Temple

TEMPLE LODGE (EAST BOSTON / BOSTON)

Location: East Boston; Boston (1920)

Chartered By: Arthur D. Prince

Charter Date: 03/08/1871 1871-42

Precedence Date: 03/09/1870

Current Status: in Grand Lodge Vault; merged into Moses Michael Hays Lodge, 07/09/1985.

PAST MASTERS

John Garney, 1870, 1871
William Waters, Jr., 1872, 1873
Philander Nutter, 1874, 1875
Frank F. Sullivan, 1876, 1877
T. A. Hutchins, 1878, 1879
Andrew Hall, 1880, 1881; SN
Samuel Dilloway, Sr., 1882, 1883
George F. Hosea, 1884, 1885
N. D. Freeman, 1886, 1887
William E. Milk, 1888, 1889
James M. Simpson, 1890, 1891
Frank H. Parker, 1892, 1893; SN
William P. Treet, 1894, 1895
Joshua A. Story, 1896, 1897
George H. Libby, 1898, 1899
William H. Shannon, 1900, 1901
William E. Wyman, 1902, 1903
Herbert A. Libby, 1904, 1905
John M. Simpson, 1906, 1907
Austin C. Woodside, 1908, 1909
William E. Hancock, 1910, 1911
Guy L. Woodside, 1912, 1913
Herbert P. Cook, 1914, 1915
John K. Jones, 1916
Robert C. Beard, 1917, 1918
Henry A. MacDonald, 1919, 1920
George E. Marsters, 1921, 1922
Herbert V. Dykeman, 1923, 1924
Charles E. Johnson, 1925, 1926
James H. Powell, Jr., 1927, 1928
Owen B. Brigham, 1929, 1930
M. N. Abrahamson, 1931, 1932
Stephen D. Bacigalpo, 1933, 1934
Edwin Hansen, 1935, 1936
H. C. Berner, Jr., 1937, 1938
Louis Luftman, 1939, 1940
Harold M. Linsky, 1941, 1942; N
Harold E. Korelitz, 1943, 1944; N
Julius Stone, 1945, 1946
Albert J. Cohen, 1947, 1948
Julius Adelberg, 1949, 1950
David H. Bloom, 1951, 1952
Alrick B. Factoroff, 1953, 1954
Joseph L. Frank, 1955, 1956
Philip M. Stone, 1957, 1958
Alfred M. Simon, 1959, 1960
LeRoy M. Burston, 1961, 1962
Sidney B. Douglas, 1963, 1964
Gerald H. Lepler, 1965, 1966
Gerald Cabbit, 1967, 1968
Sanford Bernstein, 1969, 1970
Melvin Farmelant, 1971, 1972
Joseph B. Jacobson, 1973, 1974
Harry M. Shuman, 1975, 1976
Paul Silverstein, 1977, 1978
Gerald Raphel, 1979, 1980
Robert S. Goldman, 1981, 1982
Moses Winer, 1983-1985

REFERENCES IN GRAND LODGE PROCEEDINGS

Petition for Dispensation: 1870
Petition for Charter: 1871
Consolidation Petition (with Moses Michael Hays Lodge): 1985

ANNIVERSARIES

1945 (75th Anniversary)
1971 (Centenary)

VISITS BY GRAND MASTER

1871 (Gardner; Constitution of Lodge and installation; Special Communication)
1873 (Nickerson; Hall dedication; Special Communication)
1882 (Lawrence)
1899 (Hutchinson)
1907 (Blake)
1911 (Flanders)
1932 (Chipman)
1945 (Wragg; 75th Anniversary; Special Communication)
1946 (Wragg; 2 visits)
1954 (W. Johnson)
1963 (Osgood; reception for Grand Master of Israel)
1970 (Jaynes; Anniversary Ball)
1971 (Jaynes; Centenary; Special Communication)
1978 (Melanson)
1985 (Richardson; Consolidation)

BY-LAW CHANGES

1873 1876 1878 1882 1883 1885 1889 1894 1895 1912 1916 1919 1920 1921 1923 1924 1925 1927 1931 1932 1939 1940 1942 1945 1946 1949 1951 1952 1958 1974

HISTORY

1945 (75th Anniversary History, 1945-490; see below)
1971 (Centenary History, 1971-191)

75TH ANNIVERSARY HISTORY, DECEMBER 1945

From Proceedings, Page 1945-490:

By Brother Felix E. Dine and Worshipful Maurice N.Abrahamson.

