1. home and garden
2. home furnishings
3. sofas and chairs

Trestle Board
October – December 2014
Meetings 2nd and 4th Thursdays
7:30pm
Dinner & Fellowship 6:30pm Donation still only $5
Lodge is located at corner North Ave and 12 th Street
Greetings from the East
Greetings from the East:
Can you believe summer is over? I hope this communiqué finds all in good health. On
September 11, we introduced two new brothers to the craft with an excellent EA degree. I
would like to thank all involved.
Over the summer, Zephyr lodge had a major face lift. The exterior was painted and the
stucco repaired. A new sign installed in front with landscaping. Repairs were made in the
kitchen. All repairs were paid for from the lodge hat fund. Thanks to all for your generous
contributions.
We have a very busy fall agenda trying to complete the degrees of our two new brothers
and raising them in November. We had our DDGM visit September 25th, and Officer
Elections are in December. In November, we will also have our yearly Widow’s Night. We
are now selling tickets for the Pig Roast which is scheduled for November 23rd.
As my year comes to an end, I want to thank everyone for the great team effort. Without
you, our accomplishments would not have been possible!
As always, we are in need of brothers who are interested in learning any parts of the
degree work. One of my main goals is to increase our knowledge of this work. If you are
interested, please contact any of the officers.
You all know our motto “We take good men and make them better.” If you know this man,
please invite him to call our Secretary about joining Zephyr lodge. We must act today to
preserve tomorrow.
Fraternally,
Bob Benner
Greetings from the West
Greetings from the West!
Dear Brethren, as we look forward to our Brothers returning from the North, I am
reminded of the upcoming events that lie before us. The Pig Roast in November is just
one of the first things we will be working on, so please come out and volunteer or attend
even if just to support your Lodge.
We are working on some great ideas that have been brought before the Craft to further
improve our fraternal comradery as well as improve our community relations and
enhance our public image. Be well my brothers as the future is ours!!
Fraternally yours,
Dave Budai, Sr. Warden
Greetings from the South
My fellow brothers,
Welcome back to our winter season at Zephyr Lodge. It is great to see everyone
again now that we have reconvened and look forward to seeing you in lodge.
With our country facing multiple challenges at home and abroad, we can all help
calm things down by first concentrating on helping those around us. If every
person in this country reached out and just helped one or two people they know
are struggling on a regular basis, there would quickly be no more domestic
problems. Once our own house is in order, it is much easier to help those
abroad to resolve their problems.
As Masons, we are among the privileged in the country, and in the world, and in
general we are better positioned to help those around us than most of the public
and in that position, it is our duty to help and lead the way.
When we see a problem that we know how to fix, it is always easier to sit back
and think “Someone else will do it”, but when we stand up and say “I will do it”,
our families become happier, our communities become safer and more pleasant,
and our country becomes stronger as a result, and a strong United States makes
it easier to lead the world out of harm and chaos.
It is now time for us all to stand up and say “I will do it”.
Fraternally from the South
Marcus Price, Jr. Warden
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IMPORTANT NOTICE FROM OUR SECRETARY
Brothers, if you change your address, your phone number, or E-mail address
PLEASE let me know right away. It is critically important that we have accurate
contact information at all times. You can e-mail me at [email protected] or
call me at 813-780-9838. Thank you.
Fraternally,
Paul Weil, Secretary
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Two Commentaries: Food for Thought
What is Shibboleth?
One of the more curious puzzles in Masonic symbolism concerns the sheaf of wheat
in the Fellow Craft degree. The water-ford seems to make some sense, as
commemorating the Biblical incident at the passages of the river Jordan where the
Ephraimites could not pronounce the word Shibboleth. But nowhere does wheat
enter the story as we tell it.
One of the several versions of English ritual attempts to account for the wheat,
however, by asserting that the initial battle between Jephthah and the Ephraimites
occurred in a wheat field by a waterfall, after which the Ephraimites retreated to the
river. The symbol of a waterfall, sometimes depicted under a stone arch bridge, and
with a single stalk of wheat, is widely found in the Fellow Craft tracing boards and
floor cloths from the late 1700’s and early 1800’s, and even to this day in English
ritual.
