‘Time for the final toast at nine’

     
As of today, Craft lodges constituent to the Grand Lodge of New York may resume their activities, of course practicing all precautions to prevent spreading the Chinese Virus. Under the United Grand Lodge of England, lodges also will be free to return to labor, with the necessary safeguards, etc. on Thursday the 16th, and the Brother who launched the popular nine o’clock #TimeToToast custom, when brethren wherever dispersed about the face of the earth raise their glasses to absent brethren when the hands on the clock are on the square, has called for a final toast for that night.

In social media, Bro. Andy, of Warrington Temple Lodge 6420, says:

On March 17, 2020, the United Grand Lodge of England suspended all Masonic activity for a period of four months. From that date I decided to propose a toast to Absent Brethren at nine every evening, until suspension was lifted—121 toasts in total.
All good things need to come to an end and, on July 16, I intend to propose the toast for the final time.
I would like to thank everyone for joining in. It’s been great seeing everyone’s posts each evening. I have made some great Masonic connections during this time, and I would like us to continue chatting, maybe drink a toast once in a while, different Brethren taking the lead.
On the final toast on the 16th, I’d like to do something a little different, open to polite suggestions lol.

Brotherhood Winery

The word “toast” got me thinking. What does it mean? After all, it’s an odd term for the act at hand. When I was in high school, one meaning referred to something I need not get into here. As it turns out, the term in the context of communally raising glasses to drink in honor of a person or thing has origins in the late 1600s, when it somehow became fashionable to flavor wine and other drinks with pieces of spiced toast.

In Freemasonry, it is J.T. Desaguliers, upon becoming grand master in 1719, who revived the practice of Masonic toasting, according to James Anderson’s Constitutions (1738).

Albert Mackey cites this venerable toast:

A Free-Mason’s Health

Here’s a health to our society and to every faithful brother that keeps his oath of secrecy. As we are sworn to love each other, the world knows no Order like this, our noble and ancient Fraternity. Let them wonder at the Mystery. Here, Brother, I drink to thee.
     

‘Time To Toast meet Tea At Three’

     

Courtesy chairish.com

I heard a brother of grand rank got a little wobbly and needed to be helped into a chair at the proposal of this gesture, but it’s for a worthy cause. Thanks to a good brother Mark Mason in Northamptonshire and Huntingdonshire, we have Tea at Three now.

Time to Toast (#TimeToToast) arrives when the hands on the clock form the angle of a square at the nine o’clock hour, and Tea At Three (#TeaAtThree) does likewise at, yes, 3 p.m.—scandalously an hour ahead of conventional tea time—but, again, it’s for the noble and glorious purpose of Masonic solidarity at this time of forced absence.*

Now I’m inspired to announce something for the 9 a.m. hour. Hmmmmm. Yes! Nic at Nine (#NicAtNine). We all shall light our pipes, or whatever is handy, at nine o’clock in the morning. Some suggestions:

Photos courtesy Pipes & Cigars

*There is no truth to the slanderous rumor that Freemasons dial 998 for special responses during emergencies! Just wanted to put that out there.