W ell, my year as master is just about over and I need to thank all the brothers who

have made this year the success that it has been. Thank you all for all the hard work you have done to make Oasis Lodge #52 the Place to be for Masonry, I could not have done it my-self. First and foremost I need to thank my officers for their diligent work in keeping the doors open. First my Wardens, Sr Warden Frank Rice I can’t thank you enough for filling in for me when I left for my trip to New Jersey, you kept the lodge on track, and Jr Warden Dave “Popcorn” Prominshankel for all the wonderful meals that we have enjoyed, I know it has been hard work and you have been a rock. To the Deacons and the various brothers that have filled the post over the past year, I really need to extent my heartfelt thanks. To WB’s Tim and Randy, these guys are my right and left hands for all they do behind the scenes. No lodge master can succeed without a good Secretary and Treasurer, and we’ve

got the best!

So here is the list of the newly elected and appointed Officers for 2016

Worshipful Master WB Frank Rice

Senior Warden WB Roger Cousineau

Junior Warden Bro Dave Promenschenkel (Continued on page 2)

The Vision Statement Of Oasis Masonic Lodge #

52 Is That The Lodge:

� Is A Recognized Active Participant In The Ma-

sonic Community Fostering Fraternal Fellow-

ship And Masonic Teachings.

� Supports The Local Community Through In-

volvement With Public Schools And Programs

Addressing Community Concerns.

The Mission Statement Of Oasis Masonic Lodge # 52

Is To:

� Preserve And Promote The Teachings Of Free-

masonry.

� Promote Masonic Values Through Service To

Mankind And Our Conduct In Life.

� Inspire Good Men To Seek Membership In

Our Organization.

� Encourage The Membership To Continually

Seek The Truth.

� Promote Active Fellowship With Masonic

Friends And Family.

From the Ea s t W.B. Jim Hewitt

N o v 1 8 , 2 0 1 5

Secretary WB Tim Yaiser

Treasurer WB Randy Jager

Senior Deacon Dee Webster

Junior Deacon Wesley Gray

Chaplain WB Dan Tulloh

Senior Stewart Jon Hinkey

Junior Stewart Ray Donehue

Marshal Dan Brys

Tyler WB Paul Weathers

(Continued from page 1) Features

Page 1

Oasis Lodge Vision

Statement

Oasis Lodge Mission

Statement

Thoughts from the

Worshipful Master

Page 2

Masonic Birthdays

Page 3

Upcoming Events

2015Officers

2015 Committees

Page 4

From the West

The Black Cube

(Article)

Page 5

From the South

Page 6

Freemasonry in China

(Article)

Wood, Rodney

Masonic

November

Berry, Alan Carter, James Chaney, Earl Chuk, Stevan Franklin, George Garber, Richard Hines, Steven Louis, Jimmy McLaughlin, Bruce Neulreich, Robert Parsley Jr, Paul Taylor, Richard Taylor,Sr, Willis Weathers, Paul ***

December

Cousineau, Roger Hewitt, James Rice, Frank Stoff, Jesse *** 53 Years a Mason

Birthdays

P a g e 2

November

Bonnell, Sheldon Gerhart, Gregory Glenn, Jacky Jager, Randal Lindquist, Alex IV Louis, Jimmy Sanchez, Julio Smith Jr, Leroy

December

Cousineau, Roger Powlesland, Stephen Starcher, Steve Wilhite, William

OFFICERS for 2015

WM WB Jim Hewitt, 721-4049, JLHewittSr@cox.net SW WB Frank Rice, 546-1312, FRice@microsoft com JW Bro Dave Promenschenkel, 207-8867, DaveProm2002@Yahoo.com

Sec. WB Timothy Yaiser, 661-3008

TYaiser@cox.net Treas. WB Randy Jager, 405-6098 Randy@thejagers.com JD WB Wil Taylor Sr, 975-4898,

WilTaylorSRPM@Gmail.com SD Bro Julio Sanchez, 434-4226 Chaplain WB Dan Tulloh, 370-4115, DWTulloh61@cox.net SS Bro Dee Webster, 270-3718 JS Jon Henke, 305-5468, jon.a.henke@gmail.com Marshal Bro Dan Brys, 306-8959, danjbrys@msn.com Tyler WB Paul Weathers, 290-6260, pwabble@cox.net Trustees: 3 year WB Mike Bravin, 2 year Bro Robert Shrager, 1 year WB Roger Cousineau

