JosephWarren

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JOSEPH WARREN LODGE

Location: Boston

Chartered By: John T. Heard

Charter Date: 09/10/1857 VI-123

Precedence Date: 09/23/1856

Current Status: merged with Soley Lodge to form Joseph Warren-Soley Lodge, 01/25/1983.


PAST MASTERS

  • Caleb Rand, 1856, 1857, 1859, 1860
  • William E. Graves, 1858
  • Ivory H. Pope, 1861, 1862, 1863
  • J. Francis Lotts, 1864, 1865
  • Charles M. Avery, 1866, 1867
  • Zeph H. Thomas, 1868, 1869
  • Daniel W. Lawrence, 1870, 1871
  • Nathaniel Greene, 1872, 1873; SN
  • Asa Wellington, 1874, 1875
  • Albert Babbitt, 1876, 1877
  • James M. Gleason, 1878, 1879
  • Leonard B. Nichols, 1880, 1881
  • Leonard M. Averill, 1882, 1883
  • Eugene A. Holton, 1884, 1885
  • Eugene H. Richards, 1886, 1887
  • Freeman S. Atkins, 1888, 1889
  • Otis S. Neale, 1890, 1891
  • William F. Butler, 1892, 1893
  • William B. Robinson, 1894
  • Edward L. Baker, 1895, 1896
  • Charles Frank Day, 1897, 1898; Memorial
  • Frederick C. Graves, 1899, 1900
  • Albion B. Crocker, 1901, 1902
  • Joseph S. Parker, 1903, 1904
  • Arthur W. Burke, 1905, 1906
  • Charles G. Cutter, 1907, 1908
  • Myron Faunce, 1909, 1910
  • William F. Johnson, 1911, 1912
  • John F. Feehan, 1913, 1914
  • Francis M. Ryder, 1915
  • Rinaldo B. Richardson, 1916
  • Joseph P. Arnold, 1917, 1918
  • Arthur Watson, 1919, 1920
  • Charles J. Diman, 1921
  • Frank S. Jones, 1922, 1923; N
  • Frederick H. Briggs, 1924, 1925
  • L. Curtis Turner, 1926, 1927
  • Phillip B. Bradbury, 1928
  • Joseph R. Coolidge, 1929
  • Kenneth F. Antoine, 1930; N
  • George E. Finlay, 1931
  • Horace Guild, 1932; N
  • Horace T. Cahill, 1933; Wikipedia
  • Wolcott H. Fraser, 1934, 1935
  • Raymond A. Bowman, 1936
  • William H. Naylor, 1937, 1938
  • Harry G. Gilbert, 1939, 1940
  • Earl Scamman, 1941, 1942
  • Edward E. Bourget, 1943, 1944
  • Henry S. George, 1945, 1946
  • Erling A. Hason, 1947
  • Ernest F. West, 1948
  • Ralph W. Horton, 1949, 1950
  • Thomas Atkinson, 1951, 1952
  • Philip W. Hudson, 1953, 1954
  • Harry S. Hart, 1955, 1956
  • John Jamieson, 1957
  • John T. S. Snow, 1958, 1959
  • Per Henry L. Persson, 1960
  • Stewart O. A. Perrin, 1961
  • Bradford A. Golden, 1962, 1963
  • Bushnell D. Merrill, 1964, 1965
  • Charls A. Palmer, 1966
  • Roger W. Hannemann, 1967, 1968, 1978; PDDGM
  • Kenneth W. Wood, 1969, 1970, 1983; N
  • Raymont A. Warren, Jr., 1971, 1972, 1979, 1982
  • Edward C. Donohue, 1973
  • William H. Kidd, 1974, 1975
  • George H. Dahl, 1976, 1977
  • Roland S. Hall, 1980, 1981

REFERENCES IN GRAND LODGE PROCEEDINGS

  • Petition for Dispensation: 1856
  • Petition for Charter: 1857
  • Consolidation Petition (with Soley Lodge): 1982

ANNIVERSARIES

  • 1882 (25th Anniversary)
  • 1956 (Centenary)

VISITS BY GRAND MASTER

BY-LAW CHANGES

1871 1875 1877 1878 1886 1892 1896 1904 1908 1909 1920 1932 1935 1941 1946 1956 1964 1965 1976

HISTORY

  • 1956 (Centenary History, 1956-301)

CENTENARY HISTORY, SEPTEMBER 1956

From Proceedings, Page 1956-301:

By Worshipful Horace Guild and Worshipful Earl Scamman.

Joseph Warren Lodge was the outgrowth of the Friendly Aid Association, an organization formed in 1855 by a small group of Master Masons for the purpose of studying Masonry and exemplifying the work among themselves. They met at first in a hall on Hanover Street and later in Stacy Hall, which was on Washington Street,between Cornhill and Court Street in Boston.

