Mithraism and Freemasonry

May 23, 2026, 1pm in Whitby.

Mithraism was a popular, secretive Roman mystery cult (1st–4th century CE) dedicated to the god Mithras, likely created in Rome and heavily practiced by soldiers and merchants. It centered on a male-only hierarchy of seven initiation grades, communal meals in cave-like temples (mithraea), and the “tauroctony” scene of Mithras slaying a bull.

Their temples were designed to look like caves, reflecting the cosmos. They were usually small, underground, and featured benches for communal meals.

Installation of The Celestial Lodge

Kindly submitted by RW Bro David Neave

[“Installation at the Celestial Lodge” is a well-known Masonic allegorical story or essay, often credited to James Robert Harrison (1945–2016), a professional photographer, amateur historian, and administrator for Gizah Temple Shrine in Vancouver, BC.]

Over the centuries, many well known men have been members of our fraternity. For a few moments, please allow your imaginations to run wild and consider what may take place at the Installation of The Celestial Lodge, otherwise known as the Grand Lodge Above.

Even though it is late fall, there is a warm breeze blowing and the sun is setting behind the Lodge hall. Gathered in the parking lot filled with their works are Bros Henry Ford, Ransom Olds, Walter Chrysler, John Willys and Andre Citroen. The only vehicle missing is Bro Hart Massey’s tractor.

Greeting members in the entrance hall is Bro Cliff Arquette of Charley Weaver fame and Bro Ed Wynn. In the boardroom, a group of senior DeMolays are gathered including Bros Walter Disney, Chet Huntley, Wendell Corey, Van Johnson, Robert Cummings, John Steinbeck, Fred McMurray and John Cameron Swayze. King Gillette, razor in hand, passes the lodge caretaker who is having a minor problem with his vacuum cleaner, which is quickly cleared up with the help of its inventor, Bro Frank Hoover. While at the other end of the hallway, Bros Emmett Kelly, Clyde Beatty and all seven of the Ringling Bros are discussing the Shrine Circus.

If we take a quick look into the Banquet Hall, we see Bros John Molson, Frederick Pabst and Joseph Schlitz busy rolling in some kegs of beer for Bro Sam Bronfman, late President of Seagrams Distillers, who is setting up the bar for the Festive Board to follow the Ceremony. Bro Colonel Harland Sanders is cooking up a storm in the kitchen and it is an easy guess as to what the evening meal will consist of.

The orchestra members for the dance to follow the Banquet are tuning. Members of this All-Star group include leader WC Hardy, Irving Berlin, George M Cohan, Cyril Stapleton, and Al Jolson. Tonight’s performance will be MC.ed by Bros Arthur Godfrey and Danny Thomas.

Magical Bros Harry Houdini and Harry Blackstone are setting up their props while Bros WC Fields, Oliver Hardy, Bud Abbott, Harpo Marx, and Foster Brooks are fine tuning their comedy routines for tonight’s show, which is being produced by Bros Cecil B DeMille, Flo Ziegfeld, Louis B Mayer, Hall Wallis and DW Griffiths.

A number of sports celebrities are gathered together, including Bros Abe Saperstein, creator of the Harlem Globetrotters, who’s explaining his version of the game to Bro James Naismith, the inventor of the game. They’re joined by baseball players Bros Charles Ebbetts, Ty Cobb, Branch Rickey and Cy Young, the first pitcher to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

A little further along the hall is an array of masons dressed in knee breeches, lace cuffs and powdered
whigs, others, including Bros Kit Carson, Davey Crockett and Buffalo Bill Cody are clad in their familiar buckskins. Chiefs Crazy Bull, Tecumseh and Joseph Brant are in their native attire.

Most colourful are the military uniforms of Lord Nelson, Lord Cornwallis, Captain James Cook, the Duke of Wellington and John Paul Jones. As I gaze in awe at these members of Celestial Lodge, the Grand Master, MW Bro Harry Truman, appears from the preparation room accompanied by Bros John Jacob Astor, Luther Burbank, JC Penney, Adlai Stevenson and Jennings Bryan. Bro John Diefenbaker has just signed the Tyler’s Register with one of Bro John Shaeffer’s pens. He is accompanied by Bros Robert Borden and RB
Bennett, fellow Canadian Prime Ministers, and by Bro Joey Smallwood of Newfoundland.

At this time, the Tyler, Bro J Edgar Hoover, informs the brethren that the meeting is about to come to order. On entering the lodge room the brethren are greeted by the Inner Guard, Bro Paul Revere.

