MAGLLBethune

From MasonicGenealogy
Jump to: navigation, search

LAWRENCE E. BETHUNE 1949-

LarryBethune.png

BIOGRAPHY

SPEECHES

FEAST OF ST. JOHN, 2018

From Proceedings, Page 2018-207:

Most Worshipful Grand Master, Most Worshipful Past Grand Masters, members of Grand Lodge, Distinguished Guests, Brethren all, good evening.

Grand Master, I humbly thank you for appointing me as your Deputy Grand Master. I am deeply honored and eager to serve and assist you this coming year.

My Brother, what a glorious and inspiring vision I have before me. Men of honor, men of integrity, men full of Brotherly Love and affection for each other. How fortunate I am to be among such men who are my Brothers and my friends.

Because of my Brotherly Love for all of you, I want to give you all a gift tonight. I want to reveal to you the answer to one of life’s greatest secrets, the meaning of life.

I heard something fascinating the other day. Did you know that there are more people alive today than have ever lived? This amazing observation got me thinking, about life, and the quality of life.

Once upon a time, there was a good man. This good man wanted more out of life; he wanted to be a better man.

One day, when he was out in his yard raking leaves, his 87-year-old neighbor Larry Freeman came over to chat. In the course of their discussion, Larry told the good man a story about his woodworking shop that he owned along with his brother Claude. It seems that early one morning in 1960, they got a call that their shop was on fire.

They rushed to their burning building and began pulling equipment, projects, and expensive wood out of the building. About an hour into trying to save the building, out of the blue, a man showed up with 9 other guys. They all started helping the Freemans save their business. Larry and Claude were amazed and thankful for the charity of these men, but they were not surprised, because these men and the Freemans were ALL brothers; they were all good Masons from Dalhousie Lodge in Newton; my Mother Lodge.

And the Master of the Lodge who brought the Brothers to help save the company? He was Wor. J. Philip Berquist, who 21 years later, became Grand Master of our Grand Lodge.

My Brothers, this is a true story.

After I heard that story from my neighbor, I knew I had found some good men with whom I wanted to associate, men with integrity who could help me become a better man. So, I asked Larry to propose me for membership in his Lodge, Dalhousie Lodge. I don’t have to tell any of you, but I have never regretted that decision.

I had found the meaning of LIFE. Masonic Life, Leadership, Inspiration, Fellowship, and Education. L-I-F-E LIFE. Through remembering the word LIFE and the letters that make up the word, I can easily focus every day on the tools I need for helping improve good men through Freemasonry.

Let me start with the third letter of LIFE; “F” for Fellowship. Fellowship is the most important tool in my bag. It is the very foundation of our beloved Fraternity. Fellowship is the breeding ground for all our glorious dreams, ideas, and advancements.

The Grand Master’s priority is to increase membership. That is a great priority because it increases opportunities for more fellowship. Brethren, Fellowship is one of the main reasons WHY Freemasonry in Massachusetts exists. Fellowship is a major reason why good men join, and we must follow reason.

The first line of the Preamble to our Grand Constitutions states: “Freemasonry seeks to proclaim its principles as widely as men will hear them.” Brethren, we do not exist to be a small, select, uninfluential men’s club; no, our call is to actively engage with as many good men as we can so we may change the world for the better one man at a time.

Let us NOT underestimate the power of good fellowship. Good fellowship directly impacts our happiness and our effectiveness. Studies show, that groups of friends consistently out-perform groups of acquaintances, in both decision-making and achievement of their goals. When FRIENDS work together, they are more trusting and committed to one another’s success; they rejoice in each other’s prosperity; and as long as they don’t hold back on constructive criticism, and deal on the level with each other, they make better choices and get more done.

Fellowship allows us to develop and practice trust and respect between and among each other. Trust and respect are the pillars of good human relationships. And good Fellowship can be just plain old good fun for the sake of having a good time.

Brethren, we have the power to provide meaningful and inspiring Fellowship for good men so they may work and play together and become better men.

The second letter of LIFE is “I” for inspiration. The word INSPIRE itself means “to breathe life into,” to fill someone with the urge or ability to do or feel something. As leaders, we need to inspire the good within the good man, the good that is yearning to rise up and to flow out of each of us. We must help the good man find his internal spark, his genuine passion, his true fire.

Let me tell you a very short story to demonstrate this concept of intrinsic, or internal motivation, versus extrinsic or external motivation.

There once was an old man who lived in a house on a quiet cul-de-sac. Every day at 4 o’clock, he would settle down in his easy chair by the front window to relax with a nice cup of tea and a good book.

One day, while reading his book, five neighborhood teenage boys decided to skateboard in his cul-de-sac while blasting their boom-box. These rambunctious boys were very noisy. The poor old man could not relax, he could not read his book; his quiet oasis was destroyed, this was very upsetting.

