February 2016 DDGM article for The Word

Brethren,

It is with heavy heart to announce the passing of Brother William Chapin of DeRuyter Lodge #692, father of Very Worshipful Bart Chapin. I want to thank the Brothers that came to the Memorial Service held in Morrisville. The family was very appreciative of our services.

The time to make plans for Grand Lodge is fast approaching. I will be locking in reservations for hotel rooms. We will be staying at the usual Hampton Inn Chelsea. RW Brooks and I are looking into renting a large passenger van this year for our travels. It will be quite a bit cheaper and a lot faster than the train. Please contact me  in the near future if you are planning on going to Grand Lodge.

Thank you to the efforts of a very small handful of Brothers that answered the call to assist in a first degree at Otselic Valley. It is disheartening that a Master of the District reaches out for help and so few answer the call. With that being said, I wanted to share a little story I found not long ago.

There was a farmer who grew excellent quality corn. One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and learned something interesting about how he grew his corn. The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbors. “ How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors when they are entering corn in competition with yours each year?” the reporter asked. “Why sir” said the farmer. “Didn’t you know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn.

This story can be related in Masonry in so many ways. If we as a District do not reach out and help those Lodges that are struggling and need help, then we as a District as a whole are failing. It may be your Lodge someday that may need the help. When we all work together and cross pollinate, the District as a whole shares the blessing of a bountiful harvest.

See you in the quarries,

Brian Z