In Memoriam, Brother Rick Meuser

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Frederick James Meuser
November 21,1957 – December 18, 2022

It was with great sadness the Brothers of Jephtha Lodge learned Brother Frederick James Meuser suddenly put down his Working Tools this past December. He was a loyal Brother and a good man who is fondly remembered for the many times he brought ice cream to the Lodge from his wife’s shop, Herrell’s Ice Cream, on Girard Street in Huntington Village. They closed in June 2021 as they made plans for their retirement.

Rick, as he was fondly known, was an attorney in the music business and he and Br Ron Seifried often ran into each other on the LIRR as they headed into New York City. Ron was always happy to see him as they engaged in animated conversation, never having a negative word to say about anyone.

Rick was also a very accomplished guitarist and played with the White Fire Band at many of the big clubs on Long Island, a band he began in high school. One of his devoted followers on Facebook remembering Rick said, “Rick and White Fire were electric.” Rick has his own discography, and another album was being produced at the time of his passing.

Br Rich Harris describes Rick as “a really good man, faithful to his family, church and Masonry. He was always upbeat, positive and complimentary, and always asked about my family. He loved his motorcycle and often drove it to church in good weather.”

Rick and his wife, Cathy, were active members in St Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Huntington Station. They had been married for 35 years, raised two daughters, and were expecting their first grandchild this spring.

As is common practice among Masons, the altar in the Lodge Room will be draped in black for thirty days as we mourn our Brother.

Rest in Peace dear Brother, you will be missed.

Fraternally yours,
Richard Gentile, Editor

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Greeting from the Corner Desk, February 2023

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Dear Brothers,
I’d like to offer two quick reminders this month. First, if you are interested in being a part of the book study on The Path of the Holy Fool by Lauren Artress (which will take place on Zoom, once a month), please let me know as soon as possible.
Secondly, please remember that you will not be receiving a new dues card. When the Grand Lodge traditioned to permanent dues cards several years ago, we stopped giving new (paper) ones each year. If you have lost yours, please contact me and I will have a new one sent to you.

Grace and Peace,
R:.W:. Tim TenClay, Secretary

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Greetings from the South, February 2023

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Greetings from the South my Brothers!

I hope this newsletter finds you well and in good spirits as we approach February 2023. One exciting month is already down in 2023. Doesn’t time fly when we are having Masonic fun?

We have some great upcoming events, and we hope to see you all. Join us for the St. Patty’s Day Party on March 12th, the 3rd degree raising on Saturday, April 29th, and let’s not forget the District Deputy Grand Master visit on March 27th. For those of you who have not come down to the lodge in a long while, we cordially invite you to join us. We want to see you, laugh with you, see how you are doing and catch up at the Lodge. These meetings are our meetings, let’s enjoy them in harmony, together.

For the ladies of Jephtha Lodge, we wish you a Happy Saint Valentine’s Day.

Sincerely and Fraternally,
John A Lentinello, Junior Warden

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Greetings from the West, February 2023

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My Brothers,

One of the basic obligations of a Mason is the care of the Widows and Orphans of our Brothers. My job, as Senior Warden, is to make sure we, as a Lodge, are taking care of them. Recently, the Grand Lodge began an effort to reach out to the Widows of Masons and remind them that Masonry has not forgotten them and wishes to honor them. This is a fantastic program!

When the Grand Lodge contacted me, the first thing I did was run our MORI database to find all the Widows of deceased Brothers. There were more then 275+ deceased brothers listed in our database, and, unfortunately, less than 10 of these records contained any information about their spouses. In order for us, as a Craft, to care for our Widows, we need to know who they are. With the help of Brother Pauly Levy, who had a file of spouses’ names, I was able to update 40+ deceased Master Masons’ records. I will also begin to determine if any of those spouses are still with us, but with their husbands being 100+ years of age, they most probably are not. For those few who may still be living, I want to get in touch with them to let them know they are not forgotten.

