HISTORY
OF THE GRAND LODGE OF ALBERTA
IN THE
BEGINNING
Near the place where the village of
Chauvin is now located, in September of 1754, Anthony Henday arrived in
Alberta. He was the first Englishman to set foot in what is now this
province. Henday was a fur trader and to the delight of the Hudson's Bay
Company and the North West Company, he discovered a lucrative fur
producing area. Following Henday fur traders poured into the West and
few people considered it to be anything more than a source of valuable
furs.
Henday
traveled from Hudson's Bay to Rocky Mountain House. In July of 1789
Alexander McKenzie arrived at Fort Chippewayen and traveled north to the
mouth of the McKenzie River. Three years later he navigated the Peace
River and arrived at the Pacific Ocean. David Thompson, in 1798, was a
pioneer surveyor. Thus the northern part of the province was well
charted and the routes to be followed were well known. It was on October
5, 1795, that William Tomison set his men to work to build Edmonton
House at the mouth of the Sturgeon River, the purpose, of course, was to
establish a trading post for furs with the Hudson's Bay Company. James
Hughes was commissioned by the North West Company in 1798 to build
another fort, which he called the New Fort Augustus and it was likely
built on the site of the present City of Edmonton.
Fort Edmonton was strategically located.
It became the stopping place of fur traders, adventurers, missionaries
and fortune hunters. The Hudson's Bay Company and the North West Company
carried on rival businesses until their amalgamation in 1821. The huge
expanse of Rupert's Land was left to be exploited until it was purchased
by the Canadian Government in 1870. The North West Territories Act of
1875 established a government for the district with a Lieutenant
Governor and five appointed counsellors. The population was
approximately 1,000.
Meanwhile Fort Edmonton prospered and on
December 6, 1880 the first issue of the Edmonton Bulletin appeared. It
was to be published every Monday morning from December 1st to May 1st
with a subscription price of $2.00 for the season. The issue is
fascinating. The telegraph line had been extended to Edmonton but a
break in the line at Hays Lake prevented up to date news in time for
publication. However they expected a man to leave the next day and
service should be restored in a week. Hay was worth $3.00 to $4.00 a
load. Mr. James Price of Fort Saskatchewan received a legacy of
$1,500.00 in the last mail. There was only three inches of snow on the
ground but the temperature was 47 degrees below zero (F).
Buried in
the middle of a huge variety of interesting information is the
paragraph, "A Petition has been forwarded to the Grand Lodge A.F. and
A.M. of Canada asking a Charter for a Lodge in Edmonton." Freemasonry
was about to arrive in Alberta.
It was
the Grand Lodge of Manitoba that granted a dispensation on January 13,
1882 for the establishment of the first Freemasons' Lodge outside the
boundaries of Manitoba. Saskatchewan Lodge No. 17 G.R.M. was instituted
on February 13, 1882 and consecrated on April 21, 1883. The Charter
members numbered 13 among whom was one James Lauder, a baker.
Fort Edmonton had not changed its life
style noticeably over the hundred years of its early history. Travellers
passed through the settlement, some stayed for a little while and then
moved on and
an
increasing number became permanent residents. The shifting of the
population was not conducive to the growth of a Masonic Lodge. Some
activities were held. There is a record of a Masonic Ball in December
1881, held in McDougall Hall. Fifteen Masons were present for the event.
Despite some devoted efforts Saskatchewan Lodge No. 17 found it
increasingly difficult to operate. It fell behind in the payment of its
Grand Lodge Dues but later paid them. For the Installation of Officers
in March 1886 there were not enough Past Masters available to conduct
the ceremony and the Grand Lodge of Manitoba issued a dispensation
"empowering Brother Donald Ross, pending installation, to confer degrees
and transact general business of this Lodge until he can secure the
required number of Past Masters to perform the Installation Ceremony."
ln
1888 the Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba reported that
Brother Francis D. Wilson, Secretary of Saskatchewan Lodge No. 17, had
written a letter dated January 11, 1888 saying "The Worshipful Master
and Officers of Saskatchewan Lodge No. 17 have decided to return the
Charter of this Lodge as they find it impossible to keep it up any
longer."
The
Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba of 1889 report that
Saskatchewan Lodge No. 17 had voluntarily surrendered its Charter and
had returned to the Grand Lodge Office its records. The furniture of the
Lodge had been stored subject to the direction of the Grand Lodge. Thus
on February 13, 1889 after seven uncertain years the first Freemasons
Lodge in what was to be the Province of Alberta ceased to exit. Very
unfortunately the records and papers that were returned to Manitoba were
destroyed by a disastrous fire in the Masonic Hall in Winnipeg on
November 14, 1894. The Library of the Grand Lodge was completely
demolished. Many valuable books and records were permanently lost.
The
prairies, to the south, meanwhile, were merely a part of the huge
unknown territory known as Rupert's Land. Rupert's Land was a vast area
stretching West from Labrador to include the Watershed of the McKenzie
River and practically all of what is now known as the Province of
British Columbia. It went as far south as the present states of Idaho,
Washington Oregon and California. The Treaty of Oregon gave to the
United Slates of America all land south of the 49th parallel and the
Hudson's Bay Company owned all of Canada west of Ontario. The Canadian
Government was not particularly concerned with the Prairies but the
British Government was. It did not wish the territory to fall by default
into the hands of the land hungry American settlers who were pushing
rapidly to the west. The War of Independence and the War of 1812-14 had
left numerous men ready for adventure and the west called. Indeed it was
not beyond the realm of possibility that the United States might use its
army to take from Britain the territory west and north of Winnipeg. Thus
it was that the British rather than the Canadian Government took
decisive action about the Western Prairies.
In March of 1856 Captain John Palliser was
commissioned to undertake a study of the Prairies to determine what
resources lay in them. A little more than one hundred years had passed
since Henday had viewed Alberta through the eyes of a fur trader. Now
Palliser and his associates were to determine if the Prairies might be
fit for agriculture. Dr. Hames Hector, one of the Palliser associates,
wrote "The arid district, though there are many fertile spots throughout
its extent, can never be of much advantage to us as a possession" and
also that Alberta forests yielded "a very inferior quality of firewood".
The Palliser Triangle, as the area was to be called, could, the report
said,
be
reasonably well suited for settlement. It called attention to the
greatest of Alberta's resources, an almost unlimited number of square
miles of arable land. Few paid attention to the Palliser report. Those
who trickled into the land were in search of furs or of gold. In the
fall of 1860 some American prospectors found what they thought to be a
rich deposit of gold near Rocky Mountain House. The outbreak of the
American Civil War in 1861 provided Canadians with a final opportunity
to keep the American Government out of the Western Prairies. In 1865
when the Civil War ended the question was again raised as to what the
Americans would do with its idle but huge armies.
On July
1, 1867 Confederation became a reality in Canada and John A. Macdonald
rose to the zenith of his career as Canada's Prime Minister. As he said
Canada "quietly annexed" its western flank as far as the Rocky Mountains
by purchasing the land from the Hudson's Bay Company but leaving the
company with some seven million acres. On May 12, 1870 the Province of
Manitoba was created and west from Manitoba to the Rockies lay what was
called the North West Territories.
Traders
from Montana penetrated into Canadian territory in 1869 from Fort Benton
and built the first Fort Whoop-Up near the present location of the city
of Lethbridge. Later there followed the Spitzie Post on the Highwood
River. The few settlers on the Prairies looked to the south. Even Father
Lacombe and the Methodist McDougalls went to Fort Benton, Montana for
supplies. From south to north and north to south the gold miners, the
whisky pedlars, the traders and the evangelists came and went. North of
the 49th Parallel there was no law. A dozen whisky posts grew up and the
fur bearing animals, including the buffalo, faced extinction.
In 1872,
Colonel P. Robertson-Ross wrote, "Americans from Fort Benton made their
way to Edmonton where they openly sold whisky. There was no force to
stop them. They could do as they pleased". The public was aroused and
Prime Minister Macdonald announced on April 28, 1873 that he proposed to
create a Police Force to bring the North West Territories under control.
On July 8, 1874 under the command of Lt. Col. G. A. French and Major J.
F. Macleod, two hundred and seventy-five men in scarlet uniforms forming
a column two miles long, set out from Dufferin, Ontario to bring law and
order to a near wilderness comprising some three hundred thousand square
miles. One column of what was to be the North West Mounted Police was
destined for Edmonton House. The other column headed south, picked up
the pioneer settler Jerry Potts and on October 13, 1874 passed the now
vacant Fort Whoop-Up and proceeded farther west to build Fort Macleod.
By December of 1874 the police barracks in Fort Macleod were habitable
and two years later the raw little village had become a bustling centre.
Fort Macleod received supplies via the Missouri River and the Fort
Macleod to Fort Edmonton trail had become the main axis in the district
of Alberta. In 1882 the Macleod Gazette, published by C. E. D. Wood,
became Alberta's second newspaper.
The Fort Edmonton-Fort Macleod axis had
practically eliminated Rocky Mountain House as a necessary point of
communication on that trail. Attention was now centred on the junction
of the Bow and Elbow river. On April 10, 1875 the North West Mounted
Police had instructions to establish a base there. Inspector Brisebois
with a contingent of fifty men arrived in September to start the
construction of a Fort to be named Calgary. The only inhabitants of the
spot were a Roman Catholic Priest, Father Doucet and an Indian Boy. The
detachment found severe devastation that had been wrought by the
erstwhile traders and their Whisky Fort. It was not long before the
McDougalls, who had arrived in Morley in
1873,
built a log church near the new fort. The Hudson's Bay Company moved its
building from Ghost River to the new settlement. In the year 1881 the
population of Calgary numbered seventy-five.
This was
just the beginning. Prime Minister Macdonald had promised that within
ten years of Confederation there would be a transcontinental railroad
binding British Columbia to the Canadian East. Surveying for the route
had already begun. The first plan was to take the railroad from Winnipeg
north to Edmonton and over the Yellowhead Pass to British Columbia. The
members of the Palliser Commission convinced the government that a much
less expensive route to follow was across the flat and unproductive
prairies and through the much less treacherous Kicking Horse Pass. The
route was changed in September 1881 to pass through Fort Calgary. Of
equal importance in the decision was a desire to bring settlers into the
Prairies to offset the influx of Americans into the area. In fact, as an
enticement, one hundred and sixty acres of land was offered by the
Dominion Land Act of 1872, to each settler who paid a filing fee of
$10.00 and who resided on the land for three years. The settler, during
that time, was required to build a domicile and to break at least
fifteen acres of his land.
In July
of 1881 the first Canadian Pacific Railway train rolled into Winnipeg
and two years later the ribbon of steel had reached a town composed
entirely of tents called Medicine Hat. On August 11, 1883 the first
train pulled into Calgary. On hand to greet the train was George
Murdoch, Calgary's first Mayor; James Lougheed, a lawyer; Major James
Walker, Dr. Henderson, the first physician; T. B. Brandon, the first
newspaper publisher and George Jacques, a businessman.
The C.P.R.
had opened up the West. The age of railroad building had commenced. A
narrow gauge railroad was built from Medicine Hat to Lethbridge by 1885.
On August 1, 1891 the first train pulled into South Edmonton. In 1885
the population of the District of Alberta, N.W.T. was 6,800 white men
and Metis. The southern part of the province had 60% of the population.
In May 1883, a few months before the
arrival of the first C.P.R. train in Fort Calgary, a notice was posted
requesting all Freemasons to meet in Bro. George Murdoch's store which
was located on the East Bank of the Elbow River. Five Masons, Bros.
George Murdoch, E. Nelson Brown, A. McNeil, George Monilaws and D. C.
Robison responded to the call. Bros. James Walker and John A. Walker had
indicated interest but were otherwise engaged. After a discussion it
became obvious that there were not enough Masons to form a Lodge and
that prospects for candidates were not bright. A few months later not
only had the first C.P.R. train arrived but it was followed by a freight
train carrying a printing press for the Calgary Herald. The first issue
of the Calgary Herald published a notice requesting all Masons
interested in forming a Freemason's Lodge to meet in George Murdoch's
shack. This second attempt brought a large assembly including R.W. Bro.
N. J. Lindsay who was at that time District Deputy Grand Master for
District No. 1 in the Grand Lodge of Canada. This brother was elected
Chairman of the meeting and R.W. Bro. George Murdoch the secretary. The
Masons held regular meetings on Friday nights but were unable to do any
Masonic Work because a dispensation had not yet been granted. In due
course a petition for a dispensation was forwarded to the Grand Lodge of
British Columbia but no reply was received. The Brethren then decided to
write to the Grand Lodge of Manitoba. Practically at the same time
favourable replies were received from both the Grand Lodge of British
Columbia and the Grand Lodge of Manitoba.
The
Calgary Brethren chose to continue correspondence with the Grand Lodge
of Manitoba and on January 1, 1884 a dispensation was received to erect
Bow River Lodge No. 28, G.R.M. with R.W. Bro. Dr. N. J. Lindsay as the
first Worshipful Master. The first meeting of the new Lodge was held on
January 6, 1884. Bro. Lindsay travelled to Winnipeg in February to
attend the Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba. At that
meeting a Charter was granted to Bow River Lodge No. 28 G.R.M. and Bro.
Lindsay was elected Junior Grand Warden. The Grand Lodge of Manitoba now
claimed jurisdiction over the North West Territories. Bow River Lodge
No. 28, G.R.M. continued to function and became the first Masonic Lodge
in the district of Alberta. It was very active and sponsored many of the
new Lodges that were organized not only in the North West Territories
but also in the Province of Alberta following its organization in 1905.
The tent city of Medicine Hat, after the
arrival of the C.P.R., soon turned into a thriving little town. The
Masonic Order had its representatives there very early. After a number
of preliminary meetings the Brethren petitioned the Grand Lodge of
Manitoba for a dispensation to organize a Masonic Lodge. The
dispensation was granted on September 1, 1885 and was chartered on
February 12, 1887. The Lodge was to be known as Medicine Hat No. 31
G.R.M. Being an important divisional point on the
Canadian
Pacific Railway the town of Medicine Hat grew and prospered. So did the
Masonic Lodge which has maintained a prominent place in Masonic history
through all the years.
Further
to the west, the N.W.M.P. post of Fort Macleod was growing in
importance. It was the crossroads of the American traffic from the south
and the Edmonton travellers from the north. The actual history of
Freemasonry goes back to the year 1884 when a blacksmith by the name of
Rufus Payne arrived wearing a pocket watch and a huge golden chain. The
inscription on the watch declared that it had been given to him by the
Masonic Lodge in Fort Benton, Montana. The news spread around the small
settlement and Freemasons began to make themselves known to each other.
They arranged a meeting and Duncan J. Campbell was directed to take the
necessary steps to form a Lodge. He corresponded with the Grand Lodge of
Canada and was referred to the United Grand Lodge of England who in turn
suggested that he contact the Grand Lodge of Manitoba. Manitoba decided
that Fort Macleod was much nearer to the Grand Lodge of British Columbia
and suggested Bro. Campbell correspond with that body. British Columbia
was not about to enter the field as a missionary with the unknowns
across the mountains so sent the Macleod request back to the Grand Lodge
of Manitoba. This time Manitoba agreed to grant a dispensation to form a
Lodge.
Meanwhile
the Dominion of Canada was experiencing some rough times. The Riel
Rebellion broke out in 1885 and threw the N.W.M.P. into a state of
frenzied activity. Officers and men were transferred without much notice
to the troubled areas. Since many of them were Freemasons and were to be
the real foundation of the lodge all activity was suspended.
When
conditions settled down a little bit and the N.W.M.P. barracks again had
a semi-permanent group, Bro. Duncan J. Campbell requested Bow River
Lodge No. 28 G.R.M. to sponsor a Lodge in Fort Macleod. The result was
that Alberta Lodge No. 37 G.R.M. was granted a dispensation on May 7,
1886. One of the Charter members was Robert Paterson, who was to have a
long and distinguished career in Freemasonry and was to be a Grand
Master of the Grand Lodge of Alberta.
Although R.W. Bro. A. M. Morden of Pincher
Creek, a Past District
Deputy
Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba, was requested to institute
the Lodge there is no record of this being done. Alberta No. 3 not
noted, throughout its long history, as being a Lodge that allowed
authority to stand in its way, apparently installed officers and
proceeded to work. D. W. Davis was the first treasurer and the name
Davis was to become inscribed not only on the Masonic Lodge but in the
historical annals of the town. Bro. Davis was not a Charter member,
there is no record of him affiliating with the Lodge nor of paying any
dues until December 1888. His attendance at Lodge meetings was regular
and his interest great. The first application for Initiation was
presented by Captain John Cotton of the N.W.M.P. on August 3, 1886. He
was initiated on August 30 at an Emergent Meeting because he was being
transferred and received his other degrees in Battle Lodge. William
Denny Antrobus was the first Worshipful Master and presided over the
first meeting on August 3, 1886 but then was transferred to North
Battleford. He was in the Master's chair just once. John Breadon was the
first Senior Warden but in September he too was transferred. That left
Duncan John Campbell, as Junior Warden, the senior officer. This
condition existed for sixteen months and brought on much conflict and
confusion in the Lodge. Peace and harmony did not prevail under Bro.
Campbell.
The
proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba in 1888 records a report from
R.W. Bro. N. J. Lindsay, who was supposed to constitute Alberta No. 37
which says he did not go to Fort Macleod because he had not received his
regalia. He says further - "I consider the action of Alberta Lodge No.
37 in obstinately proceeding with the ceremonies in so hasty a manner
unwarranted from the circumstances of the case. " The Charter,
nevertheless, was granted in May 1887.
Alberta
Lodge No. 37 never in its history has lacked ability to voice its
feelings, replied - "We note that R.W. Bro. Lindsay grossly violated the
Constitution by taking upon himself the issuing of a dispensation, and
for a questionable purpose of allowing Brethren of Bow River Lodge No.
28 to wear regalia at their Annual Ball. Such a gross display of
ignorance of the requirements of the Constitution prompts us to
recommend that the Grand Lodge take action. We regret very much that the
D.D.G.M. did not carry out the arrangements made with the Brethren of
Fort Macleod to constitute Alberta Lodge and install its officers on
December 13. We voice the opinion of the Brethren of Alberta Lodge when
we say that they would not have shown any less respect of R.W. Bro.
Lindsay's high office, had he appeared with them in apparel not quite so
gorgeous as that of King Solomon, in all his glory."
In 1889,
Duncan J. Campbell, the first Junior Warden of Alberta No. 37, was
elected Worshipful Master. When it became evident that W. Bro. Campbell
would be appointed District Deputy Grand Master in 1890, Alberta Lodge
objected strenuously and declared that an official visit by R.W. Bro.
Campbell would result in the dissolution of Alberta Lodge No. 37. The
Lodge wrote to the Grand Master asking him to direct R.W. Bro. Campbell
not to visit the Lodge as "the Brethren of Alberta Lodge No. 37 cannot
conscientiously receive W. Bro. Campbell as D.D.G. M." Finally it
appears that cooler heads prevailed and on November fourth he was
received in Alberta No. 37 with Grand Honours. Regrettably the peace was
uncomfortable. Bro. Campbell, although he lived in Fort Macleod until
his death in 1920, took a demit in 1897 and was never at a Lodge meeting
again.
The independence of Alberta No. 37
surfaced again in October 1889 when the formation of the Grand Lodge of
Alberta was proposed. This motion appears in the records - "This Lodge
is of the
opinion
that the formation of a Grand Lodge of Alberta is premature and that
this Lodge, Alberta No. 37, would still continue its affiliation to the
Grand Lodge of Manitoba and that a copy of this resolution be forwarded
to North Star Lodge in Lethbridge." North Star agreed with the attitude
of Alberta No. 37 but when the Province of Alberta was formed in 1905
both Lodges cooperated.
The
enthusiasm of the Brethren in Fort Macleod for the basic fundamentals of
Freemasonry undoubtedly motivated many of its difficulties for the early
Freemasons protected zealously what they considered right and proper.
During the years that followed, Masonry in Alberta was to be enriched by
the determination of Alberta No. 37 to maintain inviolate our ancient
customs and usages. It also contributed to the Grand Lodge of Alberta
some most devout and dedicated Masons.
The old
Whisky Post of Fort Whoop-Up which was vacant when the first detachment
of N.W.M.P. passed through on the way to establish Fort Macleod assumed
importance and a connecting link between Medicine Hat and Fort Macleod.
For several years a paddle boat had been sailing between Medicine Hat
and Lethbridge. As traffic increased a narrow gauge railroad was built
between the two towns.
The
engineer on the paddle steamer and the engineer on the first train to
arrive in Lethbridge from Medicine Hat over the narrow gauge railway was
a Freemason by the name of Thomas McPherson. In fact McPherson has a
real place in Canadian History for during the Riel Rebellion of 1885 he
was the engineer on the steamboat "Northcote" that was transporting
troops and supplies from Swift Current to Prince Albert. The "Northcote"
was shelled by the Riel Rebels causing what our late brother the Rt.
Hon. John G. Diefenbaker once called "the last naval battle to be fought
in Canada". Bro. McPherson survived all the dangers of naval warfare,
the paddle steamer and the narrow gauge railroad and became the first
Worshipful Master of North Star Lodge No. 41. Indeed when he was 79
years of age he travelled from Tacoma, Washington to Lethbridge to
preside over the Fortieth Anniversary meeting of North Star Lodge. He
passed away on September 8, 1940. North Star Lodge No. 41, G.R.M. was
granted a dispensation by the Grand Lodge of Manitoba on April 16, 1888
and its Charter under that Grand Lodge is dated February 14, 1889.
The
hamlet of Banff now enters the historical picture. Its natural and
awesome beauty made the area important to the Canadian Pacific Railway
not only as an important divisional point but also as an early tourist
attraction. The natural flow of hot sulphur water added to the impetus
for exploitation. Wherever there was activity it was inevitable that
Freemasons would discover some of their Brethren. Thus as soon as Lord
Strathcona had driven the last spike in the C.P.R. binding the East to
the West there was a movement in the town of Banff to establish a Lodge
there. In due course, with the approval of Bow River No. 28 G.R.M., the
Grand Lodge of Manitoba granted a dispensation to Cascade Lodge No. 42
dated May 25, 1888. On February 14, 1889 the Charter was granted.
Cascade Lodge became, and continues to be, the host of many Masonic
meetings. In 1894 the Grand Lodge of Manitoba decided that it should
hold its Annual Communication in Banff.
One of the early Whisky Forts in Southern
Alberta was called "Spitzie" an old Indian term for "high bluff". This
name was to be continued with a much more respectable connotation when
the Brethren in the town of Pincher Creek decided to call their Masonic
Lodge by that name. In January 1890 three Masons,
Inspector
White-Fraser, R.N.W.M.P.; John Herron, a rancher and Ab McCullogh, a
rancher, met together and decided that there were enough Freemasons in
the area to form a Lodge. The dispensation was granted by the Grand
Lodge of Manitoba on May 1, 1890. In the meantime Bro. McCullogh had
died. W. Bro. John Herron was the first Worshipful Master. The Charter
was granted to Spitzie Lodge No. 45 G.R.M. on June 12, 1891. The first
meeting of Spitzie Lodge on May 2, 1890 as late in starting because the
Brethren had been summoned to assist in extinguishing a prairie fire.
One of the first petitions received was from John H. W. Kemmis who later
became Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Alberta and Grand Secretary
from 1928 to 1942. The Lodge, at its beginning was without a secretary
and Mr. H. E. Hyde agreed to act in that capacity. To facilitate this an
emergent meeting was called for May 10, his petition accepted and
through a series of emergent meetings he received his three degrees and
was elected to the office of Secretary in June. Spitzie Lodge held its
regular meetings on the Friday on or before the full moon.
Spitzie
Lodge grew with the town of Pincher Creek and could always be depended
upon to assist in community enterprises. Before there was a hospital in
the town it made an annual contribution to the hospital in Fort Macleod
and later, through its support, a hospital opened in Pincher Creek. In
the early years it permitted the primary classes of the Public School to
be held in the Lodge Banquet Hall.
The Canadian Pacific Railway had decided
that it was essential to connect Calgary and Edmonton by rail. Thus on
July 25, 1890, the Lt. Govern of the North West Territories filled a
wheelbarrow with dirt and it was emptied at the point where the Calgary
to Edmonton railroad was to begin. It was a time of celebration and
people gathered from miles around including a pioneer missionary from
Red Deer, Rev. Leonard Gaetz, who gave an address. A 1,400 Pound steer
was roasted and consumed together with a carload of beer in kegs. The
line was completed the next year and ended in South Edmonton across the
river from Edmonton. Towns were
were laid
out along the new railroad and in due course Mason Lodges erected along
the Calgary to Edmonton railroad.
At the
same time and three years following the demise of Saskatchewan Lodge No.
17, on the evening of July 22, 1892, Ibbetson's Hall in Edmonton was the
setting for a meeting where the Freemasons in Edmonton would consider,
again, the possibility of having a Lodge in their town. Seven members of
the defunct Saskatchewan Lodge, plus eleven more, brought the total to
eighteen. The suggestion that the name "Saskatchewan" be revived did not
meet with favour and the name "Edmonton" was selected. Bow River Lodge
No. 28 G.R.M. was called on to sponsor yet another Masonic Lodge in the
district of Alberta and the Grand Lodge of Manitoba granted a
dispensation to Edmonton Lodge No. 53 on October 20, 1892 with
W.Bro.C.W. Sutter, formerly of Saskatchewan Lodge No. 17, as the first
Worshipful Master. The Lodge decided to work in the Ancient York Rite
following the tradition set by Medicine Hat, Lethbridge and Banff. The
Charter was granted on June 16, 1893 with a membership of thirty-four.
The fee for a Charter Member was $5.00, the initiation fee $35.00, the
yearly dues were $3.00 and an affiliation fee was $5.00.
On April 21, 1893, Dr. E.A. Braithwaite, a
pioneer physician, who come west with the N.W.M.P. presented a petition
for Initiation. He had taken his discharge from the N.W.M.P. on May 6.
1892 and was now established in Edmonton as a physician and surgeon. He
was raised to the sublime degree on September 1, 1893 and then began a
long and distinguished Masonic career. In 1898 he became
the
Worshipful Master of Edmonton Lodge No. 53 and then was appointed a
Grand Stewart of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba. Continuing on in the Grand
Lodge of Manitoba he was elevated to the rank of Grand Master in 1903.
Another
prominent name in Alberta Freemasonry is that of J. B. Little, an
Edmonton business man, who presented his petition for affiliation on
April 30, 1894. His family has continued in the Masonic Tradition until
the present time bringing great distinction to the Order.
The small
town of Innisfail was to be the next location of a Masonic Lodge.
Settlers were coming into the area very rapidly, attracted by some of
the best farming land in the opening west. It was just about one hundred
years since Anthony Henday had arrived at the high point of land between
Innisfail and Red Deer that a few Masons gathered together in the little
town to consider the possibilities of establishing a Lodge there. During
this period the importance of the fur trade had receded and the richness
of agriculture had taken over. Again the procedure followed by other
Lodges took place and the Grand Lodge of Manitoba granted a
dispensation. Innisfail Lodge No. 58 G.R.M. was instituted on June 21,
1894 and its Charter was granted one year later on July 14, 1895. The
Lodge, from its very beginning, had a solid foundation and its history
has been one of progress and dedicated work.
The scene
of activity moved immediately back to Calgary where Perfection Lodge No.
60 G.R.M. had received a dispensation from the Grand Lodge of Manitoba
on June 26, 1894, just a few days after Innisfail. The Lodge was
constituted on August 7, 1895 and was composed of members preferring to
work in the Ancient York Rite as distinct from the Canadian Rite used by
Bow River Lodge. The first meetings were held in the same building on
Eighth Avenue and Second Street East that Bow River Lodge was occupying.
The Lodge had seventeen Charter members and its first Worshipful Master
was R.W. Bro. I. S. G. VanWart. The first affiliate in Perfection Lodge
was W. Bro. T. F. English, who later became the Grand Master of the
Grand Lodge of Alberta. Both Bow River and Perfection moved from their
small building to larger quarters in the Victoria Block on Eighth Avenue
in 1899 and that year the Secretary of Perfection Lodge was paid $25.00
for his work. That $25.00 became the basis of Perfection's Benevolent
Fund for the Secretary, Bro. J. T. Macdonald donated it for that cause.
Bro. Macdonald was another of several members of Perfection who
progressed to occupy the Grand Master's Chair. At the end of 1895
Perfection faced a deficit in financing with only 31 members but at the
end of 1901 it showed a bank balance of $1,511.00 and a membership of
108. Tunnel Mountain in Banff was the scene of a meeting of Perfection
Lodge in 1901 when the Worshipful Master, W. Bro. Webster, presided over
the conferring of a degree.
Perfection Lodge prospered as indicated by the fact that in 1907 the
Lodge leased the two top floors of the Alexander Corner from Sir James
Lougheed at a rental of $1,900.00 per year for ten years. By the time
the new Lodge rooms were remodelled and furnished the expenditure was
$16,143.00. This is an example of the strength of this Lodge that has
throughout its history worked to live up to its name Perfection, in the
type of ritual work carried on, in its charitable enterprises and in its
contribution to Masonry at large.
Back up on the Calgary to Edmonton line
the town of Lacombe was beginning to show signs of growth and
Freemasonry was stirring. The Grand Lodge of Manitoba granted a
dispensation and Eureka Lodge No. 65 G.R.M. was instituted on September
16, 1896 and
received
its Charter on June 10, 1897. lt was a small but enthusiastic group of
Masons that formed this Lodge. They rented a small lodge room in the
centre of the village. It was very close quarters for work in the
Ancient York Rite but the price was right at 53.00 per month. Later this
building became a Chinese Laundry and was demolished only a few years
ago to make room for an urban renewal program. At one point in its
history Eureka suspended eleven members for non payment of dues. When
some of the suspended Brethren applied for reinstatement their
applications were refused. At an emergent meeting on February 18. 1897
Bro. W. F. Puffer was initiated and commenced an outstanding record of a
family in Freemasonry that has continued down to the present. At this
same meeting Candidates were passed and raised. It was Bro. Puffer who
commenced the first Historical Register of Eureka Lodge and then ensued
a space of thirty-two years in which there was no entry. Bro. Puffer
took up the pen again and attempted to fill in the history of the
missing years.
South
Edmonton was increasing in size. In fact it was to cease to be a part of
Edmonton and to become a separate municipality in 1899. It took the name
of Strathcona. Previous to this historic event the Masons in South
Edmonton had banded together with enough strength to petition the Grand
Lodge of Manitoba for a dispensation which was issued on January 28,
1897 and the lodge was Chartered on June 10, 1897. The first Worshipful
Master was a lawyer, A. C. Rutherford, who was to become the first
Premier of Alberta and later the Chancellor of the new University of
Alberta. He was followed by T.F. English, who later became Grand Master
of the Grand Lodge of Alberta.
Acadia
almost failed to qualify for its Charter because, although the Lodge
approved its By-Laws on May 27, 1897 and mailed them to the Grand
Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba, the Post Office never did
deliver them. A new set of by-laws had to be scribed out hastily but
were not approved by Grand Lodge until 1899, some years after the
Charter had been granted.
The fact
that Acadia had received a Charter was a source of great pride to the
members. The minutes record that in 1897 a "Charter Framing Committee"
was appointed and for several months it reported progress. The final
report of the committee was given in 1898 and the framed Charter was
placed in the Lodge room.
The next
year Acacia found that it was not located in South Edmonton but in a new
village, on the same site, now called Strathcona. The seal of the Lodge
had to be returned to Winnipeg so that Grand Lodge could make the
appropriate adjustments.
Mail
arrived in Strathcona on the second Thursday of each month which also
happened to be the meeting night of Acacia Lodge. There were times when
the coming of the mail overshadowed the importance of the Lodge meeting
and there was no quorum for the meeting. Some discussions were held
about changing the night of the meeting in order to avoid the conflict
but there is no record of action being taken. We presume another
solution was found for the dilemma.
There was a constant concern in Acacia
Lodge about its Lodge Room located in Ross Hall and owned by one Brother
Ross. Brother Ross put two proposals before Acacia Lodge. The first was
that he would rent the hall for $7.00 per month and remain the landlord.
The second was that Acacia Lodge would be both landlord and tenant for
$11.00 per month. The second proposal was accepted. Acacia then rented
the Hall to the Town of Strathcona for $6.00 per month. The I.O.O.F. and
the Orangemen also used the premises. The Lodge as Landlord was obliged
to pay the Janitor which cost
$1.25 per
month. The Brethren decided this was an exorbitant wage and reduced the
pay to $1.15 per month. Even with the use of the Hall by several
organizations the finances of Acacia were precarious and both Bro. Ross
and the janitor had a difficult time in collecting their money. January
1901 was very cold and dissatisfaction was expressed both because the
heating system was inadequate and also because Bro. Ross wished to raise
the rent. However the matter was resolved when blinds were bought for
the windows to ensure privacy. Discontent with the hall surfaced again
in 1902 and it was proposed that the Lodge purchase a lot for its own
building. A committee was formed to meet with the Oddfellows to
investigate having the old hall lighted with electricity. It was a
source of alarm to the Lodge when their share of the first light bill
was forty cents, much more than kerosene lamps had cost.
On
December 1, 1902 the Lodge did buy a lot for $150.00, one third down and
the balance in two equal payments. The lot was on Whyte Avenue and
because the Lodge now owned property it became incorporated in 1903
under the Masonic Act of the North West Territories.
In 1900
the minutes note that a Lodge meeting could not be held because of the
lack of a quorum. The Brethren were at the train station bidding
farewell to the "Volunteers for South Africa". One other interesting
note is that on December 29, 1898, a brother Mason from England died in
South Edmonton on his way to the Klondike. The Brethren of Acacia Lodge
assembled to "show respect to Brother Allyne" and held a Masonic Funeral
Service.
Both
Edmonton Lodge No. 53 G.R.M. and Acacia Lodge No. 66 G.R.M. practised
the Ancient York Rite. There were a number of Masons in the two bustling
and growing towns of Edmonton and Strathcona who had not affiliated with
these Lodges because they were not accustomed to this ritual. Such
Brethren were invited to meet in the Bellamy and Co. Offices on July 10,
1900 to consider their future in Freemasonry. Ten Brethren assembled and
passed a motion - "In the opinion of this meeting it is desirable, in
the interests of Freemasonry, that a new Lodge under the Canadian Ritual
be formed."
At a
meeting of Edmonton Lodge No. 53 G.R.M. on July 19, 1900 it was agreed
to recommend that a dispensation be granted to Jasper Lodge, the first
Worshipful Master was to be W. Bro. J. J. Dunlop. D.D.G.M. R.W. Bro.
John De Sousa of Calgary instituted the Lodge on October 5, 1900 and the
officers of Jasper Lodge U.D. conferred a third degree. R.W. Bro. Dr. A.
C. Braithwaite, then the Grand Registrar of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba,
was present. The Lodge rented space in the Dyke Building at a rental of
$3.00 per month. The Initiation fee was $35.00 and the yearly dues were
$6.00.
It is
reported that W. Bro. Thomas Bellamy held the position of Lodge
Treasurer for twenty years. He is said to have been one of the best
ritualists in the area. The reason for this, according to reports, is
that his business required that he travel considerably by horse and
buggy. Bro. Bellamy would recite the ritual aloud to the wide open
spaces while driving. The horse became so used to the ritual that when
Bro. Bellamy made an error the horse would come to a complete stop and
refused to budge until the error was corrected. Thus Bellamy became word
perfect in his ritual.
By June 1904 the membership of Jasper
Lodge had increased to seventy-five. The following year, in February
1905 , W. Bro. Thomson of Acacia Lodge was a visitor, he rode horseback
from
Strathcona to Edmonton to attend.
At a later meeting on May 8th among those initiated was H. P. Reid who
was later to become the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Alberta.
