-THE JOURNEY OF 365 DAYS
( Message of MW Jaime V Bantolo, GM, IGLPI on September 9, 2007 at Cavite School of Life, Bacoor Cavite)
Greetings !!!
How does one feel to be one (1) year old?
How does Pilar Lodge feel to be 115 years old?
How does Cavite Lodge feel to be 105 years old?
Or how does Bagong Buhay Lodge feel to be 100 years old?
How does Emilio Aguinaldo Memorial Lodge feel to be 92 years old?
How does Pintong Bato Lodge feel to be 88 years old?
How does Bagong Ilaw Lodge feel to be 82 years old?
How does La Naval Lodge feel to be 23 years old?
How does Mendez Nunez Lodge feel to be 10 years old?
An infant at age one has just learned to walk on two legs or crawl on both hands and feet. He has learned to recognize faces, things or place. He has learned to feel, to respond to touch. He has learned to use his senses.He has to be propped up and assisted, fed, washed, bathe, cloth. His body system is constantly switched – on.
A man at age 100 has ceased to walk or to crawl on both legs and feet. He does not recognize faces, places or things. He has lost his feelings and does not respond to touch. He senses are failing, He has to be propped up and assisted by – a wheelchair, a ventilator, a pacemaker, a hearing aid, eyeglasses, a food blender, a dialysis machine, a heart lung machine, etc. His body system is slowly switched-off.
In between, man goes through a vibrant youth and adult life. A period of progressive perfection of his GOD given talents where his useful undertakings are rewarded; while on the other hand, a period of abuse and misuse is punished with defeat, loss, sickness, death.
On that fateful afternoon of September 10, 2006, we read the Declaration of Independence and lawfully, properly, regularly, constituted the Independent Grand Lodge of the Philippine Islands in fitting ceremonies at the President General WB Emilio Aguinaldo Shrine at Kawit, Cavite, Philippines. We re-chartered and renumbered our Lodges as Masonic tradition dictates. The interim Grand Lodge officers took their oath of office. The new Grand Lodge Standard and Seal was adopted. The new Grand Lodge March was sung. The Lodges received their new Charters and the old ones were turned over. The Lodges received their new Lodge Standard while their old ones were lowered and retired. From then on, we continued to switched – on our systems.
The journey started a long time ago.
The journey of IGLPI was a journey in search of further light in the pursuit of true masonry. GLP PGM Raymond E Wilmarth said ““The service we render to Masonry must be to support its tenets, enforce its traditions, and safeguard its fundamental status in civilization as the Brotherhood of Men under the Fatherhood of God. Our discipline is to change ourselves to fit Masonry – not to change Masonry to fit ourselves…If we cannot change ourselves, perhaps It would be better to change from Freemasonry to whatever association we find fits us… “
And so, we left the Grand Lodge. But we never left Masonry. Instead, we continued to search for true Masonry where we become fit and proper. Thus we formed the IGLPI.
What is Masonry?… Bro Newton defined it from a German Handbuck , an Encyclopedia of Masonry, 1900, Vol I, p 320" Masonry is the activity of closely united men who, employing symbolical forms borrowed principally from the mason’s trade and from architecture, work for the welfare of mankind, striving morally to ennoble themselves and others, and thereby to bring about a universal league of mankind, which they aspire to exhibit even now in a small scale..”
Marcelo H. Del Pilar and Jose Rizal embarked on the project to establish Lodges in the Philippines exclusive only to Filipinos for two (2) reasons:
First- That Masonry could help unify the Filipinos and mobilize them with a sense of nationhood.
Second- The Filipino Masons perceived Masonry as the “ universal protest against the ambition of tyrants” as the “supreme manifestation of democracy”, as the organization which could transform the Philippines “ from a downtrodden Spanish colony, poor and sickly, without rights and liberties, into a dignified, free and prosperous nation.”
And so the IGLPI was later born.
Jose Rizal said that” Masons should not rest so long as the world nurtures a tyrant, so long as the night gathers in its echoes the moans of the oppressed, so long as there are slaves, so long as there are oppressors. And this work is perhaps the greatest that Masonry has imposed upon itself and the only one worthy of its universal name…”
And the tyrants and oppressors are gone and forgotten in our craft.
As Albert Pike wrote in Morals and Dogmas 1873…” A true Mason does not lie, neither in a little nor in a great thing; neither in the substance nor in the circumstance; neither in the word nor in the deed. His words that which deceives, equally with that which is false…”
And those who lied are gone and forgotten in our craft.
A year ago, we signed the Declaration of Independence. We were 7 Lodges then. Now we are 8 lodges. A year ago, 154 signed the Declaration of Independence. Today, NOT one of those who signed left. They are all still here with us. A year ago, there were MANY spiritually united in our goals for reform, justice and democracy. Today there are many more who share, understand or sympathize with our faith and resolve for a better Freemasonry. Let us remain as Brothers even to those who do not share our longings. We have to understand how even Christianity suffered before it grew; or how Freemasonry was persecuted before it found acceptance.
Our one (1) year of life and success is a testimony of all your efforts and perseverance and sacrifices. I salute you, each and everyone of you here and those not here. We are IGLPI.
Hindi tayo tatantanan ng kabila na akitin na bumalik na daw sa kanila. O baka kaya hadlangan ang ating paglalayag? Ngayon pa? Pagkatapos ng lahat.! Now that we are one, united and harmonious in our journey to true masonry!
We have so many reasons to celebrate today. We are one and united. We remain harmonious We continue to receive Petitions. We continue to meet, transact business and elect officials. We continue to formulate rules to guide our administration. We continue to communicate with other Brethrens with websites and blogsites developed by the labor of love of our friends. We continue to consolidate. We continue to strengthen our organizations. We continue to solidify. Our IGLPI is ALIVE.
There are many more things to do in the next few years. We will proceed to strengthen and stabilize our finances. We will proceed thence to build our capital investments. We will proceed to enhance our image and prestige in the Masonic world. We will develop our Masonic Education System. We will improve our Lodges and until thence we will build our Grand Lodge Temple.
I charge you, all of us, to be stouthearted. Fear not, what men can do unto you. But have faith always in the GAOTU whose blessings we should always seek .Be BRAVE. Let everyone be an EXEMPLAR of a TRUE and GOOD Mason.
We shall build a family of Masons. I had urged everyone to come and be with your love ones tonight. So we can always remember that Masonry teaches us that a family of Masons, can eventually evolved into a family of nations that will truly serve mankind.
Sa ating lahat—Happy Birthday !
Sa maraming Kapatid na tumulong upang makarating tayo dito ngayon at sa hinaharap, Maraming Salamat po!
September 9, 2007-JVB
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