Relighting the Lights Ceremony
Valley of Spartanburg
Easter 2011
Speaker Nick Gregory
Thank you for being with us this morning. I am truly honored to have been asked to speak to you today and I want to thank the directors of the Valley of Spartanburg for extending the invitation to me. I don’t speak in public often and for a while I struggled to find a topic to speak about. Finally I decided to just speak from the heart and the words would come to me as I was preparing my speech. I hope you enjoy what I have prepared and I promise not to keep you long.
If you could be any type of tree, what tree would you want to be? The question sounds crazy, but I think that the answer can reveal something about the character of a person. My answer is that I would like to be an oak. I think about the acorn and about the countless numbers that fall from the oak that never come to fruition. The acorn itself is a source of food for squirrels, and numerous others are crushed beneath our feet as if they were never there. If the conditions are right the acorn becomes settled in the soil and sprouts into a small plant. The journey is hardly over as the survival of the plant depends on many variables such as the soil condition, the amount of water and sunlight, and many other environmental factors. If you think about it, very few acorns flourish into full grown oaks compared to the number of acorns that fall, but the ones that do can result in large, majestic trees. Some live for a hundred years or more. Imagine the events and changes they have witnessed. When you think of an oak you think of strength and steadfastness. It’s hard to fathom how such a large tree can come from a small acorn. This is something I would like to be. Not for myself, but for others around me, especially my family and succeeding generations.
Freemasonry teaches a lot of lessons about life and how we are to conduct ourselves. These lessons are meant to be shared and not kept secret. One of the lessons I learned at our first study session was best summed up by Illustrious Brother Don Smith who said that knowledge without application is fruitless. I have read a lot of books on freemasonry, participated in many study sessions with brothers, and completed self-study courses on the Scottish Rite. The most important lesson I have learned has nothing to do with symbolism. It is the knowledge of how to use the tools that I have been given for the betterment of mankind. The truth is that we all have been given tools, whether we realize what they are or not. We may have a rudimentary working knowledge of them but what we really need is the knowledge of how to maximize their potential. This is what my time in freemasonry has done and continues to do for me. Faith, hope, and charity are not just words to be recited. We are to exhibit these characteristics in our daily lives. Only by exemplifying the ideals we are taught can we make a difference in the world. Masons have a special obligation to assist our distressed brothers, their widows and their orphans, and as such our brothers and their families should have a special place in our heart. I fear that far too often our older brothers get inadvertently left behind. Each brother here can probably think of a few brothers from his blue lodge or the Scottish Rite that can no longer participate because they are in bad health. Brotherhood doesn’t end when you can no longer be present for meetings and degrees. Brotherhood amongst freemasons begins at initiation and grows stronger as time passes, especially during adversity. The ultimate display of brotherhood is when we call on these brothers to let them know that we love and care for them. The first part of the Sovereign Grand Commander’s message in the March/April edition of the Scottish Rite Journal touched on this very thing. When I read his message it struck me to the core and I had a feeling of disappointment with myself. His message awakened me to my shortcomings and pressed upon me some areas where I need to improve. I encourage each of you to read his message if you have not already done so, and if you have, I encourage you to read it again. I also believe that our charity should not be confined to freemasons and their families alone. Every man and woman is under the fatherhood of God and as such they are our brothers and sisters, and have claim upon our kind offices. It is easy to get caught up in the trials of everyday life. We have jobs to perform, families to attend to, financial obligations to meet, and more often than not it seems that there are not enough hours in the day to perform all of our duties. The pressure from all of the obstacles we face can sometimes seem insurmountable, and sometimes the obstacles we face are self-imposed. We hardly take the time to be grateful for our blessings because we spend so much time worrying about what we don’t have. But to put things in perspective think of the billions of people in this world with whom you would not trade places for anything in the world. We could easily live in a country where the citizens have no freedom. We enjoy the right to speak out against injustice while others are locked up or simply disappear for doing the same thing. Recent events around the globe have highlighted the plight of the downtrodden and their struggle to gain freedom. These events also show the lengths with which those who rule will go to maintain control. Imagine what your life would be like if you lived in one of those places instead of here. We are all truly blessed, whether we realize it or not.
Earlier we saw the names of brothers who are no longer with us. These men were also fathers, sons, and husbands. Each one of them has left his mark on this world, whether we recognize who it belongs to or not. These men come from a time when the world was a different place than it is today. Character and responsibility truly meant something and was more commonplace at that time, whereas today it seems to be the exception rather than the norm. These men were collectively a forest of oaks. Their strength and steadfastness, along with others like them, have made us what we are today. They, along with generations before them, planted the trees of which the shade we now get to enjoy. It was Albert Pike who said "What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal." These men performed the work knowing that they would not be around to enjoy the fruit of their labors.