Ritual Director

WB Paul

Masonic Education

WB Tim Yaser

Candidates, Coaches, and Mentors

SW Frank Rice

Annual Veterans Day Poker Run

Bro Ray Donohue

Spring Masonic Family and Friends Event

WB Randy Jager

Public Schools

WB Roger Cousineau

Masonic Communications

WB Dean Millard

Fall Masonic Family and Friends Night

WB Jim Hewitt

Membership Committee

WB Jerry Badinger

Mason Of The Year

Assigned by Lodge Master

Long Range Plans

WB Jerry Badinger

Widows / Welfare / Assistance

WB Paul Weathers

Youth Groups

WB Dean Millard

Dues & Relief

WB Jerry Badinger

745-4307

Trestle Board Editor

WB Jim Hewitt 721-4049

jlhewittsr@cox.net

WEB Master

WB Frank Rice

Public Relations

WB Bruce McLaughlin

COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN

SICKNESS and DISTRESS If you or your loved ones are stricken with an illness or distress or any other major concern, don’t keep it inside, let us know about it. We may be limited in many cases to remembering you in our prayers. But I be-lieve that the majority of us believe in the power of prayer so please let us

be informed of your troubled times.

Call WB Paul Weathers at (520) 290-6260 or Brother Ray Donohue at

(520) 290-9802.

Upcoming Meetings

November 2015

20 Nov—6:00 PM Fall MFFN @

Sabbar

24 Nov—7:00 PM Lodge of Instruction @ Nelson C. Bledsoe #74 (No

Meeting @ Oasis)

December 2015

05 Dec—08:30 AM Trustees Meeting

06 Dec—1:00 PM 2016 Officers Installation

08 Dec—7:30 PM. Stated Meeting

18 Dec—5:00 PM Christmas Get Together

@ Canyon’s Crown

29 Dec—No Meeting

Happy New Year

P a g e 3

COMMITTEES WILL BE

APPOINTED BY NEW

WORSHIPFUL MASTER

P a g e 4

From The Wes t WB Frank Rice — Sen io r Warden

The Black Cube

(Copied from an article by Tim S. Anderson DGS/LSC)

U nfortunately, no hard and fast rule can be laid down on the use of a Black Cube when balloting. There is no way to explain "this is a good reason, but that is not a good reason" for casting a black cube. Each

Mason has to judge the reason for himself. Yet some suggestions may be given.

We know a man we dislike. He has different ideas from ours. He belongs to a different "set." He is not the type that we admire. Our dislike does not amount to hatred, nor is it predicated upon any evil in the man's character. He and we are antipathetic; we rub each other the wrong way. When he applies to our lodge we must decide this question: will the unpleasantness to us, in having him as a member, be greater than the good to him which may come from his reception of the Masonic teachings? Are we sure that we cannot accept him

as a brother merely because we "have never liked him?"

We all know cases like this; the president of the bank turns down Johnson's application for a second mort-gage. Johnson makes the matter personal. He "has it in" for the president. The president applies for the de-grees. Someone casts a black cube. It may or may not be Johnson. No one knows. But later perhaps we hear Johnson's boast "I got even with that son-of-a-gun who turned down my loan!" He doesn't say how he "got even," of course. But we are pretty sure we know. Such a use of the black cube is, of course, utterly un Ma-sonic. It is a misuse of a great power. We might as well turn down the minister of the Baptist church because he doesn't agree with our minister, who is a Methodist! Or turn down the automobile dealer because he re-fused to give us a larger allowance on our old car! To turn the Masonic black cube into a secret dagger for

personal revenge is un-Masonic and indefensible.

Freemasonry works some curious miracles. A self-made man applied five times for the degrees in a certain lodge. The man was rather uneducated, yet a commercial success. He had, literally, raised himself by his bootstraps from the poverty of the streets to a business position of some prominence. Yet he was rather raw, rough and ready, even uncouth. No shadow of personal unworthiness rested upon him; he was honest, upright, a good citizen. In this lodge a certain Past Master (as was discovered in after years) voted four times against this applicant. The Past Master left the city. On the fifth application the petitioner was elected. Something in Masonry took hold of his heart. Through Masonry he was led to acquire some of the education that he lacked; through Masonry he was led into the church. In time he made such a reputation for himself as a Mason that he was put in the officers line, and finally achieved the solemn distinction of being made Master of his lodge. He

is still regarded as one of the best, most constructive and ablest Masters that lodge has ever had.

In the course of ten or twelve years the absent Past Master returned. In the light of history, he confessed (which strictly speaking he should not have done!) that it was he who had kept this man out for what he really believed were good reasons. He thought the "rough neck" would detract from the dignity and honor of the Fraternity. Yet this same "rough neck," through Masonry, became educated, a good churchman, a fine Mason

and an excellent officer.

