Difference between revisions of "GateTemple"

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Soon after the Masonic ceremonies were concluded, the Grand Lodge met the Brethren in a spacious apartment, in the same building, where a sumptuous entertainment was spread, at which Br. Barker, Master of Gate of the Temple Lodge, presided in a very courteous and acceptable manner. Many speeches, sentiments, and anecdotes, both witty and historical were elicited, and which were enjoyed by those present without causing, them to transgress on late hours.
 
Soon after the Masonic ceremonies were concluded, the Grand Lodge met the Brethren in a spacious apartment, in the same building, where a sumptuous entertainment was spread, at which Br. Barker, Master of Gate of the Temple Lodge, presided in a very courteous and acceptable manner. Many speeches, sentiments, and anecdotes, both witty and historical were elicited, and which were enjoyed by those present without causing, them to transgress on late hours.
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===== GRAND MASTER [http://www.masonicgenealogy.com/MediaWiki/index.php?title=GMLewis LEWIS]' CHARGE =====
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''From Moore's Freemason's Monthly, Vol. XV, No. 10, August 1856, Page 311:''
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Since the commencement of the present year — and the year is still now in its infancy — five Lodges have been consecrated to Masonry, and all but one embraced in the 1st District, which numbers twenty-two Lodges, all in a most flourishing condition. Here the "Gate of the Temple" has opened its portals of fair proportions and good design. It has presented itself for inspection and approval, and approval has followed inspection; all has been found duly and truly prepared. The officers worthy, and now qualified for action. The posts all manned, awaiting the approach and entrance of the many who desire to behold the interior excellence of the fabric, and to share its hospitable protection, its benign influences. They throng these gates, stimulated by the odor of a public opinion now enthusiastic and cheering; they rush for entrance in crowds, and the Temple might be easily filled from the base to the apex, if the visitors are not rigidly scrutinized, and a wary selection effected.   
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How shall this be done?  What should be the discriminating ordeal; what the passport of admission? Is it sufficient that the applicant is not dishonest, and that he has not committed any overt act of moral delinquency, and that nought can be urged against him? Surely not. Such a recommendation is too passive altogether. It should not be urged what of evil he has not, but what of good he has done. Is he active in the characteristics of excellence? Does his light so shine towards his fellow-men, that they see, know and feel its cheering power? Is his heart in the right place? Is his hand open as day to melting charity? Are his social affections warm, and do his pulses beat with the impulses of humanity and brotherly love, and, as a man, does he feel for and assist his poor suffering brother? If he is not all this, he lacks that which is needful, and the Gate of a hallowed Temple should be barred to his entrance. Such, occupy space but add no beauty to its interior; they increase its weight but not its solidity.
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These are the requirements from the heart, the feelings, the morale of the applicant; but these are not all. Some regard should be paid to the head, to the brain, to the intellect; some also lo the intelligence and mental capacity of the inquirer for light. The Constitutions of England are explicit on this subject. They distinctly require that "He should be a lover of the liberal arts and sciences, and have made some progress in one or either of them." The teachings of Freemasonry are founded on the assumption that the recipients are men of some education, with the means and with the aspirations for more light. A virtuous education is enforced on every neophyte in the first degree. The liberal arts and sciences largely commented on, in the second, and in the third, the 47th Problem of Euclid is especially alluded to as expounding the value of exact science, and the cultivation of the mind. The lectures are full of illustrations, metaphors and allusions, which to the ignorant would be incomprehensible and valueless. With such, words are but mere sounds, not suggestive ideas; unintelligible verbiage, heard by the ears, not absorbed by the understanding. As individuals, how great would be deemed the sacrifice to kill an hour with such a Boeotian? Shall we then in our associated capacity, be contented to introduce to our light, the eye that sees not, the ear that hears not, the mind that conceives not?
 +
 +
There are, moreover, other requirements, which are especially necessary to preserve the harmony which should ever attach to our peaceful, fraternal association. Among these are a courteous, amiable disposition; free from acrimony and causticity; temperance in discussion; caution in the imputation of wrong intentions; in short, never departing from the sphere of the gentleman and the Brother. He who has not his passions in due subjection here, may be a firebrand in your Temple, inflaming and destroying your sacred edifice by the unhallowed torch of uncontrolled and devastating passion. To such a one, a fool is preferable, for there is no general suffering from his stupidity, while the first may point a shaft of poisoned words to wound the whole of your numbers.
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 +
Such are some of the requirements from those who come to share in the privileges of Freemasonry. Desecrate not the Temple of your fathers by the admission of the unworthy, or the unavailable. Let each and every one bring something to add to its excellence, and increase its splendor. He who enters here becomes a joint possessor of the best of property, and the premium to be advanced by him should be of proportionate value; and the best of securities should be pledged, the collateral of an untarnished reputation, of a useful, life, of a warm heart, of a gentle and courteous deportment, of a cultivated mind, and of an unwavering truth. Thus funded, it cannot depreciate. With such pillars, the edifice will be well supported, arid the superstructure rise to the highest altitude. Looking through the loop-holes of caution at every one who approaches, welcome the good and the true with open gate, but shut down the bar of distrust to those whose passports are not signed by the best of endorsements. Thus guarded, may yours be that gate by which many may pass to the enjoyment of the blessings vouchsafed to the Sons of Latomia.
  
