A MESSAGE FROM THE MASTER

Master’s Message

     Welcome to the official web page of Manito Lodge No. 246, Free & Accepted Masons.  It is my sincere hope that you will find this page helpful and informative.
     It’s been an honor and a privilege to serve as Master of this Lodge for the past year, during which time we have experienced substantial growth.  We have raised two new Master Masons (and more candidates are in waiting) and gained new members through Affiliation and Plural Membership; we have created a fantastic new web site thanks to Bro. Sean Morgan; and we have restored a Manito tradition by hosting our first Grand Master’s visit in 7 years, with another one scheduled for March 2010. 
     We have awarded a scholarship and Letterman’s jacket to two Rogers High School Junior ROTC cadets; and we have donated to such worthy causes as the 2nd Harvest Food Bank, Toys for Tots, the Scottish Rite Almoner and Shriner’s Hospital for Children.  I look forward to building on these successes in the year ahead.
I want to thank those brethren who have served as officers or have sat in the officers chairs the past year.  They include Paul Yost (Senior Warden), Herb Valley (Junior Warden), Jim Benthin (Secretary), Brad Hunter (Treasurer), Darrell Burnett (Senior Deacon), Carlton Oakes (Junior Deacon), Dave Stevens (Marshal), Roger Cochran (Musician) and Mike Novak (Tyler).  I also want to thank Ed Walther and Jim Benthin for preparing our dinners this past year.  It takes a lot of bodies to run a successful Lodge; and Manito wouldn’t have enjoyed the success it has without the efforts of each of these brethren.
     The goal of Freemasonry is to take good men and make them better men in all facets of life:  Better husbands, better fathers, better sons, better employees or employers, better citizens, better neighbors.
     Freemasonry is the world’s oldest fraternity.  Our membership is very diverse and ranges from contract labor to US presidents.  The fraternity came to the United States with the first colonists, and some of the most notable Masons in history include George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, golfer Arnold Palmer, Wendy’s restaurant founder Dave Thomas; former astronaut and US Senator John Glenn, former Senator Bob Dole and former presidents such as Teddy Roosevelt, Harry Truman and Gerald Ford.  Regardless of one’s occupation or income, political or religious views, all are equal in our fraternity.
     Contrary to popular belief, the Freemasonry is not a secret society.  One can easily find the names, locations, meeting dates, phone numbers and occasionally e-mail addresses for a Lodge simply by typing in the words “Masonic Grand Lodge of Washington” on search engines such as Yahoo, Google, Comcast, etc.
     Freemasonry is not a religious society, but each Mason must believe in a Supreme Being.  It doesn’t matter whether that Mason is a Christian who worships God or a Muslim who worships Allah.
     In North America the Masonic fraternity gives approximately $3 million a day to charities such as Shriner’s Hospitals, Scottish Rite (Rite Care) Language Centers, Scholarships for Junior ROTC cadets, and food banks, just to name a few.
     On this site you’ll find a link to X-Oriente, a Masonic Podcast with younger and prospective Masons as its target audience.  In these Podcasts you can get the latest Masonic news from around the world and enjoy a musical annual Christmas special.
            Please feel free to contact any of the officers with any questions you might have about Masonry.

With Warmest Regards,
Ryan Leonard
Worshipful Master