My Year In The Grand West

Back to my Mother Lodge on this first Thursday in March for our annual OV, and tonight we welcomed RWBro Gil Carreiro, DDGM Toronto East, for his annual inspection. We first enjoyed a wonderful meal at the banquet hall in the York Temple and then, upon opening, passed to the Second Degree Bro George Kierstead, while also enjoying a piece of Masonic Education presented by WBro Derek McNulty on the intriguing subject of Acacia. Next month, the brethren will cast their votes for the new officer line-up and at our OV, the SW was Bro Eric Boyce, who delivered the FC lecture, and on this night WBro Steve Spence announced he would be letting his name stand for the office of GSW in July.  The Sprig of Acacia, as found on the website Sacred Texts, and related to Freemasonry: Intimately connected with the legend of the third degree is the mythical history of the Sprig of Acacia, which we are now to consider. There is no symbol more interesting to the masonic student than the Sprig o...

This was a special night, not only for me, but for my son, who is now the SW in The Beaches Lodge and who was leading the degree team - as it was Step Up Night - and on this evening, Thursday, Feb 6, Bro Eric Boyce, sitting on the level in the East, and his officers raised two FC to the sublime degree of the Master Mason - and also while open in the 3rd proved a very capable member, who will soon be invested as an officer. As I watched the degree, I was reminded of the year 2011 when I was still the SW of The Beaches and when in May subsequently was installed as WM - and the first to be installed at York Temple. I have now watched many of the lodge officers be initiated, passed and raised in our new home (albeit temporary), including the current WM, WBro Jonathan Miles, and indeed I was proud of these young men, and the candidates, who were very well prepared, and look forward to watching their progress in the Craft.

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...

I visited Canada Lodge on Tuesday, Feb 4, on the occasion of the Official Visit of RWBro Gil Carreiro - the DDGM for Toronto East - and enjoyed the passing of a young brother from Wexford Lodge. Members of Wexford were out in numbers in Whitby and won the Traveling Gavel. WBro Craig Woods is the WM and RWBro Dean Bergerson is the IPM of Canada Lodge, and sitting in the West on this evening was a past Grand Senior Warden, RWBBro Robert Kliaman. 

On this night the brethren of Imperial East Gate welcomed RWBro Gil Carreiro on the occasion of his Official Visit to Imperial East Gate Lodge in Toronto East District, and after being warmly welcomed I enjoyed the evening in the East. After the meeting, I had an lengthy chat with the SW, Bro Eleno Sabatin, who is certainly excited about his forthcoming election and thus possibly becoming the new WM in a few months.

On the first Thursday of the new year, 2020, this was Past Master's Night at The Beaches Lodge, and I was asked to sit in the West during the Initiation of our candidate, taking the chair of Bro Eric Boyce - who will be installed in May. It was very much a fun night - as I was sandwiched between WBro Andrew Douris and WBro Derek McNulty - and I'm sure everyone had a great time before, during and after the ceremony. At the banquet, I sat with a four of our lodge's very bright and curious members and the conversation floated from the Masonic Foundation off Ontario and its good works, to ancient megaliths in Japan, and some of the esoteric aspects of Freemasonry, and among the many topics we discussed were the Emerald Tablets and Thoth  as well as the fabled two pillars  ("… according to legend, Thoth preserved his canon of writings inside two great pillars “just before the Great Flood inundated the world.” Thousands of years later, the pillars were rediscovered. Accor...

On this first Friday night of December, together with RWBro Mark Kapitan, and joined in the East by RWBro Leyland Muss, Member of the Board, and RWBro Gil Carreiro, DDGM, we visited Wexford Lodge who were honouring two of their brethren: VWBro Royce Baker and WBro Ibrahim Washington - the latter received the lodge's Mason of the Year award, while the former was provided his regalia as Grand Steward. After the presentations were made, the lodge was duly closed by the WM, RWBro Gerry Newell, and all brethren then assembled in the banquet room, along with family members and friends, for a libation and their annual festive Christmas dinner, which included a visit from Santa, who helped to distribute the many presents to each member and sell raffle tickets for a pair of Albert Mackey's (quite old but exquisite, and expensive) encyclopaedias ,

