My Year In The Grand West

A trip up the Niagara Escarpment with RWBro Mark Kapitan, GJW, on this Thursday, March 12, to visit Copestone Lodge 373 in Fonthill turned out to be our last - sadly - before all Masonic meetings were cancelled the next day due to the Corona Virus (COVID19) which has effectively shut down most of the world's public activities. On this evening, in fact the OV of RWBro John Newton, DDGM Niagara 'B', I was able to present the short article written by RWBro Wallace McLeod, when he chaired the Education Committee, titled The Banner of Grand Lodge. Joining us, much to my surprise, in lodge was one of my early mentors and inspirations, RWBro Alan Donovan. As an EA about 15 years ago, while he was DDGM, I had the pleasure of golfing one fine day with him - without knowing what titles really were - and he explained so many things of relevance over those 18 holes, and I went on to meet with him again and produce a promotional and informative video for the York Rite called Fervancy...

The Barton Lodge No 6 is celebrating a unique Masonic milestone this year, as they turn 225 years old, and if it were not for the COVID19 outbreak a few days after this meeting would have enjoyed a wonderful banquet, but on this evening the GJW and I were joined in lodge by the Grand Master, MWBro David Cameron, who had lived across the road from the candidate and watched him grow up, and who now watched him at his Initiation, proudly becoming a Mason. Congratulating the members this evening on joining "The 225 Club" were two members of The Ancient St John's Lodge No 3 who had both travelled from Kingston to enjoy the degree and education that was also provided. As written in an article entitled " Early History of Freemasonry in Upper Canada " by MWBro Freed, PGM, Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario, who says: "The Barton Lodge, No.6 on the register of the Grand Lodge of Canada, was the ninth of those warranted by William Jarvis. Its cha...

This was indeed an entertaining visit to Beach Lodge 639 - the home lodge of our GJW, RWBro Mark Kapitan - on the occasion of the Official Visit of RWBro Scott Laing, DDGM of Hamilton 'A'.  Following an excellent banquet, featuring roast beef, and an array of toasts, including a rousing and very traditional JW Toast given by our GJW, we were then ceremoniously ushered into the lodge room and witnessed a 2nd degree conferred most efficiently by the upstanding brethren, on behalf of Tuscon Lodge, who provided the candidate for the evening. There is a wonderfully written article to be found online with respect to the history of Beach Lodge, and here are a few quotes that are relevant to maintaining tradition, in terms of how we do it: 1) Growing up "down there" couldn't help but make you independent. We did it our way. As a community we no doubt raised the hackles of the powers that be in some quarters. So be it. The Beach, long ignored, now became a sought afte...

The evening in Schomberg started with a quick visit to a local pub, due to our early arrival, where the GJW and I enoyed wings and fries at The Scruffy Duck, before heading over to visit Union Lodge 118 on the occasion of the Official Visit of RWBro Alan Dresser, DDGM York District, and ended with an excellent banquet down below. The brethren conducted a 2nd degree and we proudly welcomed the newest FC of True Blue Lodge. Also present in lodge were two esteemed Masons, one a William Mercer Wilson medal recipient and a William James Dunlop Award winner. The latter is rare, and more information on the past award winners can be found on the Heritage Lodge website  as well as information on WJ Dunlop himself. In brief, "Dr. Dunlop was appointed Minister of Education on October 2,1951, and retired from that office on December 16,1959, but continued to serve in the Cabinet of Ontario as a Minister without Portfolio until his retirement from that position in November 1960. At that t...

Located in the local Plympton-Wyoming Fairgounds, just a few miles from Sarnia, on this Saturday night my wife and I drove a few hours to experience the annual Pie Olympics - an event held annually for the past 23 years - during the Ladies Night of the district. The event also raised money for the local hospice, which is the District Charity and has been for the past 8 years. The evening was also attended by many Grand Lodge officers, including the Grand Master, as well as quite a few past GMs, such as MWBro Atkinson, MWBro Todd, MWBro Green and MWBro Dowling, and likely among the crowd several men aspiring to be GM one day.

