The year is 1919.  Millions of men are away from their families, fighting in World War One.

There are also millions of young boys without fathers at home.  They have no role models (sounds a little like today’s world in my opinion). 

A 17 year old young man who had just lost his father and was needing a job went to see a man by the name Frank S. Land.  Frank Land was a Freemason, a member of the Scottish Rite, and a Shriner.  He saw a need not just to give the young man a job but to help him and other boys learn some other skills.   He invited the young man to dinner and told the young man to bring some of his friends.

They had dinner at Land’s home. He told them the story of the Knights Templar. He told them about Jacques DeMolay and how instead of give up his friends he would rather face judgment, be tortured, and burned alive.  In honor of Jacques DeMolay they decided to name the new group for boys The Order of DeMolay. 

These boys, and the man now known as Dad Land, would meet in Masonic lodges. Within a few years, this local Oklahoma group grew to be a national and now international organization. 

The teachings of Dad Land still apply today, helping to show young men how to be leaders and to respect women (which is very much needed now a days) as well as civic awareness and personal responsibility.

DeMolay is for young men between the ages of 12 to 21. There are many famous figures you may not know were members of DeMolay, for example John Wayne, Walt Disney, Pete Rose, and Paul Harvey.  Today there are many chapters in our state in the north, center and south of Mississippi.

Many of the young men of DeMolay join the Masonic lodge close to them so that is great news for masonry because we will have young men ready to be leaders.

I have been a DeMolay Chapter Chairman for JB Adams Chapter in Vardaman, Mississippi since 2012.  In this time, I have gotten to know many young men throughout the state.  I have seen them change over the years for the better.  I have seen attitudes, grades and public speaking skills change for the better. I am so grateful to be a part of such a great organization.  If any of you men out here know of any young men that would like to join DeMolay or if you would like to start a chapter in your lodge, please contact Dad Darrell Sartin, the executive officer for Mississippi.

I have only touched the tip of the iceberg.   
This is just a little about DeMolay and how it affects our younger generation and our Masonic lodges. If you would like more information on DeMolay go to  www.demolay.org

With Great Love,
Billy J. Barfield Jr., Grand Pursuivant
Grand Lodge of Mississippi

G – God‎ has‎ blessed‎ you!

E‎ ‎- Everyone‎ needs‎ help‎ now‎ and‎ then, ‎whether‎ financial‎ or‎ inspirational.

N‎ – Never‎ assume‎ that‎ the‎ person‎ you‎ are‎ talking‎ to‎ doesn’t‎ need‎ a‎ kind‎ word.

E‎ – Every‎ day‎ make‎ it‎ part‎ of‎ your‎ routine‎ to‎ do‎ at‎ least‎ one‎ kind‎ deed‎ that‎ cannot‎ be‎ repaid.

R‎ – Realize‎ that‎ in‎ giving‎ to‎ others‎ you‎ are‎ actually‎ heaping‎ blessings‎ on‎ yourself.

O‎ – Observe‎ closely‎ the‎ needs‎ of‎ others‎ that‎ cross‎ your‎ path‎ daily.‎

U‎ – Understand‎ that‎ giving‎ to‎ others‎ not‎ only‎ makes‎ them‎ smile,‎ but‎ God‎ smiles‎ too.

S‎ – Simply‎ following‎ these‎ things‎ will‎ make‎ you‎ a‎ happier‎ person.

I‎ GUARANTEE‎ IT!!!

Fraternally Submitted
M. Keith Ballard, Senior Grand Deacon
Grand Lodge of Mississippi

“It doesn’t matter what other people think.”

Have you ever given any thought to this statement? Most of us have thought it or probably even said it!

I would beg to differ with this statement. It matters very much what others think of us because this is the way we build our reputations.

As you go about your everyday life, what do others see? Do they see kindness, patience, and a desire to live a good clean moral life? 

Our society in general has become a turbulent sea of immorality and selfishness. When one is in turbulent waters he or she is searching for a place to place their feet on something solid so they can rise out of the turbulence of the waters.

