew the gnats and mosquitoes would teach the Yankees a lesson they'd never forget. So, the Southerners, as Southerners are wont to do sometimes, just waited.

They didn't have to wait very long before the Yankees on Hilton Head sent out a messenger under a white flag. It seemed that the Yankees had among them a young fellow who had passed through the Fellow Craft Degree before shipping out. The Yanks were just sitting around slapping gnats when it occurred to one of them that, just maybe, there was a nearby lodge that could test him in the Fellow Craft Degree and raise him to that of a Master Mason.

As luck would have it, there was indeed a lodge in Savannah that would soon be having a Masters Degree.

One morning, not too many days later, a detail of Confederate Cavalry slipped across the Savannah River into South Carolina and traveled through Bluffton to the shore opposite Hilton Head Island.

From there they escorted one Fellow Craft Mason and, I believe, a number of Master Masons of the Northern Persuasion, safely through the Confederate Lines and back through about 35 miles of Confederate defenses to Savannah where the candidate and his witnesses were delivered into the lodge.

The records note that this Brother was indeed proficient in the Fellow Craft Degree and he was raised to the Degree of a Master Mason.

That night another detail of Confederate Cavalry, no doubt Brothers to a man, slipped back across the Savannah River and safely escorted their Brothers back to Hilton Head.

~ W.M. Shane Lowe

Doug Cable Lodge

Brethren,

We will be holding a special lodge at Fort Sanders hospital on Oct. 22nd for our brother Doug Cable who is staying there. We only have room for 50 people and there will be a pot luck meal. due to limited space, please RSVP with brother Joe Mencer at (865) 256-1357.

Prayer Request

Brothers,
Please keep our newest member and oldest friend Doug Cable and his family in your prayers.  Brother Doug is currently in the Hospital and not in the best condition. For those of you that are younger masons or may not know Doug's name, brother Doug is one of our district deputies and the man that makes the canes that we have been giving out since the bicentennial celebration. Brother Doug is much loved by Rockford lodge and though we just accepted him as a member, none of us have ever thought of him as a visitor.