“Two things fill me with constantly increasing admiration and awe, the longer and more earnestly I reflect on them: the starry heavens without and the moral law within.” - Immanuel Kant
A Message from the Grand Junior Warden
R∴ W∴ Larry J. Plaisance
Grand Junior Warden
As I embark upon this new voyage as your Grand Junior Warden, I recall to memory the first words asked of me when I approached the door of the lodge, to take my Entered Apprentice Degree, forty-nine years ago; What Are You in Search of? From that moment, my voyage has been a continuous learning process.
This new position that you have so faithfully elected me into has made me feel very humbled and honored. The confidence you have entrusted in me to continue to strengthen and build the foundation of our great fraternity has caused me to look at the things in our fraternal past that have hampered our growth, and plan to move forward by building on the past successes and developing future plans of growth and fellowship. I will use the Light I have acquired in the past to carve the path for this future voyage.
It is my plan to bring harmony, friendship, and brotherly love for one another back into every lodge so that all of our brothers can benefit from the honor of being a Mason.
My brothers, you are the Grand Lodge of Masonry and the Grand Officers are here to serve you! Without you my Brothers, there is no Grand Lodge.
I look forward to visiting you all throughout the coming years and will do all in my power to continue to search for and disperse Masonic Light.
It is only with your help, and that of the Great Architect of the Universe, that we can make our great fraternity prosper and grow.
Let’s look to the future and now start to work together as a team to make this happen.
A letter from the Grand Secretary Concerning Lodge Raffles
To all Constituent Lodges:
It has come to our attention a change to the interpretation of Louisiana Revise Statute 33:4861.17 Article 1721 was made in Louisiana Department of Revenue's Office of Charitable Gaming resulting from an audit conducted by the Department of Revenue's auditors. It was determined the licensing for exempt and non-profits to conduct raffles, without a permit and fee, was not in compliance with the statute.
For several years, Lodges and our appendant bodies have applied for and have been granted licenses to conduct raffles with ticket prices, dollar amounts of the prizes, and total amount of funds raised at their discretion. This license process was without fees or charges by the Office of Charitable Gaming (OCG). Going forward, for Lodges desiring to continue as above, it must first submit Form OCG2000, pay a $75 per year fee, and be in total compliance with all training requirements, submit a complete set of by-laws and minutes showing the officers being elected and installed, and complete and file "Session Schedules" on a quarterly basis. This type of license is more fitting to an organization conducting bingo sessions, which are not allowed in our Lodges.
For Lodges wishing to conduct a raffle, without going through the lengthy requirements as described above, they will be limited in scope. The online license process that is currently being used will continue, however the ticket price cannot exceed $1.00, the total cost of the prize cannot exceed $2,000.00, the total amount raised through the one-dollar ticket sales cannot exceed $3,000.00, and there can be no more than two raffles held during a calendar year.
Lodges currently holding a license and permit to conduct a raffle can continue to sell tickets at the permitted price and prize awards provided on the date of the drawing. Lodges that recently applied for a license may receive a notice from the OCG indicating your ticket price, prize awards and amount raised is not in line with the current regulations.
Regardless of the type of license or permit a Lodge chooses, a dispensation must be requested and approved by Grand Master to conduct the raffle.
Fraternally,
Steve Pence, P∴ G∴ M∴ Grand Secretary
Grand Lodge Warden's Retreat &
Secretary Training Returns for 2021 Register by August 7, 2021
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the annual training session could not take place earlier in the year as usual. The 2021 training will be on Saturday, August 21, 2021, from 9am-3pm at The Wesley Center in Woodworth, La (2350 Methodist Parkway).
The Grand Lodge asks that you register early to allow staff to record registrations and prepare materials. The fee is $50 per attendee, which includes refreshments, materials, and a meal. Registration deadline is August 7, 2021.
Lodges Honor Local Students
with Honesty & Integrity Awards
Center Lodge No. 244
Worshipful Master, Greg Harris (center back) and the 2021 recipients of the Honesty and Integrity Awards. Front Row (L to R) Wilson Varnado, Nicolas Miller, Nathan Harris, and Emily Cothern.
Center Lodge No. 244 presented four Honesty and Integrity awards to local students.
Bayou Chicot Lodge No. 430
Bayou Chicot Masonic Lodge No. 430 and the 2021 Honesty and Integrity Awards to
Ms. Ainsley Dutton (left with certificate) and Mr. Noah Aguillar (right with certificate) on from Pine Prairie High School. Congratulations to these two future leaders, and thanks to the Brothers of Bayou Chicot.
Michael Dempsey Lodge No. 327
Front row (L to R): Adam Jones, Andrew Sanders, Jeffery Neal, Bryan Warwick, Cassidy Cockerham,
Braydon Callender, Caidon Morace. (Tate Turnage was honored as well but unable to attend)
Back row (L to R): W∴B∴ Kevin Ray Jones: Worshipful Master, Brent Humphries: Lodge Secretary;
Robert Bradley: P∴M∴, M∴W∴B∴Lloyd Hennigan, Past Grand Master.
Michael Dempsey Lodge No. 327 hosted their annual Honesty and Integrity Award ceremony on May 18, 2021.
The members, through their appropriate committees, determined seven high school juniors to receive the Honesty and Integrity Award. The committee also identified one high school senior to receive the Patriotism Award from the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Valley of Monroe.
These deserving students were given a meal in their honor and the award ceremony followed with special guest speaker
Bro. Robert Bradley, Harrisonburg Lodge No. 110, giving a brief presentation of the award significance. This was then followed by M∴W∴B∴ Lloyd Hennigan, P∴G∴M∴ presenting the certificate awards to the students with the assistance of W∴B∴ Kevin Ray Jones, Worshipful Master and Bro. Brent Humphries, Lodge Secretary.
Past Grand Master earns Gold Proficiency
M∴W∴B∴ S. Bruce Easterly (left) and W∴B∴ Glen Girard (right).
M∴W∴B∴ S. Bruce Easterly P∴G∴M∴ was presented with his Gold Proficiency Card at W. H. Booth Lodge No. 380
by W∴B∴ Glen Girard P∴M∴, District Grand Lecturer 1st Masonic District. Gold Proficiency cards require a brother to
have held a proficiency card for 25 years, as is presented as their 13th and final proficiency card.
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
The Louisiana Freemason is currently accepting submissions for the Summer 2021 Issue.
If you would like to submit something you have written for consideration, email it to gar@la-mason.com
Submissions must be in by July 23rd, 2021 to be considered for that issue.
Submissions such as photos and lodge events may be submitted for the Weekly eEdition at any time.
Letters to the Editor
Write us a letter*. Tell us how you're doing as lodges begin to meet once again. Tell us what is is like to be meeting again. Send us a photo or two, or anything else you'd like to submit to The Louisiana Freemason!
Email gar@la-mason.com and "Send a letter to the Editor" just like the old days. Submissions will be considered for an issue of the Weekly eEdition so the brethren can see what you're up to.
*The Editor reserves all rights to publish any letter sent to him.
