As a special bonus, if you are able to donate $100 or more, you will receive a collectible Grand Lodge of Louisiana medallion, engraved with your name on the reverse:

Here's the front of the medallion:

and here's the reverse:

Our prayers and sympathy to W. Bro. Benoit and his family.

NOTE: If there are changes or corrections, please e-mail me so I can straighten them out. Thanks!

Mr. Pitman was a dedicated, active member of the Masonic Fraternity in Louisiana for almost 60 years. At the time of his death he was serving as Secretary of the Grand Lodge of the State of Louisiana, F&AM. In 1994, he served as Grand Master of the Masons of the State of Louisiana. He was active in both the Scottish Rite and York Rite branches of the Masonry and held the highest honorary degree offered by each of those organizations.

In addition to having served as Grand Master of all Masons in Louisiana, he had served as the presiding officer of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, the Grand Council of Cryptic Masons and the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Louisiana.
Locally he was an active member and past presiding officer of Oliver Lodge #84, Keystone Chapter #44, R.A. Masons, Summit Council #12, Cryptic Masons, Trinity Commandery #8, Knights Templar, Mid-State Shrine Club, Post des Rapide High Twelve Club, Beauregard-Anderson Chapter #530, National Sojourners and Heroes of '76.
He was a member and past presiding officer of the Scottish Rite Bodies in Lake Charles.

Our sympathies to M:.W:. Bro. Pitman's family and friends.

We will keep you posted.

(thanks to W. Bro. Morris for this update...)

Accordingly, the Worshipful Master placed a notice in the local newspapers stating that, because the Lodge was dead, it was everyone's duty to give it a decent Masonic burial. The funeral would be held the following Monday afternoon, the notice said.

Morbidly curious, a large crowd turned out for the "funeral." In front of the Altar, they saw a closed coffin, smothered in flowers. After the Chaplain delivered the eulogy, he opened the coffin and invited his Brethren to come forward and pay their final respects to their dead Lodge. Filled with curiosity as to what would represent the corpse of a "dead Lodge," all the Brethren eagerly lined up to look into the coffin. Each "mourner" peeped into the coffin then quickly turned away with a guilty, sheepish look.

In the coffin, tilted at the correct angle, was a large mirror.

Remember the obligation we all took my Brethren and attend and support your Lodge!!!

Author unknown.

Tuesday, 23-May (Fourth Tuesday)
Linn Wood-Ionic 167, Covington 188, Gallieo-Mazzini 368, Lafourche 427, Belle Chasse 469

Wednesday, 24-May (Fourth Wednesday)
Germania 46, Ocean-Orleans 144, Level 373, Indivisible Friends 404

Thursday, 25-May (Fourth Thursday)
Albert Pike 376, Square and Compass 417

Friday, 26-May (Fourth Friday)
Osiris-Trowel-Fidelity 300, Forum 395, Metairie 444

In a couple of weeks or so, I will mark yet another birthday, this time its number 45. Every time a birthday shows up, I start using words like young and middle-aged and half-way mark. There are times Im afraid to blink, fearful that another ten or twenty years will pass. Thankfully, the good Lord has given me an effective remedy for this middle-age malady in our beloved Masonic Fraternity. For here I have found brothers of substance, character, and faith who bide their time serving their God by serving their fellow man. Wonderfully, when we are building our goodwill in the hearts of men, the age issue seems to disappear.
Ive been a Mason now for 11 ½ years; long enough to see some significant changes in the fraternity and an urgent call to action in areas such as membership numbers, retention, and community outreach. I am inspired by Masonrys positive responses to these issues, especially the renewed commitment to our youth and our families. In examining my own conscience as to how best to help the cause, I turned to my profession of Music with singing and music education. While serving as a soloist and songleader at the First United Methodist Church of New Orleans, I found the men in the choir to be honest, sincere, hard-working, faithful, and had positive attitudes......hey, that sounds like the Masons! After casually mentioning that there may be another outlet for honorable men such as themselves, questions about Freemasonry became frequent with 5 choir members petitioning for membership and a member of the congregation from Everman, TX renewing his membership and becoming active again after a 30-year absence. These additions to Arthur M. Retif Lodge in New Orleans proved to be timely and fertile; the lodge was down to 31 members and we were seriously considering a merger with another lodge. To make a long story longer, our little lodge soon became the Arthur M. Retif Singers. We toured several times a month, and we became a regular staple at Grand Lodge. Membership began to surge and fallen away members returned.