Jasper
Lodge met first in Hourston's Hall, later over Johnston-Walker's store
on Jasper Avenue East. On December 14, 1903 it moved to the Masonic Hall
on 102nd Street south of Jasper Avenue. The premises were owned by
Edmonton Lodge No. 53 and that Lodge rented space to Jasper Lodge for
$15.00 per month for 24 meetings per year. Any additional meetings
brought an extra charge of $2.50 for each meeting.
It should
be noted that in the Fall of 1902 the Low Level Bridge was completed and
now the trains no longer completed their runs in Strathcona. They now
travelled over the Low Level Bridge to the depot of the Yukon and
Pacific Railway which was located at the foot of McDougall Hill.
Before
Jasper Lodge No. 78 G.R.M. was formed the hamlet of Red Deer had been
established in the year 1884 on the homestead of a pioneer missionary,
Rev. Leonard Gaetz. At that time it was one hundred miles away from any
railroad for it was not until 1890 that the C.P.R. passed through the
hamlet on its way to Edmonton. The coming of the railroad, as usual,
caused a growth in population and the hamlet became a village. Then in
1900 with a population of some 300 citizens it became the Town of Red
Deer. Naturally with that number of people it was assumed that there
were enough Masons residing there to form a Lodge. The Grand Lodge of
Manitoba actually agreed to issue a dispensation and a meeting was held
on June 23, 1894 to institute a Lodge. There were seven Masons present
plus Elias Code. Since Elias Code refused to take the Tyler's Oath he
was excluded from the meeting. This Lodge did initiate a Mr. Philisk
Pidgeon. From the scanty records it must be concluded that the Lodge got
off to a very shaky start. In fact the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge
of Manitoba suggested by letter on April 16, 1896 that there be a change
in officers and that Brother C. P. Gee become Worshipful Master. Bro.
Gee remained in this position until October 21, 1896 when the Lodge
ceased to exist. It had never received a Charter.
History
moved on, Red Deer grew, the railroad had arrived and the Masons were
not to be vanquished. They met again in late 1898 and early in 1899.
Eureka Lodge No. 65 G.R.M. sponsored a petition recommending a
dispensation to establish a lodge in Red Deer. On July 27, 1899 a second
dispensation was issued naming Bro. S. P. Fream as Worshipful Master
with twelve Charter members to support him, among them was Bro. Philisk
Pidgeon, Red Deer U.D., M.M..
While the
Lodge was under dispensation and coincident with its institution on
September 4, 1899 a special communication of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba
was held for the purpose of laying the cornerstone of St. Luke's
Episcopal Church in Red Deer with R.W. Bro. E. N. Brown, D.D.G.M. acting
as Grand Master for both that ceremony and the institution of Red Deer
Lodge, later to be numbered No. 73 G.R.M.
The cornerstone had deposited in it a
scroll recording that it was laid in the "sixty-third year of the reign
of our Most Gracious Sovereign, Victoria, Queen of Great Britain and
Ireland and the colonies". His Excellency the Earl of Minto was Governor
General; the Rt. Hon. Wilfred Laurier, Prime Minister; Hon. A. E.
Forget, Lieutenant Governor of the North West Territories and Hon. F. W.
G. Haultain, Premier of the North West Territories. It also contained a
copy of the Constitution of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba and current
issues of the Edmonton Bulletin, the Calgary Herald, the Calgary
Tribune, the Manitoba Free Press and the
first
issue of the Edmonton Post.
When the
year 1899 came to a close the membership of Red Deer Lodge had increased
from twelve to twenty-two. A Charter for Red Deer Lodge No. 73 was
granted on June 14, 1900 with representation being present from most of
the sister lodges in Alberta. Thus Masonry was firmly established in Red
Deer. A very interesting note is that in the report of the D.D.G.M. in
the year 1900 the early Red Deer Lodge is referred to as No. 59 although
this appears to be the only mention of a number and the functioning Red
Deer Lodge was numbered 73.
The
northern part of the district of Alberta now took over. Fort
Saskatchewan, a small town immediately east of Edmonton had assembled
enough Masons to petition the Grand Lodge of Manitoba for a dispensation
and Victoria Lodge was instituted on October 15, 1900. This was followed
by a Charter dated June 20, 1901.
After
many attempts to gather enough members to form a Lodge the Masons of
Wetaskiwin finally succeeded. The difficulty was a common one on the
developing Edmonton to Calgary route. Men moved into the district,
stayed for a short while and then moved on. The permanent residents were
a few professional men. The others were fur traders, guides and people
searching for homesteads. A petition for permission to form a Lodge was
submitted to the Grand Lodge of Manitoba and the dispensation was
issued. The Lodge was instituted on October 4, 1902 and the Charter of
Wetaskiwin Lodge No. 83 G.R.M. was granted on June 12, 1903. From that
date on the lodge prospered and became one of the firmly based Lodges in
the District of Alberta and continued to exercise its influence in later
years. It contributed to the Grand Lodge of Alberta, M.W. Bro. Morley M.
Merner, a Grand Master.
Farther
south and nearer Calgary the area surrounding the town of Olds was
quickly becoming one of the prime farming areas in the district. The
Masons gathered together to discuss the possibility of forming a Lodge.
One more petition was forwarded to the Grand Lodge of Manitoba and, in
due course, the dispensation was granted. Mountain View Lodge was
instituted on February 24, 1904 and the charter was subsequently
approved on June 19, 1904. Once again a rural Lodge became a strong link
in the Masonic chain that was being forged in the district of Alberta.
In the year that this history is being written the Grand Master of the
Grand Lodge of Alberta is a member of the Lodge that commenced as
Mountain View Lodge No. 86 G.R.M. He is M.W. Bro. W. E. Foster.
The
activity in Masonic circles had been mainly on the Calgary to Edmonton
line because it was in this stretch of fertile territory that the main
stream of settlers was directed. The scene now shifts to the south of
Calgary where the ranching interests were making themselves felt. For
Masons the development centred on the small town of Nanton which was
growing because of the large ranching lands to the west and the expanse
of prairies to the east. After a number of the usual preliminary
meetings it was recommended to the Grand Lodge of Manitoba that a
dispensation be granted to the Brethren in Nanton to form a Lodge. The
dispensation was granted and the Lodge was instituted on November 22,
1904. The Charter of Nanton Lodge No. 97 G.R.M. is dated June 15, 1905
and consecration ceremonies, attended by many visitors from sister
Lodges in Calgary and Fort Macleod, followed.
The Masons in Ponoka had a difficult time
getting their Lodge under way. They needed seven Charter members and
were able to muster six, the bank manager, the Lumber merchant, a lawyer
and several hunters and traders are included in their list. The problem
was that the hunters and traders were itinerant and could
not be
relied upon to remain in the town for any length of time. It was
discovered that one resident of Ponoka was an Entered Apprentice Mason.
The Brethren appealed to Eureka Lodge No. 65 G.R.M. to help them pass
and raise the valuable Entered Apprentice. It was then that Eureka Lodge
was able to sponsor the establishment of a lodge in Ponoka which was to
be called Britannia. The dispensation arrived in due course and
Britannia Lodge was instituted on December 31, 1904. While the Lodge was
under dispensation a disastrous fire destroyed all the possessions of
the Lodge. Such was the enthusiasm that it took but four days for the
Ponoka Masons to find new quarters and recommence their preparations for
consecration. The Charter for Britannia Lodge No. 98 G.R.M. was issued
on June 15, 1905 by the Grand Lodge of Manitoba. Despite their need for
new members the Brethren did not allow a desire to grow overshadow the
quality required for Masonic initiation. An early record states that
"the Brethren were very careful with the ballot."
Britannia
Lodge occupied several locations in Ponoka until in 1949 it was decided
that they needed a Lodge Room of their own. Their desire was assisted by
a bequest that was made to the Lodge. They managed the accumulated funds
very well and in 1974 were able to build their long desired Masonic Hall
for the sum of $20,000.00 which was paid for by the cash they had on
hand.
By the
summer of 1905 the district of Alberta could boast that there were
eighteen Masonic Lodges operating within its boundaries. Twelve of these
were operating under the Ancient York Rite and six were using the
Canadian Ritual. They covered the south from Medicine Hat on the East to
Pincher Creek on the West and from Fort Macleod through Calgary and
Banff north to Edmonton and Fort Saskatchewan. Certainly a monument to
the hard working Masons and to the energy and vision of the Grand Lodge
of Manitoba.
The
influence of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba on Freemasonry in Alberta
cannot be overemphasized. From the very beginning in the early days in
Edmonton down to the present time there has been fraternal support.
Prior to 1905 the members of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba faithfully
visited the district of Alberta despite the difficulties of travel. The
various Grand Masters came when at all possible and invariably delegated
their powers to the District Deputies when it was possible.
M.W.Bro.Dr.A.E.Braithwaite was elected GrandMaster when he was a
resident of Edmonton. The Grand Lodge of Manitoba met in Banff in 1894,
in Calgary in 1902 and in Edmonton in 1904. During the early years the
Grand Lodge Officers were keen to see that Masonic practices and rituals
were performed well. Annually the Manitoba Record of Proceedings carried
reports from District Deputies of the progress of Lodges in the District
of Alberta. It would be a sad occasion, even today, if the Grand Lodge
of Alberta did not receive at its Annual Communication a delegation from
its Mother Grand Lodge.
History
roils on and political changes do come. It now became expedient to
divide the huge North West Territories into smaller political sections.
Thus the Government of Canada on the first day of September 1905 carved
out two new provinces, Saskatchewan and Alberta. Alberta must now
separate itself from the Grand Lodge of Manitoba.
There had been a feeling, even before
1905, that the Lodges in Alberta needed a central authority more
accessible than the Winnipeg office of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba. Some
Lodges, as has been noted already, resisted such a move and declared
that their loyalty would remain with Manitoba. Yet before the Province
of
Alberta was formally established Medicine Hat Lodge No. 31 G.R.M. on May
2, 1905 proposed to the senior Lodge, Bow River No. 28 G.R.M., that it
call a convention comprised of representatives of all Lodges in the
District of Alberta at which the formation of a Grand Lodge within
Alberta be considered. Bow River issued the call and set the meeting for
Calgary on May 24, 1905. Twenty-six delegates attended representing only
nine of the eighteen Lodges. Another meeting was planned for July 6,
1905 and three Past Masters were commissioned to prepare a report on the
procedure to be taken to form a Grand Lodge in Alberta. Information was
required concerning:-
(1) The total Lodge membership in the
Territory.
(2) The finances needed to establish and
to operate a Grand Lodge.
(3) The
methods by which the required funds could be raised.
As
scheduled another convention was held on July 6, 1905 but only eight
Lodges were represented and merely informal discussions were held. R.W.
Bro. Hogbin, Worshipful Master of Bow River Lodge called another meeting
for August 12 and set the date of October 12, 1905 for the founding
meeting of the Grand Lodge of Alberta. The meeting was to be held in
Calgary and the attendance of all Past Masters, Masters and Wardens from
all eighteen Lodges was requested.
The fact
that Alberta had been established as a Province of Canada in September
1905 had an influence on those Masons who continued to feel a loyalty to
the Grand Lodge of Manitoba because at that meeting seventeen of the
eighteen Lodges had representation. M.W. Bro. W. G. Scott, the Grand
Master of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba came west for the convocation. R.W.
Bro. Hogbin presided and R.W. Bro. George Macdonald acted as Secretary.
The convention agreed:
"(1) That
we do proceed and do hereby constitute a Grand Lodge under the Ancient
Charges and Constitution of Freemasonry in and for the Province of
Alberta.
(2) That
the title of the Grand Lodge be "The Grand Lodge of Alberta, Ancient
Free and Accepted Masons".
(3) That
the Constitution, Rules and Regulations of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba
be adopted for the time being with such amendments as the change in
jurisdiction might require.
(4) That
R.W. Bro. George Macdonald be the Grand Master; R.W. Bro. H. C. Taylor
the Deputy Grand Master; R.W. Bro. T. F. English, the Senior Grand
Warden and R.W. Bro. O. W. Kealy the Junior Grand Warden; R.W. Bro. J.J.
Dunlop the Grand Secretary and R.W. Bro. J. S. Chivers the Grand
Chaplain.
(5) That
the Grand Lodge of Alberta consist of three districts and that three
District Deputy Grand Masters be elected."
The Grand
Master of Manitoba, M.W. Bro. W. G. Scott, assisted by M.W. Bro. Dr. E.
A. Braithwaite, P.G.M. installed the newly elected Grand Officers. After
the Installation and after the Constitution of the Grand Lodge of
Alberta, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, according to ancient usage,
the following business was transacted:-
1. Several sections of the Constitution of
the Grand Lodge of Manitoba were amended. A Board of General Purposes
was established and directed to hold regular annual meetings the day
before the Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge. It could be
Credentials and Reception
Fraternal
Dead
The shaping of the Constitution was an
exacting and a detailed task worked on for some time by the members of
Grand Lodge. It was not until April 10, 1907 that the Constitution was
finalized at a Special Communication of Grand Lodge held in Calgary on
April 10, 1907 presided over by the Grand Master, M.W. Bro. H. C.
Taylor.
After three full days of exhausting discussion the draft of the
Constitution with amendments was adopted unanimously on April 12, 1907.
Some changes included - (1) the appointment of the District Deputy Grand
Masters to the Board of General Purposes; (2) The provision that the
President and Vice-President of the Board be elected by ballot from the
members of the Board and that the members of standing committees be
elected by open vote and that each committee consist of five members;
(3) All vacancies in committees were to be filled by a vote of the Board
of General Purposes; (4) The duties of all committees were outlined in
detail.
The
Annual Communication in Edmonton on May 27, 1908 at which R.W. Bro. G.
H. Hogbin was installed as Grand Master had a report from the Grand
Librarian, an officer not listed in previous records. The number of
districts was increased from three to six. M.W. Bro. Hogbin violated
article 99 of the Constitution by appointing eight Grand Stewards
whereas the Constitution said in Article 99 that there should be four.
At the next Communication in Lethbridge on May 26, 1909, the newly
installed Grand Master, M.W. Bro. J. T. Macdonald went further and
appointed twelve Grand Stewards.
THE FIRST
SEVEN YEARS 1906 - 1913
The first
seven years of the existence of the Province of Alberta and of the Grand
Lodge of Alberta A.F. and A.M. was a period of great expansion. Settlers
were now rapidly moving into the province and a network of railroad
lines were being constructed to service the far flung areas. During
these years the Grand Lodge issued dispensations to sixty-three Lodges
although some of them were not constituted until the year 1914. The
number of Lodges grew from the original eighteen to eighty-one.
The town
of High River has the distinction of being the first town to have a
dispensation granted by the new Grand Lodge of Alberta. Following the
granting of the dispensation the ceremony of Institution was conducted
by the first Grand Master, M.W.Bro. George Macdonald assisted by a
number of his Grand Lodge Officers. The Charter was granted at the First
Communication of the Grand Lodge of Alberta and the ceremonies of
Constitution and Consecration were held in High River on November 25,
1906. Then followed in rapid succession Carstairs Lodge No. 20 which was
constituted on November 30, 1906, King Hiram No. 21 in Didsbury
constituted on April 9, 1907 and Corinthian No. 22 in Okotoks
constituted on April 12, 1907. Calgary was now large enough to commence
a third Lodge which carried the name Calgary No. 23 and the constitution
ceremonies were held on April 13, 1907.
Masonic activities soon moved away from
the Fort Macleod Edmonton axis and the movement for a Lodge was begun
in the town of Vermilion east of Edmonton. The first recorded meeting
was in May 1906 when the Brethren requested Victoria Lodge No. 13 to
sponsor a petition for a dispensation. This was granted by the Grand
Master, M.W. Bro. Kealy. For the institution ceremonies on November 3,
1906, R.W. Bro. C. H. Steward-Wade, Grand Registrar was present with R.W.
Bro. Baker, the Grand Director of Ceremonies at which W. Bro. J. A.
Roseborough was installed as the first Worshipful Master. The Lodge
first met above the Post Office in the building owned by the first
Senior Warden, Bro. M. A. Brimacombe. The Brethren decided that they
would make their own furniture so the pedestals, altar, wands, kneeling
benches and Warden's columns were all hand made and first put into use
at a meeting on January 29, 1907. The constitution ceremonies of
Vermilion Lodge No. 24 were held on July 11, 1907. Eight meetings were
held in 1906 and twenty-one in 1907 with degree work being
carried
out at practically all the meetings. At the Annual Communication of
Grand Lodge in 1909, W. Bro. M. A. Brimacombe was appointed a Grand
Steward. This commenced a long series of Brethren from Vermilion who
served Grand Lodge with distinction. Notable was S. C. Heckbert who
became Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Alberta in 1955 and was also a
long time editor of the Grand Lodge Bulletin.
On the
same railroad line as Vermilion but some miles to the west was the
thriving town of Vegreville. The first white settlers came to that
district in 1881 and a small town was established in 1893. When the
Canadian Northern Railway built a line through the area a new site on
the railroad was located in 1905 where the modern town now stands. J. B.
Holden, a homestead inspector arrived in Frank Morrison's blacksmith
shop one day to have his horses shoed and they discovered both men were
Masons. This resulted in a meeting in July in the store of Stanley Reid.
There were five men present and they determined if they added Sam
English and Cyrus Young from Beaver Lake there would be seven to form a
Lodge. On Thursday, September 27, 1906, R.W. Bro. A.R. Dickson, D.D.G.M.
of Wetaskiwin, assisted by R.W. Bro. C. H.Stewart-Wade, the Grand
Registrar, instituted Wheat Sheaf Lodge at a meeting in the Presbyterian
Church with W. Bro. A. G. Harlan the first Worshipful Master. The
following meetings were held in the Queen's Hotel Sample Room. The
Charter was granted on February 20, 1907 and the consecration ceremonies
on July 10, 1907 in the Vegreville School room with M.W. Bro. H. C.
Taylor, Grand Master, officiating. For some obscure reason the Lodge
became St. John's Lodge No. 25. There were sixteen Charter members
representing the cosmopolitan nature of St. John's Lodge. They had
arrived there from Scotland, many Provinces in Eastern Canada and six
States of the United States. The Lodge was very active and in one
evening they initiated two candidates and raised two candidates. The
Lodge meeting closed at 1:30 a.m. with no record of when the Brethren
left for home.
St.
John's Lodge remained active and strong. It had as a long time member
one of the greatly loved Grand Masters of the Grand Lodge of Alberta in
the person of M.W. Bro. S. H. Hardin.
The Crows
Nest Pass, likely named after the Crow Tribe of Indians, was not
considered seriously for settlement until the Canadian Pacific Railway
built a line through the narrow pass in 1896 and discovered that there
were sulphur springs at the place to be called Frank. About the same
time the prospectors found rich seams of coal throughout the district.
In September 1901 the first coal mining town was established in Frank
but this had been preceded in 1896 by a log Hotel which was patronized
as a health resort. At 4:10 a.m. on April 23, 1903 the spectacular Frank
Slide occurred. In 100 seconds 100 million tons of limestone and shale
broke away from the top of Turtle Mountain and hurtled 3,600 feet to the
valley floor and some bounced for more than a mile. At least 76 people
died. Numerous dwellings, two ranches and a coal plant were buried.
Three years after that tragedy, in the
year 1906, there were a number of Masons residing in Frank and decided
that they would like to organize a Frank Lodge. A request was presented
to Spitzie Lodge No. 6 and that Lodge agreed to forward a petition for a
dispensation. The name Frank caused considerable difficulty and the
D.D.G.M. suggested another name be chosen because the new Lodge hoped to
draw support from the surrounding towns. The name Sentinel was decided
upon to indicate that the towns stood as sentinels guarding the entrance
to Crows Nest Pass. The institution took place on December 21, 1906 with
R.W. Bro. C. E. Smythe, D.D.G.M. of District 2 in charge and W. Bro. J.H.
Bricker
formerly
of Elk River Lodge No. 36 G.R.B.C. was installed as the first Worshipful
Master. The consecration, with the Grand Master, M.W. Bro. G. H. Hogbin
present, was held on July 23, 1908. Sentinel Lodge No. 26 moved from
Frank to Hillcrest holding its first meeting there on April 16, 1913. G.
E. Cruickshank, later a Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Alberta, was
raised on September 24, 1911. It was on June 19, 1914 at 9:30 a.m. after
228 men had entered a mine above Hillcrest an enormous blast or series
of blasts shattered the mine ruining the two large ventilator fans. The
blast killed 189 men, the worst mining disaster in Canadian History.
Eleven members of Sentinel Lodge were killed, one body, that of Bro. S.
H. Bainbridge was never recovered. Sentinel Lodge held a funeral service
near the spot where the body of the brother was thought to be located.
The Grand Lodge started a relief fund and various Lodges throughout the
province contributed over $2,000.00 for assistance to the families. The
Hillcrest disaster was not the only tragedy in that mining district. On
April 1, 1908 a wind of cyclonic proportions whipped into flame a
smouldering fire near Fernie, B.C. and sent it roaring eastward down the
Valley. The city of 6,000 was devastated and eight persons died. Several
mines were closed following the disasters and unemployment became a
problem. Through all of this Sentinel Lodge struggled on and created for
itself a place in history.
Stettler,
in the early years of the twentieth century, was a village east of
Lacombe and prospered as the centre of a growing agricultural community.
It was inevitable that Masons of the district should wish to have a
Lodge of their own. A petition was submitted to Grand Lodge and the
dispensation was issued. Apollo Lodge was instituted on February 7, 1907
with the consecration ceremonies for Apollo Lodge No. 27 being performed
on November 27, 1908. This Lodge had a solid group of devoted Freemasons
who were serious about their work in the Masonic tradition. The Lodge
prospered and grew to be one of the outstanding Lodges in the eastern
part of the Province.
Back in
Calgary another Lodge was in the making. It was Ashlar Lodge No. 28
which was instituted on February 22, 1907 and consecrated on June 4,
1908. M.W. Bro. H. E. Howard who was initiated in Quarry Lodge No. 70,
later affiliated with Ashlar Lodge No. 28, served as Grand Master
1951-52.
As time passed the town of Red Deer was
growing and many Masons who were trained in the Canadian Ritual lived in
or near the town. It was not surprising that this group wished to form a
Lodge that worked in their own rite. Early in 1906 a group of these
Brethren met with representatives of Red Deer Lodge No. 12 and convinced
that Lodge that it should sponsor another Lodge in Red Deer. The
petition was forwarded to Grand Lodge and a dispensation was granted on
February 28, 1907. It was instituted on March 13, 1907 by the D.D.G.M.
of District No. 1, R.W. Bro. J. Hinchcliffe. A Charter member and the
first Junior Warden of Kenilworth Lodge No. 29 G.R.A. was W. J.
Botterill, one of several members of Kenilworth Lodge who later became
Grand Masters of the Grand Lodge of Alberta. During the time when the
Lodge was under dispensation five candidates were initiated, passed and
raised and the membership climbed to seventeen. The D.D.G.M. in his
report in 1908 said, "The officers are zealous, the work splendid and
the bright prospects which this Lodge had at its inauguration are being
realized." The Charter was granted and Kenilworth Lodge No. 29 was
constituted on May 29, 1908. The report of the D.D.G.M. was prophetic
for Kenilworth Lodge has continued throughout the years to be a leader
in the quality of its Masonic Work. The membership rose to 33 at the
close of the year 1908.
The
meetings of Kenilworth Lodge, in common with a number of Lodges in
Alberta, were held on the Wednesday on or before the full moon. At first
it shared a hall above a pool room with Red Deer Lodge No. 12 but there
were a number of objections to this arrangement. In 1912 Red Deer Lodge
No. 12 proposed that a Masonic Temple Association be organized to erect
a building at a cost of $35,000.00. Some years were to pass before this
dream could become a reality but the Lodges moved to the Michener
Building where Kenilworth paid a rent of $25.00 per month with an
additional $1.00 a meeting being paid to Mrs. McDougal for caretaking
work. The Oddfellows were joint tenants with the Masonic Lodges. At one
time it was discovered that the Oddfellows were renting out the banquet
hall and collecting a fee. At the same time Kenilworth was paying a
share of the electric light bill, a fact that did not create peace and
harmony amongst the orders.
After
Kenilworth got underway it ran into the financial problems that worried
so many of the early Lodges. The reason was, and still continues to be,
that the dues required by Grand Lodge were far too high. Indeed a
question was raised about the salary paid to the Grand Secretary. It was
considered to be excessive for the work he had to do. In July 1915 the
inevitable happened and the yearly dues were raised from $6.00 to $8.00
per year.
Back,
now, to the Crow's Nest Pass where the coal industry was becoming more
and more important with the increasing of rail transportation and the
growing number of inhabitants who relied on coal for heating purposes.
The coal mines recovered from the disasters that had plagued them and
the town of Coleman was a very active place. The Masons gathered
together thinking that they would like a Lodge of their own despite the
proximity of Sentinel Lodge. Thus it came about that a dispensation was
granted and followed by the Institution of Summit Lodge No. 30 on April
3, 1907. The ceremony of constitution was duly solemnized on July 22,
1908.
Farther
to the East of Crow's Nest Pass and on the railroad line that ran from
Lethbridge to Medicine Hat was the small town of Taber. It was situated
in the centre of a good farming area and settlers moved in from various
areas, many of them coming from the United States. It was early in 1907
when the Masons began their meetings and ultimately petitioned for a
dispensation. They chose to work in the Canadian Rite. The institution
ceremonies took place on April 30, 1907 and the constitution on July 10,
1908. The maintenance of the Masonic Lodge in Taber was a continuing
problem especially since the area experienced times of poor crops due to
a lack of rainfall. Doric Lodge No. 31, as it was named, managed to
survive all the vissicitudes. The early Masons were very discreet about
discussing their Lodge in public. It is recorded that a number of
citizens of the small town were not aware of the existence of a Masonic
Lodge. If they were they regarded it as some mysterious gathering about
which the less said the better. Nonetheless the Lodge grew slowly and
only when a non-Mason approached a Mason with a request for more
information. Even then the Investigation Committee was thorough in its
work.
Cairo Lodge No. 32, Claresholm, was
instituted on June 20, 1907, granted its Charter May 25, 1907 and later
constituted on June 24, 1908. The first meeting to discuss forming a
Lodge was held in Dr. Dunlop's office on February 1, 1907 with twelve
Masons present. The affiliation fee was set at $5.00, initiation fee
$50.00 and lodge dues at $5.00. The first meetings were held in the Odd
Fellows Hall. Claresholm's history and Cairo Lodge are
very
closely linked. The first Mayor of the town, Wm. Moffat, Sr., later a
member of the Legislature, was a Charter member. Later Bro. C. T. Milnes,
a prominent rancher and business man became a Mayor and following that a
member of the Alberta Legislature. The Post master, Geo. W. Simpson, was
a long time member of the School Board and a stalwart in Cairo Lodge. In
later years other Masons became Mayor of the Town and H.O. Haslam an
M.L.A. At the time of Church union the Lodge purchased the former
Presbyterian Church as a Lodge Hall for $2,100.00 and spent $2,600.00 on
renovations. The new hall was dedicated by M.W. Bro. Canon Middleton,
the Grand Master.
Indicative of Cairo's association with the town, in the year 1909 a
brick school was built in the town and the cornerstone was laid by the
Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Alberta, M.W. Bro. J. T. MacDonald.
When the school was razed several years ago to make room for a more
modern structure it was discovered that the cavity in the stone
contained a scroll signed by the Grand Secretary, M.W. Bro. George
Macdonald containing a long list of dignitaries who were then governing
the Dominion and the Province "in the eighth year of the reign of our
Most Gracious Sovereign, Edward VII, King of Great Britain, Ireland and
the colonies".
A very
few miles north of Claresholm, the town of Stavely was coming to life
and with it, the stirrings of the Masonic Order. In fact Stavely Lodge
No. 33 was instituted the day following the Cairo ceremony on June 21,
1907 and the constitution ceremonies two days after Cairo on June 26,
1908. For Stavely Lodge their establishment and continuation was
somewhat of a problem for the town did not grow as was anticipated. The
lodge drew its strength mainly from the farmers and ranchers of the
surrounding area. The members of this Lodge were known throughout the
surrounding area for their dedication to their work, which is the
Ancient York Rite and for their hearty welcome of visitors. Although
their Lodge Room was small it was often crowded to capacity with members
and visitors and meetings lasted into the small hours of the morning.
Also in
the same week further to the north, the town of Leduc saw the
institution of Star of the West Lodge No. 34 on June 25, 1907. The
constitution meeting for this Lodge was on June 16, 1908.
Again
down in the south, in the town of Medicine Hat, a second lodge was in
the process of formation. The usual formalities were proceeded with in
proper form and the result was that Mizpah Lodge No. 35 was instituted
on August 22, 1907 and after being granted a Charter, was constituted on
July 8, 1908.
Back up on the main C.P.R. line from
Medicine Hat to Calgary was the town of Gleichen, bordering one of the
large Indian Reservations. It was a booming community in view of the
fact that a N.W.M.P. detachment was centred there. Nine Masons
representing N.W.M.P., clergy, hotel men, C.P.R. employees and bankers
formed the Charter membership that was granted a dispensation on October
19, 1907 and instituted on October 31 by the Deputy Grand Master, R.W.
Bro. G. H. Hogbin with Rev. H. W. Gibbon Stocken as the first Worshipful
Master. At the Communication of the Grand Lodge of Alberta in May 1908
the Charter was granted and M.W. Bro. G. H. Hogbin, now the Grand
Master, presided over the consecration of Gleichen Lodge No. 36. There
were twelve Charter members. Gleichen Lodge moved its location often,
first it met in the old Telford Building which proved to be too cold,
then in the Larkin Block which room became too expensive and then to a
specially constructed room over Beach's Harness Shop. A big fire in
Gleichen in 1916 destroyed the hall, all the furnishings and
records.
Meetings returned again to the Larkin Building but later the Lodge
bought its own building for $2,200,00 and used the upstairs as a Lodge
room. The first floor was rented to the Federal Government for many
years.
The first
Worshipful Master of Camrose Lodge No. 37 was W. Bro. J. W. Scanlan who
was installed at the institution of that Lodge on December 5, 1907 by
the D.D.G.M., R.W. Bro. Dickson. The consecration of the Lodge as
conducted by the D.D.G.M., R.W. Bro. N. E. Carruthers, on June 26, 1908.
Camrose Lodge was not only active in the town of Camrose but it also
took a great interest in the surrounding district and in the general
progress of Freemasonry. It sponsored Lodges in the towns of Killam,
Tofield and Bawlf.
On
September 6, 1927 the Grand Master, M.W. Bro. G. E. Cruickshank
officiated at the laying of a cornerstone for a new Lodge Hall in the
town. In 1950 the building was renovated to accommodate the Bank of
Montreal. The Masons very carefully removed the cornerstone and placed
it in their Lodge room as a reminder of the early days. The contribution
of Masons to the life of the town is indicated by the fact that R.W.
Bro. R. H. Hume served as Mayor for eighteen consecutive years. When a
new Composite High School was built in 1963 the Chairman of the School
Board was Bro. J. L. Dodds and the principal was W. Bro. C. A. McCleary.
Located
in between Vegreville and Vermilion, the town of Mannville petitioned
for a dispensation. They chose the name of Hope for their Lodge which
was instituted on January 21, 1908. The consecration followed the
granting of a Charter when the Grand Lodge Communication met that year.
Hope Lodge No. 38 was constituted on August 10, 1908.
Lethbridge was now in a position to
open a Lodge that would work in the Canadian Rite. It was called
Lethbridge No. 39 and was instituted on March 19, 1908 and constituted
on July 9, 1908. Then followed the town of Grannum, growing prosperous
with its wheat growing farms which started a Lodge called Joppa No. 40.
The institution ceremonies were on March 18, 1909 and the constitution
on June 17, 1909. Just west of Calgary, the town of Cochrane, nestled in
the foothills with a growing ranching development, picked King Solomon
No. 41 for its title. King Solomon Lodge No. 41 was instituted on
December 4, 1908 and constituted on June 18, 1909. The town of Bowden
called its Lodge, Bowden No. 42 and instituted a Lodge on March 3, 1909
with its constitution on June 23, 1909. Further north in the town of
Killam, a little to the south-east of Camrose, called the new Lodge
there Tuscan No. 43. The date of its institution was April 23, 1909 and
on July 20, 1910 Tuscan Lodge No. 43 was duly constituted.
North and east of Killam the town of
Wainwright located on the Grand Trunk Railway saw a spectacular growth
and with it came the petition to erect a Lodge. This Lodge at its
inception had some difficulty in deciding what rite it would adopt.
Despite the fact that a number of Charter members were schooled in the
Ancient York Rite, they chose to work in the Canadian Rite because the
first Worshipful Master, W. Bro. N. S. Kenny, preferred it since he was
familiar with that ritual. At the time the Lodge was being formed the
Dominion Government had acquired a tract of land where a park would be
established to preserve the buffalo and other native animals that faced
extinction with the advance of civilization. The park was later to be
known as Elk Island Park
although
its first name was Wood Buffalo Park. The Indians had hunted buffalo for
food, clothing, tents and utensils. The settlers valued the buffalo for
the meat found in the great humps on their backs and their tongues. Many
were killed just for sport. The Masons of Wainwright decided to enshrine
the North American Bison in the name of their Lodge calling it Buffalo
Park Lodge No. 44 which was granted a dispensation on April 7, 1909,
instituted on April 27 and constituted on August 18, 1910.
Wainwright was preceded by the town of Denwood, two miles south. When
the Grand Trunk Railway established a divisional point at Wainwright,
the town of Denwood gradually moved to the new site. The hotel was moved
to become the Wainwright Hotel. This same building now stands in
Heritage Park, Calgary and is often the place for Masonic gatherings.
When the
Lodge Secretary died in 1912 the Lodge found that it was necessary to
pay $300.00 funeral expenses. There was an attempt to collect this
amount from the deceased brother's estate but the Lodge withdrew its
claim, despite the strain on lodge finances, in favour of the mother who
lived in England. When the estate was finally settled some eleven years
later the Lodge received $102.00. In 1929, July 21, Wainwright was
ravaged by a serious fire which destroyed the town's business section.
Many records were lost but, fortunately, the Historical Register, which
had been faithfully kept was in the possession of a member of the Lodge.
In 1916 the Grand Trunk Railway closed its offices in Wainwright and
moved a large number of families to Edmonton resulting in serious
problems for the Lodge.
East of
the town of Lacombe the small community of Alix received a dispensation
to erect a Lodge on April 16, 1909. The M.W. the Grand Master, J. J.
Dunlop, constituted Ionic Lodge No. 45 on July 7, 1910. The institution
ceremonies had been carried out on May 21, 1909. In the town of Tofield
a little to the east of Edmonton and on the same railroad line as
Wainwright, Palestine Lodge No. 46 was instituted on October 13, 1909
and constituted on August 19, 1910.
The scene
now shifts from the area east of Edmonton down to the south west of Fort
Macleod and Pincher Creek to the town of Cowley. They chose a very
appropriate name for their Lodge to enshrine in history the variable
winter weather caused by the famous chinooks. Chinook Lodge No. 47 was
instituted on February 21, 1910 and constituted on June 30 of the same
year. Following this Crossfield Lodge No. 48 was instituted on April 8,
1910 and its ceremonies of constitution came the next year on December
1, 1911. Carmangay, out on the prairies south of Calgary, decided that
it was time when they were founding their Lodge, to honour one of the
well known Masons of the world and the great Scottish Bard, Robert
Burns. It was on April 26, 1910 that Robert Burns Lodge No. 49 was
instituted and the constitution of the Lodge is dated October 9, 1911.
Back up to the Camrose district and the town of Hardisty, the Brethren
were impressed with the streaking of Halley's Comet across the skies in
May of 1910. They decided to make this a part of Masonic History and
their Lodge which was instituted on May 2, 1910 and constituted on
November 17, 1911, was called Comet Lodge No. 50.
