|
|
A HISTORY of BUXTON LODGE #ll5
ANCIENT FREE & ACCEPTED MASONS -
1863 -1980
The information contained in this history has been taken from the seperate histories of the Lodge prepared over the years by Brethren appointed to that task. I am indebted to them for making this a much simpler task than it otherwise would have been.
Lodge historians:
1863 -1871 R.W. Charles E. Weld and Bro. James Meserve
1871 -1891 Wor. Cyril P.Harmon and R.W. Charles E. Weld
1892 -1910 Wor. Cyril P. Harmon
1910 -1969 Wor. George Ellis Harmon
1970 -1979 R.W. Arthur H Gannett Sr.
1863 -1871
Early in the year 1863, a few Master Masons residing at, and in the vicinity of West Buxton village in the ttowns of Buxton and Hollis, the most of them having taken their degrees at, and members of Standisht Lodge # 70 in Standish, became desirous that a new Lodge should be established at said village and took the necessary steps for that purpose. A petition was submitted at the Annual Communication of Grand Lodge held on the first Tuesday in May, 1863 and a dispensation was duly granted by the Grand Master on the 18th day of March A.D. 1863 for the formation of a new Lodge to be called Moderation Lodge, to be located in the town of Hollis.
CHARTER MEMBERS:
Bro. Samuel Hill, formerly of Standish #70
Bro. John C. Bean, formerly of Standish #70
Bro. Ivory P. Higgins, formerly of Standish #70
Bro. H. Willard Briant, formerly of Standish #70
Bro. Emerson Smith, formerly of Adoniram #27
Bro. Daniel A, Maddox, formerly of Adoniram #27
Bro. Oliver Tracy, unknown
Bro. Benjamin H. Harmon, unknown
Bro. William Butler, Orient in Thomaston
Bro. William P.Hobson, unaffiliated
Bro. Peter Hill, unaffiliated.
The first meeting of Moderation Lodge was held on March 30 at the Masonic Hall in West Buxton village in the town of Hollis ( a more specific location is not mentioned in the early records.) rf't's'r,\~. ' Present at this meeting and elected to office were:
W.M. Benjamin H. Harmon S.D. Oliver Tracy
S.W. Samuel Hill J.D. Daniel A Maddox (not installed)
J.W. Ivory P. Higgins Tyler John C. Bean
Treas. Emerson Smith
Sec'y William Butler
These Officers were ceremoniously installed in their offices on August 11, 1863 by the Most Worshipful Grand Master, William P. Preble.
On the meeting of March 30th, five applications for degrees were read and referred to a Committee of Inquiry. A code of By -Laws was adopted which was subsequently approved by Grand Lodge. Four of these applicants were accepted at the April 27th meeting. ( one rejected.) The four were: William Briant, Abel G. Smith, Cyril P. Harmon and Charles E, Weld who became the first Masons raised in Moderation Lodge.
I have noticed that during the early years of the Lodge that it vas very common for an applicant to be rejected. By virtue of Masonic law, the reason cannot be stated in the records, but it would be interesting to know just why so many were denied membership. Were they really unqualified by moral, physical, or legal reason to become Masons or were personal grievances vented in the ballot box? In the year 1891 no degree work was perforned by the Lodge. The only two applicants having been rejected.
On July 27th of that year a committee reported that the Lodge had indebtedness of $150.00, Chiefly from the expense of repairing the lodge room and providing the necessary furniture for the same.
January 10, 1867. A question of removing the Lodge to across the river in the same village but in the town of Buxton arose. The Masonic Hall in Hollis proving to inadequate for the needs of the Lodge. On April 1st it was voted to remove to a hall procurred within the town of Buxton, pending on the approval of Grand Lodge and consent of Standish Lodge #70, both of which were obtained.
The Lodge obtained it's first lease at it's present location from A,K.P. Lord in 1867, for 10 years at a rate of $75,00 per year, and the new hall was dedicated on November 18, 1867 by the Most Worshipful Grand Master Murray.
On September 6, 1868 the Lodge attended the funeral of charter member and first Junior Warden of the Lodge, Bro. Ivory P. Higgins. Bro. Higgins was buried with Masonic honors and was described as "an earnest and consistant Mason, and a worty man".
On the 12th day of March, 1870, tragedy struck the Lodge. Two worthy and esteemed members, P.M. Oliver Tracy and Bro John Sawyer were suddenly killed while riding in a carriage near the track of the P. S. & P. Railroad in Saco, by coming in contact with a passing train.
During this eieht year period the Lodge took in 83 members.
1872 -1890
The year 1872 saw the appointment of Wor. Bro. Charles E. Weld as District Deputy Grand Master. The first of seven members of the Lodge to serve in that capacity.
On February 7, 1873 the Lodge buried Bro. Joseph Garland. Bro. Garland was a member of the original Buxton Lodge which was active from 1826 to 1832 and later removed to Biddeford.
At the Annual Communication of Grand Lodge on May 6, 1874, on petition from Moderation Lodge, the name of Moderation Lodge was changed to Buxton Lodge, No account is recorded in the history of this period about why the members of the Lodge requested the change of names.
In 1879 the Lodge voted to exempt all members seventy years or older from all Lodge dues, This was amended in 1926 to all members who had 50 years or more membership.
It's noted in the history of this period that on March 4th, 18 the Lodge as a body was unable to attend the funeral of Dro. Jotham Smith, oweing to the inclemency of the weather and the distance from the Lodge. ( Some five miles. )
In 1886 the Lodge purchased it's first organ and 1890 records the first reading of Grand Lodge reports in the minutes. During this time period 90 new members were admitted to the Lodge.
1891 -1901
During this period of the Lodge's history we find that the members considered the installation of electric lights in the hall for the first time. Wor Dro. Frank H, Hargraves is appointed as D.D.G.M. in 1892. A committee is appointed to look into the purchase of the building in which the hall is situated, though no mention is made of this in subsequent records of this time period. Only 15 new members are admitted during this 10 year period.
1902 -1909
According to the early by-laws of the Lodge, the meetings were held on the Monday eve on or before the full of the moon each month. On December 21, 1903, the following communication was received from the Grand Master: " I notice that your election comes in January, Monday eve on or before the full moon. I presume you are aware there will be no such date in January."
In 1903 the possibility of forming an Order of the Eastern Star ( O,E.S, ) Chapter is brought up for consideration. An application was received in 1907 from a man who had lost his right hand. Which was returned. ( See Drummond Digest, p,322)
1907 also saw the death of charter member, Daniel A. Maddox. There were 32 new members admitted in tnis time period.
1910 -1919
March 18, 1911, it was reported that the arrangements for the formation of an O.E,S. Chapter were nearly complete. At the October 10th, 1911 meeting Bro, Charles Locke requested that some of the Brothers be allowed to organize a new Lodge at Hollis Center. The following month the Lodge voted not to recommend the petition.
At the January 1, 1912 meeting of the Lodge a vote of thanks was given Bro. John Berryman for his service as Treasurer for the past 30 years. The following is an account from the records of the Lodge for February 26, 1912:
"Attending communications was rugged business in 1912, before the days of tractor driven snow plows, One Brother relates reporting for his E.A. Degree on this date. He drove over 5 miles with a horse and pung. A snow storm struck early in the evening and going to his horse, he found his pung piled high with snow, He scooped out a place to sit, hooked up his horse, wrapped himself in a blanket and headed home. Half way home the mare stopped and refused to keep going until the Brother cleared away the snow which had packed in around her bridle so she could not see to keep to the road, Two other Brothers had the misfortune to over -turn in a snow drift, their horse ran away and they were oblighed to wade through the snow, burdened with blankets and sleigh cushions, until they caught up with the horse which someone stopped a mile or more ahead."
The formation of an O.E.S, Chapter seems to have brought one additional problem. The minutes of the May 27, 1912 meeting mention the appointment or a committee to consider the matter of water closet.
The matter of celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Lodge was discussed in 1913, but no action was taken, Attendence and activities of the Lodge were at a low point in 1913. even some of the officers were lax in their attendance.
In 1914 Wor Bro. Oscar D.Rand was appointed as D.D.G.M. unfortunately, R.W. Bro. Rand died on April 14, 1915 while in office, "at a great loss to the Lodge and the community." Wor Bro. Fred B. Rand was appointed to fill the remainder of this term and to a subsequent term of his own.
It is recorded that the Lodge furnished care and medical assistance to a Bro. Joseph H. Murphy until his death in 1916. it was not uncommon in the earlier years for the Lodge to provide financial aid to members and the families of deceased members. The records show where the Lodge voted to pay widows of deceased members monthly amounts to help sustain them in their need. These amounts most often between $10 and $20 per month.
On February 3, 1917 Wor Bro. Cyril P. Harmon read his final Secretaries report, after serving in that capacity for 24 years.
In February, 1919 the Lodge voted to exempt from dues each member of the Lodge who had served in the Armed Services during the war, and that their names be entered on the records as Life Members. Apparently the members had second thoughts about this action because this vote was rescinded in April of that same year.
During this period 49 members were admitted.
1920 -1929
In 1920, for the first time the Annual Meeting was held in December. The Trustees of the Lodge were directed to execute a five year lease for the Masonic Hall with Bro. Frank H. Hargraves at $100.00 per year.
During this time period it appears that several properties were left to the Lodge by deceased Brethren or their families, as there is a vote to instruct the Worshipful Master to consult legal advice regarding, the sale of these properties.
This was also a very busy period for the Lodge. 83 members were take in during this period.
1930 -1939
In 1930 it was voted that the Lodge become an incorporated body and that the name of the corporation be Buxton Lodge F.& A.M. This was changed in 1931 to The Buxton Masonic Building Association. In 1931 it was voted that Bro. Sumner O. Haley attend to the writing of the Lodge history. No further mention of this appears in the records, although some remember that Bro. Haley read a paper at a later date. It's fate remains a mystery.
Also in that year, the Lodge entered into an agreement with the widow of Bro. John Fellows, whereby she conveyed her real estate to the Lodge and in return she was to be allowed to occupy the house for the remainder of her natural life and receive $20 monthly until her demise. The Lodge had been assisting Mrs. Fellows for several years before this action was taken. She died in November, 1932.
In 1933 the Annual Meeting of the Lodge was held on December 25th after an attempt to change the date was denied by Grand Lodge, A small attendance noted.
In 1934 Wor. Bro. Frederick H. Davis received a Past Master's Jewel from the Lodge. The first Past Master to be so honored. This practice continues in the Lodge today.
