Why did you become a Freemason?

From: "Professor Adams" <ladams11@adelphia.net>
To: <masonry-ask@mit.edu>
Subject: Why I Joined Freemasonry
Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2004 00:37:53 -0400

Over a four years ago my health was failing and I was not sure if I would see tomorrow. All my life, I have lived as a honest and upright person. As a teacher, I look for the good in my kids and try to be a role model for them to follow. My teachers, football coaches, and mentors (Army and family) instilled a strong belief in God and that we all should help others in need.

It was 1999, I was not feeling very good - so I told my wife that I should make an appointment to see my doctor. We called and made an appointment - the doctor told me he needed to run some test on me about my kidneys. I was shocked to hear I had a problem with my kidneys - I have been a strong and health young man. I played many sports in high school, server in the military, and even played college football for two year.

It turned out that I had ERD, which is end stage renal disease or kidney failure. As you can imagine my whole world turned up side down. I just got married to a wonderful women about a year ago and thought life was getting great. The doctor told me that if I had to go on dialysis - where you sit in a chair three times a week and then filter your blood for 4 to 5 hours a day. I was on dialysis for a couple of years and I continued to work as a college professor in West Virginia (Shepherd College). My students would ask me why - why would you still work with all these health problems - I really did not know what to say - so I told them what was in my heart - I am a teacher - I have always been a teacher and until I die I will continue to be a teacher.

I am a very strong believer in Jesus Christ and God - my faith has always been strong. I prayed a lot during those rough and uncertain days. Well God answered my prayers and found a way to give me a kidney transplant and save my life for now.

Today, I am doing well and feeling fine. My kidney has been working great for more than a year. So you might ask what this does this have to do with joining masonry. I promised myself and God that I would find away to help others in need. I wanted to be a part of something bigger than me. As a member of the Winchester Hiram #21 (Winchester, Virginia) Masonic Lodge, I am now finding people that also want to help people in need.

Masonry is an organization focus on helping people in need. They take good men and try to make them better. They are NOT a religion - but they are religious in nature. I look forward in seeing my friends or Brothers who look forward in seeing me - we live by an obligation that we will always be there to fight the evils of society and help the weak.

God is always watching us and we need to make him proud of us - I can do that through Masonry by helping others that need help.

Hope this helps.

Respectfully submitted,

Larry L. Adams
Secretary of Winchester Hiram #21
Winchester, Virginia
www.winchesterhiram21.org