N.I.U. Professor to Present on The Crusades

DeKalb Masonic Lodge is proud to have scheduled N.I.U. Medieval History Professor, Dr. Valerie Garver who will be visiting our Lodge next Tuesday (the 8th) to give a historical presentation on the Crusades, titled “The Crusades: Origins of Christian-Muslim Conflict.”

This event will occur after a “medieval” style dinner consisting of a sort of meaty casserole, piles of vegetables and hunks of bread. Some sort of “mead” of some type will also be served. And no forks — they hadn’t really been invented then, so it’s a knife and spoon for all of you!

Sycamore Commandery Meets Tonight

Sycamore Commandery No. 15 of Knights Templar has one of its four, stated yearly meetings tonight at the DeKalb Masonic Temple. Meeting time is 7:30 p.m. and all Sir Knights — from Sycamore’s Commandery as well as any other Commanderies — are invited to attend.

We’ll be holding mid-year elections to fill some vacant Officer positions, planning the remainder of the year including degrees, reading and accepting nearly ten petitions (!), discussing fundraising options and talking about the future of our Commandery in general.

Come out, Sir Knights, and support the rebirth of Sycamore Commandery!

Masonic Cup of Brotherly Love Coming to DeKalb

Come see Evans Lodge's Cup of Brotherly Love tomorrow evening at the DeKalb Lodge. Click for a closer look.

If there was a Lodge meeting to attend, Brothers, tomorrow’s is it! Brothers from Evans Lodge No. 524 in Evanston will be visiting, bringing the Cup of Brotherly Love. Given to the Evans Lodge in 1929 by the current Master, Norman B. Hickox, the cup began a journey around the world, traveling West to East, always in the possession of a Mason.

Traveling by air, sea and land, it visited over 150 Lodges. 30 years later, it returned and the Brothers from Evans Lodge have been treasuring it since. Come learn about this beautiful chalice and the fantastic journey it made.

What a wonderful evening to learn about how Brothers make a connection with each other. Invite your Brothers out — the meeting will open on the First Degree so any Mason can attend. Dinner at 6:30 with the meeting at 7:30. See you there!

DeKalb Lodge’s 1st Annual Widow’s Dinner a Success!

DeKalb Lodge held their first dinner devoted to our Brother’s Widows — as well as all of the special women in our lives — last Friday at the DeKalb Masonic Temple. About 30 people were in attendance, including five of our widows.

DeKalb Lodge Keeps Romping ‘Em at Standard Club

For the fourth time in a row, DeKalb Lodge had the highest attendance at the Fifth Northern District’s Standard Club — our once-a-month session of expert instruction on ritual and floorwork — and won the traveling gavel trophy.

Check Out ILMason.org!

If you haven’t taken a look at our Grand Lodge’s new web site lately, you might want to visit www.ilmason.org! The article about our Lodge’s reaction to the new Dan Brown novel has been there for a few weeks, but look right below that — yes, that’s our very own Brother David Kuhn featured as one extraordinary man — and Mason!

Your Time is Running Out

Hey Brothers, last chance to sign up for two great upcoming events:

1. This Friday, DeKalb Lodge is hosting it’s first Women & Widows Dinner (OK, I’ve been struggling with what to call this). We’re inviting all our DeKalb Lodge widows — as well as the special women in all of our lives — out to dinner at the Lodge. All women eat free and there’s a small charge for us guys. If you haven’t put your reservations in, give WM Jim Tome a call TODAY (815-508-3878).

2. DeKalb’s Chapter of Royal Arch Masons is holding its first 9-Ball Pool Tournament this Saturday. We’re looking for a few more sign-ups and you don’t have to be a whiz at pool. Starting time is noon and there’s a $10 entry fee (prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place, with hte proceeds going to Sycamore Food Pantry). Bring a snack or dish to pass — we’ll likely be there a few hours. Again, call WM Jim Tome or High Priest Dean Clark at 815-758-7474. Hurry!

November Standard Club

Come on out to the Oregon Lodge and help DeKalb win the attendance trophy for the fourth time in a row!

We’ll be practicing the Second Section of the Third Degree — the last part of the three degrees DeKalb needs to become proficient at then we can confer all three Lodge degrees on our own (and believe me, we have A LOT of Third Degrees coming up!).

Meet at the DeKalb Temple at 6 p.m. for the caravan out to Oregon. Or, if you’re driving on your own, meet us there by 7 p.m. You’ll be out by 9 — promise!

A Special Dinner in Honor of Our Masonic Widows

We're presenting pins with the "broken column" to all DeKalb Lodge's Masonic Widows at the upcoming dinner.

DeKalb Lodge is planning their first Widow’s Dinner next Friday evening at the DeKalb Masonic Temple. Honoring all the special women in our lives — but especially the widows of our passed Brothers — we’re having an evening of fellowship and tribute.

Planned is menu of spiral cut ham, mixed vegetables, rolls, potatoes, salad and dessert. ALL WOMEN eat for free and the cost for us guys will be in the range of $8 to $10 to cover food costs.

DeKalb Lodge Donates to Senior Services Center on Behalf of Brother

Brother Dave Kuhn -- a legally-blind Brother of DeKalb Lodge -- trained alone on a country road this past fall for the Chicago Marathon.

DeKalb Lodge’s own Brother David Kuhn continues to make headlines and be the news darling who’s the talk of the town.

First, there was the DeKalb Chronicle story about his extraordinary endeavor to participate in the Chicago Marathon and the regimen of training on his own (for those that don’t know, Brother Kuhn is legally blind).

An Inspirational Message

Thank you all for the overwhelming response to one of my latest blog entries, The Value of Time. It continues to have a high readership and the comments on it have been fantastic. When I am sometimes frustrated that an event was not as successful as I had hoped, a meeting was not as well-attended as I anticipated or someone’s enthusiasm is a bit less than I expected, I have to remember all who participate in our Great Organization are giving that great gift…their time.

One of our prominent Past Masters, Worshipful Brother Rich Spahn, wrote such a moving response to this particular posting that I am posting it here for all to read, rather than simply approving it as a comment.

While Wor. Bro. Spahn’s words are deeply moving and certainly very inspirational, what’s more incredible is that he wrote this after an evening at the Lodge — I’d like to think it was as result of what he experienced that evening, but the genius probably comes more from the two glasses of Laphroig Scotch and his own passion for a Brotherhood I know he perfectly exemplifies.

I have come to understand that the earliest written records we have of Grand Lodges of Freemasonry date back to 1723, which tell of a merger of four lodges in 1717. While some might be disappointed that there is no actual record of Freemasons lodges in ancient times, though our traditions allude to them, 1717 is a strikingly early date for a couple of important reasons. I am referring to the place of Freemasonry in the world stage, and its place in our nation’s history.

Our country, though not perfect, remains the greatest democracy in the world, and has been since 1776. There have been elections in this country every four years without fail since 1792, with the first elections held just three years before, in 1789 (this was the year of the French Revolution, incidentally, with the Reign of Terror and the Empire of Napoleon still to follow).