On April 23rd of that same year. R.W. Bro. Frank Hargraves bequested a $100 gift to the Lodge which was used to purchase a carpet and two pillars for use in the F.C. Degree. That same year it was voted that he Lodge should charge 25¢ for it's strawberry supper in June.
1936 was the year of the flood on the Saco River,many of the Brethren were actively engaged in flood control and relief work and the Lodge dining hall was used to furnish refreshments for the workers and the needy.
In the remainder of this time period we see the raising of the Lodge dues from $2.00 to $2.50 and the installation of a sink and fittings in the kitchen. 24 admitted in this period.
1940 -1949
During this period of the Lodge's history the Lodge considered changing it's meeting night, but did not do so. New regalia was purchased for the Officers and an Honor Roll was aquired for the World War II veterans.
A comittee was formed to consider establishing a Lodge Charity Fund and to increase the annual dues to meet the expenses of such a fund. A Lodge Charity Fund was established, but the latter proposal was defeated.
Wor. Bro. Oliver E. Earle retired as Secretary of the Lodge in 1946 after serving 23 years in that office.
64 new member admitted in this period.
1950 -1959
At the January 30, 1950 meeting it was reported by Wor. Bro. George A. Elwell that Bro. Hobart Hargraves had set a price of $6,500 on the Masonic Building. On May 29th of that year the Lodge voted to purchase the building for a sum not to exceed that amount. The vote: favorable -35, against -5. blank -2. On June 26th the Building Committee reported Bro. Hargraves would sell the building for $6.250. The $250 difference, to be considered a gift to the Lodge
In 1951 a framed Masonic diplomia dated: 1864, Moderation Lodge, in the name of Bro, Thomas H. Berry, was presented to the Lodge by Bro. Forest Jose.
In 1953 Wor. Bro. George A. Elwell was appointed D.D.G .M. of the 18th District, The Lodge voted to change the stated meeting night to the first Monday of each month. The subject had arisen many times in the preceeding years, but apparently the Brethren were content with the way it was prior to this time.
During 1954 the Lodge erected a sign on the outside of the building, "that the place might be known, should occasion require it."
In 1955, 1957 and in 1959 the Lodge hosted Masonic District meetings, with the Most Worshipful Grand Master in attendance on the first occasions.
Wor·, Bro. Pliny A. Crockett vas recognized as the oldest living Past Master of the Lodge on Past Master's Night on June 6, 1955. Having served as Master of the Lodge in 1915. 40 years prior.
In November of 1957, 25 Officers and members of Buxton Lodge traveled by bus to Fidelity Lodge in Melrose, Mass. and worked the M.M. Degree on their own candidate. In May of 1958 the Officers and members of Fidelity Lodge returned the visit and conferred the M.M. Degree on their candidate.
Twice during the year 1958, proposals were made to increase the membership dues and fees for the degrees and each time the proposals were defeated. Also, a proposal for the Lodge to loan the Building Association $1,500 for operating expenses was defeated, although the Lodge was carrying a cash balance in excess of $3,000 at the time.
On February 2, 1959 it was announced that the oldest living Past Master, Wor, Bro. Oliver E. Earle would hold an open house on the occasion of his 50th wedding anniversary and the 50th anniversary of his becoming a Mason, Both occuring on the same day. 12 Lodge members attended the open house and Bro. Earle was presented with his 50 year veterans medal there.
At the May, 1959 meeting Wor. Bro. Frederic H. Davis read an article. from an old newspaper about a relative who was a Master Mason who was captured during the Civil War, and was about to be shot, but on seeing his Masonic pin, he was released by his captors.
During this period in addition to purchasing the Masonic Building, much work was done on the interior, including the installation of toilet facilities, renovation of the dining area and the preperation of the first floor for rental purposes. 59 new member were admitted in this period.
1960 -1969
On January 4, 1960 the Lodge voted Life Membership to Bro. George Marsh, who had served as Tyler of the Lodge for 21 years and was now unable to attend meetings. Bro. Marsh passed away on December 20, 1960. Grand Master, Leon W. Sanborn presided at the funeral services. In 1963 the Lodge accepted a framed picture of Bro. Marsh from Bro. Arthur H. Gannett Sr.
On November 16, 1963 the Lodge observed it's 100th Anniversary with members, their wives and families enjoying a fine turkey banquet at the Masonic Hall, followed by a reading of the history of the founding of the Lodge by Wor. Master Harold E. Harmon, At this meeting Bro. Hobort Hargraves presented the Lodge with the original lease issued to the Lodge by his grandfather, A,K.P. Lord in 1867.
1963 also saw the Lodge receive a Cedar of Lebanon gavel from Bro. William Catir, in memory of his late father, Bro. Salim Catir and the resignation of Bro. Lawrance C. Higgins as Treasurer after 20 years in that position.
In 1965 Wor. Bro. Arthur H. Gannett, Sr. was appointed D.D.G.M. of the 18th District. During the remainder of this period the Lodge installed new carpeting in the meeting room at a cost of $998, voted to allow no smoking on the third floor of the building ( this vote rescinded less than a year later), became a co-sponsor of Valley Chapter Order of DeMolay and hosted several Masonic Schools of Instruction.
On January 6, 1969 Wor. Bro. Frederick H. Davis, a 50 year member, presented the Lodge with his grandfather's Masonic diploma. Bro. Davis's grandfather was a charter member of Moderation Lodge.
46 new members admitted in this period.
1970 -1979
This period of our Lodge history I recall with some clarity, having participated in much of it. In 1972 the Lodge purchased a slide projector and slides to use in the lectures of the Masonic Degrees, adding greatly to the education of the candidates and to the enjoyment of the Brethren on the sidelines. Also that year the Lodge saw the renovation of a small room on the third floor into a library. This library was greatly enriched by gifts from the widow of our late Bro.Frederick R. Davis, from R.W. Bro. George a Elwell and from Wor. and Mrs. Arlyn E. Barnard.
In 1973 the Lodge paid homage to former President and Masonic Brother, M.W. Harry S, Truman, Past Grand Master of the state of Missouri.
1975 saw the retirement from office of two of the lodge's most faithful members. Wor. Bro. Robert L, Foye retired as Treasurer after serving in that capacity for 11 years and R. W.Bro. Arthur H. Gannett Sr. retired as secretary after 9 years.
In 1976 the Lodge welcomed to its membership, Bro. Walter A. Schaafr a gentleman in his seventies who had imigrated to the United States from Germany prior to W.W. II and had long been desirous of becoming a Mason. Though Bro. Schaaf passed away just two short years later. no man ever was prouder of his Masonic membership.
The Lodge purchased a number of plush upholstered setees from Temple Lodge in Westbrook in 1977 to replace the old setees which had long been in use. Also in 1977, for the first time in it's history, the membership of the Lodge reached 200.
The year 1979 saw the Annual Meeting fall on January 1st. "what a way to interrupt the " bowl games." The Lodge received a new silk top hat from newly affiliated brother Ruel Taylor who hoped it vould be worn at every meeting. With a gift received from the widow of Wor. Bro. Frederick S. Davis the Lodge purchased new Alter Jewels and Deacon Staffs.
During the summer of 1979 many Brethren worked to renovate the Lodge"hall"room,
Installing a suspended ceiling painting the walls and woodwork and cleaning everything in sight. All the brethren seemed most pleased with the outcome.
1979 also saw the appointment of Wor. Bro. Barry W. Plummer as D.D.G.M. of the 18th District. There were many Brethren more qualified for this position, but none could have been more pleased to receive it. Of that !1m sure.
There were 34 members admitted in this period.
During its existance from 1863 -1979, 569 Brothers have received their Masonic Degrees in Buxton Lodge #115, A.F. & A.M.
Buxton Lodge continues to be one of the most active Lodges in the state, It's officers have always demonstrated great pride in their Lodge work. The senior officers setting a strong example for the junior officers to follow. And the members of the Lodge continue to show their approval with their regular attendance at the meetings. Buxton Lodge has continued to grow and prosper at a time when Masonry as a whole has been declining in membership. What greater tribute can be paid to it's officers and members.
In conclusion, I will say that to the best of knowledge the material and facts contained in the preceeding pages are an accurate history of the Masonic Lodges of Buxton - Hollis, Maine and I hope you've enjoyed hearing this brief hostory as much as I've enjoyed compiling it.
West Buxton, Maine
September 19, 1985
The preceeding history was written by,
R.W. Barry W. Plummer
P.M. Buxton Lodge #115 A.F.& A.M.
2015
This is my first time writing a Lodge History. So after some circumspection I decided not to look at any other Histories and write a report according to my perspective of what has transpired this year and what has been paramount to the success of our lodge. However I have sorted, read and analyzed the Master's trestle boards, the secretary's minutes, and committee reports so that I could give an accurate and fair report of the workings of Buxton Lodge #115 for the year of 2015.
I think what makes our lodge work is momentum. Momentum from Past Leaders who pass that momentum, by example, to present leaders. Past Masters, P.D.D.G.M's, and Past Grand Lodge officers who "suit up and show up" to participate in their Blue Lodge and show our new members what 'it' is all about. With our lodge there is also "Familial Momentum" where long standing families in our community have entered upon the square for generations, contributing to Masonry in many ways. Twice this year we had multiple generations of families either participating in Degree work or being recognized for service pins. We had five members of the Plummer family present on Past Master's night and three generations of Desjardins for a Master Masons Raising. The contributions the Gannett family has made to Buxton Lodge, Masters and Wardens, and Freemasonry at home and abroad are "Huge". Even now P.D.D.G.M. R.W. "Butch" Gannett takes care of our Facebook page and always smiles when asked to participate in Degree work.
I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge that we would have no momentum were it not for the excellent secretarial skills and "Care" with which Wor. Ronald B. Moore has
kept minutes, records, and bills, and looked after the Lodge, fiscally and physically, as well as taking part in degree work and lectures. I would also like to acknowledge Past Grand Sword Bearer, Wor. John A. Smith, another Leader who stepped in for Secreterial duties while Wor. Ronald B. Moore was away . As well as stepping in for Secretary, Wor. John Smith is also always ready to help in Degree Work. And this year he has been diligent in his duties to pass out Past Master Diplomas. He did a lot of work to bring us up to speed . He presented Four Past Master Diplomas in June and Two in October.
