Educator of the year

There is a tradition among the Masons of Scotland that, after the dissolution of the Templars, many of the Knights repaired to Scotland and placed themselves under the protection of Robert Bruce and that, after the battle of Bannockburn, which took place on St. John the Baptist's day (in summer), 1314, this monarch instituted the Royal Order of H.R.M. and Knights of the R.S.Y.C.S. and established the chief seat at Kilwinning. From that Order it seems by no means improbable that the present Degree of Rose Croix de Heredom may have taken its origins.

Whatever may have been the origin and foundation of the Royal Order of Scotland, its claim to the oldest, if not, indeed, the only Masonic Order of Knighthood, is presumably valid. The Order of Knights Templar Masons was instituted by Freemasons, but has nothing Masonic in its ritual.

With regard to the veridical history of the Order, there is presumptive evidence, a a Provincial Grand Lodge met in London in 1696 and indubitable evidence to show that in 1730, here was a Provincial Grand Lodge of the Order in South Britain, which met at the Thistle and Crown, in Chandos Street Charing Cross, whose constitution is described as being of 'Time Immemorial'. 

According to Thory, Prince Charles Edward Stuart, in 1747, issued his famous Arras Charter, in which he claimed to be Sovereign Grand Master of the Royal Order.

(Introduction taken from the First Edition of Gould's History of Freemasonry)

For more information click on the links below.

Boynton Lodge 236 F&AM Visits

Arawak Lodge No. 8877 F&AM

19 March 2004

          Freemasons and Officers of Boynton Lodge No. 236 F&AM assembled at Ft. Lauderdale International Airport at 0700 on Friday, 19 March 2004, for an 18 minute Jet Flight to Freeport, Grand Bahama.

          The occasion was what has become a semi-annual visit to Arawak Lodge No. 8877, a Lodge holden under the English Constitution, and our sister Lodge in the Caribbean.

          Upon arrival and check-in at the Royal Oasis Country Club, Officers and Members were met at 5:30pm by members of Arawak for transportation to the Lodge.  Ladies were joined by the wives and Ladies of our Arawak Brethren for a night on the town.

          At Lodge, the Brethren of both Lodges united for cocktails in the sophisticated elegance of their Fellowship Hall.  Under soft lighting, the walls behind the Bar depict the location of all Masonic Lodges in the region of the Caribbean Sea around the Bahamas. At 6:30pm, Freemasons were summoned into the Lodge room and the Communication was called to Order. Officers were seated in ceremony, and the business of the Lodge was begun. The evening witnessed an Entered Apprentice Degree for Bahamian Brother Simpson, and the acceptance of five members of Boynton Lodge into Arawak as Dual Members. They are Brothers David Curtis, John Karroum, Richard Philpott, Wayne Hansen and Geoffrey Shank – the current Worshipful Master of Boynton Lodge.  At 10pm, Lodge was closed and the Festive Board commenced in the Fellowship Hall. Toasts were offered at 11pm and continued for the next two hours.

          The following day, Freemasons from all over the Caribbean assembled at Geneva’s Restaurant for an authentic Bahamian breakfast of “Boil Fish”, “Stew Fish” and “Johnnycakes” with the Ladies.

          At 6:30pm, Freemasons and their Ladies journeyed by bus and car to the settlement of Deadman’s Reef, out by Eight Mile Rock.  They converged at Brother Heinz’s Restaurant on the Ocean. It is a beautiful location on the beach, under the stars at the edge of the sea. The atmosphere was buffet style Caribbean fare, and all enjoyed the evening. The pictures below tell the story.

          The following morning was spent individually. The Boynton contingent flew back to Ft. Lauderdale at 5:30pm. 

We now look forward to Arawak’s visit to Boynton Lodge in the United States.

Installation of 2004 Officers

          On Saturday, 27 December 2003, members assembled with their families to attend an Open Installation of the 2004 Officers of Boynton Lodge No. 236 F&AM. A Buffet Luncheon was served in the Fellowship Hall, and attended by well over 100 people. Officers, Members and their guests then adjourned to the adjacent Lodge room where the Officers elected and appointed were duly installed. Right Worshipful Brother Charles Mead PDDGM acted as Installing Master. Right Worshipful Brother David Lund PDDGM acted as installing Chaplain, and Worshipful Brother Gary Dolins was the Installing Marshal. All are Past-Masters of our Lodge.

          An Installation is one of the few Masonic rituals that may be open to the public. It is conducted with wives and family present, in the decorum of a Business meeting. Dress is always suitably appropriate.

          Information pertaining to the slate of 2004 Officers can be found on the “Officers” page of this website. Here below are photographs of the occasion:

 

Freemasons from Caribbean

18^th and 19^th July 2003

          Freemasons from the Caribbean and North and South America came together in two nights of Lodge and Festive Board on Friday, followed by a dinner with their Ladies on Saturday.

          Over 110 Freemasons assembled at 6:15pm in Boynton Lodge No. 236 F&AM on Friday night in Boynton Beach, Florida.  Processions and Introductions preceded the Raising of Fellowcraft Brothers Herbert Metcalf and Robert King, both of Boynton Lodge. Harmonia Lodge of West Palm Beach conducted the second section.

This was the continuation of a tradition established in 1994 when eight Boynton Freemasons first chartered an airplane and flew into Bahamian airspace to visit Arawak Lodge No. 8877 on Freeport, Grand Bahama. Since that time, Arawak and the Boynton Masonic Lodges have established a core relationship resulting in annual official visits both here and in the Bahamas. Carlton Lodge on Marsh Harbour and Royal Victoria Lodge in Nassau have been meeting points where Brethren from all over the world have joined in the exchange of Masonic ideals.

          Formal Ritual was concluded at 10pm and the Brethren dispersed to Atlantis Country Club for full dinner and drinks. An English Constitution-inspired Festive Board followed. Toasts were raised beginning at 11:30pm. 110 Freemasons were present for the dinner as well, and frivolity broke up around 1:30am.

          During this time, the Ladies of the American side entertained the Bahamian Ladies at their own dinner.

          Saturday night, over 112 Ladies and Freemasons assembled once again, at Atlantis Country Club for a casual night of drinks, dinner and… Elvis Presley! All enjoyed a wonderful show, in an evening of elegant Country Club dining and Masonic Harmony.

For a closer look, see the pictures of both evenings here on this website!