The 248th STATED MEETING of Far East Lodge No. 1, F. & A. M. was held at the Masonic Temple, No. 3 Bluff, Yamate-cho, Naka-ku, Yokohama, Japan on the 1st day of March 1978.
A Lodge of Master Masons was opened in due and ancient form at 1930 hours with Worshipful Brother DeLuna in the East, Brother Redman in the West, and Brother Norman in the South.
The Worshipful Master recognized the distinguished Brethren as listed in the Tiler's Register of this date. He then reappointed WB McGowan as Secretary (pro-tem) for the Month of March. He then required every member of the Lodge present, who had not been present at our Stated Meeting of 1 February 1978, to take an oath at the Altar that would make it a Masonic Offense, subject to proper penalties, to reveal anything, especially information pertaining to the Temple and Property, to any person, outside the Tiled Walls of our Lodge. WB DeLuna explained that last year in trying to maintain our belief that the Temple and Property belonged to all Masons in Japan, WB McGowan met with problems. In that our business transactions conducted in our Tiled Lodge were being disclosed outside thereof. This oath was intended to remind us of our Obligations, our By-Laws and the Grand Lodge Constitution.
The Worshipful Master then announced that our next order of business would be the reading of the minutes of our last Stated Meeting and all subsequent Special Meetings.
The Secretary read the minutes and they were approved as read.
Next was the Treasurer's report given by Brother Zalewski. It was moved by Brother Redman and seconded by Brother Albury that the Treasurer's report be approved as read, subject to the usual audit. MOTION CARRIED.
Next was the report of the several committees:
CHARITY: WB DeLuna mentioned the several boxes of clothing in the ante-room that needed to be cleaned. Open discussion was held concerning the clothing, and Brother Weaver mentioned that perhaps the clothing could be given to an orphanage or a leper colony. The WM asked Brother Weaver to look into the problem of having the clothing cleaned and also the idea of the orphanage/leper colony.
PAY OF MEMBERS: Brother Albury reported he had compiled a list of all the Brethren that had not yet paid their 1978 dues and that he and his committee would be working with the Secretary about contacting them and also the Brethren that have been suspended for non-payment of dues. MWB Robertson gave a explanation concerning the dues and rate of exchange, to $, that should be used in collecting dues from a suspended Brother (for NPD).
REFRESHMENT/ENTERTAINMENT: The WM called for a show of hands as to who would attend the Grand Lodge Communication Banquet. 13 Brethren and wives will attend (13 total). MWB Robertson mentioned that due to the limited capacity of the present Grand Lodge that the attendance at the Communication might be limited.
FRIENDLY TIPS: WB McGowan reported that as of yet he has not received any input from any of the Brethren and that unless he did so the next issue of the Friendly Tips would be his [last] issue. The WM called on the SW and JW to prepare one or two paragraphs for the Friendly Tips and to give them to WB McGowan by next week. The WM also mentioned that the format of the Friendly Tips has been changed and it would not be so formal or expensive, he also invited the Brethren to contribute to the content of the Friendly Tips. MWB Robertson mentioned that the Masonic Shimbun would be ready in a week or two, and the WM said that it would be included in our next mailing of the Friendly Tips.
COACHING: WB McGowan reported that Brother Redman informed him that EA Skinner would be ready to give his proficiency on 15 March 1978, that WB DeLuna reported that EA Fields is ready to be passed on 8 March 1978. WB McGowan said that he had called Brother Reyna concerning EA Manes, and that as yet Brother Reyna had not gotten back to him.
SICK and VISITATION: Brother Griffin reported that he knew of no Brethren in the Hospital or who were sick at home. WB DeLuna said RWB Cooper's wife had called him and that RWB Cooper was in Denver, CO. and was not expected to live too much longer. MWB Robertson reported the sad news that MWB Peck was much sicker than he had let on, he was not expected to live past August. Again MWB Robertson gave us sad news, in that WB Booth had stomach cancer and he to was not expected to live very long. Brother Redman reported that he had tried to contact MWB Nishiyama and that he understood that he had had surgery on his teeth and that he was not feeling very good. The WM asked WB McGowan to look into how MWB Nishiyama was doing. Brother Zalewski reported that WB Williams also had had surgery on his teeth and that was one of the reasons we had not seen him in Lodge these past weeks, and that also he was having employee problems at work and as soon as he could work things out he would start to attend Lodge again.
MASONIC EDUCATION/LODGE HISTORY: NEGATIVE.
AUDIT: Brother Weaver reported that by our next Stated Meeting the books would be up to date. The WM asked Brother Griffin if he would give Brother Weaver a hand with the audit committee in that Brother Smith was out of the area. The WM reported that he had had the books reviewed by Brother Emil J. Linek, Auditor for the Grand Lodge, and he found them to be more than adequate for our purpose.
At this point the WM told of how Brethren can work together in helping one another. He told us of how on the night of 14 February 1978, at Yokosuka Lodge No. 20's "Pot Luck", Brother Francisco received word that his Mother had passed away and that in a matter of hours he had received a loan (arranged by a Brother) and was in Atsugi getting on a flight for the P. I. (again arranged by a Brother).
TEMPLE TRUST FUND: Brother Zalewski gave a short explanation of how the fund was making interest.
HOUSE: The Worshipful Master read several letters from and to our lawyers, which are attached to the minutes as enclosures.
