Specialis Procer

Specialis Procer Lodge U. D. held its stated meeting tonight. Our Lodge is unique in that we strive to hold very short stated meetings (45 minutes including the ritual opening and closing) and then adjourn to a restaurant for a Festive Board.

Tonight we had a smaller than usual group but there was a lot going on Masonically and people had other committments.

We still had a great group there and the restaurant was supurb. Baratta's Restaurant is on the South Side of Des Moines


Some of these pictures are not the greatest but the dinner and social time were excellent. I was the one presenting the paper and I presented on Masonry as an Allegory. I enjoyed putting it together and the Brothers were attentive.

The Restaurant was really the best place we have had our Festive Board in my opinion. We had a private room, a great waitress and my steak was wonderful (as were the onion rings, potatoes au gratin, wine, salad, before dinner drink and just the whole meal.)

We were able to order off the menu and had separate checks. It worked out beautifully because I did not have to collect the money and pay the bill.

One neat thing was that earlier tonight I ran inot a man attending a wedding rehersal at the Scottish Rite Temple and he is interested in joining the Masons.

You know you have to express an interest in joining. We have a bumper sticker which says 2B1ASK1 - Meaning to be one Ask one. I am not supposed to solicit membership in the Lodge but I have never seen anything wrong in saying, "Are you a Mason?" If the answer is negative I usually respond by why not and are you interested? I have gotten several Masons that way and most of them are glad they have joined.




You can see that we sat around and visited tonight. We got to the restaurant about 7:30 and left around 10:00. It was a wonderful time sitting and discussing Masonic things. Everyone contributed and seemed to enjoy themselves. I know I did.

We laughed and really had a good time. It is what Kurt and Timothy and I envisioned when we first started talking about starting this Lodge of Restoration. I have a feeling that this is what Masonry was about when it was first started in the Middle Ages. It is really what I have been missing in Masonry and I am pleased to have had my paper so well received. If you would like to read it let me know and I will send it to you.

Thanks for stopping by, ARTYAL, Hugs, j