MAGLDLaLiberte
Contents
DONALD H. LaLIBERTE
- MM 2005, Garden City
- WM 2011-2013, Norfolk
- Grand Steward 2014
- Deputy Grand Master 2015
BIOGRAPHY
SPEECHES
AT MASSASOIT-NARRAGANSETT LODGE, NOVEMBER 2015
Worshipful Master, Ladies, Guests and Brethren, it is a pleasure for Grand Lodge of Massachusetts to be invited to attend and share in this Anniversary dinner to celebrate the past 100 years of Masonic activity by the brethren of Massasoit-Narragansett. I bring you the warm fraternal greetings of Most. Wor. Brother Harvey John Waugh, Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts, along with those of mine and the Grand Lodge officers in attendance tonight.
R.W. Bro. Walter H. Hunt has just provided an excellent review of the times that the Lodge has operated in since November 1915. R.W. Bro. Hunt’s talk has provided an illuminating insight and a historian’s view of the times of the Lodge. In my few remarks tonight, I will attempt to tie the history and activity of this Lodge to the greater Masonic world and to why Freemasonry still matters as the brothers of Massasoit-Narragansett Lodge commence on your second century of work.
When the brothers of Massasoit Lodge commenced their work as a Masonic Lodge in the City of Fall River, the world had been at war for 15 months since the guns erupted in the fields of Europe in August 2014. A great struggle to determine the fate of the human society and whether human freedom or tyranny would triumph would be ongoing for another 18 months before America would enter World War I. The brothers of this Lodge, like so many other Masons, would enter the ranks of the U.S. Armed Forces to give their effort, and for some of our Masonic brothers – their “Last Full Measure of Devotion” – to ensure that Democracy and Freedom was the eventual victor in this great struggle.
That Masons would be part of this effort is not unexpected since Freemasonry is based on the principles of human freedom and the rights of Man that found its first expression in the thoughts and ideals of the Enlightment period of the 18th century. The Universality of Freemasonry is based on the foundation that man is a rational being who has been endowed by the Supreme Architect of the Universe with certain unalienable rights – among these being Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.
From these principles that were first expressed and espoused in our Declaration of Independence, Freemasonry has strived to provide a way of living that will help to make men better and to improve society. The concept that Freemasonry provides a framework or path for men to lead a better life and to be a productive member of society was given a formal realization when the Grand Lodge of England was established in 1717.
The ritual and tenets that were given form with the establishment of Speculative Masonry in 1717 has led to the spreading of Freemasonry throughout the World and starting in North America when M. W. Bro. Henry Price brought back a warrant from London in 1733 to establish a foothold for Masonry in the New World and quickly formed the first Lodge of Masons in Boston in July 1733.
The “Masonic Way of Living” was first given formal expression by M.W. Bro. Joseph Earl Perry, who served as the Grand Master of our Grand Lodge from 1938-1940. In his first address as the newly installed Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts at the Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge on March 9, 1938, M.W. Bro. Perry laid out what it meant to be a Mason at that time and how Freemasonry was relevant to the times these brothers were living.
At the time of this address, the world had survived the “War to end all Wars” that ended at the Eleventh minute of the Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month of 1918, which happens to be the Third Anniversary of the Precedence Date of this Lodge. So much blood, treasure and lives were sacrificed during these four years to ensure that the principles of freedom and liberty were victorious over those of darkness and tyranny.
Yet, at the time of M.W. Bro. Perry’s first address to our Grand Lodge in March 1938, our Masonic brothers was in the midst of the Great Depression that had been ongoing for a number of years at this time. The World was witnessing the rise of Totalitarian societies under the theories of Fascism and Communist which was starting to threaten the ideals of Democracy and Freedom and of those people who lived under a free society based on the concept of human rights, liberalism and capitalism. The prospect of looming conflict was on the mind of many of the Brothers at that time along with the thought that the world was hurtling out of order and ready to enter a dark period.
In his speech, M.W. Bro. Perry laid out a general survey of the current situation in the world in the late 1930’s and to provide some insights on the general purposes and objectives on how a “Masonic Way of Living” would prepare Masons to deal with this New World order. After a discussion of the current world conditions and threats to a free and independent society, M.W. Bro. Perry laid out a philosophy on how a Masonic Way of Living provide a moral and philosophical framework to a brother to a live and build a moral and spiritual life that benefits an individual brother, his family and society by stating that “A sound body, orderly industry, public spirit, but primarily the building of character – these emerge as major laws of successful living.”
This structure and philosophy of “A Masonic Way of Living” is based on the individual brother practice of self-restraint, straightforward dealing, active friendship, tolerance and brotherly love. M.W. Bro. Perry states that “when a brother can he can be serviceable he is admonished to be ever ready to assist the worthy and the needy, to sympathize with their misfortunes, and to be generous in encouragement.”
The foundation of a Masonic Way of Living rest upon the ritual taught in the Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft and Master Mason degrees to every new initiate to the Fraternity. In the Entered Apprentice degree, the new brother is taught that the Tenets of his Profession are – Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth. Upon these Tenets, each of us are instructed to build our moral and Masonic edifice.