Others carry this momentum forward too, stepping up when needed. Honored to serve as Master this year, Wor. Jamie Grant stated in his first trestleboard that he wanted to "re-establish the effectiveness of our committees, increase meeting attendance by making Lodge fun and enlightening, and to hone our ritual work." This was accomplished. Our education committe planned several "presentations" and our D.E.R. Wor. JasonGrant, Past Master and twin brother of our Master gave two educational presentations one in January, one in November, and sat in on a question and answer committee at a March meeting. We also had Wor. Bro Jim Dufrense give a presentation in April on the end of the Civil War and the surrender at Appomattox and how Generals Grant , Lee and Chamberlain influenced the outcome there. Buxton's Grant twins both served in the military, so they have not only familial momentum but also "military momentum". Those disciplines developed from our Country's military experience. Others in our lodge also have that momentum. V.W. Stephen E. Nichols has been a powerful force in serving our Lodge. His Military Leadership Skills and genuine joy of serving Freemasonry in Maine and his many other "Community Service" appointments have shown us all a level of Leadership to aspire to. V.W. Bro Nichols held the torch for so many things in Freemasonry from shouldering Demolay in Buxton, to being on the Board of Regents for the Maine Masonic College, to Grand Lodge, to vacuuming the lodge floor for many years, so that Brethren could be proud of their lodge. V.W. Bro. Nichols moved to North Carolina this year so our Lodge held a going away party for him hosted by the Worshipful Master Jamie Grant and His Brother R.W. D.E.R. Jason Grant. The Party was held on July 18th 2015 . There were over 90 guests, several Past Grand Masters spoke and letters were read from the Governor, Paul Lepage and both Senator Angus King and Senator Susan Collins acknowledging their high regard for his Civil Service. On January 5th V.W. Bro Nichols presented Bro. James Havu with the "Blue Honor Key" for being a Senior Demolay first line signer for 10 new demolay members. this is the type of leadership and momentum that creates new "Leaders". This Man's life is a "template" through which the light of Masonry shines through onto others lives.
We have other leaders who step in to keep this Lodge going with momentum. P.D.D.G.M. Wor. Barry Plummer steps forward every year to install our officers at our annual installation. His recitation of the Officers duties at installation is always impressive and he is always ready to assist and help in degree work and lectures. On Past Masters Night, May 18th, 2015 D.D.G.M. R.W. Roger Berube, on behalf of Buxton Lodge, awarded P.D.D.G.M. R.W. Barry Plummer his 50 year service pin, along with
Bro. Donald Pinkham, Bro. Philip Dearborn, and Bro. Guy "Skip" Plummer. as well a 40- year pin for Bro. John Wilder, two thirty-year pins for Bro. Dana Ryder and Wor Bro. Ronald Moore, and a 10 year-pin for Wor. Bro. Derrick Desjardins.
For some years now Buxton Lodge has been without a good fire escape. So from time to time the necessity of it has been bandied about in Lodge business meetings and then tabled because we didn't believe we could pay for it or have the "momentum" going forward to pay for the bank loan in the unforeseeable future. I've been a Mason for almost 18 years and I always thought this was a "new problem" for our Lodge, and we had a walkway to the next building, but I guess it was not up to code or insurance. But it turns out our Lodge had never had a good fire escape and this "Issue" had been coming up for scores of years. But I'm not complaining, We as a group, as the collective lodge of Brothers, in our business meetings, decided something must be done. And once again Past leaders step up to help the Lodge. P.D.D.G.M. R.W. Paul Deschambeault with his Real Estate experience and Property Management skills manuevered through loan offers and contractors along with the help of P.M. Wor. Matthew H. Brooker and the Trustees of the Buxton Masonic Building Association procured a loan and now we have a new three-story fire escape. It was proposed for brothers, who wanted to, to add $37 dollars to each years dues to help pay for the loan, and some said they would commit, and others thought donations would help. Donations have come in and we have "Momentum".
In February Buxton Lodge hosts Master's and Wardens of the 18th Masonic District and in 2015 we voted to help Leavitt's Mill Free Health Clinic by voting for it in the Masonic Charitable Foundation Grant. Masters and Wardens voted to donate $100 and
an aditional $147 was raised by passing the hat . Leavitt's Mill did'nt win the Grant voting competition, but we felt good about the donations. Also in Febraury we went to the Maine Veterans home in Scarborough to visit Masonic Brethren. While in Scarborough several brethren also went and visited Wor. Bro Jim Bower at his home in Scarborough. We also hold a Pie Auction in May for the Rainbow Girls and It has become a good fund raiser for them. This will be the last year for Mrs. Betty Townsend
and Mrs. Helen Hunt to prepare meals for the Lodge when the J.W. can't. They are long time members of the "Order of Eastern Star" and a valuable asset to our Lodge. We also Participated in the Bell Ringing for the Salvation Army at the Biddeford Walmart on November 28th, 2015. This year we enjoyed dining at Ruby Tuesday's before the Bell Ringing and I thought everybody had a good time. When the camaraderie of Brotherhood is present, that forms a sort of momentum too.
We lost Four Brothers in 2015. I did not know them very well and I did not think to save their obituaries not realizing I was going to become Lodge Historian or what that entailed. We lost Bro. Christain Holland in February he had been a member of Standish Lodge in Standish Me. But since Standish Lodge had turned in its charter and he requested a Masonic Funeral Service, Buxton Lodge Performed the Masonic Memoriual Service. We have another Past Master, P.D.D.G.M. R.W. Chad Poitras who, being a mortician who has helped us immensely over his years in Lodge. Bro. Charles Townsend passed in March. R.W. Chad Poitras held that Masonic memorial service at his Funeral home too. Bro. Marshall Pease passed in October. And Carl T. Hews passed on December 1st, 2015. P.D.D.G.M. R.W.Chad Poitras is a valuable member of our Lodge actively attending and participating in Lodge business and Degree Work.
We raised five Brethren in 2015. Bro. Matthew Hall and Bro. Richard Hawkes became Master Masons on January 19th and have since accepted positions in the Chairs.
Bro. Sean Lague was raised on May 18th . Bro. Darryl Desjardins was raised on June 15th with two generations and two uncles helping. And Bro. Eric Klein was raised to a Master Mason on November 16th.
So with 18 meetings, Stated and Special, I think the Master acheived his goals, with the help of everyone, we had an average attendance of 21 brethren per meeting. That is momentum. And I forgot, Buxton Lodge made me "Mason of the Year" For my "imagination, enthusiaism, and dedication to the enlightment of the Craft and for creating a new sign for the Lodge.
Respectfully Submitted,
Perry Clark
2016
Only Wor. Bro. Rob Roy was unable to attend meetings , as he has Polymyalgia Rhuematica and we miss his music in our degree work .
We initiated two candidates in January and passed three candidates to F.C. in February. We also had a Bldg. Association meeting on Feb. 21st reviewing the progress made on our fire escape installation and Tenant rental agreements. We also visited the Scarborough Veterans Home in February according to the rotational visits of the District 18 Lodges. On March 7th we initiated Bro. Chris Milne to the first degree. We also raised Bro. Hayden Eilinger and Bro. Dennis Gervais at our special meeting on the third Monday. I am sure it was quite special for Worshipful Master Richgard Eilinger having his two sons raised to M.M. during his journey thru the Chairs. and Bro. Uriah Eilinger flew home from the U.S. Naval academy to surprise and raise his younger Brother, Hayden Eilinger and give him the Grand Masonic Word on the five points of fellowship that night. We also had word our tenant agreed to the new lease. In April our E.A. Brothers Chris Milne and Steve Fourtier, without planning it, both repeated their Entered Apprentice Obligation at the same time in front of the Lodge. They were Suprised and the Lodge was amused at the "Harmony". They were then passed to the F.C. degree on April 4th. I would like to report that our Officers were really taking their Chairs seriously and producing really good Charges and Lectures by now and I am proud to know them as Brothers and watch them polish their responsibilities and outward demeanor . On April 18th we initiated Paul Fromman with an E.A. Degree. Bro. Paul Froman is also good friends with the Eilingers and these types of friendships are part of the reason Buxton Lodge #115 is strong right now. And Bro. Lloyd Bradbury is a good friend of Bro. Dennis Gervais and a big reason Bro. Dennis Gervais joined Lodge. In May I, Perry Clark, sat in the East for Past Masters Night. Having not sat in the East since being Worshipful Master in 2003. Preparing for P.M. night was a humbling experience. Once again, asking fellow Past Masters to help, I had no problem filling my chairs and I once again got to feel that nervous excitement that only comes from the honor of sitting in the East and feeling the "Hot Seat", praying and hoping it goes well.
I had the help of :
• R.W.P.D.D.G.M. Butch Gannett as S.W.
• R.W.P.D.D.G.M. Paul Deshambeault as J.W.
• V.W.D.E.R. Jason Grant as S.D.
• Wor. Richard Eilinger as J.D.
• Wor. P.M. Jamie Grant as Chaplain
• Wor. P.M. Stanley Hall as Marshal
• Wor. P.M. Barry Sargent as Tyler
• R.W.P.D.D.G.M. Chad Poitras as S.S.
• Wor.P.M. Harvey Donald as J.S.
• Wor.P.M. Ron Moore as Secretary
• Wor.P.M. Troy Plummer as Treasurer
• R.W.P.D.D.G.M. Barry Plummer took "Second Gate"
• P.G.S.B. Wor. John Smith took "First Gate"
The Night went Splendid !
