CRAFT STEWARDSHIP MASONIC EDUCATION NEWSLETTER

Volume One Issue 2 RITUAL EDUCATION MENTORING October 2020

The Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of 363 King Street West Hamilton, Ontario

In This Issue Title Page……………………………………………………..…page1 M.W. Bro. John Ross Robertson……...……………..……pages 2 & 3 Virtual Presentations….………………………………………...page 3 The William Mercer Wilson Medal…………………..…..pages 4 & 5 Some Additional History...... pages 6 & 7 Practising Charity in Western District……………….…………page 7 Niagara Lodge No. 2……………………………………………page 8 Niagara Lodge No. 2 Photo Gallery…………………………….page 9 Which One of These are You?...... page 10

If you have missed the latest Covid-19 update from Grand Lodge, please be advised that it is available from your lodge Secretary or by logging on to the Grand Lodge website. It is important that you stay current.

According to the Proceedings as of December 31, 2019 there are 33 469 Masons in the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario. This membership is dispersed throughout 41 Districts and 499 lodges. Since January 1, 2020 five lodges have amalgamated with others to reduce the number of lodges in Ontario to 494.

OPEN HOUSE GUIDE

When all of this is behind us and we get back up and running if your lodge is planning an Open House you are encouraged to consult the newly updated Open House Guide that can be found on the Grand Lodge website under “Grand Lodge – Open House”. I am sure that you will find it to be an invaluable asset to assist you in your researches.

M.W. Bro. John Ross Robertson

Grand Master (1890-1891 and 1891-1892) of the Grand Lodge A.F. & A.M. of Canada in the Province of Ontario

Grand First Principal (1894-1895 and 1895-1896) of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Canada in the Province of Ontario

Grand Master (1882-1883, 1883-1884 and 1884-1885) of the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters of Ontario (Cryptic Rite)

In my researches while completing modules from the College of Freemasonry I came across material on M.W. Bro. John Ross Robertson. I found both the civilian and Masonic careers of our worthy Brother to be particularly interesting. This excerpt is taken from the Past Grand Masters section of the Grand Lodge website and was so extensive that it was best shared between two issues of the newsletter. The second part of this writeup will be included in Issue 3 and will deal with the Masonic career of M.W. Bro. Robertson. If you just can’t wait to find out more about this Brother check out the Grand Lodge website or other Masonic resources.

John Ross Robertson was born December 28th, 1841, at the Robertson home on John St., , son of John Robertson, a successful dry goods merchant. He was educated at , Toronto, where he gave evidence of his skill as a compositor and as a printer.

As a schoolboy he started a small printing office in his father’s home, producing The College Times, later known as the Boys’ Times which he distributed round the school from 1857 to 1860. By working at ‘odd jobs’ and assisting as opportunity offered in several of the city printing works, such as the Christian, Guardian, Globe, and Leader, he gained valuable and practical experience. When it came to the choice of a vocation, he pursued journalism. His early enterprises included publication of The Grumbler (a weekly satirical paper) and Sporting Life (the first sporting paper in Canada devoted to athletic sports). In 1861-3 he was on the staff of The Leader and was also responsible for a year’s issue of the Canadian Railway Guide under his own name. In 1863 he was city editor of the Toronto Globe and in 1866 he helped found the Daily Telegraph (ceased publication 1872).

In December 1869 John Robertson of the Telegraph and Robert Cunningham of the Globe visited NW Canada where, at Fort Garry, they became prisoners of Louis Riel for a short time. This was followed by three years in England as the London correspondent and representative of the Toronto Globe. On his return in 1875 he undertook the management of The Nation edited by Prof. Goldwin Smith, an association that led to the establishment of the Evening Telegram in April 1876, said to have been the only daily paper in Canada which paid its way from the start. It was his initiatives and strong support which contributed immeasurably to the improvement of medical services and facilities in Toronto — an improved ambulance service in Toronto in 1888 and support for the Children’s Hospital. He entered politics and represented East Toronto from 1896 to 1900 in the Canadian House of Commons, as an independent Conservative, pledged to vote for the general good of the country. In 1902, he and his wife attended the Coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. In the 1917 New Year’s Honours List he was offered a Knighthood and a Senatorship, both of which he gratefully declined. He passed away on May 31st, 1918, at his home, 291 Sherbourne St., Toronto, at the age of seventy-eight.

