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Long Beach Lodge began when Long Beach was just a little city near the beach on a floor above a bank in 1896.

Happy Easter, Brethren!

Easter is a season that speaks to us deeply—as Masons and as men. It is a time of light, renewal, reflection, and transformation.

Over the past few weeks, our Lodge has been dark while I took some much‑needed time to rest and refresh myself. My wife Annie and I traveled to the Bay Islands of Honduras. The islands were small and quiet—so much so that there were no Lodges to visit. On Utila, no one I met was familiar with Masonry at all, and on Roatán, the only Lodge had long ago succumbed to the laps of time and neglect.

That experience was a reminder to me of the importance of what we do here—of fellowship preserved, traditions maintained, and Brothers who remain connected and present for one another.

Although my hope of swimming with whale sharks did not come to pass due to weather and sea conditions, the journey itself was rewarding. We were surrounded by natural beauty— whit sandy beaches, clear blue water, living coral reefs, and vibrant marine life. It was a refreshing reminder of nature, and balance.

Returning home brought me immediately back into the rhythm of work, study, and preparation—particularly for the upcoming Third Degree conferrals. It is both a privilege and a responsibility to prepare for raising good men, and I am deeply grateful to our Past Masters whose dedication and guidance have ensured these candidates were properly initiated and passed. Their continued involvement strengthens the foundation upon which we labor.

I would also like to sincerely thank the Brothers working behind the scenes on administrative Initiatives, especially those addressing per capita concerns—and the Temple Board for their thoughtful work in refining contracts and expectations. These efforts reflect care not only for today, but for the future of this Lodge.

As we move into April, I encourage each of us to support one another simply by being present—at our Stated Meetings, degree work, and times of fellowship. Your presence matters more than you may realize.

 Please remember that spouses and family are always welcome at our Stated Meeting dinners, followed by Bingo while the Lodge is at labor. Their involvement enriches our Lodge and strengthens the bonds that support us all. Masonry is not meant to stand apart from our families, but alongside them.

Opportunities to Serve

Our Lodge continues to grow, and with that growth comes opportunity. We are seeking Brothers who feel called to serve in ways that make a meaningful, human difference:

• Prospect Management Helping prospective candidates feel welcomed and informed. inviting them to dinner, answering questions, and offering a friendly connection.

Retention Committee Supporting our senior Brothers and widows by checking in, offering assistance when needed, and ensuring they remain a valued part of our Masonic family.

ensuring they remain a valued part of our Masonic family.

Service in these roles is quiet, often unseen, and profoundly important. If you feel drawn to help, please reach out to our Secretary, Wor. John Gaddis IV.

Finally, I ask each Brother to verify and update their information in iMember 2.0, ensuring we stay connected as a Lodge. If you need help, our resident tech expert, Bro. Dreger, is always willing to assist.

Thank you, Brethren, for your patience, your kindness, and your continued commitment to one another and to this Lodge. I am honored to serve you as Worshipful Master, and I look forward to the work we will accomplish—together.

Fraternally,
Craig E. Miller
Worshipful Master, 2026

Greetings Brethren, Masonic Family and friends, I hope all is well with you and yours. To begin the series of Masonic education items and topics that I’ve found interesting, I will share some information on the Maatian Tradition. I wrote this paper for a class I took with Dr. Maulana Karenga at CSU Long Beach titled Ancient Egyptian Ethical Thought (AFRS 498i). Dr. Karenga has approached the study of Ancient Egypt using a methodology that emphasizes philosophical approach as opposed to Egyptological approach. I believe this presents a more direct understanding of what the Ancient Egyptians’ beliefs and practices were; and, I found that there are myriad correlations between Masonic and Ancient Egyptian tenants. The sources used in this paper are: 1. Karenga, Maulana (2006). Maat: The Moral Ideal in Ancient Egypt. Los Angeles: University of Sankore Press. 2. Karenga, Maulana (1984). Selections from the Husia: Sacred Wisdom of Ancient Egypt. Los Angeles: The University of Sankore Press.

Sincerely and Fraternally, Bro. Marshall Goodman, Sr.

