Masonic Open House on Saturday
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Two significant anniversaries will be celebrated in Tillsonburg on Saturday, June 3, at the Masonic Hall. From 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., a joint open house will be held at 130 Broadway (above Spicer's Bakery) for King Hiram 78 and Ashlar 701, and the community is invited.
"It's the 300th anniversary of modern Masonry (June 24, 1717), and it's 160th anniversary of Masonry in Tillsonburg," said David Palmer, Worshipful Master of King Hiram 78.
"So we're having an open house. All of the lodges around Ontario will be open June 3rd for an Open House, decreed by the Grand Master, just to let people know who we are and what we are. People can see the lodge, and get a bit of an explanation about the bits and pieces that are in there."
Tillsonburg's Masonic Hall, said Palmer who joined King Hiram 78 in 2008, has been renovated in the past 30 years.
"Our lodge is well-liked by visiting Masons. It's one of the larger lodge rooms in the district."
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IF YOU GO
Masonic Open House
Masonic Hall, 130 Broadway
Saturday, June 3
10-2
Light refreshments served.
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Open houses are very rare occasions for the Masons - Ashlar 701 last had an open house in November 2011.
"We don't do open houses that often, if at all," said Palmer, noting they are having a 'Friend-of-Friend' meeting in late September, where a Mason brings in a friend they think might be interested in joining Masonry. "To become a Mason, we don't recruit - you have to ask. There's a license plate that says 'To become one, ask one.'
In the 1950s Masonry in Tillsonburg had grown to the point where another Lodge was required, which became Ashlar 701.
"It's a fraternity," said Palmer, who's father was not a Mason, but both grandfathers were members. "It was seen as sort of a men's social club back in the day when there weren't too many opportunities for guys to get together. You have to be 21, you have to believe in a supreme being. And you have to be a half-decent fellow, there is a 'check' before you're admitted. It's not a club that you join for your own material benefit... it's more about personal improvement. It hasn't changed. Our focus is to help good men make themselves better."
Although membership has dropped in the past 30-40 years, both local lodges are still healthy, while other lodges in the area are merging. Walsingham, Delhi and Norwich, said Palmer, are forming a new lodge to meet in Delhi.
Community Support
Masons in Tillsonburg annually support Camp Trillium, making a donation to the Port Dover area camp for kids with cancer.
"We also support the Masonic Chip Program (MasoniChiP Child Identification Program of Ontario), which is an identification package given to parents, and a CD is created with all of their personal information. If your child was kidnapped, lost, an Amber alert, you could give this package to the police and it would have all sorts of information about the child for helping to find and identify..."
Community fundraising, however, is done by the Shriners.
"All Shriners are Masons - you have to be a Mason before you can be a Shriner. Shriners are basically the fundraising group. You won't see King Hiram 78 out selling tickets to stuff, we're more for improvement of the person. Once you're a Mason, and you want to go out and do more for the community, then you become a Shriner. And all the money from Shriners goes toward the hospital in Montreal - I think there are 22 hospitals in the world."