It was the year 1870 and the place, Noddle's Island — that Island across the harbor which is now called East Boston. This was a revolutionary period in history, for the combined German armies had been sweeping across France, overrunning her fortified cities, and after the fall of Paris, crowned the Kaiser Emperor of Greater Germany — and this on French soil. Even on our own soil there were differences between the North and South, with the Ku Klux Klan terrorizing the negro. Fenians in America were jeopardizing our peace with England by attempting to invade Canada over the boundary of the State of Vermont. Right here in Boston there was turmoil created over the women's suffrage issue, where there was a convention presided over by the sainted Julia Ward Howe.

In the spirit of the time, when change was in the air, a group of Masons, mostly sea captains and other seafaring men, headed by John Garney, William Waters and Philander Nutter, decided that a new Lodge of Masons in East Boston was necessary.

To select a name for this new Lodge, a committee was formed. Several names were presented, but the one which had unanimous approval, was the name "Temple," after the famous Temple family of Noddle's Island. Sir Thomas Temple, who first came to New England in 1657, was the owner of the Island. He traced his ancestry to one of the Knights Templar or Crusaders who compelled King John of England to sign the Magna Charta. Sir John Temple was born on Noddle's Island in 1731. He was the first Consul General from England to the United States after the peace of 1783, and for some years after 1785 he was the medium of communication from that Government to our own, while Great Britain had no minister to this country. He died in New York City in 1798, and a tablet to his memory was placed in the chancel of St. Paul's Church in that city.

On March 9, 1870, a dispensation was given by the Grand Lodge authorizing the institution of Temple Lodge, A. F. & A. M. of East Boston. On April 1, 1870, the first meeting of Temple Lodge was held in Washington Hall in the Winthrop Block. On March 8, 1871, our Charter was received, and in Boston, March 15, 1871, Temple Lodge was duly constituted by Most Worshipful William Sewall Gardner, Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts, who concluded his remarks with these words on our choice of the name "Temple": "Thus brethren you have preserved in your new lodge the name of a family most intimately associated with this island on which you are located, honored and respected in history and worthy of remembrance."

Having no jewels of its own, Mount Tabor Lodge, which met in the same hall, loaned its jewels, and with [http://www.masonicgenealogy.com/MediaWiki/index.php?title=Hammatt Hammatt} Lodge, gave the necessary instruction and assistance to launch this seafaring men's lodge on its Masonic career. Thus commenced a bond of friendship which Temple Lodge continued as it progressed through the pages of history.

Temple Lodge continued to hold its meetings in Washington Hall, East Boston, regularly, conferred degrees, and these men of the sea conducted themselves with the reverence and sincerity that Masonry, like religion, deserved.

Because of the condition of the meeting hall, and because of changing character of its membership from men of the sea and ships to merchants, trades and professional men, etc. of Boston, Temple Lodge removed its quarters to the beautiful and spacious Corinthian Hall in the Masonic Temple, Boylston and 'Fremont Streets, Boston. The first meeting was held September 21, 1921, previous to which its Charter had been changed to read "Boston" instead of "East Boston."

The Masters of Temple Lodge, A. F. & A. M., have for the most part been men of character, modest and unassuming, yet strong in their Masonic ideals,fervent in their ritualistic duties, uncompromising with error and transgression. Those who have served the Lodge as its Worshipful Master as are follows: Wor. R.W,

