It was a fun-filled day that was enjoyed with delicious refreshments! There were activities and entertainment for kids (and for the young at heart)! Even brother Santa made an appearance!
There were familiar faces but I also enjoyed meeting and having a chat with interesting new brothers that I just met.
One of the brothers that stood out to me was V.W. Bro. Dennis Rankin, a Masonic history buff and Past Grand Steward of GLCPOO. He was introduced to me by the Senior Warden of St. Andrew's, Brother Arthur Redublo. Brother Rankin was wearing an inconspicuous sprig of acacia pin, a symbol of his lodge Acacia No. 430.
I complimented him on it and told him that I have a fascination with acacia as I showed him my acacia wood and steel automatic Masonic watch. It is known that the Ark of the Covenant as well as many other ancient and sacred objects from various cultures were made of acacia wood, but did you know that the ancient Egyptians believed that the first Gods where born beneath its sheltering branches in Heliopolis? The hind part of the Celestial Boat of Ra was made of acacia wood. To them, it is the Tree of Life.
Attending families were encouraged to wear their ugly Christmas sweatshirt so I also happened to be wearing my FraternalTies Goose and Gridiron Christmas sweater. When brother Rankin noticed it, he let me in on a piece of Masonic history that is not widely known.
I learned from brother Dennis that sitting in a room right next to us is a chair of immense importance to the Craft. I even used the word "priceless" in the title of this article to describe it because how exactly do you put a price to an important artifact that is intrinsically linked to Freemasonry as we know it today? It's an old and solid chair made from the oak beam that supported the floor of the room in which the first Grand Lodge of England was organized in 1717 A.D., in the Goose and Gridiron Tavern in London Yard. The tavern was demolished in 1895 and the contractor on the job saved two of the oak floor joists and presented them to M.W. Bro. John Ross Robertson, who had a substantial chair made from that wood. It is also said that all Grand Masters of The Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario are seated thereon whenever Grand Lodge meets in Toronto for the installation of the new Grand Master every two years.
I asked brother Rankin if I can crawl under to see what's beneath. He said as long as I don't sit on it, it should be ok so I crawled. The inscription on the underside of the seat reads: "This Chair is made from the Rafters which supported the first-floor room of the Goose and Gridiron Tavern, London Yard St. Paul's Churchyard, London England, built 1670 in which Election of Anthony Sayer, First Grand Master, Grand Lodge of England, took place June 24th, 1717. Secured by J. Ross Robertson of Toronto on its demolition in 1897."
The United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) is the governing Masonic lodge for the majority of Freemasons in England, Wales and the Commonwealth of Nations. It is the oldest Grand Lodge in the world. All regular Grand Lodges in the US are in mutual amity with each other and with UGLE. If a Masonic lodge or Grand Lodge is not in amity with UGLE, it is deemed to be clandestine and considered "irregular".
In the old days, speculative masons draw or form their lodge on the floor of the tavern where they hold their meetings. Back then the name of a lodge is derived from the name of their preferred pub. This particular ale-house that became the birthplace of UGLE was previously been a music-house named The Mitre. One of the groups that meet there is a musical society known as the Swan and the Lyre. The goose standing on a gridiron was a sarcastic allusion to the swan and the lyre- as if to say, in a cheeky British way, that the sound of the goose and the gridiron is more harmonious than any melody coming from the other group's rehearsals!
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Grand_Lodge_of_England
https://freimaurer-wiki.de/index.php/En:Goose_and_Gridiron_Ale-House
https://dallasfreemasonry.org/origin-freemasonry-question/3068
https://www.madamegilflurt.com/2014/11/the-goose-and-gridiron.html
Merriam-Webster defined it as something that is...
"designed for or understood by the specially initiated alone"
or
"requiring or exhibiting knowledge that is restricted to a small group"
If you're a Freemason who has attained the rank of a Worshipful Master and perhaps you're looking for a deeper meaning in your journey- something that is truly esoteric, I strongly recommend this book by my good friend Worshipful Brother Marshal Kern. He is a Past Master of Victoria Lodge No. 56 and a Fellow of the College of Freemasonry.
I have known brother Kern since 2012 when I was still an assistant officer. Although we haven't personally met each other at the time, one can tell that he is one of those people who are just genuinely warm, friendly, and generous. He's always there to give advice and assistance, especially during difficult times. He is the embodiment of Freemasonry.
On the 3rd Wednesday of September 2019, he drove for over 3 hours covering the distance of almost 300 km to attend my Installation (and another 3hrs drive to go back home). He brought me a special personal message and a copy of his book. I consider the book and his friendship treasures that I will keep in my heart forever.
To get a copy of the book, please visit brother Kern's website at www.mastersemblem.com. You may also follow him on Facebook by clicking here.
We had hoped to finish production before Christmas but unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, our target completion time will be delayed. Please read on.
It's no secret that we are a small business operation so when a prominent Italian fashion house decided to purchase a whole lot of Japanese Miyota 82S0 movement that caused an industry-wide shortage of the calibre, we had no choice but to consider switching to other mechanisms. We simply do not have the purchasing power to compete with a big company.
Our manufacturer suggested using another Japanese movement of the same quality- the Seiko Caliber NH38A. After consulting with those who have already pre-ordered, we decided to greenlight the change. It took us several days to realize that changing the movement also meant modifying the design of the dial- the aperture or that small round window has to be moved from the 6 o'clock to 8 o'clock position. With NH38A, it's physically impossible to keep the aperture at 6 o'clock because doing so means moving the crown above the 12 o'clock spot. Please see the illustration below.