 
=== GRAND LODGE OFFICERS ===
 
=== GRAND LODGE OFFICERS ===

Revision as of 17:52, 16 July 2013

GATE OF THE TEMPLE LODGE

Location: South Boston; Boston (1949); Quincy (1964); Stoughton (1981).

Chartered By: Winslow Lewis

Charter Date: 03/13/1856 VI-7

Precedence Date: 03/15/1855

Current Status: In Grand Lodge vault; merged with Rising Star Lodge, 10/11/2012.

PAST MASTERS

  • Joseph H. Clinch, 1855
  • Richard M. Barker, 1856, 1857
  • Joseph W. Howard, 1858, 1859
  • Stephen W. Goodhue, 1860
  • Edwin Tilden, 1861
  • Benjamin Pope, 1862-1864; SN
  • Benjamin T. Wells, 1865-1867
  • Harry Drake, 1868
  • Joseph W. Tapley, 1869, 1870
  • Samuel Evans, 1871
  • Thomas H. Harding, 1872, 1873
  • Theodore L. Kelley, 1874, 1875
  • William H. Ruddick, 1876, 1877
  • Alban S. Green, 1878, 1879
  • Joseph R. Grose, 1880, 1881
  • Samuel M. Bedlington, 1882, 1883
  • Charles H. Porter, 1884-1886
  • Charles H. Kimball, 1887, 1888
  • John Kinnear, 1889, 1890
  • James A. Cook, 1891, 1892
  • Emerson H. Nye, 1893, 1894
  • William H. Stevenson, 1895, 1896
  • Bertram D. Amsden, 1897, 1898
  • Joseph G. Allen, 1899, 1900
  • Fred C. Garvin, 1901, 1902; SN
  • Robert E. Harrison, 1903, 1904
  • Charles F. Hamburger, 1905, 1906
  • John Halbritter, 1907, 1908
  • Olaf Olsen, 1909
  • Frank H. Sweetland, 1910
  • George L Cook, 1911, 1912
  • C. Summer Emerson, 1913, 1914
  • Theodore L. Kelley, Jr., 1915
  • Harry H. Ham, 1916
  • Edward M. Hagarty, 1917
  • Guy Andrews Ham, 1918
  • J. Collie Freeman, 1919
  • Frank R. Keith, 1920
  • Alexander Campbell, 1921
  • Amasa W. Bosworth, 1922
  • Bryon S. Jackson, 1923
  • George A. Weeks, 1924
  • Austlin Bryant, 1925
  • Frank L. Cushing, 1926
  • M. Winslow Haynes, 1927
  • George E. B. Paul, 1928
  • Robert T. Young, 1929
  • Henry J. Foster, 1930
  • Benjamin L. Walker, 1931
  • Otis W. Amsden, 1932
  • Harry O. Baker, 1933
  • Roland Paul, 1934
  • Ralph S. Bell, 1935-6
  • Archibald Dresser, 1937, 1938; N
  • Willis Dresser, 1939
  • Charles S. Strong, 1940
  • Allen Campbell, 1941
  • Guy P. Newcomb, 1942
  • Alfred Whitehead, 1943
  • Merle D. Rider, 1944
  • C. Robert Fraser, 1945
  • James Otis Lawrence, 1946
  • George T. R. Hassell, 1947
  • John W. MacLean, 1948
  • David J. A. McKinnell, 1949
  • George Heath Ellis, 1950
  • John Reid, 1951; N
  • Michael deV. Hassel, 1952
  • Ralph G. Pannington, 1953
  • Carlton S. Fisk, 1954
  • Vernon Myers, 1955
  • Rhey A. Wheelock, 1956
  • Rayman S. Jewell, 1957
  • Eric W. Hanson, 1958
  • Eric E. Julian, 1959
  • John E. Smith, 1960
  • Neil J. Rockwell, 1961
  • Andrew J. Musgrove, 1962
  • Roland J. Kinsman, 1963
  • Michael p. Sargavakian, 1964
  • James V. Mack, 1965
  • Armenog J. David, 1966, 1992-1994; PDDGM
  • Charles E. Hall, 1967, 1977
  • George H. Cutlip, 1968
  • Arthur J. H. Lucas, 1969; PDDGM
  • Edward G. Cluett, 1970
  • George Wyshak, 1971
  • George R. Bezreh, 1972
  • William L. Hall, 1973
  • Sarkis M. Sarkisian, 1974
  • Frank R. Porter, 1975, 1980, 1991, 1997, 2002, 2003, 2005; PDDGM
  • Peter T. Lucas, 1976
  • Robert S. Cluett, 1978, 1988
  • James R. Young, 1979
  • Stephen F. McDonough, 1981, 1985; PDDGM
  • John J. Cobb, 1982
  • Sarkis Simon, 1983
  • Michael S. Markarian, 1984
  • George A. Dwelly, 1986
  • James S. Parker, 1987
  • Peter H. Rupp, 1989
  • Avard C. O'Brien, 1990
  • Richard J. Musgrove, 1995, 1996
  • Renzo L. Bardetti, 1998, 1999
  • Gordon R. Earle, 2000, 2001, 2004
  • Lawrence VanLeer, 2006-2008
  • Krikor E. Kolandjian, 2009
  • Stanley S. Marshall, 2010-2012