By this time the city of Edmonton was
ready for another Lodge and on February 19, 1910 a number of Scottish
Masons met in the Kilmuir Hotel on Kinistino (96 Street) Avenue to
discuss the formation of a Scottish Masonic Lodge. Alberta was now
engaged in the building of the new sandstone Legislative Building to
house the fledgling Provincial Government. It required men who were
skilled in the stone cutters art and, of course, attracted a
number of
Free and Accepted Masons. In addition to laying a firm foundation for a
beautiful architectural structure at the same time they laid the solid
foundation of what was to be one of Alberta's most progressive Masonic
Lodges. After much discussion of a name the group decided to place the
emphasis on the basic principles of Free Masonry and named the Lodge
"Unity" which was later to be known as Unity Lodge No. 51. The presiding
officer at the initial meeting was W. Bro. James McMillan of Cathcart
Lodge, Cathcart, Scotland. It was at a meeting on March 2, 1910 that it
was decided to request a dispensation with the support of Edmonton Lodge
No. 7 who offered Unity the use of their Lodge and regalia free of
charge until the Lodge was instituted, They decided to use the Canadian
Rite. Annual dues were $3.00, the initiation fee $35.00.
Thus it
came about that on May 3, 1910 Unity Lodge was instituted by the Grand
Master, M.W. Bro. J. T. MacDonald who placed W. Bro. David McIntosh in
the chair of King Solomon. At the first regular meeting of this Lodge,
while under dispensation, twenty petitions for initiation were read
together with five for affiliation. The first Worshipful Master was an
outstanding ritualist and insisted that his officers attain perfection
in ritual approaching his. He is described as a "most kindly gentleman"
but his enthusiasm for the work established in Unity Lodge No. 51 a
tradition for excellence in the work that has continued to the present
day. In the first eight months of its existence the Lodge received about
sixty petitions for initiation although some had to be tabled because
they did not meet the resident requirements.
The
Masonic Lodge room in Edmonton was so active that at times two Lodges
met on the same night. Unity Lodge No. 51 was constituted on September
5, 1911. From the outset Unity was conscious that Charity was the basis
of all Masonic Work. On March 15, 1911 the Brethren decided to pay
$11.40 for coal for the widow of a deceased brother and the members
agreed to assist her in moving into more suitable quarters and to pay
her rent for one month. Bro. Andrew Duncan offered his team of horses,
free of charge, to move the furniture. Unity did run into some financial
difficulties and had to negotiate, with the bank, an overdraft of
$300.00. The Lodge grew, prospered and became strong.
In the
same month that Unity Lodge No. 51 was instituted the small town of
Langdon to the East of Calgary was granted a dispensation and was
constituted in September, 1911. Langdon Lodge No. 52 had a brief and
difficult history. It finally surrendered its Charter on June 9, 1920
and was the first Lodge to do this after the establishment of the Grand
Lodge of Alberta. A neighbouring town a few miles to the east and north,
Strathmore, had more success in its Masonic endeavour. It was instituted
a little later than Langdon, on May 16, 1910 and constituted on
September 4, 1911. Time had come now for another Lodge to be erected in
Calgary. The name chosen was Mount Lebanon. After receiving its
dispensation it was instituted on September 13, 1910 and constituted on
October 25, 1911. Mount Lebanon Lodge No. 54 was followed by Bassano
Lodge No. 55 in a town that is on the railroad some miles north of
Medicine Hat. It was instituted on November 1, 1910 and constituted on
August 2, 1911. Moving north again and east of Stettler the town of
Castor next became active in Masonic work. Honouring another Canadian
animal this Lodge was called Beaver. The institution was on November 29,
1910 and Beaver Lodge No. 56 was constituted almost a year later on
November 24, 1911.
Between Medicine Hat and Lethbridge was
the town of Grassy Lake. The Masonic Lodge in this town called Grassy
Lake Lodge No. 57 was instituted on November 8, 1910 and constituted on
October 12,
1911.
Grassy Lake Lodge No. 57 experienced considerable difficulty in its
early years and suffered a great shock when on October 2, 1910 the town
was engulfed in a devastating fire. Other Lodges rallied to the support
of Grassy Lake Lodge No. 57. Grand Lodge helped with the donation of a
filing cabinet and Medicine Hat Lodge No. 2 donated an altar and the
officers' collars. The Masons in Nemiskam had been struggling to form a
Lodge but had failed in their attempts. In the hope of having a Lodge in
their town they had begun assembling materials needed in the Lodge Room.
Now that Grassy Lake was in sore straits they exercised the works of
charity and gave to Grassy Lake Lodge No. 57 the materials that they had
collected.
South of
Lethbridge, in the town of Cardston, which was destined to become the
hub of the Church of the Latter Day Saints, a few Masons gathered in
late 1910 to discuss the probability of a Lodge in that town. Chief
Mountain Lodge No. 58 was the first Lodge to be instituted by the Grand
Lodge of Alberta in 1911 when the ceremony of institution was performed
on January 6, 1911. Following the granting of a Charter at the Grand
Lodge Communication that year Chief Mountain Lodge No. 58 was
constituted on July 26, 1911.
Following
immediately after the institution of Chief Mountain Lodge No. 58 came
the institution of a Lodge in Calgary that was to exercise a great
influence not only in that city but throughout the jurisdiction of
Alberta. This was King George Lodge No. 59 named after the reigning
Sovereign of the day. King George Lodge No. 59 was instituted on January
13, 1911 and constituted on October 25, 1911. Throughout the years it
has met on the north side of the Bow River and has maintained the King
George Masonic Temple.
Acme
Lodge No. 60 instituted on March 2, 1911 and constituted on November 7,
1911 was the work of a few Masons living in the town and on farms in the
rich farming area east of the Edmonton-Calgary railroad. This Lodge was
never large but was representative of those who were a part of the early
history of the town.
The scene
now shifts back up to the north and east which had seen so much Masonic
movement in the years immediately following the organization of the
Grand Lodge of Alberta. As early as May 1909 the Masons of Provost had
been working towards the day when they could form a Lodge. Not only did
they lack in numbers but also in a suitable place to meet. Some of the
early meetings were held in an unheated warehouse with the Masons seated
on boxes and nail kegs. Persistence paid off and although the population
of Provost was only 100 the dispensation was granted on March 1, 1911
and instituted on March 29 with W. Bro. John Wilson as the Worshipful
Master. During the first year the Lodge initiated eight members,
received two affiliations and rejected two candidates. The constitution
meeting of Provost Lodge No. 61 was on January 24, 1912. In 1915 the
Grand Master, M.W. Bro. S. Y. Taylor, visited Provost for the purpose of
laying the cornerstone of the new school. Later when the old school was
torn down the Lodge recovered the cornerstone and placed it in their
Lodge Room. A record shows that one Installation meeting of this Lodge
consisted mainly of a 500 card tournament that lasted well into the
hours of the morning.
On April
26, 1911 the Lodge called Coal Lodge No. 62 in the small town of Bawlf
was instituted and the constitution took place on November 27, 1912.
Empire Lodge No. 63 in Edmonton is the
next Lodge on the list. It
came into
being because of a desire on the part of a number of Edmonton Brethren
to recover an opportunity to get to know other members of their Lodge.
The founders of Empire asserted that Lodges were getting too big and,
consequently, impersonal. Emphasis was placed on "Refreshment and
Harmony" and one of the first purchases was a piano. Empire Lodge
actually had some difficulty in getting started. It was over a year
after planning first started until Edmonton and Jasper Lodges sponsored
the petition and Grand Lodge issued the dispensation. The institution
ceremonies were performed on May 27, 1911. This ceremony was marked by a
declaration that Empire Lodge would carefully select candidates who
would be a credit to the Craft and it was not concerned about building
up a large membership. R.W. Bro. R. W. Ibbotson, D.D.G.M. , constituted
Empire Lodge No. 63 on November 4, 1912 and W. Bro. E. H. Cope was the
first Worshipful Master.
In common
with the other Lodges meeting in Edmonton accommodation was a growing
problem. The Lodge had difficulty in procuring nights for emergent
meetings. It complained too, that the room was not properly heated, a
problem that was shared by the other three Lodges that met there. Empire
Lodge was honoured to have one of its early Worshipful Masters, W. Bro.
John Martland, later elected Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Alberta.
He presented to Empire Lodge a "Breeches Bible" which is a very valuable
edition of the Bible. The name is derived from the fact that Genesis 3,
verse 7, reads "breeches" instead of the usual translation "aprons".
Hence the name of the Bible and also its value.
Bow
Island Lodge No. 64 was instituted on July 11, 1911 and constituted on
August 2, 1912 thus adding another Lodge along the Medicine Hat,
Lethbridge route. Nearer to Lethbridge on its west side the town of
Diamond City was prospering because of a booming coal mine there.
Diamond City Lodge No. 65 was instituted on March 22, 1912 and
constituted on September 27, 1912. Although Diamond City had a few
faithful Masons its population was subject to the uncertain whims of the
coal industry and did not grow to any great strength. When the mine
closed down the Lodge found itself in deep trouble.
St.
Andrew's Lodge No. 66 is located in Trochu, a town east of Didsbury.
Trochu grew quickly as settlers moved in from all parts of the world to
take up the many square miles of farm land that was available. In
December 1911 a few Masons met to consider establishing a Lodge because
it was difficult, with the methods of travel available in those early
days, to get to Lodges already established. Fourteen Masons attended the
first informal gathering. They first tackled the problem of finding a
hall in which to meet, which they did at a cost of $25.00 per month and
the charges of fitting the hall for Lodge use was to be charged against
the rent. Acme Lodge No. 60 sponsored a petition signed by eleven Masons
and in due course the Grand Master, on March 18, 1912, granted a
dispensation to Hiram Lodge U.D.. The ceremony of institution took place
on April 18, 1912. It was now found that the name Hiram conflicted with
King Hiram Lodge No. 21 already operating in Didsbury. It was decided to
change the name to St. Andrew's Lodge No. 66 and it was duly constituted
on November 11, 1912.
Lethbridge
had now grown to a population of eleven thousand with two Lodges meeting
in the southern part of the city. It now seemed essential to establish a
Lodge in the northern part of Lethbridge to make Masonry more
accessible to the Brethren living there. A meeting was called on March
1, 1912 to discuss the possibility and eleven Masons attended. The
dispensation was granted on April 23, 1912 and Charity Lodge No. 67
started it's
history.
The Grand Master and members of North Star Lodge No. 4 instituted the
Lodge on May 17, 1912 and constituted by M.W. Bro. S. J. Blair, Grand
Master, on June 20, 1913. The Lodge first met in Burgman's Hall in North
Lethbridge but as transportation methods improved it moved in with the
other Lethbridge Lodges. M.W. Bro. A. O. Aspeslet was initiated in
Charity Lodge and later became Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of
Alberta.
West of
Edmonton and, again, in a prospering mining area, the town of Edson
began to make movements towards the formation of a Lodge for the Masons
of that district. The result was Edson Lodge No. 68 which was instituted
on June 14, 1912 and constituted on July 3, 1913. The Lodge was well
located and the Charter members worked to lay a firm foundation on which
the Lodge has continued to build. Across the province and to the east of
Edmonton the village of Viking was experiencing rapid growth. The Masons
chose the name Connaught for their Lodge which was instituted on October
1, 1912 and constituted on June 28, 1913.
Back down
the length of the Province to the town of Redcliff only a very few miles
north of Medicine Hat where valuable deposits of clay for bricks and
materials for glass had been discovered producing another thriving and
optimistic town. In the Fall of 1912 the Masons of the town of Redcliff
met in the C.P.R. station to consider forming a Lodge with nine Brethren
present. A petition sponsored by Medicine Hat Lodge No. 2 was forwarded
to the Grand Lodge and a dispensation issued. At the time there were
over 100 tents scattered over the town occupied by carpenters,
bricklayers, real estate and business men. Already water lines had been
laid, the Redcliff Hotel had been built, a department store had opened,
a flour mill was in operation and a Glass Factory was under
construction. The Lodge was instituted on September 13, 1912 and
suitably named both because of its location and because of Masonic
tradition, Quarry Lodge No. 70. There were nine Charter members. Quarry
Lodge first met in an old C.P.R. box car supported by a number of
railroad ties. M.W. Bro. S. J. Blair, Grand Master, constituted the
Lodge on April 13, 1913. During its first year membership increased to
twenty-one. Early in its history the Lodge was asked by St. Ambrose
Anglican Church to lay the cornerstone for its new building, an act
which was duly carried out on July 30, 1914 by M.W. Bro. O.W. Kealy,
P.G.M. The membership of the Lodge had increased to 33. Late in 1915 a
fire broke out in Crowes Hall, where Quarry Lodge was now meeting. All
records of the Lodge were destroyed. Some time later the Presbyterian
Church requested that the Lodge lay a cornerstone for its church. The
minister was the pioneer Rev. W. Shearer and the church was called
Gordon Memorial Church. M.W. Bro. J. H. W. S. Kemmis, the Grand Master,
conducted the ceremony on September 29, 1920.
Medicine
Hat Lodge No. 2 held an Annual Ball to which it invited neighbouring
Lodges. The Morning Times of January 29, 1914 reports as follows, "The
Masonic Ball given last night in the Odd Fellows' Hall by the Masonic
Order of the city, was classed by all as one of the best and most
brilliant of its kind held in the city during the present season. About
125 couples were present and many beautiful gowns were noticeable among
the ladies attending. The music was excellent and the floor in perfect
condition to good dancing and the lovers of the terpsichorean art who
enjoyed the hospitality of the Masons had a delightful evening's
enjoyment." W. Bro. A. J. Nicholson and "lady" of Quarry Lodge received
a printed invitation which is still preserved in a scrap book.
On December 12, 1912 Tawatinaw Lodge No.
71 was instituted and the constitution followed on July 1, 1913. This
event is
noteworthy for Tawatinaw Lodge is in the town of Athabasca which is over
two hundred miles north of the city of Edmonton. East of Edmonton the
town of Coronation was the first locality to have a dispensation granted
in the year 1913. January 19, 1913 was the date for Coronation Lodge No.
72 to be instituted. The constitution followed on July 29, 1913. The
town and the Lodge derives its name from the excitement of the
coronation of His Majesty, King George V. Following closely was the town
of Brooks in the southern part of the province. The institution of
Brooks Lodge No. 73 preceded that of Coronation for it was held on
January 2, 1913 with the constitution being held on June 24, 1913. South
of Brooks and to the west the town of Vulcan now came into the picture.
Vulcan was a prospering town, another of many, located in a district
that was attracting settlers from many parts of the world. The prospects
of the wide open prairies with great stretches of land yet to be broken
together with an ever increasing demand for grain made an attractive
prospect. It was natural, again, that the many that moved into the rich
district wanted to build more than prairie farms, they wished to create
a community in which they would have pride and joy. Among the builders
of community living inevitably came those that had other visions of
building. These builders were the Masons who believed in firm and sound
foundations. It was thus that as early as 1912 a few Masons identified
themselves to each other and knew that from their meetings would come a
Masonic Lodge that would make its mark on the growing settlement. Thus
Vulcan Lodge No. 74 came into being with an institution on January 10,
1913 and a constitution on June 17, of the same year. Vulcan Lodge No.
74 produced many community leaders and a number of Brethren known widely
in the Masonic life of the Grand Lodge of Alberta. Outstanding was the
long time secretary of the School District, the prime mover in the
establishment of the County System in Alberta and the enduring secretary
of the Vulcan Lodge, who became one of Alberta's best loved Grand
Masters in the person of M.W. Bro. Delbert D. McQueen. The Lodge early
decided that social intercourse was the basis of any progressive Masonic
Lodge and decreed that a social evening would be held once a month. Its
Wild Game Dinner became known widely and each year attracted a large
number of visitors. Not for one minute should it be assumed that the
Brethren devoted themselves entirely to social affairs. It practised the
Ancient York Rite and its work is known even now for its impressiveness
and perfection.
The final
constitution of a Lodge in the year 1913 occurred on June 27, when
Harmony Lodge No. 75 was erected in the small town of Sedgewick some
miles east of Camrose. This Lodge had been instituted on January 20 of
that year.
A glance at the map will show that the
Grand Lodge of Alberta now had seventy-five Lodges under its
jurisdiction. Thirty-nine of these were practising the Ancient York Rite
and thirty-six of them the Canadian Rite. The concentration of the
tremendous growth since the creation of the Province of Alberta was east
of the Calgary-Edmonton-Fort Macleod railroad line indicative of the
rapidly expanding agricultural industry. Edson to the west of Edmonton
and Athabasca to the north were prophetic of things that were yet to
come. The amazing feature of the development is that the various Grand
Masters and D.D.G.M.s, despite the inconveniences of travel, were able
to supervise the organization of Lodges and to participate in numerous
ceremonies such as the laying of cornerstones. Later years were to
reveal that to allow the growth of the number of Lodges was not
especially wise but who, at that time, could envisage the improvement of
transportation facilities making it possible for Masons to travel longer
distances to get to Lodge meetings? Another outstanding feature of these
years were the number of lodges of Instruction
that were
held and the amazing attendance of Brethren eager to learn more of the
accepted Lodge procedures.
During
the first few years the Grand Lodge of Alberta met in Communication
usually around the end of May. Fort Macleod, Edmonton, Lethbridge,
Calgary and Banff were the chosen places for meeting. At the Fourth
Annual Communication the Jurisprudence Committee decreed that the Grand
Lodge did not have the power to confer the title of Past Master, as an
honour, on any brother. The Board of General Purposes was concerned that
visitors to Lodges were not being examined correctly and issued a
circular in this regard. The Fifth Annual Communication asked the Grand
Master to appoint a committee to revise the boundaries of districts. It
also revised the Constitution regarding the Board of General Purposes.
The Board was to elect members to all committees from the membership of
the Board and the Committees were to report to the Board which would
report to the Annual Communication. At the Sixth Annual Communication
the Grand Master, M.W. Bro. J. J. Dunlop, issued a timely warning,
"Brethren, be not deceived by figures; the strength of our fraternity is
not in numbers but in the upright, moral character and integrity of its
members."
The Sixth
Annual Communication referred the report of the Committee on the Funeral
Service to a special committee to be appointed by the Grand Master with
power to act. Nine Masonic Districts were created and Lodges, to the
dismay of some, were assigned to new districts.
The Grand
Master, M.W. Bro. Thomas McNabb, who presided over the Seventh Annual]
Communication took a number of Lodges to task for making what he called
many decisions that were "entirely uncalled for; were the Lodge officers
and members to post themselves on Grand Lodge Constitution." District
No. 3 was divided into two districts now making a total of ten. For the
first time the Jurisprudence Committee was composed of seven members,
all of them Past Grand Masters. The Committee on Foreign Correspondence
gave its first annual review and it was very extensive being some one
hundred and fourteen pages in length.
In 1913
the Eighth Annual Communication, after a lengthy and heated discussion,
raised the salary of the Grand Secretary to $2,000.00 per year. A notice
of motion was presented which would provide for the meeting of the Board
of General Purposes, at the call of the Grand Master, between the
communications of the Grand Lodge.
In
December of the year 1927, Ionic Lodge No. 45 was prepared for the
Installation Ceremonies of its Worshipful Master. Before the Lodge could
get underway the Worshipful Master elect was taken seriously ill and it
was essential that he be taken to hospital in Camrose. Arrangements were
made to hold the C.N.R. train at Mirror. The Brethren equipped with
shovels decided to open the snow drifted road between Alix and Mirror in
order to get the Worshipful Master elect to the train. It was a long and
difficult trek through the snow and when the cavalcade arrived at Mirror
the train had left. There was a Brother in Mirror who was the Section
Foreman of the C.N.R. He located a locomotive and a caboose which was
driven to Camrose with the patient aboard. The Worshipful Master elect
received the emergency treatment that was necessary. Installation
Ceremonies finally took place in February, 1928 and the now fully
recovered Worshipful Master was duly installed.
THE FIRST
WORLD WAR YEARS
In an
unknown town of Serajivo, on June 28, 1914, the Archduke of Austria,
Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated by a rifle shot that historians
later wrote was "heard around the world". It brought to a crisis the
disturbed state of the small Balkan countries in Central Europe caused
by threats of Russian and German aggression. The assassination upset
plans of Great Britain to observe a hundred years of peace and resulted
in Britain issuing an ultimatum to Germany to cease threats of invasion.
The ultimatum was unanswered and war was declared by Britain on Germany
on August 14, 1914. British Colonies, including Canada, were immediately
involved in what was to become a world wide war. This reign of terror,
called a "War to end Wars" and a "War to save Democracy" saw hundreds of
thousands of Canadians rally to the defence of the Motherland. Western
Canada sent thousands of her young men into the trenches of France and
Alberta was involved. The newly developed farm lands were practically
stripped of men of war age. Numbered with the men that went overseas
were a large number of Masons and prospective candidates for initiation
into the Order. The influence on the growth of Freemasonry was
inevitable. Of course agriculture was a basic industry for the support
of the war effort and the Masons who remained at home struggled to keep
Lodges alive and to provide comforts for their members who were serving
King and Country.
Before
the war broke out there continued to be the business of instituting and
constituting Lodges. The town of Bashaw, south of Camrose, saw Fidelity
Lodge instituted on March 4, 1913, constituted on July 18, 1914. In
Strathcona a lodge that would practice the Ancient York Rite, Strathcona
Lodge No. 77 was instituted on April 14, 1913 and constituted on
September 14, 1914. It was to be a companion Lodge to Acacia which was
working under the Canadian Rite. Many miles to the east of Calgary
almost coincident with the organizing of that town on August 7, 1912 and
interwoven with the history of it, Masons met in the Merchant's Bank on
October 10, 1912 to discuss the formation of Hanna Lodge No. 78. The
D.D.G.M., R.W. Bro. Mitchell instituted the Lodge on May 8, 1913 with W.
Bro. J. A. McClure as the first Worshipful Master. Five candidates were
initiated in February 1914 followed by the first constitution after the
outbreak of hostilities on October 26, 1914. After meeting in various
halls in the town the Lodge in 1955, mainly by volunteer work, erected
its own Masonic Hall. This Lodge later was to be honoured by the
elevation of M.W. Bro. A. G. Bond to the position of Grand Master of the
Grand Lodge of Alberta. Another well known Mason, Bro. O. C. Smith, the
first Senior Warden and a Charter member, was present at the Fiftieth
Anniversary Celebration. The community of Lougheed on the railroad line
to the east of Camrose saw Morning Star Lodge No. 79 instituted on July
31, 1913 and constituted on July 7, 1914. The neighbouring town of
Daysland a few miles west followed with Excelsior Lodge No. 80 whose
institution was on November 14, 1913 followed by the constitution on
July 9, 1914.
In Edmonton it was discovered that there
were many Masons who were commercial travellers. They travelled all week
representing their companies in the small towns and were in Edmonton
only on the weekend. They agreed that they wanted a Masonic Lodge that
met on Saturday evenings. Since the Edmonton Journal of November 13,
1913 stated that "Edmonton is admitted the commercial metropolis of the
West" it was only proper that these commercial salesmen should name
their lodge "Commercial" Lodge No. 81. With 25 Charter Members the
ceremony of institution with the Grand Master, M.W. Bro. J. A. Jackson
officiating, was held on November 22, 1913 followed by the constitution
on July 11, 1914. The Lodge was in a good position financially with some
fifteen Charter members. Following the outbreak of war Commercial Lodge
raised $325.00 to buy a machine gun for the 49 Battalion D Company. Its
Director
of Ceremonies, Bro. Wm. B. King, was killed in action and the Lodge held
a suitable Memorial Service for him. Although the Lodge showed strength
from the start it was a matter of concern that so many of its members,
because of their occupation, were frequently transferred. The social
aspect of Commercial Lodge was always strong because the travelling
Brethren appreciated deeply the opportunities for fellowship after
coming home from a gruelling week of work.
On the
railroad line east of Hanna the village of Youngstown was the scene of a
gathering of Masons from a variety of Lodges who thought that the time
had come to talk about a Lodge in their small community. There were
enough Masons to present a petition to form Acadia Lodge No. 82 which
was instituted on January 14, 1914 and constituted on October 30, 1914.
In 1913 a
number of young Masons, recognizing that there were a large number of
Masons in Calgary not affiliated with the six Lodges working in the
city, decided that there was room for another Lodge. On October 13,
1913, in the Board Room of the Trusts and Guarantee Company, thirty
Masons attended a meeting to discuss the prospects. They decided to
proceed with a Lodge which would be called Zetland after the excellent
Zetland Lodge No. 326, G.R.C. in Toronto. They determined to emulate the
record of that Lodge.
Zetland
Lodge No. 83 was instituted in the King George Masonic Hall on December
18, 1913 by R.W. Bro. J. M. Empey, D.D.G.M. and installed R.W. Bro. A.
W. R. Markley as the first Worshipful Master. On July 4, 1914 Zetland
Lodge No. 83 was consecrated with M.W. Bro. Judge J. A. Jackson, Grand
Master officiating. One hundred and two Charter Members came from
sixteen Grand Lodges, their average age was thirty-six years. Permission
had been granted by the Second Marquis of Zetland for that family's Coat
of Arms to be used as the seal of the Lodge. He was elected an honourary
member of the Lodge.
Over the
years of its distinguished history Zetland Lodge No. 83 has had five
Grand Masters elected from its membership, M.W. Bro. G. W. Kerby, M.W.
Bro. V. A. Bowes, M.W. Bro. H. B. MacDonald, M.W. Bro. W. J. Collett and
M.W. Bro. James S. Woods. The list of members that held offices in Grand
Lodge is long.
On
February 18, 1918 Benjamin A. Creak was initiated into Zetland Lodge No.
83 and at the installation of officers in that year he was elected
Tyler, an office which he held for forty-three years. At the Annual
Communication of the Grand Lodge in 1955, the Grand Master, M.W. Bro.
David Little, presented Bro. Creak with an Honourary Life Membership in
Zetland Lodge. He was known for his cheerful, kindly and sincere
reception of initiates and his faithfulness in performing the duties of
a Tyler. Bro. Creak held the office of Tyler until 1961 when failing
health forced him to retire. He passed to his reward on August 27, 1961.
The Champion district south of Calgary saw
the first assembly of Freemasons in June 1911. There were obstacles to
overcome before a Lodge could be formed, the first was to locate a
meeting place and the second to find a capable Worshipful Master. The
first village was called Cleaverville but when the C.P.R. established
the village of Champion on the railroad Cleaverville was forced to move
a few miles to the west and the process of moving took some time, hence
the lack of a hall. By 1912, John A. Miller, who was to be the first
Senior Warden, had built a two storey general store and offered the
second storey to the Masons. W. B. Blackly moved into the new village
and proved to be the Mason who would guide Masonic destinies for a while
and became the competent
first
Worshipful Master. After several attempts Grand Lodge accepted a
petition from Robert Burns Lodge No. 49 in August 1912 and Champion
Lodge No. 84 was instituted by R.W. Bro. Hudson, P.D.D.G.M. on April 8,
1913. There were eight early members - 2 farmers, 3 merchants, a banker,
a grain buyer and a hotel porter but when the Charter was granted the
number had risen to ten. The Charter was granted in May 1915 following
the commencement of the war and the constitution was on June 24, 1915
with the Grand Master, M.W. Bro. S. Y. Taylor officiating. The
membership grew the following year from the original ten to twenty-five.
Champion had a shifting population as did many of the early settlements
and it found difficulty in having stability in its Worshipful Masters
and, at times, the Lodge work had to be carried on by the junior
officers. Despite this the Lodge maintained a high standard for
membership and in the year 1918 it rejected three applications for
initiation.
The Crows
Nest Pass, still in the forefront as a coal mining area, had the town of
Blairmore growing rapidly. The first meeting of Masons in that town was
on January 14, 1914 which resulted in the institution of Rocky Mountain
Lodge No. 86 on April 2, 1914 and the constitution of it on June 14,
1915. It had its difficulties in maintaining officers and members and on
January 10, 1916 it had to request a dispensation from Grand Lodge to
elect and install officers out of time. The weather in the pass was so
severe in the winter of 1949-50 that a member who died on December 26,
1949 could not be buried with Masonic Honours until February 19, 1950.
In
Calgary the North Hill was showing development and Masons wanted a Lodge
in their district because of the number of unaffiliated Masons that were
living there. Late in October in the year 1914 a few prospective Members
gathered and this was followed by a meeting in the Presbyterian Church
located on 4th Street N.W. on November 14, 1914. After locating a
meeting place on the corner of Centre Street and 16th Avenue N.W., near
to the place where the Crescent Lodge Hall now stands, a petition for
the formation of a Lodge was formulated. The original name proposed was
Regal but the title Crescent was chosen. The first Worshipful Master was
a man well known in the history of Alberta, Bro. the Rev. Robert
Pearson. The Grand Master, M.W. Bro. Judge J. A. Jackson, instituted
Crescent Lodge No. 87 on December 8, 1914 and constituted by the next
Grand Master, M.W. Bro. S. Y. Taylor on June 8, 1915. Crescent Lodge No.
87 throughout its history, has maintained a tradition of being a family
Lodge. Twenty-three sons of members have been initiated, three of these
have become Worshipful Masters, two of whom were installed by their
fathers.
The war
years caused a rapid expansion of settlers into the part of the province
lying to the north of Edmonton. The towns of High Prairie and Peace
River were established and the population grew. The result was the
establishment of Wahpun Lodge No. 88 in High Prairie which was
constituted on July 21, 1916 and of Peace River Lodge No. 89 which was
constituted a few days later on July 26, 1916. The creation of both
these Lodges was a tribute to the determination of the early settlers
not only to open up land that had hitherto been regarded as not fit for
agriculture but also to carry into the new settlements the traditions
and principles that mark the work of a Masonic Lodge in any community.
The city of Edmonton was expanding towards
the east and, as was the case with Crescent Lodge, the new subdivisions
contained a number of unaffiliated Masons. Again these Brethren were
determined to have a Lodge accessible to their own homes. The result was
that Norwood Lodge No. 90 was instituted on August 20,
1915 and
constituted on June 26, 1916. This was followed almost immediately by
Patricia Lodge No. 91 whose preliminary meetings were held near the site
of the King Edward Hotel on 101 Street with ten members present. That
Lodge, however, actually located itself further to the west and met in
Robertson Presbyterian Church on 116th Street in order to attract the
unaffiliated Masons living there. The Brethren wished to call their
Lodge "Crescent" but this name had already been claimed by Calgary and
they later chose "Patricia" the name of a famous regiment in the war. It
was on October 30, 1915 that Patricia Lodge was instituted by the Grand
Master, M.W. Bro. S. Y. Taylor with W. Bro. J. L. Tipp being installed
as Worshipful Master. At the regular meeting following the institution
thirty-seven petitions for Initiation were received.
One of
the petitioners on that night was a young carpenter by the name of D. D.
Penman who was later to become known affectionately as the "Grand Gavel
Maker" in the jurisdiction of Alberta. Bro. Penman, who later became a
D.D.G.M. made a hobby of collecting historic woods and making them into
gavels which he presented to many Lodges and to Grand Lodge. In all he
presented about two hundred sets of gavels before his death on July 14,
1971.
R.W.
Bro. Penman will be remembered especially for his remarkable
contribution to the Honour Roll of Patricia Lodge No. 91. Cambrai is an
ancient city located in Northern France on the banks of the Scheldt
River. From it came some fine linens known as Cambric. The city actually
was in the continual throes of war dating as far back as the time when
Caesar invaded Gaul and lists as its conquerors names such as
Charlemagne, Wellington, Napoleon and others. In modern times it
features in the First World War. At that point Cambrai was the proud
possessor of very ancient and valuable wood work and carvings together
with an outstanding museum. Its population was approximately 26,000.
Almost immediately at the outbreak of the war German artillery bombarded
the town and it fell into the hands of the Germans and became the base
of the famous Siegfried Line. Towards the close of the war in November
1917 Sir Douglas Haig led a Canadian Army using tanks to attack Cambrai
and pierce the Siegfried Line. In the ensuing battle many Canadians were
killed. The Canadians under General D. C. Draper entered Cambrai on
October 9, 1918 to find a fiery ruin. Bro. Lionel C. Gibbs preserved a
parchment recording the members of Jasper Lodge No. 14 who served with
the Canadian Expeditionary Force. In 1923 it was decided that the names
be inscribed on a bronze tablet. The frame was to be some wood of
historic interest. R.W. Bro. Col. J. Obed Smith wrote on July 11, 1923,
"I am hoping to be able to send you, in the course of the next week,
some pieces of oak taken from the museum in Cambrai, France. The marks
on the wood are the results of bombardment in the late war. The wood is,
therefore, historically authentic and accompanying the wood, or in a
subsequent letter, will be the signature of the Mayor of the town of
Cambrai, certifying to this effect. The town has much pleasure in making
this gift. To secure anything of this nature has called forth supreme
effort on the part of friends as well as myself." Immediately on receipt
of the wood the services of R.W. Bro. D. D. Penman of Patricia Lodge No.
91 was obtained and in cooperation with R.W. Bro. Sandilands, a skilled
metal worker, the tablet was made and framed. The remarkable tablet was
unveiled at the Twenty-fifth Anniversary of Jasper Lodge No. 14 by M.W.
Bro. Col. W. J. Botterill assisted by Bro. General W. A. Griesbach, a
Senator, both of whom had served with distinction in the war. The
shrapnel holes and scars are still visible in the Honour Roll that first
hung in the Old Edmonton Masonic Temple south of Jasper Avenue on 101st
Street. From the remaining wood R.W. Bro. Penman made Warden's columns
for Jasper Lodge and panels for the chairs in Edmonton's Masonic
Temple
which bear the scars from shrapnel. He also made a set of gavels for the
Grand Lodge of Alberta enclosed in a beautiful inlaid case. These were
used for the first time by M.W. Bro. G. E. Cruickshank when he laid the
cornerstone of the Calgary Masonic Temple in June 1927. Enclosed in the
case with the gavels were the letters from R.W. Bro. J.O. Smith and from
the Mayor of Cambrai.
Another
Edmonton Lodge, Saskatchewan No. 92 quickly followed Patricia Lodge. It
was instituted on December 9, 1915 and constituted on June 26, 1916.
The town
of Drumheller now enters Alberta and Masonic History. It was the town
situated in the badlands of Alberta where the ancient dinosaurs once
roamed. The interest in the town at this time was not its geological
importance but was the fact that valued coal was readily available. The
miners who came to the town had among them a number of Masons who wanted
to establish a Lodge. Symbol Lodge No. 93 came into existence with an
institution on July 31, 1916 and a constitution on July 11, 1917.
Next came
Lamont Lodge No. 94 located in the town of Lamont to the north and east
of Edmonton on the Vermilion and Vegreville line. It was instituted on
December 22, 1916 and constituted on June 4, 1917.
In 1916
Lord Kitchener the hero of Kartum in the Boer War at the beginning of
the century lost his life when the British Cruiser he was on struck a
mine and sank. It was fitting that the town of Rimbey should enshrine
his name when it decided to establish Kitchener Lodge No. 95. The
dispensation was granted on December 19, ]916 soon after Lord
Kitchener's death. The institution followed on January 19, 1917 and the
constitution on July 1, 1918. At the original meeting eight members were
present. The Lodge ran into difficulties, as did the majority of Lodges
in Alberta, when the influenza epidemic caused the authorities to ban
all public meetings from November 2, 1918 to January 3, 1919. When the
ban was lifted six Brethren travelled across country to Ponoka where on
January 10, 1919, Britannia Lodge No. 18 held installation ceremonies.
After the meeting they left Ponoka about midnight and arrived back in
Rimbey at 9:30 a.m.. The Lodge room was destroyed by fire on December 8,
1922. It was replaced by a cottage donated by a member that had to be
hauled into Rimbey by a team of horses and set on a six foot wooden
foundation. The Historical Register of Kitchener Lodge No. 95 says that
the only notable thing that happened in 1924 was that on December 15th
the temperature fell to a record of 64 degrees below zero F.
