All Iowa Masonic Re-obligation Night

Tonight was the first Masonic Re-obligation Night in Iowa. Iowa Grand Master of Masons, Jack Butler, asked that all Iowa Blue Lodges have an All Iowa Masonic Re-obligation at 7:30 pm. He left it up to the lodges if they wanted to do this on their own or join with other lodges and have one big re-obligation.

In Sioux City all of the 5 area lodges got together at Tyrian Lodge #508 and had our re-obligation. It was held at the Masonic Temple on Nebraska Street near downtown. There were 78 brethren in attendance. Some of the brethren in attendance were from Elk Point Lodge located in Elk Point, SD and Omadi Lodge in South Sioux City, NE. This made the event all that much more special, to have brethren from other Grand Lodge jurisdictions. The 2 rivers that border Iowa, South Dakota and Nebraska are a border, not a boundary and brethren from all 3 states are always welcome to attend functions, such as this, in each others area.

The dinner was at 6 pm, served by the new Abu Bekr Shrine Chef's Unit. The re-obligation started at 7:30. We opened in form on the 3rd Degree, the re-obligation was conducted, lead by Worshipful Brother George Harrison, and lodge was closed in form.

Here is the instructions and ceremony of the re-obligation I was proud to take part in tonight as advised by Grand Master of Iowa Masons, Jack Butler;

Attention: All Master Masons
As previously announced, I am directing every lodge in this Grand Jurisdiction to hold a “Re-Obligation Night” on Monday, March 30, 2009. The purpose of this meeting is to reacquaint, repurpose and especially renew our Masonic Ties.

Both the script and format of the event are described below. Your lodge may conduct other discussions and/or educational programs at this meeting, but only in addition to the ceremony listed below. Please note: this is to be a tiled meeting, Opened in Form and Closed in Harmony on the 3rd Degree.

1. Open lodge in Form on 3rd Degree
2. Recite Pledge of Allegiance
3. WORSHIPFUL MASTER will select one brother to kneel at the Altar. When directed,
SENIOR DEACON will conduct the aforementioned brother to the Altar and place him
in Due Form (minus the hood wink and cable-tow) to receive the Master Mason’s
Obligation.
4. WORSHIPFUL MASTER directs every other brother to assemble West of the Altar in a
single line directly behind the kneeling brother, and curving around the Altar in parallel lines, if necessary (similar to the lines formed when bringing a new brother to light). The brother on the left (the Senior Deacon) of the kneeling brother will place his right hand on the kneeling brother’s left shoulder. The brother on the kneeling brother’s right will place his left hand on the kneeling brother’s right shoulder. Each brother on the left of the kneeling brother will place his right hand on the right shoulder of the brother to his right. Each brother on the left of the kneeling brother will place his left hand on the left shoulder of the brother to his left. (This could get cozy.)
5. When all the brothers are duly assembled in this position, the WORSHIPFUL
MASTER (or his designee) will confer the following re-obligation to the entire lodge at once.
6. At the conclusion of the recital, WORSHIPFUL MASTER returns to the East and
knocks once to dismiss the brothers to their stations, places and seats in the lodge.
SENIOR DEACON conducts the kneeling brother to his seat and returns to his place in
the lodge.
7. Close lodge in Form and enjoy refreshments (suggested).

Notes:
This ceremony is not ritual and does NOT need to be memorized. It is perfectly
acceptable for the WORSHIPFUL MASTER to read it to the lodge, but I would certainly hope he would familiarize himself with it to make the ceremony an impressive one.

I am requesting that everyone bring their original lambskin apron that was worn on his Initiation, Passing and Raising, and wear it during this special meeting. The point is, after all, to re-obligate us to the Fraternity and to our brothers, so what better way to do that than to wear our initiatory aprons? However, if a brother cannot locate his own apron, he should still attend and wear a regular cloth apron provided by the lodge.

This ceremony will be posted on the Grand Lodge web site at: www.gl-iowa.org and on my web site at: www.iagrandmaster.org for further reference.

Re-Obligation Ceremony
WORSHIPFUL MASTER: (after lodge is opened and Pledge of Allegiance has been given). Brother SENIOR DEACON, conduct Brother ______________ ______________ to the Altar and place him in Due Form to receive the Master Mason’s Obligation.

