Bill Text: IL HR0477 | 2017-2018 | 100th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Recognizes the 300th anniversary of the founding of modern Freemasonry.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2017-05-31 - Resolution Adopted [HR0477 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2017-HR0477-Introduced.html
| |||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION
| ||||||
2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | ||||||
3 | Representatives wish to recognize the 300th anniversary of the | ||||||
4 | founding of modern Freemasonry; and
| ||||||
5 | WHEREAS, The specific milestone celebrates the
gathering | ||||||
6 | in 1717 of four London lodges at the Goose and Gridiron Tavern | ||||||
7 | to declare themselves a
Grand Lodge and elect their Grand | ||||||
8 | Master; on that date, the actions of those Brethren began
the | ||||||
9 | current form of speculative freemasonry that still exists | ||||||
10 | today; and
| ||||||
11 | WHEREAS, The origins of Freemasonry are veiled in mystery; | ||||||
12 | some feel it dates back to the Roman Empire; others say it had | ||||||
13 | its beginning in ancient Egypt or that it began with the | ||||||
14 | building of the First Temple by King Solomon; others find
that | ||||||
15 | the Knights Templar were the backbone of Freemasonry after | ||||||
16 | escaping from mainland
Europe to Scotland and England; and
| ||||||
17 | WHEREAS, What is known is that the first Grand
Lodge was | ||||||
18 | formed in London in 1717; its successor, the United Grand Lodge | ||||||
19 | of England,
survives today, having sired other Grand Lodges | ||||||
20 | throughout the world; and
| ||||||
21 | WHEREAS, The oldest known Past Master's Symbol consists of |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | the Compass, Sun, Square, and Quadrant; this is the most | ||||||
2 | popular Past Master's Jewel used in the United States; this | ||||||
3 | symbol includes the Square as a reminder that it is "By the | ||||||
4 | Square" that the wearer
governed his lodge as Master; and
| ||||||
5 | WHEREAS, The Quadrant shows what angle the Compass is | ||||||
6 | opened at; this is appropriate for the symbol of
a Past Master | ||||||
7 | because it is "By the Compass" that the Freemason keeps himself | ||||||
8 | within due
bounds of all mankind; it also generally shows that | ||||||
9 | the Compass is opened to the angle of 60
degrees; this is | ||||||
10 | significant because 60 degrees is the angle of an equilateral | ||||||
11 | triangle; the
equilateral triangle represents perfect balance | ||||||
12 | as all sides are of equal length and the triangle
appears the | ||||||
13 | same from all directions; it therefore teaches that the man who | ||||||
14 | wears this jewel
has learned the lessons of Freemasonry and | ||||||
15 | lives a balanced life; it also shows that the wearer
of this | ||||||
16 | jewel has served equally in the South, the West, and the East; | ||||||
17 | the Sun is used in this symbol to represent that the wearer has | ||||||
18 | observed the sun at:
its meridian height in the South,
its | ||||||
19 | setting in the West, and
its rising in the East; the Sun also | ||||||
20 | represents light; and, it is understood that the Past Master of | ||||||
21 | a Craft Lodge is a
source of Masonic Light to his brothers; it | ||||||
22 | is also appropriate to say that the Sun represents
perfect | ||||||
23 | light; and
| ||||||
24 | WHEREAS, Illinois has over 460 lodges and approximately |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | 60,000 Masons, and represent a significant
collection of | ||||||
2 | talents, knowledge, skills, and abilities; members are | ||||||
3 | fathers, husbands, and
sons from various financial, racial, and | ||||||
4 | religious backgrounds; and
| ||||||
5 | WHEREAS, Illinois Masons closely follow their vision and | ||||||
6 | mission statement: Commitment, Civility, and Charity; and
| ||||||
7 | WHEREAS, The Illinois Masonic Outreach Services helps | ||||||
8 | fellow Master Masons and their families
through the toughest of | ||||||
9 | times; the Illinois Child Identification Program puts together | ||||||
10 | everything parents need to
help the authorities find their lost | ||||||
11 | child; Coins for Children Program is a program that is designed | ||||||
12 | to assist lodges expand and extend
their charitable efforts in | ||||||
13 | their communities; the Illinois Masonic Student Assistance | ||||||
14 | Program is a school-based early intervention approach for
| ||||||
15 | schools to help students who are having difficulty being | ||||||
16 | successful in school; and
| ||||||
17 | WHEREAS, The Illinois Masonic Academic Bowl is an academic | ||||||
18 | knowledge competition between Illinois
high school scholastic | ||||||
19 | bowl teams; this is an annual tournament sponsored by the | ||||||
20 | Masons of
Illinois and is coordinated through the Grand Lodge | ||||||
21 | of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of
the State of Illinois; | ||||||
22 | and
|
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | WHEREAS, On June 24, 2017, Masons around the world will | ||||||
2 | join together to recognize and celebrate this anniversary; | ||||||
3 | therefore, be it
| ||||||
4 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | ||||||
5 | HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we | ||||||
6 | recognize the 300th anniversary of the founding of modern | ||||||
7 | Freemasonry, and we wish them many more successful years; and | ||||||
8 | be it further
| ||||||
9 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
10 | presented to the Grand Lodge of Illinois Ancient Free and | ||||||
11 | Accepted Masons.
|