Dynamic
Lodge No. 96 in the village of Holden, south east of Edmonton on the
railroad line to Wainwright organized Dynamic Lodge No. 96 and was
instituted on July 2, 1917 with the constitution on June 26, 1918. This
was followed by Masonic activity in the small town of Chauvin east of
Wainwright and near the Saskatchewan border which had Albion Lodge No.
97 instituted on June 30, 1917 with the constitution over a year later
on August 5, 1918. Another town Delia almost directly east of Olds named
its Lodge, Hand Hill Lodge No. 98, and had its institution on August 22,
1917 and its constitution on July 25, 1918. Mount Moriah Lodge No. 99 at
Sibbald struggled to get a start and actually was instituted and
constituted but never was able to assemble enough members to make a
Lodge viable. After the institution of Oyen Lodge No. 104 on June 12,
1929 Mount Moriah decided to amalgamate with that Lodge in order to have
a stronger Masonic representation in that area.
South of Lethbridge and almost to the
border of the United States
the town
of Warner saw Masonic beginnings with a Lodge that was first named
Warner Lodge No. 100 instituted on September 27, 1917 and constituted on
June 27, 1918. It had difficulty deciding on a name and changed it to
Verdigris. Later it decided to recognize that it was a landmark in
Masonic history, being the one hundredth lodge constituted in Alberta
since the beginning of Masonry in the district of Alberta, now a
Province. The name was finally changed to Century Lodge No. 100 and has
continued under that title. Even though it never had a large membership
it did contribute to the work of Masonry at large. One of its early and
most faithful members is the well known P.D.D.G.M., R.W. Bro. Walter R.
Ford.
The
subdivisions of Calder and Elm Park in Edmonton were growing mainly
because the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway was operating lines out of
Edmonton, to the East and had established shops in their subdivisions.
There were a number of Masons connected with the Grand Trunk Railway who
were living near to their place of employment. The Master Masons amongst
these residents met several times in 1917 to discuss the viability of a
Lodge near to the place where they lived. West Edmonton Lodge No. 101
held its institution meeting in the I.O.O.F. Hall called Advance Hall
located on 122nd Street north of 129th Avenue, three miles from the
centre of the city, on October 3, 1917. The D.D.G.M. R.W. Bro. D.
McIntosh presided, assisted by the Grand Senior Warden, R.W. Bro. D.
Darling. W. Bro. C. E. Long was installed as the first Worshipful Master
with twenty-three Charter members. The annual dues were $6.00 and the
initiation fee $40.00. M.W. Bro. D. Darling, now Grand Master, returned
on June 10, 1918 to constitute West Edmonton Lodge No. 101. The Lodge
experienced financial difficulties almost immediately and borrowed
$300.00 from a nearby branch of the Merchant's Bank of Canada. Even
before the Constitution of the Lodge, the Brethren elected R.W. Bro. D.
McIntosh as an Honourary Member for outstanding service rendered to the
Lodge, the constitutionality of which might be questioned. Although West
Edmonton Lodge chose to work in the Canadian Rite there were a number of
members who had been raised in the Ancient York Rite and some confusion
of ritual existed for several years.
On the railroad line to Wainwright and
east almost to the Saskatchewan border was the hamlet of Edgerton which
was the focal point of a prairie farming district. As with many other
localities in the eastern part of Alberta Masons mingled with the new
settlers and soon began to think in terms of a Lodge. The population to
draw from was limited and the Lodge would never grow to a large
membership. Dedication to Masonry was the stimulus that brought into
being Edgerton Lodge No. 102, instituted on October 27, 1917 and
constituted on August 5, 1918. Next, moving in line almost directly
south with only prairie between it and the border of the United States
reached only by long railroad journeys or by horse was the struggling
village of Foremost. By the mysterious ties that draw the Masons
together it was discovered that in the immediate area were thirteen
Master Masons in good standing. Isolation and long distances did not
deter these Brethren from aspiring to create a Lodge. On November 6,
1917, the D.D.G.M., R.W. Bro. Hatcher convened the institution meeting
of what was to be Foremost Lodge No. 103 and installed W. Bro. J. G.
Robertson as the first Worshipful Master. During the first year three
new Masons were initiated. The town doctor, Bro. Astrof, was raised to
the third degree in the Canadian Rite although Foremost Lodge worked in
the Ancient York Rite. To perform this ceremony the Brethren of Warner
Lodge travelled many miles across the country. The constitution of
Foremost Lodge No. 103 occurred on June 28, 1918. It had difficult times
financially but the unflagging determination won out. The historical
register
records,
"Fortunately we had the money and some assistance from other Lodges to
meet these calls upon our funds."
North
again and near the Saskatchewan Border on a line east from Didsbury the
town of Oyen gathered Masons together in the Oyen Opera House on
February 5, 1918 to institute Oyen Lodge No. 104 with the D.D.G.M. , R.W.
Bro. J. G. Odell of Hanna in charge. He installed W. Bro. O.F.
Kirkpatrick as the Worshipful Master. The Brethren immediately decided
that the Opera House was no place to hold a Lodge meeting and with
supreme optimism borrowed $6,000.00 from the bank, security was
individual notes signed by the members. The Lodge was constituted by M.W.
Bro. H. Darling on July 24, 1918. The Charter members numbered twenty
and during the first few years of its history grew and prospered. The
initiation fee was $75.00 and annual dues were $10.00. To get to a
District Meeting was always a problem. When one was scheduled for Hanna
on October 10, 1924 a special coach was attached to a freight train to
transport lodge members from Sibbald, Oyen, Cereal, Chinook and
Youngstown. Mount Moriah Lodge No. 99 amalgamated with Oyen Lodge No.
104 in 1929. The Brethren of Oyen Lodge were not disposed to give up
ancient traditions easily. When electricity came to the town a long
debate took place about the replacing of the tapers of the three lesser
lights with electric lights. This was deemed to be highly improper and
the tapers continued in use for many years.
On April
14, 1913 Bro. D. W. Pratt, living in Grande Prairie far to the north and
West of Edmonton wrote a letter to Bro. Kenny of Buffalo Park Lodge in
Wainwright with the request for information about the formation of a
Lodge in that almost unheard of hinterland of the province. Attempts
were made to get Masons together but the country was so new and the
travel so rugged that these efforts amounted to little. The Masonic
spirit did not know the word impossible and after four years of effort,
on February 17, 1917 about fourteen Masons were assembled and the
organization started. Alpheus Patterson and Son who owned the Post
Office Building, offered the second storey as a meeting place free of
charge for one year. The Lodge, Grande Prairie No. 105 was instituted on
January 30, 1918 and constituted on June 15, 1918. The D.D.G.M. was the
outstanding Mason for many years in the north country, later a Grand
Master of the Grand Lodge of Alberta and long time editor of the Grand
Lodge Bulletin, known then as R.W. Bro. Samuel J. Harris. Incidentally
the railroad did not reach Grande Prairie until about seven years later.
In
ancient times the Romans built a wall on the border of England and
Scotland to hold back invasions from the Scots. It crosses the two
English counties of Northumberland and Cumberland and remains to this
day a tourist attraction. The wall was 73.5 miles in length, 16 to 18
feet high and of a thickness varying from 6 to 9.5 feet. There is a town
on the east of this wall called Wallsend-on-Tyne, the home of Wallsend
Lodge No. 2703. The Grande Prairie Lodge decided that it would like a
stone from that wall for its Lodge room and wrote this request to
Wallsend Lodge. It so happened that on September 24, 1924 on the land of
Alderman J. F. Wiedman a new excavation was being made and the remains
of a rebuilt portion of the wall dating about 200 A.D. were discovered.
The Brethren of Wallsend Lodge were able to secure one of the valued
stones and after having it suitably inscribed, forwarded it without
charge to Grande Prairie Lodge in far off Western Canada. The Brethren
of Grande Prairie Lodge wrote a grateful letter to Wallsend Lodge and
treasure this remarkable relic from antiquity.
Grande Prairie had a neighbour some twenty
miles to the west, the town of Wembley. The Masons there, too, desired
to have a Lodge
which
after much determined effort they succeeded in instituting on February
1, 1918 with the constitution on the same day as the Grande Prairie
Lodge, June 15, 1918. This was to be called Lake Saskatoon Lodge No.
106.
Carbon
Lodge No. 107 near the town of Drumheller was instituted on October 11,
1918 and constituted on July 8, 1919. This was followed by Pyramid Lodge
No. 108 located in the town of Lomond a small town to the east of Vulcan
which on November 2, 1953 found that it must surrender its Charter. The
town of Mirror followed with Ancient Landmark Lodge No. 109. Mirror is a
small town east of Lacombe that did not develop according to the
optimistic hopes of the early Masons. Ancient Landmark Lodge No. 109
surrendered its Charter on May 16, 1940 but revived again and was
reinstituted under the same name Ancient Landmark in 1953 but this time
received the number of 163. Taking the ancient name from Scotland,
Kilwinning Lodge No. 110 was the final Lodge to receive a Charter in
1918 but it had difficulties in maintaining a membership. Kilwinning
Lodge No. 110 amalgamated with Hope Lodge No. 38 at Mannville on March
12, 1951.
When the
Great War of 1914-1918 concluded the Grand Lodge of Alberta had 110
Lodges under its jurisdiction. A similar trend seen in the early years
had continued and the eastern territory from the American border,
through Fort Macleod and north to Calgary and Edmonton had witnessed a
multiplication of Lodges. Some of them were to be strong and a number
waged a fight for existence. During the war years a remarkable number of
thirty-five Lodges had received charters.
The Grand
Lodge during this time had been active not only in granting Charters and
supervising Lodges but in many other ways. Very familiar was the concern
that District Deputy Grand Masters were being selected, not for their
ability, but because of seniority. Districts were under constant
revision as the number of Lodges grew. Then came the start of fraternal
visits to other Grand Lodge Communications and in 1914 representatives
were sent to Saskatchewan and British Columbia. As the work of Grand
Lodge increased it was impossible for all members of Committees to be
appointed from the Board of General Purposes and other members of Grand
Lodge were included. In 1914, too, came the first suggestion that a
Conference of the Grand Masters of the Four Western Provinces might be
favourably considered. The ceremonials of Grand Lodge were due for
revision and a suggestion made that travelling expenses of one delegate
from each Lodge to the Grand Lodge Communication be considered. The
eleventh meeting of the Grand Lodge of Alberta held in Banff heard an
address by the Grand Master, M.W. Bro. S. Y. Taylor who ruled that a
Lodge does not have the power to withhold a Master Mason's certificate
from a newly raised brother until he has proved proficiency in the third
degree. Another ruling said that the title of Honourary Past Master
cannot be conferred by any Lodge, nor does the Grand Master have that
power. The twelfth Annual Communication on May 30, 1917 set up a
committee to revise the Constitution and also agreed that the date of
the Annual Communication be changed to the second Wednesday in the month
of June. The problem of dual membership had arisen several times but
Grand Lodge refused to allow a brother to belong to two Lodges in the
Jurisdiction. The Grand Lodge also agreed to send a telegram to the
Prime Minister stating that it supported the proposal of compulsory
service in the Armed Forces.
The thirteenth Annual Communication on May
29, 1918 resolved to establish a fund to help the distress caused by an
explosion in Halifax. It sent to the Grand Lodge of Nova Scotia
$1,000.00 to
be
administered by that Grand Lodge for general relief. It amended the
Constitution to provide for the Annual Communication to be held on the
second Wednesday in June. The Grand Master reported that he had
suspended the Charter of Saskatchewan Lodge No. 92 because of a lack of
harmony amongst the members. The Grand Secretary, with the assistance of
three Calgary members, were instructed to draft the revised Constitution
and ceremonials. The draft was to be submitted to the constituent Lodges
for study. It was in this year that W. Bro. Wm. Ireland was appointed as
Auditor, a position he held for many years.
On
February 24, 1919 a Special Communication of Grand Lodge was held to
consider the new Constitution. It was agreed that the Ancient Charges of
a Freemason be included in the Constitution. The regulations regarding
Trials for Masonic Offenses were ordered to be printed in a separate
pamphlet and supplied to Lodges on request. It took two days to consider
the new Constitution. Largely it was a rewording of the one adopted in
1907 with improvements in wording and shortening certain sections. No
great changes were made. It was at this meeting that the Grand Master
appointed a committee to draft regulations relating to the Benevolent
Fund.
The war
had concluded with the shouts and songs of victory. The Masonic Lodges
throughout the jurisdiction had been constantly concerned about their
Brethren who were offering their lives and attempted to keep in
communication with them. The Lodges mourned when a brother was killed in
action. Despite the depletion in the membership of Lodges due to service
overseas those that remained home carried on. When the Brethren returned
they were welcomed in a number of ways and optimism abounded for the
years of rebuilding that were ahead. At the end of 1918 there were 51
Lodges practising the Ancient York Rite and 59 lodges using the Canadian
Rite.
THE YEARS
OF REBUILDING
During
the next five years 1920-1925 twenty-six new Lodges were formed and one,
Langdon Lodge No. 52, surrendered its Charter on June 9, 1920. The
period was a very difficult one because not only had the country to
absorb those who were discharged from the army but also the dry cycle of
1920-21 was a severe strain on the farmers of Southern Alberta. Many
crops were ruined because of a lack of moisture with the resultant
economic stress. In addition the Soldiers Settlement Board sought to
locate many returning servicemen on farms which they were not properly
trained to operate. The tragedies that took place in the lives of men
and women could not be unnoticed by the Masonic Lodges' pledge to
charity and benevolence. The work of expansion continued despite the
obstacles that history placed in its way. As in the earlier years the
main growth came in the eastern section of the Province in the ever
growing, but sometimes desperate, agricultural areas.
Nobleford,
the town that is surrounded by a huge wheat growing area north of
Lethbridge, was the first locality to have a Lodge instituted in the
year 1919. The ceremony took place on August 6, and the constitution on
July 6, 1920.
The Lodge in Jarrow, a small town west of
Wainwright received its dispensation on November 29, 1919 just following
the signing of the Armistice. It was predictable that its Lodge would be
called Victory Lodge No. 112. The Lodge was instituted on January 28,
1920 and consecrated by the Grand Master, M.W. Bro. J. H. W. S. Kemmis
on July 1, 1920 with W. Bro. N. B. Lindholm as the first
Worshipful Master. After twenty-one years of existence the Lodge
surrendered its Charter on February 13, 1941.
Next came
a Lodge in the town of Three Hills which lies in the centre of a prime
agricultural area west of Olds. Here Cyprus Lodge No. 113 had its
institution ceremonies on December 17, 1919 followed by the constitution
on August 4, 1921. North of Edmonton the town of Westlock saw gatherings
of Masons, who were starting to open up the north country, planning to
keep the Masonic Order in the forefront of the town's growth. It was on
April 2, 1920 that the institution of Westlock Lodge No. 114 took place
and the constitution on June 27, 1921. Returning again to the active
area east of the town of Hanna and less than a hundred miles from the
Saskatchewan border the Masons in the community of Chinook decided that
their Lodge should be named after the beautiful spring flower that
carpets the Prairies. It was Crocus No. 115 that was instituted on May
12, 1920 and constituted on June 30, 1921.
Masonry
had not heard the final word from the new pioneers in the far north.
Spirit River is seventy miles directly north of Grande Prairie and in
April 1917 the hardy Masons met regularly to talk about the future of
the Craft in that locality. By April 1919 they had actually purchased a
lot for $125.00 and sold it again a year later for $200.00. Arrangements
were then made with the local dramatic club for a Lodge room and a five
year lease. They were now ready to ask for a dispensation which was
granted and Spirit River Lodge No. 116 was instituted on August 5, 1920
with W. Bro. R. R. MacLeod being installed as the first Worshipful
Master. On August 1, 1921 the Masons of Spirit River received with pride
their Grand Master, M.W. Bro. J. W. Young, the Grand Secretary, M.W.
Bro. S. Y. Taylor P.G.M. and the D.D.G.M., R.W. Bro. M. E. Grimshaw who
had come to constitute Spirit River Lodge No. 116. The financial
sharpness of this Lodge, evident from the beginning, appeared once more
when it took over the mortgage of the Dramatic Club Hall in 1925 with a
payment of $325.00 and established for themselves a home. Membership had
grown to 48 in 1926 with three applications pending. In six years their
Lodge Hall was cleared of debt.
By this
time there appeared to be room for another Lodge in Edmonton. After
several meetings of Masons unaffiliated with other Edmonton Lodges and
interested in the Canadian Work it was decided to petition for a new
Lodge. The name chosen was Dominion Lodge No. 117. It was instituted on
October 6, 1920 and constituted on June 28, 1921.
Calgary was not far behind. The south hill
in that city was growing in population and on June 2, 1920 a meeting was
called in St. Mark's Anglican Church. Of the twenty-two Masons that were
present seventeen signified that they were prepared to join a new Lodge.
St. Mark's Church Hall was available for meetings. In order to finance
the changes that were necessary to create a Lodge Hall all the charter
members agreed to pay two years dues in advance. Most of the work was
done by volunteer labour. The name was something of a problem, South
Calgary, Sarcee and St. Mark's being proposed. The latter name St.
Mark's was chosen. The annual dues were $6.00 and the initiation fee
$50.00. The church, grateful for the renovations to their Parish Hall,
agreed to a five year lease. On November 22, 1920 the Grand Master, M.W.
Bro. J. H. W. S. Kemmis, assisted by several Grand Lodge Officers
instituted St. Mark's Lodge No. 118 and installed R.W. Bro. H. D. R.
Stewart, who initiated the first meeting, as the first Worshipful
Master. The rector of St. Mark's Church, Bro. the Rev. H. H. Wilford was
the first Senior Warden. The constitution ceremony was conducted by the
Grand Master, M.W. Bro. J. W.
Younge
on July 1, 1921. The spirit of St. Mark's Lodge No. 118, which has
continued through the years, was shown when one of their Brethren fell
ill and had to be sent back to England with his family for which St.
Mark's bore the cost. The brother's assets were taken over by the Lodge.
They formed work bees and repaired and renovated the brother's home and
then sold it. From the proceeds of the sale they were able to pay back a
loan from Grand Lodge. There was money left over and it was sent to the
brother in England who acknowledged, with gratitude, the enterprise and
generosity of his Brethren.
Uppermost
in the minds of the members of St. Mark's Lodge was a desire to have a
Temple of their own. On March 8, 1926 the Lodge decided to issue three
per cent bonds in denominations of $25.00 to be repaid in fifteen years
so that $3,000.00 could be raised for a building fund. A tender of
$3,550.00 was accepted and a cornerstone of polished Finland Granite was
donated by Bro. James McDonald, a master stone cutter. The cornerstone
was laid in a ceremony conducted by the Grand Master, M.W. Bro. G. E.
Cruickshank on June 2, 1928 and the new Temple was dedicated by the
Grand Master, M.W. Bro. A. M. Mitchell on February 25, 1929. Recently
when the building was torn down to accommodate a Senior Citizen's
Apartment building in which a Lodge Hall was to be incorporated the
original cornerstone was salvaged and relaid by M.W. Bro. R. L. Costigan,
then Grand Master.
Towards
the end of 1920 the city of Lethbridge felt that it was able to
accommodate a fourth Masonic Lodge and a dispensation was granted for
this on November 13, 1920. The name chosen was York Lodge No. 119 and
was instituted by the D.D.G.M., R.W. Bro. A. Hays on December 2, 1920.
The constitution ceremonies followed on August 9, 1921. The first
Worshipful Master of York Lodge No. 119 was W. Bro. Harry Pilling. There
were thirty-four Charter members. The cornerstone of the Lethbridge
Collegiate Institute was laid by the members of the various Lodges in
Lethbridge in the year 1928.
Monitor
Lodge No. 120, in the town of Monitor east of Stettler and near the
Saskatchewan border, came into being by institution ceremonies on
December 17, 1920. It was constituted on June 29, 1921. In the Stettler
area the town of Clive saw Clive Lodge No. 121 instituted on February 9,
1921. The consecration ceremonies were conducted by M.W. Bro. F. S.
Selwood on June 24, 1922. After a number of years with changing
membership Clive Lodge No. 121 surrendered its Charter on March 9, 1935.
Rising Sun Lodge No. 122 at Gadsby, near Stettler, was instituted on
February 15, 1921 and consecrated by M.W. Bro. F. S. Selwood, Grand
Master, on June 21, 1922 with W. Bro. R. W. Stowell as the first
Worshipful Master. The town of Gadsby did not thrive and the Lodge
surrendered its Charter on November 1, 1945.
The
Masons of Rockyford found strength enough to petition for a Lodge in
their town. Rockyford Lodge No. 123 was instituted on April 20, 1921 and
constituted on June 26, 1922.
Even as Commercial Lodge in Edmonton
filled the need for travelling salesmen to have a lodge that met on
Saturday evenings when the salesmen had arrived back in the city for the
weekend, so Calgary was finding it necessary to make a move in a similar
direction. After a number of meetings discussing and evaluating the need
it was agreed that a petition should be presented to Grand Lodge to form
yet another Lodge in the city of Calgary. The result was that Concord
Lodge No. 124 was instituted on July 2, 1921 and constituted on June 24,
1922. From the outset Concord Lodge prided itself on the excellence of
its work and its ability to contribute of its members' talents to the
Grand Lodge of
Alberta.
In addition its membership roster contains the names of many who played
a significant part in the growth of the city of Calgary.
Delburne,
a small town east of Red Deer, after the usual preliminaries to forming
a Masonic Lodge, decided to name their Lodge after the famous and heroic
nurse, Cavell Lodge No. 125 was instituted on July 1, 1921 and
constituted on June 22, 1922. The town remained small and the Lodge
membership was limited but their contribution to the general philosophy
of Masonry has been significant. North and east of Edmonton on the way
to Grande Prairie and Peace River the town of Sangudo called its Lodge
Pembina, after the river that flows north to join the mighty Mackenzie.
On October 31, 1921 the Lodge was instituted and on July 3, 1922 Pembina
Lodge No. 126 was constituted. Again this Lodge has had a limited
membership but has made a valued contribution to the Grand Lodge of
Alberta. The scene now moves south to the town of Blackie, east of High
River where Granite Lodge No. 127 was instituted on November 5, 1921 and
constituted on July 28, 1922, The district around Blackie had had its
difficult times because its economy depended entirely on the fortunes of
the farming community. The dry years and years when crops were hailed
out took their toll on the progress of the Lodge. Despite these
obstacles Granite Lodge No. 127 kept working, never having a large
membership, but became widely known for its spirit of brotherhood and
through the years made many visitors feel welcome.
Before
the townsite of Forestburg was staked out some miles east of Ponoka
there was a general store and Post Office in a hamlet called Duxbury.
The Duxbury district was isolated and permanent settlement did not
develop until the Province of Alberta was formed. When the Canadian
Northern Railway commenced building a branch railroad in 1912 the
settlers began to arrive in larger numbers. Even before that a Master
Mason, Bro. S. M. Playford located two miles west of the Duxbury Post
Office. On August 14, 1921 eight Masons gathered to consider their
future in what by this time had become the town of Forestburg. Some of
them were travelling over prairie trails to attend Excelsior Lodge No.
80 at Strome, some even walked that distance about 18 miles. Finally the
dream was realized and on December 23, 1921 Forestburg Lodge No. 128 was
instituted with the constitution on July 7, 1922, a tribute to
persistent dedication. There were twelve charter members, six of whom
had endured the difficulties of travel and had affiliated previously
with Excelsior Lodge No. 80. The growth of the town coincided with the
establishment of the Lodge and leaders in the community were also
members of the Masonic Lodge. The well known family name of Farvolden
continued in the Lodge and community for many years. The school house in
which the Lodge met burned in 1927 and for some months the Lodge met in
Galahad, the nearest town. The need for a Lodge hall was evident and a
citizen, who had just presented a petition for initiation, A. V. Pickett
offered to loan the Lodge $1,250.00 to make construction possible. The
same Bro. Pickett was the first candidate to be initiated in the new
building in the year 1927.
Just west of Edmonton was the settlement
of Stony Plain. In 1917 the grain company for whom he worked transferred
a Mason by the name of Pryce Jones to the town, This was a name to
become widely known in the Jurisdiction of Alberta. Bro. Pryce Jones was
a member of Meridian Lodge No. 83 G.R.S. in Macklin, Saskatchewan. When
he located in Stony Plain he joined Strathcona Lodge No. 77 and
travelled eighteen miles to get to Lodge meetings. It was not long
before Bro, Pryce Jones realized that there were a number of
unaffiliated Masons living in the Stony Plain community and called
meetings to discuss the prospects for a Lodge. Meridian
Lodge No.
129, a natural name, was the result. With ten Charter members it was
instituted on July 15, 1921 in the club rooms of the Methodist Church.
The name had a further significance for the new Lodge was located on the
Fifth Meridian. M.W. Bro. George Murray presided over the constitution
of Meridian Lodge No. 129 on July 18, 1923. W. Bro. Pryce Jones was the
first Worshipful Master but never did complete his term in office for he
was transferred by his company, the United Grain Growers, to Irma,
Alberta in May 1922. More was to be heard from him later. W. Bro. G. E.
Clarke became Worshipful Master at the constitution, he had previously
served as Senior Warden.
The town
of Hussar directly east of Calgary by some one hundred miles was an
isolated spot in the midst of wide stretches of often dry prairie. This
did not deter the Brethren from wanting a Lodge near their homes. It was
another case of history being repeated. Hussar Lodge No. 130 was
instituted, after much effort, on June 9, 1922 and constituted on July
16, 1923. The Lodge did not increase in membership nor did the town grow
as was anticipated. The Lodge struggled through many years with varying
fortunes. Another isolated community, Kitscoty, east of Vermilion and
near the border of Saskatchewan, repeated the heroic efforts of so many
settlements in the eastern part of Alberta. It was dedication and a
desire to have the Masonic Lodge visible in their community that brought
the institution of Kitscoty Lodge No. 131 to a reality on November 11,
1922 with the constitution date being July 20, 1923.
Now
attention moves to the town of Craigmyle, again in eastern Alberta but a
few miles east of Hanna. The Masons there first started meeting in 1916
but could not find sufficient support until December 1922 when a
dispensation was granted. R.W. Bro. Lamb, D.D.G.M. instituted the Lodge
to be called Craigmyle Lodge No. 132 on January 19, 1923. By this time
they had fifteen Charter members, the first Worshipful Master being W.
Bro. A. White. By the time of the constitution on June 14, 1924 they had
added fourteen members by initiation and five by affiliation. Craigmyle
was one of the localities in Alberta that suffered greatly from the dry
years and, accordingly, the number of members of the Lodge fell
considerably. Again it was by sheer determination and great dedication
that this Lodge which never had the security of a stable membership kept
the Lodge doors open and were proud of the work they did. A similar
story may be told of the Masons in the little town of Manyberries south
and east of Lethbridge, isolated in the Cypress Hills area near both the
Saskatchewan and United States Borders. After some struggle the Lodge,
Manyberries Lodge No. 133 was instituted on May 11, 1923 and constituted
on June 12, 1924. Its membership was never large and its existence was
always borderline. Yet through good times and difficult times there can
be no possible criticism of the devotion of the members and their
insatiable desire to have a Lodge of their own near to their homes.
Edward, Prince of Wales, purchased a ranch
in the foothills and loved to visit the picturesque area for relaxation
from royal duties. When he came, he travelled under the name of the Duke
of Renfrew, one of his lesser titles, to avoid the formalities that are
associated with a visit of the Prince of Wales, heir to the British
Throne. The title Duke or Baron of Renfrew is an ancient honour coming
from the time when, for loyalty to the House of Stuart, a Charter in
1396 established the Royal Bay of Renfrew near the river Clyde. In 1404
the King of England conferred on his son James, Prince of Wales, the
title Baron of Renfrew. This title has been conferred on each Prince of
Wales since that date. James, Baron of Renfrew, later became King James
I of England. There was located also Lodge, Prince of Wales, No. 426.
The
reversal
of the Lodge name was for the purpose of avoiding confusion if a Lodge
were called Prince of Wales Lodge connoting a Lodge of the Prince.
When a
number of unaffiliated Masons in Calgary gathered to consider the
establishment of a new Lodge in that city to accommodate a growing
number of unaffiliated Masons there, the group which met first on
October 3, 1923 and again on October 17 and 29 and numbering some
thirty-two Brethren agreed that it would like to honour the popular
Prince of Wales by giving the new Lodge his name. A committee wrote to
His Royal Highness and to Lodge Prince of Wales No. 426 to request
permission. Prince Edward, himself a Mason, readily gave permission and
wished the Lodge well. Lodge Prince of Wales No. 426 was equally in
agreement and, moreover, granted permission for the new Lodge to use the
coat of arms of the Royal Burgh of Renfrew. To facilitate this it
enclosed, in the letter, two cuts of the coat of arms for the use of the
Lodge. The Brethren decided to follow the precedent established by Lodge
Prince of Wales and to call their new Lodge, Lodge Renfrew.
It was a
gala day when fifty-five of the sixty Charter members of Lodge Renfrew
No. 134 gathered with some 166 visitors to witness R.W. Bro. A. J.
Davis, D.D.G.M. institute the Lodge on December 12, 1923 and to install
R.W. Bro. J. E. Johnson as the first Worshipful Master. Facilities did
not permit serving refreshments but a good time of fellowship was
enjoyed.
Later, on
June 13, 1924, the Grand Master, M.W. Bro. H. P. Reid, constituted Lodge
Renfrew No. 134 in the presence of the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge
of Saskatchewan, M.W. Bro. J. W. McNeil who addressed the large
gathering representing nineteen Alberta Lodges.
With such
a solid basis of experienced Charter members it was inevitable that
Lodge Renfrew No. 134 would have an excellent beginning both in the
excellence of its work and in its dedication to Free Masonry. The Lodge
has been careful to preserve this tradition through the years and is
known as one of Alberta's outstanding Lodges. It has contributed
significantly to the work of the Grand Lodge of Alberta and from its
membership has come several of Alberta's Grand Masters. The present
Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Alberta, M.W. Bro. William N. Love,
is a member of Lodge Renfrew No. 134.
At the
conclusion of the year 1925 the Grand Lodge of Alberta had increased the
number of Lodges by twenty-seven, one, Langdon No. 52, had surrendered
its Charter leaving a net gain of twenty-six. Fifty-five were practising
the Ancient York Rite and eighty were using the Canadian Work for a
total of 135.
The Grand Lodge Communication on June 11,
1919 gave Edmonton permission to form a Masonic Bureau to which all
applications for membership would be referred. A Burial Service,
recommended by a committee, was adopted. At the Communication the
Masonic Benevolent Fund was formed to consolidate all Benevolent Funds
which included (1) The Masonic Home and School Fund, (2) the Hillcrest
Disaster Fund and (3) the Masonic Great War Fund. The Committee on
Benevolence was to be elected by Grand Lodge as a Standing Committee.
For administration purposes there were to be two funds controlled by the
Committee on Benevolence (a) the Capital Fund, and (b) the Relief Fund.
The Committee was to report annually to Grand Lodge and thus became an
entity apart from the Board of General Purposes. The first Committee on
Benevolence had a membership of nine with the Grand Master, M.W. Bro. W.
J. Botterill as chairman. Rules governing the Committee
were to
be presented at the next Communication. This was done at the 1920
Communication when the Committee on Benevolence reported a total of
$58,000.00 in the Capital Fund. It was agreed that this amount should be
increased to $75,000.00 if ways of doing so could be proposed. At the
Sixteenth Annual Communication in 1921 the constitution was amended so
that the per capita tax be increased to $1.50 per annum, "one-third of
which shall be set aside for relief purposes and one-third for
increasing the Capital Benevolent Fund."
At the
Sixteenth Annual Communication fifteen Masonic Districts were set up
reflecting the growth of the number of Lodges in the Jurisdiction. It
was proposed that District Meetings be held at other times than at the
Annual Communication and presided over by the D.D.G.M. It had been the
custom for the districts to meet at the same time as the Annual
Communication before this date.
In 1922
the Annual Communication met in Edmonton and in the proceedings is a
copy of an address delivered at the Grand Lodge Banquet by Bro. Judge
Morrison. The presumption is that this was the first of such addresses
and practice has been continued to the present day.
One
notice of motion is interesting. It asserts that no Mason may attend any
non-Masonic function or quasi-Masonic Meeting at which the subject of
Masonry is introduced nor may a Mason participate in any quasiMasonic
ceremony. Further no Secretary may reveal any information concerning a
Lodge or its members. Nor is information to be given to any Mason unless
a very good reason is given. There was a question about abolishing the
requirement to obtain a dispensation before a disabled person,
especially a service-man or ex-serviceman could be accepted for
initiation. It was ruled that this would be an infringement on the
inherent right of the Grand Master and that neither Grand Lodge nor any
body of Masons could alter or abrogate the inherent power of the Grand
Master. What about a brother who was deceased and who had been
suspended? Could he be reinstated so that he would appear as in good
standing at the time of his death? The answer was negative.
The
speaker at the banquet during the Eighteenth Annual Communication was a
Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of North Dakota, M.W. Bro.
Stockwell. Another address was delivered by a Past Grand Master of the
Grand Lodge of Manitoba, M.W. Bro. Dr. R. S. Thornton whose subject was
"The Great Symbols of the Craft."
The
notice of motion regarding the attendance of the Masons at nonMasonic or
Quasi-Masonic functions, quoted above, was withdrawn.
In
Medicine Hat on June 11, 1924, at its Nineteenth Annual Communication,
the address was given by M.W. Bro. J. W. MacNeil, Grand Master of the
Grand Lodge of Saskatchewan. There were a number of constitutional
changes, one of which was to replace the Committee on Benevolence as a
committee of the Board of General Purposes, now an independent body,
with a committee on "Masonic Research and Education". It was also
ordered that the Custodian of the Work, or his representative, be
present at every District Meeting.
The first Committee on Research and
Education was appointed at the Twentieth Annual Communication held in
Edmonton on June 10, 1925. All Past Grand Masters were named to that
committee. Apparently the press sought releases from the meetings of
Grand Lodge. This was refused and it was declared that "it has been the
practice of the Craft in this jurisdiction and generally
throughout the world to refrain from publicity from any other channel
than through defined mediums under the direct supervision of its own
officials." For the first time it was agreed that D.D.G.M.'s be invited
to attend meetings of the Board of General Purposes so that they might
learn the workings of the Grand Lodge. Addresses were delivered to the
Grand Lodge by M.W. Bro. R. S. Thornton, P.G.M. of Manitoba and by Bro.
Judge F. A. Morrison.
THE YEARS
OF DEPRESSION
The next
period of history spans the very difficult years from 1926 to 1932 when
the world was plunged into economic chaos and stock markets around the
world saw companies crash into bankruptcy. With the falling of the
prices of agricultural commodities the huge farming areas in the
Province of Alberta were very adversely affected. Since Masonry had
always been very closely connected with community development it can be
easily seen that the Masonic Lodges would face a series of crises. In
tribute to the dedicated Masons, who had struggled heroically to get
Lodges near to their own homes, it must be recorded that while the
depression forced a recession in activities the devotion to the Craft
and the deep sense of brotherhood that had grown up enabled the majority
of the Lodges to maintain their existence and to give what was possible
in assistance to their Lodge Brethren. Nonetheless suspensions for non
payment of dues became a necessary practice.
