Page 11 - Sanger Herald 11-15-18 E-edition

Lifestyles
SANGER HERALD • 3B • THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2018
Sanger Masons reach 125 years
Sanger
By Mike Nemeth
Sanger Herald
To those passing by on the sidewalk in downtown Sanger, the nondescript door leading upstairs to 1309 Seventh St. looked no different than any other that late morning.
The guy sitting on the green steel bench talking to nobody in particular likely got more attention.
But this particular day stood out to those familiar with the address, its history, tradition and brotherhood. The door stood open and such sentiment overflowed from the stately second- floor square footage. The fraternal organization, chartered in October 1893, celebrated a birthday — 125 years. It marked many generations of masons who gave their time, support and energy to making their part of the world a better place.
“From the beginning of time, men have been builders,” said Bruce Galloway, grand master of Masons in California, who spoke at the quiet ceremony that late weekend morning. “Free masonry has given many things. It rejects bigotry, persecution.”
Galloway said the organization, perhaps the largest of its kind in the nation, promotes free thought and speech and supports study of the sciences. He said Masons believe that man must learn to govern himself and exhibit temperance, fortitude and justice.
But apart from the briefly exhibited pomp, ceremony and tradition, the Sanger Masonic Lodge No. 316 is just a bunch of people from a small town at the base of the Sierras who want to make their community a better place. David Coss, assistant secretary, said the lodge has 71 members. And many attended the event Oct. 13 along with regional officials, wives and friends.
The solemn, formal atmosphere felt as if it could have been held back during the initial charter of the lodge, when Sanger remained a young community full of promise from a newly built railroad and a prime location at the foot of rich timber acreage and fertile surrounding farmland near a flowing Kings River. Galloway talked about “honor and glory,” and those listening respectfully remained silent.
Daniel’s Important Decisions — Part 3
Over the last couple of weeks (with a slight delay), we have observed a young man named Daniel. The text for this is found in Daniel 6:1-23.
Daniel grew to be a man of integrity striving to follow the Lord in everything he did. When examining Daniel’s life, you’ll quickly discover that his fame did not happen by chance. Instead, you’ll find that his rise to power can be traced to some important decisions.
We have discovered that Daniel excelled because he chose character over
Mike Nemeth / Sanger Herald
Gordon Keeton, worshipful master, left, and other members of the Masons chat after celebrating 125 years.
Community Calendar
To get an item into the calendar, email details to nemethfeatures@gmail. com or call Mike or Sharon at 559-875-2511.
The Sanger Community Task Force meets at 8:30 a.m. Nov. 20 at Calvary Fellowship Church, Dec. 4 at Life Tabernacle Church, Dec. 18 at Sanger Community Center, Jan. 15 at Crosspointe Church, Feb. 5 at the Sanger Library, Feb. 19 at the Sanger Community Center, March 5 at the United Health Centers, March 19 at the Sanger Community Center, April 2 at Grace Community Church, May 7 at Sanger Community Center, May 21 at the Wilson Resource Center, June 4 at SAM Academy. Details, 559-250-6433.
The 2nd Annual Dean Nicholson Sanger Basketball Alumni Game is planned for 5:45 p.m. Nov. 15 at the Coach Dean Nicholson Gym, at Sanger High. A meet and greet with the Apaches varsity squad follows with an inter-squad scrimmage. Festivities include music, food and games. Details, Del Beshore 559-318-6332.
The 11th Turkey Bowl by the Screamin’ Demons is planned for noon Nov. 17 at 181 Academy Ave. Cost is $20 or $15 with an unwrapped toy. There will be turkey bowling. Details, 559-940-3352.
Eagles Thanksgiving Dinner is at 5 p.m. Nov. 17 at the Eagles Hall, 225 J St. Cost is $12.50. Details, 559- 875-6820.
The Silver Stars plan a Thanksgiving potluck at noon Nov. 15 at the St. Mary’s Catholic Church at the corner of Bethel and North avenues. Details, Bev 559-862-5778.
Mr. and Miss Sanger are to be crowned at the Sanger Chamber Mixer from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 20 at the Bank of the Sierra, 1500 Seventh St. Details, 559- 875-4575.
The Wilson Media Center Technology for Today classes are from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at the center, 610 Faller Ave. No cost. Nov. 19 is Mobile Devices: Doing Your Own Upgrades; Nov. 21 is Mobile Devices: Choosing the Right Device; Nov. 26 is Cloud Storage and Using the Internet to Backup Data; Nov. 28 is Using the Internet to Make Calls and Cut Your Phone Bill. Details, 559-524-7219.
my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.” How can we break the mold of mediocre living? The same way Daniel broke the mold: Choose character over comfort. Choose discipline over disorder. Choose love over life!
Pastor Sam Estes is city advance director and facilitates the Sanger Community Task Force that meets the first and third Tuesdays every month. He can be reached at pastorsam51@gmail.com.
“It’s a very special day,” he said. “To reach 125 years requires leadership and dedication. It truly is a pleasure to see how a lodge fits into a community like Sanger.”
