Trestleboard | star-in-the-east-59

APRIL 2026 trestleboard

Star in the East Lodge #59

Exeter, New Hampshire

Wor. Dwane Staples, Master

TRESTLEBOARD

Stated Meeting of Star in the East Lodge #59, F. & A. M.

Thursday April 9, 2026 at 7:00 P.M. (Dinner at 6:00 P.M. and Collation after meeting)

- To conduct all business that may regularly come before the Lodge

- Program: Geometry by Brother John Mosely, Closing Charge Discussion

Thursday April 2: EA Degree Inspection 7pm No Meal, Collation after

Monday April 6: Town Hall Meeting @ Candia Lodge 6:30pm Meal, 7PM Meeting

Thursday April 9 Stated Meeting Open on FC Degree

!! Sunday April 12: Breakfast at Star in the East. 9:AM!!

Thursday April 17: Fellowship Night 6pm!! Special Visitation

============================================================================== FROM THE EAST

Greetings Brethren!

As I sit and write this months, Trestleboard, I am reminded that it is Spring and the start of a new season. It is a renewal and we look forward to the warming weather and the green foliage and flowers that will be coming over the next few weeks. It also reminds me of the Installation of officers which happens every year with the renewal of the new officers installed into their positions in line.

We have a busy month and it starts on Thursday April 2 with our inspection by the DDGL on our EA Degree. If you can make this meeting please come and support the officers. Our JW will be doing the Masters part for the Degree and he has been working hard to learn this part and would like your support.

Next on Monday April 6 is the Grand Lodge town meeting for the First District. This year’s meeting will be at the Masonic Lodge in Candia, NH. There will be a meal at 6:30pm followed by the meeting at 7:00 pm. One of the items on the agenda will be redistricting. This meeting will be the time to ask questions of the Grand Master about this and there are 2 other items on the agenda to be presented. This meeting is open to all Masons.

For our stated on the 9th, we will open on the FC degree and will have a program by Brother John Mosely on the topic of Geometry. I also want to have a discussion about our closing charge. It will be similar to the one we had on the opening charge and I am sure you will find this meeting interesting if you attend. I look forward to interesting input from the Brethren like we had on the opening charge.

Our monthly breakfast will be on Sunday April 12th and is open to all members and friends and family. If you attend, please bring something for our PM Mike Daley Jr. and Danielle to prepare for your enjoyment.

Our Fellowship/ Hot Dog night will be April 17 and we have a visitation happening that night. The DDGM has been pushing visiting other Lodges and we did just that in January when we went to St James in Hampton on our Fellowship Night. Well, I was asked if St Lames could come to our Fellowship/Hot Dog night and hold their stated meeting and I said yes. So, this is going to happen in April. They will come and have hot dogs with us and then have their April stated meeting at Star in the East. If you can attend and support this Fellowship it would be greatly appreciated and you may be asked to fill in a chair. Dress should be sport coat and tie if attending.

I look forward to seeing you in Lodge!

Fraternally,

Dwane Staples, WM (DDSL@comcast.net) 603.682.5205

Final Thought:

“The secret of making progress is to get started.” - Walt Disney

Special Notes:

- There is no warmth more comforting than surrounding yourself with good people who care.

- Star in the East is committed to being a Lodge that practices inclusion. Please, Brethren, if you would like to present a program, take part in Ritual, serve on a committee, or help with our dinners, we’d love to hear from you.

- Remember, our Lodge room is a sanctuary, free from the worries and tribulations of the outside world, where we all meet on the Level.

- You are someone’s impression of the Fraternity. Please dress appropriately for our meetings.

From the West

GREETINGS FROM THE WEST

We have had another busy month here at Star in the East. Lots of great Masonic fellowship and learning.

I had the pleasure of conducting my first of three programs “Generational Masonry.” The first program seemed to be well received. The basic questions involve the different generations of Brothers, within the walls of a Lodge. To this end – I will ask all of you to consider what it was like when you took your three degrees?

I will ask you to reconsider the answers you might give to these questions:

Who am I in Masonry?
What came I here to do?
Who are we together?
In the end, what is everlasting and significant?

These questions come from, “Freemasonry: The Vital Exploration; MW Brother Walter M. Macdougall.

This book was given to me by Worshipful James Ryan.

I hope to share many more thoughts of Generational Masonry.

Fraternally,

Michael W. Frost, SW

“Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers.”

Tennyson

FROM THE SOUTH

We are looking forward to our April Stated Meeting with Dinner starting at 6PM.