The
Historical Register of Ivanhoe Lodge No. 142 says that "too many Masons,
had for some reason become lethargic. Particular stress was laid on the
fact that far too many were apparently content to pay dues yearly to
Lodges without the Jurisdiction in which they were not and in many cases
had been resident without any active participation in the Masonic life
of their community." With a determination to correct this situation
discussions were started in 1923 which resulted in a petition to form a
new Lodge in Edmonton. The name Ivanhoe was chosen and Patricia Lodge
agreed that the new Lodge could use its Lodge room on 116 Street near
101 Avenue. The early meeting also agreed that formal dress would be
desirable not only for officers but for all members. There were
thirty-eight Charter members, thirty-one of whom were members of Lodges
outside the City of Edmonton. Ivanhoe Lodge No. 142 was instituted on
April 2, 1925 and constituted on July 8, 1926. An early initiate of this
Lodge was extremely deaf and it was the days before hearing aids. The
register records that the ceremonies "required the immediate proximity
of the Worshipful Master at all times and all work was given in great
volume". In 1933 the Lodge received a set of gavels made from the roof
beams of the 600 year old church of St. Botolphs in Borton,
Lincolnshire, England. According to a story of Sir Walter Scott,
Ivanhoe, a Saxon Knight, recovered from wounds in the Priory of St.
Botolphs. The gavels were presented by the Grand Master, M.W. Bro. John
Martland, who had designed them. They were the work of Bro. J. Francis
of Edmonton Lodge No. 7 and of W. Bro. Plowman of Jasper Lodge No. 14.
These early incidents indicate the
enthusiasm and strength of Ivanhoe Lodge No. 142 which has continued in
its early tradition of dedication and originality. An example of this
originality was when Ivanhoe Lodge erected a cairn to mark the first
Masonic Lodge meeting ever convened north of the Arctic Circle in
Canada. It was held on August 30, 1938. To commemorate this historic
event Ivanhoe Lodge decided to place a pillar of granite on the site. It
was a dedicated at a special ceremony in 1940. The monument was carved
in Edmonton and decorated with a bronze plaque. It was transported to
Waterways by the Northern Alberta
Railroad,
taken by a diesel powered boat by the North West Transportation Company
across Great Bear Lake to Port Radium and flown by Canadian Airways Ltd.
to Coppermine and erected near the Anglican Church Mission. Coppermine
was a trading post consisting of the R.C.M.P. Barracks, a Department of
Transport Wireless Station, a Hudson Bay Trading Post, the Post
Manager's house and mission buildings of the Roman Catholic Church and
of the Anglican Church. A brass tube was placed in the cavity of the
block containing an account of the ceremony, the front page of the
Edmonton Journal, a copy of the Ivanhoe Lodge meeting notice, signatures
of the members attending and a copy of the minutes of the meeting. An
eight passenger Norseman monoplane flew to Coppermine from Edmonton
carrying members of the Lodge. W. Bro. Chas E. Garnett was the
Worshipful Master being a Past Master of Ivanhoe Lodge and President of
Gormans Ltd., Emil John Wali, the Manager of Eldorado Gold Mines Ltd.,
Port Radium, Great Bear Lake was initiated. The following acted as
officers:
Senior
Warden Bro. A.K. Muir, Manager of Camlaren Gold Mines Ltd., Gordon Lake,
a member of Burford Lodge No. 206 G.R.C. Burford, Ontario.
Junior
Warden Bro. Squadron Commander C.R.F. Harrison, D.S.A., M.C., D.F.C.,
Crois de Gurere, an accountant at Camlaren Mines and a member of
Tichfield Lodge No. 3350, Nottingham, England.
Chaplain
Bro. J. B. Tyrrell, M.A., L.L.D., President of Kirkland Lake Gold Mines
and a member of University Lodge No. 496, G.R.C., Toronto.
Senior
Deacon Bro. Sgt. Henry Larsen, Commanding R.C.M.P. Supply Ship, St.
Rock, member of Mount Newton Lodge No. 89, G.R.B.C., Saanich, B.C.
Junior
Deacon Bro. Captain Wilfred Reid (Wop) May D.F.C. Superintendent of
Canadian Airways Ltd. and a member of Unity Lodge No. 51, G.R.A.
Edmonton.
Secretary
Bro. John W. Nichols, Manager, Hudstin Bay Post, Coppermine and a member
of Avalon Lodge No. 776, Newfoundland.
Junior
Steward Bro. Alfred Copeland, District Manager, Western Arctic District
and a member of St. James Lodge No. 256, Peterhead, Scotland.
Inner
Guard Bro. John D. Nicholson, R.C.M.P.
Jasper
National Park was beginning to assume a place of importance because of
its natural beauty and the Superintendent of the Park, Col. S. M. Robers
who was a Past Master of Dalhousie Lodge No. 52 G.R.C. in Ontario called
together Masons living in that area on December 27, 1924. At this and
subsequent meetings the basic arrangements were made including the
renting of a hall owned by the Otto Brothers. R.W. Bro. D. D. MacKenzie
conducted the ceremonies of institution on April 23, 1925 with the
support of Edson Lodge No. 68. Jasper Park Lodge No. 143 was constituted
on June 24, 1926 with W. Bro. Col. S. M. Rogers as the first Worshipful
Master. Jasper Park Lodge lost no time in securing its own Lodge room
and acquired the lease of a lot on July 2, 1928 with the Lodge Room
being opened on September 13. W. Bro. Col. Rogers travelled from Ottawa
to be present at the dedication of the Lodge Room.
Bro. P.H. Goodair, was killed by a grizzly
bear on or about September 12, 1929 in Tonquin Valley where he was a
park warden. He had requested a Masonic Funeral and also that he be
buried in
Tonquin
Valley. Jasper Park Lodge No. 143 met at 5:00 a.m. on September 28 and
at 6:00 a.m. Bro. Alex Wylie met the Brethren at Portal Creek to drive
them in with horses for a horse back ride to Tonquin Valley. They
arrived at the Park Warden's cabin about noon and in the afternoon, W.
Bro. E. A. Shaw conducted the Masonic Funeral Service and Bro. Goodair
was laid to rest. The return journey, mostly downhill, brought the
Brethren back to the town of Jasper late that day with many of them
saddle sore because of their unaccustomed long day in the saddle.
The
Twenty-fifth Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Alberta was held
in the C.N.R.'s Jasper Lodge. The Grand Lodge Officers and members of
Grand Lodge were fittingly welcomed by the Superintendent of Jasper
National Park, Bro. R. K. Knight.
The
Imperial Oil Company drilled down as far as the gas formations in the
year 1914 in Gratton coulee that is south of the town of Irma just west
of Wainwright. The coulee runs eastward toward the Battle River. The gas
from that well was used for power to drill Imperial Oil No. 1 well at
Tabyan. The old Gratton well caught fire in 1914 and the blaze was a
spectacular one destroying the old derrick and several buildings. The
Masons of Irma met many years later to discuss the formation of a Lodge
and quite naturally chose Gratton for the name of their proposed Lodge.
Each member agreed to donate $10.00 to defray the expenses of forming
the Lodge. After many set backs the Lodge was instituted on May 5, 1925
and duly constituted as Gratton Lodge No. 144 on July 9, 1926. W. Bro.
O. L. Chase was the first Worshipful Master. He was tragically killed in
a railroad crossing accident on July 26, 1929. The Lodge struggled
against this and other set backs. Their Lodge building was destroyed
when a fire levelled eight business buildings on April 13, 1931.
Undaunted they constructed another building of concrete blocks and moved
into it in November of the same year. Prominent in the work of Irma
Lodge was the prime mover of Meridian Lodge No. 129, R.W. Bro. W. Pryce
Jones who had been transferred to Irma by his employers, the United
Grain Growers.
Further
north in the Town of St. Paul, which was largely Roman Catholic and
French, the few Masons living there felt that it was essential to have a
Lodge visible in the town. The problem was that the Masonic population
was also the Protestant Group made up largely of bankers, railroad men
and R.C.M.P. who were frequently subject to transfer. Not only that but
there was a real difficulty in that the non-Roman Catholic population
had little influence. The only Protestant Church in town was small and
built on low lying land which was all that was made available to it. The
stalwart of the proposed Lodge was a lawyer who was later to be
appointed a Grand Steward, Bro. W. G. Fuller. After much ground work was
laid St. Alban's Lodge No. 145 was instituted on July 9, 1925 and
constituted on July 29, 1926. St. Alban's Lodge No. 145 struggled along
with its many difficulties and, although small in numbers, became an
influence in the north eastern part of the province.
Despite
difficult years in the coal mining industry the town of Drumheller was
showing such growth that it appeared possible that a second Lodge could
be organized there which would attract Masons who wished to practice the
Canadian Work. Symbol Lodge No. 93 practised the ancient York Rite. Thus
it came about that Drumheller Lodge No. 146 was instituted on December
2, 1925 and constituted on June 29, 1926.
Fairview in the northern part of Alberta
between Grande Prairie and Peace River was the next place to see a Lodge
organized. This Lodge was called Northland No. 147, instituted on July
30, 1926
and
constituted on June 29, 1927. A little later in the same year
Mayerthorpe Lodge No. 148, situated northwest of Edmonton, was
instituted on November 27, 1926 with its constitution on June 27, 1927.
The
historic town of Rocky Mountain House now made an appearance on the
Masonic scene. This spot had been the focal point of attention in the
early days when the fur traders travelled to Rocky Mountain House by way
of Fort Edmonton. At one time the mail directed to Calgary would go to
Edmonton, to Rocky Mountain House and then to Calgary. The advent of the
railroads had caused the importance of this centre to diminish until it
was rediscovered because of its rich agricultural and lumber resources.
By 1925 the town had grown enough for the Masons located there to talk
of the need of a Lodge. Their work came to fruition when Lochearn Lodge
No. 151 was instituted on December 14, 1927 and constituted on July 4,
1928.
East of
Calgary, set in the middle of a thriving wheat growing area the town of
Standard set about the same practice as had many of the neighbouring
towns. Standard Lodge No. 152 became a reality with the institution
ceremonies on January 6, 1928 followed by its constitution on June 29,
1928. The town of Whitecourt, northwest of Edmonton and a neighbour of
Mayerthorpe was the next in line when Whitecourt Lodge No. 153 was
instituted on November 29, 1927 and constituted on September 13, 1929.
Then came Waskatenau Lodge No. 154, in a town lying northeast of
Edmonton towards St. Paul. This Lodge had its institution on September
12, 1928 and the constitution on July 29, 1929. Evidence that the north
country was really in a period of significant growth is the fact that
Hythe which is west of Grande Prairie approaching the British Columbia
boundary was successful in its attempts to bring Hythe Lodge No. 156
into existence by an institution on October 31, 1929 and a constitution
on August 5, 1930.
Back to
the south the Picture Butte Masons, living in that town which was to
become the centre of a large sugar beet industry, were able to gather
enough Brethren together to form Sharon Lodge No. 157. It was instituted
on May 5, 1928 and constituted on July 15, 1931. Pollockville, southeast
of Drumheller, came next when Berry Creek Lodge No. 158 was instituted
on February 26, 1930 and constituted on June 27, 1931. Vauxhall lies
between Taber and Brooks. The name of its Lodge was Lucerne Lodge No.
159 which was instituted on November 28, 1930 and constituted on July
22, 1931.
The final
Lodge of this era was located in the far north in the town of Sexsmith
north of Grande Prairie. The Lodge was called Sexsmith No. 160 and it
was instituted on March 12, 1931 and constituted on july 12, 1932.
To the
great credit of the Masonic Fraternity the majority of the 160 Lodges
Chartered by the Grand Lodge of Alberta survived the critical years of
the depression. There were two that did not. Suffield Lodge No. 85,
after some fifteen years of uncertain existence, surrendered its Charter
on October 1, 1930. The Lodge in the town of Sibbald which was called
Mount Moriah Lodge No. 99 decided to amalgamate with nearby Oyen Lodge
No. 104 on June 12, 1929. At the conclusion of the year 1932 there were
157 Lodges operating in the Grand Jurisdiction of Alberta. Of these 61
were practising the Ancient York Rite and 96 were operating with the
Canadian Work.
The Grand Lodge Communication met in Banff
for its twenty-first session in 1926 and at the meeting the Grand
Master, M.W. Bro. N. E. Carruthers, suggested that the District Meetings
should spend
some time
studying the Constitution. The Committee on Jurisprudence ruled that a
Lodge had no alternative but to lay a charge and proceed with a trial if
a brother had defaulted in a trust and had left the country. This
evidently was a result of the confusion surrounding some of the
disastrous financial happenings occurring at that time.
Calgary
was the host of the Twenty-second Annual Communication with M.W. Bro. T.
F. English presiding as Grand Master. A committee was appointed to
revise the districts and to report at the next Annual Communication. The
Board of General Purposes was directed, for the first time in history,
to consider a grant for expenses to the D.D.G.M.'s, a reflection no
doubt, of increasing financial difficulties of individuals in this time
of money crisis. The Constitution was to be amended to charter a "Temple
Administration Lodge" to manage property held by several Lodges in
Calgary.
For a
second time in succession Calgary was host to a Grand Lodge
Communication when the Twenty-third Annual Communication met there. On
March 28, 1928, M.W. Bro. S. Y. Taylor, P.G.M., who had been Grand
Secretary since 1917 died in Office. A future Grand Master, then Grand
Registrar, M.W. Bro. Wm. Ireland was appointed to fill in as Acting
Grand Secretary. For the second time the warrant of Saskatchewan Lodge
No. 92 was suspended, the previous date being July 1917. The matter was
referred to the Committee on Jurisprudence. The Board of General
Purposes declined to make a recommendation regarding the expenses of
D.D.G.M.s referred to it from the previous communication.
It was at
this meeting that the cornerstone was laid for the new Masonic Temple on
Twelfth Avenue S.W., Calgary. The ceremony was largely attended. Bro. F.
E. Osborne, then the Mayor of Calgary, was in attendance. During the
ceremony the platform holding the dignitaries collapsed and some of them
fell to the basement. Very fortunately there were no injuries. Bro. Rev.
J. G. Goddard was the Grand Chaplain at the time.
The
office of Grand Secretary was filled by the election to that office of a
Past Grand Master, M.W. Bro. J. H. W. S. Kemmis who held the office
until 1942. Saskatchewan Lodge No. 92 remained in difficulty and the
Jurisprudence Committee recommended further investigation of its
problems.
The
Twenty-fourth Annual Communication moved to Lethbridge. Saskatchewan
Lodge No. 92 was again the subject of discussion. M.W. Bro. A. M.
Mitchell, Grand Master, summoned a special meeting of the Lodge,
required the attendance of representatives from all Edmonton Lodges, and
reprimanded the Worshipful Master for neglect of duty. He admonished the
Lodge for a lack of dignity and decorum and ordered that his findings be
spread on the minutes of the Lodge. The warrant was then restored to the
Lodge.
This
communication declined an invitation by the Order of the Eastern Star to
the Grand Master for him to be present, in his official capacity, at the
Grand Communication of that Order.
The
appointment of a "Custodian of the Work" was recommended and two
committees were appointed , one for each rite being practised in the
Jurisdiction, to prepare "short forms" for the work. It was recommended
that Lodges be permitted to limit its membership by by-law and that dual
membership be allowed. The clause in the Constitution permitting Church
Parades came under question.
It was recommended that a Grand Lodge
Bulletin, published
quarterly, be considered. The Committee on Jurisprudence ruled that the
conviction of a brother of a criminal offence is prima facie evidence
and that a Masonic Trial was mandatory. The number of Masonic Districts
was increased to seventeen and the expenses of the D,D.G.M.s was again
referred to the Board of General Purposes. The Communication enlarged
the Board of General Purposes to include sixteen elected delegates thus
doubling the number in that category.
The
Silver Jubilee meeting of the Grand Lodge of Alberta was held in Jasper,
Alberta on June 11, 1930 with the Grand Master, M.W. Bro. Canon S. H.
Middleton presiding. His message to the twenty-fifth gathering was "it
is better, far better, to fail in striving for a high ideal than to
succeed in planting something low and ignoble."
The
meeting ruled that a collective ballot on candidates for initiation was
invalid. A report was received and adopted reporting that a Grand Lodge
Bulletin was not necessary nor was it financially practical. Bro. Col.
the Rev. George A. Wells, C.M.G., V.D., M.A., Warden of St. John's
College delivered the address at the Anniversary Banquet. Ten rules
regarding the standards of recognition for Foreign Grand Lodges was
adopted. It also ruled that no application for initiation or affiliation
could be withdrawn after the Investigation committee had been appointed
without the specific approval of the Grand Master. The Grand Master was
requested to appoint a committee to study the proposal that the Grand
Lodge Communication meet alternately in Calgary and Edmonton.
A Special
Communication was held in Calgary on October 11, 1930 to observe the
Twenty-fifth Anniversary of the formation of the Grand Lodge of Alberta.
M.W. Bro. S. M. Sneddon, the Grand Master, presided at this meeting.
Edmonton
was the location of the Twenty-sixth Annual Communication held on June
10, 1931. By this time the Edmonton Masonic Temple had been completed.
M.W. Bro. Sneddon, the Grand Master said, "nothing can bring peace and
happiness but the triumph of principles tried and proved in the crucible
of time". M.W. Bro. Sneddon refused to allow any information to be given
regarding a Lodge, Grand Lodge or its members to any publication not
under the direct supervision of the Grand Lodge of Alberta. He also
ruled that the Senior Warden of a Lodge may not confer degrees.
The Board
of General Purposes, recognizing that the Constitution had been amended
a number of times with resulting confusion, requested that a Committee
be appointed to revise completely the Constitution. The per capita tax
for Grand Lodge finances was increased from $1.50 to $1.70 of this fifty
cents was for relief and fifty cents to the Grand Lodge Benevolent
Capital Fund. M.W. Bro. Connacher, P.G.M. was appointed custodian of the
Ancient York Rite and M.W. Bro. Kemmis, the custodian of the Canadian
Work. After several years of discussion it was finally ruled that it was
correct for Lodges to attend Church Services wearing regalia.
M.W. Bro. Dr. George W. Kerby, Principal
of Calgary's Mount Royal College, presided as Grand Master at the
Twenty-seventh Annual Communication held in Calgary. He asserted that,
"Our Masonic ceremonies are of such a nature that they should be guarded
carefully, at all times, from the slightest suggestion of ridicule or
mocking." He ruled also that a Lodge may not conduct a lottery or act as
an agent for lottery tickets. "There is no room," he said, "in Masonry
for low humour or the questionable
story.
Masonry is an organized brotherhood and this means, if it means
anything, that we can do together what we could never do alone."
The
Jurisprudence Committee considered a case where a Worshipful Master of a
Lodge had granted an extension of time for the payment of dues to a
brother. The by-laws of the Lodge provided for such an extension to be
granted but only by resolution of the Lodge. It ruled that the
Worshipful Master had erred and, since by-laws of a Lodge should be
strictly followed, and recommended that proceedings for suspension of
the member be commenced. The Grand Lodge voted to accept the ruling of
the Jurisprudence Committee. The meeting also tabled a resolution that
would have allowed one year renewable demits.
THE
SECOND WORLD WAR
As the
world was recovering from the great depression, international politics
took over the centre of the stage. Adolph Hitler became Chancellor of
Germany on January 31, 1933 and commenced to build the Third Reich. It
took him only five years to build up the German War Machine to such an
extent that on March 12, 1938 he forced the Austrian Government to
resign and three days later marched his armies in triumph into Austria.
The nations of the world were thrown into confusion for none of them
were prepared to face the threat of Nazi power. Neville Chamberlain, who
was the Prime Minister of Great Britain travelled to Munich and on
September 29, 1938 signed the Munich Pact, He returned to England
declaring that he had brought about "peace in our time". It was only a
year later, after a prolonged war of nerves, that a state of war was
declared on September 3, 1939. The war raged and Britain seemed doomed
to defeat. Canada contributed some 200,000 soldiers and 19,000 R.C.A.F.
The industries in Canada were geared to the war effort and the Royal
Canadian Navy threw its power into keeping the supply lines open across
the Atlantic, On December 7, 1941 the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour
and the conflict spread to the eastern world. Finally the tide of battle
turned and on May 7, 1945 the German Armies surrendered to the Allied
Powers. The President of the United States, Harry Truman, authorized the
dropping of an Atomic Bomb on the town of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945
which was followed by the surrender of Japan on August 29, 1945.
Meanwhile
Great Britain had gone through a constitutional crisis. Edward, the
popular Prince of Wales, who had given the name to Lodge Renfrew,
ascended to the British Throne on January 20, 1936 on the death of his
father King George VI. Later that year he was to abdicate in favour of
Albert, Duke of York, so that he might be free to marry the "woman he
loved". Albert, became King George VI on December 11, 1936 and was to
steer the British Royal Family through a period of turmoil. Not only
that but he became the much loved sovereign who led his nation through
the critical years of the war.
World
events, quite naturally, had their effect on Masonry when existing
Lodges were called upon again to support their Brethren who joined the
armed forces. From the time of the constitution of Sexsmith Lodge No.
160 on July 12, 1932 to the institution of Empress Lodge No. 161 on
October 19, 1944 there were no new Lodges formed in the jurisdiction of
Alberta. This was in contrast to Lodge activity during the period of the
First World War. Other factors, of course, were present. Alberta was
well served with Lodges and the necessity for new ones did not arise.
Ancient Landmark Lodge No. 109 surrendered
its Charter on May 16,
1940
because it was unable to muster enough members to carry on the work.
Victory Lodge No. 112 suspended operations on February 13, 1941 and
returned its Charter. Clive Lodge No. 121 surrendered its Charter in
January 1935 and Rising Sun Lodge No. 122 took similar action on
November 1, 1945. On April 12, 1941 Coal Lodge No. 62 amalgamated with
Melrose Lodge No. 139. The new Lodge was to be known as Melrose Lodge
No. 62. Rosebud Lodge No. 149 surrendered its Charter on November 13,
1940. Another amalgamation took place on December 6, 1937 when Donalda
Lodge No. 150 joined the Apollo Lodge No. 27 which was located in
Stettler. Another Lodge which surrendered it's Charter was Earl Haig
Lodge No. 155 located at Barrhead. It ceased to operate in 1943 after a
very short period of existence.
Thus
during the period from 1933 to 1944 the number of Lodges operating in
Alberta was reduced by eight. Six Lodges surrendered their Charters and
two amalgamated with nearby Lodges. At the close of 1944 there were 149
Lodges operating under the authority of the Grand Lodge of Alberta.
Sixty of them were practising the Ancient York Rite and eighty-nine the
Canadian Work.
The
reduction of the number of Lodges cannot be attributed alone to the
upheaval caused by World War II. The intervening years had witnessed a
tremendous revolution in transportation and the automobile had become a
rapid method of transporting people. Some of the smaller towns suffered
under this phenomenon and the shift in population reduced them
numerically. A situation was thus created where Lodge membership
decreased and the Masons remaining in the towns were able, quite easily,
to travel to nearby towns whose Lodges were strong and where they were
made warmly welcome. Unfortunately this did not occur in all cases and
some Masons ceased to attend Lodge.
At the
Grand Lodge Communication held in Calgary on June 14, 1933, the Grand
Master, M.W. Bro. G. M. Blackstock felt called upon to make a veiled
reference to the involvement of Masons in the Klu Klux Klan. He had
suspended two members for un-Masonic conduct during a visit to Havre,
Montana and ordered the suspension stand until the said members offered
unqualified apologies to the Grand Master and the Grand Lodge. The
Twenty-ninth Communication upheld the decision not to reinstate one of
the members who did not comply with M.W. Bro. Blackstock's requirements.
At the
Twenty-eighth Communication, after seventeen years of service, R.W. Bro.
Thomas Sharpe, resigned as Treasurer. The problem of the remission of
dues was again before the Grand Lodge and the Jurisprudence Committee
ruled that notice must be given in the summons of the meeting and dues
may be remitted only by motion of the entire Lodge and not by committee.
This
communication also agreed to suspend the levy of fifty cents per capita
for the Grand Lodge's Benevolent Capital Fund at the conclusion of the
year 1933. The Capital Fund had grown to such an extent that the
interest from the investments was sufficient to meet Benevolent needs.
The committee on the revised Constitution reported progress as it had
done for several years.
At the Twenty-ninth Communication held in
Edmonton on June 13, 1934 the Grand Master, M.W. Bro. J. Martland
reported that he had found it essential to suspend the Warrant of Bowden
Lodge No. 42 because of a violation of the Constitution and that it had
been reinstated when the abuse was corrected. The Board of Genera]
Purposes resolved following the 28th Communication to request the Grand
Master to appoint the members of the various committees and to direct
the committees to elect their own chairmen. This had
been done
from the beginning as far as the Jurisprudence Committee was concerned.
Invariably that committee had been composed of all Past Grand Masters
with the Immediate Past Grand Master as Chairman. The Jurisprudence
Committee recommended that a committee be appointed to draft a ritual
for the opening and closing of District Meetings. The levy of the fifty
cents per capita tax for Benevolence was suspended for the year ending
December 31, 1934.
It was
proposed that Lodges working in the Canadian Rite may transact business
in any one of the Three Degrees at the option of the Worshipful Master
except when a ceremony required the Lodge to be opened in a definite
degree. This motion was tabled to the next Communication.
At
Calgary, on June 12, 1935, the Grand Master, M.W. Bro. V. A. Bowles
announced that he had invited the Grand Masters, the Deputy Grand
Masters and the Grand Secretaries of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and British
Columbia to a Conference which had been held in Calgary on May 9 and 10,
1935. R.W. Bro. William Ireland had been the Secretary of this
Conference. This was a historic meeting because it was the beginning of
what was to become known as the Banff Conference. Primarily it was a
meeting of the Grand Officers of the Four Western Jurisdictions. The
conference grew in stature and in program and was of such quality that
it gained an International reputation attracting visitors from a large
number of American Jurisdictions. The papers that were presented
represented some of the best thinking in Canadian Masonry. It has
continued to meet on a yearly basis.
It was at
this meeting, too, that the Grand Lodge of Alberta claimed jurisdiction
over the far flung North West Territories west of the Fourth Meridian.
This action had significant meaning in the future growth of the Grand
Lodge.
The need
of a Grand Lodge Bulletin was another issue before this Grand Lodge. It
was decided that an experiment would be tried whereby a bulletin would
be issued monthly for ten months. The Grand Lodge Bulletin was first
published in mimeograph form, four pages in length with M.W. Bro. A. M.
Mitchell, P.G.M., Editor, in December 1935. The first printed Grand
Lodge Bulletin appeared in September 1938. M.W. Bro. Mitchell continued
as editor until June 1944 when ill health forced him to hand over the
task to M.W. Bro. S. J. Harris, P.G.M. who was appointed Editor Pro tem.
When M.W. Bro. Harris retired from his long term as Editor in June 1957
the work of the Bulletin was given to M.W. Bro. Carl Heckbert, P.G.M.
who retained the post from 1957 to 1967. M.W. Bro. W. J. Collett, P.G.M.
took over the Editorship in September 1967 and has continued in that
office until the present time.
The
Benevolent Capital Fund continued to increase with the Relief Fund
receiving sufficient funds to do the work of Benevolence. It was
resolved that the Committee on Benevolence should pay, from its funds, a
share of the administrative expenses incurred on its behalf by the
office of the Grand Lodge. The Committee on Benevolence pointed out that
it was its policy to grant funds only if the constituent Lodges, who
desired assistance, paid a part of the costs involved in the Masonic aid
to the distressed.
At this
Communication the Ceremonies for the Opening and Closing of District
Meetings was brought to the Grand Lodge for approval. These ceremonies
had been prepared by M.W. Bro, A. M. Mitchell, P.G.M., and they were
approved.
In a Special Report the Committee on
Benevolence reviewed the policies of the Committee and recommended that
the status of the
Committee
be changed to that of the Board of Benevolence which would consist of
the Grand Master, the Deputy Grand Master, the Grand Treasurer, the
Grand Secretary and six members to be elected by the Grand Lodge. Three
of the elected members would serve for two years. The Grand Master would
appoint each year two additional members. The Board thus constituted,
would appoint its own President and Vice President. R.W. Bro. William
Ireland signed the report and became the President of the new Board. He
continued in this office until the Grand Lodge Communication of 1972
when W. Bro. E. W. Dunlop took over the post. M.W. Bro. Ireland directed
the Board of Benevolence with efficiency, concern and dedication over
those many years. The Communication again suspended the payment of fifty
cents per capita to the Benevolent Capital Fund.
The work
of the Canadian Rite was causing much discussion. The Grand Lodge again
refused to act on the proposal that business may be done in any degree
at the pleasure of the Worshipful Master and defeated a motion requiring
all business to be done in the Third Degree. It did agree that the
Chaplain of a Lodge working the in the Canadian Rite should be stationed
in the East.
A Special
Communication, with M.W. Bro. M. M. Downey, Grand Master presiding, met
in Edmonton on June 9, 1936, to consider the draft of the new
Constitution. After several years of work the Special Committee had
circulated the draft Constitution to all constituent Lodges, and was now
prepared to submit their work to Grand Lodge. M.W. Bro. G. M. Blackstock,
P.G.M., moved "that the constitution of the Grand Lodge adopted at the
Special Communication of Grand Lodge held on February 25 and 26, 1919,
and all amendments passed subsequent thereto be repealed and that a new
Constitution, a draft of which is attached hereto and forms a part of
this resolution, be adopted in place thereof." It was resolved that the
Grand Chaplain need not be an ordained clergyman but that he be an
elected official of the Grand Lodge carrying the title of Right
Worshipful. The Grand Pursuivant was given precedence over the Grand
Stewards. In the absence of the Master and Wardens of a Lodge, a Past
Master of that Lodge could be considered a representative of it. There
was an attempt to delegate to the Grand Master the duty of selecting the
D.D.G.M. from one or more nominations sent to him from the District
Meetings but it did not receive support and the election of the D.D.G.M.
at the District Meeting as outlined in the 1919 Constitution was
restored. Finally the Grand Lodge ruled that all business, except degree
work and certain ceremonies, must be conducted in the third degree. The
meeting rejected a proposal to give the Worshipful Master a second vote
in case of a tie. The Special Report of the Committee on Benevolence
adopted at the 1935 Annual Communication was incorporated into the
Constitution.
The
motion of M.W. Bro. Blackstock, together with the amendments, was
approved and the new constitution was to become effective on December
31, 1936. There were some changes of significance in the new
constitution.
(1) The
Board of General Purposes was now empowered to appoint chairmen of
Standing Committees and the Committees no longer elected their own
chairman. In addition the Grand Master and the Grand Secretary were
allowed to appoint four members to the Board for one year terms.
(2) The
Board of Benevolence would now report directly to the Grand Lodge and
not to the Board of General Purposes.
(3) The Committee on Research and
Education was to be appointed by the Grand Master and would be no longer
a standing Committee
of the
Board of General Purposes.
(4) The
Grand Secretary was to be appointed by the Board of General Purposes and
no longer elected by the Grand Lodge.
The
Thirty-first Annual Communication met in the city of Edmonton on June
10, 1936. M.W. Bro. M. M. Downey, Grand Master; noted with regret, that
the Installed Master's Association of Alberta which was formed in 1928
and centred in Edmonton, had disbanded. He noted that this association
had been very effective in Research and Education. The Grand Secretary
reminded the Communication that correspondence with Lodges in other
jurisdictions must be channelled through the Grand Lodge Office.
The
increasing concern about the Masonic Burial Service was quite evident.
The Committee on Jurisprudence ruled that lodge did not have the right
to refuse to conduct a Masonic Burial Service for a Master Mason who was
in good standing at the time of his death and who had requested that the
ceremony be conducted. The Grand Lodge did adopt a report of the
Committee on the revision of the Burial Service.
M.W. Bro.
V. H. Macaulay, Grand Master, presided at the ThirtySecond Annual
Communication held in Calgary on June 9, 1937. He ruled that a Lodge did
not have the power to appoint a brother as a "temporary honourary
member" who was demitted and unaffiliated. A demitted Mason has only one
right and that is to apply for affiliation. He expressed a growing
concern that, in many small Lodges, the officers were Past Masters thus
indicating the difficulties being experienced in many of these Lodges in
maintaining membership and attracting applications for initiation. At
the same time he asserted that Masonry was not for the mass of mankind.
Despite the difficult times there was a great necessity for punctuality
and for an efficient dispatch of the business of a Lodge. Another
indication of the problems Lodges were encountering was in the fact that
the decrease in membership was quite marked, more than eight hundred in
one year.
The
Committee on Jurisprudence, also reflected the growing problems, ruled
than an honourary member of a constituent Lodge in Alberta who belonged
to another Jurisdiction had no claim on the Benevolent Funds of Grand
Lodge. It also ruled that neither a member nor a Lodge is entitled to
copies of correspondence between the Grand Master and the Grand Lodge
Office. No such correspondence may be released except on the express
order of the Grand Master.
Evidently
the new constitution was working quite satisfactorily since, for the
first time in many years, there were no motions or notices of motion to
amend the constitution.
M.W. Bro.
C. C. Hartman, Grand Master, at the Thirty-third Annual Communication
held in Edmonton on June 8, 1938 requested that Lodges collect
vegetables, cash and clothing to be distributed by Lodges in areas that
found themselves in a time of distress. He also noted, for the first
time in Alberta's history, that it was essential that the Grand Master
should have adequate financial assistance from Grand Lodge to help meet
the expenses of that office. Masonic Funerals were a continuing problem
and the Grand Master had refused to grant dispensation to conduct
funerals for a demitted brother and for a member suspended for
non-payment of dues.
The Grand Master's address reads in part -
"Freemasonry must set its house in order, not so much by planning new
organizations, or
by
turning to the weary occupation of how we can beat up a new enthusiasm,
but by asking ourselves, in searching fashion, what is the application
of Masonic Faith and Philosophy in the present day. The purpose of
Freemasonry is to carry humanity onward and upward . . . The philosophy
of Masonry must stir the conscience, sensitize the spirit of the
individual and clarify the goal . . . It is the responsibility of the
Institution to guide the individual into good, clear, sane, sound
thinking according to knowledge and Masonic fundamentals. It is the
individual's duty to regulate his daily conduct by his convictions and,
as far as these allow, to cooperate with his fellows in the pursuit of a
common goal, . . . Masonry has taught you her lessons and expects
fulfilment in your lives."
The
speaker at the Grand Lodge Banquet this year was the Lieutenant Governor
of Alberta, the Hon. Bro. J. C. Bowen.
History
was moving on and for the first time there appears a discussion
regarding a Fifty Year Jewel. A special committee had been appointed to
consider this matter and recommended further study. The Board of General
Purposes recommended a design for the jewel and also rules for
eligibility for it to be awarded.
At this
communication there is mention of a Flag Ceremony. Likely this was the
first time such a ceremony had been performed at Grand Lodge.
The
Thirty-fourth Annual Communication was held in Calgary on June 14, 1939.
The Grand Master, M.W. Bro. Archibald West had granted a dispensation to
Ivanhoe Lodge No. 142 to move their Charter to Coppermine in the North
West Territories to confer an Entered Apprentice Degree. The ceremony
has been referred to earlier. The Chaplain was an eighty year old most
eminent geologist Bro. Dr. J. B. Tyrnell. It was ruled by the Grand
Master that when a member has been reinstated after a suspension, it is
improper to erase the record of suspension from the brother's record. It
was further ruled that a Lodge meeting from which all principal officers
are absent is irregular and that all business transacted at such an
illegal meeting must be reintroduced at the next regular meeting.
Another ruling was that no Lodge in this Jurisdiction could become a
member of a Masonic Association in another Jurisdiction over which the
Grand Lodge of Alberta has no authority. M.W. Bro. West reported that he
had attended an Anniversary Celebration in Halifax commemorating the
arrival of Masonry in Canada in 1738. He also gave verbatim a statement
from the United Grand Lodge of England setting forth the aims of
Freemasonry.
The
previous communication had appointed a special committee to study a
revision of the Ancient York Rite. It was recommended that there be
extensive cuts in some sections of the lectures which destroyed the
beauty of whole sections of the work. In some cases, the report said,
there had been abbreviations which ruined parts of the work. The
recommendation was that a number of paragraphs be retained to be used at
the discretion of the Worshipful Master. The old ritual was said to be
too lengthy but revision should be left to a scholar with literary
ability. The discussion was long and sometimes bitter. In the end the
report was adopted.