Maat is “the interrelated order of rightness which requires and is the result of right relations and right behavior toward the Divine, nature and other humans” (Maat, p.10).  There are three realms in which Maat exists, these are: 1. Divine; 2. natural; and 3. social.  These realms are “interrelated, interactive and naturally affective” (Maat, p.10). Along with the three realms, Maat has seven virtues.  These virtues are: 1. truth; 2. justice; 3. propriety; 4. harmony; 5. balance; 6. reciprocity; and 7. order.  The Seven Cardinal Virtues (Ikheru) are to be practiced, defended, and promoted by doers of Maat.

The teachings of Maat are found in the sacred text named The Husia.  The word Husia means: authoritative utterance of exceptional insight; Hu: authoritative utterance and Sia: exceptional insight.  In the Husia, the Book of Kheti CH:VII expresses that humans are in the image of God (sennen netcher): “Well cared for is humankind who are the flocks of God.  He made the sky and earth for their sake.  He destroyed the dangers of the water. He gave the breath of life for their noses.  They are in His image and came from His body.”  With the tradition of sennen netcher, all humans carry God’s Divinity and are “endowed” with it; meaning, all humans are to be respected as if they are connected to God.  This endowment means all humans have inherent worthiness or dignity (shepesu).  This dignity is transcendent in that it is beyond social or biological attributes, it is inalienable in that it can not be taken away, and it is equal in all humans.

God’s creation of humans in His image is one of many acts of creation He performed as Kheper (“He who comes into being and brings into being” – The Husia, p.5). As a result of being created by God we as humans must have worthiness before nature, which is the second realm of Maat.  As a practitioner of Maat we must hold all of God’s creations as sacred.  Pharaoh Ramesses II said the following: “Praise to you, Amen Ra, who spoke with His mouth and there came into being men, powers and principles of the universe, cattle great and small, and everything that flies and alights, all of them.” (The Husia, p. 20).  This prayer, which Ramesses II gave while surrounded by enemies on the battlefield, depicts the understanding in Maatian tradition that God (Amen Ra) created all that exists, great and small; therefore, as humans we are responsible to care for our shared inheritance from God.

The third realm in which Maat exists is the social realm: standing worthy before God and people.  This realm of Maat obliges humans to be worthy among and loved by their peers, family, and all of society.  Within The Husia there are Declarations of Virtues in which pharaohs and civil servants/intellectuals (Ikheru/sesh) give a moral and professional presentation of the life they lived.  One such declaration by Harkuf, a governor of Upper Egypt and a teacher-priest, says: “The pharaoh praised me and my father made for me a will, for I was one worthy.  One beloved of his father, praised by his mother and one whom all his sisters and brothers loved.  I gave bread to the hungry, clothing to the naked and brought the boatless to dry land.” (The Husia, p. 94).  The successful practice of this realm of Maatian tradition offers the opportunity for social success as well as  acceptance in the afterlife (Amenta).  The interrelatedness of the three realms of the Maatian tradition create the environment for humanity to develop and maintain a balanced life with God, nature, and society.

Within the interrelated order of rightness that is Maat, there are the Seven Cardinal Virtues which give the Maatian practitioner attributes to find success as a doer of Maat.  As stated previously the seven virtues are: truth, justice, propriety, harmony, balance, reciprocity, and order.  In implementing these virtues one is fulfilling God’s will for humanity.  One is asked to speak and seek truth in their lives and thus will be living in Maat.  Two references to the virtue of truth can be found in The Husia: The Book of Khun-Anup, and The Book of Ankhsheshonqi.  Khun-Anup says in chapter VII of his book: “Speak right and do right. For righteousness is mighty.” (The Husia, p.34).  Ankhsheshonqi expresses truth in the following: “Speak truth to everyone; let it cling to your speech.” (The Husia, p.66).  If one follows the doctrine of the virtue of truth then the second virtue of justice will prevail.  Propriety is seen as doing what is appropriate, effective, and fitting.  As stated in The Book of Phebhor: “Gentleness in conduct of every kind causes the wise to be praised” he goes on to state, “Do not make your mouth harsh or speak loudly with your tongue.  For a loud voice does damage to members of the body just like an illness.” (The Husia, p. 69).  These expressions of propriety show that in the Maatian tradition it is important to be meek, humble, and considerate when communicating.  A relative virtue to propriety is harmony.  Harmony is acquired by practicing the sedjemic (one who listens) way.  The Book of Ptah-Hotep states: “Respected are those who listen well, they will excel and their deeds will distinguish them.” (The Husia, p.48).  When one listens they show qualities of the heart which can be translated as moral sensitivity toward others.  Balance is a virtue that calls for one to be thoughtful and measured in all that they do in life.  Balance is essential to everything and things out of balance lead to isfet (evil–the opposite of Maat).  The Book of Phebor conveys balance very eloquently in this passage: “Those who apply the right measure in all good things are not to be blamed.  The God of just measure has created a balance in order to establish right measure on earth.  He placed the heart deep in the body for the right measure of its owner

