FVNews Daily. 
No 62. Wednesday, July 8, 2020
From the Communications and Marketing Volunteer Action TeamFVNews Daily is also available at www.FVNews.com.au
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Vale Douglas Denyer
• We regret to record the passing of Bro. Douglas Denyer of the MordiallocLodge of Charity No. 258 who passed to the Grand lodge Aboveon June 29.

Keen listeners

• Pictured: Deputy Grand Master Anthony Bucca, Grand Master Richard Elkington, Grand Secretary Garry Runge
• Grand Secretary Garry Runge, Grand Master Richard Elkington and Deputy Grand Master Anthony Bucca are planning on visiting Volunteer Action Team Zoom meetings during the expanded COVID-19 restricted period. They say they are keen to drop in to meetings, and listen, rather than prescribe.
• The trio are involved in Zoom video-conferencing visits on a daily basis. Deputy Grand Master Anthony Bucca is visiting Williamstown Lodgetonight (Wed.) where Past Grand Master Bob Jones will be honoured for his 50 years in Freemasons Victoria.

• George Entwistle, Gippsland Lodge No. 51, writes: “Congratulations to PGM Bob Jones. It was a pleasure to be part of Freemasonry whilst you were in office. Please keep- up the donations of 5-cent pieces to my worthy cause for cancer.  Stay safe and good luck in the future.”

Grand Lodge office lockdown
• Jeremy Cattell, Interim CEO, notifies of office arrangements during the new State Government-ordered lockdown. “If you need to go to the office for a specific reason you must let Julia Edwards know 24 hours prior to the day you are going to the office. Julia will ensure that there will be no more than two staff members attending the office on any day. If you do not get clearance from Julia, you may not attend the office.• “When in the office you must follow the COVID-19 protocols (sent to you on July 1 via email) including sanitising and washing hands, wiping down surfaces you have touched and you must also sign in and take your temperature. If your temperature is above 37.5 you must return home immediately and report your condition to Julia. You should also seek a COVID-19 test and report the findings to Julia as soon as possible.• “Non-staff including Volunteers, SGOs, VAT Chairs and members, and Board members may not visit the office for any reason at the present time.”

Media recognition for Bob

• Past Grand Master Bob Jones’s 50 years in Freemasonry is recognised in today’s issue of The Local Paper (North-West) in the Hobsons Bay, Maribyrnong and Brimbank areas.

Homes promote video calls
• Royal Freemasons Homes is responding to the return to Stage 3 restrictions: “Whilst you are still able to make a booking to visit our homes in person, we encourage you to refrain where possible and to instead stay in touch with loved ones by making video calls.”
• “Physical visits will remain by appointment only, 10am to 3pm Monday to Friday. Weekend visits will not be allowed during the Melbourne lock-down period.”

On Electronic Voting
• Gary Edwards writes: “With regard to electronic voting, I feel it’s a wonderful improvement, – giving all our brethren the opportunity to contribute as they should. Certainly, in my own case it gave me the opportunity to do so, although it was the first Quarterly I haven’t been at for some time, as due to the required reduced numbers attending, the Taskforce’s help was not needed.  • “However, may I make one hopefully constructive suggestion, that consideration be given to voting remaining open for a period after the Quarterlyhas closed, and for the voting outcome/s to then be announced later. This would allow voting to be undertaken immediately following the Quarterly.• “I have suggested this, as I found, maybe due to my limited computer skills, that when using my PC to view the Quarterly and then go to my email in-box to vote, I simultaneously lost connection to the on-line broadcast. I was able to vote successfully, but while doing so, missed much of theQuarterly, which I feel was a great pity. I also feel that other brethren with a similar lack of computer skills may have experienced the same problem. This is just food for thought.”

• George Entwistle writes: “On the subject of Electronic voting. Is it possible to have the voting questions sent out prior to the meeting for a vote to be made within a certain period of time during the meeting (thatis, when the question has been put to the meeting and an actual close time)? This would ensure that all Brothers have received the voting details. Is this an option?”

