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Fraternal Greetings It is my great pleasure and honor to be the Master of Myrtle Lodge #108 of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Washington. I pledge to do the very best I can to fulfill the duties and obligations of that position and to represent Masonry in a positive light in all aspects of my life. Myrtle Lodge has been an active part of the Issaquah Community for over 110 years. Our members have been Mayors, City Councilmen, Police and Fire Chiefs, State Legislators, Milkmen, Plumbers, Lawyers, Iron Workers, Project Managers, School Teachers, Administrators, and IT Professionals. What we do for work however does not distinguish us as Men and Masons. Rather--Who We Are is defined by What We Seek—Together.
We only accept dedicated
and trustworthy men who are seeking to improve themselves and explore
the mysteries of Masonry with others whom they can call “Brother” with
no equivocation or mental reservation. We pay no heed to the race, ethnicity or the religion of our brothers. We only ask that they believe in One God (no atheists are allowed into Masonry), are trustworthy, moral and ardently seek to help make the World around them a better place—starting with their self. Our Lodge provides a sanctuary for Men to share their thoughts, hopes, frustrations and experiences. To us Lodge is a Sacred Retreat of Friendship and Virtue
Masonry is a “progressive
science, illustrated by hieroglyphics and taught with symbols”. What
does that mean? Masonry, with its ancient roots, is a science – a
science of how to live your life. It is taught through a system of
presentations called degrees. The degrees use the ancient Stonemasons,
their tools and customs, as a symbolic framework to teach men of their
obligation to themselves, their family, their community, their country
and their spiritual beliefs. Progression through the degrees takes some
effort. Perhaps, it is well to reflect on what Masonry is not. Masonry is not a religion. Nor are we a “Secret Society”. Rather, we are a Private Society. Much as your Family or Business has matters that are Your Business only—So do we. And we teach Men the Reason and Value of Keeping Their Word!! Nothing in Masonry conflicts with your duties to God, your neighbor or yourself. Masons pledge their loyalty to their country and the laws thereof. Masonry is not a service club. But we do projects such as CHIPs (ChildHood Identification Program) and the Bikes For Books program with Issaquah School District. Also we have been active with Katrina Relief efforts and I have made 5 trips to Mississippi. Masonry is what opened these doors of opportunity. But these Service projects are not our primary purpose. Rather they are an outgrowth of the Opportunities Masonry can supply to its’ Members. The Core of Masonry is thus: We were strangers until a shared obligation and experience taught us that we can Trust one another. How many people do you Trust? Masonic history in Issaquah started in 1898. The original list of members was a veritable “Who’s Who” of Issaquah Pioneers—Doctor Gibson was the first Master of the Lodge, the Pickering Family, the Wold brothers, Flintofts and many more. Our current Lodge building dates back to 1914 when a group of intrepid Myrtle Lodge Masons bought land and built, what was then, a large and impressive Lodge building. Recent additions include a new elevator, remodeled refreshment area and a soon to be remodeled kitchen. Take a look at the Photos section as well. In the Links you will find other Masonic WEB sites, such as The Shriners, Scottish and York Rite, Eastern Star and our Youth Organizations. We are an international, multi-faceted Fraternity dedicated to Trust, Brotherhood, Knowledge and Harmony. I invite you to explore Masonry and if you want to find out more—give me a call!! Fraternally,
Bill Werner |
