David Duke
Premium Member
I do not know if any of you know what you were doing twenty years ago from this evening but I can tell you exactly what was going to happen to me and how I felt about it. It was on Feb. 27, 1997 that myself along with my blood brother Charles was raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason.
I had been the first to ask Brother Therlyn Cook about becoming a Mason, Charlie asked shortly thereafter, we each had been initiated and passed on the same evenings as well as studied side by side with our beloved friend, Brother and second father T.W. Bryer. Since I had asked about Masonry first Charlie had insisted that I receive the degrees first so I became a Mason before him, however, this evening I insisted that he go first because him being the oldest I felt it only right that he become the first Master Mason in our branch of the Duke family.
As to my feelings that evening it was a mixture of excitement along with a since of accomplishment, I had no idea of how Masonry would eventually shape my life. After being raised I attend Lodge as often as possible for the first couple of years and then as a friend of mine says "Life got in the way" and I didn't set foot in a Lodge for almost 10 years. I do not want anyone to think that something happened and I got upset about happenings at the Lodge because that is not the case, I simply had to prioritize my time, I had been elected to the local school board plus spending time with my family and running a business left little time for anything else.
Jump forward about 10 years, I found out that a friend of my was being initiated at a neighboring Lodge, while watching the degree I realized my home Lodge, Sam B Crawford#1418 would have a stated meeting the next evening. I attended that meeting and virtually every meeting since. Eventually, I made my way to the East and serve today a Secretary, the relationships I have been honored to make have truly made a difference in my life and I know that Masonry has made me a better man, I hope those dear to me would agree.
Fraternally,
David L. Duke
I had been the first to ask Brother Therlyn Cook about becoming a Mason, Charlie asked shortly thereafter, we each had been initiated and passed on the same evenings as well as studied side by side with our beloved friend, Brother and second father T.W. Bryer. Since I had asked about Masonry first Charlie had insisted that I receive the degrees first so I became a Mason before him, however, this evening I insisted that he go first because him being the oldest I felt it only right that he become the first Master Mason in our branch of the Duke family.
As to my feelings that evening it was a mixture of excitement along with a since of accomplishment, I had no idea of how Masonry would eventually shape my life. After being raised I attend Lodge as often as possible for the first couple of years and then as a friend of mine says "Life got in the way" and I didn't set foot in a Lodge for almost 10 years. I do not want anyone to think that something happened and I got upset about happenings at the Lodge because that is not the case, I simply had to prioritize my time, I had been elected to the local school board plus spending time with my family and running a business left little time for anything else.
Jump forward about 10 years, I found out that a friend of my was being initiated at a neighboring Lodge, while watching the degree I realized my home Lodge, Sam B Crawford#1418 would have a stated meeting the next evening. I attended that meeting and virtually every meeting since. Eventually, I made my way to the East and serve today a Secretary, the relationships I have been honored to make have truly made a difference in my life and I know that Masonry has made me a better man, I hope those dear to me would agree.
Fraternally,
David L. Duke
