| Anoka Masonic Lodge will mark 150 years |
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| Thursday, 03 September 2009 | ||
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Union Editor Close on the heels of the state of Minnesota and Anoka County, the Anoka Lodge #30 Ancient Free and Accepted Masons is also celebrating 150 years of existence.
“The idea of all men being created equal is a basic Masonic principle,” said current master, this year’s lodge leader, Wayne LaMusga. “Also, that all religions are created equal.” He said that Freemasonry often is confused as a religious organization. “All faiths are welcome to join us in a peaceful organization,” he said. “We’re the oldest fraternal brotherhood.” And since 1859 those brothers have been meeting at the Anoka Lodge in search of personal betterment and connection with men in their community with intellectual and spiritual enlightenment. The fraternity boasts more than five million members worldwide. About 10 to 12 new men join the Anoka Lodge every year, joining a brotherhood of men who are interested in meeting new people, learning about the ideas of others and at the same time studying the history and formation of the United States and the world. The lodge’s membership spans Anoka County and the north metro. But like most long-standing organizations, the Masons are not immune to the struggles of attracting new members and keeping connected with the community. “We are refining our role in the community and we’re not sure yet what that is going to be,” said LaMusga. “We need to get out into the community and see what we can do.” Community event In an effort to make those community connections, a public event is being held Saturday, Sept. 12 at the Anoka Masonic Lodge on Third Avenue in downtown Anoka. Everyone is invited to attend “Ribs, Bibs and Blues,” a slow-cooked rib feast paired with musical entertainment and tours of the lodge. The rib dinner comes with baked beans and coleslaw. Serving will start at 2 p.m. and last as long as the food does. The event is scheduled to be wrapped up by 6 p.m. The lodge’s own barbecue aficionados, Kirby Olson and Jerry Oliver, will be testing their skills and tempting taste buds. There is no charge for the lunch, but a free will offering will be taken with all funds going towards the ACBC Emergency Food Shelf. “We stepped out of the public eye about a generation ago,” said LaMusga. “We’re trying to get back there.” The celebration will take place in the city lot, adjacent to the lodge, at 1900 Third Ave. S. in Anoka. The brotherhood “We have secrets, but we’re not a secret organization,” said LaMusga. And according to the Masons, the ability to keep a secret is the test of a man and a testament of his character. Most of those secrets are in reference to the rituals, passwords and handshakes that will gain a Mason entrance into another lodge, according to member John Freeburg. The compass and the square are the emblems of the Masons, closely connected to operative Masons, who started the Masonic movement and worked in the trades. Being part of an organization boasting 150 years of longevity has special meaning for its members. “I don’t think that I had a real grasp of history until I got active (with the Masons),” said LaMusga. “It has instilled a sense of history and an appreciation of history to see what really went into to making of our nation.” But he also said that history needs to be shared with the community. “It’s too easy to stay in our lodge and do our degrees,” he said. “We need to step out in our community and make the community aware we have this history.” Freeburg does note that not everyone is supportive of Freemasonry. Some are suspicious of the organization’s secrecy and liberal religious beliefs. Looking back According to a 1984 article in the Anoka County Union celebrating the lodge’s 125th anniversary, the Anoka lodge’s roots were in a group of men looking to better themselves. “At the turn of the century you would have seen much of the Anoka area’s establishment, men who were judges, chiefs of police and business owners, who had membership in the lodge,” Freeburg said. While 150 years might seem like a long time and it is the oldest group of its kind in Anoka County, the Grand Lodge organization of Masonry began in June of 1717 when four lodges of Masons met in a tavern in London, England. Minnesota Masonry began in August 1849 when the St. Paul Lodge 223 was granted dispensation by the Grand Lodge of Ohio. The original charter for the Anoka Lodge #30 was granted Oct. 25, 1859 with Owen Evans as the first master. Other officers were Josiah F. Clark, John H. Martin, Jacob B. Lufkin, James H. Colbath, Nathaniel Small, Isaac P. Strout and Harvey Richards. Four additional charter members were Francis Thorndike, Dwight Woodbury, George Small and Edward Cundy. The original records of the lodge and all of its possessions were destroyed in the fire of Aug. 16, 1884, which wiped out the entire business district. But on display at the lodge is one artifact, which Freeburg believes may have survived the fire. It is the emblem of the Masons, the compass and the square, with one of the compass tips broken off and the nickel finish burned away. It was found in a Cutter family home and Freeburg said it likely belonged to Oscar Cutter, a former master of the Anoka lodge. “It is probably a surviving piece of hardware from the great fire that he pulled out of the ruins,” said Freeburg. The artifact is near and dear to the Masons, he said. According to lodge records, the following highlights were noted over the years: • In 1886 annual dues were $2. • In 1890 the lodge met for the first time with the illumination of electric lights. • In 1893 the lodge voted to spend $25 on books for a library that would be placed in the lodge parlor. The cornerstone of the current building on Third Avenue, which has undergone changes over the years, was laid in 1922 by grand master Herman Held. Members join legacy Both LaMusga and Freeburg had their initial connection with the Masons through their fathers. “I thought it was a great platform to meet other men I wouldn’t have met otherwise,” said LaMusga, who was also attracted to the Mason’s philosophy of all men being created equal. For Freeburg, who is a history buff, he says he is connected to the Masons’ roots in the founding of the United States. Men like George Washington and Ben Franklin were members of the Masonic Lodge. “I love the view of history you get from Masonic writings,” he said. “There is more than one view of the history of this country and the world. Here you get to associate with people who have unconventional ideals.” But the two things never discussed are religion and politics. During their tenure as members, Masons move through the ranks of the organization by earning degrees, to eventually become a master Mason. The Anoka Lodge #30 has produced one grand master of the state’s Masons. Ham Lake’s Rodney Larson was named to the post in 1994, serving a one-year term. Affiliated organizations Connected with the Anoka Masonic Lodge #30 is the Order of the Eastern Star Martha Chapter 132, a women’s group for wives, sisters and daughters of Masons. The OES locally is active in quilting for cancer patients and volunteering at the University of Minnesota’s cancer hospital. Job’s Daughter’s Bethel 48 Chapter also meets at the Anoka Lodge. This group trains young women in leadership roles. Since the 1980s another group of Masons, Northeast Lodge #345, has been meeting in Anoka since losing its space in New Brighton. This is a smaller lodge, with approximately 50 members. Philanthropy While the Masonry is not designed to specifically be a charitable organization, Freemasons are certainly responsible for many charitable acts. The Minnesota Masons have the distinction of giving the largest gift ever to the University of Minnesota for cancer research and treatment. Last spring the Masons made a $65 million commitment from Minnesota Masonic Charities. Their support over the last 53 years has totaled more than $100 million. In recognition of this gift, the University of Minnesota Cancer Center will now be called the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota. The gift will be contributed to the university over the next 15 years. In the past, Masons honored members of the brotherhood with the purchase of a floral wreath. But in 1981, the lodge decided a more fitting memorial would be to use the money to award one or more $300 scholarships to graduating seniors from the Anoka-Hennepin School District. Mandy Moran Froemming is at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it |
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