Even Frank Gonzalez, Sanger’s mayor, offered up his congratulations, calling the birthday “a once in a lifetime” landmark.
The main hall on the building’s second floor offered high ceilings, ornate woodwork and hanging lights of a different era. Officials wore sashes and special collars. Then formalities concluded, congratulations were shared and it was time to eat.
Members talked history, exchanged stories and discussed other lodges also celebrating milestones.
Jesse Solorio, newly elected Sanger Unified board member, got a shout out for his culinary skills.
“Jesse is always cooking,” said Gordon Keeton, the Sanger lodge’s worshipful master. “We’re always doing something.”
Keeton mentioned that the fraternal organization’s annual spaghetti dinner has raised about $60,000 for various causes over the past 15 years, specifically the Sanger High audio visual club and Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training
comfort and discipline over disorder. Finally, Daniel excelled because he chose love over life. A new law had been issued. No one was permitted to pray for the next 30 days and anyone caught doing so would be fed to the lions.
This law was really nothing more than a smoke screen some people were using to get Daniel into trouble because they knew Daniel would never stop praying. Well, it wasn’t very long before Daniel heard about the new law.
Verse 10 states: “When Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the
Corps. He also said his lodge contributes when it can to HOPE Sanger, which helps feed and house people down on their luck in Sanger.
Coss said with just nine years as a member, he’s considered a newbie within the organization. He talked about the lodge’s long history.
“This lodge is a place where we can come together for fellowship,” said Mark Allen, treasurer. “And do good things.”
Coss said the Masons organization, despite the reputation it may have generated over the years, is hardly secretive. “No secret organization puts its name over the door,” he said.
The Masons in Sanger have also been working on their Child Safety Program, which they offer parents to aid them to more quickly identify missing children. The kit supplied by volunteers includes a photo, fingerprint card and DNA sample. The Masons don’t keep a record of any information. The purpose of the kit is to provide critical information to law enforcement and public in the event a child goes missing.
Clint Vance, Sanger Masons senior warden, said he’s been a member of the
lodge 41 years. “My father was a 50-year member,” he said. That was Douglas Vance. “My family’s been here since 1860. A lot of history.”
Vance wasn’t solemn. In fact, after the ceremony, he and his Masons sounded like any other group at a function. Kids ran around the tables in the other room (carefully) after consuming their lunch, and everybody caught up on personal news, sports and whatever else was on their minds.
Vance said naming the coolest thing about his membership was easy. “Serving the community of Sanger,” he said. “Helping out wherever we can help out. To make things for kids. To continue the service my forefathers did for me.”
He said Sanger’s unique. “It’s home,” Vance said. “You want to make your home a nice place.”
Coss said the Masons lodge started just five years after Sanger officially became a community in 1888. That was the year the town had been laid out by surveyors from the Pacific Improvement Co., the landholding subsidiary of Southern Pacific Railroad, which owned the new rail line. The completed Kings River Lumber Co.’s 62-mile flume from Millwood high
in the Sierra a year later spurred a housing boom. Sanger became the center of the new industry.
“The influx of people brought with them business,” Coss said.
The first lodge burned down. So did the second. Records were lost. In 1931, the Sanger Masons purchased the Kittle Building for $15,000 for the home of their lodge. The original purchase called for converting the existing structure to three stories, but due to available capital only the second story was added. And that was courtesy of Mary L. Church, a prominent resident, who provided a $10,000 loan.
The lodge has been there ever since.
Coss said he and his fellow Masons plan to show more of Sanger what the organization is all about. And many are curious, he said. “A lot of people walk by the front door, which when it’s open they look up the stairs,” he added. “Our house should be their house.”
Arthur Weiss, junior grand warden out of Thousand Oaks, said he foresees a younger generation becoming more interested in the benefits
See Masons, Page 2B
denial with self-service? Daniel was determined to serve God regardless of the consequences. I love this verse found in Daniel 6:23: “The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he
had trusted in his God.” We are not always isolated from painful experiences. There will be times when we will not escape the tribulations of life. But if we continue to trust in the Lord, he will bring us through these
experiences unharmed.
I like the way David said it in Psalm 32:7 “You are
PASTOR’S CORNER
windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.”
I’m convinced
that Daniel
wasn’t really interested in becoming Sunday’s brunch for the lion’s club. But when faced with a decision, he chose love over life. Daniel’s first allegiance was to God.
Is your love for Christ more important than your ambitions? Is God more important to you than the acceptance of your peers? Is Christ more
worthy than the pursuit of power or possessions?
There is an old chorus which says, “Lord, you are more precious than silver. Lord, you are more costly than gold. Lord,
you are more beautiful than diamonds. Nothing I desire compares with you.”
Is that your testimony today? When faced with an option, Daniel chose love over life.
What is it costing you to be a follower of Jesus Christ? Are we guilty of making Christianity a religion of convenience? Have we replaced self-
Pastor Sam Estes