Thus, if those who are learned are not balanced, their learning is of little use and a fool who knows not balance does not escape misfortune.” (The Husia, p. 67).  Along with being balanced by giving thought and measurement to all that we do, we need to offer good in the world.  This offering is the sixth virtue: reciprocity.  This virtue asks that we do good to create the moral community; perform initiatory reciprocity by doing good.  As Lady Ta-Sheryet-en-Aset expressed in her autobiography: “Doing good is not difficult…just speaking good is a monument.  For indeed one who does it (for another) is actually doing (it) for himself…” (Maat, p. 124). Khun-Anup also expresses reciprocity in his book by stating: “Do the doer that he or she may also do, blocking a blow before it strikes and giving an assignment to one who is skillful.” he goes on to say: “Desire to live long, for as it is said: Doing right is breath for the nose.” (The Husia, p. 32).  The final virtue is order.  Maat is and gives the foundation for the discipline of order.  Order involves ib (feeling and thinking at the same time) by maintaining both our emotional and mental states.  Self mastery (geru maa) is essential to order in that we need to work hard to develop and maintain ourselves for the betterment of the world.  Without self control we are susceptible to isfet.  The Book of Amenomope addresses geru maa in the following passage: “Now, the unrestrained man or woman in the temple is like a tree grown in unfertile ground.  Its leaves wither quickly and its unripe fruit falls to earth.” Amenomope goes on to say: “But the self-mastered man or woman sets himself or herself apart.  He or she is like a tree grown on fertile ground.” (The Husia, p.59).  In the Declaration of Virtues of Antef we get a great representation of geru maa as well: “I set goodness under my house and love for me went throughout the land.  I gave bread to the hungry, water to the thirsty and helped the shipwrecked on their way.  I buried the aged, I clothed the naked.  I committed no sin against man or woman and none that God hates.  I applied the law which the pharaoh loved.  I have come to my city and entered my home.  I have done that which both man and woman love and things that are approved by God.” (The Husia, p. 98).

As shown, Maat is the interrelated order of rightness and embodies three interrelated realms: Divine, natural, and social.  There are seven cardinal virtues that establish the foundation of the Maatian tradition.  With Maat, the Ancient Egyptians displayed that the world can be a prosperous and revitalizing environment for all beings.

All the best to you and yours,
Marshall R. Goodman, Sr.
Senior Warden

Greetings Brethren from the South!

April is swiftly approaching and the summer heat has come early this year so I hope that all of you are staying cool enough. We have only slowed down a little bit with our Lodge for we have 3 possible 3rd Degrees this month as well as our regular practices, OSI, a fun social outing to celebrate our Fraternal bonds and Stated Meeting Dinner. Which brings me to the menu of our next Stated Meeting Dinner on the 2nd. The menu for the Stated Meeting is Ham, Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, and Veggies. I will make sure to include a few alternatives for the brothers who will need it.  Also, I am sure that there will be some egg dishes too! If you are Stewards of the Lodge I will call upon you for assist with the set up before the dinner.

Fraternally,
David Kinnison
Junior Warden

 

Brethren of Long Beach Lodge,

Our Membership Dues for 2026 are $163.00
You can pay online at freemason.org for just a few more dollars.