Proceedings 212th 2009 Griff Jones - Grand Chapter State of New ...

Leader: Though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with surging.
Community: There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place
where the Most High dwells.
Leader: God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at the break of day.
Community: The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Leader: Be still, and know your God, for He is in his holy Temple. Amen.
(Rev. Valencia) - May we now unite in this prayer:
O Thou Holy One who inhabits eternity, visit us with the inward vision of Thy glory,
that we may bow our hearts before Thee, and obtain that grace which Thou has promised
to the lowly, through your great and sacred name, we pray. Amen.
HYMN - “O God, Our Help in Ages Past” (Vs 1 - 3)
(Rev. Roberts) SCRIPTURE LESSON - Proverbs 12:2, 15-16
Turning to the wisdom book of Solomon, Proverbs. “A good man obtains favour of the
Lord; but a man of wicked intentions he will condemn. The way of a fool is right in his
own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise. A fools wrath is known at once, but a prudent
man covers shame.” May God bless unto us the true understanding of His word.
(Rev. Robert) MEDITATION: “Our True Payment”
This year has been a year in which we have focused our life in regards to our service
to our fraternity and our Grand High Priest’s message is “Every man a Penny” and is a sense
of bringing to life in our own lives our work for the fraternity and our payment. But as we
know a good man obtains only favor from the Lord. No matter how much money or wealth
or prestige or titles or those things in which we gain on this earthly life, they mean nothing
if our character and our presence as Masons and as men are not acceptable to God. We
gather in memory of these one hundred and forty-nine Companions who have given their
lives, who have given their understanding of the fraternity to each one of us. Some would
have been here this day if God had not already called them home. But I know in presence
they are with us. As I have been told the spirit allows much room even now. God calls us
to the understanding that however that man is declared good or righteous by His Grace and
it ought to demonstrate in ourselves a reborn or a renewed condition by seeking to do good
works. It is the gift of God to be able to function in our workmanship in the quarries of our
fraternity as our Companions have done for many many years. And yet what is our wages?
Is it the penny that we all understand it to be or is it the words well done good and faithful
servant. On earth we know that we who think we are wise are really foolish at times. What
is in God’s control is only in His control and not ours. God looks at us from the inside out
and looks upon us in the sense of what is upon our hearts. And if our hearts are found pure
and clean than God sends unto him you are good. But if our heart are dark and heavy laden
with evil and wickedness, God will condemn. I am not up here to judge our Companions
who have joined God, but I do believe in one thing each of them held to the truth in which
they journeyed in life. But now we come to this moment in time when we say what is after
death? After death is but life. Life granted unto each of us through God’s grace. And knowing
many of them as I did, I know that God has graced them with life. Life that God has provided
for them. But yet they leave a sadness in our hearts, maybe a space in our Lodge, our
Chapter rooms, a moment in time in which we reflect and we say remember when, and that
individual is not there. Your wages, the true payment in life, is to carry on their memory, to
carry on in your own lives that which they have granted unto you by their presents on this
earthly life. Taking their teachings, taking their humor, and looking at them with a sense of
purpose that it will change your life for the future. My Companions God calls us not to be
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2009