Wor. John Garney, 1870-71
Wor. William Waters, Jr., 1872-73
Wor. Philander Nutter, 1874-75
Wor. Frank E. Sullivan, 1876-77
Wor. T. A. Hutchins, 1878-79
R. W. Andrew Hall, 1880-81
Wor. Samuel Dillaway, Sr., 1882-83
Wor. George F. Hosea, 1884-85
Wor. N. D. Freeman, 1886-87
Wor. Wm. E. Milk, 1888-89
Wor. James M. Simpson, 1890-91
R. W. Frank H. Parker, 1892-93
Wor. Wm. P. Treet, 1894-95
Wor. Joshua A. Story, 1896-97
Wor. George H. Libby, 1898-99
Wor. Wm. H. Shannon, 1900-01
Wor. Wm. E. Wyman, 1902-03
Wor. Herbert A. Libby, 1904-05
Wor. John M. Simpson, 1906-07
Wor. Austin C. Woodside, 1908-09
Wor. Wm. E. Hancock, 1910-11
Wor. Guy L. Woodside, 1912-13
Wor. Herbert P. Cook, 1914-15
Wor. John K. Jones, 1916
Wor. Robert C. Beard, 1917-18
Wor. Henry A. Macdonald, 1919-20
Wor. George E. Marsters, 1921-22
Wor. Herbert V. Dykeman, 1923-24
Wor. Charles E. Johnson, 1925-26
Wor. James H. Powell, Jr., 1927-28
Wor. Owen D. Brigham, 1929-30
Wor. Maurice N. Abrahamson, 1931-32
Wor. Stephen D. Bacigalupo, 1933-34
Wor. Edwin Hansen, 1935-36
Wor. H. C. Bernner, Jr., 1937-38
Wor. Louis Luftman, 1939-40
Wor. Harold M. Linsky, 1941-42
Wor. Harry E. Korelitz, 1943-44
Wor. Julius Stone, 1945

Two of these Masters only in our seventy-five years of history have been honored by our Most Worshipful Grand Masters of Masons in Massachusetts and selected as District Deputy Grand Masters for the Third Masonic District. Right Worshipful Andrew Hall in 1884-85 and Right Worshipful Dr. Frank H. Parker in 1898-99. Both of these men distinguished themselves and honored the name of Temple Lodge wherever their duties carried them. The name of Right Worshipful Dr. Frank H. Parker is long to be remembered, not only in Temple Lodge, but in medical history as well, for his service to mankind in alleviating and ministering to those afflicted with leprosy. Dr. Parker, with his wife acting as a nurse, carried on this important work and duties on the isolated and small islands of Penikese, off Buzzards Bay, which was the leper colony for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. There he and his wife lived among them and carried on his work which was renowned throughout the world. Dr. Parker not only treated the leper victims as their doctor, but he was a friend to them, gave of his money, his time, and finally his life, that their lives might have a spark of light from a society which cast them aside.

The membership of Temple Lodge changed considerably from its original founders. The membership rolls grew steadily. It became a cosmopolitan group. It was one of the first in Massachusetts Masonic history to be composed of so many different sects, religions and opinions, and because of this, it has been so popular. Even the regular communications changed from one of only working degrees to the spreading of Masonic ideals and good fellowship in the community. Through our funds and services, we give liberally of our time and money that the underprivileged, the aged, and the wounded and service men of this war may enjoy a few precious hours of peace and enjoyment. In 1932 Most Worshipful Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts, Curtis Chipman, cited Temple Lodge and its Master, Worshipful Maurice N. Abrahamson and Brother Philip Fox for meritorious achievement in behalf of the residents of the Masonic Home in Charlton, Massachusetts. In the lodge-room a true spirit of Masonry prevails. A broader foundation is being laid with brotherly love, patriotism and humility to God.

The Lodge has been the recipient of many contributions to its several philanthropic funds from its members, including that by will of our late Brother Simon M. Daniels, who was Junior Warden in 1933.

The records of Temple Lodge show that our men fought bravely and with determination in our several wars for freedom and gave their lives that our Country, Masonry and Masonic Ideals, of which the four freedoms are a part, might survive and flourish.

If Right Worshipful Dr. Frank H. Parker were here now, after his usual story, in humble tone, he would undoubtedly say to us: "May your works be planned for wisdom, skill and in due proportions. May your foundations be laid firm and strong on a basis of truth and righteousness. May you ever act upon the square of equity, keep within the compass of reason, plumb your actions with the weight of conscience, walk perpendicularly in the line of duty and level your passions and affections to the rule of sobriety and virtue. May you finally be introduced to the temple of God above and be members of that holy society of brethren and friends where light, love, peace and joy shall reign in perfection, where your labors shall be your pleasures and your existence one eternal festival of joy. As you have in the past, may you continue to act in the future, with the blessings of God for the brotherhood of man."

I will conclude with repeating what I said in a telegram to the Lodge on its recent ladies' night: "Congratulations Temple Lodge A. F .& A. M. on its Diamond anniversary and best wishes for a glorious future."