• Richard Shelly writes: “I for one successfully voted when the emails came in and found the process easy to go though. Improvements for future instances have been noted, published on Facebook for members to read. The move to electronic voting is long due and a success, when compared to past years of Grand Officers trying to count standing men. If you’ll allow me to paraphrase a charge from the installation and investiture of officers, to convey my feeling on the subject: I am happy, and wish to communicate that happiness to others.”Fourth of July Weekend• Patch.com website talks of Fourth of July celebrations and Freemasons of Van Nuys, California, seeking happiness in COVID-19 times.
LINK

Promotional opportunity
• A number of US lodges took the Fourth of July as an opportunity to seek media publicity in a bid for recruitment development. The Southwest Times in Southwest Virginia highlighted an American perspective: “It’s the Independence Day weekend and so what better than to take a look at an organisation that was around at the time of the founding of this great nation. The Masons or Freemasons actually predate the founding of theUS, with the first Grand Lodge established in London in 1717. The first president of the United States, George Washington, joined theFreemasons back in 1753 in Fredericksburg. According to Washington, “The object of Freemasonry is to promote the happiness of the human race.” LINK

Masonic Mailbag
• Richard Num says: “I write in response to the remarks of Bro. Geoffrey Davey quoted in  FV News – “If Freemasonry is to remain attractive, Craft, Mark and Arch should be worked in one lodge.”• “This has been achieved in one Lodge which meets in Adelaide, SA. Lodge Copernicus No. 246 was constituted on  April 30, 2011, by the two Grand Masters of Craft and Mark and the First Grand Principal of the Royal Arch, working under a single Warrant. The need for separate governing authorities for the different branches of Freemasonry did not arise until the early 1800s. The impetus for this evolution in Masonicadministration started in the British Parliament with the Unlawful Societies Act of 1799. The French Revolution had a not inconsiderable influence upon Freemasonry.
• “Lodge Copernicus meets on the first Fridays of the months February to December at Freemasons’ Hall, Adelaide, starting at 6.30pm; as aCraft Lodge in odd numbered months, as a Mark Lodge in April, August and December, and as a Royal Arch Chapter in February, June and October.  Festive Boards are held in a restaurant, or sometimes catered for by members.”

What’s On: online meetings
• www.masonsconnect.com

Famous Freemasons
• Arnold, Benedict (1741-1801) – Arnold was an American Revolutionary War General and a member of Hiram Lodge No. 1, New Haven, Connecticut.

More Famous Freemasons
• Eddie Levey of the Mildura Lodge remarks: “We wake up in the morning and have a shower, of course we have to use soap to wash ourselves , so we use ‘Sunlight Soap‘  manufactured by Bro. William Hesketh Lever, 1st Viscount Leverhulm (1851-1925) initiated in the Lodge named after him “William Hesketh Lever Lodge” No. 2916,  Port Sunlight, England.

Masonic Knowledge
• Colin Peterson, Lecture Master at Ivalda Lodge of Instruction, writes: “On the day, when we once again take our places around the Lodge room and it’s time to open the Lodge meeting, what we shouldn’t be hearing is, “It’s been so long, I’ve forgotten my answers (or questions)”, or “What comes next?” Take a little bit of time on a regular basis and have a read of your ritual. Have a go at your lines whilst you’re in the shower, on the toilet (what else is there to concentrate on?) or in the car when you’re waiting for that red light to turn green.• “We have been instructed that we can’t attend our Lodge, this doesn’t mean we have to give up practising our ritual. Practising on a regular basis will not only allow you to maintain that high standard of ceremonial excellence you had prior to lockdown, it will also remind you of what it means to be a Freemason.

Masonic Wisdom
• ” ‘Always acknowledge a fault. This will throw those in authority off their guard and give you an opportunity to commit more.” – Mark Twain (Bro. Samuel Clemens)

Happy to meet again
• As we re-enter Coronavirus restrictions, Ben Quick passes on this piece by Paul Hooley of Chelsea Lodge (UGLE):

Reflecting now on where we stand,
I recall with wistful stare;
How good it felt to shake the hand,
Of a Brother on the Square. 

From ‘Opening Ode’ to ‘Tyler’s Toast’,
True fellowship was planted;
Now the things I miss the most,
Are those I took for granted. 

Resolve do I when crisis ends,
To appreciate the more;
The company of my many friends,
Beyond the lodge-room door. 

Once more we’ll strengthen mystic ties,
Make taut the loosened chain;
Recounting fondly last goodbyes –
And happy to meet again.

INFORMATION TO KNOW
FVNews is published by Bro. Ash Long, Chair of the Communications and Marketing Volunteer Action Team of Freemasons Victoria. 
Phone: 0450 399 932.
Web: www.FVNews.com.au Email: editor@FVNews.com.au
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