I’m A Mason and Proud – Justin Weaver
“From the age of 15 a man took me in, a mystical book is where it all began, upon opening and reading, it made no sense to me. At the back of the bar it sat, people came from North, South, East and West and talked of things, I made no sense of that.
BUT the values he taught me as a person as one, I will never forget, I was never looked down upon, he was always working – A grafter to be said, there were no woes, the values he gave me still echoes.
From the charity nights and sights, I should not have seen (after all it was a secret and I was only a teen). This mystical man saw my plight, and helped me along the way, until one day I aim to be on a par with the man he was, I doubt there will be another, a friend, a mentor, and a brother.”
This was written by Justin Weaver a member of the Rural Philanthropic Lodge who meet in Burnham on Sea.
Justin was an unsponsored candidate and wanted to become a Mason because of his neighbour who was a Mason and who took him under his wing when he was a teenager. He provided him with true values and encouraged Justin to join the Army, where at the end of a two-year posting to Northern Ireland, during the troubles. He was medically discharged because, (in his own words ) “I left part of my leg behind”.
Justin has become a well-respected member of 291, always offering to help and nothing is too much trouble for him, he is always first to volunteer and even when the cleaner left, he stepped up to help clean the Lodge. He says this is because he wants to give back what his neighbour gave to him – the true values of Freemasonry
His friend and Mentor would be truly proud of him! We definitely are at 291