If a solid rock should appear this is what they need to lift themselves out of the chaos of the waters.

I submit to you that as a fraternity of Masons, we should individually and collectively be that solid rock.

So, my brethren, are you willing to join me in taking care that we guard our reputation so we can be the example of the solid rock?…the calm within the storm?

This society we live in needs good moral examples now more than ever and if you will remember your obligations, you should realize that it is YOUR DUTY to be that example.

Fraternally submitted,
M. Keith Ballard, Sr. Grand Deacon
Grand Lodge of Mississippi

We all know the old story of the Hare and the Tortoise. The hare is fast, quick and most likely to win the race. The tortoise is slow, steady and not the one you’d normally bet on. However, as the story goes the hare burns up all his energy rather quickly and in the end is so exhausted, he can’t finish the race therefore the tortoise wins.

We face the same problem in our lodges every time we make a new Master Mason. As we go around the lodge congratulating him, we talk about how he’s just beginning and that there is so much more. What’s the next thing to happen? A Brother sticks an application in his hand for one of the appendant bodies, another tells him he needs to get on a degree team, another tells him he needs to start learning the ritual. Another Brother insist he get in the line.

Either one of two things happen in a very quick order. The first is, you scare him so bad he runs off as fast as a whipped dog. The second, he jumps in so fast that in 3-4 years he’s the Master with a lack of Masonic maturity. He has become the Hare of this race.

What is an important portion of Masonic maturity? It’s knowing and understanding the laws, edicts and rules of how to operate and govern a lodge. Without this, what we have done is a total disservice to the man and to the Lodge.

So, what is the answer? It’s quite simple my Brothers. It’s called the Williams Digest. I submit that if we instead directed the new MM to the website for this, ask him to download it to his computer and start reading the portions pertaining to the operation of the Lodge, we would have a better educated Mason and Lodge. Or, if the Lodge can afford it, print that portion of the digest, bind it and present it to him the night he’s made a MM. Additionally, at each and every meeting, have a brief discussion on a portion of the Digest. Get these new Brothers involved in the discussions, encourage them at each meeting to continue their reading.

Here’s that link: https://www.msgrandlodge.org/williams-digest-of-laws/

A better educated Mason will be better prepared to assume roles of leadership and he will be a more active member of the lodge.

So, let’s stop this push-push-push and let’s start a program of educating of Brothers for the sake of a better Man, a better Mason, and a better Lodge.

Xerxes Z. Herrington
Grand Orator, Grand Lodge of Mississippi

Whether‎ it‎ be‎ a‎ do‎ it‎ yourself‎ project,‎ ‎ a‎ major‎ construction‎ undertaking,‎ or ‎ just‎ a‎ small‎ carpentry‎ job,‎ it‎ doesn’t‎ take‎ long‎ to‎ learn‎ the‎ valuable‎ lesson‎ of‎ “measure‎ twice,‎ cut‎ once”.‎  This‎ is‎ an‎ important‎ lesson‎ to‎ learn‎ in‎ being‎ more‎ efficient‎ and‎ insuring‎ that‎ not‎ as‎ many‎ mistakes‎ are‎ made.

This‎ can‎ also‎ be applied‎ to‎ our‎ every‎ day‎ lives‎ by‎ realizing‎ that‎ careful‎ consideration‎ should‎ be‎ taken‎ before‎ we‎ speak.‎ Speaking‎ is‎ the‎ most‎ common‎ form‎ of‎ communication‎ between‎ people.‎ Careful‎ consideration‎ should‎ be‎ taken‎ to‎ measure‎ in‎ our‎ consciousness‎ how‎ the‎ spoken‎ word‎ will‎ be‎ interpreted‎ by‎ those‎ to‎ whom‎ we‎ are‎ speaking.‎ “Consider‎ twice,‎ speak‎ once”.‎ ‎

Our‎ organization‎ places‎ a‎ great‎ emphasis‎ on‎ Brotherly‎ Love,‎ ‎ therefore,‎ it‎ is‎ our‎ duty‎ to‎ be‎ more‎ discerning‎ and‎ caring‎ when‎ speaking‎ to‎ all‎ others,‎ more‎ especially‎ to‎ a‎ brother‎ mason.