Receiving an invite from RWBro Maher Eid, I attended a Past Master's night at Scarboro Lodge on Monday - the first I had ever attended - which was held at Chisholm Temple, aka the East Toronto Masonic Temple, sadly now sold and many lodges have found new accommodations. It was a meeting very well attended, in addition to our DDGM, RWBro Gil Carreiro, with many Board members present, as well as quite a few Past Grand Senior Wardens, including RWBro Andrew McLelland, RWBro Terry Van Horne, RWBro Dale Graham, MWBro Ron Groshaw and RWBro Maher Eid, who sat in the East as the WM for the 2nd degree team. MWBro. Donald A. Campbell was Master of Scarboro Lodge in 1987, prior to being elected and installed and invested as the Grand Master in 2013. Currently WBro David McDonnell is the Master of the Lodge.

The other night I visited Mimosa Lodge No 576 in Toronto East District that these days meets in Aurora - and, wow, what an impressive temple: a converted church, complete with paintings adorning the walls; apparently several by the same artist who painted the scrolls in Zeradatha Lodge. This was the annual Installation of the WM and Investiture of his officers, and I, for the first time since being invested, sat in the West during the ceremony, while MWBro Don Campbell was the IM. The temple was originally constructed in 1877 as a Methodist Episcopal Church and was purchased in 1885 by The Rising Sun Lodge, which has continued to own and occupy the premises since that time. The walls of the Lodge Sanctuary are graced by four magnificent paintings installed in the early 1900's to illustrate the Four Proper Objects of a Mason's daily life - Prayer, Labour, Refreshment, and Sleep. The first is a mural "Prayer", approximately seven feet square on the "East"...

Alpha-Tuscan Lodge No 384 - in my own Toronto East District - held its Installation and Investiture of Officers on Thursday, September 19, and it was a very well-attended evening and a wonderful ceremony, enabled by an excellent Installing Board, led by WBro Brad Guinn. Alpha Lodge was formed in 1880 and Tuscan Lodge received its charter in 1918. They amalgamated in 2008, and they proudly share a rich history of achievement. In 2005, at the time of the realignment of the 5 Toronto Districts, Alpha and Tuscan were among only 3 lodges from the old District 7 to become part of the new Toronto East District (of which The Beaches Lodge was to also join, leaving the former District 3). The 3rd was Cathedral Lodge and it has since gone dark. A complete history of the first 125 years of Alpha Lodge was compiled and printed by WBro. Martin Sckulnick, also in 2005, and limited copies are still available from him. According to the current Toronto East District website, "Alpha and Tuscan ...

Last night, I was in Whitby (my old hometown) to attend the Installation of the WM and the investiture of the Officers of Coronati Lodge No 520 for the ensuing Masonic Year. A twist. Prior to admitting visitors, I together with RWBro Maher Eid and RWBro Robert Kliaman - both Past Grand Senior Wardens - were quickly admitted into lodge without ceremony, each adorned with the apron of a FC, in order to act as Scrutineers and properly oversee the election of WBro James Ignacio for the position of Secretary of the lodge, which he won. I loved the spontaneity. After declaring the results, we then retired downstairs for a few minutes of conversation prior to the pre-lodge banquet, where I had an opportunity to chat leisurely with Past Grand Secretary and Past Grand Master, MWBro Terry Shand, who was there to participate in the Installing Board - at the invitation of Installing Master, VWBro Gary Rhodes. WBro Lochinvar Cachuela was successfully installed as WM of Coronati Lodge, along wi...

It was a short ride down Kingston Road last night to easily arrive in time for the presentation of his new regalia to the DDGM for Toronto East District, RWBro Gil Carreiro, at the renovated Doric Temple - after saying hello to many brethren I have known since being initiated in 2005, and who I've had the pleasure of knowing over the years, and meeting a few new members as well. The WM, RWBro Dean Bergerson, opened Canada Lodge, and then presented two PGMs, MWBro Ron Groshaw and MWBro Terry Shand, and introduced the current Grand Lodge Officers, led by yours truly and immediately followed by RWBro Mark Kapitan, our GJW. We were both offered our respective chairs, which were politely declined and upon being given Grand Honours, and then seated in the East, the DD was escorted y RWBro Keith Jones to the altar to also receive his Grand Honours appropriately.  RWBro Robert Kliaman guided the ceremony with respect and integrity. After tributes, the lodge was closed and many friends...