York Lodge in Toronto

On this Monday night, RWBro Mark Kapitan and I visited York Lodge 156 in Toronto Don Valley District on the occasion of the Official Visit of DDGM RWBro Carmine Infante. The lodge proficiently went up to the third where we were treated to an excellent piece of Masonic Education (on the tracing board) provided by RWBro Robert Kliaman written originally by MWBro John Ross Robertson, and in the second I read an article written for the Masonic Service Association in 1930 entitled "Corn, Wine and Oil" - which was appropriate with respect to the recent (and rare) Dedication in Stoney Creek and the upcoming 2nd Degree in Harrowsmith where I'll be sitting in the West; and, when back in the first, RW Kliaman was again granted freedom of the lodge and read an article written by RWBro Wallace McLeod, our former Grand Historian, on the Grand Lodge Banner.
Prior to closing the WM added his knowledge on the subject of the olive - as it was used in the presentation related to Oil - and illustrated to us that in days gone by, because it takes a very long time for an olive tree to bear fruit, only those lands that were known to be peaceful and could grow olives could therefore extend an olive branch, as a symbol of peace... while also keeping in mind it was a dove that brought an olive branch to Noah's Ark.

A search online revealed very little about York Lodge, which once met at a temple located at Yonge and Eglinton, with one exception: there is a book available (reference only) in the Toronto Public Library: A history of York Lodge : A.F. & A.M. No. 156, G.R.C., 1863 to 1963, York Masonic Temple, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, which was published in 1963.

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