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Inspection Season

By Grand Master, James F. Easterling, Jr. Brethren, Inspection season has again come to an end.  During the time leading up to a lodge’s inspection, the Brethren keep the lodge hall buzzing with practices, planning meetings and taking care of all the little things that lead to a great inspection. After all that hard work, it can be tempting to sit back and put things on cruise control.  Most Lodges go dark over the summer, and sometimes it can be tough to jump start activity again when we return to labor in the fall. This year, I am asking each individual Lodge to continue “working” after the inspection season and over the summer with an emphasis on education and social opportunities for their Grand Master’s Class candidates, traditional candidates and the Brethren of the lodge in general.  We can never have too much education or brotherhood when it comes to our fraternity. So keep the momentum going that you worked so hard to achieve in preparation for your lodge inspection. The Grand Lodge of Ohio along with nine other Grand Jurisdictions from across the United States and Canada will recreate an historical event this July 4th by reenacting the cornerstone ceremony of the Perry’s Victory monument. Brethren, we have the opportunity to recreate something very special. One hundred years ago in 1913, over 5,000 Masons gathered on the island of Put-In-Bay in Lake Erie, to lay the cornerstone for Perry’s Victory Monument.  This memorial is the only peace memorial in any Federal Park in the United States. I invite you, your families and your friends to experience this fun filled and historic July 4, which I promise, you will never forget. I am inviting all Masons to be part of the parade that will travel through downtown Put-In-Bay and conclude at the memorial.  Remember to bring your apron!  This event is cosponsored by the National Park System and the Grand Lodge of Ohio, and it is something that I am very excited about.  I hope you will be too. My theme this year is “Freemasonry- Together We Can…” and I have seen that put to work many times from one side of the State to the other. Lodges helping other Lodges, Lodges getting involved in their communities, raising money for those who are in need and the list goes on and on.  Together we can show the public that Freemasonry has a lot to offer. What a tribute it will be for us to embrace our past and celebrate our history, to recognize and thank our military veterans, who have fought and sacrificed, to see that we can continue to enjoy our freedoms and liberties that we cherish each and every day and to have the fellowship and brotherhood of sharing in a great day.  I look forward to seeing you, your apron and your family on this 4th of July. Please check out the Grand Lodge web site at freemason.com for more information.  Safe travels to each of you. God bless our troops and God bless Freemasonry.

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