The Universality of Freemason and of the Tenets of our Fraternity were recently brought into focus to me as I traveled to Scotland to visit my daughter who is a student at the University of Edinburgh. While in Edinburgh, I had the opportunity to attend a meeting of the Lodge of Edinburgh (Mary’s Chapel) No. 1.
Lodge of Edinburgh No. 1 has continuous lodge records of Masonic brothers meeting since 1599. On the walls of the Lodge room, there is inscribed the names of every brother, since 1599, who has served as the Right Worshipful Master of this Lodge. This history is impressive and brings to mind that Freemason was in existence and teaching the tenets of our Fraternity well before the start of the Grand Lodge system in 1717.
Besides having the great joy of spending an evening of warm fraternalism with our Scottish brothers, I witness the Entered Apprentice degree being worked on a candidate who was entering the doors of Freemasonry that evening. As this new brother was brought in, I was sitting in the East and facing the West where right above the Senior Warden was the words of the Tenet of our Fraternity – Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth, which were spelled out high on the wall for all to see especially the youngest Entered Apprentice.
The ritual performed that evening might have differed slightly from that given to our candidates in the Massachusetts in the order of the words, which officer performed the ritual and how the lessons are taught to the candidate. Yet, the basic Masonic philosophy and way of living was the same whether taught in Scotland or Massachusetts.
This idea of the Universality of Freemasonry was forcefully brought home to me during my visit by the words on display on the Lodge walls and the actions of the brothers of the Lodge of Edinburgh No. 1. To spend an evening of warm brotherly love with these brothers is a highlight of my travel through Freemasonry since I have first passed through the doors of our Fraternity.
However, as in 1938, we see today in 2015, that there are forces in the world that bring our society and way of life under threat. The events of last evening in Paris brings forth very starkly that there are forces in the world who have a different philosophical view, who are agents of darkness and evil, which threaten our society and who want to bring destruction to those ideals that we cherish of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.
These events of 2015 show that the best way to fight these forces is for each us to look towards the teachings of the Fraternity. The Masonic Declaration of Principles, adopted at the March 8, 1939 Grand Lodge Quarterly Communication, states in a clear and concise voice that as an Institution we stand for a charitable, benevolent, educational and religious society.
These principles were written and adopted during a period of great upheaval and a time of much uncertainty for the future of these past Brethren. We now stand at a similar period in human history with forces abounding in the world that are fighting against the ideas of Human Enlightment and of the Ascent of Man. How do we fight these forces?
My conclusion is that the answers to dealing with the ruthless hand of ignorance and devastations of war that have laid waste and destroyed many valuable monuments of antiquity lays in the teachings of the Fraternity. The Ancient Landmarks of the Fraternity and the Masonic Declaration of Principles provides a moral foundation to live a virtuous life and to be a productive member of a free, democratic and capitalistic society.
By building a Masonic Way of Life that is based on a moral temple inside each of us we are able to fight these forces and thereby transmit unimpaired the most excellent tenets of our institution.
Each of us tonight should re-commit ourselves to building a better way of life and to extend this to good men whom we know who could benefit by being a member of a society of friends and brothers based on a moral and spiritual philosophy of improving men and society. We all know men in our lives, who could be a relative, a neighbor, or an employee at work, whom could benefit from being a member of our Great Fraternity and whom the Fraternity would benefit from their work. By doing this noble work, we will ensure that Lodges like Massasoit-Narragansett and the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts will survive for another 100 years and to be an example of a way of living that promotes a moral and philosophical way that promotes the advancement of the human race and fights against the forces of evil.
As I reach the end of my remarks and the themes discussed this evening, I find that the best challenge to all of us here tonight as we leave this dinner is again from the words of MW Bro. Joseph Earl Perry. At the Feast of Saint John the Evangelist held on December 27, 1935, M.W. Bro. Perry concluded his Deputy Grand Master speech with these following words —
“For such is Masonry – ever a challenge, an invitation to a clearer vision, a loftier aim, a braver struggle, a kindlier and more unselfish way of living. That is the significance of Masonry, and that is what we as Masons should stand for if we would be real men…As individuals, we and we alone, can cherish and preserve the tiny morsel of sacred fire which has been entrusted to each of us. The choice rests with each of us as individuals.”
The challenge to each and every one of us sitting here tonight is to pledge to carry from this place a renewed commitment to Masonry and with a fervent desire to leave our great Institution in a better place than when we first walked through those doors and to continue to build our moral and Masonic edifice.
I wish to conclude my remarks tonight by stating my gratitude, and those of the Grand Lodge Officers present this evening, for the opportunity to spend an evening of brotherly love and fraternalism with our brothers of Massasoit-Narragansett Lodge as you celebrate the first 100 years in the life of this Lodge. May the blessings of the Grant Artificer of the Universe continue to descend upon and impede within the walls of this Lodge; and, May the Supreme Architect of the Universe holds us in his Hands, keep safe the United States of America and enrich our Grand Lodge with his manifest love and spirit. Thank You and Good Evening.
