The Seven Oaks
  Old St. Thomas Church Masonic Windows
  Masonic Membership Card
  What is Freemasonry?
  Early Masonry In St. Thomas
  History of Talbot Lodge No.546

Lodge Night.

1.    He slowly opened the door to his locker.  He hung his police uniform on the hooks and took out his suit.  It was Lodge night.

2.   He watched as the last employee left his business, locked the building and made the evening bank drop.  He then headed off with a whistle on his lips and a spring in his step.  It was Lodge night.

3.  The young man helped his wife clear the table.  He then said good night to his children and snuck into his room to change his clothes.  Upon leaving he smiled at his wife and kissed her.  It was Lodge night.

4.  It had been a hard day.  Navigating through the complexities of the legal system was rewarding work.  It was also tiring.  Normally he would  have been headed home for a relaxing evening.  But tonight was not normal and he felt none of the usual fatigue as tonight was Lodge night.

5.   Life had not been pleasant since his wife died.  His family lived far away and with each passing year it became harder and harder to do the  simple things in life.  And most of all he missed his life long  partner.  Tonight he felt a little less pain and life didn't seem nearly  as bad.  It was Lodge night.

6.     The accident had been terrible.  But there was some consolation that his skills as a doctor had saved a life.  Still it would not be easy and there were possibilities of complications.  But for a while he could  place his worries in the hands of others as tonight was Lodge night.

7.   It is hard looking for work when the job market is scarce.  Each day he faced the nameless horde of people who continue to tell him that he was not needed.  He faced rejection and the possibility of hardship at every turn.  Tonight he knew he was wanted and needed, it was Lodge night.

8.  He sat alone in the small room wearing clothes that were not his.  He had received warm welcomes from a number of men he didn't know and a few he did.  Now with an ancient relic of a bygone age they told him to wait patiently, yet he looked forward to it with anticipation.  It was his first Lodge night.


9.  From all walks of life we come.  We donate our time to an age honoured tradition.  We donate our money to help those who cannot help themselves.  We gather in fellowship and part in peace.  For a while we can lay aside our differences and worries to bask in our shared experiences.  We can talk with men who are our equals, men who work to better themselves.

    Tonight is Lodge night and I am glad I am a Mason.

Author Unknown:

 

 

 

excerpt from a soon to be published Masonic History book:

"THE SEVEN OAKS"

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The group of trees featured on the cover of this book are situated in the West Ave Cemetery in the City of St. Thomas, and are called The Seven Oaks. These oaks mark the location of a Masonic burial plot. They are in a southeasterly direction from the cemetery entrance on West Ave. The plot was purchased in the year 1873 by St. Thomas Lodge No. 44, and the master of the lodge at that time, John Midgley. The deed shows the lot to be No. 65 and to measure 272 superficial feet. The original deed still exists in the possession of the lodge. More recent documents describe the lot as 16 ft. X 16 ft. (256 sq. ft.)

The Masons planted seven acorns in a circle and according to writings of Dr. George T. Kennedy an eighth in the centre. Today there are seven oaks in a circle with an eighth branching off of one of the seven, but there is no evidence of an oak growing in the centre.

There are supposedly two Masons buried in this plot, and although the records are sketchy, one could have been Bro. Wm. Martin who was interred according to Masonic Ritual, April 29, 1874. The brethren of Lodge No. 44 called a meeting on this date for the specific purpose of marching to the residence of the deceased and then following the remains to the cemetery with John Midgley being the Worshipful Master. Records show that on June 4, 1874 the expenses were paid by Lodge No. 44 for the digging of a grave and for a coffin for Bro. William Martin.

In order that this lot would always be available, and to relieve Lodge No. 44 from the burden of its upkeep, Dr. George T. Kennedy paid to place this Masonic lot in "perpetual care", on January 7, 1965,

W.Bro. Dean Paddon                    

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excerpt from a soon to be published Masonic History book:

OLD ST. THOMAS CHURCH
MASONIC WINDOWS

The beautiful stained glass windows at the south end of the church, behind the altar, are richly endowed with Masonic symbolism. The three lodges, St. Thomas No. 44, St. David’s No. 302, and Talbot No. 546 dedicated these windows on June 21, 1931.