The word passage as found in the King James Bible’s account of the story must
have been interpreted by some Masons as a bridge, rather than a ford. Evidently,
there is a great deal of confusion among the craft over how these symbols relate to
the story. The picture clears up considerably, however, when the meaning of the
ancient Hebrew word shibboleth is considered. In Biblical times the word had two
distinct meanings: an ear of wheat (which meaning continues into Modern Hebrew;
and a strong current of water—anything from rapids in a stream to a waterfall or
whirlpool. So the symbols of a single ear of wheat and a waterfall are no more than
depictions of the meaning of the word itself. But an ear of wheat is not a sheaf of
wheat and a waterfall is not a Waterford. It is relatively easy to see how “sheaf” could
be substituted for ear in American practices.
The phrase of ear of wheat sounds chunky and unnatural to Americans, who are
used to thinking of an ear of corn or maize, rather than wheat. But sheaf of wheat
comes naturally to our lips. In a time when ritual was transmitted (almost) entirely by
mouth to ear, and with knowledge of the actual meaning of the symbols forgotten,
this substitution seems quite natural and understandable.
The substitution of water-ford for waterfall, as simple and similar as it may seem to
the sheaf for ear substitution, has a forced rather than a natural quality to it. The
term water-ford is as cumbersome to our ears as sheaf of wheat is natural.
Undoubtedly someone must have thought that the symbol should commemorate the
place where the action took place, since a ford in no way be misconstrued as a
rapids or waterfall. Rivers can only be forded where they are shallow and the current
is slow.
Since most biblical scholars think the passages of the Jordan referred to fords, it
seems that some opinionated person—not that we have them in our fraternity—must
have thought they were merely correcting the obviously erroneous water-fall usage,
This tendency to embellish, repair, or otherwise restore the interpretation of
symbolism has long been a practice among Masonic ritualists, and has left its mark
in many places.
Author: Unknown
The Story of the Shibboleth
A shibboleth is a kind of linguistic password: A way of speaking (a pronunciation, or
the use of a particular expression) that is used by one set of people to identify
another person as a member, or a non-member, of a particular group. The group
making the identification has some kind of social power to set the standards for who
belongs to their group: who is "in" and who is "out".
The purpose of a shibboleth is exclusionary as much as inclusionary: A person
whose way of speaking violates a shibboleth is identified as an outsider and thereby
excluded by the group. This phenomenon is part of the universal use of language for
distinguishing social groups. It is also one example of a general phenomenon of
observing a superficial characteristic of members of a group, such as a way of
speaking, and judging that characteristic as 'good' or 'bad', depending on how much
the observers like the people who have that characteristic.
A shibboleth is one specific phenomenon involving observing use of language of
"out-group" people. It is a linguistic marker that is characteristic of members of a
group, which is used by another group to identify members of the first group. Such
identification typically has bad consequences for the members thus identified.
The story behind the word is recorded in the biblical Book of Judges. The word
shibboleth in ancient Hebrew dialects meant 'ear of grain' (or, some say, 'stream').
Some groups pronounced it with a sh sound, but speakers of related dialects
pronounced it with an s.
In the story, two Semitic tribes, the Ephraimites and the Gileadites, have a great
battle. The Gileadites defeat the Ephraimites, and set up a blockade across the
Jordan River to catch the fleeing Ephraimites who were trying to get back to their
territory. The sentries asked each person who wanted to cross the river to say the
word shibboleth. The Ephraimites, who had no sh sound in their language,
pronounced the word with an s and were thereby unmasked as the enemy and
slaughtered.
Here is the relevant excerpt from the Book of Judges. The full account is in Chapter
12, verses 1-15.
12, 4 Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with
Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites
are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites.
12, 5 And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it
was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me go over; that
the men of Gilead said unto him, art thou an Ephraimite? If he say Nay;
12, 6 Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he
could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the
passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two
thousand.
Prof. S. Kemmer – Rice University
Be sure to listen carefully to the Fellow Craft Lecture on October 9, 2014.