If you are now in Past Grand Master mode take some time to check out the YouTube video of our Grand Secretary, M.W. Bro. D. Garry Dowling, interviewing our first Grand Master, M.W. Bro. William Mercer Wilson.

Virtual Presentations Since the arrival of current situation that we find ourselves in, an influx of online presentation formats e.g. Zoom, GoToMeeting, etc., have become more evident and have kept the Brethren of the jurisdiction in touch with Masonry by offering various topics of Masonic interest to the brethren. Some of these presentations that might catch your interest are below. Hosted by

Craft Stewardship Pillar / Masonic Education The Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario

The Grand Lodge Masonic Education Committee Speaker Series will take place monthly, typically on the first Saturday of each month at 7 pm. We will have a wide variety of speakers over the course of the year. We welcome all masons of every rank and from every lodge. We also encourage candidates to join us if they are interested. Invitations to join the event will be posted on the Grand Lodge Facebook page and will also be forwarded to the DDGM of each District for dispersal to the lodges in their respective Districts. *Please Note: the meeting will be held on GoToMeeting (not Zoom). Please make sure you have downloaded appropriate apps/software ahead of time.

Questions and comments concerning the presentations may be directed directly to W. Bro. Don Kemball at: [email protected]

Niagara A – Once-a-Month Series This series of presentations is scheduled on the last Monday of each month. If you are interested in joining this presentation, simply drop an email to R.W. Bro. Edward Dunsmore at [email protected] and he will take care of your registration.

Toronto East District The District has also been conducting virtual presentations for the brethren on the 3rd Wednesday of the month. If you wish to be added to the list of participants please contact W. Bro. W. Bro. Michael Cipollone at [email protected] or Bro. Mark Ingram at [email protected]

The William Mercer Wilson Medal

V.W. Bro. Loyal D. Beggs

This article was compiled using information gleaned from the Ontario Heritage Plaque erected at the Cemetery in Norfolk County where William Mercer Wilson was laid to rest, and Protocol & Etiquette Essentials, Issue #9 (December 2010), with deep gratitude.

We all know one; that man, who, with humility and without pretense works tirelessly for his lodge. He looks for no reward but gives unselfishly of himself for the good of the lodge, the craft in general and his fellow brethren. So often they are the quiet, meek, mild mannered, soft spoken example to the younger brethren who labours silently in the pursuit of brotherly love, they have, for whatever reason, never aspired to a high office such as Worshipful Master, yet their contribution and value far exceed rank and titles. This is the definition of a William Mercer Wilson Medal recipient. The charge at the end of our installation ceremony speaks eloquently of the ideal of a freemason. Read it. Brethren does a William Mercer Wilson Medal recipient not personify those ideals to the fullest? The William Mercer Wilson Medal could be said, therefore, to honour those within our ranks who exemplify those qualities to which we all aspire and which we hold in such high regard.

What better way to honour such a valued brother than with an award named after our first Grand Master, William Mercer Wilson. Born in Scotland in 1813, he came to Canada in 1832 and would rise to become one of the most prominent Canadian figures of his time. He settled in Simcoe where he worked as a court clerk, lawyer, crown attorney and judge for Norfolk County. As a cavalry commander at Simcoe he was instrumental in quashing the Rebellion of 1837. He would rise to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He introduced the first printing press in the district and for two years published the Norfolk Observer. He entered the world of Freemasonry in 1840 in Simcoe, and it would be the leadership and vision of William Mercer Wilson that would result in the creation of The Grand Lodge of Canada independent from the authority of the Grand Lodge of England. He became its’ first Grand Master in 1855 and he would hold that office twice before his death in 1875. The William Mercer Wilson Medal is the highest honour which can be bestowed upon a brother in our jurisdiction. From Protocol & Etiquette Essentials, Issue #9 from December 2010 we read: “This individual is one who looks for no reward or publicity for the work that he performs on behalf of Freemasonry...His presence makes a difference in his lodge. You can recognize a William Mercer Wilson Medal (W.M.W.M.) recipient by the distinctive medal hanging from his breast pocket. He also wears a white collar, without a jewel attached. (The collar comes with braided silver ornamentation at its end.)”.

There are certain protocols that should be followed when a W.M.W.M. recipient visits a lodge, and they are outlined in Protocol & Etiquette Essentials, #9 (December 2010) as follows”

1) A “W.M.W.M.” recipient is deserving of special recognition when he visits a lodge or attends a banquet.