Had the Past Master, whose black cubes were cast with honest intention to benefit the Fraternity, not left town the blessings of Masonry might forever have been denied to a heart ready to receive them and society, the lodge and the church been prevented from having the services of a man who gave largely of himself to all

(Continued on page 5)

P a g e 5

From The Sou th Bro Dave Promenschenkel — Jr. Warden

Greetings Brethren;

W here has the last year gone?? It seems like last week we got installed, now it's just about over for this year. I have enjoyed sitting in the South and also re-learning the work and participating in the several

Rituals we have done this year. Hopefully we will have a lot of Work to do in 2016.

I would like to thank everyone for their help with the Work and would like to encourage you all to learn a

part of the Work that you do not know. This will give the ones that do know it a little break once in a while.

I am hoping that none of you gained too much weight from the meals this year, but if you did, walk it off.

Installation is coming up on December 6, 2015 so hope to see you all there.

One thing more, you will never get bored reading any article that I write. I hate writing them so they are

usually too short to get boring.

Hope to see you all in Lodge. Every Tuesday, we don't go dark in the Summer, so if you need or want

something to get you out of the house, you know where we are.

three.

The black cube is the great protection of the Fraternity; it permits the brother who does not desire to make public his secret knowledge, to use that knowledge for the benefit of the Craft. It gives to all members the right to say who shall not become members of their lodge family. But at the same time it puts to the test the

Masonic heart, and the personal honesty of every brother who deliberates on its use.

The black cube is a thorough test of our understanding of the Masonic teaching of the cardinal virtue, justice, which "enables us to render to every man his just due without distinction." We are taught of justice that "it

should be the invariable practice of every Mason, never to deviate from the minutest principle thereof."

Justice to the lodge requires us to cast the black cube on an applicant we believe to be unfit. Justice to our-selves requires that we cast the black cube on the application of the man we believe would destroy the reputa-

tion of our lodge.

Through justice to the applicant we are taught to render justice to every man, not merely to Masons. To symbolically cast no black cube for little reasons, small reasons, mean reasons. And justice to justice requires that we think carefully, deliberate slowly, and act cautiously. No man will know what we do; no eye will see, save that All Seeing Eye that pervades the innermost recesses of our hearts, and will, so we are taught, reward

us according to our merits.

Shakespeare said, "O, it is excellent to have a giant's strength, but it is tyrannous to use it like a giant!"

The black cube is a giant's strength to protect Freemasonry. Used thoughtlessly, carelessly, without Masonic

reason, it crushes not only him at whom it is aimed but also him who casts it.

A well-used black cube goes into the ballot box.

Ill-used, it drops into the heart and blackens it.

Remember: Always vote for the good of the Fraternity.

(Continued from page 4)

P a g e 6

O ver the ages there have been a large number of organizations in China that claimed to be Masonic, many of which had no resemblance to Freemasonry as we know it in modern centuries, or rather since the

1600’s up to today. Some were more of a political organization while others were based on various concepts of religions, while yet others were formed to provide charitable care for humanity, perhaps the closest to our

concepts.

None of those would bear any resemblance to what eventually derived from England, Massachusetts and the

Philippines Grand Lodges.

In 1886 there were in existence at Victoria, better know today as Hong Kong, and in the Chinese treaty ports,

a total of 13 English Lodges, 4 Scottish, 1 American and 1 Irish.

The lodges under the American charters was constituted by the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, which ac-cording to the Encyclopedia of Freemasonry, has led other Grand Jurisdictions in work for foreign countries, followed by New York. The Mother Lodges in China were Ancient Landmark Lodges. The charter for a Lodge in Shanghai was issued by the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts on December 14, 1864. Seven more charters were granted by the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts by March of 1929. In 1915 the first District

Grand Lodge was formed.

One source I’ve found says that more modern and organized Freemasonry were as we know of it today. It was brought to China by Masonic Brothers on a ship named Prince Carl and belonging to Svenska Ostindiska Compabiet, or in English, Swedish Eastland Company. The Freemasons on board that ship had a document that provided them permission to hold Masonic meetings at any port. This they did in the Port City of Guang-zhou in 1759, which now is now known as the city named Canton, China. This was apparently the first intro-

duction of true Freemasonry to that land.

The Grand Lodge of England still has recorded minutes showing that in 1768 there was a meeting held in the newly chartered Amity Lodge in Canton. By the end of that century Amity Lodge #407 no longer existed. But in Hong Kong two Lodges were established when the British had acquired control of the Hong Kong Ter-ritory. The first of these two Lodges, Royal Sussex Lodge #501 that had been warranted in 1844 and was

moved to the City of Guangzhou. This was the start of the expansion of Modern Freemasonry in China.

In the Mainland of China, Lodges were formed in Shanghai, then in Ningbo and Tianjin. For many years, lodge membership was limited to Europeans and other foreigners. Lodges in China’s seaports and other major cities were chartered by Grand Lodges of England, Scotland, and Massachusetts, and then in later years by the

Grand Lodge of the Philippines.

