July 2024 Trestleboard

The Trestleboard is an official publication of Twin Peaks Lodge No. 32, which is a legally constituted Masonic Lodge operating under charter granted by the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of Utah. The Trestleboard is published for the sole and exclusive use of the members of Twin Peaks Lodge No. 32, and any other use is expressly forbidden.  The editor of The Trestleboard is Glen Van Steeter.  Submissions of educational articles or other announcements may be sent to the editor at [email protected], and if selected for publication, will be given full attribution. All submissions are subject to the approval of the Worshipful Master of Twin Peaks Lodge No. 32 and the editor of the Trestleboard.

The Lodge Secretary endeavors to keep our roster as accurate as possible. If you are moving, changing your mailing address, phone number or email address, please update your information in GrandView or notify the Secretary so that your information can be kept current.

Twin Peaks Lodge Secretary

July Calendar

• Monday, July 1 @ 7:00am – Fellowcraft Degree. Lodge Opens at 7:00pm in the Egyptian Room at the Downtown Salt Lake Masonic Temple.
• Monday, July 8 @ 7:00pm – Planning meeting @ South Valley Masonic Center.
• Saturday, July 13 @ 8:00am – Volunteering at the Utah Food Bank.
• Monday, July 15 @ 7:00pm – No Lodge meeting. We are “dark”
• Monday, July 22 @ 7:00pm – Fellowship Dinner Meetup at Chubby’s in Riverton
• Monday, July 29 @ 7:00pm – TBD

Sickness and Distress

• Please keep Brothers Tiago Vidigal and Austin Stoker in your prayers, extend a brotherly hand, and reach out to them as they are each going through difficult times.

Please keep these brethren and their families in your thoughts, and add them to your daily devotions to the Grand Architect.

If you happen to hear about a brother who is in distress, please contact either the Worshipful Master or the Lodge Secretary ASAP so that the Lodge can put itself in a position to assist.

FROM THE EAST

Brothers All,

Thank you to everyone who came out for our practices and Fellowcraft degrees. we performed top notch degree work and proud to pass three new brothers to the fellowcraft degree.

The next time you see W.B. Ric Wailes, thank him for his single-handed efforts to transport all the Lodge paraphernalia from the South Valley Masonic Center to the Salt Lake Masonic Temple, and back again. His devotion and dedication to our Lodge deserves your appreciation. 

Our next Utah Food Bank Event is July 13th, mark your calendars and let’s have a great turnout! 

Parting on the Square, 

Bob Hartman, PM, Worshipful Master

FROM THE SECRETARY’S DESK

Nothing from the Secretary’s desk.

Glen Van Steeter, PM – Secretary

Past Events

Congratulations to our Newest Fellowcrafts!

We wish to extend a sincere congratulations to being passed to the second degree. We know each of these brothers have worked hard on committing the catechism to memory and understand more of what they experienced in the Entered Apprentice Degree. We look forward to seeing you progress.

This was also a special degree as Worshipful Brother Glen VanSteeter was able to pass his son with his other son-in-law (and brother) in attendance.

The Traveling Gavel

The brothers of Twin Peaks Lodge #32 went to visit Amity Lodge in Brigham City and now have the Traveling Gavel!

So, what is a traveling gavel? Well, basically it is an item of paraphernalia dedicated to the Grand Master of Masons in Utah, that is given by the Grand Master to a Lodge in Utah. It remains at that Lodge UNTIL at least 5 brothers (two of which have to be pedestal officers) from a different Lodge, visit that Lodge and take the gavel back to their Lodge, then it waits to be taken by yet another Lodge. It’s a way to encourage Brothers to visit another Lodge in this jurisdiction. If there are at least five visitors from 2 or more Lodges, the Lodge with the greatest number of visiting brethren takes the gavel home.

We extend a warm welcome… nah, we challenge our fellow lodges to “Come and take it!”

Masons at Work Picnic

Thank you to everyone who helped plan, organize, and operate our annual Masons at Work Picnic! It’s always good to get together with our families outside of lodge and enjoy good barbeque and games. We also raised funds to help support the continual efforts of our lodge and goals.