2) However, this recognition does not include being brought into Lodge with the current Grand Lodge Officers.

3) He should enter as a “General Visitor”.

4) As any Worshipful Master “outranks” him, a visiting Worshipful Master(s) would usually lead in the delegation of “General Visitors”.

5) No particular position in the assembly of the visitors in the “West” need be assigned to the “W.M.W.M.” recipient. He can stand anywhere amongst the visitors, after the visiting Worshipful Masters.

6) The Director of Ceremonies could mention the “W.M.W.M.” recipient as part of his introductions however, this is not mandatory.

7) If the “W.M.W.M.” recipient is not introduced before he takes his seat, (because of an oversight or any other reason), the W.M. should subsequently recognize him after all the “General Visitors” have been seated.

8) While the “W.M.W.M.” recipient is not entitled to sit in the East by right, the W.M. could invite him to sit in the East - but this is optional.

9) The Grand Honours are not to be given to a “W.M.W.M.” recipient when he visits another Lodge.

10) As per the provisions of Section 15 (f) of the Constitution, the Grand Honours are only afforded to a “W.M.W.M.” recipient on the occasion of the presentation of the medal to him.

11) When the “W.M.W.M.” recipient is attending meetings of his own lodge, no special recognition need be given to him in his lodge.

12) A “W.M.W.M.” recipient should always be referred to during the preamble to the toast to the Grand Master and Grand Lodge at the banquet.

13) However, after the toast to the Grand Master and Grand Lodge, (when protocol has been established), the “W.M.W.M.” recipient need not be mentioned in any of the subsequent salutations. (this is because it is acceptable protocol - after the toast to Grand Lodge - to abbreviate all subsequent salutations to a minimum, such as “Worshipful Master, District Deputy Grand Master, Distinguished Head Table Guests, and brethren”.)

At the conclusion of the ceremony of the Installation and Investiture of Officers the General Charge reminds us that within our ranks there is a place for all and a role for all to play. Those quiet, unassuming brethren who work endlessly behind the scenes, never seeking the limelight, never looking for ranks, titles or accolades are in fact the very lifeblood of our lodges and in fact of our order. They are most deserving of this high honour, our gratitude and our respect.

The William Mercer Wilson Medal

SOME ADDITIONAL HISTORY

In feedback received on Issue 1 of the newsletter a Brother rightfully pointed out that the article on M.W. Bro. William Mercer Wilson did not provide the location of the resting place of our first Grand Master. The plaques and churchyard can be found at the location listed below. Thank you, my Brother, for pointing out that oversight. Plaque Location The County of Norfolk In Simcoe, on the grounds of a church at the south end of town on the northeast corner of Norfolk Street South (Road 24) and St. John's Road (Road 3).

More information can be found by searching: http://ontarioplaques.com/Plaques/Plaque_Norfolk26.html.

Our Brother also pointed out the following items that might be of interest: On the way to your visit to WM. Wm. Mercer Wilson's churchyard, you may wish to visit H.M. Chapel to the Mohawks in Brantford. where both Joseph Brant and E. Pauline Johnstone are entombed.

Chief Joseph Brant (Thayendanegea) is the first known Indigenous Freemason. A Mohawk, Brant served as the principal chief of the Six Nations. He joined Hiram’s Cliftonian Lodge No. 447, London, England, in 1776. Following the Revolutionary War, Bro. Brant moved to Ontario, Canada, where he served as Worshipful Master of his Lodge in 1798. American Freemasons: Three Centuries of Building Communities by Mark Tabbert Also, if you venture north a bit and find "Northfield" on your GPS and go into the Northfield Cemetery you will see the grave markers of many War of 1812 veterans. There was a battle fought in the area….. The Battle of Malcolm's Mills.(https://tinyurl.com/y3xr3ply). There are also grave markers in the Mount Pleasant cemetery. As we know, many of the War of 1812 soldiers and veterans, including Joseph Brant, were Masons. Close by is a lovely cemetery in Wilsonville Ontario, home to UEL pioneers among others. (https://tinyurl.com/y6ak3hss) The Brant, Norfolk area is a beautiful and historic section of our Province, within easy driving distance from the GTA.