REFERENCES IN GRAND LODGE PROCEEDINGS

  • Petition for Dispensation: 1855
  • Petition for Charter: 1856
  • Consolidation Petition (with Rising Star Lodge): 2012 from 2012 Proceedings

ANNIVERSARIES

  • 1905 (50th Anniversary)
  • 1930 (75th Anniversary)
  • 1955 (Centenary)
  • 1980 (125th Anniversary)
  • 2005 (150th Anniversary)

VISITS BY GRAND MASTER

BY-LAW CHANGES

1870 1871 1875 1879 1890 1896 1905 1907 1911 1914 1916 1921 1925 1926 1946 1947 1953 1957 1962 1972 1973 1975 1982 1987 1994

HISTORY

  • 1930 (75th Anniversary History, 1930-193)
  • 1955 (Centenary History, 1955-90)
  • 1980 (History 1955-1980, 1980-46)

OTHER

  • 1865 (Permission to remove to Boston; refused, VII-22)
  • 1870 (Arrangement to permit Rabboni Lodge to be chartered, 1870-68)
  • 1918 (Appeal against Master's ruling; 1918-123)
  • 1941 (Reduction of fees declined, 1941-215)
  • 1949 (Jurisdictional amendment to charter, 1949-143)
  • 1964 (Petition to remove to Quincy granted, 1964-177)
  • 1981 (Petition to remove to Stoughton granted, 1981-105)

EVENTS

CONSTITUTION OF LODGE, MARCH 1856

From Moore's Freemason's Monthly, Vol. XV, No. 7, May 1856, Page 216:

On the evening of the 31st of March last, Gate of the Temple Lodge, which was chartered by the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts at their last quarterly communication, was duly consecrated, at South Boston. The ceremonies were performed by M. W. Grand Master Winslow Lewis, and the installation service at his request was very handsomely conducted by Dr. A. T. Low, our excellent Deputy G. Master — an officer, who, whatever he undertakes, always does well.

The Grand Lodge on this occasion was organized by nearly all its regular officers, and there was a numerous assemblage of Brethren, as we understand invitations were given to all the Masters and Wardens of the Boston Lodges. The Hall where we met is spacious, neatly fitted up and does credit to our Brethren in that flourishing section of the city. The Address of the Grand Master was concise, admonitory, and just what the times require, when Freemasonry is in the full and apparently, overflowing tide of prosperity ; for great floods, as well as neap tides are sources of anxiety, no less in the Masonic, than in the commercial world. May his excellent and warning advice be followed.

The officers installed were Richard M. Barker, W. M,; Joseph W. Howard, S. W.; Samuel R. Spinney, J. W. ; James T. G. Baxter, Trea.; George H. Bartlett, Sec.

Soon after the Masonic ceremonies were concluded, the Grand Lodge met the Brethren in a spacious apartment, in the same building, where a sumptuous entertainment was spread, at which Br. Barker, Master of Gate of the Temple Lodge, presided in a very courteous and acceptable manner. Many speeches, sentiments, and anecdotes, both witty and historical were elicited, and which were enjoyed by those present without causing, them to transgress on late hours.

