STB-81-08
FOOT MARKS ACROSS OUR BORDER
by Walter C. McDonald
P.G.M.. Manitoba
We are indebted to Most Worshipful Brother
McDonald for providing this bit of "International
Flavor" which so effectively illustrates the
"Mystic Tie" of the Masonic Brotherhood.
This title is suggested by the poet Longfellow. In the imagery of verse, he conjures up a
picture of Great Men leaving them their mark,
an inspiration to others for guidance and
posterity. One of the pleasures of life is to stand
at some window of remembrance of Golden
Yesterdays and intimate associations. When the
right window is found and the right time chosen
then the unfolding view becomes a vista of intervisitations beyond our political boundaries,
for Freemasonry transcends all such limitations. There is brought into perspective the full
meaning, a greater understanding between men
and the beautiful lifelong friendships made.
With this thought in mind, there is recalled a bit
of the past in vignette form. It is realized that
one cannot relate all of the experiences involving our two nations, extending as they do from
"sea to sea," yet in great measure those experiences may be repeated many times, in other
locations and under different circumstances.
Freemasonry entered into what is now the
Province of Manitoba by way of the Grand
Lodge of Minnesota in the year 1864. That
Grand Lodge was then in its infancy. The territory under its jurisdiction was in the process of
pioneer growth. The original warrant was
granted to members of the Craft to open and
work Northern Light Lodge, U.D., to be
located at Fort Pembina in Dakota Territory.
The founding members were a part of a contingent of cavalry sent to Fort Pembina by the
Government of the United States under command of Major Hatch, a Freemason. Serious
trouble was thought to be developing with a
tribe of the Sioux Indians that had recently
moved across the international border into
what is now the Province of Manitoba, then
known as The Red River Settlement. After the
formation of the Lodge, a small group of men
from the settlement, desirous of becoming
Masons, journeyed to Fort Pembina with the
purposes of being admitted into the Lodge
instituted there.
It was later that same year when the anticipated trouble with the Indians had been resolved that the cavalry contingent was ordered
to be withdrawn from the Fort. The Grand
Lodge of Minnesota was then petitioned by the
Worshipful Master of Pembina to continue the
Warrant of Authority, but to transfer the location to Fort Garry (now Winnipeg) at The Red
River Settlement in Rupert's Land by the same
name of Northern Light Lodge, U.D. The request was granted on May 24, 1864. The Lodge
at Fort Garry was never Constituted. The Tiel
Rebellion in that area threw life into such turmoil that lodge meetings could not be held. In
1870 the Grand Lodge of Minnesota revoked
the Warrant of Authority granted to Northern
Light Lodge, U.D., at Fort Garry.
The revival of Freemasonry in Manitoba
took place in 1870 with the Grand Lodge of
Canada, in the Province of Ontario, issuing a
Dispensation to nine petitioners for the forma-
tion of Prince Rupert's Lodge, U.D. The Lodge
was constituted in July, 1871.
This brief recital of facts is believed necessary to explain the connecting links between the
Grand Lodges of Minnesota, North Dakota
and Manitoba. For many years the relationship
between these three were as frail as gossamer
threads but later were to develop into ties as
strong as hoops of steel.
With the influx of new settlers into this
hitherto undeveloped land, there was created a
great interest in Freemasonry. The result was an
ever-growing Masonic membership in Manitoba. It is logical that Concordant Bodies of
Freemasonry should also parallel that growth.
It was on April 10, 1880 that the Winnipeg
Lodge of Perfection, Ancient and Accepted
Scottish Rite of Freemasonry was instituted. In
June of that year, Albert Pike, 33 ø, Sovereign
Grand Commander of the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States, visited Winnipeg
under dispensation granted by The Supreme
Council, 33 ø, of Canada. On June 24th,
Brother Pike delivered a masterly address to the
Masons of Manitoba under the auspices of the
Grand Lodge. The title of his address was
"SYMBOLS OF FREEMASONRY." The visit
of such an eminent Freemason left an imprint
not eradicated to this day.
The Grand Lodge of North Dakota, recognizing the close historical ties existing between
their Grand Lodge and the Grand Lodges of
Minnesota and Manitoba, planned a celebration, international in character, to commemorate the earlier founding of the Lodge at Fort
Pembina, almost fifty years before. The event
was held on June 21, 1921. A bronze plate
mounted on a granite marker had been crected
bearing this inscription:--
"On this site once stood the building in
which the first regularly organized Masonic
Lodge within the present State of North
Dakota originally met.
"The first meeting was held in January,
1864, and for several months the Lodge
was active. A number of candidates from
Fort Garry (now Winnipeg) were made
Masons.
"In 1869 this Lodge practically ceased to
be... It was in existence long enough to
lay the foundation of Masonry, not only in
North Dakota, but also in the Canadian
Northland, more particutarly the Province
of Manitoba."
