April 2024 Trestleboard

The Trestleboard is an official publication of Twin Peaks Lodge No. 32, which is a legally constituted Masonic Lodge operating under charter granted by the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of Utah. The Trestleboard is published for the sole and exclusive use of the members of Twin Peaks Lodge No. 32, and any other use is expressly forbidden.  The editor of The Trestleboard is Glen Van Steeter.  Submissions of educational articles or other announcements may be sent to the editor at [email protected], and if selected for publication, will be given full attribution. All submissions are subject to the approval of the Worshipful Master of Twin Peaks Lodge No. 32 and the editor of the Trestleboard.

The Lodge Secretary endeavors to keep our roster as accurate as possible. If you are moving, changing your mailing address, phone number or email address, please update your information in GrandView or notify the Secretary so that your information can be kept current.

Twin Peaks Lodge Secretary

April Calendar

• Monday, April 1 @ 9:00am – April Stated Meeting & Grand Lodge Visitation at the Salt Lake Masonic Temple. Dinner starts at 6:30pm at the Banquet Hall. Lodge Opens on the EA Degree at 7:30pm in the Colonial Room.
• Monday, April 8 @ 7:00pm – Entered Apprentice Degree Practice @ South Valley Masonic Center.
• Monday, April 15 @ 7:00pm – Education night & Planning Meeting
• Monday, April 22 @ 7:00pm – Fellowship Dinner Meetup at Chubby’s in Riverton
• Monday, April 29 @ 7:00pm – Entered Apprentice Degree at the South Valley Masonic Center.
• Monday, May 6 @ 7:30pm – May Stated Meeting at the South Valley Masonic Center. Dinner beforehand at 6:30pm.
• Saturday, May 18 @ 10:00am – Volunteering at the Utah Food Bank.

Reminder that Every Thursday @ 6:45pm – We host an Entered Apprentice catechism study at the Riverton Library.

Sickness and Distress

• Vicky Dowdle is happy to announce she is cancer free!
• Please keep Bro. Tiago Vidigal in your prayers and reach out to him.
• Everyone seems to be recovering from seasonal colds, flus, coughs, and colds.

Please keep these brethren and their families in your thoughts, and add them to your daily devotions to the Grand Architect.

If you happen to hear about a brother who is in distress, please contact either the Worshipful Master or the Lodge Secretary ASAP so that the Lodge can put itself in a position to assist.

FROM THE EAST

Brothers All,

Thank you to everyone that turned out for the April 1st meeting, which was the Official Visitation of the Most Worshipful Grand Master of Free and Accepted Masons in Utah. I am pleased to report to you that the MWGM and the Grand Lecturer were both very impressed with our floor work, our ritual work and the Lodge Etiquette. It is difficult for me to find the correct words, but let me say I was very proud of our Lodge, and humbled to be the Master of Twin Peaks Lodge, filled as it is with such willing and devoted Brothers.

The next time you see W.B. Ric Wailes, thank him for his single-handed efforts to transport all the Lodge paraphernalia from the South Valley Masonic Center to the Salt Lake Masonic Temple, and back again. His devotion and dedication to our Lodge deserves your appreciation. 

Speaking of appreciation, Junior Warden Frank Keller and his wife Shannon (or should that be Shannon Keller and her husband, Junior Warden Frank??) prepare a dinner that is served at the South Valley Masonic Center prior to each stated meeting. Plan on being at the Lodge at 6:30 on May 6th to enjoy another home-cooked meal! 

We will be practicing the Entered Apprentice Degree on April 8th, with the Degree scheduled for April 15th 29th. Please check the Lodge calendar for any updates,  it is constantly being updated. Every Brother is invited and encouraged to attend the practice and the degree. 

Our next Utah Food Bank Event is May 18th, mark your calendars and let’s have a great turnout! 

Parting on the Square, 

Bob Hartman, PM, WM.

FROM THE SECRETARY’S DESK

Nothing from the Secretary’s desk.