GRAND MASTER LEWIS' CHARGE

From Moore's Freemason's Monthly, Vol. XV, No. 10, August 1856, Page 311:

Since the commencement of the present year — and the year is still now in its infancy — five Lodges have been consecrated to Masonry, and all but one embraced in the 1st District, which numbers twenty-two Lodges, all in a most flourishing condition. Here the "Gate of the Temple" has opened its portals of fair proportions and good design. It has presented itself for inspection and approval, and approval has followed inspection; all has been found duly and truly prepared. The officers worthy, and now qualified for action. The posts all manned, awaiting the approach and entrance of the many who desire to behold the interior excellence of the fabric, and to share its hospitable protection, its benign influences. They throng these gates, stimulated by the odor of a public opinion now enthusiastic and cheering; they rush for entrance in crowds, and the Temple might be easily filled from the base to the apex, if the visitors are not rigidly scrutinized, and a wary selection effected.

How shall this be done? What should be the discriminating ordeal; what the passport of admission? Is it sufficient that the applicant is not dishonest, and that he has not committed any overt act of moral delinquency, and that nought can be urged against him? Surely not. Such a recommendation is too passive altogether. It should not be urged what of evil he has not, but what of good he has done. Is he active in the characteristics of excellence? Does his light so shine towards his fellow-men, that they see, know and feel its cheering power? Is his heart in the right place? Is his hand open as day to melting charity? Are his social affections warm, and do his pulses beat with the impulses of humanity and brotherly love, and, as a man, does he feel for and assist his poor suffering brother? If he is not all this, he lacks that which is needful, and the Gate of a hallowed Temple should be barred to his entrance. Such, occupy space but add no beauty to its interior; they increase its weight but not its solidity.

These are the requirements from the heart, the feelings, the morale of the applicant; but these are not all. Some regard should be paid to the head, to the brain, to the intellect; some also lo the intelligence and mental capacity of the inquirer for light. The Constitutions of England are explicit on this subject. They distinctly require that "He should be a lover of the liberal arts and sciences, and have made some progress in one or either of them." The teachings of Freemasonry are founded on the assumption that the recipients are men of some education, with the means and with the aspirations for more light. A virtuous education is enforced on every neophyte in the first degree. The liberal arts and sciences largely commented on, in the second, and in the third, the 47th Problem of Euclid is especially alluded to as expounding the value of exact science, and the cultivation of the mind. The lectures are full of illustrations, metaphors and allusions, which to the ignorant would be incomprehensible and valueless. With such, words are but mere sounds, not suggestive ideas; unintelligible verbiage, heard by the ears, not absorbed by the understanding. As individuals, how great would be deemed the sacrifice to kill an hour with such a Boeotian? Shall we then in our associated capacity, be contented to introduce to our light, the eye that sees not, the ear that hears not, the mind that conceives not?

There are, moreover, other requirements, which are especially necessary to preserve the harmony which should ever attach to our peaceful, fraternal association. Among these are a courteous, amiable disposition; free from acrimony and causticity; temperance in discussion; caution in the imputation of wrong intentions; in short, never departing from the sphere of the gentleman and the Brother. He who has not his passions in due subjection here, may be a firebrand in your Temple, inflaming and destroying your sacred edifice by the unhallowed torch of uncontrolled and devastating passion. To such a one, a fool is preferable, for there is no general suffering from his stupidity, while the first may point a shaft of poisoned words to wound the whole of your numbers.

Such are some of the requirements from those who come to share in the privileges of Freemasonry. Desecrate not the Temple of your fathers by the admission of the unworthy, or the unavailable. Let each and every one bring something to add to its excellence, and increase its splendor. He who enters here becomes a joint possessor of the best of property, and the premium to be advanced by him should be of proportionate value; and the best of securities should be pledged, the collateral of an untarnished reputation, of a useful, life, of a warm heart, of a gentle and courteous deportment, of a cultivated mind, and of an unwavering truth. Thus funded, it cannot depreciate. With such pillars, the edifice will be well supported, arid the superstructure rise to the highest altitude. Looking through the loop-holes of caution at every one who approaches, welcome the good and the true with open gate, but shut down the bar of distrust to those whose passports are not signed by the best of endorsements. Thus guarded, may yours be that gate by which many may pass to the enjoyment of the blessings vouchsafed to the Sons of Latomia.

GRAND LODGE OFFICERS

DISTRICTS

1855: District 12

1867: District 3 (Boston Highlands)

1883: District 4 (South Boston)

1911: District 4 (South Boston)

1927: District 4 (Dorchester)

1995: District 4 (Boston)

2003: District 7

LINKS

Lodge Web Site

Massachusetts Lodges

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