Installation in South Haven

Cornerstone Lodge #158 installed officers last night. Every active member received an officer's position except our past Master, Dick Burrows. He deliberately stepped out of the officer line.

We installed 12 officers (the Treasurer is in Florida for the next few months), including yours truly as Senior Deacon. Our WM has gone through the line before; our SW has also gone through the line at least once. The next four spots are filled with new officers.

The installing officers are active Grand Lodge officers -- including immediate Past Grand Master and current acting Grand Treasurer the Illustrious Walter Wheeler. These men love our lodge, almost as much as we do. It's a spectacular lodge built in a tiny town; some day I'll tell you more about it.

Right now I want to talk about the men who saved our lodge, including Dick (note, all these men are Past Masters). Dick was master nine times. Russ Campbell, our Secretary (and acting Treasurer) was master for three years running when he could not find anyone else willing to take the spot. In 1996 our lodge almost died, and it was saved only by merging with another dying lodge, Breedsville. Our current WM (Verne Hosier) and Treasurer (Dick Broadhagen) came from that lodge and joined the new Cornerstone lodge. Jack Balliet, next year's Tyler, took whatever officer role was necessary to keep our lodge going (and his wife makes us wonderful pies from time to time). Frank Aseltyne has become our perennial steward and has made sure we always had coffee and snacks after our meetings. AB Covey, our perennial marshal, is a phenomenal ritualist, giving me every lecture I received in our lodge without missing a word, delivering it with real meaning, making it new and wonderful for me. These men kept the lodge founded by Liberty Hyde Bailey in 1864 going long enough for us to step in.

I don't know any active members who joined between 1996 and 2006.In 2006, Ed (Once and future JD), and Tim (current JW) were raised and became active members. In 2007 James and I were raised. With four new active members, the men who saved our lodge have a chance to breathe. Hopefully we can raise one ore two more men next year who will have the same commitment to our craft -- and our lodge -- and, with the help of neighboring lodges -- we can start performing the third degree for our candidates again.