At the time this Association was organized there was in existence the Boston Lodge of Instruction, which had formed in 1848 under the sponsorship of St. John's, Columbian and Mount Lebanon Lodges with the sanction of the Grand Lodge. It met in Masonic Temple at the corner of Tremont Street and Temple Place. It was presided over by William G. Martin, who besides being Senior Grand Lecturer, was Superintendent of the Temple and Tyler of the Lodges which met there. At least some of those who formed the Friendly Aid Association in 1855 had attended this Lodge of Instruction but found that their progress was slow. They felt they could get more individual instruction in an organization that was numerically smaller.

The Association which they formed had the blessings of R. W. Brother Martin, who frequently advised the members on doubtful matters but who was unable to undertake the position of Instructor of the Association because of his many other duties.

At that time, Caleb Rand was Master of King Solomon's Lodge in Charlestown. He was a thorough ritualist and correct worker who later became a special Grand Lecturer. His services as Instructor were secured by the Friendly Aid Association.

In August or September 1855 Doctor Winslow Lewis, Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts, together with the Grand Secretary, Junior Grand Warden and District Deputy, visited the Association and witnessed an exemplification of all three degrees. The perfection with which the work, was done so impressed these visitors that the Grand Master suggested that an application be made to form a new Lodge. The suggestion was favorably received and a petition was prepared to form Joseph Warren Lodge. Of course we can only make an intelligent guess as to why that name was chosen.

The conspicious activities of Joseph Warren in the years preceding the American Revolution and ending with his death at the battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775, were well known. He had been associated with such men as Paul Revere, John Hancock, Samuel Adams, Joseph Webb and other "rebels" in the contest with Great Britain over the right of its parliament to tax the people living in the Province of Massachusetts Bay.

The Masonic career of Joseph Warren is perhaps less well known today even among Masons than it was to members of the Friendly Aid Association. They doubtless learned about it from their Instructor, Caleb Rand, Master of King Solomon's Lodge in Charlestown, the Lodge which had erected a monument in 1794 to the memory of Joseph Warren at the site of his death and in 1845 had placed a marble replica of the original monument within the present Bunker Hill Monument. Warren had been raised in 1765 in the Lodge of St. Andrew and was its Master in 1769. In December of that year he had been installed as the first "Grand Master of Masons in Boston, New England, and within one hundred miles of the same," under a deputation issued by the Grand Master of Masons in Scotland. In December 1773 he had been installed as "Grand Master of Masons for the Continent of America" under a new commission issued by the same authority. This positition he held at the time of his death.

While Grand Master, he signed the Charters of The Tyrian Lodge in Gloucester and of The Massachusetts Lodge in Boston. These two Lodges are still operating under those Charters.

To choose a Master for the new Lodge was somewhat of a problem, which was finally solved by inducing Caleb Rand, who had been the Instructor of the Association, to accept the position. He became the first Master of Joseph Warren Lodge.

A recommendation of the District Deputy and of some Boston Lodge was a prerequisite to granting a petition to form a new Lodge. That of the former was given readily, and a recommendation by Baalbec Lodge of East Boston was obtained after The Massachusetts Lodge had refused one despite the fact that one of its own numbers was one of the petitioners.

These preliminary steps having been accomplished, a dispensation dated September 23, 1856, was issued to Caleb Rand and eighteen others to form and open a Lodge and to admit and make Freemasons, to be in force until September 1857.

Under date of September 10, 1857, the Charter under which Joseph Warren Lodge now operates was issued, declaring its precedence to begin September 23, 1856.

On September 23, 1856, Joseph Warren Lodge held its first regular meeting in the Temple at the corner of Tremont Street and Temple Place under the dispensation of that date. After the Charter was issued, a meeting for the consecration of the Lodge was held October 15, 1857, the ceremonies being performed by officers of the Grand Lodge. This Temple was sold in 1860 and meetings were held in various halls for a time. In 1864 the Lodge participated in ceremonies for the laying of a corner-stone for a new Temple at the corner of Tremont and Boylston Streets, which was completed and dedicated in 1867. The President of the United States attended and there was a procession in which 13,000 Masons marched. Next evening Joseph Warren Lodge was the first Lodge to meet in that new Temple. The Lodge continued to meet there until a destructive fire on September 7, 1895, made further meetings impossible. By good fortune, much of the property of the Lodge was saved. The Lodge had been tried by fire before 1895. In 1864, in the interval between the sale of the old Temple at the corner of Tremont Street and Temple Place and the completion in 1867 of a new one at the corner of Tremont and Boylston Streets, the Lodge was burned out of its quarters in the old Winthrop House. It sustained some losses then.

The corner-stone of the present Masonic Temple was laid in 1897 and the building was completed and dedicated in 1899, since which time the Lodge has met regularly there.

Over the hundred years of its existence, fifty-eight different men have served as its Masters, nineteen of whom are living. An account of events in each administration would be wearying. They have all been faithful and efficient in the discharge of their duties. The oldest living Past Master is Worshipful Frederick C. Graves, who served in 1899 and 1900. He has been a member since 1890.