Some may consider this a minor adjustment but as the designer, I find this proposed change unpalatable. Every part of this watch has a deep symbolic meaning to me as it embodies my interpretation of the Masonic ritual. There's a reason why I want to keep the Compasses, the center of the dial, the beating heart (seen through the aperture), and Square in perfect alignment.
Designing this watch has been a labour of love. It would have been a lot easier, faster, and economical to just go for stock parts but we decided to go with fully customized according to our specifications. Getting things right can be a painful journey but we're willing to take that route in pursuit of betterment.
In conclusion, it is with a heavy heart that I must say that we're breaking our original promise to deliver the watches by Christmas. Since we cannot compromise our design principles and since we already have the important parts made (the dial, case, hour symbols, etc), we have no other choice but to wait until Miyota supplies us with enough movement to finish the production. With that said, if you wish to refund your order, please let us know. If you decide to keep it, please accept our sincerest thanks. We appreciate your patience. Looking to pre-order the watch? We hope to deliver within the first quarter of 2020. Payment plans are available. Click here to pre-order. Pre-order now and get a free leather strap (limited supply).
No batteries required. It has a beating heart that is powered by your own. #fraternalties #thetiethatbinds
Tomorrow my adoptive mother Canada turns 152. As a family man and an immigrant (who became a citizen very recently), I am feeling an intense sense of gratitude towards this beautiful country and her citizens. I hope that everyone in my family lives up to the standards set by all good and law-abiding Canadian citizens and serve the country well. As a Freemason, I am feeling very proud to be a member of this Brotherhood (or Gentle Craft, as some Masons endearingly call her) that seem to attract men of respectable character. Us younger Masons will never run out of inspiring men to look up to.
Without further adieu, I present to you part 1 of 24 Famous Canadians You Didn't Know Were Freemasons.
Stick around for parts 2 and 3.
Canadian Freemason Paisley Necktie
Canadian Freemason Strong and Free T-shirt
Last week I became the Worshipful Master-elect of Doric Lodge No. 316 in Toronto (Thornhill to be precise). Our lodge, like many Freemasonry lodges all over the world, is being threatened with the prospect of "going dark".
What does to "go dark" means? Most of the time this simply means that the lodge will take a break from regular monthly meetings. This temporary "dark" period traditionally happens during the summer months to allow the members to harvest their crops.
Enlightenment (aka regular meetings) resume once more at the beginning of fall. In other words, Masonic lodges "going dark" is a transient occasion for the most part. But in some cases it is permanent. Dwindling membership, lack of interest and active participation, financial issues, etc., etc., contribute to the death of a Masonic lodge.
There are ways to prevent this permanent lodge closure from happening. One of them is to amalgamate with another lodge that is also experiencing similar issues. This marriage between two Masonic lodges can become complicated and at times downright frustrating because each lodge have their own culture and traditions and not to mention their own line of officers waiting for their turn to sit on that venerated chair in the East.
We were in talks with amalgamating with Huron-Bruce Lodge No. 611 (Toronto Don Valley district) but unfortunately, that lodge went permanently dark last year. I attended the Extinguishing of Lights Ceremony last December and it was a solemnly sad experience that I will never forget. If things don't turn out well in my term, we will be next to go dark forever.
Besides amalgamation which doesn't always work, how do we prevent Masonic lodges from going dark? Here is a summary of some of the ideas that our learned Brethren from Reddit /r/Freemasonry, Instagram, and Facebook shared with me.
1. Festive Board BEFORE Meeting: A Masonic regular meeting lasts at least a couple of hours or even more special when there's a degree work. Making sure that everyone is well fed before labour is a good way to ensure enjoyment. One lodge swears that doing so doubled the number of people showing up to their meetings!
2. Lodge Website and Social Media: Whether you like it or not social media is here to stay. If you want lodge longevity, the power of social media must be harnessed accordingly. Having an active online presence can attract new members and those looking to affiliate within their area.
3. Social Nights: As the saying goes, "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." Make sure to make time for social events such as ladies night, beer tasting event, axe throwing competition, jam sessions, etc. A happy lodge will live long and prosper.
4. Get Involved in the Community: Donate blood, plant trees, pick up trash, help the elderly with moving heavy stuff, the list goes on. Not only that activities such as these can help attract the right prospects, but it's also good for bolstering the image of Freemasonry.
5. Know the Ritual Work by Heart: This is a no-brainer but many lodges fall short when it comes to this. A lousy ritual work is boring and will not inspire the candidate nor anyone in the room. Improve your ritual delivery and word will travel about how good your lodge is.
The Royal Arch Masonry is the first order a Master Mason joins in the York Rite. The Grand Emblem of Royal Arch Masonry is The Triple Tau.
The Triple Tau symbol is prominent on the design of our Royal Arch Masonry necktie but there are other inspirations from nature that I used in the pattern design such as the honeycomb. Honeycomb with eggs and larvae By Waugsberg (talk · contribs) - Self-photographed, CC BY-SA 3.0,https://
The hexagon is one of the three geometrical figures with equal sides that can fit together on a flat surface without leaving gaps- the other two are the equilateral triangle and the square. The bees instinctively chose this figure perhaps because it's the most stable and most efficient of all shapes.
The Trivium (grammar, logic, and rhetoric) is the lower division of the Seven Liberal Arts and Sciences. The Masonic Trowel is also one of the symbols that you can see in this particular design.
This black-on-blue edition of Royal Arch Freemasons necktie is the 2nd edition in our Royal Arch Masonry necktie series. The first edition is the red-on-black version below (currently sold-out).
We also had a gold-on-red self-tie bowtie version.
As of today June 29th, 2019, we have a limited number of the blue-on-black version. You may purchase it by clicking this link. If in case that it is already sold-out by the time you read this, please make sure that you subscribe to our newsletter (scroll all the way down and sign up) to receive our future offers.
