DDGM Messages for 2004-2005

Brethren, yesterday I had the honour and privilege of presenting a cheque to the children's village for the purchase of the pad to erect our Masonic building at the children's village of brant. There were a number of masons in attendance to represent the district and brother randy your secretary was there to represent your lodge, he was quiet and dignified as always and you are to be congratulated on having such a fine man and a mason as your secretary to represent you! However you should all be praised for participating in this great cause that we chose as our 150 th project, we raised over $20000, some districts came nowhere near that amount and in fact 2 districts in Ontario did not even bother to have a district project so we should all take great pride in our efforts.

On the week end it was wonderful to participate in the especial meeting of grand lodge, to witness the play "then and now" and to dine with the grand master. The turnout from Brant district was excellent and I am very proud and privileged to be your district deputy. The grand master made a few interesting comments in his speech. He spoke of empty words, he spoke of brotherly love relief and truth and he spoke of how masonry takes good men and makes them better, but he also said that he considered it an honour to be amongst you. Mention was made of the empty words we are all sometimes guilty of when we speak ill of our brothers and of other people. I sometimes am as guilty as anyone of this shortcoming and it is something we all have to work on.

When we really consider life, we probably should reflect on what our real purpose is. What is the purpose of our meetings? What is the purpose of an official visit? What is my purpose?

I believe that my purpose is to serve you as individuals, as lodges as far as fairly may be done and to communicate and promote our message throughout the district with meaning and value. I have to be sensitive to all opinions and views, I have to listen well and carefully and not be quick to judge or criticize unfairly. It's not an easy job believe me but each DDGM tries hard to fulfill this mandate with impunity, skill and dignity.

When we look at the three degrees in masonry we see birth, contemplation and finality.

In the first we are initiated, in the second we are asked to contemplate the properties of virtue and science and I don't have to remind you master masons here tonight what we reflect on in the third. So masonry may be an encapsulation of life, but the secret of life isn't "out there" I believe it is within. Think about what kind of a man you are, what kind of a man do you want to be? Make someone smile and be happy, carry the message of masonry, the message of brotherly love, relief and truth every day, especially love, communicate with clarity, dignity and dispatch and let your light shine. God bless.