It seems there’s a flurry of snow in Portland every February. Some of us look forward to it, and affectionately think of it as “second winter”. Following a snowy Monday, and just before another bout of the white stuff the coming Friday (we really don’t know what snow is here in Portland) the Brethren of Friendship Masonic Lodge celebrated ancient craft Masonry in good style and company.
In a dark, cold season the second Stated Meeting of Friendship Masonic Lodge was a uniquely bright event!
Our evening began like most others
By 6:00 we saw the officers and regular brothers enjoying some casual mingling. Our Junior Deacon (Brother Quinn Haase) was there early, joined by his wife and son, and playing the piano when I walked in. At 6:30 Brother Junior Warden Jaimes rang us to attention. After which Brother Eric Pease introduced yet another show-stopping supper.
Working all afternoon on site, our Brother prepared us a fabulous February meal. On the menu was chicken cordon bleu with a delicate white wine cream sauce, roasted root vegetables, baked bacon and cheese pasta, and his signature dinner rolls.
More than adequately fuled and encouraged, the Brethren and their guests enjoyed an hour of dining with friends, family and brothers – catching up, telling stories and jokes, and getting to know our newest guests – before stepping into the Lodge for a truly rarified night.
Masonic Honors
“A Masonic trial this early in the year is a really bad sign”
said WB Lee to those around him when the Worshipful Master called for him to be presented at the altar (there was some scattered chortling in response) But rather than call WB Walter on the carpet for some (imagined) infraction, The Worshipful Master met our Immediate Past Master and presented him with a gift from the Lodge – a custom hand-painted Past Master’s apron from The Craftsman’s Apron.
Worshipful Brother Chase added a bit of ceremony to the affair by calling in the support of the Senior Warden, these brothers having served as Senior and Junior Warden (respectively) with WB Lee in 2018.
Each offered some words of appreciation and praise for WB Lee, noting what good they’d learned from him. As our Past Master became full of emotion Worshipful Brothers Lee and Chase shared a hug to applause from the Lodge.
Three brothers were presented with the Master’s challenge coin for helping another Lodge
WB Leonnig, and Brothers Miller-Conley and Haase each gave their efforts in raising a brother to the sublime degree of Master Mason at Waverly Lodge No. 174 in January.
Though charity is its own reward for everyone (but especially Masons), these Brothers were certainly delighted to have their efforts recognized by the Worshipful Master and Brethren of Friendship Masonic Lodge.
Masons Hard at Work in Portland
The Worshipful Master introduced the second of his four projects for 2019
In January, WB Chase briefed the Lodge and the entire jurisdiction of Oregon on his 2019 Master’s Challenge. In February the Brethren of Friendship Masonic Lodge were updated on an eagerly awaited project – a Lodge production of the Masonic play, After the Storm. You can read more about the project here.
Light After the Coming Light: Insights from the Entered Apprentice Degree
Our Masonic Education
for the evening came from our Bro. SW Kent Smith, who had already presented two original works of Masonic research to the Lodge in previous years, and delighted us with a new piece. Having had a good deal of lectures for Master Masons only in 2018, Brother Smith chose to focus on the question of why American lodges are dedicated to the Saints John, whereas English lodges are dedicated to King Solomon, and what this peculiarly American fixture can serve to teach us about the Craft at home and abroad, as well as the lessons we are taught as Freemasons.
Time for Friends and Fellows
We had the pleasure of hosting four gentlemen who have at various times in the last several months reached out to Friendship and its members to learn more about Freemasonry. As they were not able to participate in the meeting they did wait behind in the library, chatting with our Tyler, and stayed behind for our customary hour of focus conversation – debriefing the question of just how one manages to keep their passions within due bounds, and (to the best of our ability in mixed company) how this related to the lessons taught in our fraternity and experienced in our own Masonic journeys.
