From Wednesday September 12th
Dad's Appointment As The Grand Stewart Of The Grand Masonic Lodge of Canada in The Province Of Ontario
Don't forget there is a CONTEST at the end of this post!
I will probably update more names on this once Dad and I talk. I don't know the Grand Lodge guys and I will get their names from Dad.
I will also add photos others email me from that night.
Mom receives a great basket of flowers from the Master of The Lodge
on behalf of the Members
(you can click on any photo to make it bigger)
on behalf of the Members
(you can click on any photo to make it bigger)
Mom had a really bad cold so she could not go to the celebration
The Lodge did not forget her and The Master brought her a beautiful flower arrangement
with get well wishes.
That nasty end of summer cold seems to have hit one person in every family out here in Ontario
This summer Masons from all over Ontario converged on The Royal York Hotel in Toronto for the Grand Lodge Vote. Dad went down and cast his votes for the officers. But what Dad did not know is there was a secret pact made between lodge members and a letter was passed to the Grand Master requesting my father, Richard William Charles Lundy be considered for the position of Grand Stewart for The Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario.
The Grand Stewart's Job is one of public relations, making a presence at all functions accompanying the District Deputy Grand Master.
Well this is the first time it was asked for considerations for my father and my father did not run for nomination for this position, or any other position in Grand Lodge.
A letter from his district was petitioned and sent saying he was a great example of a Mason, and could he be considered.
No one was sure if Dad would get the position, and the lodge members kept it a grand secret from Dad that a letter was sent on his behalf. So when he got an email from a Grand Lodge Officer congratulating him on his post, he thought it was a joke, or at the least a mistake.
Until other members began to call him because they noticed it on the Grand Lodge Roster on the internet.
Yep, doesn't believe a guy emailing him, but does believe the internet. Hee Hee
So last Wednesday we had the official ceramony inducting Dad into the Grand Lodge of Canada.
The great thing about these photos as they give everyone a chance to see the inside of what is said to be a secret place. For it is not secret and the public is allowed within the facilities while proceedings are going on. The Masonic Lodge is a place to Build Men, not segregate the public from them. As we go along with the photos I will explain what I know about the chamber and the significance of most things.
In the forefront is Me and Alex and Amber with Cameron just behind, entering The Lodge
We are being accompanied by Past Master Donald Gibson
As the folks enter we see an alter and some interesting things on the wall and hanging from the ceiling, and a neeto checkerboard on the floor! Plus pictures on the wall, and everywhere is blue carpet.
The Alter
Upon the Alter sits the book of sacred law.
This is the dogma of which the celebratory member belongs.
In Dad's case it is the Bible.
There can be at least 10 different books of sacred law upon the Alter at any time, denoting the many faiths who are within the chamber of the lodge.
One does not have to be Christian to be a Mason.
One just has to believe in a Power Greater Than One's Self
The G hanging above the Alter represents this Creator
Upon the Alter also sits the tools.
Ritual replicas of stone masons' tools as they have been for thousands of years.
Clearly denoted upon the Alter Cloth is the Square
Everything within a Lodge has significant ritual meaning.
Even the tassels hanging from the ceiling are used in the ritual stories told in this place
The wooden stands around the Alter have lights upon them.
Once they were candlelight and now they are electric for safety reasons.
We see a triangle of outlets on the floor where other stands can be placed.
These are used by the Womens Order of the Eastern Star, for they share The Temple for Rituals with the Masons
Low on the floor is a tiny ladder.
It is significant to ritual work.
I notice the Norse symbols of Faith, Hope, and Charity/Love upon it, but I do not know if these symbols portray such.
The carpet is Blue because this order of the Free and Accepted Masons is called The Blue Lodge
We see gentlemen in Dark and Light Blue aprons.
These aprons are mimics of the trade masons' apron.
Light blue and white is a regular lodge member.
And the Dark Blue with Gold Brocading is the Apron of a Grand Lodge Officer.
The regalia upon the apron tells us if the member is a regular member or a past master.
Officers in the Lodge must wear a formal dress to the meeting.
This means a Tuxedo.
Some Lodges may have history of Top Hat and Tails in their formal dress.
In the US the formal dress may be a period costume, perhaps with a powdered wig, like George Washington would have worn.
The armchairs in positions around the room at the compass points of North, South, East and West are called The Chairs.
The chairs are usually filled by officers. Each chair denotes a piece of work the sitter must have memorized and performed to be able to do "The Work" for that chair.