******************************************
Our Zephyr Angels in the Kitchen
Mary Bell
Eleanor Fritter
Elizabeth Retey
Carolyn Mayer
Mary Smith
Cindi March
Carole McBride
Susan Johnston
Brothers, it is simply wonderful to once again enjoy the outstanding dinners
our Zephyr Angels prepare for us. It takes hours of preparation and hard work
yet year after year we continue to be blessed. Please be sure to say thank you
to all of our Zephyr Angels the next time you pass down the serving line. We
should never take our Zephyr Angels for granted. We are extremely grateful to
each and every one of these wonderful ladies and for what they do to support
our Lodge.
--- And don’t forget, the donation is still only $5.00 ---
Living Past Masters and Members of
Zephyr Lodge No. 198
Worshipful Vance R. Forbes 1950
Worshipful John E. Harrison 2002
Worshipful George A. Neukom Jr. 1968 Worshipful George W. Palmer 2004
Worshipful Elmer Hinsz 1974
Worshipful Robert Skrapka 2005
Worshipful Wayne S. Sholder Sr. 1981
Worshipful Howard J. Bell Sr. 2007
Worshipful Robert W. Pritchard 1986
Worshipful Charles D. Smith 2009
Worshipful Robert G. Scudder 1993
Worshipful James H. Litchford 2010
Worshipful Victor D. Mitchell 1994/1996 Worshipful John W. Fritter 2011
Worshipful Thomas L. Wyant 1995
Worshipful Cliff McDuffie 2012
Worshipful Donald H. Geiger 1999
Worshipful William E. Clark 2013
Perpetual Members of Zephyr Lodge No. 198
WPM Robert G. Scudder
Bro. David W. Canter
Happy Birthday Wishes Go Out to these Brothers
OCTOBER
Joseph Angello
Danny Campbell
Michael Counsell
Donald Geiger
James Jarrett, Jr.
James Johnston
Richard King
James Litchford
Sonny Manning
Walter Wethington
Chuck Whiddon
Sukhwa Young
NOVEMBER
Jeffrey Boyd
Dale Brown
Verrold Currier
Larry D. Johnston
Ed Davis
Phillip Guy
Thomas Moncrieff Jr.
Frank Swartz
DECEMBER
Gary Belcher
William Broughman
Ed Cox
Paul Craft, Sr.
John Crosby
Neil Gregory
Elmer Hinsz
John Hiott
Lee Lannon, Jr.
Phillip Mehlman
Jacob Muron
Rodrick Neal
Delbert Parker
Lodge Calendar & Upcoming Fourth Quarter Events
October 2, 2014 --October 9, 2014 ---
Lodge Officer’s Business Meeting 6:30pm
Stated Communication and Fellow Craft Degree.
Dinner 6:30pm; Lodge 7:30pm
October 11, 2014 --Special Open Meeting. Hernando Lodge No. 97. Lodge Mergers and
Consolidations. Breakfast 9:00am Meeting 10:00am to noon.
Speaker: RW Stan Hudson, our Sr. Grand Warden.
October 16, 2014 --Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and complimentary
Chicken luncheon. Time: TBD. Lodge Officer’s Business Meeting 6:30pm
October 18, 2014 --Zone and District Workshop. Marion-Dunn Lodge No. 19 8:30am to 2:00pm
October 23, 2014 --- Stated Communication. Dinner 6:30pm; Lodge 7:30pm
October 30, 2014 --- Lodge Officer’s Business Meeting 6:30pm
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------November 6, 2014 --- Lodge Officer’s Business Meeting 6:30pm
November 13, 2014 --- Stated Communication and Master Mason Degree.
Dinner 6:30pm; Lodge 7:30pm
November 20, 2014 --- Lodge Officer’s Business Meeting 6:30pm
November 23, 2014 --- Lodge Pig Roast 11:00am to 2:00pm
November 2014 To be scheduled -- Widow’s Night.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------December 4, 2014 --- Lodge Officer’s Business Meeting 6:30pm
December 11, 2014 --- Stated Communication and Officer Elections
Dinner 6:30pm; Lodge 7:30pm
December 18, 2014 --- Lodge Officer’s Business Meeting 6:30pm
January 3, 2015 --- 2015 Lodge Officer Installation
(For the entire year 2014)
25 years, 40 years, 50 years and 60+ years
CONGRATULATIONS !
Raised October 24, 1974 – Charles L. Baptist – 40 Years in October!!