In June we had to drape our Charter for Wor. Bro. P.M. Don Ross who had moved to Florida. We did have a very nice Memorial Service for him after his body was brought back to Maine, and refreshments at the Lodge afterwards. We did have positive things in June too. An elderly couple, the Chases, who were friends of our Worshipful Master, needed to build a wheel chair ramp for the husband. They happened to ask our Worshipful Master Richard Eilinger who they could get to help them? Well, You know , SHAZAAM !! Our lodge had a chance to help in our community ! the Chases got their wheelchair design approved and the Brothers who volunteered had a great time completing a tangible building taskwith comradery and teamwork we even got in the fall issue of the Maine Mason Page 23. We also initiated Bro. Mike Freeman as an E.A. June 20th. Then the Lodge went dark until September 19th when we had a stated meeting. October 3rd Paul Froman was duly passed to FellowCraft with a polished Winding Staircase Lecture. The Lodge received a 2 for 1 Community Betterment Grant to be used for Veteran flag memorials in the town of Hollis. R.W.P.D.D.G.M. Butch Gannett used his Grand Lodge experience to help the Lodge get that Grant, and we are Very Thankful for that. In November Bro. Bob Hoffman passed away. He was 94 years old and a 52 year member. Tuesday Nov. 1st the Annual District meeting was well attended and Scott Wolter, the speaking guest, put on quite a show. He is the star of the T.V. show "Unearthing America" and the Author of "the Hooked X" . He is the owner of American Petrographic Services, Inc. Petrography is the study of rocks and geology for forensic tests and scientific research and consultation. This endeavor brought to Mr. Scott Wolter the testing of the "Kensington Runestone" and the rest is History. No, Really, its about History, the History of the Knights Templar and the History of the Freemasons, and the History of who came to America much earlier than Columbus. Some of our older brothers thought it was too long, but I thought he was the most intellectually stimulating speaker I've heard in a Lodge room in a long time. And because of his thorough, thorough research he has recently become a Master Mason. That annual meeting had full dinner attendance, two successful raffles and an exemplary speaker, my hat goes off to D.D.G.M. Wor. Eric Durgin and the Masters and Wardens Officers who put it together. On November 7th Buxton Lodge raised Bro. Paul Froman to M.M. and presented Several Service Pins. Brother Frank Wood received his 65 year Bronze Starin front of his family, in the Lodge, before we formally opened. His son -in -law is newly raised Bro. Chris Milne. Bro. James Wakem was presented with his 30 year service pin, and Wor.P.M. Nick Pinkham received his 10 year service pin. Our Lodge also has a big connection with "Wreathes Across America", which in our area, is held at the South Buxton Cemetery.Our R.W.P.D.D.G.M. Wor. Chad Poitras besides being an Eagle Scout and a Mortician has matured thru Masonry to become very Civic-minded and serves as Town Selectman , School Board Member, chairman of WAA, Wreathes Across America, and conducts our Masonic Memorial Services with dignity and compassion. and This years "Wreathes Across America" Service was an impressive display of Armed Services individuals, Elected Speakers, Police Fire and Rescue Departments, High School singers, Bagpipes and Snow. Yes, It snowed and it was cold and yet standing there to the end were all these people and many more regular citizens Proud of America and the sacrifices Freedom brings. and if that was not sublime in a snow storm, a little girl who had become bored went off to the side of the crowd and started making snow angels in a cemetery with pristine snow everywhere. Snow angels in a cemetery with fallen heroes being remembered. Anyway, we also have our own wreath program in Buxton Lodge and we deliver wreathes to our Masonic Brethren's widows for Christmas in the area. We make a map of our towns around the Lodge and Brothers volunteer to deliver wreathes to widows that either live close to them or know them personally. This is working very well right now and it introduces new Brothers to widows of our old Brothers, creating a real link to the past lodge members. Anyway, our Worshipful Master summed it up nicely in his final trestleboard, "We have raised five new Masons this year and initiated and passed six candidates confirming that Masonry at Buxton Lodge is doing well. Unfortunately we lost four Brothers this year--Bro. John Romano, Bro. Don Ross , Bro. Bob Hoffman , and Bro. Harlan Dearborn. Our Membership now stands at 148. Community Betterment and youth activity matching grants , Bonny Eagle Scholarship, and other Donations totaling $3650.00 and completion of the fire escape are accomplishments that rightfully makes us proud of our Lodge."
I couldn't have said it better myself.
Respectfully submitted, Historian, Perry Clark Buxton Lodge #115
Buxton Lodge #115
Lodge History Report 2017
We met on January 2nd, 2017 for our first Stated Meeting and seated our new Officers, who had been installed at our Lodge installation in December 2016.
They are listed here ; Dale Desjardiens Worshipful Master
Lloyd Bradbury Senior Warden
Jason Tarr Junior Warden
Richard Eilinger Chaplain
Travis Lawrence Senior Deacon
Karl Longstreth Junior Deacon
Michael Trottier Senior Steward
Matthew Hall Junior Steward
Ronald Moore Secretary
Troy Plummer Treasurer
Richard Hawkes Marshal
Stanley Hall Tyler
We also welcomed Brother Jason Sicina who affiliated with Buxton Lodge, having
relocated to Buxton from Waterville Lodge #33.
We next met on Monday Feb. 6th with a regular Stated Meeting and I, Perry Clark
gave a presentation on “What is a Square?...Every Fellowcraft Knows the Answer to That!”. This presentation was about the hidden meaning of a Square. Because
in the Cypher it says “W.M. Ho wi yo be tr?
S.W. By th sq.
W.M. Wh by th sq.?
S.W. be it is on of th wo to of my pr.
W.M. Wh is a sq
S.W. An an of ni des, or th fo pa of a ci.
This dialogue is a hidden “Allusion” to the “fourth part of a circle”.
The fourth part of a circle is called a “Quadrant”. And so, I proceeded to point
this out by asking the D.D.G.M. to show the Lodge his Grand Lodge Jewel, which he obliged, and there at the bottom of his Jewel was a full ninety degree
“quadrant”. So, my presentation’s premise went on to show that a quadrant was an “Ancient Measuring Device” used before the Technology of watches and clocks. Quadrants were used throughout the ancient world, to tell the time of day, angles of height, distances of cannon fire, but most importantly Quadrants
could be used to establish and maintain “Latitudes” for “Traveling” overland or Sea, see!... Anyway, the presentation was a success and brought more
“Light” to Freemasonry.
Buxton Lodge then met again on February 20th, 2017 and we initiated two Candidates into Freemasonry with the E.A. Degree. One Candidate was Michael Nevells, son of Forest Nevells P.M. of Buxton Lodge in 1979. The other candidate
Was Charles Levebrve, a local carpenter of good standing.
The Lodge met again March6th, 2017 and opened in the E.A. opening Ceremony so our new candidates could attend and see what “Lodge” was like.
In April, we had a Stated Meeting on April 3rd and we competed in the “District Ritual Challenge” in Biddeford, Maine, though not on the same day. We won two awards at the Ritual Challenge, one was “Best Junior Warden” taken home by Worshipful Master Dale Desjardiens, the other was “Best Senior Deacon” taken home by Travis Lawrence. On April 17th we passed our two new Candidates through the Fellowcraft degree.
In May we met on May 1st for a Stated Meeting. We recognized Brother Richard Hawkes for fabricating a “Staff Holder” to be used at the Altar. Brother Hawkes is “a valuable asset” to our Lodge Team, always helpful and knowledgeable in the “Utilitarian Arts”. Brother R.W. P.D.D.G.M. Butch Gannett “Auctioneered” at our “Annual Rainbow Girls Pie Auction” held at Harmony Lodge in Gorham, Maine. It raises money for our Rainbow Girls Chapter. It was a very successful evening with 33 pies, made by the girls and their Worthy Matrons, auctioned off for a whopping total of $2365.00 Dollars. Yes, those are some “Great Pies” and some
very motivated bidding, encouraged by R.W. Butch Gannett’s auctioneering skills, with a greatly appreciated audience of Charitable attendees!
On Past master’s night on May 15th, Buxton Lodge raised our two Candidates with P.M. Jamie Grant Officiating from the East. We Also recognized Brother Mark Goodwin with his 40 Year Service Pin. We also recognized two P.D.D.G.M.s R.W. Paul Deschambeault and R.W. Butch Gannett with their 30 Year Service Pins.
Both Right Worshipfuls have been “Pillars” of the Tenets of Masonry and provided
Leadership to the Brethren of Buxton Lodge for years. We are very Grateful for the “Contributions” and the “Momentum” they have given our Lodge.
Buxton Lodge met June 5th for a Stated Meeting. Our last Meeting before going “Dark” for the Summer. The 18th Masonic District’s District Education Representative, Brother Michael Shaw gave a Presentation for new Master masons, it was appropriate and timely for our new Master Masons.
We Came back from “Darkness” on September 18th 2017. At our September meeting we discussed proposals for a better attendance when we come out of ‘Darkness”. Because we meet on the first and third Monday of the month, when Labor Day falls on the first Monday, and everyone is still “up to Camp”, we have poor attendance. So, way back when I was Master of Buxton Lodge, we changed the By-Laws to having our Stated Meeting on the third Monday in September. This alleviated the poor attendance, due to vacationing, but, it squeezed the Calendar meetings close together in the Fall and pressured our momentum at the end of the year. In other words, we had only a short time to get things accomplished. So, after some good debate and several propositions and amendment proposals, Brother John Smith found space between “the horns of our dilemma” and amended one motion we already proposed so that, if a Holiday falls on a Monday we would meet on the Tuesday, the next day. This also helped with other Monday Holidays like New Year’s which falls on a Monday every seven years. So, the Lodge approved the measure and our Secretary, Ronald B. Moore, who has served faithfully as Secretary for 25 years! Put into motion the announcing of the voting for the proposal for the next four weeks, or twice in two trestleboards, so that it could be “voted on” according to Grand Lodge rules. We also voted to purchase five Rainbow Dance tickets to help our Rainbow girl’s “Annual Charity Ball”. And we voted to purchase four wreathes to assist the Demolay’s “Wreathes Across America” Project. Buxton Lodge’s P.D.D.G.M. R.W. Chad Poitras has been a major force in Promoting and Being the Master of Ceremonies for the Buxton-Hollis area “Wreathes Across America” Event every year. We are proud of his accomplishments and Leadership. At our September Stated Meeting we also had a presentation by Brother Anthony Bessey, Chief Executive of “The Maine Demolay” and he talked about plans to re-invigorate Demolay and Valley Chapter. W.M. Dale Desjardiens also announced that Buxton Lodge had been awarded two “Attendance Awards” for having the most members at Masters and Wardens meetings and also at the District’s Schools of Instruction. We have a strong team of active Members at Buxton Lodge #115 and the future of our Lodge seems to be getting Brighter! Light, Light, and More Light!!!
Buxton Lodge’s October Stated Meeting was on Monday October 2nd 2017. It was our Annual Inspection. So, during our opening, as ceremony decrees, we started in the M.M. opening ceremony only to need our Senior Deacon to ascertain the cause of the alarm at the door. A Suite of Officers was escorted into the Lodge Room with our D.D.G.M. R.W. Eric K. Durgin. The acting Grand Marshall
Wor. John A. Smith introduced the suite of with twelve Officers. Hearty handshakes and clapping continued throughout the introductions. After Public Grand Honors were afforded, the Gavel was passed back to Worshipful Dale Desjardiens, the Lights were changed to the Fellowcraft Degree and Buxton Lodge proceeded to pass a “Substitute” Candidate to the degree of Fellowcraft. Afterwards R.W. Eric K. Durgin congratulated the Lodge for “the fine work of the evening”.
At our November 6th Stated Meeting we once again debated, discussed, and refined the verbiage of our By-Law change for meeting days. Our final proposed By-Law change reads “Buxton Lodge shall hold stated meetings on the first Monday of the month. However, if the first Monday of the month falls on a National recognized Holiday, the Stated Meeting shall be held on the following Tuesday. At each Annual Meeting, the Lodge may vote to close and remain dark during any two consecutive months”. We also added this next statement to Article 2 of the By-Laws, section 5. “The Master may postpone a Stated Meeting for up to forty-eight hours with due notice to the membership when weather conditions cause reasonable concerns for the safety and welfare of the Brethren”.