During the Qing (Kang) Dynasty it was made impossible for a Chinese to become a Freemason. But in 1873 the leader of the Chinese Education Mission in Massachusetts ignored that way of thinking; and the first known Chinese to be made a Mason was Brother Shan Hing Yung who was an Imperial Navy Lieutenant. He was initiated into Lodge Star of Southern China #2013 in Guangzhou in 1889. There was one lowly lodge in

the City of Shanghai that held a charter from the Grand Lodge of Ireland.

In 1930, a group of American and Chinese Brothers, all having been raised abroad, decided to form a Lodge in Shanghai for the purpose of bringing Freemasonry to the Chinese aspirants of its degrees. Its charter mem-bers were well known Brothers from the Grand Lodge of China in Taipei, Taiwan, all of which had members

of lodges in the U.S.A. except for one Brother who had been raised in an English Lodge in Jamaica.

This Lodge #106 was by coincidence given the name Amity as had also as Amity Lodge #1 as the first Ma-(Continued on page 7)

FREEMASONRY IN CHINA

By WB Paul Weathers

P a g e 7

sonic Lodge in China nearly 200 years earlier and Amity Lodge #407 in 1768. Amity Lodge #1 is still in exis-

tence in Taipei. Taiwan under the G.L. of China.

Many of the lodges in China had a majority of Chinese members by the beginning of the Sino-Japanese War,

especially in those lodges chartered by the Grand Lodge of the Philippines.

During the Japanese invasion of China and for the duration of World War II, a group of Master Mason from

various nations came together to form a Square and Compass Club in Chungking, Provence of Szechwan.

By early 1943, the S&C Club, despite the many hardships during war, had developed a nucleus of Brothers who felt it necessary to establish a recognized lodge. The Grand Lodge of California granted a dispensation, and under dispensation was proven itself and received a Charter. It was appropriately named Fortitude Lodge. The Lodge met regularly despite inclement weather, air raids, and other difficulty. But by 1945, with the ces-sation of the hostilities, the members were dispersed, leading to the necessity to return its Charter to the G. L. of California. But there is an interesting fact; during this short lived Lodge, four future Grand Masters for the Grand Lodge of Masons in China, were members of Fortitude Lodge, M.W. Brothers William H. T. Wei, Ting

Chien, Theodore L. Way and George W.Chen.

When the People’s Republic of China came to power on the mainland, all of the lodges continue to meet, but those that met in the American Masonic Temple in Shanghai, including the Grand Lodge of China, ceased op-eration in 1952. But the English Grand Master of Northern China, in affirming the policy that Freemasonry always gives obedience to the lawful government of whatever country they’re in, offered to close those lodges should the Peoples Government (Communist) requested it. No request was made, and those lodges continued to meet without difficulty. But by 1962 most of the foreign membership had left the Chinese Mainland. Those

lodges then ceased operations.

However, several lodges were granted dispensations to re-establish in Taiwan where the New Grand Lodge of China was being established. At least four of those lodges are still in existence in Taiwan, and Masonry has thrived under this Grand Lodge throughout several countries in that part of the globe where Charters were be-ing granted by this Grand Lodge of China. They were Amity #1, Nanking #2, Pearl River #3, Szechwan #4,

West Lake #5 and Sun Lake #6.

Over the years the membership numbers have declined for them as it has for most lodges whethersoever dis-persed, lodges have had to merge. The number of lodges in Taiwan is now only four. But Masonry is still a

vital part of life in China, and with its Masonic Charities being continued.

I still have fond memories of the good times in fellowship we American and Chinese Brothers enjoyed as equals in Pearl River Lodge #3 and other venues while it was still in the southern City of Tainan, Taiwan,

ROC.

It was during that period of time that we received a greeting from Brother Wei-go Chang, son of President Chang Kai-shek, a brilliant and highly educated, but humble Masonic Brother, to have a few hours of fellow-ship in the ballroom of one of the major hotels in Tainan. Of all the fond memories since I became a Mason in 1962, the brotherly love we enjoyed together there in Taiwan is still one of my most treasured memories of

Masonic events.

How could one not learn and cherish the inner joys we find when we devote our lives to the teachings and

way of life that this Symbolic Craft provides to those of us who practice and live it in our daily lives?

So may we ever meet, act and part. May the blessings of Heaven rest upon us and all regular Masons. May

Brotherly love prevail and every moral and social virtue cement us.

So mote it be.

Worshipful Brother Paul Weathers

(Continued from page 6)

Oasis Masonic

Lodge #52, F&AM

450 N, Pantano Rd.

The cost is only $125 / Year and it can be prorated.

Contact our treasurer, WB Randy Jager for more details.