This is the example that I want to set for others, especially my children. I have beautiful twin girls and will never have a son to initiate into the brotherhood of freemasonry. This does not mean however that I cannot pass along the precepts of my cherished fraternity to them. Morality, virtue, faith, rectitude of conduct, fair dealing, tolerance, charity, humility, justice, mercy, equity, and responsibility are among the host of things that I can share and exemplify to my girls that will shape the people that they are to become. But sometimes I feel as though I am just a sapling myself, still struggling to learn and hoping to grow into a mature oak. When I get discouraged I think about the duties that I have willingly accepted as a freemason and how they apply to my life and the beneficial effects the faithful performance of these duties can bestow. It is my duty to teach my children to do what is right because it is right, not for any reward or recognition. It is my responsibility to be the oak that provides them with strength and shelter while they are developing. My girls are like my acorns and it is my job to help them to be role models for generations to come. I hope to become the oak that my family deserves. It is said that you reap what you sow. I would rather sow, so that they, and their succeeding generations may reap.
By living by example we can have a profound impact on our family and others around us. Hopefully others will see this example and it will impact them as well. Teaching and studying is important but it is only by application of the knowledge that we have obtained that we can truly make a difference in the world.
I hope that the time you have spent with us this morning has been enjoyable. Celebrate this beautiful Easter Sunday with your family and friends. Spring has truly arrived as evident by the flowers and lush green leaves, especially on the oaks. May we all take an inventory of our lives and recognize the blessings that have been bestowed upon us. I hope that what has been said here today invigorates you and renews your spirit to help mankind, and may we all be rejuvenated in our efforts to love one another.
Nick was raised in Boiling Springs Lodge #413 A.F.M in Boiling Springs, South Carolina on September 8, 2005. He has served as the Junior Deacon and Secretary of his lodge. He joined the Valley of Spartanburg in September 2007 and currently serves as the Assistant Membership Chairman. He is also a member of the 6th, 14th, 17th, and 18th degree teams. Nick has completed both of the Master Craftsman Programs. He is a charter member and current Senior Warden of the Spartanburg Chapter of the Knights of St. Andrew. He is a facilitator for the monthly Scottish Rite Study Sessions hosted by the KSA. Nick resides in Spartanburg, South Carolina with his wife, Amie and their identical twin girls, Amelia and Izabella.
Valley of Spartanburg
Easter 2011
Speaker Nick Gregory
Thank you for being with us this morning. I am truly honored to have been asked to speak to you today and I want to thank the directors of the Valley of Spartanburg for extending the invitation to me. I don’t speak in public often and for a while I struggled to find a topic to speak about. Finally I decided to just speak from the heart and the words would come to me as I was preparing my speech. I hope you enjoy what I have prepared and I promise not to keep you long.
If you could be any type of tree, what tree would you want to be? The question sounds crazy, but I think that the answer can reveal something about the character of a person. My answer is that I would like to be an oak. I think about the acorn and about the countless numbers that fall from the oak that never come to fruition. The acorn itself is a source of food for squirrels, and numerous others are crushed beneath our feet as if they were never there. If the conditions are right the acorn becomes settled in the soil and sprouts into a small plant. The journey is hardly over as the survival of the plant depends on many variables such as the soil condition, the amount of water and sunlight, and many other environmental factors. If you think about it, very few acorns flourish into full grown oaks compared to the number of acorns that fall, but the ones that do can result in large, majestic trees. Some live for a hundred years or more. Imagine the events and changes they have witnessed. When you think of an oak you think of strength and steadfastness. It’s hard to fathom how such a large tree can come from a small acorn. This is something I would like to be. Not for myself, but for others around me, especially my family and succeeding generations.