A report was adopted to discontinue
permanently the fifty cent per capita contribution to the Benevolent
Capital Fund. The amount had not been collected for several years by
action of each Communication and, now, the practice was made definite.
The per capita tax for Grand Lodge was reduced to $1.30 from $1.70 with
eighty cents allocated to General Revenue and fifty cents to the
Relief
Fund, The membership in Alberta revealed a net decrease of 158 which was
the lowest since the year 1931. It was recommended that the Grand Master
appoint three members to the Board of Benevolence rather than two and
that one appointee be a Physician.
The
Committee on the Fifty Year Jewel presented its report regarding the
design and rules regarding qualifications to be awarded the distinction.
The report was adopted.
It was
noted at the Communication that the 1939 Constitution had provided that
the Grand Secretary should be elected. This reverted to the earlier
practice. In 1936 it had been agreed that the Grand Secretary be
appointed by the Board of General Purposes.
M.W. Bro.
George Moore, the Grand Master, reported to the Thirtyfifth Annual
Communication that he had found it necessary to suspend a brother who
had written in a contemptuous and insulting manner about the Grand
Master and the Grand Lodge and had refused to apologize. The Board of
General Purposes had considered the suspension and upheld it.
There had
been a problem in the Jurisdiction with two unauthorized circulars. The
Grand Master had ordered that these be retrieved and surrendered to
Grand Lodge. The Committee on Jurisprudence upheld this action and
recommended that a clause be added to the constitution specifically
prohibiting circulars.
A special
committee had been appointed at the previous Communication to study
Grand Lodge Elections. It now recommended the elimination of proxies and
the nominations of Grand Lodge Officers to be received prior to the
Grand Lodge Communication. After a detailed clause by clause discussion
the report was finally adopted.
The
Special Committee on the Work recommended that a permanent Committee on
the Work be appointed which would have control of all ritual and
ceremonial practices. It would have power to rule on all ritual,
ceremonial appliances, technicalities and observances. Furthermore it
would control all matters of Masonic Etiquette within the Jurisdiction.
A file of all rulings and decisions were to be kept in the Office of the
Grand Secretary. If necessary a member of the Committee on the Work
would attend District Meetings. The acts of the Committee on the Work
would not be debatable. The report passed Grand Lodge.
The
Communication agreed that when a Lodge moved to remit dues of a brother
on active service, Grand Lodge would remit the per capita tax for that
member to the subordinate Lodge.
"A
Masonic Lodge can and should be a factor in the life of its community,
not through any concerted action on the part of the Lodge itself, but
rather through the exemplary conduct of its members." Thus spoke the
Grand Master at the Thirty-seventh Annual Communication, M.W. Bro.
Samuel Harris.
M.W. Bro.
Harris reported that a meeting of representatives of the Grand Lodges of
Alberta and British Columbia was held in Banff in the fall of 1940. They
had hoped to hold another meeting in April 1941 but circumstances made
the meeting impossible. The Grand Secretary stated that the year had
seen the smallest decrease in membership since 1931, the net decrease
being seventy-five.
A question arose as to whether a duly
elected and installed
Worshipful Master, properly proclaimed in open Lodge, could claim the
title of Past Master even though he was unable to attend the meetings of
his Lodge. The Jurisprudence Committee found itself in conflict with a
ruling of the Grand Master. It ruled that the brother is entitled to the
rank of Past Master, if he has served one year when his successor is
installed in his stead. It noted , however, that no Lodge should elect a
brother to the Master's Chair if it had previous knowledge that he would
not be able to serve the constitutional term. The Grand Lodge accepted
the report.
A Grand
Master's War Defense Fund had been established and by June 10, 1940 the
Craft in Alberta had contributed $22,759.00. The sum of $5,000.00 had
been sent to the United Grand Lodge of England for relief work. It was
now agreed that the remainder of that fund be sent to the United Grand
Lodge of England to be used as that Grand Lodge saw fit.
Once
again R.W. Bro. Percy Feilding was elected Grand Tyler. He had already
served in that office for twenty-four years. At this meeting Bro. H. E.
Howard was appointed Auditor since R. W. Bro. William Ireland had been
elected Junior Grand Warden.
On June
10, 1942, the Thirty-seventh Annual Communication met in Edmonton with
M.W. Bro. George F. Ellis as the Grand Master. The meeting of delegates
from the four Western Jurisdictions had met in the Mount Royal Hotel in
Banff on September 26 and 27, 1941 with the Junior Grand Warden, R.W.
Bro. William Ireland acting as Secretary. It was now agreed that this
meeting become an annual event.
Up to
this date the Committee on Foreign Relations had presented yearly long
and detailed reports of relations with other Jurisdictions. These
reports had been faithfully recorded in the Records of Proceedings. It
was now decided that the report of this committee be omitted from the
Record of Proceedings for the duration of the war.
M.W. Bro.
F. P. Galbraith was the Grand Master at the Thirty-eighth Annual
Communication which was held in Calgary on June 9, 1943. He said, "I do
not believe that we, as a Fraternity, are facing disaster or that we
must adopt, at once, this or that practice if we are to keep going." The
report that for the first time in twelve years the membership rolls
showed an increase was a reason for optimism. In addition the War
Distress Fund was able to contribute $5,000.00 to the Navy League of
Canada.
The Grand
Secretary, M.W. Bro. J. W. H. S. Kemmis, P.G.M., died in office on
October 13, 1942 and V.W. Bro. David Patterson was appointed Acting
Grand Secretary. The Communication elected M.W. Bro. George Moore, P.G.M.
to be Grand Secretary. The death of M.W. Bro. Kemmis left a vacancy on
the Committee on the Work and M.W. Bro. George Ellis, P.G.M. was
appointed to fill that spot.
In
addition to the other contributions made by the War Distress Fund
donations were made to the Masonic Hospital, London, England, the
Chinese War Relief, the Greek War Relief and the Canadian Red Cross.
Circulars
were again a sore point and the Jurisprudence Committee ruled that a
brother be directed to cease from the circularizing of a member or of
members in this Jurisdiction.
While the Constitution called for the
Grand Master to appoint
three
members to the Board of Benevolence for a one year period, this year
four were appointed.
A special
service of Thanksgiving heralding the end of the war marked the opening
of the Thirty-ninth Annual Communication held in Edmonton on June 14,
1944. Another increase in membership, this time 128 was reported. The
Jurisprudence Committee ruled that a Lodge may confer a degree at the
Installation Meeting providing proper notice had been given but
recommended against the practice. The Constitution received several
changes. One was that when a dual member is suspended or expelled from
one of his Lodges he automatically loses his membership in the other
Lodge.
THE YEARS
OF RECONSTRUCTION
The
Second World War ended on May 7, 1945 in Europe and the Japanese
surrendered on August 29, 1945. These were days of great rejoicing for
the world, though battered and weary, was once more at peace. Men in the
armed services would be discharged and would be returning to their
homes. Preparations were made to receive those who had served their
country well and care was to be taken for their rehabilitation into
civilian life. Efforts were made not to repeat the mistakes that came at
the conclusion of the First World War. Universities were geared up to
absorb those who wanted more education which could be financed by
rehabilitation grants. The general mood was one of optimism. What is
more the financial strains which ultimately led to the Great Depression
were absent. The men returned to a land that faced a healthy economic
future. This was particularly so in Alberta which was on the verge of a
burgeoning oil industry.
In the
Masonic World, activity resumed again. Empress Lodge No. 161 that had
been instituted on October 19, 1944 was constituted on June 15, 1945
during the optimistic days. Empress is a small town north of Medicine
Hat and near the Saskatchewan Border. The area had known dry and
difficult days but the will to establish a Lodge was strong. The Lodge
itself was never to be numerically powerful.
The Grand
Lodge of Alberta now had within its jurisdiction the North West
Territories. On February 13, 1946 the first Lodge in the Territories
came into being, Yellowknife Lodge No. 162. Yellowknife was accessible
only by aircraft and dog team in winter, by barge for three or four
months of the year and by tractor train from January to May. In 1945 it
became a thriving gold mining camp situated on the north shore of Great
Slave Lake. The name originated from that of a tribe of Indians who were
referred to by Alexander Mackenzie as "Copperknives" and later as "Yellowknives".
At that time the population of Yellowknife was approximately 3,000 and
of a greatly mixed nature. J. G. McNiven, an engineer and the manager of
Negus Mines Ltd. was the prime mover in the establishment of the Lodge.
He visited the Grand Master, M.W. Bro. Crane-Williams in Edmonton to
press his claim and finally persuaded him that a Lodge in Yellowknife
was practical. Indeed there were twenty-two Charter members ready to
support the Lodge. The Grand Master was present for the ceremonies of
Institution and W. Bro. H. J. Griffith was installed as the first
Worshipful Master. The lodge in its first year conferred eighteen First
Degrees, 13 Second Degrees, raised six candidates and accepted 26
affiliations.
On July 10, 1947 the Grand Master, M.W.
Bro. A. D. Cummings travelled to Yellowknife to constitute Yellowknife
Lodge No. 162. The Lodge contributed $250.00 to Grand Lodge to help
defray the expenses of the Grand Master and his party. The Master's
chair
was
secured from Ottawa through the good efforts of Hon. George Prudham who
was then Minister of Mines and Technical Surveys and likely was one of
the original chairs in the Parliamentary Library when it opened in 1876.
To get this chair and other chairs for the Lodge Room from Edmonton to
Yellowknife cost the Lodge $235.10. The fortunes of the Lodge fluctuated
with the varying fortunes of the town. There was a constant movement of
members as mines closed down. The highest peak of membership was 36 in
February 1952 and that declined to 7 in September 1967. While the Grand
Lodge at times questioned the wisdom of leaving a Warrant in Yellowknife
the Lodge proved itself with its energy and interest. It was too far
away from the centre of activity to become part of a district and
consequently, annually, the Grand Master appointed a special
representative for the North West Territories. This position was held
for a number of years by V.W. Bro. K. Philpott. It should be recorded
that W. R. (Wop) May, the famed bush pilot, was a Charter member of
Yellowknife Lodge No. 162.
Ancient
Landmark Lodge No. 109 had surrendered its Charter on May 16, 1940 after
some twenty years of existence. The town of Mirror in which the Lodge
was established had experienced difficult times in the depression years
but following the Second World War grew again to such an extent that the
Masons residing in the town decided to revive the Masonic Order there.
Consequently a second Ancient Landmark Lodge was instituted on July 3,
1947 and constituted on October 1, 1948. The Lodge has continued to
operate although its membership has been limited.
Edmonton
was the first city to see a post war Lodge organized. Meetings regarding
the formation of a new Lodge commenced on January 7, 1948 with the
dispensation being granted on May 1, 1948. R.W. Bro. W. E. Briggs,
D.D.G.M. instituted the new Lodge on May 22, 1948. Since Edmonton was
then known as the "Gateway to the North" the new Lodge was called
Gateway No. 164. W. Bro. H. Hughes was the first Worshipful Master. The
Lodge was constituted on October 14, 1949 by M.W. Bro. H. B. Macdonald,
Grand Master. The first initiate of Gateway Lodge, W. Bro. George S.
Reid became the Worshipful Master of his Mother Lodge in 1958. It met in
Acacia Masonic Temple and its membership increased beyond the one
hundred mark.
After a
lapse of eight years another Lodge was instituted in Calgary on March
11, 1951. It was to be called Canada Lodge No. 165 and met in King
George Masonic Temple located on the north side of the Bow River. The
commencement of Canada Lodge was another attempt to attract the
unaffiliated Masons who were living in that section of the rapidly
growing city. M.W. Bro. W. H. Jackson, Grand Master, constituted the
lodge on September 24, 1952, the meeting crowding the Lodge room to
capacity. The membership included a number of Masons who became well
known in Masonic activities throughout the jurisdiction. V.W. Bro. T. B.
Donald, P.G.R., R.W. Bro. J. S. McKergow, P.D.D.G.M., R.W. Bro. Canon W.
H. Morgan, P.G.C., and W. Bro. F. W. Keyte are only a few of the well
known names. Annually the Lodge held a "Canada Night" that attracted
many well known Masonic speakers and was well patronized by a large
number of visitors.
On September 17, 1951 in the town of
Jasper Place, later to become a suburb of Edmonton, Evergreen Lodge No.
166 was instituted. The need for this Lodge became evident when it was
discovered that there were enough unaffiliated Masons living in Jasper
Place to justify a petition to the Grand Master. The new Lodge was named
Evergreen Lodge No. 166. M.W. Bro. A. J. G. Lauder who was to become
Grand Master in 1965 was a stalwart of Evergreen from its inception.
Among its honourary Past Masters
names
such as M.W. Bro. W. F. Empey, P.G.M. and M.W. Bro. David Little, P.G.M.
appear. The Lodge was constituted by M.W. Bro. W. H. Jackson, Grand
Master on September 29, 1952. R.W. Bro. Rev. H. A. Cantelon, P.G.C., R.W.
Bro. F. C. Cuthbertson, P.G.R., V.W. Bro. J. Johnston, P. G. Tyler, R.W.
Bro. P. Jones, P.D.D.G.M., R.W. Bro. C. C. McKechnie and R.W. Bro. J. M.
Tair, P.D.D.G.M. were all members of this Lodge which from its beginning
was assured a firm foundation. Evergreen Lodge had some times of
difficutty but enthusiasm and a strong sense of brotherhood established
it as a Lodge which has continued to make it a valued part of the work
of Masonry not only in East Edmonton but also throughout the
jurisdiction.
Another
Lodge that has made its impact on the history of Masonry is Temple Lodge
No. 167 which was instituted on May 9, 1952 and constituted on October
9, 1953. It has contributed to the Grand Lodge of Alberta two very well
known Grand Masters, M.W. Bro. David Little, P.G.M. and M.W. Bro. Rev.
Dr. E. J. Thompson, P.G.M., the latter being a very honoured Principal
of St. Stephen's College.
The third
Lodge to be formed in Edmonton was Highlands Lodge No. 168 which was
located in the northeastern section of the city of Edmonton. It was
instituted on May 29, 1952 and constituted on September 22, 1953. Among
its Past Masters was an outstanding Mason, R.W. Bro. J. Booth, P.D.D.G.M.,
who became well known throughout Masonic circles in Alberta. R.W. Bro.
A. D. Mansell, P.D.D.G.M. was another of its faithful supporters.
North and
east of Edmonton in an isolated spot a few miles west of Frog Lake, of
the Riel Rebellion fame, is the town of Elk Point. Its Lodge was named
St. George's Lodge No. 169. The institution date was May 30, 1952 and
the constitution took place on August 7, 1953. St. George's Lodge No.
169 was almost as pioneer in aspect as were some of its early sister
Lodges in the eastern part of Alberta. The population was a shifting one
and, at times, there was difficulty in maintaining membership enough to
fill the officer's chairs. The Brethren persevered with a small
membership and stood as a strong witness for Masonry in that locality.
The
fourth Edmonton Lodge to be organized in Edmonton during this period was
Avon Glen Lodge No. 170 which located itself on Edmonton's south side
and met in Acacia Masonic Hall. It was instituted on June 4, 1952 and
constituted on October 7, 1953. Among its Past Masters it numbers one of
Alberta's able Grand Masters in the person of M.W. Bro. K. L. Crockett,
P.G.M., whose contribution to Masonry and whose sense of history will
long be remembered.
In
Barrhead, northwest of Edmonton, on the road leading to the oil rich
Swan Hills and on to Lesser Slave Lake, back in the year 1929 Earl Haig
Lodge No. 155 had been granted a warrant. The Lodge had faced many
adversities because of its isolation and shifting population. The
Charter was surrendered in 1943 and Earl Haig Lodge No. 155 ceased to
operate. In a short ten years the situation had changed. The Second
World War was history and Alberta's growing economic strength caused the
Masons of Barrhead to make another attempt. A new name was selected,
Barrhead Lodge No. 171. It was instituted on April 21, 1953 and
constituted on September 29, 1954. This time success met the efforts of
the Masons of Barrhead and the Lodge has flourished.
The activity of Masonry in the formation
of new Lodges now moves to the southern part of Alberta to the town of
Milo directly east of the town of High River. With the enthusiastic
Mason, M.W, Bro.
D. D.
McQueen, P.G.M. of Vulcan, who became an honourary Past Master of this
Lodge, who acted as an advisor, Milo Lodge No. 172 built well. Its
institution was on May 15, 1953 and the constitution ceremonies on
September 16, 1954. The membership of Milo Lodge No. 172 did not
increase as had been anticipated.
Calgary
now comes into the picture with a new Lodge being formed on the north
hill of that city meeting in Crescent Masonic Hall. It was to be called
Jubilee Lodge No. 173 for the work of organizing the Lodge came about
the time that both Alberta and the Grand Lodge of Alberta were
celebrating fifty years of history. The actual institution of Jubilee
Lodge No. 173 came on January 17, 1956 and its constitution on September
14, 1956.
Across
the Bow River, west on the south hill, later in the same year Foothills
Lodge No. 174 came into being. It was to find a home in St. Mark's
Masonic Hall. Foothills Lodge No. 174 was instituted on April 13, 1956
and constituted on October 23, 1957. M.W. Bro. W. L. McPhee, P.G.M. ,
another well known Masonic figure in this jurisdiction and, at times,
Chairman of the Grand Lodge Finance Committee, was elected as an
honourary Past Master of Foothills Lodge.
The
growth of Edmonton was not to be denied its place in the Masonic world
and in the same year a new Lodge, Exemplar No. 175, meeting in the
Central Masonic Temple, received approval for a petition. The
institution of the Lodge took place on June 12, 1956 and the
constitution on October 7, 1957. Calgary was in a period of growth too,
and Masons were active and desired to create Lodges with memberships
that would not be so large that the spirit of brotherhood through the
fellowship of individual was lost. Thus came another Lodge on Calgary's
North Hill, meeting in Crescent Masonic Temple called Mosaic Lodge No.
176. It was instituted on June 24, 1957 and constituted on September 18,
1958. M.W. Bro. William Ireland, P.G.M. whose name has permeated the
work of the Grand Lodge of Alberta almost since its inception was a
valued advisor to the Brethren who planned Mosaic Lodge No. 176 and that
Lodge is proud to have him listed as an Honourary Past Master. Calgary
again was to institute the next Lodge which met in the Calgary Masonic
Temple and named Jordan Lodge No. 177. This time it was another honoured
Past Grand Master, M.W. Bro. W. H. Harper, who acted as an advisor to
the new Lodge and became an Honourary Past Master of the Lodge. R.W.
Bro. Eric Osborne, P.G.D. of Ceremonies was a great strength at its
inception.
Two more
lodges were constituted before the year 1959 came to a conclusion. One
was west of Edmonton nearly to the border of Jasper National Park in the
town of Hinton. The flourishing economy had brought to this town a pulp
mill and allied industries for the surrounding area was rich with
valuable forests. The other was north and east of Edmonton almost on the
border of Saskatchewan and in a locality where the railroad had not
reached. It was the town of Cold Lake, beautifully located on the shores
of a large lake. One of the northern outposts of the R.C.A.F. is located
at nearby Grand Centre where the railroad ends. Both of these Lodges
faced similar pioneering conditions as did many of the earlier lodges
that were organized north of Edmonton yet they both were able to gather
strength enough to establish their Masonic work. Hinton Lodge No. 179
was instituted on January 25, 1958 and constituted on July 29, 1959.
Cold Lake called its Lodge, Astra Lodge No. 179 and it was instituted on
July 26, 1958 with the constitution ceremonies dated August 1, 1959.
During
this period from 1945 to 1959 two Lodges had ceased operation. Pyramid
Lodge No. 108 surrendered its Charter on November 2, 1953. There was one
amalgamation, Kilwinning Lodge No. 110 joined with Hope Lodge No. 38 on
March 12, 1951. Hope Lodge No. 38 met in Mannville.
The net
gain in Lodges over the period was seventeen. Of these, eight practised
the Ancient York Rite and nine used the Canadian Work. As the Grand
Lodge of Alberta entered the 1960's it had 166 Lodges under its
jurisdiction with 68 working in the Ancient York Rite and 98 in the
Canadian Work.
M.W. Bro.
William Ireland, was the Grand Master at the Fortieth Annual
Communication held in Calgary on June 13, 1945. He was able to report an
increase in membership of 664, the greatest since the beginning of the
Depression. From the War Distress and Rehabilitation Fund $500.00 was
sent to the Grand Lodge of the Philippine Islands. The Jurisprudence
Committee ruled that, providing a man who had been in the armed services
returned to his home, the years spent in the service could count for the
residence requirement required for initiation into a Lodge. The
Committee on the Work received approval for the use of the "Canadian
Rite" as prepared by a Special Committee on that Work.
The
Forty-first Annual Communication of Grand Lodge was held in Edmonton on
June 12, 1946. The records indicate that it had become a practice since
1944 of Grand Lodge to open the communication with a Service of
Thanksgiving. The Grand Master now was M.W. Bro. Rev. G. H.
Crane-Williams, a canon of the Anglican Church. He arranged for the
Service of Thanksgiving to be held in All Saints Cathedral. The
membership in the Jurisdiction continued to increase, this year by 702.
The Board of General Purposes decided, quite reluctantly, that it could
not entertain a claim for damages to a car belonging to a D.D.G.M.
sustained while that brother was returning from a meeting. The Grand
Master requested and received approval to send $10,000.00 to the United
Grand Lodge of England for use in charitable work.
For the
first time the problem of a pension for the Grand Secretary arose. A
Committee recommended (a) that Grand Secretaries retire at the age of
70, and (b) that the necessary superannuation fund be established. This
proposal was discussed at great length and was ultimately referred to
the Board of General Purposes for further study. As far as can be
determined the Committee on Jurisprudence did not report and this is
likely the first time in the history of the Grand Lodge of Alberta that
it remained silent. The Jurisprudence Committee had invariably been
composed of the Immediate Past Grand Master as Chairman and all other
Past Grand Masters.
The death
of R.W. Bro. A. E. Ottewell, long time Registrar of the University of
Alberta and at his death was Deputy Grand Master, was a great shock to
the Forty-second Annual Communication held on June 11, 1947 in Calgary.
The Grand Master was M.W. Bro. A. G. R. Bond. Some confusion arose
because two Brethren who had been nominated for the office of Junior
Warden wished to withdraw. The Board of General Purposes refused the
request and the nominations had to stand. Because of the vacancy in the
office of Deputy Grand Master, R.W. Bro. A. D. Cumming, the Senior Grand
Warden, was elected to be Grand Master.
The
Jurisprudence Committee had resumed its duties and ruled that every
Mason has an inherent right to be buried by his Brethren and that it is
outside the province of this or any other jurisdiction to interfere with
this right.
On
February 24, 1947 the British North America Masonic Conference met in
the Seigniory Club, Montebello, Quebec. There were thirty-two delegates
from nine provinces present. This appears to be the first meeting of
what is now known as the All Canada Conference.
The
members of Grand Lodge did not take kindly to a further proposal for a
Superannuation for the Grand Secretary and a motion proposing to set up
a fund was withdrawn. The incoming Grand Master was requested to appoint
a committee to make a further study,
An
amendment to the constitution made it obligatory for the Committee of
Investigation to be appointed privately and not in open Lodge. The
Communication further amended the Constitution to provide that
nominations for offices in Grand Lodge must be in the hands of the Grand
Secretary by 12:00 noon on the last day of February.
A
proposal for Grand Lodge to approve, sponsor and assist financially a
plan called "The Boys Farms" was presented to the Forty-third Annual
Communication in Edmonton on June 9, 1948 by the Grand Master, M.W. Bro.
A. D. Cumming. The plan was to create a Boys Farm similar to the popular
one operating in the United States for the purpose of assisting and
rehabilitating adolescent boys, land had been set aside already for the
purpose. The motion to support "The Boys Farms" was put forward by the
Grand Master and caused a long and serious debate. In the end the motion
was tabled.
The
Communication got tangled in methods of procedure regarding amendments
to the Constitution. The Board of General Purpose recommended that all
notices of motion to amend the Constitution be referred to the
Jurisprudence Committee before being brought to the floor of Grand
Lodge. The Jurisprudence Committee recommended that Grand Lodge
automatically refer notices of motion to amend the constitution to that
committee for approval or otherwise presumably after the motions had
been presented on the floor. There was no attempt made to resolve the
conflict and both motions passed.
The
Superannuation of the Grand Secretary came again before the
Communication. This time the Brethren agreed that the Grand Lodge should
make a just and proper provision for the Grand Secretary upon retirement
and set aside $5,000.00 in 1948 and $2,000.00 each year thereafter for
pension purposes. It deferred, once more, the establishment of a formal
plan.
The Grand
Secretary, M.W. Bro. Geo. Moore, at the Forty-fourth Annual
Communication held in Calgary on June 8, 1949 reported an increase in
membership of 609. This was a slight decrease from the peak year of
1946. M.W. Bro. Dr. Wm. A. Henry was the Grand Master and he had been
forced to rule, as his predecessors had on several occasions, that a
collective ballot on applications for initiation was not proper. The
long standing proposal that a Home for Aged Masons be established was
once again deferred.
The
question of "The Boys Farm" was again before the Grand Lodge and the
ramifications of such an undertaking were considered carefully. It was
decided that the Grand Lodge would provide from $5,000.00 to $10,000.00
to employ social service consultants to give advice on such matters as
the extent to which the problem of underprivileged boys existed, the
kind of facilities needed, the capital and operating costs. The
personnel that would have to be engaged and costs involved were a
problem.
The
Superannuation of the Grand Secretary appeared once more. It was ordered
that, to create such a fund, the Grand Secretary would be required to
contribute a half and the other half would come from the General Fund
and the Benevolent Fund.
The
question of a Travelling Grand Lecturer was raised and referred to the
Board of General Purposes.
On June
14, 1950 the Forty-fifth Annual Communication met in Calgary with the
Grand Master, M.W. Bro. H. B. Macdonald presiding.
The Grand
Master suggested that a panel of Masonic Speakers be appointed with
honoraria to be paid; that the per capita tax be increased from $1.30 to
$1.50; that the Board of Benevolence grant $7,500.00 to the General
Fund; that the D.D.G.M.'s be granted an honorarium of $50.00 each and
that $5,000.00 be sent to the Grand Lodge of Manitoba for Manitoba Flood
Relief. He also suggested that the Grand Secretary be appointed by the
Board of General Purposes rather than being elected by Grand Lodge. The
Board of General Purposes included these suggestions in a report that
was adopted after much confusing discussion. There is no reference to
the required amendments being made to the constitution and the outcome
is not at all clear.
The
Communication also considered a Special report on the use of Grand Lodge
Funds to make it possible for the Grand Lodge to enter more fields of
activity. This reflected a concern over the growing Benevolent Capital
Fund which was not being used by the Board of Benevolence. It was
thought that $18,000.00 to $20,000.00 might be available for the next
ten years. The Benevolent Capital Fund is a trust fund and can be
diverted from its original purpose only by unanimous consent of Grand
Lodge. Capital and operating costs caused the committee to recommend
against a system of Masonic Homes or a Masonic Home. No action was taken
but it was recommended that the incoming Grand Master appoint a
committee to study the issue further.
It was
agreed that any Lodge could form a Lodge of Instruction under
dispensation by the Grand Master.
V.W. Bro.
Peter Dawson, Grand Chaplain, at the Annual Communication conducted a
service of Rededication to our Masonic Principles and Faith at the
Forty-sixth Annual Communication held in Calgary on June 13, 1951 with
M.W. Bro. LeRoy Bond, Grand Master, presiding. This was an outstanding
service and deserves to be perpetuated in Masonic life.
The Grand
Master stated that he felt that the report by M.W. Bro. Blackstock P.G.M.
on the possible new enterprises for Grand Lodge was so complete and
comprehensive that there seemed to be no reason to investigate further
and the matter should be dropped. He indicated that he did favour the
establishment of a Building Fund so that the Grand Lodge could have its
own building, offices and other amenities.
At this
communication, for the first time, representatives of Concordant Bodies
were received. This practice caused much comment favourable and
unfavourable. It has been continued intermittently according to the
convictions of the Grand Master about the practice. The question
concerning the recognition of Concordant Bodies continued to be a matter
of discussion throughout succeeding years.
The relief of the sufferings caused by the
flooding of the Red River in Manitoba was before Grand Lodge. The Board
of
Benevolence had contributed $5,000.00 to this disaster. The Craft, at
large, had sent an additional $10,416.00.
No longer
would the Grand Secretary be elected, for the constitution was again
changed to make the position an appointed one by the Board of General
Purposes. The appointment would be subject to the confirmation of Grand
Lodge. In addition the Board was given the power to appoint an Assistant
Grand Secretary. The Constitution was also amended to increase the per
capita tax from $1.30 to $1.50 per year. Initiation fees were raised
from a minimum of $25.00 to a minimum of $40.00. All these amendments
became effective on July 1, 1951.
Up until
this time the Committee on Jurisprudence had consisted of the Immediate
Past Grand Master as Chairman with the members being all the Past Grand
Masters. At the Forty-seventh Annual Communication held in Edmonton on
June 11, 1952 M.W. Bro. Waldo Empey, Grand Master, recommended that a
lawyer be appointed chairman of this committee and the membership be
limited to five. No action was taken on this proposal.
The Grand
Lodge defeated motions to contribute $30,000.00 to the Canadian Cancer
Society and to allow Lodges working in the Canadian Rite to transact
business in the First Degree. In accordance with the amendment to the
Constitution, M.W. Bro. George Moore, P.G.M. was appointed Grand
Secretary by the Board of General Purposes.
A new
Masonic District No. 19 and a revision of district boundaries was agreed
to at the Forty-eighth Annual Communication held in Calgary on June 11,
1953. M.W. Bro. H. E. Howard was the Grand Master.
The
Superannuation of the Grand Secretary was once more brought to the floor
of Grand Lodge because the Grand Secretary, M.W. Bro. George Moore,
P.G.M. had expressed a desire to retire in the near future. It was
agreed that should the Grand Secretary retire, he would be paid full
salary until April 30, 1950 and $150.00 per month thereafter for life. A
definite move was now made to place the existing Pension Fund for the
Grand Secretary into a Grand Lodge Superannuation Fund and the monies to
be invested. The Grand Lodge General Fund was to contribute $2,000.00
annually and the-Relief Fund $1,000.00 annually. A new Grand Secretary
would be required to contribute to this fund by a payroll deduction. On
retirement at the age of 65, he would be paid $150.00 per month after 15
years of service. The secretarial staff would also benefit with the
Board of General Purposes to decide on the merits of individual cases.
The Board
of General Purposes was confirmed in its appointment of R.W. Bro. E. H.
Rivers as Grand Secretary. This was the first time that a Past Grand
Master had not held this position. After ten years of service M.W. Bro.
George Moore was retired and Grand Lodge paid a glowing tribute to his
work and faithful service.
This
Grand Communication adopted some important amendments to the
constitution. One was that Installation Ceremonies would be permitted
either in June or December. Another was the definite instructions about
the handling of Grand Lodge Funds. It was now decreed that any two of
the Grand Master, the Grand Secretary and the Chairman of the Finance
Committee or his alternate on the Finance Committee have access to the
safety deposit box. Also ordered was that Grand Lodge cheques must be
signed by the Grand Treasurer or his alternate and by the Chairman of
the Finance Committee or his alternate.
The Grand
Lodge mourned the death of R.W. Bro. A. J. Davis who had been Grand
Treasurer for seventeen years, at the Forty-ninth Annual Communication
held in Calgary on June 9, 1954. R.W. Bro. L. J. Rosling was elected to
replace the late Bro. Davis.
The new
Grand Secretary stated his philosophy in his report when he said - "Some
may think that sticking to the rules as approved is irksome but it will
prove best in the long run to stay close to the rules that have been
tried and not found wanting over the centuries."
The
Committee on Jurisprudence quoted a legal opinion which said that a
suspended member may apply to Grand Lodge for reinstatement if the Lodge
that suspended him ceased to exist and further that Grand Lodge has the
power to review a sentence of suspension and change the sentence either
by lessening the sentence or extending it to order expulsion.
The
question of Liability Insurance came before Grand Lodge and it was
recommended that Lodges that have not been incorporated should consider
doing so and, if a Lodge owned property, it should have proper liability
insurance. The Grand Lodge was urged to procure a Master Liability
Policy in which all Lodges could participate.
M.W. Bro.
Rev. Peter Dawson, was the Grand Master at the Fiftieth Annual
Communication which was held in Calgary on June 8, 1955. It was a
communication that had a number of inspirational periods. The Grand
Master stated that Freemasonry reminds us of the swift passage of time
and that any good that we desire to do must be done without delay. Bro.
Rev. Dr. Frank S. Morley, Minister of Grace Presbyterian Church in
Calgary delivered a stirring address at the Annual Banquet which he
called "The Golden Spires of Masonry" - our tradition, our liberty, our
law, our personal integrity, our challenge, our faith and our
fraternity.
The
Constitution had been reprinted including all the varied amendments but
nonetheless some amendments were approved. A Lodge member could not hold
more than one office. The period of time that must elapse between the
election of a candidate and his initiation was defined. In other
sections it was necessary to improve the grammar.
At an
Especial Communication held in Edmonton on October 14, 1955 the Fiftieth
Anniversary of the Grand Lodge of Alberta was celebrated. The
distinguished guests included R.W. Bro. Earl Alexander of Tunis,
Governor General, the Hon. J. J. Bowlen, Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta,
The Premier of Alberta, The Hon. Ernest C. Manning and Grand Lodge
Officers from Ontario, Manitoba, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Quebec
and Saskatchewan.
M.W. Bro.
S. C. Heckbert, Grand Master, presided over the Fifty-first Grand
Communication which was held in Edmonton. The Board of General Purposes
in a move that appeared to be illegal but was not challenged elected a
Chairman of the Finance Committee and left with the Grand Master and the
Grand Secretary the task of appointing all other chairmen. It also
referred to the Grand Master two Lodge notices that were unacceptable
because they appeared to be electioneering.
The problems connected with ritual
appeared again at this communication as it had done frequently in the
past. A motion was presented to allow the Lodges working in the Canadian
Rite to open only in the Third Degree when business only was to be
transacted. The argument was that the opening in the Canadian
Rite in
Three Degrees was too lengthy. The motion was defeated but it did
indicate the atmosphere of the 50's and 60's which was to simplify and
reduce time consumed in Lodge meetings.
The
Finance Committee received approval to transfer from the Relief Account
the sum of $67,500.00 to the Capital Benevolent Account. This is another
indication of the buoyant economy of these years and a lessening of the
demands for benevolence made on the Grand Lodge. The Communication
agreed, too, that the need to transfer funds to the Superannuation Trust
Fund had become unnecessary and this practice was discontinued.
The Grand
Master at the Fifty-second Communication held in Calgary on June 12,
1957 was M.W. Bro. R. S. Sheppard, a well known educator in the Province
of Alberta and his great interest was to establish a Bursary Fund to
assist needy students attending university. The Grand Lodge discussed,
very thoroughly, the proposal and approved unanimously a proposal to
establish such a fund. This was the beginning of the Higher Education
Bursary Fund which was to become one of the outstanding projects of the
Grand Lodge.
Another
indication of the change of life style in the general population was the
problem of the increase in dispensations that were granted for the
withdrawal of petitions for initiation both before and after they had
been balloted on. The population was becoming very mobile and
petitioners were being transferred by their companies or were moving
before initiations could be performed. The action of the Grand Master in
granting dispensations was approved by the Jurisprudence Committee and
ratified by Grand Lodge.
The
Communication refused to make the office of Tyler an appointed position.
It also refused to allow the raising of more than five candidates at any
one Lodge meeting. Confirmed also was a decision of the Board of
Benevolence that an unaffiliated or suspended Mason had no claim on the
funds of the Board.