Up we drove, the GJW and I, to Meaford - on the shores of Georgian Bay - to visit the brethren of Pythagoras Lodge 137 and their visitors on the occasion of the OV of DDGM RWBro John Bell. We went up to the Tird Degree, and while there I provided Masonic Education on the Grand Banner of Grand Lodge. VWBro Tom Wilcox also received his 50 Year Pin. Yet another lodge steeped in history, as evidenced by its walls, including a very old dirk and a unique gavel used by the WM - a ram's head, carved by a local artisan, known for her totem poles. Fun fact: the lodge turned 100 the year I was born! From their website : Pythagoras Lodge No. 137, Meaford, received dispensation to form a lodge on January 13, 1860. It was a member of the old Toronto District and in1866 and was transferred to Georgian District in 1879 and became a member of Grey District in 1951. In 1858 the amicable agreement to amalgamate the Ancient Grand Lodge of Canada and the Grand Lodge of Canada A.F. & A.M. too...

Sandwiched in between a Scottish Rite meeting on Thursday evening, and a Heritage Lodge meeting on Saturday morning, was a visit to Georgina Lodge on the occasion of the Official Visit of the DDGM, RWBro Brainerd Blyden-Taylor. This was the week when RWBro Harold Clarke had finished the encasement of MWBro C. Edwin Drew's regalia and it had been mounted on the wall, above the organ in the temple. a fitting tribute to a wonderful man and inspirational leader. In addition to the many WMs from Toronto Humber Valley, joining me in the East was RWBro Mark Kapitan and RWBro Terry VanHorne. At the outset of the meeting, after the lodge had been duly opened and the brethren were called from labour to refreshment, I provided some Masonic Education - a piece on the use of threes in Freemasonry, and in life, or triads (versus dyads), the groupings of three and the concept of three. I believe it was well received, and generated further discussion. As a young Mason, I was signing the registe...

On Tuesday, February 25, the GJW and I travelled to Vienna, Ontario, in Wilson District to accompany the Grand Master, MWBro David Cameron, at Oriental Lodge 181 and witness the formal extinguishing of the lights in a solemn ceremony and the surrender of their warrant. The members had proudly served the community and rather than amalgamate decided to "go dark" and also in the process donated the monies remaining in their bank account to a variety of local worthy causes. The ceremony was held in the Vienna Temple, also home of Vienna Lodge, where most of the members of Oriental will affiliate. The temple walls are filled with history, including a very unique and interesting piece of Masonic art - numerous pieces depicting parts of our Masonic ceremonies and rituals, each hand-carved and painted - contained in a wall-mounted case. There is also a very heavy hammer found in the anteroom used by a Mason - or the company he owned, identified by the S&C - in a day long ago t...

This would be the first of our two fraternal visits this week to Toronto Humber Valley District, corresponding with two Official Visits of the DDGM, RWBro Brainerd Blyden-Taylor, and on this Monday night, February 24, the GJW and I dropped in on the brethren of Trillium Lodge 575 and had the pleasure of watching an excellent Fellowcraft degree. Quite impressively, the candidate was required to fly in from LA, where he is studying to receive his Masters Degree in Traditional Chinese Medince, to one day become a Chiropractor, and where he was being mentored electronically by the SW (seen in photo) in order to be properly prepared. After lodge we were feted downstairs to a wonderful dinner that included an array of Filipino food, as well as roast beef, and traditional toasts. 

Kilwinning Lodge 565 has a fine tradition of wearing their kilts on the occasion of the Official Visit, and this night, Thursday February 21, was the Official Visit of RWBro John McLoughlin, DDGM Toronto West, born in Glasgow, so I and several others in attendance, including the GJW and RWBro Charlie Woods, were in the minority wearing our pants. The lodge was formed in 1920 and will be celebrating their centenary in the fall. WBro Jamie Low, as WM, decided to provide an exemplification of the FC degree before we went downstairs for a great beef dinner and libations, as well as well-rounded conversations. It was relayed afterward that their JW had quickly departed for a career elsewhere, which precipitated a shuffling in the officer lineup, and required the import of WBro Stefano Amelio into the SW chair on this evening - though the lecture and charge to the FC were delivered by RWBro Andrew McClelland, who grew up across the road from Burns Cottage in Scotland. The lodge is proud o...