To commemorate the event, engraved invitations were sent to every Engli,sh-speaking
Grand Lodge in the World, and to distinguished
Freemasons in Canada and the United States.
Grand Masters M.W. Brother Frederick E.
Jenkins of Minnesota; M.W. Brother George
N. Jackson of Manitoba; and M.W. Brother
Allen V. Haig of North Dakota were present.
Masons on both sides of "our border" numbering between 1,500 and 2,000 took part in the
ceremonial parade.
That evening the Grand Lodge of North
Dakota provided a sumptuous banquet to the
officers of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba and
other distinguished guests. Greetings were
tendered to the guests by M.W. Brother Walter
L. Stockwell, P.G.M. and Grand Secretary.
It happened in the year 1943 that a small
group of Grand Lodge officers from the Grand
Lodge of Minnesota spent a day visiting in
Winnipeg. They were entertained at a luncheon
presided over by R.W. Brother Benjamin C.
Parker, P.G.M. and a small group of officers
of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba. As the guests
were about to depart the question was asked for
the reason the Manitoba Brethren had never attended the Annual Communication of the
Grand Lodge of Minnesota. "Because, Sir, we
have never been invited," was the reply. The
following year that invitation was given. Six
members of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba paid
a fraternal visit to the Annual Communication
held in St. Paul, Minnesota. They were
honored by being invited to conduct the Ceremony of Installation of the newly elected Grand
Lodge officers. Those six members from Manitoba were outstanding Freemasons. Although
almost forty years have passed the memory of
M.W. Brother Benjamin C. Parker; M.W.
Brother William Douglas; M.W. Brother Harry
Woods; M.W. Brother George R. Calvert; and
M.W. Brother John T. Boys is still fresh in the
minds of many Brethren from Minnesota and
North Dakota.
It was on the occasion of that visit to Minnesota that another event took place which was
the beginning of a fraternal association of great
significance which continues to this day. Worshipful Brother Emmet Christissen of St. Paul
invited those from Manitoba and M . W .
Brother Charles M. Pollock, P.G.M. of North
Dakota as guests to a luncheon. Year after year
following that initial gesture of good will as
shown by him there would be added anothelr
guest or two until those who had been favoured
with the luncheon invitation suggested that the
expense should be shared by those attending
from Manitoba and North Dakota. The guests
from Minnesota, North Dakota and Manitoba
gradually grew in number to approximately
thirty. The spirit of friendship shown at each
annual gathering was delightful. It was the brief
occasion when old friendships were renewed
and lasting new friendships made. At each such
gathering, however, there was observed a more
sobering and serious note. At each reunion
there would be times when one or two of the old
familiar faces, because of death, were not present. There is recalled one such occurrence
when the Chairman, conducting the memorial
tribute to those whose chair was vacant, quoted
G. K. Cherton in this tribute to the memory of
Charles Dickens:
"We have a long way to travel before we
get back to what Dickens meant.... But
this at least is part of what he meant: that
comradeship and serious joy are not interludes in our travel; but that rather our
travels are interludes in comradeship and
joy, which through God shall endure forever. The inn does not point to the road;
the road points to the inn. And all roads
point at last to an ultimate inn, where we
shall meet Dickens and all his characters;
and when we drink again it shall be from
the great flagons in the tavern at the end of
the world."
During the almost forty years in which those
luncheons have been held annually in St. Paul,
many outstanding Freemasons from the three
Grand Lodges have travelled to that "Ultimate
Inn." Their memory is enshrined and revered
by those who knew them. Over the years others
of recognized international stature have been
privileged to be present as guests. Among those
were M.W. Brother Carl H. Claudy, W. Brother John D. Cunningham, and M.W. Brother
Conrad Hahn. The last year he attended before
his death, Brother Hahn made the comment--
"Nowhere on the North American continent
does such a group of Masonic Brethren meet
where the warmth of International Fellowship
is so evident as it is here."
Mention has been made of the address given
to the Manitoba Masons by Brother Albert
Pike in 1880. One hundred years later, on September 9, 1980, M.W. Brother Stanley F. Maxwell, 33 ø, Sovereign Grand Commander of the
Northern Masonic Jurisdiction of the United
States, addressed a large Masonic gathering in
Winnipeg, held under the auspices of the Manitoba Chapter of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge
of Research. The title of his address was "Freemasonry, a Foundation for a Free Society."
Truly it may be said that the footmarks of such
great leaders do leave an imprint that can never
be erased. Their message is so timely it will continue to serve as a mark for others to emulate.
The names of those men from Minnesota,
North Dakota and Manitoba who are no longer
with us, have laid a firm foundation for friendship so evident in past years. It is for those who
are still living to further cultivate that tradition
and in their own right leave "footprints" to inspire all others who follow.
"Three thousand miles of Border line;
Nor fort nor armed host,
On all this frontier neighborground,
From East to Western coast.
A living proof to all the world of
faith in Brotherhood.
(Guy Willis Bilsland)
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