The 524th Stated Meeting of Far East Lodge No. 1, F. & A.M. was held at the Masonic Temple located at 77-12 Honmoku Midorigaoka, Naka-ku, Yokohama on the 7th day of May 2005.
A lodge of MMs was opened in due and ancient form at 14:15 hours with WB Herrera, PM, WM in the East, WB Masaki, PM, SW in the West, and Bro Johnson, acting JW, in the South.
Prior to start of business, the Secretary announced that a verbal dispensation to conduct the meeting with less than 7 members present had been granted from the Grand Secretary this morning.
The WM then recognized the Distinguished Brethren as listed in the Tyler’s register of this date.
The Worshipful Master, prior to the Minutes being read, announced the death of our two Brethren, Bro Howard C. Hines and Bro Leonard C. Nash, and a moment of silence was observed in memory of our departed Brethren. After prayer, the WM ordered the charter draped for 30 days.
And then he announced that this being our Stated Meeting for the month of May 2005, 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 Secretary as acting Treasurer gave the report for the month of April at the request of MWB Katagiri, Treasurer of this Lodge, who could not join the meeting this afternoon, after which he moved and it was seconded that the report be accepted as read subject to the usual audit. MOTION CARRIED.
The Secretary then read the bills for the period after which he moved and it was seconded that the bills be paid. MOTION CARRIED.
Next was the report of the several committees: All committee reports were negative with the exception of the following:
BALLOTTING: WB Herrera, WM of the Lodge, reported that the Committee of Investigation had submitted a favorable report on the petition of Mr. Masanori Sagara. Mr. Sagara was then elected to receive the degrees of Masonry in this lodge by ballot of the members present. WB Herrera announced that Mr. Sagara will be installed on 4th June 2005 and instructed the Secretary to ensure Mr. Sagara will be available on that date.
RECEPTION OF PETITIONS: None.
REGRETS: The Secretary reported that he had received regrets from MWB Katagiri, PGM and Bro Akimoto.
CORRESPONDENCE: The Secretary announced that the G/L Bulletins of 20 April 2005 had been pinned on the bulletin board in the conference room and invited interested Brethren to read them. The Secretary also read a letter from Grand Lodge in which WB Robert H. Kool, PM had been appointed GL Inspector for this Lodge. One other letter from Mrs. Teresa Nash was introduced to the Brethren in which she reported that her husband, Bro Leonard C. Nash, had died in April 1997. She also returned the $50.00 check and 50-year Pin which we mailed for his 50-year anniversary.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS: None.
NEW BUSINESS: The Secretary announced that the coming 30th Children’s Festival will be held on May 22, 2005 and made a motion to donate ¥30,000 to the GL. The motion was seconded. MOTION CARRIED.
The Secretary explained the ** marks on the meeting number. When copies of old lodge minutes were recently uploaded to our Web site it was discovered that one number had been skipped. The Stated Meeting of Jan. 1992 was listed as No. 390 and that of Feb. 1992 was listed as No. 392, which meant that we had lost the No. 391 meeting. The Secretary asked for opinions on how to adjust this matter and it was concluded that the same number be applied to two consecutive meetings for adjustment. That is the reason the meeting number is exactly same as last month.
The WM then announced that there being no further business to come before this Lodge of MMs we would proceed to close. Peace and harmony prevailing, this lodge was closed at 15:40 hours with WB Herrera, PM, WM in the East, WB Masaki, PM, SW in the West, and Bro Johnson, Chaplain, as acting JW in the South.
There were 5 Brethren present.
APPROVED:
R. C. HERRERA, PM
Worshipful Master
ATTEST:
KAZUHIRO WATANABE, PGM
Secretary