The
address at the Grand Lodge Banquet was delivered by Bro. the Rev. A. G.
S. Edworthy. He declared "Everything in Freemasonry has reference to
God, implies God, speaks of God and points and leads to God. Not a
degree, not a symbol, not an obligation, not a lecture, nor a charge but
finds its meaning and derives its beauty from God."
Edmonton
was the location of the Fifty-third Annual Communication on June 11,
1958 with M.W. Bro. S. G. Bannan presiding as Grand Master.
His
address to the meeting was outstanding in which he says "for upwards of
two hundred and forty years we have been a purely moral and benevolent
association," warning lest the modern materialistic and activist society
should divert the ancient principles of Masonry from its historic
commitment. The warning was further emphasized by the Grand Secretary
when he warned that Lodge notices should take care not to make reference
to other groups claiming Masonic affiliation.
A brother who had been expelled for a
Masonic offence thirty-five years previously was reinstated on the
recommendation of the Board of General Purposes and approved by the
Grand Lodge. On the matter of expulsion the Jurisprudence Committee
ruled that the Grand Master may expel, summarily, any member who had
secured admission to the order by means of fraudulent misrepresentation
or by concealment of material facts. The person so expelled had the
right to appeal to Grand Lodge and, in addition, Grand Lodge
must
approve the expulsion. This question arose because of a case wherein the
Worshipful Master and the Secretary of a Lodge who had sponsored a
candidate and where the Investigating Committee all had been delinquent.
A person with two criminal convictions, because of this, had been
elected and initiated. The Grand Master, M.W. Bro. Bannan referred to
this unseemly performance in very blunt terms.
The
Communication again affirmed that the mention of organizations claiming
connection with Freemasonry must not be mentioned on Lodge Notices. The
Compass Club of Calgary was declared to be outside the scope of Grand
Lodge and could not receive formal approval.
The
office of Secretary and Treasurer now was allowed to be combined by a
constitutional amendment. Another amendment permitted a Lodge to move
its regular meeting from the prescribed day providing that day was a
public holiday. A Canadian Rite Lodge would now be allowed to raise two
candidates simultaneously.
The total
membership of Lodges within the Jurisdiction was reported to be 18,674
at the Fifty-fourth Annual Communication which met in Lethbridge on June
10, 1959. The Communication met in Lethbridge as a result of a special
and temporary amendment to the Constitution made two years previously.
It was done as a courtesy to M.W. Bro. D. D. McQueen who was Grand
Master and who resided in Vulcan.
The
Higher Education Bursary Fund had become active and a long series of
regulations regarding its operation was approved. To help with the
financing of the bursaries the Grand Lodge directed that the surplus in
the General Account from the year's operation be transferred to the
Bursary Fund.
A new
Masonic District to be numbered 20 was approved. The result was a slight
change in the organization of existing districts. The redistribution was
greeted with some alarm and much debate since Lodges were reluctant to
be taken out of their established districts. Nonetheless the change was
approved.
The
Masonic Service Bureau in Canada and the United States had become
important in obtaining information regarding Brethren who were in need
or who had met misfortune. The Board of Benevolence received approval
for the Grand Lodge to join this organization and recommended that
Bureaus be established in Calgary and Edmonton.
The
address at the Grand Lodge Banquet was delivered by R.W. Bro. Rider
Davis of Alberta Lodge No. 3 in Fort Macleod. He was a member of one of
the great pioneer families in Southern Alberta and a stalwart in the
preservation of the early history of the Fort Macleod area.
THE
SIXTIES
"The
first and highest allegiance of every Mason should be to his Blue Lodge.
Each Mason has promised this allegiance before he became acquainted with
any other so called Masonic Organization. Masonry, as all good men and
true will agree is not designed to amuse its membership and it most
certainly is not designed to bore them."
This was the keynote of the sixties and
was expressed by the Grand Master, M.W. Bro. David Little, when he
addressed the
Fifty-fifth Annual Communication in Edmonton on June 8, 1960. The battle
for a true identity in the Craft Lodges was already underway.
Elbow
River Lodge No. 180 in Calgary was the first Lodge to be consecrated in
the 1960's. These ceremonies took place on October 31, 1960. The
beginnings of Elbow River go back into 1950 when a number of
unaffiliated Masons met under the sponsorship of Bow River Lodge No. 1
to discuss a new Lodge. Such stalwarts from Bow River as R.W. Bro. D. S.
Bareham and R.W. Bro. Andy Little directed the young Lodge through its
early days which led to the institution on March 16, 1959. Elbow River
Lodge grew both in stature and in membership and soon took its place
among the Lodges in Calgary. The name Elbow River was chosen to indicate
its connection with Bow River No. 1. For several years the Lodge met in
Calgary's Masonic Temple but more recently has located in the Bowmont
Masonic Hall.
The town
of Bowness which was later to be annexed to Calgary saw Bowmont Lodge
No. 181 instituted on January 6, 1960 and consecrated on October 21,
1961. Bowmont Lodge struggled for a number of years to build up a
membership but had little success. The small group of Brethren were
determined that Bowness should have its own Masonic Hall. After a number
of financial woes and with much dedicated volunteer work they did build
the Masonic Hall. It now is the meeting place of several Calgary Lodges.
The
discovery of oil made Drayton Valley a rapidly growing town. It was not
long before the Masons living in Drayton Valley began talking about
having a Lodge there. At first there was some doubt about the viability
of a Lodge in a town whose population was transient. The Brethren
persisted in their efforts and Drayton Valley Lodge No. 182 was
instituted on March 10, 1960 and consecrated on October 7, 1961. The
Lodge has suffered somewhat from the vagaries of the oil industry and,
at times, has had difficulty in maintaining membership.
Sherwood
Park, a suburb of the city of Edmonton, followed with Sherwood Lodge No.
183 which was instituted on September 15, 1960 and consecrated on
October 6, 1961. R.W. Bro. O. P. Thomas, P.D.D.G.M., a well known Mason
throughout Alberta, was the guiding light for this Lodge.
Indicative of the growth of the cities in Alberta and the burgeoning of
suburbs is the fact that Glenbow Lodge No. 184 became the third Lodge to
be established in city suburbs in the early 1960's. It was instituted on
May 31, 1961 and consecrated on September 26, 1962 and was located in
the southern section of Calgary. St. Albert, almost a suburb of
Edmonton, but retaining its status as a town, called its new Lodge
Balmoral Lodge No. 185. This Lodge was instituted on September 22, 1962
and consecrated on September 12, 1963. Then came Kelvingrove Lodge No.
187, covering almost the same area as Glenbow Lodge No. 184 but working
in the Ancient York Rite. Its institution date was April 24, 1963 and
the Lodge was consecrated on September 12, 1964 with M.W. Bro. W. J.
Collett, Grand Master, presiding. The name Kelvingrove was taken from a
district in Glasgow, Scotland where the first Worshipful Master, R.W.
Bro. James Frew lived before migrating to Canada. Wm. Thompson, a
brilliant physicist, used the waters of the River Kelvin to perform his
experiments in refrigeration. He was successful in constructing a
refrigerator which was called a Kelvinator. R.W. Bro. Frew lived long
enough to see his ambition to found a Lodge meet with success but not to
see the results of his labours for he passed away on November 3, 1965.
Remaining
in the city suburbs the Lodge in Jasper Place near Edmonton was called
Mystic Tie Lodge No. 188 and was instituted on June 28, 1963 and the
Grand Master, M.W. Bro. W. J. Collett, was present for the consecration
on September 19, 1964. Next was Northmount Lodge No. 189 in the northern
part of Calgary. The institution date was October 21, 1963 and
consecration on October 3, 1964. The Grand Master, M.W. Bro. W. J.
Collett, conducted the ceremonies. The next suburb to see Masonic
activity was in the eastern section of Edmonton which instituted
Eastgate Lodge No. 192 on June 8, 1964 with the consecration ceremonies
held in the Central Masonic Temple, Edmonton on October 21, 1965. The
Grand Master, M.W. Bro. A. J. G. Lauder presided. Three Past Grand
Masters were present, M.W. Bro. David Little, M.W. Bro. H. P. Reid and
M.W. Bro. M. G. Merner. Future Grand Masters, M.W. Bro. Dr. E. J.
Thompson, M.W. Bro. Bernie Brown, M.W. Bro. K. L. Crockett, M.W. Bro. W.
A. Milligan, M.W. Bro. C. E. Pinnell and M.W. Bro. Dr. P. J. Kendal were
present.
While the
city suburbs were active in obtaining Lodges to operate in their own
sections of the cities the last frontier in the North West Territories
was showing growth. Fort Smith is located on the north bank of the Slave
River at the 60th parallel just north of the Alberta boundary. The
location marks the spot where the Cassette Rapids forces navigators of
the river to portage for sixteen miles through dense brush. Originally
the Hudson's Bay Company established a trading post here in 1874 and a
shack town grew up around it. The name Smith was in honour of Donald
Alexander Smith, later Lord Strathcona, who was appointed Chief
Commissioner of the Northwest in 1871.
When the
provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta were formed in 1905, the North
West Territories were placed in a district to be governed by a
Commissioner and a Council of four members. The first Commissioner was
Lt. Col. White who also was in charge of the N.W.M.P. In 1911 the
Federal Government placed an Indian Affairs Agent, A. J. Bell, in Fort
Smith in 1911 and a Dr. MacDonald became the medical officer for the
district.
It was
the discovery of oil at Fort Norman in 1921 that centred attention on
the area and Fort Smith became the centre of administration and
shipping. The population grew as a result of this and by 1915 the Roman
Catholic Church established a Mission there. In 1924 the Anglican Church
built a Mission. A public school was built in 1939.
Then came
the year 1942 when there was a threat that the Japanese would invade
North America, the United States built a pipeline from Norman Wells to
Alaska and stationed two thousand troops in Fort Smith. A winter road
was built to move freight from Edmonton by way of Hay Lakes. In 1944 the
importance of Fort Smith was again enhanced with the boom in the Uranium
mines. The town was returned to a settlement of about 250 in 1946 when
the war was over and the troops withdrawn but the steady growth and
development of the north continued.
A small group of Masons in the year 1950
sent a request to the Grand Lodge of Saskatchewan to be permitted to
form a Lodge. They were advised that the territory was under the
jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Alberta and were told by that Grand
Lodge that a Masonic Club would be more practical than a Lodge. The Club
met weekly and practised opening and closing ceremonies until the death
of one member and the transfer of others forced them to discontinue. By
the year 1961 more Masons had moved into Fort Smith and the proposal to
start a Lodge was revived. This time the Grand Lodge approved the
erection of a Lodge in Fort Smith with some eighteen Masons resident
there. V.W. Bro. K. Philpott,
the Grand
Master's Representative in the North West Territories instituted Polaris
Lodge No. 186 on September 22, 1962. It was a gala night for Fort Smith.
Visitors came from Yellowknife, Uranium City, Saskatchewan; Kirkland
Lake, Ontario; Westlock and Red Deer in Alberta. W. Bro. G. Gordon was
installed as Worshipful Master. The personnel of Polaris Lodge No. 186
changed considerably and a number of the Charter members left the
district. New members were welcomed as they moved into the town and the
Lodge maintained its original strength. On April 21, 1964 the Grand
Master, M.W. Bro. Dr. W. J. Collett accompanied by forty Brethren from
Lodges all over Alberta flew by chartered plane into Fort Smith to
conduct the consecration ceremonies of Polaris Lodge No. 186. It was a
memorable week end. The ceremonies on Saturday were followed by a
banquet. On Sunday morning the small Anglican Church Mission was crowded
when the Grand Master conducted a church service and spoke to the
Brethren. Typical of the enthusiasm and spirit of the Lodge, just as the
Grand Master was leaving the air terminal to return home he was
presented with what appeared to be a case of beer unwrapped. Pictures
were taken of this United Church Clergyman carrying a case of beer to
the aircraft. His reputation was saved for the case was filled with
fresh fish that some of the Brethren had caught that morning in
appreciation of the interest of Grand Lodge of Alberta in the new Lodge.
Polaris
Lodge No. 186 became noted for its works of benevolence. On August 9,
1968 disaster struck the small community. A huge landslide broke away
from the high river bank carrying with it two houses and leaving a third
hanging over the edge of a two hundred foot bank. After eighty hours of
work the body of Mrs. Kay Ferguson was found. W. Bro. George Gordon
telephoned the Grand Lodge Office and the Grand Secretary, R.W. Bro. E.
H. Rivers agreed that $1,500.00 would be sent from the Grand Lodge
Relief Fund providing the Lodge raised benevolent funds as well. Polaris
Lodge was able to assist substantially Bro. Herman Pieper and Mr. Fred
Jones who had lost their homes and also Mr. Ferguson who had lost both
his wife and his home.
The
Masons in the city of Red Deer now discovered that a number of Masons
were not affiliated with the Lodges working in that growing city. With
the cooperation of the Grand Secretary, R.W. Bro. E. H. Rivers, the
secretary of Red Deer Lodge No. 12, R.W. Bro. G. S. Cowie, collected
sixty-four names and these Brethren were invited to a meeting in the Red
Deer Masonic Temple on November 25, 1963. The proposed Lodge obtained
support and assistance from M.W. Bro. F. P. Galbraith, P.G.M., R.W. Bro.
F. D. Stevenett, D.D.G.M. and R.W. Bro. W. A. Cameron, P.D.D.G.M. It
thus came about that on April 1, 1964 Beacon Lodge No. 190 was
instituted by the Grand Master, M.W. Bro. S. H. Hardin. There were
thirty-two charter members, only two of whom, M.W. Bro. F. P. Galbraith
and R.W. Bro. G. S. Cowie, were members of Lodges in Red Deer. W. Bro.
Hedley Parsons was installed as the first Worshipful Master and held
that office until June 30, 1966. The Lodge was consecrated on June 24,
1965 with the Grand Master, M.W. Bro. A. J. G. Lauder presiding.
Beacon
Lodge from the beginning was interested in Masonic Research and
Education. Its members prepared papers and visited sister Lodges to
deliver the papers. It became known as an efficient Lodge marked by good
attendance and a spirit of true brotherhood.
In Edmonton there was an important armed
service base kept active because of the necessity of providing
protection for the north country where the early warning defense line
was being established. The United States had received permission to use
a
large
military air base north of the city. The base was named Griesbach in
honour of the famous Second World War General whose home was in
Edmonton. The Masons on the base discovered that there were sufficient
Masons based there to establish a Lodge. It was called Griesbach Lodge
No. 191 and was instituted on April 2, 1964. With the Grand Master, M.W.
Bro. A. J. G. Lauder presiding the Griesbach Lodge No. 191 was duly
consecrated in the Central Masonic Temple in Edmonton on September 18,
1965. M.W. Bro. F. P. Galbraith, P.G.M., M.W. Bro. W. J. Collett, P.G.M.,
M.W. Bro. S. H. Hardin, P.G.M. were present as were future Grand
Masters, M.W. Bro. T. G. Towers, M.W. Bro. B. Brown, and M.W. Bro. Dr.
P. J. Kendal. W. Bro. T. W. Oldfield, the leading Mason in the Lodge's
organization was installed as the first Worshipful Master. At the
installation ceremony the final charge was given by a Charter member of
the new Lodge, W. Bro. B. Morrison. Griesbach Lodge became known for the
efficiency and dignity of its degree work. It continued in strength of
membership although the members of the armed services were frequently
transferred.
Another
Lodge was yet to be formed in Edmonton and the name selected for this
was Redwood Lodge No. 193. After several meetings a petition was
presented to Grand Lodge and after approval the Lodge was instituted on
January 7, 1965. The ceremony of consecration was conducted by the Grand
Master, M.W. Bro. A. J. G. Lauder in the Central Masonic Temple in
Edmonton on October 21, 1965. M.W. Bro. David Little, P.G.M., M.W. Bro.
M. G. Merner, P.G.M., M.W. Bro. H. P. Reid, P.G.M. were present. W. Bro.
W. A. Milligan acted as Grand Steward, R.W. Bro. Dr. E. J. Thompson, was
the Grand Chaplain, R.W. Bro. C. E. Pinnell was the Junior Grand Warden,
R.W. Bro. B. Brown, the Senior Grand Warden, W. Bro. Dr. P. J. Kendal
was a bearer of the Ark of the Covenant and W. Bro. K. L. Crockett was
present. All of these distinguished Brethren were later to become Grand
Masters of the Grand Lodge. W. Bro. D. O. Thomas was installed as the
first Worshipful Master. The final charge of installation was given by
R.W. Bro. O. P. Thomas. At the consecration five D.D.G. Masters and
eight P.D.D.G. Masters were present, the latter group included R.W. Bro.
Pryce Jones.
Canada
celebrated its One Hundredth Anniversary of Confederation on July 1,
1967. It had been one hundred years of growth that had seen the Dominion
pass through its pioneer stages with all parts of the country showing
remarkable growth both in population and industry. The years had been
turbulent witnessing two world wars and a great depression. The
provinces strengthened in their sense of identity and Alberta had taken
its place as a power in the Councils of the land. It was fitting that a
Lodge, located in Edmonton, should celebrate the one hundred years by
calling itself Centennial Lodge No. 194. The usual proceedings of early
meetings and institution occurred in the Centennial year. It was on
September 30, 1968 that the actual consecration of Centennial Lodge No.
194 took place in the Central Masonic Temple in Edmonton. The Grand
Master, M.W. Bro. C. E. Pinnell officiated at the ceremonies. He was
assisted by M.W. Bro. David Little, P.G.M. as Immediate Past Grand
Master and M.W. Bro. B. Brown, P.G.M. who acted as Grand Chaplain. Three
future Grand Masters took part in the ceremony, R.W. Bro. Dr. P. J.
Kendal as Deputy Grand Master, R.W. Bro. Dr. E. J. Thompson as Senior
Grand Warden and R.W. Bro. W. A. Milligan as Junior Grand Warden. M.W.
Bro. Dr. S. H. Hardin, P.G.M. also attended. M.W. Bro. T. G. Towers,
P.G.M., acted as the installing officer, since he had issued the
dispensation creating the Lodge.
As far back as 1952 the Masons in Fort
McMurray, a town at the junction of the Athabasca and Clearwater Rivers
in the far northern part of Alberta near the Saskatchewan Border had
been
hoping to
establish a Lodge there. A number of meetings had revealed that the town
was not numerically strong enough to gather sufficient Masons to create
a Lodge. Finally, on June 14, 1968 the objective had been achieved and
W. Bro. L. Youngberg was named the first Worshipful Master of Fort
McMurray Lodge No. 195. It was on September 20, 1969 that the Grand
Master, M.W. Bro. Dr. P. J. Kendal accompanied by forty Brethren flew by
chartered plane to Fort McMurray to consecrate Fort McMurray Lodge No.
195. The plane originated in Calgary and picked up other Masons in
Edmonton. Others drove to Fort McMurray over the rough road. At the
consecration thirty Charter members were present and fifty-nine visitors
representing thirty-eight Lodges. M.W. Bro. David Little, P.G.M., acted
as Immediate Past Grand Master. Future Grand Masters attending were R.W.
Bro. J. S. Woods as Senior Grand Warden, R.W. Bro. F. G. Fox as Junior
Grand Warden. Following the consecration M.W. Bro. David Little acted as
Installing Master and placed W. Bro. L. W. Youngberg in the chair of
King Solomon.
During
the 1960's the Grand Lodge of Alberta had added sixteen Lodges to its
number. Of these three practised the Ancient York Rite and thirteen used
the Canadian Work. In total there were 182 Lodges operating in Alberta
72 practising the Ancient York Rite and the remaining 110 worked in the
Canadian Rite.
At the
Annual Communication in 1960 the Committee on Jurisprudence continued
its survey of the constitutional correctness of constituent Lodges. It
ruled that it was contrary to good Masonic practice to install junior
officers of a Lodge before the installation of the Worshipful Master.
The security of information contained in Lodge notices was a concern and
the committee asserted that, despite rising postage costs, the envelopes
containing Lodge notices must be sealed and it was invalid to send the
notices as second class mail with an open flap on the envelope.
For the
first time the Grand Lodge acknowledged the correctness of undress
regalia and amended the Constitution to provide for this. The expense of
the dress regalia was increasing and the amendments reflect the
beginning of inflation.
A
membership of 19,237 was reported at the Fifty-sixth Annual
Communication when M.W. Bro. W. H. Harper, Grand Master, presided at the
meeting in Calgary on June 14, 1961. The Grand Lodge was concerned about
the quality of candidates being proposed for membership. It directed
that a revision be made in the letter sent to petitioners and referred
to a Committee a proposed "Mentor Plan" to be used in the instruction of
prospective members. R.W. Bro. M. G. Merner, the Grand Master elect,
proposed a series of Area Meetings apart from the District Meetings so
that the Grand Master and the Grand Secretary could meet the Brethren
and institute a program of Masonic Education. Thus the District Meetings
would be directed by the D.D.G.M.s as they saw fit. The suggestion was
approved and Area Meetings were set up and continued for a number of
years.
It was constitutionally irregular for
Lodge notices to omit the occupation of a candidate for initiation and
this had occurred. The Grand Master had issued dispensations to
regularize the ballot on such candidates. Although the Committee on
Jurisprudence agreed with the Grand Master it warned that the practice
must be discontinued. Once more the committee felt it necessary to
repeat the ruling of 1939 that a brother regularly installed as
Worshipful Master and held the office for one year until his successor
was installed was entitled to Past Master's rank even though he may have
moved from the district and been
unable to
perform all his duties.
The
Constitution was amended in a number of sections. The nomination of a
D.D.G.M. must now be written and presented before the District Meeting.
If a D.D.G.M. became incapacitated during his term of office the Grand
Registrar was to assume his duties. A file of suspended, restored and
rejected persons was to be published annually. The Grand Treasurer,
replaced the Grand Master as a person who had access to the Safety
Deposit Box.
Some
Lodges had been purchasing regalia for its officers from other sources
than the Grand Lodge Office. This was declared invalid and all regalia
must be purchased through the Grand Lodge Office. In addition the
undress regalia could be presented to a P.D.D.G.M. only if he preferred
it to the dress regalia. Past Grand Masters, however, were to be
presented with undress aprons and a Past Grand Master's Jewel. The Grand
Master's dress regalia was to be held by Grand Lodge.
The
Relief Fund continued to increase and $25,000.00 was transferred from it
to the Benevolent Capital Fund.
The
Committee on the Work presented a proposed Memorial Service for use in
the Lodges to replace the Masonic Burial Service. The Grand Lodge agreed
to give this proposal a trial for one year
M.W. Bro.
M. G. Merner was the Grand Master at the Fifty-seventh Annual
Communication held in Edmonton on June 13, 1962. The Committee on
Jurisprudence warned that officers should be prepared to appear on time
for installation. It deplored the necessity of dispensations to invest
officers out of time. The use of the Memorial Service was continued for
another year. The proposal to increase the per capita tax to $2.50 with
$1.00 going to the Higher Education Bursary Fund was defeated.
With M.W.
Bro. W. L. McPhee, the Grand Master at the Fifty-eighth Annual
Communication held in Edmonton on June 12, 1963, the total membership
was reported at 19,357 an increase of 27 during the year. The Board of
General Purposes had held its first mid-year meeting in January. The
Finance Committee reported that the work of the Grand Lodge Office had
increased sufficiently that an Assistant Grand Secretary should be
appointed.
"Whatever
else Masonry is or is not, it must be first and last an institution of
moral and spiritual power and influence. " declared the Grand Master,
M.W. Bro. Dr. S. H. Hardin at the Fifty-ninth Annual Communication held
in Edmonton on June 10, 1964. The Grand Secretary reported the first
loss in total membership since 1942, 44 members, reducing the membership
to 19,313. He also introduced the newly appointed Assistant to the Grand
Secretary, W. Bro. M. P. Dunford.
Reflecting the extension of the City of Calgary to the south the Grand
Lodge granted concurrent jurisdiction to Corinthian Lodge No. 22,
Okotoks, with the Calgary Lodges.
The
Jurisprudence Committee ruled that a Fifty Year Jewel may be awarded
only after fifty years of uninterrupted membership.
The speaker at the banquet was M.W. Bro.
Rev. Dr. T. S. Roy, Grand Master of Massachusetts. His speech was
indicative of the changing times and the danger of the loss of identity
being experienced by Freemasonry. He said, "Things are no longer true or
false, lawful or unlawful, right or wrong; they are convenient or
inconvenient, pleasant or unpleasant, popular or unpopular, profitable
or unprofitable, expedient or inexpedient; they are
anything
but right or wrong, true or false, good or evil.
Masonry
must meet this with the force of its insistence that there is a truth
that must be believed, there is a law that must be obeyed, there is a
moral sovereignty to which we must submit and that men defy or deny
these at their peril."
A
pre-Grand Lodge meeting was held on June 8, 1965 in Mount Royal College,
Calgary in response to a demand that had been growing throughout the
Jurisdiction for an opportunity to discuss the basic principles of the
Craft and to return to the ancient purposes of the Order. M.W. Bro.
Dwight L. Smith, P.G.M. and Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of
Indiana had been invited to be a guest at the Communication. His book
"Whither are we Taveling" served as the basis and inspiration of this
meeting. The Grand Master, M.W. Bro. Dr. W. J. Collett, Principal of
Mount Royal College, had placed the facilities of the College at the
disposal of the Grand Communication. M.W. Bro. Collett opened the
session with an address entitled "Why all the Confusion in the Temple".
Following the address the Brethren were divided into small groups for
discussion. The facilities of Mount Royal College were taxed to the
limit and the discussions were enthusiastically pursued. Such was the
interest that it was decided that a meeting apart from the Communication
was a vital necessity. Out of this concern grew the Masonic Spring
Workshop which was to meet in the Banff School of Fine Arts in the
Spring of 1966. It was designed as a weekend devoted entirely to a
discussion of Masonry without any of the formal ceremonies that a
meeting of a Grand Communication demanded. All Masons regardless of rank
would meet "on the level" and pursue their studies.
At the
formal meetings of the Communication the Grand Secretary reported
another decrease in membership. Concern was expressed about the
deterioration of the period of Masonic Refreshment following Lodge
meetings. The Committee on Jurisprudence recommended certain rulings
concerning degrees, Masonic periods of Refreshment and Lodge notices.
The report was tabled for further study. The matter of the expenses of
the Grand Master was referred to the Finance Committee.
M.W. Bro.
Dwight L. Smith, in his address to the Grand Lodge Banquet, spoke on the
concerns being expressed at the Communication and declared that it was
time for Masonic Lodges to define their objectives, to keep the Three
Craft Degrees inviolate and to pursue energetically basic Masonic
principles.
The
Communication passed a motion allowing copies of the Work to be more
widely available and permitting Lodges to purchase three to six
additional copies of the Work. It also ordered that a roster of all
Lodges be printed in the Record of Proceedings.
With M.W.
Bro. A. J. G. Lauder, the Grand Master, the Sixty-first Annual
Communication, a Special Committee on the Rules Respecting Trials and
Proceedings thereon, presented a report. The Committee had as its
Chairman R.W. Bro. J.H. Laycraft and the report was adopted and the
previous rules were deleted on motion of R.W. Bro. K. L. Crockett. The
new procedures were a great improvement. The Grand Master was concerned
that the Board of General Purposes should exercise greater control of
the general work of the Lodges in the Jurisdiction and called meetings
of the Board in January and May.
The amendments to the Constitution
included a section making the Grand Chaplain an appointed officer and
not an elected one. Also included was permission to allow the Finance
Committee to invest money in government guaranteed securities. The
Committee on the
envelope
to "a cover approved by the Grand Master". The minimum Initiation Fee
was raised to $50.00.
The
Committee on Jurisprudence received approval when it set down the
following basic principles:
(1) The Grand Lodge of Alberta recognizes
only three Craft Degrees in Freemasonry.
(2) The Grand Lodge of Alberta does not
approve of any implication on Lodge Notices that any organizations have
a Masonic connection.
(3) The
Grand Lodge of Alberta asserts that when non-Masons, male or female, are
present before or after Lodge meetings, there should be no Masonic
speeches and no Masonic Toasts (this is a summary of the declaration).
The Grand
Secretary reported a further loss in membership of 170 leaving the total
at 19,008.
A further
loss of membership of 180 was reported by the Grand Secretary at the
Sixty-second Annual Communication held in Calgary on June 14, 1967 at
which M.W. Bro. T. G. Towers presided as Grand Master. A number of
issues were raised at this Communication including a proposal to shift
the date of the Annual Communication to the weekend, the method of
electing D.D.G.M.'s and the move to limit the terms of elected members
of the Board of General Purposes to no more than three two year terms.
For the
first time the Communication elected only M.W. Bro. M. G. Merner as
Chairman of the Committee on Jurisprudence and named no other members to
the Committee. Previously the committee had invariably been composed of
all Past Grand Masters.
With M.W.
Bro. B. Brown as Grand Master the Sixty-third Annual Communication held
on June 12, 1968 grappled with the question of when the Annual
Communication should convene. There was no change made in the date. M.W.
Bro. William Ireland, P.G.M. who had acted as Grand Lodge Auditor since
1919 except the year when he was Grand Master, retired from that office.
He was honoured by the Grand Lodge not only for his long term of
faithful service but also for the many other years of devotion to
various aspects of Grand Lodge work.
This
meeting rejected a proposal to reduce the per capita tax by fifty cents
per annum. The decision to present the retiring Grand Master with a
jewel and an undress apron was revoked. He was now to receive a set of
full dress regalia.
The
report on Foreign Affairs, more recently called the Fraternal Relations,
had been a long one except during the war years. The Grand Lodge
considered the relationships with other Grand Lodges throughout the
world to be important and to require extensive detailed study. The
obvious choice for chairman of this Committee was M.W. Bro. Dr. S. H.
Hardin, P.G.M. and the appointment was approved. At this meeting, W.
Bro. M. P. Dunford was named Assistant Grand Secretary, a change from
Assistant to the Grand Secretary.
King Solomon Lodge No. 41 in Cochrane was
granted concurrent
jurisdiction with Calgary Lodges and Meridian Lodge No. 129 in Stony
Plain was granted concurrent jurisdiction with the Edmonton Lodges.
The
Committee on the Revision of the Constitution had laboured for three
years. It had done its work well and had consulted with Constituent
Lodges, had submitted two drafts to the Lodges and had planned the final
presentation to Grand Lodge with meticulous care. The new Constitution
was presented to the Sixty-fourth Communication held in Calgary on June
11, 1969 with M.W. Bro. C. E. Pinnell presiding as Grand Master. The
Constitution of 1939 with subsequent amendments was repealed and the
motion to adopt the new Constitution was adopted after a discussion of
some specific sections.
The
Finance Committee received approval of a recommendation to allow the
Grand Secretary to retire later than the age 65 providing there was a
mutual agreement between the Finance Committee and the Grand Secretary.
A concern
regarding the penalties connected with the obligations in the Three
Degrees had been growing throughout the Jurisdiction. The Committee on
the Work submitted changes in the Work that would make it quite clear
that the penalties were traditional.
The
popular speaker, M.W. Bro. Dwight L. Smith, P.G.M. and Grand Secretary
of the Grand Lodge of Indiana returned to address the Grand Lodge
Banquet. He said that Masonry must continue to symbolize dependability
and truth and honour and unshakeable integrity. Although people love to
build Temples and Constitutions of stone, brick and steel, it must
always be the basic purpose of Masons to labour to make rough ashlars
perfect.
THE
SEVENTIES
During
the 1960's the membership of Masonic lodges had shown a decrease. The
Grand Lodge of Alberta entered the seventies with a membership now below
19,000, to be specific 18,431. The challenge of the seventies was to
face a consolidation of the membership and to strengthen the Lodges that
were suffering from the depletion of members. The drift of population to
the cities was well underway and many of the small towns in the Province
of Alberta suffered drastically. An expanding economy, the building of
all weather highways and the growth of the number of cars made it
possible for the country population to have easy access to shopping
centres located in larger towns and cities. In addition the growth of
the entertainment value of television contributed to the decreasing
attendance at Lodge meetings.
There was
a movement to attempt to popularize the meetings of Lodges and to create
projects in which the Lodges could engage. The service club syndrome was
thought by some to be a cure for the ills of the Masonic Order. In some
places there were rumblings concerning the ritual and a need to
modernize the work of the Lodge.
The
search for identity which marked the 1960's had been well conceived.
Research and Education laid a firm foundation. The Brethren found
themselves recognizing the value of the basic fundamentals of the
Masonic Order which no passing style of life could undermine.
Evidence of this is that only two Lodges
surrendered their Charters during these years. Big Valley Lodge No. 140
ceased to operate on December 31, 1970. It was followed by Joppa Lodge
No.
40
located in Granum on March 9, 1972. Joppa was one of the early Lodges in
Alberta with sixty-three years of history. Big Valley had been in
existence for forty-six years.
The trend
was towards amalgamation and during the 1970's there were thirteen
amalgamations. Crocus Lodge No. 115 in Chinook joined forces with Acadia
Lodge No. 82 in nearby Youngstown on May 15, 1970. The Lodge known as
Rocky-Summit Lodge No. 30 is a union of Rocky Mountain Lodge No. 86 of
Frank and Summit Lodge No. 30 at Coleman and was formed on December 2,
1970. On January 7, 1971 Ancient Landmark Lodge No. 163 in Mirror joined
with Ionic Lodge No. 45 in the town of Alix. Hughenden's Efficiency
Lodge No. 141 joined with the Lodge in Hardisty, Comet No. 50 which had
been in existence since 1910, but both names were preserved and the new
Lodge is known as Comet-Efficiency Lodge No. 50. On January 24, 1972
Standard Lodge No. 152 and Gleichen Lodge No. 36 amalgamated leaving the
historic name of Gleichen Lodge No. 36. The two Lodges northeast of
Edmonton St. Alban's No. 145 located in St. Paul joined with its eastern
neighbour in Elk Point, St. George's Lodge No. 169 on July 7, 1973 and
continued with the name St. George's. Bow Island Lodge No. 64
amalgamated with Grassy Lake Lodge No. 57 on January 16, 1973 and is now
known as Bow Island Lodge No. 57, Tuscan Lodge No. 43 at Killam united
with Harmony Lodge No. 75 located in Sedgewick and adopted the double
name of Harmony-Tuscan Lodge No. 75 on March 26, 1974.
Vulcan
Lodge No. 74 accepted into its membership Milo Lodge No. 172 on April
20, 1976. Later in that year Melrose Lodge No. 62 amalgamated with
Camrose Lodge No. 37, the date being December 17, 1976. Melrose Lodge
had a varied history. Coal Lodge No. 62 had been consecrated in a nearby
town in 1911 and Melrose Lodge No. 139 had been consecrated at Bawlf in
1927. These two Lodges had amalgamated on April 12, 1941 and had taken
the new name and old number, Melrose Lodge No. 62. After many years of
struggle both Coal and Melrose were absorbed by Camrose Lodge No. 37.
The small
Lodge Manyberries No. 133 in the far southeastern part of the province
amalgamated with Foremost Lodge No. 103 on March 21, 1977. On February
2, 1978 Sharon Lodge No. 157 at Picture Butte joined with Diamond City
Lodge No. 65 on February 2, 1978. On May 4, 1979 Lucerne Lodge No. 159
at Vauxhall joined with Doric Lodge No. 31 at Taber. The next day, May
5, 1979, amalgamation ceremonies united Empress Lodge No. 161 with
Mizpah Lodge No. 35 one of the early Medicine Hat Lodges.
When the
1970's ended the Grand Lodge of Alberta had under its jurisdiction 61
Lodges practising the Ancient York Rite and 105 Lodges practising the
Canadian Rite for a total of 166 all together, sixteen less than when
the decade had commenced. In its seventy-four years of history the Grand
Lodge had consecrated a total of 195 Lodges. A total of 29 had ceased to
operate.
