Lodge Balmain Celebrates 150th Founding: 16 May

Photo shows [from left], Past Grand Master [1969-1972], MW Bro Robert Hammond, Worshipful Master-elect, Bro Jason Plumridge and Bro Ian Jarrat, Lodge DC. [photo by Sarah Nixon from Cumberland Courier].

Lodge Balmain No 23 [UGL NSW & ACT] will be celebrating it’s 150th founding this Saturday, 16 May at a reconsecration ceremony and banquet at Laurelbank Masonic Centre [87 Penshurst St Willoughby NSW 2068] starting at 4:00 PM.

As one of the oldest lodges in the jurisdiction, Lodge Balmain has its share of other lodges that amalgated with it; like Lodge Waratah-Pacific, which also amalgated with Lodge Pacific and Lodge Biloela in the recent past.

According to a news item by Eleanor Pearson in the Cumberland Courier,

"The lodge was founded by a shipwright at Balmain in 1859 when sailing was the only way to cross the Pacific.

About 40 sea captains have been members and even now membership includes a shipwright and navy personnel.

When the lodge meets each month members toast their seafaring forbears, ring a bell from an old ship, Westralia, and sing a seafaring ditty."

Filipino members of this lodge are VWBro Vergel Valderamma, WBro Bobby Briones, WBro Romy Nieto and WB Nep Reyes.

The FilMasons Association, Inc congratulates the officers and members of Lodge Balmain No 23 on this momentous occasion; especially members with Filipino heritage.

May events Update and Reminder

Hello all,

I do hope that you had a grand Mother's Day celebration with your families.

Time fly too fast, it is now mid May and the onslaught of winter and flu season is here again. Please take care and if you want, see your doctor for that very important flu vaccine shot.

Just reminding you of our following May events, please update your calendar:

1. 16 May - Saturday - FilMason Membership Meeting, 6:00 PM at Bro Manny & Sis Odeng Santos' residence in Woodcroft.

2. 24 May - Sunday - [RSVP 15 May] Manna and Julius Maniago are inviting us thru WBro Manny & Sis Remy Maniago. Party for their grandsons; Isaac Miguel's dedication and Joshua Emmanuel's 3rd birthday; 1 PM at Alford's Point Community Centre, 48 Coachwood Cres, Alford's Point NSW.

3. 30 May [to 31 May] - Saturday - [RSVP 18 May] RWBro Rey Porras' Region 11 Conference [opens at 9:00 AM, Lodge Kiama No 35, Collins St Kiama NSW 2533] and Charity Concert, $35 per head [starts at 6:30 PM at Kiama Leagues Club, 109 Terralong St Kiama NSW 2533].

The Amason [Asawa ng Mason] ladies will be performing in the Charity Concert. I have received from Bro Rey pre-paid tickets 8 [discounted] for the ladies and 6 for the brethren who previously RSVP'd.

Hope to see you in our nominations meeting this Saturday.

Bro Mario

President

Happy Mother's Day to all!

This is "dedicated to our mothers, whose love never fails. You may rise to positions of great influence in commercial, political, or professional life, but you can never reach the heights of your mother's secret hopes for you. You may sink into the lowest depths of infamy and degradation, but never below the reach of her love. The memory of it will always stir your heart. There is no man [or woman] so entirely base, so completely vile, so utterly low, that he does not hold in his heart a shrine sacred and apart for the memory of his mother's love.

Were I to draw you a picture of love divine,
it would not be that of a stately Angel,
With a form that is full of grace.
But a tired and toilworn mother
With a grave and tender face.

It was your mother who loved you before you were born--who carried you for long months close to her heart and in the fullness of time took God's hand in hers and passed through the valley of shadows to give you life. It was she who cared for you during the helpless years of infancy and the scarcely less dependent years of childhood.

As you have grown less dependent, she has done the countless, thoughtful, trouble-healing, helpful and encouraging things which somehow only mothers seem to know how to do. You may have accepted these attentions more or less as matters of course, and perhaps without conscious gratitude or any expression of your appreciation.

You are rapidly approaching the time in life when you will be entirely independent of your mother. The ties with which dependency has bound you to her may be severed as you grow older, but the tie of a mother's love can never be broken.

Thinking back upon the years of your life when you have reached the threshold of manhood, your mother might well say in the words of the poet:

My body fed your body, son,
But birth's a swift thing
Compared to one and twenty years
Of feeding you with spirit's tears.
I could not make your mind and soul,
But my glad hands have kept you whole.
Your groping hands
Bound me to life with ruthless bands.
And all my living became a prayer,
While all my days built up a stair
For your young feet that trod behind
That you an aspiring way should find.
Think you that life can give you pain
Which does not stab in me again?
Think you that life can give you shame
Which does not make my pride go lame?
And you can do no evil thing
Which sears not me with poisoned sting.
Because of all that I have done,
Remember me in life, O son.
Keep that proud body fine and fair.
My life is monumented there.
For my life make no woman weep,
For my life hold no woman cheap.
And see you give no woman scorn
For that dark night when you were born."

[Excerpts from the Order of DeMolay's Flower Talk ceremony.]

Maniago's Grandsons' Party - 24 May

According to an email by our Treasurer, Bro Manny Santos; the invitation by VWBro Manny and Sis Remy and the Maniago family is extended to all members of the Club.

Please RSVP to Bro Manny or Sis Remy if you and your lady will attend.