Glen Van Steeter, PM – Secretary

Worshipful Master’s Report to the Grand Master

My Brothers, it is the duty of every Master of a Lodge to make a report to the Most Worshipful Grand Master of Free and Accepted Masons in Utah during his official visitation to the Lodge. (Educational note: In the Masonic Grand Jurisdiction of Utah, we are fortunate to have an in-person official visit from the Grand Master and his officers. Not all Grand Jurisdictions are so fortunate.) The official visitation this year was during our April 1st meeting, which, due to the expected attendance, was moved from the South Valley Masonic Center to the Salt Lake Masonic Temple for the event. Most Worshipful Grand Master Tingey accepted the report, and I am pleased to report his satisfaction with the efforts of our Lodge.

Here is the report, in it’s entirety, that was presented to the Grand Master.

REPORT OF THE WORSHIPFUL MASTER
TWIN PEAKS LODGE #32, F & AM IN UTAH

Twin Peaks Lodge #32 continues to be a vibrant, growing, and active Lodge representing and upholding the values and traditions of Freemasonry in Utah. The positive efforts of the Lodge members are evident in the numerous Entered Apprentice Degrees over the past year, resulting in nine Entered Apprentices laboring within our Lodge.

Two Past Masters, W.B.s Ephraim Sng and Glen Van Steeter, have undertaken a class of instruction for those EA’s so inclined, on a regular basis at the Riverton Library, where they are coaching
and encouraging not only the catechism, but also the meanings of Masonry.

Each Entered Apprentice also has a Mentor assigned to them. Of the nine, five are making very good progress, three are slow but steady, and one is requiring extra attention. We are planning another Entered Apprentice degree in April, and at least 2 Fellowcraft degrees in May.

This growth is due, in my opinion, to several items the Lodge has paid particular attention to in the immediate past, and continues to focus on into the immediate future. We have a professionally designed website (thank you, W.B. Sng) at midvalemasonry.com that speaks well on the overall subject of Masonry, and invites a response from any interested party. We respond to these inquiries within 48 hours, and invite the questioner (and his significant other, if appropriate) to attend our monthly meetup, or a dinner before the Lodge meeting, to bring them into contact with the variety of Brothers that make up our membership. Lodge members make concerted efforts to have good, friendly discussions with all the prospects that come to us in this manner. We stay in touch with those people making inquiries into our Lodge, so they can be invited to any public events we have planned.

Our community involvement is on display as our members volunteer at the Utah Food Bank one Saturday morning every other month (6 times a year). Our attendance at this event has ranged from 5 to 14 volunteers; these numbers include some spouses and family members, as well as any prospects that want
to participate.

Last year, Twin Peaks re-created our Annual “Masons At Work” Picnic. This event has been a yearly affair for most of the Lodge’s existence, but had fallen aside during Covid and the time thereafter. At last year’s well-attended event, over $1000.00 was raised between the food profit and a great auction; MWB Frank Baker PGM donated a great number of items for the auction that generated a lot of bidding interest. As a side note, mark your calendars, this event will be on June 16th this year. We will again be featuring barbequed steaks, sides, etc., please plan on joining us for a great meal and wonderful
fellowship.

Our Junior Warden, Frank Keller, and his wife Shannon, provide a dinner prior to the regular business meeting of the Lodge. All are invited to attend, and we invite prospects and their spouses to these as well, to give them another opportunity to learn about the Lodge and it’s members.

We publish a monthly Trestleboard, which provides our members a calendar with all updated information on degrees, practices, volunteer opportunities, and educational features. This is emailed to every member of the Lodge. Our Lodge calendar is also available on our Lodge’s website, and it is constantly updated to show all meetings, practices, degrees, meetups and volunteer events.

Twin Peaks Lodge holds a monthly meetup at a local restaurant the 4th Monday of each month; it is open to members, prospects, spouses, and family members. The purpose is to allow the brothers to spend time with Lodge brothers, but outside of the Lodge; to give prospects a chance to become acquainted with us, and allow our spouses and family members to become better acquainted.

I am sure I have overlooked some other aspect of our Lodge life that has contributed to the success we have experienced over the past few years, but this should have given you a general sense of our Lodge at the current time.