I have found the same trend exists with our active brothers. Their spouse information has not been kept up to date.

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, let’s show our love for our spouses by making sure we have at least their names. If they are willing to share their dates of birth, we can add that as well.

Therefore, this February, I would request my Brothers send me an email (wfenty@gmail.com) with your spouse’s name, and if she will permit, her date of birth. I will make sure MORI is kept up to date.

Sincerely and Fraternally,
Br Bill Fenty III, Senior Warden

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Greetings from the East, February 2023

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Greetings Brethren,

Happy February!

As Worshipful Master, and as a past officer in other chairs, I had, and still have, many events, practices, degrees and travel to other lodges during this Masonic year. Without an understanding wife, these commitments could not have been fulfilled since she has sacrificed her time to do the things I should have been doing – giving up time with family and friends so I could spend time with my Brothers, and not being able to take my daughter to her various events. To my wife, Miranda, THANK YOU! To my daughter, thank you for your understanding.

To the lovely partners in our lives, who without their love, understanding and support of us Masons being away enabling us to fulfill our Masonic duties several times a week, a grand THANK YOU! We Masons wish you a very happy and well deserved Valentine’s Day. It is an honor for us to call you our partners.

Brothers, please embrace this day with your significant other, kiss them as you kissed them for the first time. Mine was walking in the rain to Greenwich Village on an unusually warm February evening in 2001. Tell them how much you love them. I did a few months after our first kiss, in May, in front of my mother’s tree on Mother’s Day. Remind your significant others of these significant moments and embrace them.

I would also like to remind everyone we celebrate Presidents Day this month, and we can call 14 of them Brothers. George Washington was the first Masonic President followed by James Monroe, Andrew Jackson, James Polk, James Buchanan, Andrew Johnson, James Garfield, William McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt, William Taft, Warren Harding, Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman and Gerald Ford. Although not a Master Mason, Lyndon Johnson was an Entered Apprentice, and it is rumored Abraham Lincoln was scheduled to be initiated as an Entered Apprentice the Monday after his assassination.

Without mentioning any of the words or penalties of the three obligations taken to become a Master Mason, I would like to discuss what obligation means to us. The foundation of Freemasonry is built after we take our Entered Apprentice obligation, changing our titles from Mister to Brother. A candidate now becomes a member of the oldest, caring and brotherly fraternal organization in existence. He now has a stronger tie to the Masonic Brotherhood. This is even more so when a Brother brings in a friend and he also becomes a Brother. Their relationship has changed for the better and they are bound by stronger ties than ever before.

Although the obligations are mandatory to become a Master Mason in all three degrees, it is taken under free will. These obligations insure we are held to a higher moral standard, where a Brother can form friendships with other Brothers without worrying about being defrauded, wronged or cheated. This bond means a Brother can be trusted to help you if you are in need, as you would help him in doing the same. He is also obligated to care for widows and orphans. This obligation is sworn in front of the assembled brothers of the Lodge and is a promise from us all that we will continue to hold and honor Masonry to the highest standards possible. This is an agreement we made not only to the Craft but also to the Lodge, with our hand on the Greatest Light ever, the Holy Bible, or whatever other Holy Book you believe in if you are a non-Christian. In this way, we respect all religions and beliefs. As you promised in each obligation, which is the goal of every Mason, our path is toward the light so it becomes stronger and brighter each day.

My Dear Brothers, remember the promises you made while taking your obligation and always live life as you promised. Remember, the darker it gets the brighter your light must shine.

We mourn the sudden passing of our dear Brother, Frederick James Meuser, who laid down his Working Tools suddenly on December 18th. At the request of his family, we honored his memory with a Masonic Funeral Service. We send our deepest condolences to his wife, Cathy, his two daughters, Catlin and Christy, and his entire family.

Sincerely and Fraternally,
W:.M:. Michael S Crispino, Jr

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