The 494th Stated Meeting of Far East Lodge No. 1, F.&A.M. was held at the Masonic Temple, No. 250 Yamashita-cho, Naka-ku, Yokohama, Japan, on the 12th day of January 2002.
A lodge of MMs was opened in due and ancient form at 1410 hours with MWB Heath, PGM, WM, in the East, WB Herrera, PM, SW, in the West, and RWB Katagiri, JGW, JW in the South.
At the sound of the gavel, MWB Eiichi INAE, Grand Master of Masons in Japan and his Corps of officers was admitted with Grand Honors and seated in the East.
MWB Heath then recognized the other Distinguished Brethren present as listed in the Tyler’s register of this date. He announced that this being our Stated Meeting for the month of January 2002, the first 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.
The Treasurer’s report was given by MWB Watanabe, PGM, after which he moved and RWB Katagiri seconded a motion that the Treasurer’s report be accepted as read subject to the usual audit. MOTION CARRIED.
The Secretary read the bills for the period and moved that they be paid. WB Herrera seconded the motion. MOTION CARRIED.
Next was the report of the several committees: With the exception of the following, all committee reports were negative: REFRESHMENT AND ENTERTAINMENT: WB Hodges reported that 19 people have indicated they will attend the banquet this evening. HOUSE: WB Hodges reported that much progress is being made towards the construction of the new temple. While it is still too early to say with certainty, it is hoped that the first meeting of the lodges in the new temple will be in September. If that proves not possible, it is strongly believed that we will be able to have the first meetings in October or not later than November.
BALLOTING: The petition for the degrees of Masonry submitted by Mr. Keiji Yokozawa was balloted and he was elected. The WM instructed the Secretary to inform the candidate and to inform him that we will confer the first degree at our February meeting.
RECEPTION OF PETITION: None.
CORRESPONDENCE: The Secretary read the Grand Lodge Bulletin of 20 December 2001.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS: None
NEW BUSINESS: MWB Heath announced that the Installation of Officers for Masonic year 2002 would take place this afternoon and instructed the Secretary to read the names of the elected and appointed officers at the conclusion of which MWB Heath declared all positions vacant and called the lodge off to permit MWB Ditto, PGM, Grand Secretary, MWGLOJ, Installing Officer and MWB Watanabe, PGM, Installing Marshal, to install the following names Brethren in the position indicated in public form:
At the conclusion of the installation, fraternal greetings were received from Lodge Star in the East No. 640, Tokyo Yuai No. 11, Tokyo No. 2, Yokosuka No. 20, Demolay-Land No. 22, Kyoto No. 5, Research Lodge of Japan, and Lodge Hiogo & Osaka #498.
MWB Onishi, PGM, Grand Lodge Inspector for Far East Lodge No. 1 expressed the thoughts of every one present by noting that the Installing Officers, especially MWB Ditto, had done a extremely fine job and thanked them for their efforts.
MWB Inae then made appropriate remarks and thanked the Brethren for the warm reception. He then closed the lodge in public form at 1655 hours with WB Herrera, PM, SW in the West and WB Sugai, PM, JW in the South. There were 12 members and 3 visitors present at the business meeting and 13 members and 6 visitors present during the installation.
APPROVED:
WILLIAM M. HEATH, PGM
Worshipful Master
ATTEST:
THOMAS H. HODGES, PM
Secretary