| Worshipful Master |
LOCKPORT LODGE
No. 538 A.F.&A.M.
No. 538 A.F.&A.M.
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| Steven R. O'Donnell |
PERHAPS A NICE OBSERVATIONAL INFORMATIONAL COMMENT -
NOT ON HOW THE ECONOMY IN AMERICA HAS PERSONS DISTRAUGHT,
BUT -
PERHAPS -
A SOMEWHAT MORE HOPE - INSPIRING THOUGHT OF, PERHAPS, A
MODERN DAY HERO.
AS YOU ARE UNDOUBTEDLY AWARE, AND IN MOST TYPICAL FASHION,
MANY OF AMERICA'S HEROES HAVE RISEN TO STARDOM, COME AND,
UNFORTUNATELY, GONE BEFORE THEIR TIME.
THE JOHN WAYNES -
THE GARY COOPERS -
THE FLORENCE NIGHTENGALES.
NO ONE, IT SEEMS, HAS PICKED UP THE GAUNTLET AND TAKEN THEIR
PLACES.
WHERE ARE THE MODERN - DAY SUPERMEN?
THE MODERN - DAY SUPERWOMEN?
DO THEY EVEN EXIST?
YES, THEY DO, BUT -
THEY ARE TO BE CONSIDERED THE UNSUNG HEROES OF MODERN
TIMES.
YOU WILL NOT SEE THEM EMBLAZONED IN THE NEWSPAPERS, IN
SHAME, FOR THEIR ACTIONS TOWARD MANKIND WILL NOT PERMIT
THAT.
YOU WILL NOT SEE THEM SPOKEN OF IN MAGAZINES AND CELEBRITY
BOOKS FOUND ON THE SHELVES NEAR THE CHECKOUT COUNTERS AT
THE FOOD STORES.
WHERE ARE THEY, IF THEY DO EXIST?
THEY ARE OUR SONS, OUR DAUGHTERS -
OUR FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS -
WHO -
IN A FAR - OFF COUNTRY -
IN A FAR - OFF LAND -
ARE FIGHTING TO PRESERVE AN IDEAL -
A DEMOCRACY -
A FREEDOM -
THAT WAS INSTILLED IN OUR FOREFATHERS -
AND PRESERVES US 'TILL THIS DAY -
THEIR KNOWLEDGE, TRAINING, FORESIGHT AND CAPABILITIES ARE
PROTECTING OUR COUNTRY, AND OTHER COUNTRIES, FROM A
TYRANNY AS UNWELCOME TODAY AS IT HAS EVER BEEN.
OUR ARMED FORCES -
THOSE MEMBERS OF -
THE ARMY, NAVY, AIR FORCE AND MARINES -
WHO ARE FIGHTING TO PROTECT THE IDEALS THAT HAVE MADE THIS
GREAT COUNTRY GREAT -
AND WHO HAVE TAKEN THAT LOYAL OATH TO PRESERVE THOSE
IDEALS FROM EACH AND EVERY ASSAULT IMAGINABLE, STRIVING TO
BRING THOSE FREEDOMS, GUARANTEED BY OUR ILLUSTRIOUS FORE -
FATHERS, TO THE FOUR QUADRANTS OF THE GLOBE.
IT IS THROUGH THEIR SACRIFICES, THEIR SHED BLOOD, THAT
AMERICA'S SANCTUARIES ARE INTACT;
THAT OUR HOMES, PLACES OF WORSHIP, AND OUR DEMOCRACIES ARE
PROTECTED.
WITHOUT THEIR GREAT SACRIFICES, THIS COUNTRY OF AMERICA
WOULD NOT -
NAY -
COULD NOT -
EXIST.
LET THIS NOT BE FORGOTTEN -
AMERICA HAS FALLEN ON HARD TIMES -
BUT -
OUR FUTURE IS BRIGHT -
OUR ATTITUDE IS POSITIVE -
OUR ARMED FORCES DEMONSTRATE, ON A DAILY BASIS, THE
STRENGTH THAT AMERICA HAS, THAT -
EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE ENJOYED A LACKLUSTER PERIOD -
WE DEFEND OUR RIGHT, AND THOSE RIGHTS OF THOSE
DOWNTRODDEN, TO THE ENDS OF THIS EARTH.
WHERE ARE OUR HEROES?
THEY ARE ALL AROUND US - AND FIGHTING FOR US, EACH AND
EVERY DAY OF THEIR LIVES.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED,
STEVEN R. O'DONNELL
WORSHIPFUL MASTER,
LOCKPORT MASONIC LODGE # 538 A.F. & A.M.