The Work
The Work is the memory work done by masons.
In learning the stories and rituals that go with the respected chair and performing the work to the best of their ability is the way the lodge Builds Men.
The person learns a story of history that is significant to the Masonic Lodge and performs the work in front of an audience of his peers.
His Brothers aid him in the memorization.
His Brothers come out to watch him do The Work
And his Brothers cheer him on on the day he recites it and performs the ritual for The Chair at their meeting.
Dedication, practice, support, and accolades build men as they work together so one can attain the goal.
The Mosaic Pavement
This platform of tiles upon the floor in the West of the Alter has significance to the Rituals performed within the lodge.
In the center of The Mosaic Pavement is a star.
The Pillars
Upon the Alter Cloth is an example of the Pillars and Stairs ending in an arch.
My take on this is that this whole picture represents the steps to Masonry, and the foundation and pillars of life.
As a side bar to the pillars is a representation in the East of the room in front of the alter.
There are steps near the chairs and you see a block of stone.
There is one smooth stone and one rough one on each side of the stairs.
Representative to the evolution of the foundation of life.
I have mentioned East and West.
On the walls in the pictures you see a Star in the East and a Crescent of a Moon in the West
They are blue disc lights
In the North and the South there are also lights.
At each of these positions there are chairs for officers to sit.
In the East sits the Master
In the West sits the Sr Warden
In the North sits the Chaplain
In the South sits the Jr Warden
At each of these positions is a beautiful painting.
Etheric at first glance, but significant to the story of Free Masonry
Some officers "Work" is to use these paintings to recite a specific story significant to the ritual
What you don't see is the door knockers
There are door knockers on two sides of the doors
This is so signal knocks can be used to tell who is on the other side waiting to enter or leave
All of a sudden the Lodge does not seem so secret does it?
Because it is not a secret society.
It is a society with secrets.
Just like any other Fraternity.
The secrets are only to denote true members from false ones.
To secure that those who enter under the title they claim to be is true and just.
The poles
I do not know the significance of the poles, because I have not been that interested in them to ask about them.
I know they are carried into The Lodge by certain officers.
It has always reminded me of the the poles the Alter Boys Carried into the Church.
Like I said before, they have ritual specific significance.
I am sure after I finish this narration, Dad will explain to me what the poles mean and I will have to do an edit of this part telling the bit.
Fitting Dad with his Grand Lodge Apron and Collar
The collars look like the collars Deans wear or Mayors wear!
In the next few video pieces you will find snippetts of the innagoration of my Dad into The Grand Lodge. The speaking will be done by Jim Hughs who is a Past Master of Dad's Lodge: Imperial Eastgate, and a past District Deputy of The Grand Lodge.
I have kept the videos short for downloading purposes so you can click through them in order to get a few minutes of funny stuff, and history about Dad.
Presentation of Dad's Informal Dress Apron and Collar
Don Gibson walks Dad around The Alter so Grand Honours can be given
And in a series of claps and criss crosses of the arms the Grand Honours are performed by each Lodge member.
It reminded me of an Austrian Clapping Dance
None-the-less this is a great honour
And all of us regular folk may never get to see this ritual performed again in our life-time, as this is just not given out for every accomplishment.
It is usually saved for the "Top Dog" "The Grand Pooba" etc.
Uncle Hank Anderson, the man who spoke on my Dad's behalf in 1976 when Dad desired to join The Lodge, presents Dad with a gift.
Uncle Hank
Dad shows off his gift of a golf clock like a kid a Christmas!
The year before a man becomes Master of his Lodge he joins a group of other Masters-to-be from other Lodges of the district.
20 years ago his Sr. Wardens' group "The Builders" was formed. The Sr. Warden's chair is the last chair to learn before Master.
The group Carl and I are in is called "The Mystics".
The photo here is of The Builders
Family Friends in the first row are:
Left to Right
Jack and Lil Laforet, Brenda and John Wales, New Candidate: , Wendy Linda Lorraine and Wendy Sr. Taylor,
The Master presents Dad with a gift from His Lodge Brethren
Dad shows off the Characture of Dad the golfing Mason drawn by the Master:
Dad says his thank you speach.
Behind him is Herman Spirlich, Don Gibson, and Peter Nuttaul, and behind Peter is
In the chair to the left is
To the left we see:
John Boag(in the grey suit), The Master: , The Grand Lodge Officers Visiting, and Steven Viteck in the foreground
The Two portraits on the wall in the East have been erected since the two lodges of Imperial and Eastgate amalgamated a few years ago.