These changes were voted on at our Stated Annual Meeting on December4th 2017 and it passed. So, it can be submitted to Grand Lodge for approval.
We also donated $100.00 dollars to Leavitt’s Mill Health Center. And we voted
To purchase 29 wreathes for $15.50 cents from “Bonny Eagle Project Grad” to be given to our living widows of deceased Brethren. This act of Charity brightens the Holiday Season for the widows and gives our Brothers a chance to meet the widows of Brethren who came before them. We also presented a 50 Year service Pin to Worshipful Master John Carl Fournier P.M. of Triangle Lodge No.#1 in Portland, Maine. We did this on behalf of Triangle Lodge and because Wor. John Fournier’s son is Sean Fournier, a member of our Lodge, who was able to attend that night to see his Father receive the Award. We also made plans to have Brothers of Buxton Lodge fulfill our commitment to “Man the Buckets” at the Salvation Army’s Bell ringing at the Biddeford Walmart which was held on November 25th. That is always a successful turnout, with Brethren getting a chance to chit chat and thank people for donating to the Charities of the Salvation Army. Our Stated December 4th “Annual Meeting” gave us a chance to read Committee Reports, Nominate Officers for the 2018 and set the date for our Annual Installation which we held on December 9th. We also re-dedicate our selves to our Freemasonic Vows in a circle around the Altar at the Annual Meeting. It Was A Good Year!
Fraternally,
P.M. & Historian, Perry Clark
Buxton Lodge #115--2018 Annual History Report
Lodge Officers for 2018
Worshipful Master Wor. Bro. Lloyd C. Bradbury
Senior Warden Bro. Jason A. Tarr
Junior Warden Bro. Travis J. Lawrence
Treasurer P.M. Wor. Bro Troy Plummer
Secretary P.M. Wor. Bro. Ronald B. Moore
Senior Deacon Bro. Michael J. Trottier
Junior Deacon Bro. Matthew T. Hall
Senior Steward Bro. Richard L. Hawkes
Junior Steward Bro. Karl Longstreth
Chaplain P.M. Wor. Bro. Dale Desjardiens
Marshal Bro. Steven J. Fortier
Tyler Bro. Jason Sicina
Buxton Lodge had a productive and prosperous year. Coming off the success of installing, and completely paying off the loan, of our exterior fire escape which had been some 50 years in the
planning stages, we realized that we, as a Lodge, as a motivated band of brothers, could take on and complete projects that would improve our Lodge Hall for the better. Realizing this concept, the next thing that needed to be addressed were the issues that had developed in our long- neglected basement/cellar, dealing with the rotting sills, sagging floor joist and flooding issues, which sometimes left a disagreeable smell on the first-floor entryway and in the tenant’s space.
The fire escape success led to an intangible hope that we, with a “hands on” operative Masonry, “all together we can attitude” that we could take on the basement/cellar problems and this spirit and the resulting accomplishment has helped strengthen this Lodge and the confidence and friendship amongst our officers and active members.
We got started on our extracurricular activities with a meeting of the Buxton Masonic Building Association (B.M.B.A.) at the very start of our January year. After a trip to the very muddy basement, the group, reviewing the conditions of the Basement set upon a plan to figure out what we needed to do, and the materials and supplies needed and the volunteering of individuals and equipment. This was a classic version of a “Who can best work and best agree” situation with brothers with building trade knowledge offering their best ideas and brothers with tools and equipment volunteering their support. The BMBA decided to wait until spring to do the actual work when it would be easier and warmer for all of us and all the necessary equipment involved. So, I will explain what we achieved in a more chronological order later in this report but, I will once again say that this project’s enthusiasm and camaderie infused our 2018 year with a sense of responsibility, stewardship and individual investment in our Lodge.
Our first Stated meeting was held on Tuesday, January 2nd 2018. This is because we had voted at our Annual meeting on Dec. 4th 2017 to change our by-laws, so that when a National holiday falls on a Monday we would have our Monday meeting on the next day, a Tuesday. This was set up because we do meet on the first and third Mondays and nowadays National Holidays fall on Mondays. For us Labor day was difficult, after the National Holiday of Labor day was moved to Monday years ago as many Brethren enjoyed going upta camp for Labor day, which left attendance on our first Monday in September lacking, so for ten or more years we changed our by-laws so that our first Stated meeting after coming out of summer darkness would be held on the third Monday in September. This created problems because we had to compress our fall schedule to get all our initiation work done before the end of the year. By changing our by-laws again, we alleviated this dilemma and 2018 has proven the by-law change a success. At our first stated meeting we conducted Lodge Business and had a small presentation on “wisdom” and the etymology of the word wisdom as it is explained in the book “the Trivium” the Classical Liberal Arts of Grammar, Rhetoric, and Logic, which we present in the “Winding Staircase” lecture. It explained that the Greeks considered “Phronesis” Practical wisdom to be the most important of the Cardinal Virtues. “Phronesis is the habit of knowing the right action, at the right time, in the right way, for the right reason.” this is stated at the top of page 322 in the Trivium. As you read on, at the bottom of the page the book explains that Cicero translated Phronesis as “Providentia” meaning foresight, and that medieval Latin schoolmen later contracted this into “Prudentia” or Prudence which Masons explain and espouse to new candidates in the E.A. degree’s second Lecture. We also voted in one Re-affiliation application at our January meeting for a brother who had lapsed in dues for the last five years, but he wanted to be re-affiliated so he could work with his son in Demolay. So, we had one Stated Meeting and one BMBA meeting in January.
In February we had one stated meeting and hosted an 18th Masonic district School of Instruction and the 18th District Masters and Wardens meeting. On February 4th Buxton Lodge visited the Maine Veterans home. Thirteen Brothers went to visit Maine veterans and visted with Lodge Brothers who live there. We gave our Brother Dean F. Jewett his 75-year service pin. Afterwards we went by and visited with Wor. Bro. Dick Green at his house because he had been layed up from a car wreck and hadn’t been able to get out for some time. Dick enjoyed our visit and several brothers reminisced about old times. On February 5th Buxton Lodge met for their Stated Meeting and conducting Lodge business. On February 20th Buxton hosted the 18th District school of instruction and had a presentation on the Fellowcraft Degree reading the Italics cyphered in the degree work and explaining several of the tricky words in the degree and showing where some of the words originate by showing a map of the Levant. Which greatly helped some brothers by showing them where Succoth and Zeredetha are located, where Tyre was in relation to Jerusalem. On February 27th Buxton Lodge hosted the 18th District’s Masters and Wardens meeting and P.D.D.G.M. Wor. Bro. Barry Plummer gave a fascinating presentation on Buxton Lodge’s early history and some of it’s early Benefactors. It was very well presented and has since been added to our Buxton Lodge webpage by Bro. Richard Hawkes. Bro. Richard Hawkes has spent a considerable amount of time building this webpage and the Buxton Lodge our page online app. which helps brethren find out about Masonic Calendar events and meeting locations.
On March 5th Buxton Lodge held a stated meeting and voted for an application for degrees by Richard D. Brown. We also had a presentation on “Laws in Society” and what to do in the case of an active shooter.
On April 2nd Buxton Lodge Had a stated meeting and initiated Richard D. Brown and Michael Freeman into the mysteries of Freemasonry. We also discussed having a BMBA meeting on April 14th and doing the first phase of our Cellar Work on April 21st, which we did. The floor joists located on the northside of the basement had developed areas of rot from moisture being trapped and water flooding the basement yearly since the building was built in the 1860s. Mainly because water entered the north side of the basement through the ledgerock and what cement/brick/rock foundation walls were built there. So, every year water entered the basement and either flowed towards the Saco river side of the building or pooled up in the mud floor until it dried out in the summer months. But the casement windows were not always opened so moisture was a steady inhabitant in our basement. Many different heaters and furnaces and plumbing pipes also lived in the basement and changed over the years so that some years of plumbing effluvia entered the basement and did not leave. Attempts at shoring up the floor with beams and blocking also, had been attempted and over time deteriorated, so that nobody wanted to go into the basement/cellar unless it was of absolute necessity. But the northside floor of Tenant’s dance studio was sagging and bouncing as young girls practiced their dance routines. We realized something had to be done but we were afraid it would require professionals and lots of money. Our hopeless demeanor changed after we decided, that we as a Lodge, could get an exterior emergency fire escape put up if we believed we could work together to get a loan and pay it off. This happened thru donations and collaboration. So in April the brothers who had building trade experience accessed the basement and decided we, all of us working together, could probably do the grunt work and some of the brothers, those with experience, would decide what was needed, how to do that work, and get to the point where we would need to call in a Professional to do the rest. So, on April 14th the BMBA met and discussed our plan. Those Brothers in attendance were:
Wor. Bro. Lloyd Bradbury
P.M. Wor. Bro.Ronald B. Moore
P.M. & DER Wor. Jason Grant
P.M. Bro. Jamie Grant
P.M. Wor. Bro. Richard Eilinger
P.M. Wor. Bro. Perry Clark
Bro. Jason Tarr
Bro. Travis Lawrence
Bro. Richard Hawkes
Bro. Dennis Gervais
Bro. Chris Milne
We appointed Bro. Richard Hawkes as Leadman and Wor. Bro. Lloyd Bradbury volunteered the use of his dumptruck. We discussed lolly jacks, column jacks, 10” by 10” timbers, 6’ by 6”posts, getting quotes for sill replacement, a dump truck for crushed rock, and other articles of labor and tools. We set Saturday, April 21st as our workdate and showed up with rubber boots to get to work. The brothers who could show up that day were:
“The Cellar Crew”
Wor. Bro. Lloyd Bradbury
P.D.D.G.M. R.W. Bro. Butch Gannett
P.M. Bro. Linc Turner
P.M. Bro. Troy Plummer
P.M. Bro. Jamie Grant
P.M. Bro. Perry Clark
Bro. Travis Lawrence
Bro. Richard Hawkes
Bro. Matt Hall
Bro. Dennis Gervais
We opened a casement window on the South side of the Lodge building and used Wor. Bro. Lloyd Bradbury’s dump truck with a plywood chute to slide two dump truck loads of ¾’ crushed rock into the basement. While some of us were doing that, other Brothers were digging ditches in the basement from the East side of the basement to the Southwest side where a sump hole had been in use a long time ago. After this we layed down plastic perforated pipe with a mesh sock around it into the ditches and then carried the crush rock in five-gallon buckets to be spread upon the ditches and mud floor wherever it was needed. This made walking around the basement much easier and helped direct the water across the basement to drain into the sump hole and dry out the basement floor. After this work we felt more confident that we could do a lot of the Basement repairs. Bro. Richard Hawkes found that some of the sill wood was completely punked, but that the edge sills were only partly wood and that there was a outer portion that was mortared brick. At that time, he felt that would mean we might be able to do most of the work ourselves without a Professional foundation crew being hired. We left the basement to dry out and Bro. Richard Hawkes set a up a transit to check on the sagging floor beams till we could get back down there in the summer, once the cellar dried out some. In April, Buxton Lodge also competed in the 18th Masonic District’s ritual challenge at Dunlap Lodge and performed very well.
