‘Étoile Polaire memorial for Chip Borne’

    

Étoile Polaire Lodge 1 in New Orleans will host a memorial to the lamented Chip Borne in three weeks. This graphic has all the info.

This reminds me I visited this historic lodge more than two years ago, but still haven’t told you about it. I’ll fix that over the weekend.

     

‘Louisiana lodge meets at last’

    

As reported here a year and a half ago, Louisiana Lodge of Research is reviving. In fact, it just hosted its Spring Banquet last night, described on social media as the lodge’s “first in-person meeting in many years.”

LLR

John D. Honey

I’ll describe the little of it I’ve read to give other research lodges an idea, because many research lodges meet Saturday mornings, which may not be optimal timing, especially for those with young families. (I’m not sure Saturday night is the best time either. Check with the wife well in advance!) But about a dozen of the brethren gathered in a private room at Jubans Restaurant and Bar in Baton Rouge for dinner and a presentation by Bro. John Honey titled “The Role of the Beehive in Masonic Symbolism.”

Honey. Beehive. Beehive. Honey.

And this was not the lodge communication. Their website says there had been a business meeting on April 12 via Zoom, so last night’s affair looks like steaks with Masonic conversation in a great looking restaurant. (i.e., no ritual, no regalia, no business. Perfect.)

Again, just throwing that out there as a possible alternative in the functionality of research lodges.

The brethren dedicated the occasion in honor of MW Chip Borne, who died last Thursday at age 82, posthumously electing him a Fellow of the lodge. Borne served as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge in 2006-07; and as Master of the research lodge from 2011 to 2023. I did not know him, but became acquainted long distance about a decade or so ago when he served as a vice president of the Masonic Society for a while. He certainly seems to have been true to this lodge, as his byline appears very frequently in its books of transactions, right up to last year’s.

Look for the lodge on Substack, where it publishes papers. Click here to join the lodge.

If Louisiana Lodge of Research is meeting and publishing, then it’s getting the job done. They’ll do it again this autumn. Best wishes to the brethren! Maybe I’ll be able to visit one day night.