So, the old man thought, and he thought, and he thought some more – just how could he resolve this problem?

After a while, he went down to the cul-de-sac and confronted the boys. He smiled and quietly told them that he really appreciated that they were skateboarding near his house and making so much noise. He feared he was losing his hearing, but their sounds elated him, he could hear them clearly; he was overjoyed that he was NOT losing his hearing.

He was so thankful that he offered to pay each of them $1 to return every day and be as noisy as they liked. This made the boys very happy and they easily agreed to be noisy every day, and for the next few days the old man came out and paid them each $1 to be noisy.

After about a week, the old man told them that he could not afford to pay them $1 each anymore, but that he could pay them 50 cents, instead. The boys were not very happy about this but, after thinking it over, they agreed to keep coming every day, and skateboarding, and making noise and so the old man paid them 50 cents each for another week.

But, at the end of the second week, the old man told them that he could not afford to pay them at all anymore but asked them to be noisy for free. The boys were outraged and refused to be noisy for free, so they decided to go elsewhere to skateboard, never to be seen by the old man, again.

We must continuously search for our inspiration and hold onto it tightly. I know that you all already understand this. I am not preaching, just acknowledging what is inside all of us.

My Brothers, what inspires you? I’m inspired by being among all of you; men of honor and integrity, full of Brotherly Love. YOU are why I wanted to a member of this honorable society.

We all know that one reason that bad men and weak Lodges do not get better is that they have not found, or they have lost their secret inner spark, that “good” that is inside them; and sadly, they are not willing or able, or do not know how to help themselves.

As our Masonic lessons have taught us: though others may assist us, we cannot rise toward the perfect ashlar unless we employ our own exertions; the Grand Architect helps those who help themselves.

Brethren, WE have the power to INSPIRE good men to find their inner goodness to help themselves to become better men.

The fourth letter of LIFE is “E” for education. I confess am a lover of lifetime learning and education. It is one of my greatest passions. And for me, there is a very important distinction among the concepts of instruction versus training versus education.

I was fortunate to work for the New England Patriots for 18 years where I learned a lot about the differences among instruction, training, and education.

INSTRUCTION is when I show (you or “Brother____”) how to grip and throw a football. TRAINING is practicing throwing that football over and over again in various situations to achieve many different desired outcomes until you become proficient.

But EDUCATION draws out that which is within you. Your drive, desire, innate knowledge, passion, persistence, talents, understanding, and the myriad of other secrets within you that can turn YOU into Tom Brady. Before me just may be a roomful of Masonic GOATS.

The word education itself is a BEAUTIFUL word. It comes from the Latin educare and means to lead or draw out that which is within. The Italian astronomer Galileo, said, “You cannot TEACH a man anything, you can only help him find it within himself.”

I love the concept of the Lodge of Instruction. The team here at Grand Lodge has done a good job reimagining the delivery of instruction. But you know I sometimes dream of LOI standing for the Lodge of Inspiration.

Actually, every Lodge in our jurisdiction could morph itself into a Lodge of Inspirational Education. To be sure, there is a need for instruction and training, especially when it comes to the business and ritual of our Lodges.

But our ritual and our education need to soar beyond instruction and training. Our ritual is education and it must inspire. What a beautiful thing it would be if instruction and ritual went hand-in-glove with Fellowship, Inspiration, and Education.

Brethren, WE have the power to provide inspired education. Education to help draw out those secrets, those lost words, so good men may better understand themselves and the world around them as they strive to become better men.

Lastly, the first letter of LIFE is “L” for leadership.

All Masons crave fellowship, all Masons thirst for inspiration, and we all seek self-improvement through education, but WE IN THIS ROOM have hopes and dreams beyond fellowship, inspiration, and education, for we have answered the call to be leaders of men.

I believe that every great leader must be a great educator. As MASONIC leaders, we must teach good men our Masonic wonderful values. We must proclaim our principles as widely as men will hear them. I believe that one of the best ways to do this, as my father, a career Navy officer taught me, is through leadership by example. WE must live and demonstrate our Masonic values every day and through every interaction with others.

I created another tool for my use. I collected our Masonic values that I gleaned from our lessons, rituals, and degrees. At each of your place settings, you should find a copy of the booklet I put together as a gift to each of you. I hope you will use it and find it as useful as I have. I suggest that you choose one value and practice for a whole day, or practice one value for a whole week. Practice makes perfect.

I’d like to end my remarks with two short stories that demonstrate the power of combining leadership, inspiration, fellowship, and education.

Linda Jones was a successful New York publisher. Her marriage broke up and she was awarded sole custody of her 11-year-old son, David. Despite Linda’s determination to provide him with every material and emotional advantage, David had a hard time growing up as a lone child of a single parent. He had behavioral problems at school, became truant, and was truculent when challenged about this at home. David never showed much affection for his caregiver, Maria, though she was highly trained and did everything she could to win the boy’s trust and regard.

