Rafael Palma Lodge No. 147(MD NCR-E)

Capitol Masonic Temple

Matalino Street, Quezon City

RESOLUTION TO AMEND SECTION 1, ARTICLE VI OF THE MASONIC CONSTITUTION

WHEREAS, under Section 1, Article II of the Masonic Constitution, it is provided that the Grand Lodge shall be composed of the Past Masters, the Incumbent Masters and Wardens of all its Subordinate Lodges, any Past Master of any Lodge of another Grand Jurisdiction who is a resident of the Philippines and a member of a subordinate lodge, and those who have been granted honorary membership or honorary Grand Titles;

WHEREAS, under Section 1, Article V of the same Masonic Constitution, it is provided that the Grand Master, Deputy Grand Master, Grand Wardens, Grand Treasurer and Grand Secretary shall be elected by a secret ballot and by lodge representation at each Annual Communication;

WHEREAS, under Section 1, Article VI of the same Masonic Constitution, the following members of the Grand Lodge in good standing are qualified to vote during the election of officers of the Grand Lodge during the Annual Communication;

a. All the incumbent elective and appointive officers of the Grand Lodge, except the Grand Lodge Inspectors;

b. The Past Grand Masters;

c. The Incumbent Masters, Senior and Junior Wardens of accredited Subordinate Lodges;

d. The Immediate Past Master of an accredited Subordinate Lodge, in representation of all Past Masters of his Lodge.

WHEREAS, the elective and appointive Grand Lodge officers and the Past Grand

Masters, when voting at the Annual Communication, do not represent any Subordinate Lodge in this Grand Jurisdiction and their continued voting in the same violates the principle of lodge representation;

WHEREAS, the Grand Lodge elective and appointive officers’ continued voting in the same has made highly politicized the office of the Grand Master, which practice continues to erode the trust of said office and to obstruct the accountability of the Grand Master to the Grand Lodge;

NOW, THEREFORE, be it

RESOLVED, as it is hereby resolved to amend Section 1, Article VI of the Masonic Constitution to read, as follows:

“Sec. 1. Qualified Voters. – Only the following members of the Grand Lodge in good standing are qualified to vote during the election of officers of the Grand Lodge during Annual Communications:

[a. All the incumbent elective and appointive officers of the Grand Lodge except the Grand Lodge Inspectors;]

[b. The Past Grand Masters;]

a. The Incumbent Masters, Senior and Junior Wardens of the Accredited Subordinate Lodges; and

[d] b. The immediate Past Master of any accredited Subordinate Lodge, in representation of all Past Masters of his Lodge.

RESOLVED, FURTHER. That this Resolution be submitted for consideration of the Grand Lodge Committee on Resolutions and of the forthcoming Grand Lodge Annual Communications in Cagayan de Oro City, April 23-25, 2009.

Submitted to the Grand Lodge, through email by:

(Sgd) GUILLERMO B. LAZARO, JR., PDDGM

Lodge Secretary

VENUE:  Tagaytay Lodge NO. 165

2:35 pm start

Welcome by WB Noel
Manimtim

Quorum, ok

–

Minutes distributed
-

Basahin na ngayon
ang ACCOUNTS DUE ng bawat lodges

2007 balance:

Pilar 2000

Dasma  3K

300 – 6K

Trece 350- 6K

 2008

Cavite 2  :   bal
7.5K

Pilar: 9.5K

17 – bagong buhay ,
7.5K

Emilio 31 – bal 7.5K

Mainam 49 – bal 9.5K

Intong bato 7.5K bal

69 – bal 4.5K

B ilaw 97 bal: 4.5

Indant 9.5K

Tagaytay – 9.5K

Magdiwang 9.5K

300   9.5K

Mendez  9.5K

346 – 9.5K

Molino ang 7.5 K

Less ladies night,
and tree panting   1.5K

Plus  1K  for
raising of new bro

Effective august 1,
2008

After balloting -
per amendment today – not upon petition

Masonic query on
edicts read toady jewel -   send leter to
gl on

The issue of wearing
the highest apron

District meeting
next at corregidor on march 15

This is to announce that Tagaytay Lodge No. 165 has reset the draw date for their BMW raffle.  All tickets previously sold are qualified to participate.  VW Billy Sumagui will take over the chairmanship of the raffle to ensure that it is drawn on the date that will be announced.

Thank you for your support.

Freemasonry and Religion

Our purpose as Freemasons is not that of a religion.

Freemasonry lacks the basic elements of religion.

Freemasonry is not a religion nor is it a substitute for religion.

Freemasonry advocates no sectarian faith or practise.

We seek no converts.

We solicit no new members.

We raise no money for religious purposes.

We have no dogma or theology. Religious discussion is forbidden in a
Masonic lodge thereby eliminating the chance for any Masonic dogma to
form.

It offers no sacraments and does not claim to lead to salvation by
works, by secret knowledge, or by any other means. The secrets of
Freemasonry are concerned with the modes of recognition only and not with
the means of salvation.

By any definition of religion accepted by our critics, we cannot qualify
as a religion.

Freemasonry supports religion. Freemasonry is far from indifferent to
religion. Without interfering in religious practice, it expects each
member to follow his own faith.

A man does not subscribe to a new religion, much less to an
anti-Christian religion when he becomes a Freemason, any more than when he
joins any political party or the YMCA. There is nothing in Freemasonry
that is opposed to the religion he brings with him into the Masonic lodge.
Freemasonry does not assert nor does it teach that one religion is as good
as another. Freemasonry admits men of all religions.

Freemasons believe in religious freedom and that the relationship
between the individual and his God is personal, private and sacred.

We do not apply a theological test to a candidate. We do ask a man if
he believes in God and that is the only religious test. Belief in God is
faith; belief about God is theology. As Freemasons we are interested in
faith only and not in theology. Religion is not permitted to be discussed
at Masonic meetings.

Freemasonry is a completely tolerant organization. When Freemasonry
accepts a Christian, or a Jew, or a Buddhist, or a Mohammedan, it does not
accept him as such, but accepts him as a man, worthy to be received into
the Masonic fraternity.

Freemasonry stands for the values that are supreme in the life of the
church and expects each member to follow his own faith and to place his
duty to God above all other duties. We are sure that a member who is true
to the principles he learns in Freemasonry will be a better church member
because of it.