On Monday, May 7th Buxton Lodge held it’s monthly Stated meeting and passed Bro. Richard D. Brown and Bro. Michael Freeman to Fellowcraft. We also voted to donate $250 dollars combined with a “two for one grant” for the Rainbow girls Pleasant River Assembly of which our Lodge Brother Bro. Steve Fortier is a big part of, as worthy Patron. Brother Steve is very active travelling with the Rainbow girls, helping them with bottle drives, and many other events. He is in the “Chairs” as Marshal this year in our Lodge and Worthy Patron for the Rainbow girls “Pleasant River Assembly”. I say this twice because he deserves the accolades
for his many hours of Service. We also voted to donate $100 dollars for Bonny Eagle’s “Project Grad”. P.D.D.G.M. R.W. Bro Butch Gannett said he would fill out the paperwork for these grants. On Monday, May 21st Buxton Lodge held it’s Special Meeting “Past Masters Night” and P.D.D.G.M. R.W. Bro Butch Gannett sat in the East with a suite of Past Masters sitting in the Officers chairs and they raised Bros. Richard D. Brown and Michael Freeman to the sublime degree of Master Mason. The lodge also awarded Bro. William Plummer, Bro. Jamie Grant, and Bro.V.W. Past DER Jason Grant their ten-year service pins.
On Monday, June 4th held it’s Stated meeting conducting Lodge business, deciding on new Cellar work and draping the Charter for the passing away of Bro. Dean F. Jewett. On June 23rd the Cellar crew met once again to work in the Basement. To place beams on concrete pads under the floor joists and install lollyjacks pumping up the beams to support and stabilize the floor of the dance studio. Many Brothers were there including new member Richard Brown, but I didn’t get a chance to get an attendance list. We achieved what we needed to do that day and figured out our next steps. On June 24th several Brethren honored St. John’s Day attending church services at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church. On Tuesday June 26th the 18th Masonic district held its Annual meeting and Buxton lodge received an Annual Attendance Award for having the most Brethren at the most 18th district meetings. This is something that shows Buxton Lodge’s
strong support from it’s brethren. Eight of Buxton’s Officers were voted best overall at the ritual challenge and our Brother Travis Lawrence received the 18th District’s “Stephen E. Nichols Ritualist of the Year” for his outstanding performance at the April Ritual Challenge. Bro. Travis Lawrence’s voice commands confidence and he studies his cypher till he recites all his parts with excellence. He is an outstanding Mason.
Although we went “dark” in July and August our Lodge still brought our Brethren together with several events. Worshipful Master Bro. Lloyd Bradbury set the bar high by hosting a summer cookout and swim party at his house on July 7th at 335 cape road in Hollis, Maine.
It had a great turnout of more than 40 people from our Lodge families with kids in the pool, adults in the pool, conversation and conviviality everywhere, lots and lots of great food, Hamburgers hot off the grill, hot dogs hot off the grill, potluck dishes brought by everyone,
And desserts cakes and cookies of all kinds. A true summer cookout! Then on July 14th several Buxton Lodge brethren attended the masons in Maine day at the Portland Seadogs game in Portland. The Grand Master, most Worshipful Mark Rustin threw out the first pitch and the Seadogs won the game. On July 28th The Cellar crew met again to take out a cracked mirror in the Dance hall Studio. Jacking up the floor from the basement accidently cracked on of the mirrors in the Dance hall studio because it was mounted to the wall when the floor was
sagging down. That Day the crew consisted of P.D.D.G.M. Chad Poitras who is our Lodge
Liaison for the owner of the Dance studio and he had to get a key to open her door, Wor. Bro. Lloyd Bradbury, Bro. Richard Hawkes, Bro. Dale Desjardiens, P.M. Bro Perry Clark, P.D.D.G.M. R.W. Bro. Butch Gannett, Bro. Michael Trottier, Bro. Matt Hall, and Bro. Jason Tarr. We took down the cracked mirror which then broke. We also took down two other Broken mirrors till the floor was raised to a proper height. Which was accomplished and the mirrors put back in place before the dance studio started back up in the fall.
Buxton Lodge came out of “darkness” and held it’s stated meeting on Tuesday, September 4th as per revised by-law changes. We had 19 brethren in attendance. The Charter was draped again in remembrance of Thomas E. Kennie our deceased Brother and Buxton’s Road Commissioner. A report was given by Bro. Richard Hawkes on the progress of the basement/cellar repairs and a warm round of applause was given for him afterwards for “his curious and cunning work”. His building trades experience and expertise has allowed Buxton lodge to accomplish improvements to the Lodge Hall that would otherwise be deemed to hard to do. On a deeper level it has given the brethren a chance to join together and achieve a physical accomplishment and Lodge improvement. The Lodge also voted to donate $250 dollars to the Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation Brotherhood Fund. And $50 dollars to Rainbow Grand Assemblies “Bikes for Books” Program. We also awarded Kiera Hawkes a $500
Scholarship award through Bonny Eagle High School. And lastly a presentation was given on the Phoenix Shot Tower also known as the Old Baltimore Shot Tower and Charles Carrol of Carrolton who commissioned its building and was the last living signer of the Declaration of Independence at that time. Our Special meeting that month was held on Monday September 17th. It was our Annual Inspection and received the suite of R.W. D.D.G.M. Michael Tremblay. We passed Richard D. Brown to Fellowcraft with a fellowcraft degree for his second time this year. But the Officers did an excellent job and R.W Michael Tremblay told them so.
In October Buxton Lodge met on Monday, the 1st. we voted to give $60 dollars to Demolay’s “Wreathes Across America”. And Worshipful Master Lloyd Bradbury gave a presentation with his muzzle loading guns and a history of gun powder and it’s manufacture during the American Revolutionary War. On October 13th Buxton Lodge hosted a Table Lodge to honor our Secretary
Wor. Ronald B. Moore. He has been our Lodge Secretary for over twenty years steadfastly doing his duties and keeping things in line. His is one of Buxton Lodge’s wise elders. He knows what should be done and is often used as counsel when Officers are in question of the right thing to do. But he doesn’t want any recognition, so we nominated him for the 18th District’s ‘Mason of the Year” and when he didn’t get that award, we decided to throw him a surprise Table Lodge. Which was no easy task to keep secret from him. We told him the Table Lodge was for all the work the Brethren had done and that was a pretty good ruse since we had achieved a lot this year. He was quite surprised when he showed up for the table Lodge and while chatting around the room stopped to read the placemats. It was a great night with lots of toasts and camaraderie, and excellent prime rib cooked by P.M. Wor. Dale Desjardiens. On October 15th Buxton Lodge held a special meeting and initiated Mr. Thomas Craig Masterman into The Entered Apprentice Degree. There was also a Table Lodge on October 20th at Greenleaf Lodge to honor R.W. Delbert Gilpatrick the 18th District’s “Mason of the Year” and our Brother Travis Lawrence for “Ritualist of the Year”.
Every Year Buxton Lodge gives wreathes at Christmas to the Buxton Lodge Widows. This is in recognition of the wives of deceased Brethren. In the last couple of years, we have bought our wreathes from Bonny Eagle’s “Project Grad” program. The money they collect helps the seniors have a nice private graduation party and keeps the kids out of trouble with something special to do on Graduation night. This year in October, after some debate Buxton Lodge voted to combine a grand Lodge 2 for 1 grant and donate $1000 dollars to project Grad in exchange for our wreathes, which we pick up and distribute to the widows in December.
On Monday November 5th Buxton Lodge held a Stated Meeting and conducted regular Lodge business. One of Our P.M.s Wor. Michael Gannett fell down his stairs at home and broke his wrist. He would be out of work for some time so Worshipful master Lloyd Bradbury suggested we help him financially. The lodge passed a hat and collected $150 dollars and the Lodge voted to use the emergency relief fund and procure $500 dollars for him. Wor. Bro. Lloyd Bradbury also brought this matter up at the previous Masters and Wardens and the Hat was passed and District Brethren donated $168 dollars to Wor. Bro. Michael Gannett. We also voted to donate $100 dollars to Our Local Leavitt’s mill Health Center in Bar Mills. Just another example of the generosity and caring our Brethren show to those in need. We also discussed the logistics of removing the big metal safe the Lodge has in the entryway hall that leads to the basement/cellar. It hadn’t been to much of a hassle during our previous basement/cellar excursions because things either were moved thought the casement window or were small enough to carry pass the safe which is probably 100 years old and has been used to store old files. Plus, we were planning to remove two old oil tanks in the basement that were deteriorating and in the way of our floor joist replacement plans. So, we decided to meet again on Nov. 17th.
