TRUTH
The pursuit of Truth in Masonry is the hardest of the central tenets.  We have chosen you often for your previously demonstrated Brotherly Love.  We have a Relief system set up for which you can participate.  However, Truth, is nebulous in its definition as it regards Masonry.   We are promised in the degrees that we will be educated regarding this mysterious Order as we proceed into its mysteries, but, often we are left empty when little is discussed or imparted toward us regarding the greater Truth.  As you know we are in the process of change at Signet Lodge.   I would like to give you a framework to enter your own road toward this enigmatic “Truth”.
Currently the Grand Lodge of Iowa requires all new degree holders to have completed the Enlightenment Course.   This is a very readable synopsis of the degrees and their significance.  I would highly recommend anyone who has not reviewed these to do so.  I will have 5-10 copies on hand at lodge for the Brethren on the sidelines to review during degrees.   To down download these, the website is http://www.gl-iowa.org/Courses.html.
To delve deeper into Truth another option is to join one of the many research lodges.  These lodges generally have newsletters, journals, or a compendium published annually.  Often they have a book which they give to each member annually.  Some of the research lodges are listed below. 
Consistory Research Network (http://www.freemasonry-siouxland.org/crn/index.html) is a website put up by the Sioux City Valley of Scottish Rite.  The site offers a monthly historic paper which can be downloaded as well as original papers submitted to them.  All posted material can be viewed at anytime.  They also have a suggested reading list.  The cost is a onetime ten dollar fee—a fantastic value.    
Research Lodge Number 2 (http://yorkrite.com/ia/lodge2/) is an Iowa Lodge dedicated to spreading Masonic Light.  Twenty dollars annually get you a Masonic book sent to you as well as two previously selected books when you join.  Every year you will be sent a new book.  They also hold two meetings per year with a Masonic speaker present.
The Philalethes Society (http://www.freemasonry.org/) is a select group of Masonic researchers in search of Masonic Truth.  Fifty dollars in annual due allows six Philalethes Journals, an invitation to their annual communication and dinner, and a portal to participate in on-line discussions with Masons. 
The Scottish Rite Research Society (http://www.scottishrite.org/what/educ/srrs.html) is a publication force in Masonic Truth.  Fifty-one dollars annually affords you a quarterly newsletter, a yearly bonus book, discounts from their on-line store, and a compendium called Heredom published annual of scholarly research papers.  This is a truly great value. 
The Masonic Research Society (http://www.hodapps.com/)   is a group of passionate Masons who formulated a new organization with the hopes of being the preeminent research lodge in North America.  Chris Hodapp of Freemasonry for Dummies is the founding editor.  The website is best found linked from his website.  The premier issue was just published.  Thirty-nine dollars in annual dues offers you the quarterly  Journal of the Masonic Society, an invitation to the annual communication during Masonic Week in Washington DC, and a members only access to an internet forum. 
 The Quatuor Coronati Lodge #2076 (http://www.quatuorcoronati.com/index2.html) is the quintessential research lodge.  All other lodges are measured against this one.  Forty-five dollars (sixty initially) gets membership into the Quatuor Coronati Correspondence Circle.   Membership includes a copy of the annual transaction Ars Quatuor Coronatorum which includes many scholarly papers, invitations to the meetings, discounted books prices, and the ability to submit Masonic questions to the fellows for authoritative answers. 
Other ways to increase you knowledge is to spending some time on the internet.  Any of the Masonic key words will offer a multitude of sites.  It is nice to have a foundation for what Masonry is to sort the wheat from the chaff.  As in other facets of life the internet is a source of Light and Darkness.   Starting at Signet Lodge’s website you can get to some good links http://www.iowamasons.com/264.html.  
By joining an appendant bodies of Masonry, your knowledge will also blossom.  Both the York and Scottish Rites offer means to dive deeper into life’s Truths.  The time committed to these bodies will be repaid in increased understanding for what Masonry really stands.  Both bodies also send quarterly newsletters which will pique your interest and expand your knowledge base. 
A means our Grand Lodge has attempted to increase our principal officers’ knowledge is to offer them the Short Talk Bulletins.  These are available through the Masonic Service Association of North America (http://www.msana.com/).  Six dollars gets you a monthly bulletin on a Masonic Topic.  Of more interest to me is the ability to get any of the hundreds of bulletins published since inception over 80 years ago.  
Lastly, Truth can be pursued through books.  The Grand Lodge of Iowa has a suggested reading list attached to the Enlightenment Course under the Master Mason degree.  This is a great starting place to decide what to read.  The books can be ordered from our Masonic Library in Cedar Rapids online at http://www.gl-iowa.org/library.html and many are available via Amazon.com.  are quite good and I have read are as follows. 
Freemasonry for Dummies by Chris Hodapp is a must read to get a broad knowledge base.  Now that we give this to our new members, we all need to read this to stay up and be able to answer our new Brothers’ questions.  There will soon be copy in our city library.
Solomon’s  Builders  by Chris Hodapp is a fantastic book about our founding fathers and their role in our countries development.  It actually was written in anticipation to Dan Brown’s next book The Solomon Key and its purported untruths regarding Masonry.  There will soon be a copy in our city library. 
The Builders by Joseph Newton is a timeless classic that describes in detail what Masons are all about.  Eighty years ago this book was given to each new Mason. 
The Newly-Made Mason by H.L Haywood, another Iowan, like Hodapp’s Dummies is a broad stroke approach at discussing Masonry but in greater detail and focused more on the philosophy. 
Masonic Enlightenment edited by Michael Poll is a compendium of essays about a third of which are fantastic reads and I will be introducing them to our lodge in time. 
There are literally thousands of books written on Masonry.  Many of these are well written and well intended.  I would simply caution you in our endeavors.  Just as the internet has its dark corners, I have been hoodwinked into buying a book or two that have been disappointments various reasons.  I look forward to seeing in what direction our lodge can head if we all pursue the Light together.