‘September 14: How to Serve as Lodge Historian’

     
The Magpie Mason closes the month of August with news of events in two weeks. On Saturday, September 14, I will attend the meetings of both my research lodge and my AMD council to present “How to Serve as Lodge Historian.”

This is not something I have written myself, but is useful information I found in an early 20th century Grand Lodge of California book of proceedings. Actually, the original source of this item is an older Grand Lodge of Texas book of proceedings, but I haven’t been able to put my hands on that yet. I never have served as a lodge historian, so this opened my eyes to a few things. Anyway, I also will publish this here on the Magpie in two weeks.

New Jersey Lodge of Masonic Research and Education 1786 meets on the second Saturdays of March, June, September, and December at Hightstown-Apollo Lodge 41 (535 North Main Street) in Hightstown. Lodge opens at 9:30 a.m. Master Masons. Attire: suit and tie with regalia (the host lodge supplies aprons in case you don’t have yours). Breakfast and lunch will be served.

On the agenda for our next meeting:

“A Masonic View of Benedict Arnold” by Frank Conway. I haven’t met Frank yet. He is the author of this book.

“How to Serve as Lodge Historian,” as described above.

At eight o’clock that night, J. William Gronning Council 83 of Allied Masonic Degrees will meet in that same lodge room for its quarterly meeting. I do not have the information on the presentations then except for my own, as described above. AMD brethren only. Suit and tie with your regalia. (And preferably, your own suit and tie too!)

In other research lodge news, W. Bro. Jeriel Smith will be among the speakers at the Esoteric-Con next Saturday at San Pedro, California, presenting “The Tarot and Freemasonry.” Definitely interests me, but that’s beyond my customary orbit. Tickets to this Esoteric-Con—they seem to be springing up all over the country these days—can be had, at only $12 each, here, at Keepers of the Word.

Smith is Worshipful Master of Southern California Research Lodge (not to be confused with Northern California Research Lodge), and serves on the editorial board of its wonderful periodical Fraternal Review. SCRL will have a booth at Esoteric-Con where you may purchase its annual books of transactions and copies of the magazine.

SCRL’s next meeting will be Monday, October 21, for its election of officers, at South Pasadena Lodge 290 in South Pasadena.

Closer to home, but still beyond my cabletow, is Civil War Lodge of Research 1865, which will meet Saturday, September 28 (note: NOT the usual first Saturday of October) at Day Lodge 58 in St. Louisa, Virginia. From the publicity:

After our normal business meeting, we will move to the dining room where Worshipful Gregory Hasaflook will give a presentation on Civil War-era carbines. That will be followed by lunch, and then we will tour the Trevilian Station Battlefields. This will be conducted by Worshipful Ed Crebbs. Both of these brothers are members of both CWLR and Day Lodge, and both are experts in Civil War history, particularly that of the local area.

The Battle of Trevilian Station was fought for control of the Virginia Central Railroad and happened over two days in June 1864.

The lodge shares a building with Louisa United Methodist Church. This is a wonderful history that started when the building was constructed in the mid 1800s. It is a beautiful building in its meeting/dining hall, its church sanctuary, and its Masonic lodge room.