Raised November 4, 1964 – Bobby L. Walker – 50 years in November!!
Raised December 29, 1964 – Douglas R. Sage -- 50 years in December!!
*****************************************************
Raised April 30, 1953 – Albert W. Royal – 61 years in April!!
Raised August 9, 1951 – Robert M. Butler – 63 Years in August!!
Raised May 19, 1949 -- John W. Crosby - 65 Years in May!!
(Turns 93 in December 2014)
Raised September 9, 1948 -- Phillip M. Guy -- 66 Years in September!!
(Turns 93 in November 2014)
Raised June 20, 1947 – Vance R. Forbes – 67 Years in June!!
(Turned 99 in May 2014)
Raised October 8, 1946 -- Wilson C. Vennard – 68 years in October
(Turns 93 in August 2014)
http://www.zephyrlodge198.com
BE SURE TO SAVE IT TO YOUR FAVORITES AND CHECK IT DAILY
Zephyr Lodge 198
Lodge Location
5950 12th Street, Zephyrhills, FL 33542
Mailing Address
PO BOX 695, Zephyrhills, FL 33539
For membership information contact Secretary Paul Weil at 813-780-9838.
Click here to visit our Facebook page.
2014 Lodge Officers
Worshipful Master
Senior Warden
Junior Warden
Treasurer
Secretary
Chaplain
Senior Deacon
Junior Deacon
Senior Steward
Junior Steward
Marshal
Musician
Historian
Tyler
Robert Benner
David Budai
Marcus Price
Dewey Bandy
Paul Weil
Cliff McDuffie PM
Edward Davis
Michael Daffron
Paul March
Robert Hunter
Larry Johnston
Federico Agnir
Marcus Price
John Fritter PM
813-728-0548
813-928-4416
813-486-3160
813-782-2240
813-780-9838
813-833-3704
813-949-0538
813-312-0564
352-567-1298
813-629-0197
813-782-9586
813-991-1924
813-486-3160
813-779-7838
For questions about the website, contact [email protected]
******************************************
Zephyr Lodge No. 198 Standing Committees for 2014*
Finance
SW David Budai, Chair
JW Marcus Price
TR Dewey Bandy
PM Howard Bell
PM Chuck Smith
SEC Paul Weil
Vigilance
JW Marcus Price, Chair
PM Bill Clark
SD Ed Davis
Petitions
PM Bob Skrapka, Chair
PM Bill Clark
SW David Budai
Board of Relief
WM Bob Benner, Chair
SW David Budai
JW Marcus Price
Charity
PM Cliff McDuffie, Chair
PM Jim Litchford
JW Marcus Price
SD Ed Davis
Lodge Property
TR Dewey Bandy, Chair
JW Marcus Price
SD Ed Davis
PM Chuck Smith
PM John Fritter
PM Howard Bell
Masonic Education
Public Relations Officer – PM Cliff McDuffie
JW Marcus Price, Chair
PM Howard Bell – Lodge Catechism Instructor, Scheduling and Lodge Etiquette GL-208
SW David Budai – MLT Coordinator and Master Mason Exams
Lodge Mentor and Education of Candidates (other than catechism)
PM John Fritter – Lodge Mentor – Chair and Booklet Lectures
PM Chuck Smith – GL-201 (EA Intro)
Booklet No. 1 Review
JW Marcus Price – GL -202 (EA Degree) Booklet No. 2 Review
PM John Fritter – GL – 204 (FC Degree) Booklet No. 3 Review
WM Bob Benner – GL – 206 (MM Degree) Booklet No. 4 Review
PM Bob Skrapka – GL-200, GL-203, GL-205 and the Lodge By-Laws
Zephyr Lodge No. 198 Auxiliary Committees for 2014*
Investigating
PM Howard Bell, Chair
PM Chuck Smith
PM John Fritter
TR Dewey Bandy
JW Marcus Price
Blood Bank
PM John Fritter, Chair
SD Ed Davis
SS Paul March, MD - Scheduling
of Blood Mobile
Scholarships
PM Cliff McDuffie, Chair
PM Bob Skrapka
Lodge Librarian
Bro. Chuck Whiddon
MAR Larry Johnston – Assistant
By-Laws Maintenance
PM Bob Skrapka, Chair
SD Ed Davis
SW David Budai
Lodge Historian
JW Marcus Price
PM Chuck Smith – Back-up
PM Cliff McDuffie – Back-up
Zephyr Angels (Meals)
JW Marcus Price – Coordinator
SS Paul March MD
JS Robert Hunter
Sub-Committee on Ritual Work – Degree Teams
PM Howard Bell – Chair and Degree Team Instructor