PRACTICING MASONIC CHARITY IN WESTERN DISTRICT Freemasons choose to improve the communities where they live. This was demonstrated recently by the Masons of Western District with a $12,000.00 charitable donation to “Our Hearts at Home Cardiovascular Campaign” in Thunder Bay. Western District often chooses a community charity to support, and this year District Deputy Grand Master, R.W. Bro. Carson (Bud) McQuaker, proposed a regional approach. The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre serves all the communities of Northwestern Ontario. Glenn Craig, President and CEO of the “Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation said, “the effort that went into the organization of this donation was incredible. We’re so thankful that the Masons of Northwestern Ontario came together to support cardiac and vascular surgery. Residents of Northwestern Ontario will soon be able to have life and limb saving surgery much closer to home surrounded by family and friends thanks to the generosity of the Masons of Western District. At present, Citizens of Northwestern Ontario have to travel to southern Ontario, or Winnipeg, Manitoba, for these lifesaving surgeries. That is now going to change with the new Heart Centre serving all of Northwestern Ontario. Western District is the geographic area west of, but does not include, the city of Thunder Bay. It includes the Districts of Rainy River and Kenora. Within the vast region of Western District there are 10 Masonic Lodges who made this donation possible: Penquonga Lodge, Lake of the Woods Lodge, and Keewatin Lodge in Kenora, Chukuni Lodge in Red Lake, Golden Star Lodge in Dryden, Sioux Lookout Lodge in Sioux Lookout, Atikokan Lodge in Atikokan, Granite Lodge in Fort Frances, Manitou Lodge in Emo, Ionic Lodge in Rainy River. Joining the lodges of Western District supporting this donation was Ledger Preceptory No. 70 (Knights Templar) of Kenora.

Many brethren of Western District have made the journey, to receive heart surgery, and have personal experience in facing the challenges of travel to Southern Ontario, or out of province in Winnipeg, Manitoba, for medical treatment. We enthusiastically endorsed the “Hearts At Home Campaign” in Northwestern Ontario, by practising Masonic Charity. V.W. Bro. Don Jones, Western District

Niagara Lodge No. 2

27 Aug.20. *

About a fortnight ago, a Lodge Secretary was very gracious and conducted a tour of his beloved Lodge, i.e. Niagara No. 2 in Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOL) with W. Bro. Tony Brandon. (You will see below the usual photos at its famous front door, followed by inside photos.)

Our oldest Lodge was formed in 1792 from two Military Lodges, one in Fort George (Ft. Erie) and one in Fort Niagara (NOL) as well members from a Lodge called Friendship Lodge. The town was originally named Newark and the 1st Parliament of Upper Canada was held here under Lt. Gov. John Graves Simcoe.

Originally, the Lodge met in an old School building which sadly was burned down by War of 1812 attackers. There is much history to the present building. Since it is close to Fort Niagara as you can imagine the Military both built and used it. The walls are very solid and built from large field stones placed in wire cribs or cages. At the base and near the front door, the walls are three feet thick. (Recently it has been verified as safe and viable by engineers.)

I was present in 2016 when then Grand Master, M.W. Bro. John Green, celebrated 200 years of the present building's Lodge service, and re-confirmed with his two Wardens, the Cornerstone as being square and level

Of course by your own calculations the Lodge is 225+ years old and its regalia reflect this great honour. The Lodge building also hosts a vibrant R.A. Chapter, No. 55.

Brother Secretary informed us that the Lodge is faring well with dedicated Officers and engaged members. They also have a Sister Lodge in Gasport, NY who regularly visits, and vice versa. W. Bro. Andy Pollock also came with me and thankfully assisted with photos, & notes.

Remember when we may meet safely in the future, that our right to visitation is a landmark of our gentle craft.

This post is not definitive in its details, but I hope that it will spur you to visit other Lodges.

*When we were inside the building, we wore our face masks per health guidelines.

Stay well & keep safe.

W. Bro. Steve Spence

NIAGARA LODGE No. 2 PHOTO GALLERY

The plaque from the 200th year ceremony. at the door.

The Chair in the East The historic and ornate rug & Lodge room from the IGs chair.

The very unique Altar. One of only three such design.

Sincerest thanks to each and every Brother who has contributed to the Newsletter with articles of interest photos or has offered suggestions for ways that we can improve.

HAPPY TO MEET SORRY TO PART HAPPY TO MEET AGAIN!

Memorization of words is simply not enough. Memorization coupled with a true understanding of that which is memorized, becomes Masonic wisdom and will provide an infinite benefit to you throughout your Masonic life.