Waterloo Masons: Grand River Lodge № 151

In the Junior Warden's lecture we are told that two of the immovable jewels are the rough ashler and the perfect ashler.

Two questions come to mind In the first place, isn’t it nonsense to call these two huge stones “jewels”? and secondly, what moral lessons can we possibly draw from them?

The preserved records of the Reichssicherheitshauptamt (Reich Security Main Office) show the persecution of the Freemasons. While the number is not accurately known, it is estimated that between 80,000 and 200,000 Freemasons were exterminated under the Nazi regime.

In 1926, the little blue Forget Me Not was first used by the Grand Lodge Zur Sonne as a Masonic emblem at the Annual Convention in Bremen. Then in 1934, the Nazis introduced the Winterhilfswerk, a supposed charitable organization, which actually collected money used for rearmament. The contributors received a badge that changed each winter. In March 1938 the Forget Me Not badge - made by the same factory as the Masonic badge - was chosen, enabling Freemasons to wear it as a secret sign of membership.

After the Second World War, the Forget Me Not flower was used again as a Masonic emblem at the first Annual Convention in 1948 of the United Grand Lodges of Germany, Ancient Free & Accepted Masons. The badge is now worn in the coat lapel by Freemasons around the world to remember all those that have suffered in the name of Freemasonry, and specifically those during the Nazi era.

-- from Wikipedia

The distinguishing characteristics of every Free and Accepted Mason are Virtue, Honour and Mercy.

The writers of history identify certain events as defining points, crucial episodes upon which the future depends and from which the future evolves. One such landmark in Canadian military history and milestone in our political history is the Battle of Vimy, the heavily-fortified ridge in north-eastern France, that began at dawn on Easter Monday morning, 9 April 1917. It was the first time that all four divisions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force were brought together. 27,000 Canadian soldiers advanced through driving rain, sleet and snow. Volunteers all, they came from all nine Provinces in the Dominion and Newfoundland. Within two hours, three of the four Canadian divisions had taken their objective, but it would take three days of deadly combat by the Fourth Division to take Hill 145, the highest point of the ridge. 3,598 men were killed, and 7,104 were wounded. Four Canadian soldiers were awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest military honour “For Valour.“

I wanted to give this talk today because tomorrow evening (10 Tishri) is the start of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, also called the Day of Expiation of Sins. It commemorates the date that Moses brought down the second copy of the Ten Commandments from Mount Sinai, signifying that God had granted atonement for the sin of worshiping the golden calf. These days it is celebrated by fasting and prayers for forgiveness.

In the days of Temple worship, the form of the ceremonies was quite different. The first century Jewish historian Flavius Josephus describes it thus:

We can see in Lodge different types of aprons and it is only natural to ask ourselves what they depict, because we know that Masonry is “a beautiful system of morality veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols”. Therefore we might regard the Masonic apron also as being an allegory illustrated by symbols.

Since we have today witnessed the historic initiation of five candidates I would like to read the minutes of our lodge the last time this happened:

Masonic Hall
Kitchener, Nov. 22, 1947

Minutes of the Emergent Meeting of Grand River Lodge, A. F & A. M., held on the above date with Officers, Members and Visitors present as per register.*

Lodge opened in the First Degree at 2.40 pm.

The W. M. explained the purpose of the meeting, namely to initiate into Freemasonry the following candidates, Albert John Aris, Kenneth Wayne Brand, Douglas Alexander Humphries, Robert Pierce and Robert Day Pritchard.

The W. M. appointed R. W Bro. J. F. Carmichael and the Secretary a Board of Trial to put the necessary questions to the several candidate for initiation.

The Board of Trial having reported to the W. M. that the candidates had answered the necessary questions satisfactorily, and the candidates having been properly prepared, they were severally initiated into the First Degree of Freemasonry.

Lodge was called off at 6.25 p.m.

Lodge was called on at 7.15 p.m.

Lodge closed in harmony at 7.45 p.m.

T. F. Wayne, W. M.

P. Fisher, Sec’y

The Tyler’s register shows 43 members and 10 visitors. It appears the newly initiated brethren did not sign the Tyler’s register.

So, to our new brethren, make sure you sign the register, because if you don’t, someone, eventually, will find you out!

Have you ever wondered what that Latin phrase on the front of our summons is? There, below our crest which contains the square and compasses, the two pillars, the all-seeing eye of God, a sprig of acacia and a chain of maple leaves. It is Grand River’s motto: O quam bonum et jucundum habitare fratres in unum. It is the first lines of the 133rd Psalm:

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;

As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

O quam bonum - O how good; et jucundum - and pleasant; fratres - for brethren; habitare - to dwell; in unum - in unity. That, together with the items contained in the crest, just about sums up Masonry.

How antient?

It was probably about the 12th century that Freemasonry was introduced into England, but, whether the English received it from the Scots Masons at Kilwinning or from other brethren who arrived from the Continent there is no definite means of determining. After the establishing of Kilwinning and York Lodges, the principles of Freemasonry were rapidly diffused throughout the Kingdom.

There is little doubt that in the 15th century craftsmen had real grievances with merchants, who hired their services, and the local town councils. With differing success they formed associations of their own which sometimes appeared to be so menacing that laws were passed restricting their activities. Notwithstanding these laws, by 1475, the Masons and Wrights of Edinburgh were strong enough to secure a 'Seal of Cause' or Charter from the city of Edinburgh authorities. This created an Incorporation, roughly equivalent to an English Trade Guild, which laid down rules for the governance of the Craft. In 1489, Coopers were included and later other groups of tradesmen joined. These incorporations framed rules, resolved trade differences, dispensed charity and controlled entry to the trade. Such incorporations were not unusual in Scottish Burghs and most of the larger trades and crafts had an incorporation. Examples of such 'incorporated trades' include: Wobsters (weavers), Cordiners (shoemakers), Baxters (bakers), and Hammermen (metal workers). The essential difference between the craft of stone masonry and these other crafts and trades was that stones masons had another level of organisation - the Lodge. Thus we find, in 1491, that the Edinburgh authorities granted the masons the right 'to gett a recreation in the commoun luge'. This shows that masons used the Lodge for something much more than storing their working tools. The existence of Lodges in Scotland is known, therefore, from at least the 15th century but little can be said regarding the activities of masons. It is likely that Lodges were not organised on a rigid, formal, basis but that meetings were called as and when necessary. The reasons why another level of organisation was required raises many interesting questions.