The inscription at the bottom of the windows reads:

"TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN HONOURED MEMORY OF THE PIONEER MASONS OF TALBOT SETTLEMENT. ERECTED 1931
ST. THOMAS LODGE 44, ST. DAVID'S 302, TALBOT 546"

These windows are admired by the many visitors to the church and they are kept in repair today by the efforts of the three lodges mentioned above.

W.Bro. Dean Paddon             

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MASONIC MEMBERSHIP CARD

I hold in my hand a little scrap of paper 2 1/4 X3 1/2 inches in size.  It is of no intrinsic worth.  It is not a bond, or a check, or a receipt for valuables, yet it is my most priceless possession.  It is my membership card in a Masonic Lodge.

It tells me that I have entered into a spiritual kinship with my fellow Masons to practice charity in word and deed; to forgive and forget the faults of my brethren; to hush the tongues of scandal and innuendo; to care for the crippled, the hungry, the sick, and to be fair and just to all mankind.

It tells me that my loved ones, my home, and my household are under the protection of this great fraternity, who have sworn to protect and defend mine, as I have sworn to protect and defend  theirs.

It tells me that should I ever be overtaken by adversity and misfortune through no fault of my own, the hands of every Mason on the face of the earth will be stretched forth to assist me in my necessities.

And finally it tells me that my final exit from the stage of life has been made, there will gather around my lifeless body friends and brothers who will recall to mind my virtues, though they may be few, and will forget my faults, though they may be many.

It tells me that and a great deal more, this little card, and makes me proud, yet humble, that I possess this passport into a society of friends and brothers that are numbered in the millions.

Author Unknown

Submitted by Rimas Miknev

 

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What is Freemasonry?

    This is not an unusual question.  When someone sees the ring on my finger or the emblem on my car, people often think that I am a Shriner and ask if I wear a funny hat and go in parades.  When I answer "No, I am a Mason." I often get a funny look in response.  Masonry (Freemasonry) has been considered a secret society for so long that not many non-members understand what Masonry is.  Masons are members of the largest and oldest fraternity in the world.  Almost everyone has a father or grandfather or an uncle who is a Mason but many people aren't quite sure who Masons are.

    Masonry is the oldest fraternity in the world but no one know just how old it truly is because the actual origins have been lost in time.  Probably, Masonry got its beginnings from the guilds of stonemasons who built the castles and cathedrals of the middle ages.  Possibly, they were influenced by the Knights Templar, a group of Christian warrior monks formed in 1118 to help protect pilgrims making trips to the Holy Land.

    Masonry as we know it began in the year 1717.  Four lodges in London, England constituted themselves into a grand lodge which, eventually grew into the Grand Lodge of England and was commonly referred to as the "Moderns".  About the year 1725, the Grand Lodge of Ireland was formed followed by the Grand Lodge of Scotland in 1736.  In the year 1751, a rival Grand Lodge of England was formed, the "Ancients".  Eventually, the "Moderns" and the "Ancients" banded together to form what is now known as the Grand Lodge of England.  This change came about while the Grand Masters of the two Grand Lodges were both members of the Royal Family.  These four Lodges are responsible for the spreading of Freemasonry over the whole of the habitable earth.    

 Why is Masonry so "secretive"?   

    Masonry really isn't secretive, although it is often referred to as "the Secret Society".  Masons don't generally make a secret of the fact that they belong to the fraternity.  Often we wear Masonic rings, lapel pins, or tie clasps and it is common to see vehicles with Masonic emblems or license plates.  Masonic buildings are clearly marked, and many lodge activities are posted in newspapers and on the internet.

Is Masonry a religion?

No.  Masonry is not a religion.  We may refer to our buildings as "temples" but we do not tell members what religion they must follow.  Actually, politics and religion are not to be discussed inside a Masonic Lodge.