PM Jim Litchford – Degree Team Instructor, Floorwork Procedures Manual
Sub-Committee on Lodge Work – Stated/Called Communications
PM Bob Skrapka, Chair and SW/JW Florida Masonic Code
PM Cliff McDuffie – SD/JD Florida Masonic Code
PM John Fritter – SS/JS Florida Masonic Code
Lodge Prompters
PM Chuck Smith – Stated Communications – Business Meetings
PM Howard Bell – EA, FC, MM Degrees; Called Communications
Lodge Visitations with Newly Raised Master Masons – PM Bob Skrapka
Zone Workshops/Degree Exemplifications – SW David Budai, JW Marcus Price, SD Ed Davis
Trestle Board – Quarterly
WM Bob Benner – East; Editor
SW David Budai – West
JW Marcus Price – South and Website Management (www.zephyrlodge198.com)
SEC Paul – Grand Lodge Communications/Updates
PM Bill Clark – Publication
SD Ed Davis – Calendar Maintenance
Distribution: 1. E-mail – SEC Paul Weil
2. Hardcopy – 30 copies for Stated Communications only
3. Website and Face Book Management – JW Marcus Price
Lodge Reports (other than Grand Lodge Reports prepared by the Lodge Secretary)
SW David Budai – Financial Report, quarterly (Internal Report)
JW Marcus Price -- Masonic Education Activities Report, quarterly (Form ME-Q)
WM Bob Benner – Record of Masonic Education Activities – Annually (Form ME-1 and ME-1A)
SPECIAL COMMITTEES
Training Syllabus Development: Degree Work and Education of Line Officers
WM Bob Benner
PM Bill Clark
PM Cliff McDuffie
JW Marcus Price
SD Ed Davis
JD Mike Daffron
JS Robert Hunter
Pig Roast
WM Bob Benner, Chair and Food Purchases Sam’s Club
PM Chuck Smith and PM John Fritter – Paper Products and General Supplies
JW Marcus Price – Pig Roast Ticket Distribution and Tracking
PM Bill Clark, Event Coordinator and duty assignments
PM Jim Litchford, Charge of Kitchen Team and Serving Line
PM Cliff McDuffie, Charge of Team for tables and seating in back area
Brother Frank Swartz and Marge Schneck, Charge of seating for front seating area
PM John Fritter and Eleanor Fritter, Charge of traffic flow at side door and overflow name taking
PM Chuck Smith, Charge of overflow seating; front and back areas
Brother Gary Belcher, Charge of Take-out orders at front door
Brother Dave Schneck and Sec. Paul Weil, North door ticket/sales handling
PM Bob Skrapka – Charge of Exiting patrons through back door
Miscellaneous
Lodge Set-up/Breakdown and Trash -- JW Marcus Price, SS Paul March and JS Robert Hunter
Candidate/Brother Degree Preparation – PM Bobby Walker and PM John Fritter

Updated effective February 21, 2014.
SICKNESS AND DISTRESS
Brethren, please keep Brothers Dewey Bandy, Chuck Whiddon and
Frank Swartz in your prayers.
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Qualified members of the Order of the Eastern Star (OES) are eligible to
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• Masonic activities on site
Call Toll Free 1-866-868-6749
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www.masonichomeofflorida.org
Owned and operated by The Most Worshipful Grand
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ALF No. 6073 / SNF No. 1326096
Brethren,
Please contact Worshipful Master Bob Benner with any submissions or suggestions for our
Trestle Board. Also to those of you who have sent in your updated contact information and email address, we thank you. For those whose cable tow has not allowed this to happen, we
look forward to hearing from you. Contact Secretary Paul Weil at: [email protected] or
call him at 813-780-9838.
TEMET NOSCE EX TENEBRIS LUX
God Bless America