On the occasion of the Official Visit of RWBro Carmine Infante, the GJW, RWBro Mark Kapitan joined me at Harcourt Lodge 581 as the officers and members initiated their newest Mason at this Wednesday meeting (February 19) at York Temple. During a break, the DDGM took the time to introduce quite a few of his District Chairmen, who dutifully explained the various programs that were launched and are being implemented for the benefit of all members. There were also quite a few WMs from the district attending and everyone enjoyed themselves. According to their wesite, Harcourt Lodge A.F. & A.M. No. 581, G.R.C. was conceived by the late Rt. Wor. Bro. James Haywood and the late Rt. W. Bro. George H. Smith with the help of several others, including the late W. Bro. John M. Millar, who was our first Master. Our name "Harcourt" was derived from the name of the ruling Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario at the time of our institution, M. Wor. Bro. ...

After Valentine's Day, on Saturday, February 15, the GJW and I drove from Parry Sound, where we had stayed after visiting the brethren of Bethel Lodge the night before, and drove to Peterbough for the OV of RWBro Tom Mortlock at Corinthian Lodge 101 and then enjoyed the passing of a well-prepared candidate (after a hearty meal and toasts downstairs), who was guided by the SD, Bro Danny McLaughlin. The degree was expertly led by the WM, and each part perfetly executed by the young officer team in the chairs, ably assisted by their PMs. Also attending were five WMs from local lodges in Peterborough District, as well as RWBro Tom Haight and VWBro Walter Howell, Grand Standard Bearer.

On Valentine's Day, the GJW and I traveled up to, first, Parry Sound, in order to check-in to our hotel, where we then changed and hit the road to continue our drive up to Sudury where we stopped at the Big Nickel (for a quick selfie) and then drove around the corner to meet the WM of Bethel Lodge 699, WBro Robert Tailleur, at Sizzle Mongolian Grill and then to the temple for their regular meeting. We were enthusiastically welcomed by the brethren, including the DDGM, RWBro Robert Lipic, and before going up to the 3rd, where I provided some Masonic Education by reading the article written by RWBro Wallace McLeod entitled The Banner of Grand Lodge, three officers were duly invested with their collars and a ballot was taken for a new applicant.  After lodge was closed, we enjoyed pie and ice cream downstairs, toasts and the wonderful traditional passing of the gavel so that each member in the room could be given the opportunity to speak and offer an enoyable, memorable or inspriat...

On Wednesday Feb 12, the GJW, RWBro Mark Kapitan and I met at the Aldershot Go Station and traveled together down the road to Ancaster, to visit the brethren of Meridian Lodge 687 on the occasion of the Official Visit of RWBro Jason McCulloch, DDGM Hamilton District "C". Upon opening in the 2nd, the lodge passed an excellent candidate and, prior to closing, also presented a 50 Year a Past Master pin to RWBro Roger Parliament, who on this evening also sat as IPM. Their lodge building used to be barracks back in the day and its walls - upstairs and downstairs - are filled with history. According to their website: "In 1950, West Hamilton and the suburbs of Ancaster experienced rapid growth. As a result, it was determined that the creation of a new Lodge was required to meet Masonic enrollment requests. In October 1956, a group of senior masons began a series of meetings which led to the first meeting of Meridian Lodge # 687, under dispensation, on February 13, 1957. Me...

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 - a...

On Friday, Feb 7, the GJW, RWBro Mark Kapitan, and I visited King Hiram 566 at the Annette Street Temple in Toronto West District on the occasion of the Official Visit of RWBro John McLaughlin, DDGM, and to witness an Initiation on this evening, led by WBro John Lebedev, who was ably assisted by a wonderfully skilled line of officers, who were joined in the South by WBro Jamie Low, as King Hiram's JW had to attend family matters. Sidebar. John North Willys was a Freemason - in addition to Bros Ford, Chrysler and Olds - and it was his company that eventually created the Jeep... "Traced back to the purchase of the Overland Automotive Division of the Standard Wheel Company in 1908 by John North Willys, this young and initially struggling company was renamed the Willys-Overland Motor Company in 1912," as taken from this site . And the connection as taken from King Hiram's own Lodge History to the Canadian side of his company is found on their website: "In the ye...

