230 West Bay Street, Winter Garden, Florida Orange County, 17th Masonic Distric, Zone 5
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230 West Bay Street, Winter Garden, Florida Orange County, 17th Masonic Distric, Zone 5 |
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Masonry is a men's organization. By obligation and design, women cannot be made Masons. On the internet you will find reference to Women Masons. My own experience convinced me that they do exist.We, as prper Masons consider them to be surrilous and clandestine, but they do exist. Some time ago, I met Ethel Houghton, a Canadian, perhaps sixty years old and she told me that she is a Mason. She could tell that I did not believe her. In her crisp Canadian accent she told me she had a been initiated, passed and raised in a lodge of Freemasons in Toronto. We went to a place where swe could talk freely. While I revealed nothing to her, neither confirming nor denying anything, we talked at great length. Ethel told me that there are lodges of Women Masons in Canada. She was, at the time, Junior Warden in her lodge, Pioneer Hope, Trillium of York No. 72 & 79, a rather capricious name caused by the merger of two lodges in Toronto working under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of England, Order of Women Free Masons, founded in 1908. Ethel was certain that I was a Mason due to the circumstances of our meeting. I explained that I could not divulge the secrets of our fraternity and asked her if she was free to discuss her "Masonry" with me. She was and she did. This was not some women's idea of what they think masonry is. She demonstrated to me that she could easily pass any examination given to a visiting brother in our grand jurisdiction on any degree, again, with no prompting from me. Even the Legend of the Third Degree had been exemplified with her assuming the fabled role familiar to us all. She showed me her recipt for dues (Dues Card) along with a Monitor, known to us "The Ritual". Finally, she showed me her "Summons" to attend the next meeting of her lodge. Brother Ethel, and they do call themselves Brother, related and the Monitor confirmed, that the work is accomplished in essentially the same manner and form as is used in our own fraternity within the bounds of jurisdictional differences. She was initiated as an Entered Appentice, passed to the degree of Fellowcraft, and raised a Master Mason. She was required to prove proficiency in each degree before being advanced to the next degree. The Order of Women Freemasons is autonomous and no Masonic related affiliation is required in order for them to petition. Men can neither petition for membership nor attend their meetings. I also met the Master of her lodge, Worshipful Brother (Mrs.) Lorraine Benson. According to the summons she showed me, the secretary was V. Worshipful Brother (Mrs.) Robina Boersma, a Past Master. The lodge met on the first Thursday of the months of November, December, March, April, May, June and October. The election and installation is held in November. The following statement was a part of the text of the summons. Notice the use of the masculine pronoun. "From ancient times no Mason or Fellow can be absent from his lodge, especially when warned to attend, without incurring censure unless it appeared to the Master and Wardens that pure necessity hindered him...Also acceptance of office in the lodge is considered a plege of strict performance therof." "Brother" Ethel informed me that this is strictly enforced. Perhaps there IS a lesson we could learn from them. For further Study go to: www.masonicinfo.com/women.htm |