Seated already are polar explorers, Robert F Scott of England and Bro Richard E Bird of the United States, together with Matthew G Perky and Canada’s Henry Larsen. Bro Charles Lindbergh can be seen in deep conversation with Bros Hap Arnold, Gus Grissom, Eddie Rickenbaker and Charles Kingsford-Smith.

From the Junior Warden’s station comes a burst of laughter. Bro Will Rogers has just brought broad
smiles to the faces of the Royal personages gathered around him, including George I, Frederick the Great, Gustav V of Sweden and George VI. To the right of the Junior Warden’s chair, architect Sir Christopher Wren is joined by Statue of Liberty sculptor, Frederic Bartholdi. Bros Norman Vincent Peale and Peter Marshall, who will assume the Chaplain’s duties this evening, are in conversation with the DuPonts, Peter and Victor, and the Rothschilds, James and Nathan.

Gathered around the Secretary’s desk, Bro Rudyard Kipling is discussing the evening’s proceedings with Bro Robert Burns, who is to give one of the Charges assisted by Bro Mark Twain. Also taking part are Bros Conan Doyle, Walter Scott, Samuel Johnson, Alexander Pope and Robert Service.

The Grand Organist, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, is discussing last minute changes with Bros Gilbert and Sullivan. Bros Clark Gable, Peter Sellers, Wallace Beery, Douglas Fairbanks and Brian Donleavy are discussing boxing with champions Jack Dempsey, Jack Johnson and Sugar Ray Robinson. Another small group, in the persons of Bros John Wayne, Hoot Gibson and Tom Mix, are listening to Bro William Thaddeus Phillips, also known as Butch Cassidy.

The founding members, Bros George Washington, Sir John A MacDonald, Guiseppe Garibaldi, Benito
Jaurez, John Hancock and Ben Franklin are seated in the East. They are been joined by Sir Stamford
Raffles, founder of Singapore. The Generals, Omar Bradley, Jimmy Doolittle, George C Marshall, John Pershing and Douglas McArthur, take their seats next to Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill. The Lodge Treasurer, Bro Henry Knox is busy collecting dues from Bros Thomas E Dewey and William McKinley. The Master, MW Bro HRH The Duke of Connaught, raps his gavel to call the Lodge to order and it is now time for us to depart.

With one last took at this brilliant assembly, one wonders what the public’s perception of Freemasonry might be if they were able to visit such a lodge.

[An excellent list of “famous” Freemasons is found here: https://freemasonry.bcy.ca/textfiles/famous.html]

2025 Masonic Research Lodge Conference

On the evening of Friday, September 19, 2025, at Lexington, Kentucky’s Spindletop Hall, William O. Ware Lodge of Research will be a co-host of The Rubicon Masonic Society’s 13th Annual Festive Board. On Saturday, September 20^th, the Lodge of Research will be the host for “The Role of Research Lodges in Delivering the Message of Freemasonry Conference.”

The purpose of the Conference is to open and facilitate discussion on the role of Research Lodges in 21^st century Freemasonry.

Rev. Joseph Fort Newton wrote of approaching the matter of Masonic Education “from the right end;” and in Short Talks on Masonry, published in 1928, he offered an approach to the delivery of Freemasonry’s message that was, “neither impossible nor impracticable, if we really mean business in the matter of Masonic education.” The 2025 Conference will explore and expand upon Rev. Newton’s themes, particularly with respect to how Research Lodges may best deliver the message of Freemasonry to not only the current generation of Masons, but also to future generations of men who enter the Craft.

To date, thirty-four Research Lodges and Masonic societies from twenty jurisdictions including Scotland and England have expressed interest in participating and attending the Festive Board and one day Conference. The Conference is designed to give participants the opportunity to share their efforts in delivering the message of Freemasonry and learn how other Lodges of Research conduct their business. Each participant will be expected to add his voice to the several discussions being held through moderated panel discussions.

This unique Conference will offer the opportunity for participants to network with leaders and members of other Lodges of Research and aid in further development of the labor of our respective Research Lodges.

A preliminary Zoom meeting about the Conference will be hosted by the William O. Ware Lodge of Research on Sunday, January 5, 2025, at 7:00 p.m., EDT. Masons are encouraged to attend this virtual meeting and join others who have already expressed their interest in these events.

Please contact the Secretary of The Heritage Lodge for the link to complete, and submit the RSVP for this virtual meeting by Monday, December 30, 2024.