I will assume they are founding members.
The Taylors
Forbes and Marie Duncan
In this picture you can see Uncle Hank with his white hair.
He wears a medal in his pocket
This is called a Jewel
This one is the Past Master's Jewel
He wears a medal in his pocket
This is called a Jewel
This one is the Past Master's Jewel
John and Brenda Wales
Mona and Darwin Willoughby
Wendy, Lorraine, Linda and Wendy Sr.
They are the family of Bryan Taylor. Linda was his wife and, and Wendy Jr his daughter.
Lorraine and Wendy Sr. are his Mom and Sister
Bryan was a great friend of Dad's
He is was a Police officer well known as a teacher at the Toronto Police College.
Unfortunately he died when he was 40.
And to today we cannot think of him without experiencing great feelings of loss.
Our Christmases have never been the same.....
Morgan Dever, Naida Creeggan, Bernie Creeggan, Ed Jeans
The Golfing Buddies
5 days a week till it snows in winter these guys are on the course every morning!
I really don't know how the guys put up with Dad.
He is such a teaser when golfing.
Donny and Sharon Caisse
Donny and Dad ended their Police career as partners in the Internal Affairs Unit of The Metropolitain Toronto Police Department
Sharon had to put up with them when they came to work part-time at the place where she worked. (cuz if they didn't work part time who knows what trouble two bored cops could have gotten themselves into)
John and Brenda Wales.
John was Dad's best friend growing up.
They were both only children and they became brothers to one another in high school at R.H. King Collegiate with football, rugby and hockey in common. Now they yack on the phone constantly about John's new house in the boonies, and golf, or they are out golfing too.
I have to clear up the golf widow thing: believe me....Mom and Brenda don't mind them out golfing a bit. Cuz that is the only time they get peace. Dad and John are notorious jokesters and it is quite tiring on the wives to put up with that. Tease and joke, tease and joke. Sensitive type people would not last at our dinner table for all the antics. There is a really good reason "Uncle" John is called UNCLE PULL-MY-FINGER!!!!
Jack and Lil Laforet.
After meeting Jack at a traffic accident, Dad quickly befriended this couple of great educators.
I have fond memories of our families together.
I used to perform puppet shows with their kids.
Our whole childhood was about creativity!
They have such accomplished kids the sorts of: Editor of a Major Jewish Newspaper, Museum director of the Museum du Civilization, and a well known Pyrotechnics Special Effects Director... and that are only the three oldest kids!
Forbes and Marie Duncan.
Forbes and Dad met on the Police force.
Our families were inseperable for holidays through the sixties and into the early seventies.
We camped together every summer.
We even went to Expo 67 together.
Dad thanking Jim Hughs for all of his work.
Jim and Florence Hughs
Dad presents Jim with the surprise of the Jewel.
This is a new Jewel for Lodge members who had Fathers who were lodge members.
Cameron, Carl, Me, Dad, Alex and Amber
Herman and Carl Yucking-it-up with the video camera
Herman has been a longtime friend of the Tucker Family.
Ok, now for the contest.
The first person to write the correct answer in the comments section....
(if you are not a blogger you will have to make sure you sign your name on your comment or you will come up anonymous-then email me at: motivatedmotion@sympatico.ca and tell me your email address that goes with the name you signed on the comment)
....will receive one hand-made prayer mandala made by me in the mail.
The Question is:
What couple named here in the photos are the Parents of a very very World famous Canadian Pop Star, and what is the name of their Band? (Guaranteed everyone knows the band's name, no matter what age. The band has fan sites all over the world)
Note it is not Carl and I, cuz Cam is not world famous, and there is a long distance between Pop and Heavy Metal.
The first person to write the correct answer in the comments section....
(if you are not a blogger you will have to make sure you sign your name on your comment or you will come up anonymous-then email me at: motivatedmotion@sympatico.ca and tell me your email address that goes with the name you signed on the comment)
....will receive one hand-made prayer mandala made by me in the mail.
The Question is:
What couple named here in the photos are the Parents of a very very World famous Canadian Pop Star, and what is the name of their Band? (Guaranteed everyone knows the band's name, no matter what age. The band has fan sites all over the world)
Note it is not Carl and I, cuz Cam is not world famous, and there is a long distance between Pop and Heavy Metal.
