PR’s Address to the Portland Valley at First Stated Meeting of the Year.

Dear Brothers,

As we once again welcome a New Year which brings with it a message of hope and the dawning of a brand-new chapter in our lives and that of the Portland Valley, it is a great opportunity to reflect and reinvest in our future. It’s one thing to sit down and create a long list of New Year’s resolutions, and it’s quite another to have the self-discipline to follow through with the necessary labors to secure them. If we are to accomplish the great work—we cannot only dream, we must act, not just plan but also believe in the worthiness of our pursuits.

We should always remember that freemasonry’s main purpose is to transform lives. We are here to symbolically rebuild Solomon’s temple within ourselves so that the spirit of God may dwell within us. There is no more important task for which we give our time and effort than the building of this temple.

The work we do here is of extreme importance. Our charities ease the suffering of others, our brotherly love solidifies the belief that all of mankind can live in harmony regardless of religion and political leanings. Our duties are to God, our families, our brothers, and mankind. We are Knights whose birthright is of an ancient and noble line of honorable men. They have shown us the way and it is our duty to ensure that we continue in this noble pursuit so when we leave this world for the next, we’ve left the Portland Valley legacy better than we received it.

I ask all brothers of the Portland Valley to stand with me in this New Year to ensure that the Portland Valley stays true to its purpose and to work diligently in the pursuit of our beloved Scottish Rite.

May God bless you all and bless the Scottish Rite.

Larry Roberts 32° KCCH, Portland Valley Personal Representative. Member of Modesto Lodge 206, Esoterika Lodge 227 and Research Lodge 198.