Freemasonry teaches a lot of lessons about life and how we are to conduct ourselves. These lessons are meant to be shared and not kept secret. One of the lessons I learned at our first study session was best summed up by Illustrious Brother Don Smith who said that knowledge without application is fruitless. I have read a lot of books on freemasonry, participated in many study sessions with brothers, and completed self-study courses on the Scottish Rite. The most important lesson I have learned has nothing to do with symbolism. It is the knowledge of how to use the tools that I have been given for the betterment of mankind. The truth is that we all have been given tools, whether we realize what they are or not. We may have a rudimentary working knowledge of them but what we really need is the knowledge of how to maximize their potential. This is what my time in freemasonry has done and continues to do for me. Faith, hope, and charity are not just words to be recited. We are to exhibit these characteristics in our daily lives. Only by exemplifying the ideals we are taught can we make a difference in the world. Masons have a special obligation to assist our distressed brothers, their widows and their orphans, and as such our brothers and their families should have a special place in our heart. I fear that far too often our older brothers get inadvertently left behind. Each brother here can probably think of a few brothers from his blue lodge or the Scottish Rite that can no longer participate because they are in bad health. Brotherhood doesn’t end when you can no longer be present for meetings and degrees. Brotherhood amongst freemasons begins at initiation and grows stronger as time passes, especially during adversity. The ultimate display of brotherhood is when we call on these brothers to let them know that we love and care for them. The first part of the Sovereign Grand Commander’s message in the March/April edition of the Scottish Rite Journal touched on this very thing. When I read his message it struck me to the core and I had a feeling of disappointment with myself. His message awakened me to my shortcomings and pressed upon me some areas where I need to improve. I encourage each of you to read his message if you have not already done so, and if you have, I encourage you to read it again. I also believe that our charity should not be confined to freemasons and their families alone. Every man and woman is under the fatherhood of God and as such they are our brothers and sisters, and have claim upon our kind offices. It is easy to get caught up in the trials of everyday life. We have jobs to perform, families to attend to, financial obligations to meet, and more often than not it seems that there are not enough hours in the day to perform all of our duties. The pressure from all of the obstacles we face can sometimes seem insurmountable, and sometimes the obstacles we face are self-imposed. We hardly take the time to be grateful for our blessings because we spend so much time worrying about what we don’t have. But to put things in perspective think of the billions of people in this world with whom you would not trade places for anything in the world. We could easily live in a country where the citizens have no freedom. We enjoy the right to speak out against injustice while others are locked up or simply disappear for doing the same thing. Recent events around the globe have highlighted the plight of the downtrodden and their struggle to gain freedom. These events also show the lengths with which those who rule will go to maintain control. Imagine what your life would be like if you lived in one of those places instead of here. We are all truly blessed, whether we realize it or not.
Earlier we saw the names of brothers who are no longer with us. These men were also fathers, sons, and husbands. Each one of them has left his mark on this world, whether we recognize who it belongs to or not. These men come from a time when the world was a different place than it is today. Character and responsibility truly meant something and was more commonplace at that time, whereas today it seems to be the exception rather than the norm. These men were collectively a forest of oaks. Their strength and steadfastness, along with others like them, have made us what we are today. They, along with generations before them, planted the trees of which the shade we now get to enjoy. It was Albert Pike who said "What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal." These men performed the work knowing that they would not be around to enjoy the fruit of their labors.
This is the example that I want to set for others, especially my children. I have beautiful twin girls and will never have a son to initiate into the brotherhood of freemasonry. This does not mean however that I cannot pass along the precepts of my cherished fraternity to them. Morality, virtue, faith, rectitude of conduct, fair dealing, tolerance, charity, humility, justice, mercy, equity, and responsibility are among the host of things that I can share and exemplify to my girls that will shape the people that they are to become. But sometimes I feel as though I am just a sapling myself, still struggling to learn and hoping to grow into a mature oak. When I get discouraged I think about the duties that I have willingly accepted as a freemason and how they apply to my life and the beneficial effects the faithful performance of these duties can bestow. It is my duty to teach my children to do what is right because it is right, not for any reward or recognition. It is my responsibility to be the oak that provides them with strength and shelter while they are developing. My girls are like my acorns and it is my job to help them to be role models for generations to come. I hope to become the oak that my family deserves. It is said that you reap what you sow. I would rather sow, so that they, and their succeeding generations may reap.
By living by example we can have a profound impact on our family and others around us. Hopefully others will see this example and it will impact them as well. Teaching and studying is important but it is only by application of the knowledge that we have obtained that we can truly make a difference in the world.
I hope that the time you have spent with us this morning has been enjoyable. Celebrate this beautiful Easter Sunday with your family and friends. Spring has truly arrived as evident by the flowers and lush green leaves, especially on the oaks. May we all take an inventory of our lives and recognize the blessings that have been bestowed upon us. I hope that what has been said here today invigorates you and renews your spirit to help mankind, and may we all be rejuvenated in our efforts to love one another.
Nick was raised in Boiling Springs Lodge #413 A.F.M in Boiling Springs, South Carolina on September 8, 2005. He has served as the Junior Deacon and Secretary of his lodge. He joined the Valley of Spartanburg in September 2007 and currently serves as the Assistant Membership Chairman. He is also a member of the 6th, 14th, 17th, and 18th degree teams. Nick has completed both of the Master Craftsman Programs. He is a charter member and current Senior Warden of the Spartanburg Chapter of the Knights of St. Andrew. He is a facilitator for the monthly Scottish Rite Study Sessions hosted by the KSA. Nick resides in Spartanburg, South Carolina with his wife, Amie and their identical twin girls, Amelia and Izabella.