Brothers,
One of my favorite aspects of Freemasonry is our focus on self-improvement, emblematically represented by the Rough Ashlar and the Smooth Ashlar. It acknowledges that we are fallible and imperfect, but are always striving to better ourselves. We use the Tools of our Fraternity to assist us in this individual journey. And although we may make mistakes, we know that our Brothers are always there to help us correct our trajectory with gentle admonishment and wise counsel.
It has been my pleasure for the past few years to aid the Lodge in assisting others on this journey in the form of our scholarships, sent in by young people looking to better themselves through higher education. This is, by no means, the only path these young adults can take to self-improvement, but it is a popular one. We, as a Lodge, have the honor of helping some of these worthy individuals meet some of the financial obligations of higher education, opening doors that might otherwise have remained closed. Our scholarship recipients can focus on their studies, helping them continue their own individual path from Rough Ashlar towards Smooth.
We choose our recipients largely by the contents of their application essay, wherein we ask them to describe how the Four Cardinal Virtues of Freemasonry apply to their individual lives. Every year I am touched by the thoughtful responses I read. It is clear to me that a deep level of understanding of the Virtues arises from two main components: Adversity, and Introspection. Adversity gives these students experience with the Virtues, and Introspection lets them turn that experience into understanding.
Reading their essays is a pleasure every year. In the months to come, I hope to share one or two of those essays with you.
On another note, the Stated Meeting Dinner for the month of July will be a potluck! This makes it even more important than usual to RSVP for our dinner. Tell us if you are coming, how many are coming with you, and what you expect to bring. As the date approaches I will have a regularly updated list of what people are bringing posted on our Website and Facebook page to ensure that we end up with a well rounded meal.
I am also trying something new! You can continue to RSVP using the reservation line, but you can aso RSVP online! A survey will be linked on both our Website and Facebook Event page that will let you RSVP and let us know what you plan on bringing. You can also find the survey using this url: https://goo.gl/forms/Qq4JEmkRbuqrSvdv1
I look forward to seeing you all at dinner, and strengthening the ties of Brotherhood that make our Fraternity great.
Alex Saslow
Junior Warden
