Page 9 - 2018 Summer

Masonic Tribune
Volume XCIX No.1 - Summer 2018 Issue - Page 9

“You have gone too far. Come back.”

everal years
Sago, about a
month into my term
as Grand Master,
the Grand Lodge
Team was doing a
100-year celebra-
tion and reconsti-
tution of North Bank Lodge #182 in Washougal,
Washington. A short while before the ceremony,
I received a call from our Senior Grand Warden,
RWB Jerry Lingle. He said he could not find the
Lodge. I asked him to describe the route he had
take and where he was. I realized he had missed
the Lodge and was farther up the road. I told him
“You have gone too far. Come back.” Jerry, be-
ing the insightful person that he was, realized that
there was an unintended teaching moment with
those words. He changed his prepared remarks for
the afternoon and taught a lesson that sometimes,
without intending to do so, we allow our passions Having been on the receiving end of that council
to go beyond due bounds, and we need a loving on more than a few occasions, I can testify how
brother to say “You have gone too far. Come back.” joyous it is to know that you have a brother who
cares enough for you
That was the last Grand Lodge event that I had the to help you get back on
privilege of experiencing with RWB Jerry. Sadly, the right track. Sure, it
less than a month later he unexpectedly passed is embarrassing, and
away, but that final lesson he taught has always your first impulse is to
stayed with me. At the close of every Lodge meet- be angry or offended,
ing we hear the closing charge. In it, we are re- but when you stop to
minded of the council we received when we were reflect, you realize your
raised a Master Mason, to whisper good council in brother has given you
our brother’s ear, that we are to “remind a brother, the greatest gift he can
in the most friendly manner of his fault, endeavor to offer: His love.
aid in his reformation, and to defend his character”.
In other words, we are to say, in the most friendly MWB Michael L. Sanders
and loving manner “My brother, you have gone too Past Grand Master
far. Come back.”
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