As we transition into spring, I think to myself, where am I going to get the extra time to do what car folks do as New Englanders in Spring? For one, the nights are not going to be below freezing, so that opens up after supper hours to be out there, organizing projects that “will get done in the spring”. By way of example: there is all the cleansing of all product that cannot be stored below freezing, brakleen, paint, glass cleaner, etc. this is Stage 1. Then there is the “it’s warm enough to paint” Stage, this is Stage 2. This stage needs to be included, intermittently within Stage 1. As the sway bar & link bushing retainers, lower control arms and frame need to be degreased, wait to dry (this is when you get back to stage 1 purge) and then hang and paint. All to be “put together” to drive in 2026. Now the yard projects come, I am grateful for thinking about “where do I fit in the service of God and a distressed worthy brother?” I will work on that!

The menu for April Stated:

MAIN COURSE:

Meatloaf
- Garlic butter green beans
- Honey glazed carrots
- Mashed potatoes
- Salad

DESSERT:

Nut, Gluten Free Cookies & Carrot Cake

COLLATION:

Assorted Cookies and Pastries

NOTE: RESERVATIONS ARE A MUST FOR THIS MEAL.

The cost of this meal will be $10.00
If you will be joining us for dinner, you are requested to REPLY directly back to the Text-Em All that goes out the Friday preceding our Meeting. If you do not receive our Text-Em All please call/text/email; Brother Joe Elliott, Junior Warden; cell: (603) 702-3480 – joe@atlanticautotruck.com
. “Active Candidates & “Special Ladies” are not charged for the meals

Fraternally,

Joe Elliott, JW

SUNDAY IS FUNDAY!!

Just a reminder – our next breakfast will be April 12, at 9:00 am and go until we run out of food or conversation. Bring your family and friends for breakfast. There is no charge. All we ask is that you bring some food item to contribute to the meal. If you could please let the Junior Warden or me know if you’re attending it would be appreciated.

– Wor. Mike Daley, Jr.

FROM THE HISTORIAN

I have been asked several times by Brethren - both members and visitors - if Star in the East Lodge always met on the second Thursday of the month. My response has always been no, but I could not be much more specific than that. I always knew I had the specific answer someplace, but could not remember where. Being continuously frustrated was frustrating, so I decided my office clutter was such that I had three options: live with it, throw it all out, or downsize. (Jim Ryan and I have something in common - being given Masonic “stuff”.)

In the process of downsizing (the logical choice), I found I have copies of what are probably the original and next two revisions of the Lodge by-laws from 1857, 1875 and 1895. They were in a box with a collection of myriad other small booklets on various and sundry Masonic topics. I had the answer to both meeting nights and the Annual Communication:

From 1857 to 1875, Lodge was held “on the Wednesday of each week on which the moon fulls.” The Annual Communication was on the regular lodge night in April.
From 1875 to 1895, Lodge was held “ on the Thursday of each week in which the moon fulls.” The Annual Communication was held on the first stated communication of the year.
The 1895 by-laws permitted the Lodge to omit meetings in July and August by vote of the Lodge, but the Lodge was still a moon lodge.

Moon lodges generally allowed for better light traveling home from Lodge meetings. There were probably a significant number of Moon Lodges in the early days of Masonry, but I do not have anything that gives me that information. There are several well-written books with Lodge histories, but none that I have in my library include that information. There are/were still two moon lodges in New Hampshire in the recent past - Evening Star in Colebrook and King Solomon’s in Elkins. With all the recent Lodge mergers, I’ve lost track.

My apologies for my Trestleboard absence the past few months, but it has been a complex period in the Cole family, and I found myself pulled in many directions. I want to thank our Worshipful Master and Senior Warden for helping me maintain a semblance of normalcy, balance and functionality.

Richard F. Cole, Jr., PDDGM, Historian

FROM THE NORTH

Greetings Brethren,

As some of you are aware, there has been discussion about taking a trip down to the George Washington National Masonic Memorial in Alexandria, VA., with a stop in Philadelphia to see the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania and all of its beautiful Lodge rooms. Well…the time has come to get on the road.

I have been researching hotels for the trip and have found suitable accommodations for the 3 nights at hotels such as or similar to Hampton Inn. The average PER PERSON cost is in the neighborhood of $80 per night figuring 2 men to a double queen bed room. That comes to around $240 per man for lodging. You need to allow for meals and incidentals as well as a contribution to your chauffer for fuel expense. So in all seriousness you should budget at least +/- $400 for the trip.

We would like to have a head count by the April Stated meeting as reservations will need to be made.

On the same subject, I came across a video from Facebook® when Fritz Weatherbee from New Hampshire Chronicle visited the G.W. Masonic Memorial and I will place a link to it below.

I look forward to seeing you all in Lodge.

Fraternally,

David Dominianni, P.M.

Fritz