Greetings to all, I hope this message finds you in good spirits.

I wish to thank you for the reception you gave to me as Grand Pursuivant of the Grand Lodge of Free and Ac-cepted Masons of California and as Grand Master of the Most Illustrious Grand Council of Cryptic Masons of California. The food and fellowships was wonderful.

Our special events for September are:

• Feast of Tishri to be held on the traditional date of September 15th at the El Bekal Shrine Center. Our special guest that evening will be Most Worshipful and Illustrious William F Stovall 33°, Sovereign Grand Inspector General. This will be his final visit to us as Sovereign Grand Inspector General as he will retire from that office on December 31, 2012. Please join me in welcoming our esteemed Brother that evening.
• Super Breakfast to be held Sunday morning the 16th at the DeMolay Center. The hours are from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Come on out and visit with your friends and maybe even make new ones while supporting the operating cost of the Valley.

My Brothers and Friends, September is a special month in the history of our great nation. Each of the original thirteen states in the United States was invited to ratify the Constitution created in Philadelphia in 1787. The Constitution specified that nine ratifications would be sufficient to consider the Constitution accepted. Some states ratified quickly, others had to hold several conventions to accept the Constitution – though all eventually did. You might be surprised to learn that it was not unanimous!

September 17, 1787: The Constitutional Convention adjourns.

September 28, 1787: The Congress agrees to send the Constitution to the states for debate and ratification.

December 7, 1787: Delaware ratifies. Vote: 30 for, 0 against.

December 12, 1787: Pennsylvania ratifies. Vote: 46 for, 23 against.

December 18, 1787: New Jersey ratifies. Vote: 38 for, 0 against.

January 2, 1788: Georgia ratifies. Vote: 26 for, 0 against.

January 9, 1788: Connecticut ratifies. Vote: 128 for, 40 against.

February 6, 1788: Massachusetts ratifies. Vote: 187 for, 168 against.

March 24, 1788: Rhode Island popular referendum rejects. Vote: 237 for, 2708 against.

April 28, 1788: Maryland ratifies. Vote: 63 for, 11 against.

May 23, 1788: South Carolina ratifies. Vote: 149 for, 73 against.

June 21, 1788: New Hampshire ratifies. Vote: 57 for, 47 against.

June 25, 1788: Virginia ratifies. Vote: 89 for, 79 against.

July 26, 1788: New York ratifies. Vote: 30 for, 27 against.

August 2, 1788: North Carolina convention adjourns without ratifying by a vote of 185 in favor of adjournment, 84 opposed.

November 21, 1789: North Carolina ratifies. Vote: 194 for, 77 against.

May 29, 1790: Rhode Island ratifies. Vote: 34 for, 32 against.

On a more somber note, September 11th is the anniversary of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center Towers in New York City. Let us not forget that date and pledge ourselves to hold this wonderful county of ours up as an example unto the world. An example that says “We may bend but we will not break at the hands of those who wish us ill will”.

Get involved, my Brother, you can make a difference.

Ray Godeke

“You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity. 

What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. 

The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. 

When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is the beginning of the end of any nation.. 

You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.” 

Attributed to Adrian Rogers, 1931