Utah Food Bank

Twin Peaks Lodge #32 is grateful to volunteer at the Utah Food Bank and help support those in need within our local community. Our next date volunteering at the Food Bank will be Saturday, July 13 at 8:00am. We hope to see you there.

Upcoming Events

Social Meetup

Masonic Anniversaries

These brethren were raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason in the month of July.

• Most Worshipful Brother Frank Baker, raised on July 12, 1999 and has 25 years of service.
• Worshipful Brother Lyle Miller, raised on July 19, 2004 and has 20 years of service.
• Worshipful Brother Richard Wailes, raised on July 19, 2004 and has 20 years of service.
• Worshipful Brother Ephraim Sng, raised on July 19, 2007 and has 17 years of service.

Happy Birthdays!

These brethren were born in July. Make sure and wish them a “Happy Birthday!” when you see them this month!

• Brother Jeremy Estes, born on July 21.
• Brother Devin Foutz, born on July 12.
• Brother Rick Hofmann, born on July 4.
• Brother Christopher Rogers, born July 12.
• Brother Joshua Fau’olo, born on July 23.

Masonic Education

Twice in 24 hours

The Masonic penalties within Freemasonry are largely considered to be of a secret nature-not to be discussed outside the walls of our fraternity. What I would like to mention, however, is an element of one of those penalties in a way that is acceptable.

Within the Entered Apprentice degree, as in all degrees in Freemasonry, we take an obligation and make certain promises. There is, of course, a penalty for breaking this promise. In the first degree, there is an allusion to a place where the tide ebbs and flows twice in 24 hours. This is an ancient ritual that dates back to “time immemorial.” This ritual is used to symbolize the consequences of breaking one of the most sacred of Masonic oaths-the vow of secrecy. In this penalty, an item is buried in a spot that is affected by the ebb and flow of the tide. This spot must be one where the tide ebbs and flows twice within a 24-
hour period.

Curiously this happens nowhere on Earth but in one place.

This ritual is meant to serve as a reminder to all Masons of the importance of keeping their oaths and of the consequences of breaking them.

The symbolism of this ritual is quite powerful and meaningful. The ebb and flow of the tide is a metaphor for the passage of time and the effects of breaking the oath. As the tide ebbs and flows, the sand gradually covers and uncovers, symbolizing the gradual fading of the vow of secrecy. The fact that the tide ebbs and flows twice in 24 hours serves as a reminder that the consequences of breaking the oath will remain forever, even if the person is no longer a Mason. It could even be considered a ceremonious repeated washing as a sign of mistrust.

It is a tangible reminder of the commitment that is made to uphold the ideals of the fraternity and to protect the secrets of the Masonic Order.

So where does the tide regularly ebb and flow twice in 24 hours?

The Dead Sea is a unique location on Earth, as it is the only place in the world where the tide ebbs and flows twice in 24 hours. Located between Jordan and the West Bank of Israel, the Dead Sea is an inland saltwater lake that is renowned for its high salinity and its healing properties. Its unique characteristics make it a popular destination for tourists and travelers from all over the world.

The Dead sea has an impressive depth of over 1,200 feet, and it’s shore is the lowest point on the earth’s surface. Its unique combination of high salinity and minerals, as well as its location in the protective basin of the Jordan Valley, make it one of the most saline bodies of water on the planet.

This high salinity contributes to the phenomenon of the twice-daily flux. The twice-daily tidal flux is caused by the gravitational pull of the sun and moon and the effect of the Mediterranean Sea. The Mediterranean Sea causes a powerful current to flow from the south to the north, which creates a swell that causes the tide to rise and fall twice in 24 hours. This phenomenon is unique to the Dead Sea, as all other bodies of water experience only one high and low tide in a day.

R.H. Johnson, Midnight Freemasons Blog; delivered to the Waukegan Masonic
Lodge #78 on May 15th, 2023.
Submitted by Bob Hartman, WM Twin Peaks Lodge #32