SENIOR DEACON: WORSHIPFUL MASTER (salutes), the Brother is in Due Form.

WORSHIPFUL MASTER: Brethren, you will assemble yourselves behind Brother ____________ as follows: The SENIOR DEACON will place his right hand on Brother _________’s left shoulder. The JD will position himself on the opposite side of Brother __________ and place his left hand on the brother’s right shoulder. Everyone else will line up beside the Senior and Junior Deacons in an approximately equal number. If necessary, curl your line around the Altar to the East and form parallel lines, similar to bringing a brother to light. Each brother to the left of the SENIOR DEACON will place his right hand on the right shoulder of the brother immediately to his right, including the SENIOR DEACON. Each brother to the right of the JD will place his left hand on the left shoulder of the brother immediately to his left, including the JD. In this formation, we will become a part of the Re-Obligation Ceremony.

WORSHIPFUL MASTER: (or other brother appointed by the WORSHIPFUL MASTER to perform the ceremony). You will say I, your name and remain silent, listening carefully to these words.

. . .of my own free will and accord, in the presence of almighty God and this worshipful Lodge, do hereby and hereon most solemnly and sincerely re-obligate myself as an Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft and Master Mason and to the teachings of these degrees.

That I will ever hereafter dedicate my life in accordance with the perfect points of entrance of an Entered Apprentice, which are represented by temperance, fortitude, prudence and justice; and to the tenets of the Fraternity, which are brotherly love, relief and truth.

That I will always endeavor to reflect in my own daily life, the purity represented by the white leather apron that I received and have proudly worn from the first time it was presented to me on that memorable day.

That in accordance with the Right of Destitution, which was to remind me that as children of the same God, we owe to our fellows such relief as we can afford to give without injury to ourselves.

That I will, as a Mason, strive to serve my God, my country, my family and my neighbor with the same Freedom, Fervency and Zeal shown by the Entered Apprentice of old, ever remembering that time when I was received into the Lodge on the point of a sharp instrument applied to my naked left breast.

I furthermore promise and vow that I will make suitable application of the Square of virtue as a rule and guide to my conduct in all my transactions with God and man, and that I will not cheat, wrong or defraud a Masonic lodge or a Masonic brother.

That I will make a good, true and constant Masonic application of the plumb, and thereby keep myself upright before God and man, always remembering that I am traveling on the level of time to that undiscovered country, from whose borne no traveler returns.

That I will strive to apply the teachings of the journey to the Middle Chamber in my daily life. That I will always remember the two brazen pillars – Jachin and Boaz, which denote strength and establishment, which remind me to be strong in the establishment and maintenance of my character as a Mason.

That, like the checkered pavement, life is a pattern of light and darkness; good and evil; prosperity and adversity.

That the three steps represent the three attributes of God, the three principle officers of the Lodge, and the three supports of the Lodge: Wisdom, Strength and Beauty.

To remember the lessons of the five orders of architecture which taught me to strive to apply order to my life; and that a study of the seven liberal arts and sciences will bring me closer to my God.

I furthermore promise and vow that I will never forget that at my entrance into a Master Mason’s Lodge, I was received on the two points of the compass and that the most excellent tenets of our Fraternity – Friendship, Morality and Brotherly Love – are continued within those same two points.

That I will endeavor to emulate the life of our Grand Master Hiram Abiff, who would rather give up his life than loss his integrity.

That in accordance with the five points of fellowship; I will never hesitate to go on foot and out of my way to aid and succor a needy brother.

That I will ever remember a Brother’s welfare as well as my own in all my applications to Deity.

That I will ever keep a brother’s secrets, when communicated to me as such, excluding
murder and treason--and these at my own election.

That I will ever be ready to stretch forth my hands to assist and support a falling Brother.

That I will ever whisper good council in the ear of a Brother, and in the most friendly manner remind him of his errors, and endeavor to aid his reformation and will give him due and timely notice that he may ward off all approaching danger.

You will now repeat after me…

All this I most solemnly and sincerely promise and vow, asking no more reward than the emblematic corn of nourishment, wine of refreshment, and the oil of joy; the respect of my brethren; to be remembered as a worthwhile Master Mason; and the blessing of almighty God. Amen.

It was an enjoyable and worthwhile event to attend. I hope Masons all across Iowa attended a re-obligation ceremony in their Blue Lodge area. I hope this happens again in the future.