CANADA’S SESQUICENTENNIAL – FREEMASONRY AND CONFEDERATION: JULY 2017

On July 1, 2017, Canada celebrated the sesquicentennial of Confederation. This was when the Dominion of Canada was formed by the confederation of the Province of Canada (Canada East and Canada West), New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.

This was one of the key periods in our history which would help to define what it is to be a Canadian. The process would continue with the addition of Manitoba and the Northwest Territory (July 15, 1870), British Columbia (July 20, 1871), Prince Edward Island (July 1, 1873), Alberta and Saskatchewan (September 1, 1905) and Newfoundland (March 31, 1949). These ten provinces are considered co-sovereign divisions deriving their power and authority directly from the Constitution Act of 1867 where the “Crown” is represented by a Governor General and Provincial Lieutenant-Governors. The three Territories — Northwest Territories (formed July 15, 1870), Yukon (formed 1898) and Nunavut (separated from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999) — derive their mandates and powers from the federal government and are headed by a Commissioner.

Throughout the process leading to Confederation, and afterwards, the thirty-seven men who were directly involved were ones who saw beyond the limits of religion, race, nationality, and language. They sought a common ground with benefits to an evolving “country.” Compromise achieved results which accepted diversity in society. Eleven of these men were Freemasons. The majority were not. But when we look at their activities, we see men for whom brotherly love, relief and truth were truly present and practiced in their daily lives.

Who were they? What were they? Why did they take these steps?

The “event” of July 1, 1867, is “book-ended” between political actions in the late 1830s in the two Canadas. These included rebellions in 1837 and 1838 as well as the investigative visit of John George Lambton, 1st Earl Durham. His famous Durham Report resulted in Lower and Upper Canada uniting into the Province of Canada in 1841. In 1949 (when Joey Smallwood won the referendum to bring Newfoundland into Confederation with an affirmative vote of 52.3%). Lord Durham was a sixth generation Mason, a member of Marquis of Granby Lodge in Durham and a one-time Provincial Grand Master of Durham. Right Worshipful Brother Joseph Roberts Smallwood was a Past Master of Lodge Northcliffe, No. 1086 (Scottish), Grand Falls, Newfoundland. Of the thirty-seven Fathers of Confederation, nine were born in the UK, one in Bermuda, one in Jamaica and one in the USA. The rest were born in the “Canadian colonies.” By occupation, twenty were lawyers, five journalists, eight merchant businessmen, two doctors, one land promoter, and one soldier. Although they would vary the terms used to describe their political affiliations from time to time, fifteen could be labelled Conservatives, twelve Liberals, five Reform, two Liberal-Conservatives, two Reform-Liberals and one “radical independent/conservative.” Six had entered politics as appointed members of government and 31 were elected when entering the political arena. Twenty-seven were supporters of Confederation almost from the beginning of their political careers.

As a result of the creation of the Dominion of Canada, fifteen of the “fathers” would be elected to the new Canadian Federal Parliament in the elections of 1867. One of the fifteen would be our first Prime Minister, John A. Macdonald. Another, Thomas D’Arcy McGee. would become our first Member of Parliament to be assassinated. (Six were appointed to the new Canadian Senate. Three were appointed to other senior offices (Federal Commissioner, Federal Deputy Minister of Justice and one as Lieutenant-Governor of Rupert’s Land and the Northwest Territory, although he was never installed). One chose a career in provincial politics. Three delegates lost in the 1867 elections. Eight were not eligible for any federal office by election or appointment as they were from PEI and Newfoundland which did not enter Confederation in 1867. After Confederation activities and “active” political careers, three would later become Senators, nine would become Lieutenants-Governor of Provinces (including one for Manitoba and the Northwest Territories and was later appointed for Nova Scotia), three would become Provincial Premiers, one would become a Federal Supreme Court Justice and six Provincial Supreme Court Justices, two were appointed as Canadian High Commissioners to London, one became Governor of the Bahamas, one returned to his military career, one returned to business as a railway promoter and one was appointed to collect and classify Canadian statutes of the time.

Who Were the Eleven Freemasons?

