Tonight was the Inspection for my Lodge in the Fellowcraft degree. But while it might have been lodge, I was able to talk one PHP into reinstating into our Chapter. I think I also have two more talked into considering it as well. I was also glad to see good ritual work which made me proud to be a member of Minerva Lodge. An interesting point about our lodge which the District Deputy pointed out this evening. Our lodge each year holds a Charley Thomas Night. Everybody knows Charley Thomas....right???? No he wasn't related to Danny Thomas or Dave Thomas. No he never did anything heroic. No he never was a great political leader. What Charley Thomas was is much more as he served as an inspiration to many members at our lodge. As I start to tell you about Charley Thomas, I should point out that I think it was in the 1970's when he passed away so I never met the man though he served to inspire me as well. Charley Thomas was born into a family of Masons and he always wanted to be a Mason but when he turned 21 he found out he couldn't join because he was missing a hand from a childhood accident on the farm. (At that time you could not join the lodge in Ohio if you were missing any limb.) For years he wanted to be a Mason and told everyone he would do anything to be a Mason. After WW II when the Masons started coming home from the war many had lost limbs and the Grand Lodge voted that it was time to change the rule and no longer have this as a requirement to be a member. Charley Thomas petitioned and joined the lodge immediately. For the rest of his life he rarely missed anytime the building was open of coming down to the lodge. As I was told he was the first one there and the last to leave. If a true story like this can't serve as an inspiration to any Mason to do just a little more then maybe he really isn't a Mason in his heart.
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