Now for the not so fun stuff:
Regarding dues and members in arrears. Due to generous donations from a few philanthropic brothers last year, Twin Peaks Lodge No. 32 did not suspend a single member for non-payment of dues, and this was done without the use of Lodge funds. However, we are somewhat disappointed to see that as of
March 29th, 2024, we have 19 members who have still not paid their 2024 dues. There have been phone conversations with several of them, and we are working to figure out how to resolve this problem to mutual satisfaction.

The secretary reports that about five of the brothers in arrears have indicated that they will try to pay within the next month or two. Several of the in arrears brothers have also indicated that they are in financial stress due to various issues. Of some of the remaining brethren, there is a general feeling that they are no longer particularly interested in Freemasonry. Regarding the 19 in arrears generally, they are scattered amongst all age groups and there doesn’t appear to be a correlation between those that live in Utah vs. those who do not. However, it cannot be ignored that possibly the high number of those still
in arrears may be due to the fact that Twin Peaks Lodge raised dues for 2024 from $91 to $115, and that this will increase by 25 dollars each year over the next 3 years.

I wish to acknowledge and thank every Brother of Twin Peaks Lodge for the support and positive encouragement that has allowed Twin Peaks Lodge to come out of the pandemic and it’s associated issues with a renewed optimism and sense of purpose. It is my opinion that Twin Peaks Lodge is an excellent example of what Masonry can, and should, be.

Respectfully,
Bob Hartman, PM, WM

Past Events

Ladies Appreciation Dinner

We enjoyed a great dinner at Rodizio’s as we celebrated the remarkable ladies in our lives who stand as a constant support, enabling us to strive and become better men.

Visiting other Lodges

A number of us visited Wasatch Lodge #1 to attend their Entered Apprentice Degree. We are planning a few more visits to other lodges. Come travel with us!

Upcoming Events

Meetup

Capture the Traveling Gavel

The Grand Master has a traveling gavel, which currently is at Amity Lodge #23 in Brigham City, UT.

So, what is a traveling gavel? Well, basically it is an item of paraphernalia dedicated to the Grand Master of Masons in Utah, that is given by the Grand Master to a Lodge in Utah. It remains at that Lodge UNTIL at least 5 brothers (two of which have to be pedestal officers) from a different Lodge, visit that Lodge and take the gavel back to their Lodge, then it waits to be taken by yet another Lodge. It’s a way to encourage Brothers to visit another Lodge in this jurisdiction. If there are at least five visitors from 2 or more Lodges, the Lodge with the greatest number of visiting brethren takes the gavel home.

Currently, it is at Amity Lodge, and has been there since Grand Communication in February. These six members of Twin Peaks Lodge #32 are planning to visit Amity Lodge on Saturday, April 20th at 9:30 AM to bring that gavel to Twin Peaks. WB Lyle Miller, WB Glen Van Steeter, WB Ephraim Sng, Frank Keller, Michael Hartman and Austin Stoker are inviting all Brothers of Twin Peaks Lodge to join them in an attempt to bring the gavel to our Lodge! For details, and to add your name to the list, contact Brother Mike Hartman at [email protected].

Masonic Anniversaries

These brethren were raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason in the month of April.

• Brother Robert Millbourn, raised on April 27, 2009 and has 15 years of service.
• Most Worshipful Brother Dean Rein, raised on April 29, 1995 and has 29 years of service.

Happy Birthdays!

These brethren were born in April. Make sure and wish them a “Happy Birthday!” when you see them this month!

• Brother Harold Lish, born on April 19.

Meetups

Masonic Education

My Personal Interpretation of Masonic Understanding
WB Richard L. Wailes PM

Twin Peaks #32
F & AM of Utah

Who is the most dangerous individual in the world?  

It is the man who fully believes himself to be in the right so far as to exclude all other possibilities that are not the one, he believes.  This is a position that we can compare to being hoodwinked.  If we are in that position, we cannot see things that are happening around us.   

In the first degree, we are taught that the Three Great Lights in Masonry are the Volume of Sacred Law, the Square and Compasses.  They do not sit on the Altar just to look pretty; they are there for a purpose.

     The VSL, is the Inestimable gift from God to man.  This is a great learning tool and is to be used to assist us in our spiritual or internal growth. We are to read our VSL often, to think upon what we read and how to apply it to our lives. 