Hewitt Bernard, friend, colleague, and brother-in-law of John Alexander Macdonald, of Ionic Lodge, No. 25 (Ontario) of Toronto. He resigned during 1859 when he left Toronto for Quebec to work in government.
Sir Alexander Campbell (later 6th Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario) of St. John’s Lodge, No. 3 (Ontario) of Kingston (now The Ancient St. John’s No. 3). He resigned in 1858 when he moved to Quebec with the government.
Sir Frederick Bowker Terrington Carter (later Prime Minister of Newfoundland) of St. John’s Lodge, No. 579 (England), now No. 1 (Newfoundland), of Saint John’s.
Edward Barron Chandler (later Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick,1878-1880) of Sussex Lodge, No. 480 (England), now No. 4 (New Brunswick) of Dorchester, NB.
Alexander Tilloch Galt was reported in the media to have been a member of Victoria Lodge, No. 16 (Quebec) of Sherbrooke, PQ.
John Hamilton Gray of New Brunswick’s Albion Lodge, No. 500 (England), now No. 1 (New Brunswick) of Saint John, NB. He later affiliated with Civil Service Lodge, No. 148 (Ontario) of Ottawa.
Thomas Haviland of Victoria Lodge No. 383 (Scotland), now No. 1 (PEI) of Charlottetown.
William Alexander Henry of Nova Scotia listed himself as a member of St. John’s Lodge, No. 161 (England) now No. 2 (Nova Scotia) of Halifax at the time he affiliated with Civil Service Lodge No. 148 (Ontario) of Ottawa on March 13, 1883.
Sir John Alexander Macdonald (Canada’s first Prime Minister) of St. John’s Lodge, No. 758 (England) of Kingston (now The Ancient St. John’s Lodge, No. 3 (Ontario) of Kingston). He was also a member of Zetland Lodge, No. 326 (Ontario) of Toronto for a time. He subsequently joined Dalhousie Lodge, No. 731 (England), now No. 52 (Ontario), of Ottawa after his removal there in 1867 as Canada’s first Prime Minister. In 1867 he was presented with the honourary rank of Past Grand Senior Warden of our Grand Lodge. He was named by the United Grand Lodge of England as their Grand Representative near to the Grand Lodge A.F. & A.M. of Canada (now the Grand Lodge A.F. & A.M. of Canada in the Province of Ontario). He later joined Civil Service Lodge, No. 148 (Ontario) of Ottawa.
William Henry Pope of Victoria Lodge No. 383 (Scotland), now No. 1 (PEI) of Charlottetown; and,
Sir Leonard Tilley (later Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick), is apocryphally reported to have been the father of the title of Canada as a “Dominion.” Macdonald wished to call the country the “Kingdom of Canada” and Tilley was later reported to have been reading his Bible, and lucked upon Psalm 72 which, in verse 8, describes a “. . . dominion from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth.” As Canada was perceived as stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific, the word “Dominion” was proposed by him and adopted by all attendees. According to R.W. Bro. Hon. Donald M. Fleming in his article Masonry in the Centennial Setting, Tilley was a Freemason, but details of his membership have proven elusive.

Courtesy: Masonic Education Pillar – Masonic Education; as prepared by Michael Jenkyns, Grand Historian, Grand Lodge A.F. & A.M. of Canada in the Province of Ontario, April 20, 2016 (Rev: 3 December 20, 2016)

Lodge in The Village at Black Creek re-opens

This past weekend the lodge room in The Village at Black Creek was finally re-opened to the public and what a day for Freemasonry, and especially for both Andrew Turk and George Burt who have spent so much time organizing the volunteer corps.

According to George (who reported close to 100 visitors walked through and were introduced to our gentle craft), he said: “It was a great feeling and satisfying moment to at last open the Historic Lodge Room to visitors. R.W. Bro Thomas Cober of Union Lodge Schomberg and W. Bro David Lovelock of Mississauga Lodge had a wonderful and very busy day from opening until closing.”

Visitors came from across the globe, added Burt: “Many from the GTA and others from Pickering, Ajax, Barrie, Oakville and Hamilton, as well as visitors from China, Peru, Uganda, Iran, Malaysia, England, Scotland, Germany and Ukraine.”

All of the Heritage Lodge members should be very proud of the work done by all involved, including Bill Willis, who has worked tirelessly with the administrators at the popular tourist attraction, to ensure such an incredible success. In order to keep up the momentum, please contact the Secretary at Heritage Lodge if you’d like to get involved.

Dedication of the Cornerstone in 1983 at The Village at Black Creek

Here is the recently-found video of the Cornerstone dedication ceremony that took place on October 1, 1983 at The Village at Black Creek. The re-dedication ceremony will take place – 40 years later – on Saturday, May 13, 2023 and Heritage Lodge will proudly enjoy the company of our Grand Jurisdiction’s Deputy Grand Master, R.W. Bro Jamie Ireland, who has agreed to attend this historic event.