The first French speaking Lodge in the United States

Masonic 1386

When the Grand Orient of France chartered La Loge Française of Richmond, Virginia, in 1849, it became the first French speaking Lodge in the United States. Later that year on November 1, members of the Grand Lodge of Virginia and St. Johns Lodge #36 met with the brothers of La Loge Française in the first recognition of a “regular” or English Lodge and a “clandestine” or French Rite Lodge to take place in America.

The Blazing Star

Blazing star e897a92bcef903116495f308a8fb2bd35c277f09

there has been very little agreement among our scholars either as to its (the letter ‘G’) origin or to its meaning. Usually, we can hit upon the manner in which a symbol was introduced into the Ritual by studying the records of the early eighteenth century in England, at which time and place the Ritual was cast in its modern form, but such a study cannot help us here because the eighteenth century Masons were themselves confused about the matter

Kipling and the Craft

Image of Rudyard Kipling who wrote thhis Tylers Toast

The need for this further essay was first made apparent to me when—in my capacity as Secretary of the Lodge and Editor of the Transactions—I began to receive inquiries from Brethren as far away as Vancouver and Singapore, asking for materials and information which might help them to complete their own papers on Kipling, and I found, to my surprise, that while our library contains a great deal of relevant material, there has never been a paper on Kipling in our Transactions.

Somerset Antient Mark Masons

Somerset Antient Mark Masons

The Somerset Antient Mark Masons is not a Lodge but a demonstration team of international repute! The team has thirty or so members and is organised by W.Bro Barrie Baker. The team performs a ceremony that predates the formation of The Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons, the demonstrations are enacted in costume and have taken place all over the UK and Europe