    The Square is to remind us to square our precepts therein contained.  Some think this means precepts contained in the Square, I know that when I started my Masonic journey, I did.  It really means those precepts contained within the VSL that we take our obligations on.  So, we are to square our actions by the precepts contained within the VSL which include being fair and square with others, while accepting the responsibility, rewards and consequences for our actions. 

Finally, we have the compasses. This is the tool that we are told we are to use to keep our passions within due bounds, towards all mankind.  More especially a Brother Mason.  

More especially a brother Mason? This does not mean that we give preferential treatment over others, rather it is the benefit of being within a Family, whose bonds help to protect all within from unfair practices and actions.

We are told in our closing charge that we are to remember a weak and erring brother and we are to “in the most tender manner to remind him of his failings, and to aid in his reformation, as well as to vindicate his character when wrongfully traduced”.  

Traduced, now there is a word not normally used in everyday language.  It means to speak badly of or tell lies about (someone) so as to damage their reputation. In this day and age, this shows up in rumors, malicious comments, insinuations, and flat out lies. 

We all have an obligation to protect one another, to try to guide each other and to be guided ourselves on a level path, walking upright in our several stations before man and God, using the tools of Masonry to ensure that we take right actions.

It becomes damaging to the fraternity, when men become distraught, when they believe that they are not being, understood, validated, or vindicated by others within.  

Some of the men, who felt this way, have left our Fraternity and shared our secrets with the world in a vindictive manner or have remained within the Fraternity and spread seeds of discord among us as retribution for wrongs done either done, or perceived as done to them.

We all have the opportunity to behave in a manner that shows us to be practitioners of our art, that of building a spiritual edifice, or not to behave in such a manner.  

We must make sure that when we dress, we are not putting on blinders, that we are trying to see things with an open mind, to give the benefit of doubt to another and attempt to help them become better as a man and to perhaps better understand them. Somehow that process actually helps us become better men and to understand and gain insight into ourselves. 

I personally can look back on my life and see many, many serious and grievous errors, mistakes, and plain WRONG actions in that life.  Can I atone for all of them?  No, I cannot.  

WHY? 

There are some that if I were to ask for forgiveness and understanding, would only open wounds that are best left closed, so as some folks say, it is best to let sleeping dogs lie. If I cannot ask for forgiveness without causing more harm, how do I obtain it?  I must learn to forgive myself, because I have recognized the harm, and I desire to not repeat it again.  

When I look at my rough ashlar, I find that all of the rough edges are those things in life that cause not only others, but myself misery and pain, frustration and misunderstanding.  

Must I as an aggrieved individual forgive those who have stood against me or caused me and mine harm.  Well, the VSL as I understand it recommends such a course.  

In support of that course, I have learned that if I continue to hold the hurt, or the anger towards another, I am actually causing myself harm, because I am not at peace.  There is that part of me that still wants to get my, just dues, my bound of flesh and it is this desire that keeps us from peace in our daily lives. 

It is hoped that each of us consider what the gift of God, the Square and Compasses really do mean.  Not just the words we hear in the lecture when as a newly obligated Brother we are brought from darkness to see the light by which Masons do their work.

I try to do this, and I find that quite often, I do not succeed.  Now not succeeding, does not mean failing.  Growth as a person is much like a baby learning to walk.  We start by crawling as we begin to learn a new way to live.  Then we get a helping hand to hold onto as we start to walk in that new way.  We let go!  Oh No!!  We lose our balance and fall.  Have we failed?  No, we have not succeeded.  Like the baby we start to crawl again, we reach out and try to pull ourselves up on something we think will support us only to have it fall over on us., We learn to find the stable support, the guiding hands that help us along.  We start taking steps and we start succeeding. Do we take off running everywhere?  I hope not, we have to learn to walk with confidence before we can attempt to run.  Whether we walk or run, we can fall and skin our knees.  We get back up, we start walking again, then running again.  Only now we are more aware of things that might cause us to fall so we learn to keep an eye out for them. 

How then do we fail?  We fail, by failing to try.  We all learn at different speeds; we understand at different levels.  These differences can bring us together in understanding or can tear us apart and destroy each other.