Linda decided the situation was so serious that she needed to tackle it more systematically. She told Maria to keep a list of David’s misdemeanors and to make sure that each day when Maria picked David up from school, to ask his teacher how he behaved in school that day.

“He must learn,” says Linda. “that I will go through the list with him every evening — quietly, methodically, and thoroughly, explaining why what he has done is wrong and unacceptable. I am sure we will soon see a big improvement. He’s a bright enough youngster; he just needs to have things pointed out to him in a consistent way. Once he sees that we are on to him, he will change.”

Sadly, David’s behavior did NOT get any better; in fact, it became worse after his mother’s list-and-tell regimen was begun.

Now, fifteen hundred miles to the West, the Lakota people in Crow Creek Reservation in South Dakota also have a delinquent young man. He is named Kohana; meaning the one who is fast. He has been seen damaging people’s cars and trucks in the parking lot outside the general store. When challenged, he has been rude, and dismissive of the authority of the elders.

One evening, the whole clan is called together and forms a large circle. The young man’s father walks with him into the middle of the circle and then returns to join the other adults on the perimeter. The father speaks first.

"Kohana, you are our first born, our most precious one. Your mother and I rejoiced the first time we felt you kick in her stomach. We ran from house to house, telling all these people that you were alive . . . and well . . . and strong . . . and so you were. You were born crying with a shout so loud they heard it three hundred yards away above the radio. How proud we were! How happy! You have always made us happy. Your first few steps — oh, how you fell over into a puddle. The look on your face! How we laughed...."

On and on, the father recounts, sharing the happiest memories of his son’s life. No word of criticism is uttered. The father’s purpose is to remind the young man of all that he means to the family, to the clan, to the people; of all the joy and happiness he has brought; of the delight his whole tribe has in him. When the father is finished, it is the uncle’s turn. Then Kohana’s two grandfathers follow the uncle. The sky is darkening, the stars plainly visible. It will be long past midnight before they all have finished.

After the men, the women speak, in gentler tones, in softer cadence for it is on them that much of the work, from first labor pains to saving enough for schoolbooks, has fallen.

Finally, the clan chief speaks.

He summarizes all that has been said. He speaks slowly, with long pauses, as though searching for the deepest ways of saying what has to be said. His theme, from which he never deviates, is the same: the pride and pleasure Kohana has brought to all the Lakota people; the living, the departed, and those not yet born.

Like all the earlier speakers, he never mentions the vandalism and the malicious damage, the shame, the anger, the futility, the mindlessness; he leaves all of that unsaid.

The sole refrain is that this young man is a beautiful gift to the whole people, one of inexpressible value.

When the old man has finished speaking, he makes a small sign. The ring of people stands still, almost at attention, looking ahead of them at the young man in the center of the circle. Then they melt silently into the night.

Which young Man do you think has the better chance of transformational change: David, whose faults are catalogued and reviewed each day; or Kohana, who has been ritually assured of his place in the hearts of all his people?

As Masonic leaders, what does Kohana’s story tell us? For me, it is a story about a good boy, about wise leaders who knew the boy had good inside of him; wise leaders who through caring fellowship, and inspired education hoped to draw out that good from inside of the boy to help him become a better man.

My Brothers, it is not lost on me that I have just spent the past 15 minutes preaching to the choir. Look about you My Brothers we are blessed to be surrounded by the best and the brightest of Massachusetts Freemasonry.

Now, I would be a fool to think that I have just told you things that you don’t already know. I’ve seen proof of your awareness and actions. I have traveled all around this state and visited Lodges full of joy with so much wonderful fellowship and offering inspirational programs and education, all due to your leadership.

Grand Lodge itself is filled with committees and Brothers doing amazing work every day to improve our jurisdiction and help good Brothers better themselves.

No, my purpose was not to enlighten you about the magic of which you are all well aware. I simply wanted to reflect for a moment on our duty and the magical power that we in this room possess to help good men become better men.

Brethren, WE have the power to lead this Grand Lodge to rise to become the Grand Lodge of Inspiration and Education. YOU have the secret sauce. YOU are the leaders who realize that what makes Freemasonry different than other fraternal orders. Freemasonry is special because of our love, respect, and honor for true inspirational education dedicated to bringing out the best in ourselves and our fellow Masons.

And so, My Good Brothers gathered in this room tonight I humbly and simply implore YOU all to continue your good work to spread that secret sauce as widely as men will hear.

What a glorious and inspiring vision I have before me. Men of honor men of integrity men full of Brotherly Love and affection for each other.

How fortunate I am to be among such men who are my Brothers and my friends.

To LIFE.


Distinguished Brothers