The Cellar crew This time consisted of:
Worshipful Master Lloyd Bradbury
Bro. Dennis Gervais
Bro. Chris Milne
Bro. Michael Trottier
P.M. Wor. Bro. Dwayne Desjardiens
P.M. Wor. Bro. Perry Clark
Bro. Matt Hall
Bro. Travis Lawrence
Bro. Chuck Lefebvre
Leadman Bro. Rick Hawkes
We put down OSB board over the tile floor in the entryway to protect our black and white checkered tile on the ground floor of the Lodge entryway.so we could roll the 800 plus lb. safe to the other end of the entryway. We then went downstairs to the basement and cut the filler pipes and copper feeder tubes that ran from the oil tanks to the old furnace. We pump as much old oil that was left in the oil tanks that we could and then cut the bottom pipes and drained the rest of the oil out of the tanks into five-gallon buckets and carried it out up the stairs to be disposed of properly. Over the next couple of weeks, into December, we hired a company to cut the oil tanks in half and carry them up the stairs and dispose of them legally. The company, the Junk Guys, did this regularly as a business so, they had the experience necessary to do the job right and we didn’t have any spills or get oil on ourselves and everything else on the way out. We also met again removed the files and contents of the safe and safely stored them in a new smaller file cabinet on the third floor and used Wor. Bro. Lloyd Bradbury’s Tractor to lift the safe out the door and we donated the safe to Bro. Travis Lawrence. Mainly because he had a place to store it at a warehouse his business uses. Buxton Lodge met again on Nov. 19th for their Special meeting
And passed Bro. Craig Masterman to Fellowcraft according to the ancient usages and customs of the Order. On Nov. 22 the morning of Thanksgiving, our S.W. Bro. Jason Tarr, being a Volunteer Fireman answered the call for a housefire. The family lost the Christmas gifts they had stored and some of family’s little girl’s clothing. Seeing the gravity of their loss Bro. Jason Tarr called up other Lodge brothers and told the story and asked for donations to go buy replacement clothes and Christmas gifts for the little girl that next morning. A quick response by several brethren and Bro. Jason Tarr led to a Black Friday shopping excursion by Brothers who would normally not want anything to do with going shopping amongst the Black Friday crowds. We bought well over $ 800 dollars-worth of clothing and a laptop and toys and then met with the family’s sister in a parking lot to give her the gifts to be given by surprise to the family. This noble deed is clear proof of our brethren’s Community Caring and compassion for relief. Then the next day we met for an early lunch in Biddeford with our Lodge Brothers with an excellent turnout before attending the salvation Army Bell ringing from 1pm to 3pm on November 24th. This strong cohesive brotherhood happens inside and outside our Lodge, building true friendship and bringing new members to see we actually practice the Tenets of Masonry, Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth.
December was a busy month for Buxton Lodge. We met on Monday, December 3rd for our Annual Lodge meeting. This meeting is where Committee reports are read BMBA minutes read new Officers elected and Widows wreathes handed out for distribution. Bro. Chuck Lefebvre was appointed to a three-year term on the BMBA Building Committee. Bro. Chuck Lefebrve is a new member and carpenter and Handy-man so appointing him with Bro. Ricard Hawkes onto the BMBA Building Committee involves him in Lodge activities till he can get into the Officers Chairs. Everyone is valuable for contributing. “the Group is the Gift of the Individual”.
S.W. Bro. Jason Tarr was elected to be Buxton Lodge’s 2019 Worshipful Master. His suite of officers nominated and selected. Wor. Bro. Jason Tarr announced Buxton Lodge’s Installation of Officers would be held on Saturday December 15th. So, on Saturday, December 15th Wor. Bro. Jason Tarr’s “Installation of Officers” was held and 46 people attended while he and his Officers were sworn in by P.M. Wor. Bro. Troy Plummer. This was Troy Plummer’s first time Installing the Officers. A job that had been done in the past by Wor. Bro. Troy Plummer’s uncle P.D.D.G.M. R.W. Bro. Barry Plummer. The new Worshipful Master’s Father and Grandfather
traveled from Texas and Florida respectively, just for this event, being Masons themselves.
Buxton Lodge held one more Special meeting on the third Monday on December 17th. Our newest Past Master Wor. Bro. Lloyd Bradbury wanted to perform the M.M. degree for Fellowcraft Bro. Craig Masterman. So, with the newly elected Officers sitting in their 2018 chairs Buxton Lodge raised Bro. Craig Masterman to the sublime degree of Master Mason.
Bro. Craig Masterman also has a family pedigree in Masonry. His Great, great, great, great
Grandfather was a Mason. Not only was he a Mason, but he was on of the first American Portraitists in the new United States of America and was commissioned by his Lodge to paint
an official portrait of George Washington, fellow Mason and First President of these United States of America which hangs in the Alexandria George Washington Memorial in
Washington D.C. this family History led Bro. Craig Masterman to ask R.W. Past DER Michael Shaw about the Masonic emblem on his Baseball Hat at the local Standish Hannaford and
ask if he was a Mason? Bro. Craig Masterman had just moved To the Standish/Buxton area.
So, It was SUBLIMELY appropriate that R.W. Past DER Bro. Michael Shaw recited one of the Best “On Yonder Book” Charges I have ever, EVER, heard for Bro. Craig Masterman’s M.M. Degree.
Masonry, you can’t make this stuff up!!!
Respectively Submitted, March 1st 2019,
Buxton Lodge Historian,
Perry Clark
2019 Buxton Lodge History Report
Buxton Lodge had a successful year with a real jovial sense of Camaraderie,
Accomplishments and Participation. Our active members keep showing up and suiting up whenever and wherever they are asked to, with a sense of honor and duty and pride. We may not cross paths much in the day to day world, but we enjoy our fellowship in Buxton Lodge and out in the world when we meet. This continues to be a testament to the strength and commitment of the members who take their Masonry seriously.
Officers for 2019:
Worshipful Master Jason A. Tarr
Senior Warden Travis J. Lawrence
Junior Warden Michael J. Trottier
Senior Deacon Matthew T. Hall
Junior Deacon Richard L. Hawkes
Treasurer Wor. Troy Plummer
Secretary Wor. Ronald B. Moore
Senior Steward Jason A. Sicina
Junior Steward Steven J. Fortier
Marshal Christopher B. Milne
Tyler Dennis J. Gervais
At our December Officers Installation, we had 46 guests and Worshipful elect Jason A. Tarr was Installed with his Father, Dale Tarr from Cambridge Lodge
no.# 157 Texas present. And his Grandfather, P.M. Wor. Clarence Swimm of
Halifax Lodge No.# 81, who resides in Florida there also!
January’s Stated Meeting took place on Jan.7th. First, we draped the Charter for
Wor. Robert “Bob” Foye, a fifty plus year member of Buxton Lodge who attended
Lodge meetings faithfully until his mental acuity and health wouldn’t allow him to come to Lodge anymore. After that we held a pretty regular business meeting with the Secretary’s reports on bills and an application for degrees being read for
Mr. Stephen A. R. Hauser. We re-instated two Brothers after they paid their past dues. It was a good turn-out of 25 officers and members. I will give some averages of the numbers of members present at meetings in 2019 at the end of the history report. Those numbers will show Buxton Lodge has been having a consistent turn out at our meetings for the several of years.
At February’s Stated meeting P.M. Wor. sat in the East as Worshipful Master because Worshipful Master Jason Tarr was unexpectantly called away at dinner due to his wife’s grandmother passing away that night. This was the best way to handle the situation, being the new S.W. Travis Lawrence hadn’t had enough time to handlesitting in the East and Wor. Lloyd Bradbury had just left the Chair and was sitting in the Chaplain’s seat. So, after opening, the J.W. Michael J. Trottier was escorted to the East to initiate Mr. Nick Fecteau into the mysteries of Masonry.
It was noted that several Brothers commented on the excellent Degree work that evening and the Officers were given an enthusiastic round of applause from the sidelines. Good degree work, good Lectures, and good Charges. These things, this “hard practiced” work, and good mentoring, is the foundational essence of Good Masonry. And as Historian, I can add that Nick Fectaeu, mentored by Jason A. Sicina, gave excellent proficiencies as a candidate and has taken an active role in Buxton Lodge and as of this writing is our Marshal this 2020 year.
I read a quote from a Mr. Charlie Ritchie Sr. and I don’t know if he is a mason or not, but his quote says “Tell me and I will forget-
Teach me and I may remember-
Involve me and I will LEARN !”
This idea of commitment and involvement is one of the many reasons Buxton Lodge is “Strong” today. And the next paragraph shows this too.
Also, in February Buxton Lodge hosted the 18th Districts February Masters and Wardens meeting on Tuesday Feb. 26th, 2019. As I had reported in Buxton Lodge’s 2018 History Report, we had the providence of initiating, passing, and raising a Brother by the name of Craig Masterman. Now Craig’s curiosity for Masonry came from his heritage. Brother Craig is the Great, great, great grandson of William Joseph Williams. William Joseph Williams is considered one of the First National Portraitists of the United States of America and a lifelong Mason, who happened, through perseverance, to be commissioned to paint one of the few portraits of President George Washington. George Washington disliked sitting for portraits. William Joseph Williams also painted the portrait of the second President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson. He also painted the Portrait of the third President of the United States, John Adams. That is how you get to be the First National Portraitist! And this portrait of George Washington hangs in the Alexandria-Washington Lodge No.#22, better known as the George Washington National Memorial. Which our next Grand Master of Masons in Maine V.W. Richard M. Nadeau has planned a trip for all Maine Masons who want to go to, to visit in June of 2020. So, Buxton Lodge’s W.M. Jason A. Tarr, before knowing about the trip, asked Brother Craig Masterman if he would give a presentation on William Joseph Williams at our February Masters and Wardens meeting. And he accepted, stepped up to the plate, and gave a great presentation at which he passed out written copies of the presentation with pictures of the portraits and other significant information on his famous ancestor. The presentation lasted about 30 minutes and held a rapt attentive audience with plenty of questions and answers afterwards.
I want to note that our March Trestleboard written by Wor. Jason A. Tarr was of significance in the Lodge History. He writes his Trestleboard each month, himself, as we, members of the Lodge, have found to be a sign of trying to learn good leadership skills. And Wor. Jason A. Tarr is an excellent example of that. So, in March’s trestleboard, and since that time, Wor. Jason A. Tarr, on his own, decided to start putting in a quote each month that he came across in his Masonic travels.
March’s quote was “Never discourage anyone who continually makes progress, no matter how slow.” And he has continued to put in a quote for the rest of the year. Kudos to him.
On March 4th Buxton Lodge initiated two new candidates, Mr. Stephen A.R. Hauser, and Mr. Joseph G. Wilbur. Once again, the officer’s degree work was dignified and excellent. After the degree work and the Lodge resumed Labor in the master Mason’s degree W.M. Jason A. Tarr announced that Buxton Lodge had received $850 Dollars in donations for the “Bikes for Books” program. W.M. Tarr had approached Buxton Elementary school for the last two years trying to implement the Bikes for Books program here in the area, but with little success.
This year he had finally gotten an Okay. So, with a “2 for 1” Grant from Grand Lodge W.M. Tarr set up a “Bikes for Books” Program at Buxton Elementary school.
On Monday March 18th, 2019 Buxton Lodge Passed Bro. Nicholas Fectaeu to the degree of Fellowcraft and R.W.D.D.G.M. Michael Tremblay was in attendance. And in only two weeks on April 1st, 2019 Buxton Lodge raised Bro Nicholas Fectaeu to the Sublime degree of Master Mason. P.M. Wor. Jason Grant gave the on “Yonder Book Charge” and afterwards complimented the officers on the fine degree work. Also, on April 1st, 2019 Buxton Lodge accepted an application for affiliation for Bro. Nicholas Babbidge from Saccarappa Lodge in Westbrook.