How do I become a Mason?

The most simple way to answer that question is to say...

...TO BE ONE, ASK ONE

It is against our rules to ask someone to become a Mason, a father isn't even suppose to ask his own son to join the fraternity.  We can talk to friends about Masonry.  We can tell them about what Masonry does. We can tell them why we enjoy it, but we cannot ask, much less pressure, anyone to join.  

    If a man is interested in becoming a Mason, he must ask a Mason for a petition or application.  He fills it out and returns it to the Mason, and that Mason takes it to the Lodge.  The Master of the Lodge will appoint a committee to visit with the man and his family, find out a little about him and why he wants to be a Mason, tell him and his family about Masonry, and answer their questions.  The committee reports to the Lodge, and the Lodge votes on the petition.  If the vote is favourable, the Lodge will contact the man to set  the date for his First Degree.

 

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EARLY MASONRY IN ST. THOMAS

On August 12th. 1818, Daniel Rapelje, who was the owner
of Lot No.1 in the 8th. concession of Yarmouth, granted
thirty-six square rods of land on Talbot Street, now
known as No. 92 Talbot Street, to Mahlon Burwell, W.M.,
Gillman Willson, S.W.; and Joseph DeFields, J.W., of
St. Thomas Lodge, No.30, and their successors in office
in said Lodge, for their use.

Lodge No. 30 at St. Thomas was the last Lodge warranted
by the Niagara of Schismatic Grand Lodge, of which there
are no records.

The only available records show that this Lodge must
have been instituted between the 25th. October, 1817,
and the 12th. of August, 1818. The meeting held on
Thursday, November 25th., 1819, shows that some thirteen
meetings were held from November 5th, 1818, to July 6th.
1822.

The fees were ten shillings for initiation, fifteen
shillings for passing, and fifteen shillings for
raisings.

Nothing more is known of this Lodge, after the
reorganization of the Craft in 1822, and from that date
until 1853, when the charter was granted to what is
now St. Thomas Lodge No.44. Masonry in this district was
represented, at least a portion of the time, by
Middlesex Lodge, No.211, at Port Stanley, and St. John's
Lodge, No. 209, at London.

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HISTORY OF TALBOT LODGE No.546

     Because of the post war boom in Masonry, it was recommended by St. Thomas Lodge No. 44 that a new Lodge be formed. Talbot Lodge No. 546 was instituted on January 23, 1919. Talbot Lodge was not only welcomed by St. Thomas Lodge No. 44 and St. David's Lodge No. 302, but it owes its very existence to them. St. Thomas Lodge No. 44 even went so far as to allow the use of their old regalia to the newly formed Lodge.

    Our first Master was Worshipful Brother Jas. Ryckman, Past Master of No. 44. The officers that came to the newly formed lodge were not only from #44 and #302, but they were affiliated P.M.'s from a wide cross sections of lodges.

    The first officers of the lodge came from different walks of life but there was one occupation that dominated. There was a CPR operator, a physician, contractor, minister, accountant, insurance agent, miller, NYC blacksmith foreman, NYC timekeeper, NYC shop man, NYC boiler foreman, NYC welder and a NYC superintendent. I think that it is clear to see why Talbot Lodge became known as the "Railway Lodge".

     This is just a small part of the history of Talbot Lodge. I hope that this brief history will encourage some of my Brothers to supply me with more information about our Lodge. It is my intention to change the content of this page from time to time. I hope I can provide some interesting reading for the members of #546, and also for anyone else who might visit this page.

     The information on this page was put together from a speech written by Right Worshipful Brother Clarence H. Roberts and given at our 50th anniversary in 1969.

Dean Paddon
Email: dpaddon@wwdc.com

     The St. Thomas District is producing a comprehensive book on the history of all the lodges and affiliated bodies for introduction in October 2000. I hope that all viewers of this page will be interested in obtaining this history of the St. Thomas Masonic District. As more information about this publication is made available, I will publish it on this page.

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