LOCKPORT, ILLINOIS
NOT ON HOW THE ECONOMY IN AMERICA HAS PERSONS DISTRAUGHT,
BUT -
PERHAPS -
A SOMEWHAT MORE HOPE - INSPIRING THOUGHT OF, PERHAPS, A
MODERN DAY HERO.
AS YOU ARE UNDOUBTEDLY AWARE, AND IN MOST TYPICAL FASHION,
MANY OF AMERICA'S HEROES HAVE RISEN TO STARDOM, COME AND,
UNFORTUNATELY, GONE BEFORE THEIR TIME.
THE JOHN WAYNES -
THE GARY COOPERS -
THE FLORENCE NIGHTENGALES.
NO ONE, IT SEEMS, HAS PICKED UP THE GAUNTLET AND TAKEN THEIR
PLACES.
WHERE ARE THE MODERN - DAY SUPERMEN?
THE MODERN - DAY SUPERWOMEN?
DO THEY EVEN EXIST?
YES, THEY DO, BUT -
THEY ARE TO BE CONSIDERED THE UNSUNG HEROES OF MODERN
TIMES.
YOU WILL NOT SEE THEM EMBLAZONED IN THE NEWSPAPERS, IN
SHAME, FOR THEIR ACTIONS TOWARD MANKIND WILL NOT PERMIT
THAT.
YOU WILL NOT SEE THEM SPOKEN OF IN MAGAZINES AND CELEBRITY
BOOKS FOUND ON THE SHELVES NEAR THE CHECKOUT COUNTERS AT
THE FOOD STORES.
WHERE ARE THEY, IF THEY DO EXIST?
THEY ARE OUR SONS, OUR DAUGHTERS -
OUR FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS -
WHO -
IN A FAR - OFF COUNTRY -
IN A FAR - OFF LAND -
ARE FIGHTING TO PRESERVE AN IDEAL -
A DEMOCRACY -
A FREEDOM -
THAT WAS INSTILLED IN OUR FOREFATHERS -
AND PRESERVES US 'TILL THIS DAY -
THEIR KNOWLEDGE, TRAINING, FORESIGHT AND CAPABILITIES ARE
PROTECTING OUR COUNTRY, AND OTHER COUNTRIES, FROM A
TYRANNY AS UNWELCOME TODAY AS IT HAS EVER BEEN.
OUR ARMED FORCES -
THOSE MEMBERS OF -
THE ARMY, NAVY, AIR FORCE AND MARINES -
WHO ARE FIGHTING TO PROTECT THE IDEALS THAT HAVE MADE THIS
GREAT COUNTRY GREAT -
AND WHO HAVE TAKEN THAT LOYAL OATH TO PRESERVE THOSE
IDEALS FROM EACH AND EVERY ASSAULT IMAGINABLE, STRIVING TO
BRING THOSE FREEDOMS, GUARANTEED BY OUR ILLUSTRIOUS FORE -
FATHERS, TO THE FOUR QUADRANTS OF THE GLOBE.
IT IS THROUGH THEIR SACRIFICES, THEIR SHED BLOOD, THAT
AMERICA'S SANCTUARIES ARE INTACT;
THAT OUR HOMES, PLACES OF WORSHIP, AND OUR DEMOCRACIES ARE
PROTECTED.
WITHOUT THEIR GREAT SACRIFICES, THIS COUNTRY OF AMERICA
WOULD NOT -
NAY -
COULD NOT -
EXIST.
LET THIS NOT BE FORGOTTEN -
AMERICA HAS FALLEN ON HARD TIMES -
BUT -
OUR FUTURE IS BRIGHT -
OUR ATTITUDE IS POSITIVE -
OUR ARMED FORCES DEMONSTRATE, ON A DAILY BASIS, THE
STRENGTH THAT AMERICA HAS, THAT -
EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE ENJOYED A LACKLUSTER PERIOD -
WE DEFEND OUR RIGHT, AND THOSE RIGHTS OF THOSE
DOWNTRODDEN, TO THE ENDS OF THIS EARTH.
WHERE ARE OUR HEROES?
THEY ARE ALL AROUND US - AND FIGHTING FOR US, EACH AND
EVERY DAY OF THEIR LIVES.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED,
STEVEN R. O'DONNELL
WORSHIPFUL MASTER,
LOCKPORT MASONIC LODGE # 538 A.F. & A.M.
LOCKPORT, ILLINOIS
FROM THE EAST...