                        (8-1-94)                     No. 697

PET THERAPY
An interesting idea related in the June 1994 New Jersey Freemason about pets 
at their Masonic Home:

At this time three full-time therapy dogs work daily at the home.  All are
Golden Retrievers.  Each one shares its distinct personality with the 
residents. Prancer, a four year old, hangs out in the Activities Room and 
lavishes love on all with whom he comes in contact.  He often sits in a 
designated chair and extends his paw to all who come near. While his demeanor 
can appear to be shy at times, he is without a doubt perfect for the position.

In the Woodshop are two more goldens who also travel to the Medical Center,
play games and go for walks. One resident commented: "Yes, the Masonic Home of
New Jersey is a wonderful place to live and now it's a real home because we 
have a dog."

FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN
The Waikato Lodge of Research No. 445, New Zealand, in their March 1993
bulletin, included "An Evening Of Music By Freemasons," The Fifth Verall
Lecture presented by V.W. Bro. J.F. Wilson, PG Lee, and we quote in part:

Possibly from his deep respect for both Leopold and Wolfgang Mozart and the
other Viennese freeasmons with whom he had contact, Haydn himself sought
membership of the craft.  However, his choice of lodge was determined by the
fact that Franz von Greiner, a court official and a minor poet who had 
provided the composer with the texts for several of his songs, was a member of 
the lodge Zur Wahren Eintracht. He was balloted for on 24 January 1785 and was 
to have been initiated four days later (Mozart artended the meeting) but he 
was unable to attend on that date and the ceremony was postponed until 11 
February (this Mozart was unable to be present because of a concert engage-
ment). A week before his initiation Haydn wrote to Count Anton Apponyi, the 
Imperial Chamberlain: "I can scarcely wait to enjoy the inexpressible good 
fortune of being one in a circle of such worthy men."

In his address to the candidate, the Junior Warden, Joseph von Holzmeister, a
councillor in the Ministry of War, had these appropriate remarks (abridged) to
make:

"If every instrument did not consider the rights and properties of the other
instruments in addition to its own rights, if it did not considerably diminish
its own volume in order not to do damage to the utterances of its companions,
the end - which is beauty - would not be attained."

(RAH:  Thought just struck me that if one reads this again, substituting
"ritualist" for "instrument," it would still make sense.)


But he never took any further degree, for as Rosemany Hughes (Hughes, R: 
Haydn; London, 1967) explains:

"Unlike Mozart, to whom the ideals of masonry came as a religious revelation
more intense than any he had found in the lukewarm and worldly Catholicism of
eighteenth-century Austria, Haydn retained to the end of his days a devout
simplicity of faith which found all the food it needed in the sacraments and
teaching of the Church.  Masonry thus had nothing special to offer him beyond
personal friendships."

PRAYER
While serving as classroom director in the Long Beach, California, Scottish
Rite Bodies in the 70s, the Almoner at the time was Frank W. Brejcha, Master 
of his lodge in Oklahoma in 1915. He gave me a prayer that I understood was by
him but later one of the members gave me a Dear Abby or Ann Landers letter
showing it composed by a Roman Catholic Priest, I believe it was.  Anyway, he
requested it be used at his funeral.  And I used it many a time as the
invocation in the classroom.  Be that it may, it was impressive, at least to 
me, and believe that you would appreciate it, maybe even considering using it.

"Help me be a good sport in this game of life. I don't ask for an easy place 
in the line-up.  Put me anywhere you need me.  I only ask that I can give you 
100% of aII I have.

"If the hard drives seem to come my way, I thank you for the compliment.  Help
me remember that you never send a player more trouble than he can handle.

"Help me, oh Lord, to accept the bad breaks as part of the game.   And, may I
always play the game on the square, no matter what the others do.  Help me
study the Book so I'll know the rules.

"Finally, God, if the natural turn of events goes against me and I'm benched 
for sickness or old age, please help me to accept that as part of the game 
too. Keep me from whimpering or squealing that I was framed or that I got a 
raw deal.

"And, when I finish the final inning, I ask for no laurels.  All I want is to
believe in my heart that I played as well as I could and that I didn't let you
down.   Amen."

DEGREE TEAM
Degree teams invariably work the Master Mason Degree, the best attending 
degree. The Spring 1994 Connecticut Square & Compasses tells of the Submarine Base
Fellow Craft Degree Team, established in 1950, conferring their 50Oth Fellow
Craft Degree on February 17, 1994.

Their first appearance was September 17, 1950 and it was so well received they
received requests from other lodges in their district.  Their fame spread and
in time they have worked in 80% of the lodges in Connecticut as well as lodges
in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New York and New Jersey.  The basic
landmark of the team is that its members wear their military uniforms for the
degrees.

Seems to me nothing but good could come from such an endeavor.