Besides financial assistance for the relief of distressed members of the Lodge and their widows and orphans, amounting to a substantial total, the Lodge and its members have responded generously to other calls. The Chicago fire, the San Francisco earthquake are notable examples. In both World Wars the Lodge more than met the quotas requested by the Grand Lodge of Masonic Service among the armed forces.

The Lodge has been benefited by gifts of money from various sources, beginning with one of $25,000 from Worshipful Daniel W. Lawrence. These funds are held in three funds, having a combined value well above $50,000, and designated Permanent Fund, Reserve Fund and Relief Fund. The income of a fourth fund, given by Brother B. Waldo Hobart, is applied in accordance with the terms of his will to the cost of an annual dinner for members of the Lodge.

Besides gifts of money, the Lodge has acquired property of other sorts. The Masonic library of Worshipful James M. Gleason was bequeathed to it. A clock which belonged to Joseph Warren and his Bible are among its most treasured possessions.

The time has probably gone forever when certain formalities not expressly required were observed. Within the memory of many members all officers wore full formal attire at every communication. This meant "tails and white gloves" as would be said today. This may have added to the impressiveness of the work on those receiving the degrees, but not being expressly required, the custom is no longer followed. This does not mean, however, there has been any relaxation or innovation in the work and ritual which is prescribed. The invitation to form the Lodge came as a result of the perfection with which the Friendly Aid Association did the work, and in 1872 the officers of the Lodge were invited to exemplify the degrees before the Grand Lodge. The three men who served as Masters of the Lodge between 1861 and 1867 were all appointed Grand Lecturers at the expiration of their respective terms and were still serving as such at the time the Lodge observed its twenty-fifth anniversary. In the first quarter century of its existence the work done by Joseph Warren Lodge was held up to other Lodges as a model. The growth of Masonry and the increase in the number of Lodges has made necessary a different system of instruction and exemplification than that used in those days; but it is still the ambition of Joseph Warren Lodge to be as perfect in its work as it ever was. It is felt that those who aspire to perfection in that will also aim for it in other things; that such aspiration and aim in all things will make stronger characters and better men; and that the dignity, stability and honor of the Order will be enhanced thereby.

OTHER

  • 1916 (Jurisdictional dispute with Palestine Lodge)
  • 1941 (Reduction of fees authorized)

EVENTS

CONSTITUTION OF LODGE, OCTOBER 1857

From Moore's Freemason's Monthly, Vol. XVII, No. 1, November 1857, Page 17:

This new Lodge in Boston was regularly constituted and its officers installed by the Grand Lodge of this Commonwealth, at the Masonic Temple, on Thursday evening, Oct. 15th. A Dispensation for this Lodge was granted about a year ago by the then Grand Master, Dr. Winslow Lewis, and W. Bio. Caleb Rand, of this city, (Charlestown,) has been its acting Master. The Lodge assembled in the room of the Grand Lodge, at half-past 5 o'clock. At 6 o'clock, after the usual forms, the Grand Lodge entered the hall and proceeded with the ceremonies of constitution.

The exercises were in order as follows:

  • Prayer by the Chaplain, Rev. E. M. P. Wells;
  • Hymn by the choir;
  • Consecration ceremonies by the M. W. Grand Master, assisted by the Grand Wardens and other officers;
  • Hymn by the choir; installation of officers;
  • Address by the Grand Master;
  • Singing and benediction.

The exercises and ceremonies were performed in a most admirable manner, according to the principles and ancient usages of the fraternity; and the address of the Grand Master was replete with good instruction and excellent counsel, especially addressed to the members of the new Lodge. There were quite a large number of visiting Brethren present, who were interested in the performances of the evening. At the conclusion of these, the officers and members of the Joseph Warren Lodge, with the officers of the Grand Lodge and other guests, partook of an elegant supper at Young's Coffee House. The Master of the new Lodge, Bro. Wm. E. Graves, presided at the tables, a service which he performed in a most happy and excellent manner. Sentiments were given and responded toby a large number of the gentlemen present, all of them abounding in wit and sentiment to a surpassing degree. Among the speakers we may mention the following : — Col. John T. Heard, Dr. Winslow Lewis, John H. Sheppard, and C. W. Moore, Esqs. ; Caleb Rand, Esq., Hon. G. Washington Warren, Wm. S. Gardner, Esq., of Lowell, Judge Thomas Russell, Wm. D. Coolidge, Esq., and a number of others. The speaking was excellent, and the sentiments appropriate and felicitously expressed. An extremely pleasant evening was passed, and it was unanimously agreed that the new Lodge commenced its career of honor and usefulness under the most flattering prospects.

From the Bunker Hill Aurora.

GRAND LODGE OFFICERS

OTHER BROTHERS


DISTRICTS

1856: District 1

1858: District 12

1867: District 1 (Boston)

1883: District 1 (Boston)

1911: District 1 (Boston)

1927: District 1 (Boston)


LINKS

Massachusetts Lodges