The‎ old‎ adage,‎ sticks‎ and‎ stones‎ may‎ break‎ my‎ bones,‎ but‎ words‎ will‎ never‎ hurt‎ me‎ is‎ NOT‎ NECESSARILY‎ TRUE!‎ We‎ should‎ all‎ realize‎ the‎ fact‎ that‎ once‎ words‎ are‎ spoken‎ they‎ can‎ be‎ forgiven,‎ but‎ they‎ will‎ seldom‎ be‎ forgotten.‎ If‎ care‎ is‎ taken‎ to‎ think‎ carefully‎ before‎ we‎ speak‎ the‎ necessity‎ to “forgive‎ and‎ forget”‎ can‎ be‎ avoided.‎ This‎ one‎ small‎ effort‎ on‎ our‎ part‎ will‎ help‎ the‎ “honor,‎ glory,‎ and‎ reputation‎ of‎ our‎ Institution‎ be‎ firmly‎ established‎ and‎ the‎ world‎ at‎ large‎ convinced‎ of‎ its‎ good‎ effects.”

Fraternally‎ submitted,
M.‎ Keith Ballard
Senior Grand Deacon, Grand Lodge of MS

Dwayne Johnson, a professional wrestler and movie star is a well-known actor because of the heroic characters he portrays. He’s admired for these characters because they represent a man of moral character and high integrity, always fighting for the right thing and defending the downtrodden and weaker in society. I personally enjoy his movies and I can fully understand why so many still call him by his wrestling nickname, “The Rock”.

It’s a great moniker or nickname for one who sets this sort of example in society.

For a far greater description, let us look to two of the Great Books of Law, the Christian Bible and the Jewish Torah for a definition of the “THE ROCK”.

Psalm 18:2 “The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

1 Sam 2:2 “There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.”

Deuteronomy 32:4 “He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just.”

Isaiah 51:1 “Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the LORD: Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn.”

Now that we have established what it means to be “THE ROCK”, let us examine ourselves as Masons in that Light.

As Masons, we are not supposed to be the average of our community, we are the ones with which others aspire to be like. We do not follow the fads of society, we set the standards for society to follow. Our standards have not faltered nor have they been dismissed. What we presently have is a gradual erosion within our fraternity because some of our order feel the pressure of society demanding we change to accept lower standards. With a lowering of standards, we lessen our importance as leaders and models in our communities and in our families.

What I find most interesting is the constant push by society to accept these yet movies such as those with the Rock in them are so popular. What does that say for us? It clearly says that elements in our society are demanding one thing but people are rejecting it and demanding much better.

Society has become tolerant of foul language, sexual depravity, attacks on the morality of all religions, drunkenness, drug use, political and financial corruption, to name a few. Does that mean we should do the same in our daily interaction with others? How do you talk, how do you dress, how do you interact with your spouse, your children, your co-workers, your neighbors, your Lodge Brothers?

Again, how are we to respond as Masons to all this?

I submit that we must strive daily to maintain those high levels of morality, honor, integrity and the standards of our forefathers and ancient models.

So, the question I have for each of you as an individual is this?

Are you the “Rock” of your family? Do you set the example for your children to follow? Are you a “Rock” in your community? Do you volunteer to help and assist others or is that left to someone else? Are you there for your spouse when she needs your help, are you there for children’s school and sport activities, or is your golf game, your racing event, your college football on TV more important than your spouse or children?

Are you a Rock in your Lodge? Do you even attend Lodge? Or, are you just a card-carrying member?

It’s easy for all of us to become drifting sand, following the fads and demands of a degenerative society and where would that lead us? We all know the answer.

If you are not a Rock, then what is stopping you?

Xerxes Z. Herrington
Grand Orator, Grand Lodge of Mississippi