Southern Maryland

Valley of Southern Maryland

Ill. Kenneth Hopkins Sebra, 33⁰

Congratulations to Brother Thomas A. Barnhart, 32^0, our Venerable Master and Honorable Glenn K. Webb, 32⁰, KCCH, our Wise Master. We all wish them a very successful year. The degree teams of the Valley of Southern Maryland have worked very hard to prepare our four new members for their pilgrimage to the north to complete the first part of their Scottish Rite journey. I say first part because I feel that our Scottish Rite journey is never done. If you have had the opportunity to travel to Europe and visit the cathedrals and castles and see the messages that our brothers have left for us in the stained glass windows and art work, the message has not changed and there is still much to learn. The Master Craftsman Program and the Scottish Rite Research Society are good doorways to further light.

The Scottish Rite is a never ending adventure. Stained glass windows may be replace by e-books but the lessons to be learned are as relevant today as they were to our ancient brothers.

A brother and good friend passed on January 23,2012. Ill. John D LeRoy, Jr., 33⁰ served as Worshipful Master of Thomas J. Shryock Lodge in 1972 and was Chaplain Emeritus, having served as Chaplin for over thirty years. Brother John also served the Grand Lodge as Worshipful Grand Pursuivant. John was a Charter Member of the Valley of Southern Maryland and served as Prelate for many years.

I was very fortunate to have had the opportunity to ride with John to Lodge and Scottish Rite meetings. I enjoyed the many stories he told me about his experiences in the Pacific during the Second World War. He joined the United State Navy in 1937 and served the nation for 32 years. I have never heard John complain or have a bad word to say about anyone. He was a true example of what Masonry is about. We will miss him.