Caesarea Masonic Lodge No. 64 F&AM - 60 Osborn St., Keyport, NJ 07735

Brethren,

So far, our second half of the year started out
with a bang! We had an official visit and brought in three
new honorary members into our lodge. I’m so proud of
all the hard work we put in during the first half of the year
and it really showed when it was time to “adjust fire” in
such short notice. As the year end is rapidly approaching,
we still have a lot of work ahead of us in preparation for
next year. Congratulations to the three brothers that we
are sending to the Masonic Leadership Conference at the
end of the month. You will have an amazing time and
seeing the three of you all together tells me that the future
of our lodge is bright. Keep up the good work and
remember that it is almost time to throw on our tuxedo’s
again to vote and welcome in a new Master. A quick note
to think about the next time you wear your tux. In 1886,
Griswold Lorillard of Tuxedo Park, NY fashioned the
first tuxedo for men, a form of black and white tailored
suit and shirt that has long played a significant mode of
dress for Masons. Not too well known about the tuxedo
is its symbolic adaptation to the black and white "Beau
Seant " which served as the banner of the Knights
Templar during the Crusades. The Templar banner was
vertical, divided into two bars or blocks. One was solid
black, to symbolize the dark world of sin that the
Templars left behind, and one was pure white, to reflect
the pure life of the order. The banner's name, "Beau-
Seant" was also the Templar battle cry. While today the
term "beau" is taken to mean "beautiful," in medieval
French it meant a lofty state for which translators have
offered such terms as "noble," "glorious," and even
"magnificent." As a battle cry, then, "Beau Seant" was a
charge to "Be Noble" or "Be Glorious." (TMT, 2014) My
Brothers, the next time you throw on your tux, I want you
all to remember the chto be noble and glorious. Let us be
upstanding men. Let us be Masons!

Respectfully,

Christopher P. Menendez
Worshipful Master 2024