BALLOTING: Balloting for the degrees Negative.
RECEPTION of PETITIONS: Negative, but balloting for restoration was held on the petition of Brother Joseph M. Frye, for restoration, and he was restored to good standing.
CORRESPONDENCE:
GENERAL
GRAND LODGE
UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Brother Charles E. Norman was installed as Junior Warden by WB DeLuna assisted by MWB Robertson. The WM presented Brother Norman with a miniature Plumb as a lapel pin and asked Brother Norman to pass it on to his successor.
NEW BUSINESS:
The Worshipful Master then announced that there being nothing further to come before this Lodge of MASTER MASONS we would proceed to close. Peace and harmony prevailing, the Lodge was closed in due and ancient form at 2150 hours with WB DeLuna in the East, Brother Redman in the West, and Brother Norman in the South.
(There were 12 Brethren present.)
2 February 1978
TO: The Worshipful Master and Brethren of Far East Lodge No. 1, F.&A.M.
Dear Worshipful Sir and Brethren:
Due to your action at the Stated Meeting of 1 February 1978, I find myself completely unable to function as Secretary. I, Therefore, regretfully tender my resignation as Secretary of the Lodge effective immediately and irrevocably. You are requested to immediately notify me of my successor.
So far as I am able to do so, I will complete the minutes of the Stated Meeting of 1 February 1978. I will be unable to render any further service.
I sincerely wish you the best during your tenure as Master.
Fraternally,
Dear Worshipful Brother Hodges:
This is to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 2 February 1978 rendering your resignation as Secretary of Far East Lodge No. 1, and to inform you that I accept your resignation effective as of 2 February 1978.
In regards to our telephone conversation of 2 February 1978 when you called me and congratulated me for accomplishing something that WB McGowan was never able to accomplish while he was Master, that is causing you to resign. WB Hodges, I do believe, in fact I know, that when WB McGowan assumed the East, the farthest thing from his mind was your resignation. You know as well as I do that WB McGowan was depending on you for your aid and support; not your resignation.
You may remember that when WB McGowan attempted to arrest your jewel of Secretary during his reign as Master because he had reason to believe that you did not maintain the confidence regarding the aims of the majority of the Brethren of Far East Lodge No. 1, and because of your walking out of meetings and the statement you made to him in the presence of MWB Robertson, "That no matter what you do as Master, I will have my way".
Tom, you later came to my home with a plea requesting that I approach WB McGowan and ask him to give you another chance so that you could continue as Secretary of the Lodge. I did just that and WB McGowan rescinded his action. Subsequently, WB McGowan told me it was because of my intervention and on my advice that he did rescind his action. So for you to congratulate me for causing you to resign is completely mistaken. You caused your own resignation, i.e.
I made a motion in Lodge regarding the status of the Temple and Property and the very next day a member of another Lodge utilizing the Temple called me at my office to chastize me for making the motion (a motion made in our tiled Lodge). The same individual advised me that it was none other than yourself that informed him of our previous day's Lodge decisions. WB McGowan informed me that you admitted to him that you did indeed pass that information.
After due consideration on your action, WB McGowan decided that in lieu of pressing charges for un-Masonic conduct, we should focus our attention on the problem of the Temple and Property. At that time knowing that the tiled discussions regarding the Temple and Property were being breeched, WB McGowan informed me that you were to be excluded from any further information regarding the Temple and Property. Following this action the Lodge began to make progress in dealing with the affirmation in our belief that the three using bodies were more than tenants to the premises.
Later in the year you again met me in my home to discuss the auditing of the Treasurer's books and at that time you again indicated to me that you had in fact passed information of our tiled Lodge discussions regarding the Temple and Property to a member of the other Lodge. It was at this meeting in my home you stated that you did not understand why I was loyal to the Master. I informed you that I was only doing what I would expect if I were Master and at that time WB McGowan was Master and my loyalty was to him and to the Lodge.
The night I was elected as Master of our Lodge you advised me that if I did not keep you informed regarding the status of the Temple and Property as was not done in 1977 you would resign as Secretary. Upon receipt of a letter from the Lodge attorneys, I immediately informed you of the letter and their findings of which you again informed the member of the other using Lodge. At that time I sternly advised you that I would not tolerate such breeches of confidence during my year as Master and that although we chose to look the other way when you breeched our confidence in 1977, I would not permit it without action.
On the night of 1 February 1978, prior to my first Stated Meeting as Master I spoke to MWB Robertson, Grand Secretary, and informed him of the proposed vow I would require of all attending Lodge members and the reason why. He indicated his approval and interposed no objections. The purpose of my action that night was to amplify Article XI (page 103) of the Constitution.
You willingly took the vow and also permitted me to install you as Secretary. Then came your telephone call of 2 February 1978 followed by your letter of resignation.
I wish to state to you, Worshipful Brother Hodges, that my action was intended to impress upon our minds our obligation to obey our Constitution and By-Laws, any violation of which could subject the offender to a charge of un-Masonic conduct. Certainly all of us would wish to avoid such an unpleasant circumstance.
It is with these few thoughts that I further state that I accept your resignation as Secretary and hope that we will have peace and harmony within our walls at Far East Lodge No. 1.
Fraternally,
Jose J. DeLuna.
Worshipful Master.
Copy to:
Grand Lodge.