Dear Brother Ryan Tondares: Please accept my personal congratulations on your outstanding address to the Freemasons of California at their recent annual communication! I am sorry that I missed the opportunity to shake your hand, following your speech. I was fortunate, however, to greet reciprocally the young men of the Saint Bernard Priory, Order of Knighthood, Sir Knights Jacob Hanson, Illustrious Knight Commander, John Finnefrock, Squire Commander, Christopher Baker, Page Commander and Mark Patton, accompanied by Brothers Nicolas Kenneth Poulter, Senior Councilor, and Levi Ridge Pivoda, Junior Councilor, of the Northern California DeMolay Association. This greeting occurred minutes before their impressive formation of the DeMolay Arch of Steel, which must have drawn considerable admiration from the large assemblage Freemasons and their families and friends. Your words, acknowledging Dad Frank Sherman Land, the founder of the Order of DeMolay, who had taken under his wings for encouragement, young men left fatherless after World War One, were appositely chosen. There have been too many missed opportunities to mentor young people in need of such encouragement; and whether or not the Freemasons whom you addressed were “DeMolay Dads,” each may now respond to a particular need in this world that Dad Land recognized many years ago. Mentoring is as relevant still, if not more so. It is further fitting that, although you probably were not aware of what would follow your address, our Grand Master, the Most Worshipful Russ Charvonia (Russell E. Charvonia), subsequently delivered a message to the same assemblage, calling upon Freemasons everywhere to “Repair the World.” Now, to many a citizen, such a concept may seem daunting, if not an insurmountable challenge. Yet, I believe it is possible to accomplish, once we all understand that we are vital parts of the whole. Your call for mentorship is indeed one of the ways that such a small measure of vitality in a vast world can be recognized and actuated, or, as “Dad Charvonia,” might have uttered it, “Ordinary men may accomplish extraordinary things!” Finally, Brother Ryan, I send you my sincerest thoughts of good will and hopes for God’s blessings to support you in your year of service, and even so, for years beyond. Fraternally, Merrick Hamer
Posted on: Tue, 14 Oct 2014 06:07:10 +0000
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