During the months of March and April, P.D.D.G.M. R.W. Barry Plummer,
had been filling in for our Secretary Wor. Ronald B. Moore while he was on Vacation in Florida. We are grateful and appreciative of his service.
On Saturday, April 13th, 2019 Buxton Lodge hosted the 18th Masonic Districts “Ritual Challenge”. Not All the Lodges in the district showed up but of the ones that did, they did their best. The vwinners would be announced at the annual 18th District meeting in June.
On April 15th, 2019 at a special meeting of Buxton Lodge Bro. Stephen A.R. Hauser was passed to the Fellowcraft degree. The officers committment to the
degree work and execution of their parts showed dedication.
On April 26th ,2019 a delegation of Brothers and Rainbow girls awarded bikes to children at Buxton Elementary school. W.M. Jaso Tarr was even able to have Sheriff William King show up and give a bicycle safety program. The delegation of Brothers consisted of W.M. Jason Tarr, P.M. Lloyd Bradbury, Bro. Michael J. Trottier, Bro.Richard Hawkes, Bro. Steven Fortier, bro. Chris Milne, and Bro. Lincoln Turner, and four Rainbow girls. 422 Books were read by students and the school was very happy to have the event. W.M. Jason Tarr worked for three years to make “Bikes for Books” happen and that is a tribute to perseverance.
Monday, May 6th Buxton Lodge held a Stated Meeting, but I was not there, and I did not receive any meeting minutes on that night so I can’t honestly report on that meeting. However, I do know that W.M. Jason Tarr and S.W. Travis Lawrence
Attended Grand Lodge and they were extremely elated and surprised when Buxton Lodge was awarded the “Ritual Lodge of the Year” and the “Benjamin Gleason Cup” for the Lodge’s exemplary Degree work throughout the last year. And Buxton Lodge’s long-time member R.W. John Smith was awarded a “Certificate of Merit” by G.M. Mark E. Rustin for his 52 years of work and dedication to Masonry. He has held numerous titles and positions including but not limited to P.M. of John Warren Lodge of Massachusetts, Past Grand Sword Bearer of the Grand lodge of Masons in Maine, Pats Secretary of Freedom Lodge in Limerick, Maine, and Adoniram Lodge in Limington, Maine. He is always ready and willing to help out in any way he can including being the “Acting Grand Marshal” for R.W.D.D.G.M. Michael Tremblay
for Buxton’s Inspection night.
During May several Brothers got together and went to our cook Helen Hebert’s house and spent 3 or 4 hours, doing spring clean-up in her big yard for her. Raking, trimming, and moving leaves and branches and painting a few places that needed it. She has been a part of cooking and cleaning for our meeting dinners for a long time. We think the world of her, and she helps us out a lot.
On Monday, May 20th, 2019 Buxton lodge held a Special Past Master’s Night.
40 Masons were present, 23 were Past Masters, and 7 visiting Brothers. After dinner we Presented Helen Hebert with a cake and gift certificates for her 90th Birthday. She was very surprised by our secret delivery of her cake while she was busy and more than her and one Brother had watery eyes. It was very nice and like I said she has been very good to us over the years. After that the brothers ambled upstairs and had a great Past Masters night raising Brother Stephen A. R. Hauser to the sublime degree of Master Mason. The Worshipful Master that night was our Treasurer Wor. Troy Plummer. Llyod Bradbury was also presented with a plaque with a Gavel for his mantle at home to commemorate Buxton Lodge getting the most attendance awards at 10 of the last years 11 Masters and Wardens meetings where the Lodge with the most Brothers attending, get to take home a Large Traveling gavel. This practice was started by the late R.W. Arthur H. Gannett P.D.D.G.M. a member of Buxton Lodge who I shall not soon forget because of his Masonic brotherhood. He used to say to me “Perry, you seem like an old friend to me”. And he was at least 40 years older than me. Lastly in The Month of May, R.W. Butch Gannett and R.W. Barry Plummer went to Bro David Redlon‘s house and presented Bro. Redlon with his 50 year service pin.
On Monday, June 3rd, 2019 Brother Carl Longstreth was acknowledged for his work with calligraphy to finish an old English style list of Past Masters clear back to 1863, as well as a list of unlisted Past Masters. Good work. Buxton Lodge also received Grand Lecturer William Layman and he officially presented the “Benjamin Gleason Cup” stating that Buxton Lodge was awarded the “Ritual Lodge of the Year”. This is a very big award that we have never had before, and it instilled an even higher sense of integrity among the Lodge Officers and Brethren.
The Lodge also purchased a $100 Brick for the 18th district “Portland Children’s dyslexia Center” from Bro. Gary Nickerson of Drummond Lodge. It was also decided that Lodge Brethren would meet at the Peasant Hill Baptist Church on St. John’s Sunday on June 23rd, 2019. And we did meet at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church
On that Sunday and had a great time in Worship and singing and talking with the people who go to that Church.
While the Lodge went dark in July and August, we did have a Summer “get -together” and BBQ at P.M. Lloyd Bradbury’s House. This is the second year that Buxton Lodge had a cookout at P.M. Lloyd Bradbury’s house. We have had Summer cookouts at other Brothers houses and places before, but P.M. Lloyd Bradbury has a pool and that is quite a treat for Brothers with children and the Rainbow girls too. So, we had a great time with hamburgers and Hot Dogs and every kind of potluck, and salad dishes and cakes and pies, which disappeared very fast! I would say everybody had a good time. This is one of the many contributions P.M. Lloyd Bradbury has done for the Lodge in the years he has been involved. He is a good businessman and a very community minded man
who has joined Masonry and been willing to go all-in to make things “better”.
At the September Stated Meeting on September 3rd, 2019 Buxton Lodge learned that we cannot apply for two 2-for-1 grants for the same thing in the same year, as we had tried to increase a Rainbow girls contribution by applying for another grant to add to the amount we wanted for the first grant. This sounds silly, but we are continually learning about the Maine masonic Charitable Foundation’s good works. And we want to keep using the Foundation because they make so much more possible for us to do our community charitable works. At the meeting we also had R.W. Butch Gannett and W.M. Jason Tarr present Bro. Paul McDonald his 50 service pin. And W.M. Jason Tarr reported that at the 18th District Annual Meeting that Buxzton Lodge once again received the 18th District’s Attendance Award as well as that we had nominated P.M. Dale Desjardiens for “Mason of the Year”. His faithful service, long term attendance record, and willingness to help were the reason for his nomination.
On September 7th, 2019 Buxton Lodge had our first widow’s luncheon in at least
ten years if not more. While only 7 widows attended, we had a total of 25 people there with 5 Masons, 5 rainbow girls, 2 worthy Matrons from O.E.S. 3 young children who were the W.M. Jason Tarr’s children, and his wife and my fiancé.
The dinner was prime rib and roasted chicken with steamed vegetables, potato salad, and aunt Pearls puddin” pie for dessert so everyone loved the food but that was not the real highlight of the luncheon. Because we had 5 generations and the raindow girls put on an excellent presentation with different the colored flowers for their stations which were presented to the widows with each explanation by the little ones eagerly trying to give them the flowers, it was like an old fashioned multi-generational Christmas, of the heart warming kind. It went so well and impressed everyone so much we decided to try and up-the-game and out do ourselves next year with more widows and more participation.
So, on Monday October 7th ,2019 Buxton Lodge held its stated meeting as a business meeting. We voted to proceed with a $333.00 2-for-1 Grant from Grand Lodge for a total of $1,000.00 to be donated to Bonny Eagle High School’s “Project Graduation” in return for wreathes to be given to Buxton Lodge widows at Christmas. Buxton Lodge is Bonny eagle’s biggest contributor for Project Grad, and it gives the Brothers a chance to practice charity and get to know a widow or two, who were married to a deceased Brother. This gives brothers a bigger view of Masonry and that we are “who we are” because of those who came before us, and their wives who helped make that possible. Many of the widows who were homemakers and did not have a career outside the home lived their lives standing behind their man and since their husbands passing have decided to honor that Love by waiting for the day they will be together again, thoroughly enjoy having someone remember them and visit and talk about that special man that they Loved. This little act of Charity gives so much joy to both Brothers and widows and families.
So, at the Stated meeting Buxton Lodge also donated $50.00 Dollars to Rainbow Grand Assembly of Maine to help support their joint Demolay/Rainbow “Wreathes Across America’ project.
We also discussed the new Environmental Protection Rule requiring multiple entities who share ‘OBD” systems. Meaning Overboard Discharge septic systems.
Because Buxton Lodge shares an “OBD” with 4 or 5 neighbors of our building, so that our septic discharge does not go into the Saco river. The new Law states that each entity sharing an “OBD” license needs to apply for and obtain their own individual “OBD” license even though they all share the same system. Luckily, our Bro. Robert “Butch” Yarumian owns a building next door and has always taken care of the applications and permits, being a Surveyor and understanding boundary laws. So, W.M. Jason Tarr and Secretary P.M. Ronald B. Moore met with Bro. Robert Yarumian and gathered the correct information and titles for the D.E.P. Application with Bro. “Butch” filling in the proper wording, and collecting our fees, and finishing the permit. We will have to file this permit every year too, I believe.
November’s stated meeting fell on Monday, Nov.4th, 2019. It was our annual inspection Night and R.W. D.D.G.M. Michael Tremblay was introduced with a suite of 7 Past masters by R.W. John A. Smith. We were inspected on the Fellowcraft Degree with Brother P.M. Dale Desjardiens filling in as candidate. The reason for this was that one of this year’s candidates stopped showing up when we would set up nights for his degree work. It taught us that a committee of inquiry really has to be careful and observant of a candidate and their life situations., and “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink”.
They have got to want it.
We did get excellent remarks from R.W.D.D.G.M. Michael Tremblay that night.
Monday, December 5th, 2019 was our Stated Annual Meeting where we hear annual Committee reports, annual reports, Committee recommendations. Elect our next year’s Master and let him nominate his Officers. As well as suspend work in the Master Mason degree and open a meeting of BMBA Buxton Building Association and set a date for the New Lodge Officers Installation.
On December 5th, we elected our S.W. Travis J. Lawrence as the new Worshipful Master. And in conclusion, I think I can say Buxton Lodge has a very real sense of Fellowship, optimism, and a shared commitment to keep Buxton Lodge strong and interesting in the coming year.
Post script, “P.S.” our average attendance for 2019 was 21 per meeting.
Respectfully Submitted,
Buxton Lodge Historian,
Perry Clark
|
|
|
