My brethren:

The calendar and Masonic years are drawing to a close.  The program for
the November stated communication will be "Completing the Work."  We
will also elect our officers for the coming year, and the Master-elect
will also announce his appointments for other offices.

The October communication featured an excellent speaker, who was heard
by all too few brethren; the weather cannot have been the entire excuse.
You are missing many opportunities to get something out of Masonry if
you do not attend Lodge.  Visiting Secretaries from other DC Lodges were
also sparse, unfortunately, as was participation in our dinner after
Lodge.  If these things are not what you are looking for from your
Lodge, don't just sit and do nothing; now is the time to make
suggestions for next year.  Contact me, contact your Sr. Warden, contact
a Past Master.  If you don't make your wishes known, how can you expect
them to be fulfilled?

Our Grand Visitation had some high points: The Grand Lecturer recognized
our GL School attendance and ritual proficiency as "very good," and our
Asst. Secretary, Wor. Bro. Hugh Shawen was complimented for his
performance under difficult circumstances.  The recessional of Grand
Lodge officers and dignitaries was accompanied by the premiere
performance of the Dawson Masonic March--the surprise I have been
promising.  John Philip Sousa never wrote a march for this, his Lodge,
but now there is one.  Whatever the future of Dawson Lodge, at least
this composition will preserve its name.

At the Grand Visitation, the Most Worshipful Grand Master of Masons had
some stern words for us.  In brief, Dawson Lodge had better be able to
confer the degrees of Masonry on its own in the very near future, or
there will _be_ no future, he said.  Take due notice and govern
yourselves accordingly!  When the many distractions of my multiple
presiding offices this year are past, I hope to be able to apply myself
to learning the EA lecture.  There are five other major jobs in the
degrees, and volunteers are necessary now to begin work.  Otherwise, we
shall surely face condign action.  Next year's Master will need a
volunteer for Lodge Instructor of Work.

Dawson Lodge will have two candidates in the Grand Master's Class on 8
and 9 November, one for all three degrees, and one for the MM degree.
Conductors for Mr. Daza will be Wor. Bro. Valera (EA) and Bro. John Saab
(FC and MM); the conductor for Bro. Pawlisch (MM) will be Wor. Bro.
Shawen.  As President of the M&WA, I have been asked to organize the FC
degree cast and will be sitting in the South.  We need members of Dawson
Lodge to come, sit in the auditorium (the class is at the Scottish
Rite), and congratulate our newest members.  If you want to eat lunch
and share in the Table Lodge dinner (on Saturday), the fee is $20.

For those of you who have not extended your Masonic education beyond the
Symbolic Lodge, the York Rite degrees will be available in November and
December, and the Scottish Rite degrees in November.  (Also in October
and early November if you live in Virginia.)  You can never be _more_ of
a Mason than a Master Mason, but you can be a _more knowledgeable_ Mason
by taking these additional degrees.  Other routes to more light in
Masonry include the Pythagoras Lodge of Research, the Lodge of Nine
Muses UD, the Philalethes Society, and many other groups devoted to
Masonic education.  These, my brothers, are the true wages of a Master
Mason.  You have a right to this enlightenment from your trials in the
degrees; do not fail to receive what you have served for.

Distant Early Warning: Hospital visitation is 16 December.  We need to
provide a number of escorts for that morning.  Plan now to be there!

Due to our Sr. Warden's class schedule, it may be necessary to hold
installation of officers on a date other than our stated communication
in December.  Stay tuned for further information.

Fraternally,

Roger M. Firestone, Master