Trestleboard | star-in-the-east-59

OCTOBER 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 October 8th, 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: Astrology by Brother Max Cantelmo

Thursday October 1: Major General John Sullivan Lodge Visitation

Thursday October 8: Stated Communication, Supper at 6:pm Lodge opens at 7:00pm Program by Brother Max Cantelmo on Astrology

!!!Sunday October 11: Breakfast at Star in the East Lodge 9am

Thursday October 15: Fellowship night 6pm FC Rehearsal 7pm

Tuesday October 20: Masonic Association Annual Meeting 6:30pm

Thursday October 22: Inspection on the FC Degree by RWDDGL Dan Perry 7pm

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

Greetings Brethren!

I want to start by reflecting on our most recent Degree work. I sat in the West as our SW did the Degree and while sitting there in that station throughout the degree, I could not have been prouder with the Degree that was exemplified. Brother John Mosely did the middle chamber lecture for the first time and did an excellent job. He worked hard all summer on that part. Our SW Brother Frost sat in the East for this Degree and did an excellent job. He and Wor. Bruce Hussey split the letter G and charge at the end and that also was an excellent job. All of the officers did an excellent job with their parts and Brother Maurier received an outstanding Degree. I hope if you could not attend you will try to make the next Degree the Lodge puts on.

Thursday October 8th will be our Stated communication and our new MM Max Cantelmo will be presenting a program on Astrology as one of the 7 liberal arts and sciences. I am excited to hear this program that Brother Cantelmo has put together for us.

We will have our monthly breakfast on Sunday October 11th and that has been very well attended. Our Marshall Wor. Mike Daley Jr. organizes that and asks that you bring some breakfast item to share and or cook.

On Thursday October 15 we will have our Fellowship Night and a FC Degree rehearsal for our inspection on this Degree. You are all invited to attend. Dress is casual.

The Annual meeting of the Masonic Association will be held on Tuesday October 20, 2026 and any member may attend. We will go over Building items and elect a Director, President, Treasurer and Secretary for this organization. There could possibly be openings other than the one director that is up for election due to some health-related reasons.

Thursday October 22nd will be our inspection by RW Dan Perry DDGL for the First Masonic District to our Lodge. Our inspection will be on the FC Degree which we have just done and I urge the Brethren to come and see the Degree and support the officers.

This will be another busy month and if you are able to attend any of these meetings I encourage you to come and support the Lodge officers and the Lodge. The officers are working hard and having fun doing it.

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.

Greetings From the West

What a great September! We enjoyed an excellent meal for our Stated. Our Junior Warden and his special lady, continue to amaze all our tastebuds.

I certainly enjoyed the program offered by Worshipful Dominianni. Having been to some of the locations the “three amigos” traveled to, I could understand the strong Masonic impressions they walked away with.

We also enjoyed a great Degree with Brother Maurier. It was a great evening and certainly an impressive event for our newest Fellowcraft! Brother Mosley was AMAZING!

Again, I would like to extend my thanks to RW Richard Cole Jr., for all his mentoring. I am so very grateful.

I have a question for us to ponder:

“If you could travel back in time and witness one moment in Masonic history, what would you choose and what would you hope to discover?”

I would like to discuss this during an upcoming meeting😊

Fraternally,

Michael Frost, S.W.

FROM THE SOUTH

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

The menu for September Stated:

MAIN COURSE:

Meatloaf with roasted potatoes and string beans

DESSERT:

Chef’s surprise

COLLATION:

Assorted Cookies and Pastries

NOTE: RESERVATIONS ARE AN ABSOLUTE MUST FOR THIS MEAL.

The cost of this meal will be $15
If you will be joining us for dinner, you are requested to REPLY directly back to the Text-Em All that will go out the Friday before our stated.
Please, if you are reading this, and do not get our Text-Em all, please call, e-mail or send a text with who your info and I will add you in: Joe Elliott, Junior Warden
- cell: (603) 702-3480 or e-mail: 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 October 11th, 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,

I would like to echo the thoughts on the Fellowcraft Degree that was performed on September 17th as we passed Brother Maurier to the second Degree in Masonry. Brother Frost did an absolute yeoman’s job in the East and Brother Mosely gave a terrific Middle Chamber Lecture. Wor. Hussey did a great job as he shared the G lecture and charge with Bro. Frost. The only thing missing was Brethren on the sidelines. There were 2, which is a big change from the 12 or 13 we had for the September Stated. A Degree is a big event for the candidate, and it would be great for him to see a room full of Brethren when he is brought out of darkness.

Rant over.

I look forward to seeing you on the 8th!

Fraternally,

David Dominianni, P.M.