FRATERNAL REVIEW

Editor - Ralph A. Herbold        (11-1-93)                        No. 681

MANITOBA - CANADA - CHARITY
Saw the following items in "Masonry In Manitoba," the publication of the Grand
Lodge of Manitoba, checked with the List of Lodges Masonic and found their
membership to be about 7500, so the following are particularly noteworthy.

"The Freemasons of Manitoba donated three cars to the Cancer Society in 1984 to
help transport patients to and from the hospital for treatments.  Masons
volunteered to drive the vehicles so they would be on the road every day."
(Pictured was the newest fleet, evidently to replace the orginal cars.)

At their June Annual Communication they approved the sum of $39,400 for two
Ambulatory BP Monitoring units, 10 Birthing Centre Bassinets and a Defibrillator
/Pacer to be given to three hospitals.

"During the past fiscal year (1992-93) $31,000 was dispersed for needy
individuals from the Benevolence Committee.  Matching grants of $24,000 were
distributed to individual lodges to support $48,000 in local community projects
throughout the province.  The Masonic Enhancement Committee distributed $32,000
to support youth groups (Job's Daughters and DeMolay), loans to lodges for
building improvements, disaster relief for Hawaii, Florida and Louisiana,
cultural and arts festivals, and other charitable projects.  Grand Total:
$111,000."

GERMANY
The May-August 1993 Communicator of the American Canadian Grand Lodge AF&AM
included:

The newest ACGL Lodge, Turkay Lodge No. 995, was consecrated in impressive
ceremonies and a two day celebration with the Grand Master, Grand Secretary and
Assistant Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Turkey among the honored guests.
When one notes their problems in the news, occasions such as this bring to mind
once more the brotherhood of Freemasonry.

With many members literally world wide the ACGL has established a Stateside Post
Office Box - because - The German Budepost put in drastic postal rate increases
and in addition, printed matter rates are no longer available within the German
postal system.  A little more drastic than the proposed loss of nonprofit rates
in our country.

PUBLIC RELATIONS
We don't have to go back one hundred years to find more community participation
because it happened in our time, that is, if you are as old as I am, and here
is part of an item in the September 25, 1993 Orange County Register telling
about a 50 year high school reunion:

"Santa Ana in 1943 was a citrus town of about 30,000.  Teen-agers worked after
school at orange packing plants.  Social life revolved around weekly dances
hosted by DeMolay, a Masonic youth organization.  One attending the reunion was
quoted:  'You had to be under 18 to get in and it cost a whole dime and
everybody who was anybody was there."'

I was brought up in Lynwood, graduating about ten years earlier, and can recall
the local youth activities were highlighted by the Saturday night dances at the
Womens' Club House hosted by the Job's Daughters.

PUBLIC RELATIONS
The September/October 1993 North Carolina Mason tells of their proposed action
on the lack of vaccination by our children.  There, measles are up 900% and
mumps 600%, and they want to do something about it.  The district deputy grand
masters are contacting local health departments as to the best methods of
working with them, whether it be transportation to clinics or opening lodge
buildings for clinics.  And to quote:

"This could be a nationally important initiative.  In her letter to health
department directors, Annette Byrd, Immunization Branch head said, 'Through your
efforts, this will become a model (community based organization) collaboration,
that helps to accomplish our goal of fully immunizing every child by its second
birthday.  That's good news for you, your neighbors and the image of
Freeamsonry."

In the same issue, an item they picked up from The Oklahoma Mason:

"When Port City Baptist Church was destroyed by a tornado, the minister, a
Mason from Missouri, called Catoosa Lodge.  The Church was given full use of
the lodge building until they can rebuild.  The church and lodge signs side by
side are quite a site."  And sort of ironic considering the recent proposed
action, which was defeated, by the Southern Baptist Convention.

PUBLICITY
Sure all of you have seen the brochure racks in hotels and visitor centers
extolling the virtues of local attractions.  Florence Lodge No. 107, Florence,
Oregon, and one of their members, Howard B. Campbell, a member of our lodge,
designed a card, vertical format, the size of the brochures, with the Masonic
emblem at the top to call attention, followed by meeting information and
location of the lodge.  Below this was the Eastern Star emblem with similar
information.  On the reverse was a freeway map of the area showing locations of
other towns, mileage between, with the Eastern Star and or Masonic emblems if
they were located there.  If you would like to see this send me a self addressed
stamped envelope.

MEMBERSHIP
Startling information in the Montana Masonic News, September 1993, quoting The
Masonic World which quoted Grand Master Noechel at their Annual Communication:

"On December 31, 1991 our membership totaled 79,106 Master Masons.  That year we
raised 625, restored 199, lost 2,857 by death, 829 by suspension, 2 expelled and
327 withdrew.  During 1992 we raised 2,011 for a 311% increase.  Restorations
were 170.  Deaths were down by 124 and suspensions by 90 from the previous year.
In 1992, 127 of our 432 lodges registered a gain in membership."


