Corinthian, No. 42 of Kokomo not only can boast of being the highest Lodge in the United States, elevation 10,618 feet, but also of having had a Master with one of the longest services on record.

Benjamin F. Rich refused to let the Lodge die though the area was depopulated and the membership dropped to as low as twelve. W. Bro. Rich enlisted the cooperation of the Grand Lodge so that an annual meeting could be held to maintain the charter. When he was presented with a 5O-year pin and Colorado Certificate in 1942, Grand Secretary Patton noted that W. Bro. Rich had been Master for 24 of the 50 years. [Read more…]

Study of Masonry beyond the ritual, Masonic fellowship, and cooperative solving of mutual problems have been the objectives of several voluntary groups in the last half-century since travel has become easier.

The San Luis Valley Masonic Association held annual gatherings before and after the turn of the century. It was composed of seven Lodges: Saguache No. 32, Alamosa No. 44, Monte Vista No. 73, Creede No. 94, Vulcan No. 103 of Hooper, Del Norte No. 105, and Center No. 128. They maintained a park where members had summer homes and recreational facilities. George E. Simonton, Grand Master in 1913, reported that over 400 Masons and families were in attendance when he visited there. [Read more…]

In 1934 the Grand Lodge started the presentation of Gold 50-year pins to all members of the Jurisdiction who had completed 5O full years of Masonic membership. M. W. Bro. Howard T. Vaille recommended the practice in these words:

“For many years it has been the custom in many jurisdictions to give a medal to every member who completes 50 years of Masonic life. Every jurisdiction that has tried it is very enthusiastic about it. Several Grand Masters have heartily approved of it; as one of them expresses it ‘considering the pleasure they give, the cost is small.’
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The responsibilities of the ballot were carefully considercd by the early Masons of Colorado. Grand Master Henry M. Teller at the Fourth Annual Communication admonished: “Admit no one because you can find nothing bad in him; make it a rule that no man shall be admitted who does not possess some trait of character which recommends him for admission.”

Grand Master Archie J. Van Deren in 1865 elaborated further: “The doors of our Lodges are thronged by persons anxious to be admittcd to our mysteries. . . . We cannot be too vigilant in guarding the doors of our Lodges or too careful in the use of the ballot. In this lies our safety. Allow none to pass the threshold except the worthy. Advance none who have not sufficient zcal to learn the lectures of the several degrees. . . . Avoid the blighting defect of filling your Lodges with inefficient and inactive members to become drones in the hive of Masonry, consuming it’s, vitality.” [Read more…]

A donation of $60, the entire salary of the Grand Lecturer in 1900, was the start of the Grand Lodge Benevolent Fund.

Later during his tenure as head of the fund, the administration cost averaged Jess than $300 per year. And upon his death this man contributed $1000 to the fund provided that the Grand Lodge did likewise. Naturally, the Grand Lodge did.

The man was Ernest LeNeve Foster, secretary of Washington, No. 12 at Georgetown for many years and Grand Master in 1890. He officiated at the constituting of Temple Lodge No. 84 and later became a member of it. [Read more…]