Fifty Years In Masonry

My Brother:
When you joined the good men of our craft
The choice first made in your heart,
A great door of opportunity opened
With the journey you were about to start.
Yours having begun, as ours,
In that darkened room without,
Like us you were questioning
What this was all about?
Mildly embarrassed, with apprehension too,
Perhaps, as us, you wondered
What is this I'm going through?
But then the first door of Masonry opened
With its point made perfectly clear,
We recall, as you, the moment
And yes we still hold it dear.
With the blessing of The Great Architect
And our faith clearly heard,
We pursued our journey
By the Master's spoken word.
Promises were made that day
As we received our first light,
The Holy book would bind us
To keep our words in sight.
The lambskin, also, was given
Our badge we wear with pride,
Faithfulness to its influence
Will pass us safely to the other side.
With all things spoken and done
And their cause fully explained,
A charge given and received
We began a journey again.
Many new friends now brothers
As they coached you to the door,
To learn to speak the words
As they all had done before.
The second door was opened
More light, the craft, to share,
Our guide would explain to us
The importance of the square.
A winding journey followed
Its path an upward flight,
A good part of the beauty of Masonry
Was revealed to us that night.
Again back to the brothers
To be coached as before,
With dedicated effort prepare us
For the opening of a Master Mason's door.
The memories of that night surround us
And remind us from whence we came,
And by Masonic principals
We've built a better name.
For by the tenets of Freemasonry
We add strength to the Golden Rule,
And because of the Brotherhood
They have become our live's tools.
In being kind to all God's creatures
And aiding our fellow man,
With truth in all our dealings
We reflect the Grand Master's hand.
For you my Brother, Fifty years of reflecting
By the many doors you've gone through,
Yet the influence of the craft
Gives guidance in all that you do.
When the first door was opened
And your journey just began,
You couldn't know the power it had
To mold this better man.
As we gaze upon your face
And think of Fifty years gone by,
We can think of nothing better than to equal
Your progress, or at least give it our best try.
Thank you Brother for setting a path
Worthy of all good men to trod,
In service to all mankind
With loving affection to our God.
May His blessing forever be with you
In the journey you continue to tread,
Grant that He give peace and happiness
In all else that lies ahead.
And if granted another tomorrow
We'll all open a new door then,
But for us, my brother, this journey
Is but a road to better men.

written by Frank Hanna, Master
Crow Canyon Lodge #551
Castro Valley, California
Dedicated to the Memory of
Charles Hanna, P.M.; Dothan, Alabama
December 31, 199?