For
several years the Grand Master at the time had appointed or reappointed
what was called the Grand Master's Long Range Planning Committee. It was
commissioned to consider the question of the relationship of the Grand
Lodge of Alberta to other bodies that claimed to have a Masonic
connection. The committee was always widely representative of the
Jurisdiction and its membership included Masons with divergent views. At
the Sixty-fifth Annual Communication on June 10, 1970 when M.W. Bro. Dr.
P. J. Kendal was the Grand Master, the Committee presented its report.
The report stated:
(1) The Grand Lodge of Alberta
acknowledges the following bodies - the Royal Arch, Royal and Select
Masters, the Preceptory, The
Red Cross of Constantine, the Royal Order
of Scotland, The Scottish Rite and the Shrine.
(2) The Grand Master may convey the
greetings of the Grand Lodge to these bodies.
(3) The Grand Master may acknowledge the
presence of the chief officers of these bodies when they are in
attendance at a Grand Lodge Communication.
(4) The Grand Master or his representative
may send or take greetings of the Grand Lodge to the Order of the
Eastern Star at its annual meeting.
(5) Constituent Lodges may urge its
members as individuals to support Job's Daughters, the Order of DeMolay,
the Boy Scouts, the Tuxis Movement, the Cadet Corps and similar worthy
groups. (6) It is inappropriate for Masonic Regalia to be worn at
meetings of the Order of the Eastern Star or at sessions of any youth
organizations. As for Concordant Bodies when attending after an official
invitation, the Grand Master shall make his own decision regarding the
wearing of regalia.
(7) Lodges may identify, on their notices,
the name of a group that supplies a degree team but any non-Masonic
entertainment must take place before the Lodge opens or after it closes
and regalia shall not be in evidence.
(8) It is recommended that the Grand
Master discuss scheduling with Concordant Bodies to avoid any conflict
of dates.
(9) The records of Grand Lodge are
confidential.
(10) The Grand Master may bring or send
greetings to any youth organization but neither a constituent Lodge nor
Grand Lodge should participate officially in any function of such
organizations.
(11) Reported progress on the study of a
creed.
(12) Recommended that the Committee on the
Grand Master's Address be appointed by the Board of General Purposes.
(13)
Reported progress on the formation of a Publicity Committee.
The
report was adopted after an excellent discussion and was accepted as
policy that may be changed only by Grand Lodge.
Despite
the recently endorsed constitution, amendments again came to the floor
of Grand Lodge. One amendment prohibited a Lodge from scheduling a
meeting on a Sunday when the regular time of meeting was moved to avoid
a conflict with the Grand Lodge Communication. Section 548(1) was
changed to add the words "or restoration" after "initiation,
affiliation".
New
Provincial Legislation required a change in the Superannuation Fund and
the Finance Committee received permission to comply with the law.
Because
of the growing number of amalgamations, the Committee on Charters and
New Lodges presented and received approval for a ceremony to be used at
the Amalgamation of Lodges.
At the
Sixty-sixth Annual Communication a notice of motion was presented to
confer the honourary rank of Past Grand Master on the Grand Secretary,
R.W. Bro. E. H. Rivers, but at the specific request of R.W. Bro. Rivers
the motion never reached the floor of Grand Lodge. The rank of Very
Worshipful was conferred on three Brethren who had given outstanding
service to the Grand Lodge, Rev. Archdeacon C. C. Swanson who had served
as Grand Chaplain and who had delighted Grand Lodge with witty and
inspirational address, and Bros. Harry Rimmer and Peter Delicate both of
whom had acted as Grand Organists for many years in a very effective
manner. This meeting was held in Calgary on June 9, 1971 with M.W. Bro.
Dr. E. J. Thompson presiding as Grand Master.
The Committee on the Work presented a new
ceremony for the
installation of the Grand Master and the investiture of Grand Lodge
Officers. It proposed to use the new edition at this Grand Lodge on a
trial basis.
The
Committee on Jurisprudence, continuing its desire to keep Grand Lodge
free from outside influences, recommended the adding of a clause to the
Constitution which reads, "No clothing or uniform relating to any other
Fraternal Order may be worn in Grand Lodge or in a Constituent Lodge".
This was a progress report.
R.W. Bro.
E. H. Rivers, who had served the Grand Lodge in many offices and since
1953 had been the efficient Grand Secretary made his final report to
Grand Lodge before his retirement. Some of his comments were as follows:
"1. The obligations taken by the ruling
members of the Craft call for unfettered support of the Constitution and
nothing else can be acceptable.
2. In Freemasonry, all who are members can
surely find an anchor and let their security in their beliefs be a model
for others.
3.
Freemasonry is too strong to be destroyed from without, please do not
let it be fragmented from within."
R.W. Bro.
Rivers received a standing ovation following his report and the Grand
Master paid tribute to him for his eighteen years of unforgettable
service.
The Board
of General Purposes felt it necessary, once again, to emphasize that it
disapproved of the sale of sweepstake tickets for the Lodge's own
benefit.
The
Board, whose responsibility it is to appoint the Grand Secretary,
announced the resignation of R.W. Bro. E. H. Rivers and requested
approval from the Communication for the appointment of W. Bro. M. P.
Dunford to that position. The Grand Lodge accepted the report, confirmed
the appointment of W. Bro. Dunford and agreed to pension arrangements
for him. The Grand Secretary's position being an appointed one carried
the title of Very Worshipful, hence the new Grand Secretary would be
known as V.W. Bro. M. P. Dunford.
During
this year the Masons in Calgary had joined together to construct a
replica of an Original Lodge Room over an old bank building that had
been moved into Heritage Park in Calgary. The Lodge Room contained a
number of valuable artifacts and would be open to the General Public.
V.W. Bro. J. Mirtle had been the brother responsible for directing this
work and tribute was paid to him. M.W. Bro. Dr. P. J. Kendal, P.G.M. had
officiated at the opening of the historic site.
The
enormous task of revising the Constitution dealing with Masonic Offenses
and Trials had been given to R.W. Bro. James H. Laycraft, a Past Grand
Registrar and a very well known lawyer. The report is extensive and
excellently written. The Record of Proceedings of that year contains the
landmark report.
"I
resolved that insofar as it was in my power to do so I would return the
onus of preserving the Ancient Landmarks and perpetuating our
established usages and customs to those whose primary responsibility it
is, the Masters of the Lodges. For they are the rulers and governors of
the Craft." So declared M.W. Bro. James S. Woods, Grand Master when he
spoke to the Sixty-seventh Grand Communication held in Edmonton on June
14, 1972.
The
Committee on the Work again addressed itself in a forthright fashion to
the proliferation of special degree teams who presented work in
constituent Lodges. It laid special emphasis on the requirement of
proper dress when a Lodge is at work.
Loss in
membership continued and the Grand Secretary, now V.W. Bro. M. P.
Dunford, noted that there had been a loss of 401 members during the year
reducing the total membership now to 17,357.
The
Committee on Jurisprudence now was reduced to a membership of five. No
longer was the Immediate Past Grand Master the Chairman. M.W. Bro. B.
Brown, P.G.M. was appointed Chairman and the committee was composed of
four other Past Grand Masters.
M.W. Bro.
F. G. Fox presided at the Sixty-eighth Communication of Grand Lodge held
in Calgary on June 13, 1973. He stated "Masons can show the world that
men of all colours, races and creeds and of diverse social and cultural
heritage, can pursue common goals and act for the common good. We, as
Masons, have been doing so for generations."
The
question of the status of Brethren who held a Life Membership in a Lodge
under the Scottish Constitution had long been a concern of the Grand
Lodge of Alberta. The Grand Secretary and M.W. Bro. J. S. Woods, P.G.M.
had been in communication with the Grand Lodge of Scotland over the
problem and had received a very detailed explanation of the status of
such a brother. A report was presented to the Grand Lodge and it was
agreed that a life membership granted by a Lodge chartered by the Grand
Lodge of Scotland entitles a holder to use that membership to establish
an active membership in a constituent Lodge in Alberta if the brother
meets the requirements of the Alberta Constitution. The years of
membership in Scotland may be used for the purpose of qualifying for a
Fifty Year Jewel in this jurisdiction.
On
recommendation of the Board of General Purposes the Constitution was
amended to confer on the Grand Secretary the title of Right Worshipful
notwithstanding the fact that he is an appointed officer of Grand Lodge.
Another amendment provided for a Fifty Year Past Master's Jewel.
The
Communication refused to accept a proposal to make Master Masons members
of Grand Lodge. It agreed to change the method of voting on Grand Lodge
Officers from proportional representation to the use of the X.
Finally,
after many years of discussion and postponing a decision, it was now
agreed to move the meetings of the Grand Communication to the third
Friday in June. The meeting would commence not earlier than 7:00 p.m.
and not later than 9:00 p.m.
The total
membership was reported at 16,984 another decrease, this time of 373.
The first
meeting of Grand Lodge on the third Friday in June was held in Edmonton
on June 21, 1941 with M.W. Bro. G. J. Armstrong as the Grand Master.
The Jurisprudence Committee recognized
that some Grand Lodges had reduced the age at which a person could be
initiated. It ruled, however, that no person under the age of 21 may
become a member of a constituent Lodge in Alberta even if he had been a
member in another Jurisdiction.
The per
capita tax was raised to $5.00 per annum after much debate.
The
Jurisprudence Committee had been chaired by M.W. Bro. F. G. Fox. For the
first time the committee, composed of four other members, included two
Brethren who were not Past Grand Masters, they were R.W. Bro. MacIver
and R.W. Bro. Stevenett.
The age
of the computer had arrived and at the Seventieth Communication held in
Calgary on June 20, 1975 with M.W. Bro. G. R. Sterling presiding, heard
that the Finance Committee had decided to place the membership roll on a
computer. The Committee, for the first time, had made provision to pay
the expenses of the wives of Grand Lodge Officers when they accompanied
their husbands on visits to other Grand Lodges.
The Grand
Lodge approved a proposal to make Sixty and Seventy Year Bars available
to Brethren who had been presented with Fifty Year Jewels. It also
permitted, for the first time, Master Masons to purchase rituals from
their Lodge Secretary.
Another
change in date of meeting was approved. The Communication would now meet
on the second Friday in June.
It was
agreed, again, that the use of Benevolent Funds to establish Homes for
Aged Masons would be too expensive and too great a drain on the
Benevolent Capital Account.
R.W. Bro.
J.H. Laycraft was appointed to the Committee on Jurisprudence. This left
only two Past Grand Masters on the committee, M.W. Bro. F. G. Fox, P.G.M.
the Chairman and M.W. Bro. B. Brown, P.G.M.
M.W. Bro.
W. A. Milligan was the Grand Master when the Annual Communication met in
Edmonton on June 11, 1976. The problem of compensation of the D.D.G.M.'s
was once more before the meeting and it was agreed that a formula would
be adopted. The D.D.G.M.'s would now receive $12.50 for each Lodge in
their districts. In addition they would be allowed an additional $25.00
where the distance between the furthermost Lodges was 125 miles or more
plus another $25.00 where the distance between the two furthermost
Lodges was 200 miles or more. The total budget for this change amounted
to $2,425.00. It was further agreed that undress regalia would be
presented to D.D.G.M.'s at the time they vacated their office.
At the conclusion of the Grand Lodge
Communication in 1972, M.W. Bro. Wm. Ireland, who had been a member of
the Board of Benevolence since June, 1928 and Chairman of the Board for
the majority of those years, relinquished his position but agreed to
stay on as a member of the Board for another year until his term of
office expired. He had piloted the affairs of Benevolence through many
years and had seen the Benevolence activities of Grand Lodge go through
many changes. Disasters throughout the world, within the Province and
the needs of young people in more recent years had all come under the
review of the Board. With wisdom together with a deep compassion the
funds at the disposal of the Board had been handled in a true spirit of
Masonry. Not only had M.W. Bro. Ireland devoted time to Benevolence but
he had been at one time Acting Grand Secretary, Auditor of Grand Lodge
Accounts and generally a stalwart in all Grand Lodge activities. It was
with admiration and regret that the Grand Lodge acknowledge the
contribution made by a man who believed sincerely in the work of
Freemasonry and put that conviction into action in his life. He retired
with honour and with the hearty plaudits of
the Grand
Lodge. R.W. Bro. V. W. Dunlop succeeded him.
In 1970
R.W. Bro. L. J. Rosling had given up the post of Grand Treasurer which
he had held since the year 1954. With a quiet efficiency he had piloted
Grand Lodge Finances through times of problems and times of prosperity.
His influence had been evident in the councils of the Grand Lodge and he
had travelled widely in support of the Grand Masters he served. At the
Grand Lodge Communication in 1970 the Grand Master, M.W. Bro. Dr. P. J.
Kendal, paid tribute to R.W. Bro. Rosling's faithful work and presented
him with an easy chair in which he could relax in his retirement. The
Grand Master in tribute called him "a dedicated Mason, a true friend
and, above all, always a perfect gentleman". The Grand Lodge rose to
applaud the service of one more faithful servant. R.W. Bro. W. E. Bright
was elected Grand Treasurer.
The Grand
Lodge, in 1976, agreed, after several years of discussion, to make
available a Fifty Year Lapel pin for those Brethren who had been
recipients of a Fifty Year Jewel.
The
question of the amount of money in the Benevolent Capital Fund had been
discussed a number of times at Grand Lodge Communication. A number of
proposals, including Homes for Aged Masons, had been brought forward.
More recently it had been suggested that the surplus from these funds,
including the Relief Fund, should be transferred to the General Funds of
Grand Lodge. The argument that Grand Lodge should have constantly, at
its disposal, funds sufficient to meet any disaster that might occur and
be able to act quickly, found acceptance in Grand Lodge. A Special
Committee now reported that it did not favour the dispersement of
Benevolent Funds for any purposes except those for which it was founded.
The report was adopted.
Also
after several years of debate and much discussion about the wearing of
Masonic pins and decorations in public the Grand Lodge agreed to make
available a Twenty-Five Year Lapel Pin to be presented at the discretion
of the Lodge concerned.
The
membership throughout the Jurisdiction showed another decline. This time
there was a net loss of 276 and the total membership was reported at
16,145.
At this
Grand Lodge, for the first time in history, ladies had been invited to
attend the Grand Lodge Banquet. Also, for the first time, the speaker
was not a Mason. He was the Provincial Deputy of the Knights of Columbus
for the Province of Alberta, Mr. Robert S. Olshaski. M.W. Bro. W. A.
Milligan, the Grand Master, welcomed the ladies and paid tribute to the
spirit of cooperation that existed between the Masonic Order and the
Knights of Columbus. Mr. Olshaski spoke to the gathering on the Knights
of Columbus and the similarity of its purposes to those of Freemasonry.
The Grand Lodge had agreed previously to
make a temporary change in the Constitution to permit the Seventy-second
Communication to meet in the city of Lethbridge in acknowledgement of
the fact that the Grand Master, M.W. Bro. A. O. Aspeslet resided there.
He presided over the meeting which commenced on Friday, June 10, 1977.
The Grand Master in his address found it essential to draw the attention
of the Grand Lodge to Section 46 of the Constitution which states - "The
Grand Master shall be applied to on any business concerning Masons or
Masonry through the Grand Secretary or a District Deputy Grand Master."
He felt that the section was most important and was placed in the
Constitution to ease the load of correspondence both for the Grand
Master and the Grand Secretary. On several occasions during the year he
had
requested
the Grand Secretary to bring this section of the Constitution to the
attention of constituent Lodges. He also said "You can't be a Lapel
Mason or a Ring Mason or an Apron Mason. You must be a dedicated person,
a heart made man. Let us get away from the service club atmosphere that
seems to be creeping into our Craft. Masonry, I am sure, is something of
the heart, not what we wear as pins or jewels or what we tack upon walls
in the form of scrolls."
The
report of the Finance Committee reflected a growing concern with the
inflationary trend in the Canadian Economy. M.W. Bro. J. S. Woods, P.G.M.,
the chairman, noted that this would have an effect on salaries, travel
expenses and administrative costs. He warned that there must be an
increase in the per capita tax.
The
concern that the constituent Lodges were not properly looking after
their members and the widows of members was expressed by the Board of
Benevolence. It was again necessary to emphasize that applications for
Benevolence must originate with the constituent Lodge.
The
report on the Condition of Masonry noted that attendance at Lodge
meetings was decreasing consistently and that in some rural areas
candidates for initiation were very scarce and small Lodges were having
difficulty filling officers and were using Past Masters. The average age
of candidates was forty-one years. Because of the decrease in membership
local taxes on Lodge buildings was a problem especially since inflation
was forcing the increase of taxes. There was some suggestion that monies
from the Relief Fund might be made available for this purpose but the
suggestion did not find favour with the Grand Lodge Communication.
The
Committee on the Work refused to allow any ritual work to be
demonstrated outside of a properly tyled Lodge or in a properly tyled
District Meeting. To attempt demonstrations at the Masonic Spring
Workshop was distinctly out of order. It also ruled that it was improper
to place ritual on a tape recorder for purposes of memorization.
Amendments to the Constitution were accepted. The first was to insert in
the Constitution regulations concerning the presentation of Twenty-Five
Year Pins and that a letter suitable for framing accompany each
presentation. Another amendment was to create a Nominating Committee of
Grand Lodge. This committee was to ensure that there be an election for
the office of Junior Grand Warden each year. If, when nominations closed
at the required time an election was not guaranteed, then the Nominating
Committee shall nominate another qualified Mason for that position. If
no nomination had been received, then the Committee was empowered to
nominate two qualified candidates.
The Grand
Lodge Banquet reverted to its traditional form with Masons only being
present. The Speaker was M.W. Bro. J. C. Calvert, P.G.M. of the Grand
Lodge of Saskatchewan.
The Committee on Jurisprudence had ruled
that the Seventy-second Session of the Grand Lodge Communication must be
held in Edmonton despite the fact that the meeting in Lethbridge had
taken the regular succession away from Calgary. It was thus that M.W.
Bro. K. L. Crockett, Grand Master, presided over this meeting in
Edmonton on June 9, 1978. A special communication of the Grand Lodge had
been held in Medicine Hat on November 2, 1977 for the purpose of laying
a cornerstone for the new Masonic Temple there. The Grand Master had
presided. M.W. Bro. Crockett had chosen as his theme "Live Freemasonry -
Communicate" and he said "You
cannot
live Freemasonry unless you communicate with Mason and non-Mason, nor
can you communicate properly unless you live Freemasonry, Brotherly
Love, relief and truth. Freemasonry is a way of life."
The
Finance Committee reported that there had been problems during the year
and that it had been necessary to transfer $10,000.00 from the Relief
Fund to the General Fund to meet the financial obligations of Grand
Lodge. Again the Grand Lodge was reminded that the inflationary spiral
was continuing and provision must be made for additional costs.
It
remained a concern of the Board of General Purposes that there was
confusion in the Jurisdiction over communication with the Grand Master.
Constituent Lodges were again reminded that the Grand Secretary was the
channel by which Lodges should send communications to the Grand Master.
The Board
of Benevolence in its effort to rally interest and proper procedure
prepared a paper and published it in the Grand Lodge Bulletin. It
clarified the starting of the two funds, the Benevolent Capital Fund and
the Relief Fund which continued to confuse the members. There were
eighteen new requests for assistance during the year. The Benevolent
Capital Fund remains a trust fund set up many years ago under certain
conditions. Those cannot be changed except by a Court Order.
The budget presented to Grand Lodge
forecast a deficit of $29,250.00 for 1978-79. The actual deficit for the
preceding year was $9,961.09. A lively discussion followed in which an
amendment to the budget was proposed to delete the amounts proposed to
pay expenses of the wives of Grand Lodge Officers accompanying their
husbands to Conferences and visits to other Jurisdictions. The amendment
was defeated and the original budget was adopted. Another motion
requesting that the budgets in future years be included in the notice
calling the meeting of Grand Lodge. This, too, met defeat.
The
report of the Committee on the Condition of Masonry was lengthy and
comprehensive. It listed a number of difficulties being experienced by
small country Lodges both in membership and in finances. There is a
section expressing the concern of some Lodges about the influx of
Initiates and Affiliates from the cities into the smaller country
Lodges. The conviction was that this was happening because these
Brethren could advance quickly through the chairs and attain the
position of Worshipful Master, just for the sake of obtaining that rank.
The report says - "This strongly worded and persuasive report, combined
with the influence of members of concordant bodies could be disastrous
for a Lodge."
The
Committee on the Work expressed concern that a number of Lodges were not
paying attention to the various rulings made by the Committee and which
were mandatory. It declared that the signs in the Canadian Work and the
Ancient York Rite were different and must be kept separate and distinct.
A further ruling refused to change the ritual in the timing of the
collection taken in the First Degree at the North East Corner Lecture.
There had been an increase in Schools of Instruction at District
Meetings and the Committee regarded this as encouraging. It should be
remembered that such Schools of Instruction were very frequent in the
pioneer days of the Grand Lodge of Alberta.
The Grand Master noted that the Grand
Organist, V.W. Bro. H. Farmer came directly from hospital to play the
music for the Grand Lodge. He was very ill and had been instructed to
fast until further tests could be carried out. The Grand Lodge
applauded
the dedication and the efficient work of the Grand Organist.
The loss
of membership continued. This year there was a decrease of 191 members
bringing the total membership in the jurisdiction to 15,739. The loss
was made up of 346 deaths, 261 demits, 142 suspensions for Non-Payment
of Dues and two suspensions for Unmasonic Conduct. Some of the loss for
these reasons was compensated for by 560 initiations, affiliations and
reinstatements.
A
previous Grand Lodge Communication had amended the Constitution to
provide for a Nominating Committee that was empowered to nominate
members for the office of Junior Grand Warden following the close of
nominations. There was a conviction that this amendment would allow the
Nominating Committee to make nominations even if an election had been
assured. The Constitution was changed to allow nominations provided only
that there was not an election assured when nominations had closed
officially. Another amendment to the Constitution permitted the payment
of an amount equivalent to 2% of the value of cash and investments held
in the Relief Fund on April 30 of any year to the General Fund of the
Grand Lodge to compensate for the Administrative expenses involved.
The Communication agreed to double the
Grand Lodge charges for dispensations, Charters, initiates, affiliates
and various certificates. The proposal to increase the per capita tax to
$10.00 per annum produced an extended and lively debate. It was to no
avail. The Grand Lodge defeated the motion to increase the per capita
tax and left it at $5.00 per annum. This question now could not be
brought before the Grand Lodge again for three years.
The
ladies were again present at the Grand Lodge Banquet and the address was
given by M.W. Bro. L. S. Cochran, Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge
of New York.
Calgary
was the location of the Grand Lodge Communication held on Friday, June
8, 1979 with M.W. Bro. R. L. Costigan as Grand Master. A Special
Communication of Grand Lodge had been held in Calgary on September 5,
1978 when the Grand Master had laid the cornerstone for the new St.
Mark's Masonic Temple. This was the second laying of the same
cornerstone, for when St. Mark's Lodge had torn down the old building
earlier that year it had preserved the original cornerstone.
A change
in procedure was made in 1979 and the Grand Lodge Banquet was held prior
to the opening of the Grand Lodge. No ladies were present. The speaker
was M.W. Bro. C. L. Chamberlain, P.G.M. of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba.
Following the banquet the Grand Lodge convened for its opening session
at 9:00 p.m.
Despite
the fears that the Grand Lodge may have faced a deficit of nearly
$30,000.00 in the year 1978-79, the Finance Committee was able to report
economies and had reduced the deficit to $7,316.41. The 1979-80 budget
again forecast a deficit of $29,035.00.
The report of the Board of General
Purposes caused a lengthy discussion about the time of the meeting of
the Annual Communication which had been changed several years ago to the
weekend. In the opinion of a number of members this had caused a
decrease rather than an increase in attendance. Another concern was the
communication of Grand Lodge with the Lodges in the North West
Territories. It was suggested that the Grand Secretary may make visits
to the Northern Lodges as he deemed necessary. These
were not
to replace any visit made by the Grand Master.
The Board
of Benevolence reported a decline in requests for assistance and urged
lodges to take more interest in the needs of their unfortunate Brethren.
During the year the Board had dispersed $10,572.25.
The
Deputy Grand Master, R.W. Bro. W. N. Love said in his report on the
Condition of Masonry. "The rumours that a fresh wave of enthusiasm is
sweeping through the Craft seem to be well founded. The problems that do
exist are becoming more clearly defined and in most cases programs are
even now underway to overcome them." He went on to say, "Any serious and
widespread concern over Lodge finances are noticeable by their absence."
A change
was made in the Constitution to permit the holding of the Grand Lodge
Communication in other localities than Calgary and Edmonton no oftener
than every third year. The change of location would be permitted by a
motion from a constituent Lodge and would require a two-thirds majority.
When the Communication was moved it was not to replace the normal
progression of meetings alternating between Calgary and Edmonton.
The
establishment of Research Lodges in the Jurisdiction was made possible
by adding Part VIII to the Constitution entitled "Research Lodges".
The
Constitution would not permit the reintroduction of a defeated amendment
until three years had elapsed. This was thought by some to work a
hardship on the Finance Committee that, at the previous session, had
been unsuccessful in raising the per capita tax. An amendment was
introduced to exempt changes in the per capita tax from the three year
rule. Again there was a lively discussion but the amendment went down to
defeat.
The
Twenty-Five Year Pin that had been a source of great differences of
opinion came back to the floor of Grand Lodge. It was proposed to delete
the word "continuous" from the requirements to be awarded the pin. Again
the debate was lively. The amendment passed and the word "continuous"
was dropped from the list of qualifications.
The Grand
Secretary reported that fifty-two Fifty Year Jewels, seven Sixty Year
Bars and two Seventy Year Bars had been presented during the year. This
was an indication that the Grand Lodge of Alberta was moving to the
historic celebration of seventy-five years of history. He also reported
a total of 351 deaths indicating the passing of the years.
W. Bro.
McBrien was presented to the Grand Lodge by the Grand Master. He had
celebrated his 100th birthday in November 1978. For sixty-two years he
had been a Mason. R.W. Bro. John Place of Nanton Lodge No. 17 replied on
behalf of W. Bro. McBrien. He noted also that W. Bro. Harry Brayne,
another Centenarian of Nanton Lodge would like to have been present. The
Grand Lodge applauded the two Brethren loudly.
THE
SEVENTY-FIFTH YEAR
M.W. Bro. William N. Love was installed as
Grand Master for 1979-80. He opened his term of office with a message of
enthusiasm and optimism and predicted a massive upswing in Masonic
enthusiasm. The tendency of a permissive society to seek changes in the
Craft to make it something other than basic Freemasonry would be
strongly resisted. His desire was to give
Masonry
back to the Masons with a return to a vital awareness of the
Constitution. Care must be exercised in selecting of candidates and they
must be well trained in the basic tenets of Masonry. In no way must the
Masonic Lodges yield to the modern pressure for large memberships and a
vital core of fully trained Masons must be produced. The degree mill
must be slowed down by extending periods between the conferring of
degrees. The answer to a return to the basics is a well planned
educational program and an increase in the visiting between Lodges.
The
actual celebration of the Seventy-fifth Anniversary would be in the
1980-81 Masonic year when it was expected that R.W. Bro. W. E. Foster
would be the Grand Master. The Seventy-sixth Annual Communication would
be held in Red Deer near the home of the next Grand Master.
Those
interested in forming a Lodge of Research had already commenced planning
such a Lodge. The Grand Master granted a dispensation to erect such a
Lodge after the Charter members had worked out carefully the basis upon
which such a Lodge would be formed. M.W. Bro. A.O. Aspeslet, P.G.M.
became the first Worshipful Master of Fiat Lux Lodge U.D. The first
meeting was announced for Saturday, March 22, 1980 in Crescent Masonic
Hall in Calgary. No apron would be worn higher than that of Past Master
except in the case of current Grand Lodge Officers and all Brethren
would be called "brother" with the exception of the Worshipful Master
and the Grand Master. Bro. Myron Lusk of Evergreen Lodge in Edmonton was
the first member to present a research paper. It was entitled "Jephthah".
During
these seventy-five years the Grand Lodge has elected a Grand Master each
year with M.W. Bro. W. N. Love being the seventy-fifth in the long
succession. To each year the Grand Master has brought his own special
contribution and, without exception, has travelled widely to visit the
constituent Lodges, attend committee meetings and carry fraternal
greetings to other Jurisdictions. The Senior Grand Master was M.W. Bro.
William Ireland who was Grand Master in 1944-45 and whose name has
frequently been mentioned in the history of the years. His kindliness
and consideration made him a long time President of the Board of
Benevolence. Now over ninety years of age he is remembered with great
affection. As this history was being prepared for publication M.W. Bro.
Ireland passed away to a well earned reward on March 8, 1980. The
funeral services were largely attended at Wesley United Church, Calgary,
by Past Grand Masters and his brother Masons. The Senior Past Grand
Master now is the much beloved M.W. Bro. David Little who was Grand
Master in 1959-60. The Grand Lodge was saddened by the early deaths of
M.W. Bro. A. J. G. Lauder and of M.W. Bro. G. R. Sterling to whom the
members had looked to for more years of leadership. The other Past Grand
Masters continue to contribute to the work of the Grand Lodge and are
honoured for their work. M.W. Bro. W. H. Harper and M.W. Bro. C. E.
Pinnell have moved out of the Jurisdiction but are welcomed back each
time they are able to visit a Grand Lodge Communication.
Fortunate
has been the Grand Lodge in its selection of Grand Secretaries. There
have been seven in the seventy-five years of history five of whom are
amongst the honoured dead. R.W. Bro. E. H. Rivers, the first Grand
Secretary not to be a Past Grand Master served with distinction and now
enjoys his years of retirement. The present Grand Secretary, R.W. Bro.
M. P. Dunford, has piloted the Grand Lodge through the years of problems
and crisis with energy and efficiency.
The Grand Lodge has had eleven Grand
Treasurers responsible for
the
complicated and trying task of controlling Grand Lodge Finances. R.W.
Bro. W. E. Bright has held the position since 1970 except for a period
of three years when M.W. Bro. W. L. McPhee served for one year and M.W.
Bro. R. L. Costigan for two years. Both R.W. Bro. T. Sharpe and R.W.
Bro. L. J. Rosling held the post for sixteen years. R.W. Bro. A. J.
Davis was Grand Treasurer for seventeen years.
The Grand
Chaplains have been many and have come from varied religious
backgrounds. Despite the fact that the Constitution allows the Grand
Chaplain not to be a clergyman, the Grand Lodge has had only three
laymen in the post during the seventy-five years, Dr. John Raper (two
years), A. J. Whitby and E. V. Bergin. They have come mainly from
Anglican and United Churches although Rabbi L. N. Ginsberg held the post
in 1977-78. Several of the Grand Chaplains have become Grand Masters,
M.W. Bro. Geo. W. Kerby and M.W. Bro. W. J. Collett both of whom were
Principals of Mount Royal College, Calgary during their terms of office
and M.W. Bro. E. J. Thompson who was Principal of St. Stephen's College
in Edmonton.
To mark
the Seventy-fifth year the Grand Master elect, R.W. Bro. W. E. Foster,
chose as his theme "Fraternal Rededication" with the hope that the Craft
in general would become aware that the basis of Freemasonry begins with
the feeling of brotherhood in the constituent Lodges. A service of
Fraternal Thanksgiving and Rededication was conducted after the
installation of the Grand Master by the V.W. the Grand Chaplain, Bro.
the Rev. James Linster of Olds. During the year the District Deputy
Grand Masters will organize within their districts Services of
Thanksgiving. The Constituent Lodges, then, will take up the theme in
their special events with the emphasis placed on Masonic fraternal
activities.
Edmonton,
during the year, will open a replica of the Masonic Hall that was
dedicated in 1904 by M.W. Bro. Dr. Braithwaite, who was at that time the
Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba. The Edmonton Journal of
June 8, 1904 described the hall as "a handsome two story frame block 28
x 70 situated on Second Street, The Lodge room and the anti-rooms
comprise the whole second floor. " It was here that the Grand Lodge of
Manitoba held its session. Fort Edmonton Historic Park will be the site
of the reconstructed Lodge hall.
Calgary
will mark the Seventy-fifth Anniversary when the Masters, Wardens and
Deacons Association of Calgary will entertain Masons and their wives at
a banquet and ball at the Calgary Inn on September 27, 1980. The movie
"The Magic Flute" by Mozart directed by Ingmar Bergman will be shown.
This musical contains many Masonic references. Any profits from the
evening will be a Seventy-fifth Anniversary Donation to the Masonic
Higher Education Bursary Fund.
The
membership in the Masonic Order continued its decline in the
Seventy-fifth Anniversary Year, the membership feil below 16,000. Alarm
was not apparent because of the reduced membership because the concern
of the Seventy-fifth year was to increase the spirit of fraternity and
brotherhood.
THE GRAND
LODGE BULLETIN
The Grand Lodge Bulletin was first
published in December 1935 with M.W. Bro. A. M. Mitchell, P.G.M. as its
editor. It appeared first in mimeographed form and four pages. The first
printed issue was published in September 1938 and continued the four
page
format
which has not changed to the present date. When M.W. Bro. Mitchell was
incapacitated and unable to continue with his excellent work, M.W. Bro.
S. Harris took over as Editor pro-tem with the September issue in 1944.
The outstanding work that M.W. Bro. Harris did with the Grand Lodge
Bulletin continued until age forced him into retirement and after
thirteen years he retired from the exacting task. It was then that M.W.
Bro. S. C. Heckbert took over the position in September of 1957.
With the
thanks and plaudits of the Grand Lodge, M.W. Bro. Heckbert retired from
his position as editor in June 1967 and received an illuminated scroll
at the Grand Communication in 1967. He has laboured for twelve years.
M.W. Bro.
W. J. Collett, P.G.M. and a committee took over the publication of the
Grand Lodge Bulletin in September 1967. Later the committee ceased to
exist and M.W. Bro. Collett continued as editor.
The Grand
Lodge Bulletin over a period of 45 years has been one of the unifying
forces in the Grand Lodge. It has faithfully recorded the happenings in
the Craft in Alberta and brought to the Brethren some of the outstanding
articles and papers written by the members within this Jurisdiction. At
the same time its editors have read widely in the Masonic literature of
the world and have selected some of the best wisdom available for
presentation to the Alberta Brethren. In addition it has been a medium
in which Grand Masters have sent messages to the Brethren and Masonic
events have been publicized.
The Grand
Lodge Bulletin is mailed individually to each Mason with their Lodge
notices. In earlier days two copies of the Bulletin were sent to Lodge
Secretaries for them to make it available. The value of the paper was
such that the Grand Lodge decreed that each member should have a copy
and this has been a continuing policy. Upon certain occasions this
practice has been questioned especially in the era of rising printing
and mailing costs. Each suggestion of reducing the size or of limiting
the distribution of the Bulletin has not met with favour. Its value in
the minds of the Brethren cannot be measured in terms of costs.
THE
HIGHER EDUCATION BURSARY FUND
M.W. Bro.
R. S. Shepherd, a noted educator in the Province of Alberta, was Grand
Master in the year 1957-58 and proposed to the Grand Lodge that a Higher
Education Bursary be established. A Committee was appointed to study the
proposal and after a great deal of research brought in a report to the
Grand Lodge at the 1958 Communication. The report was adopted. It
provided:
(1) The establishment of a Higher
Education Bursary Committee. (2) The selection before August 31 of not
more than four students to receive bursaries. The choice of students was
to be based, not only on scholarship, but also on the character and
financial need of the student.
(3) The value of the bursary was set at
$500.00 payable half in September and half in January. The Committee may
increase the bursary by not more than $200.00 when the need arose.
(4) The holder of the bursary may select
any course at the University of Alberta or at some other institution if
the course was not available in Alberta. The bursary holders may be of
either sex and the father must be a Mason in good standing. If the
father was deceased he must have been in good standing at the time of
his death in a lodge within the Jurisdiction provided the