The GJW, RWBro Mark Kapitan, joined me on this evening, Wednesday Feb 5, for the annual Official Visit of RWBro Gil Carreiro, DDGM Toronto East, at Universe Lodge held in the York Masonic Temple. The brethren of Acacia Lodge provided an excellent young candidate who was passed to the FC degree. Accacia Lodge helped to form The Beaches Lodge in 1905, and has a long history: "A preliminary meeting was held on March 31st, 1892, to discuss the formation of another Masonic Lodge in East Toronto. It was comprised of members from Orient Lodge #399. In attendance were Brothers J.P. McMaster, J. Mitchell, W.R. Walters, John Richardson, John Parsell, G. Milne, D. Maginn, W. Brown and S. Newland. In order to proceed, dispensation was requested of, and granted by, the surrounding Lodges and the G.M. John Ross Robertson on May 5th, 1892. Bro. William Bowman loaned $200 for Hall Furnishings and a meeting place was secured through Bro. D.G. Stephenson, at Kingston Road and Main Street. The na...

In the fall, I joined the Senior Wardens of Ontario District in passing (as a team) a young member of Cedar Lodge to the 2nd degree, and on this Tuesday Jan 28 I had the pleasure of joining the Grand Master, and many other Grand Lodge officers and brethren from across the Jurisdiction, for the Installation of the new WM, WBro Dean Peel, and Investiture of his officers for the ensuing year. The evening began with a meal and toasts - including to the haggis - in the hall below, and the head table were piped in by not one, not two but three pipers, including the Grand Piper. My immediate predeccsor was also in attendance, RWBro Frank Thompson, and other past Grand Senior Wardens as well, including MWBro Ron Groshaw, and RWBro Peter Irwin who received his 25 Year a Past Master pin this evening. According to their site, Cedar Lodge is one of several Lodges operating in the City of Oshawa. Well over 100 years old, Cedar Lodge was established in 1872 and has had many notable members over t...

This was a special day, not only on this Saturday Jan 25 were we to be treated to a Robert Burns Dinner, to be attended by the Grand Master, but in the afternoon beforehand we were also to be treated to a Scottish 3rd Degree, courtesy of Battlefield Lodge 61, held in the Scottish Rite Cathedral. The degree did not disappoint anyone that afternoon, whether the many numerous visitors or those from within the trio of Hamilton-based districts, and it was rather brilliant in fact. I highly recommend you to visit next year, and in the years to come, as I'm sure the tradition will continue. Some history... In 1795 the first Lodge to call Hamilton its home was The Barton Lodge which held its first meeting at Smith's Tavern in Hamilton. Then in 1799 the second Lodge in the Hamilton area was established at Forty Mile Creek (Grimsby) and was called Union Lodge. The original District was called The Gore District and stretched from Grimsby to Oakville. Immediately following the the end...

I fortunately arrived in Stoney Creek early for a Dedication Ceremony (certainly not something we Masons see often, and therefore certainly not something many of us get to participate in - and hence when the ceremony began with the opening of Grand Lodge, a lot of GLOs past and present were there) and was able to take a picture of the empty - beautiful - new lodge room before many brethren arrived to fill it up. The hall is located within a now re-purposed church, and last year the brethren of Wentworth 166 had approached administrators for the church, as the entire building was up for sale, to rent this older apparently un-used portion of the church adjacent to the new church - yet all under one roof; definitely a win-win situation. On March 21, 2006 Wentworth Lodge No. 166 amalgamated with T. H. Simpson Lodge No. 692. During the life of Wentworth Lodge, it has had 6 homes previously, with the most recent being at the corner of Dawson Street and Passmore Avenue in Stoney Creek. The...