The 553rd 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 2nd day of February 2008.
A lodge of MMs was opened in due and ancient form at 13:15 hours with WB Buda, PM, WM in the East, WB Masaki, PM, SW in the West, and Bro Inomata, JW in the South.
WB Buda recognized the Distinguished Brethren as listed in the Tyler’s register of this date.
He then announced that this being our Stated Meeting for the month of February 2008, 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 of our Monthly Meeting held on 12 January and they were APPROVED AS READ.
The Treasurer's report for the month of January was given by MWB Katagiri and 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:
RECEPTION OF PETITIONS: None
BALLOTTING: None
CORRESPONDENCE: The Secretary announced the G/L Bulletins of 23 January and Minutes of GLECM of 26 January had been tacked on the bulletin board in the Conference Room. He then read an e-mail from WB Henry Welsh, Master of this lodge in 1995, in Hawaii in which he wrote “the CT scan shows no tumor, no growth, nothing new so I have to go this a couple more times and might be cancer free”.
CHARITY: Amount of ¥5,280 was collected from the Brethren present.
MASONIC LECTURE: The Lodge was lowered to the First Degree and all EAs and FCs were invited into the Lodge Room. After they had saluted the WM, and while they were still standing West of the Altar, WB Buda drew their attention to the arrangement of the Great Lights and the positions of the Wardens' columns, and emphasized the important information these gave about the current status of the Lodge.
WB Buda then spoke on the topic of "Why Do U.S. Lodges Conduct Business in the Third Degree?" He noted that until 1842 U.S. lodges conducted business in the First Degree but began to switch to business in the Third Degree after a proposal at the Washington Convention of 1842. This proposal may or may not have been the indirect result of the Morgan Affair of 1826 and the increasing demand for Masonic security that followed. WB Buda then explained that since 1987, many U.S. Grand Lodges had decided to return to the original practice of conducting business in the First Degree, and the current total of such Grand Lodges stood at over 20.
The WB then called the Lodge free from restraint to allow Brethren to exchange questions, comments and opinions about the lecture. MWB Katagiri gave an enlightening summary of the Meiji government's attitude to Masonry in Japan and MWB Watanabe spoke about attempts to revise the Constitution of the Grand Lodge of Japan.
PROFICIENCY TEST: After the Lodge was passed to the Second Degree, FCs Bros. Tei and Suzuki were tested by MWB Watanabe for their proficiency in the FC degree in Japanese one after one. WM Buda declared them proficient in the Second Degree.
After the Lodge resumed labor in the 3rd degree, we discussed the following:
SICK AND VISITATION: Very good news for WB Henry as in Correspondence.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS: None
NEW BUSINESS:
TABLE LODGE: Lodge Star in the East #640 are planning to hold a Table Lodge and asked us to join them as visitors. Time and place to hold the said lodge will be announced soon.
ANNUAL COMMUNICATION: MWB Watanabe spoke briefly about the Annual Communication which will be held 14 and 15 March.
COMING SCHEDULE: The Secretary announced the following tentative schedule.
01 Mar. After business, an EA degree conferral upon Messrs. Sato and Kajiwara. Obligation will be conducted by Bro Sagara, Apron Lecture by Bro Sneathern and Degree Lecture by Bro Inomata, all of them in Japanese.
CLOSING: At 15:20 hours, WM announced he would proceed to close. Peace and harmony prevailing, this lodge was closed at 15:25 hours in short form with WB Buda, PM, WM in the East, WB Masaki, PM, SW in the West, and Bro Inomata, JW in the South.
The Secretary reported that regrets had been received from Bros Larry Jackson, Komura and Sagara.
A total of 16 members of this Lodge including 2 FCs and an EA had joined meeting today. Also an elected petitioner had joined us during harmony hours before the meeting.
APPROVED:
JANUSZ BUDA, PM
Worshipful Master
ATTEST:
KAZUHIRO WATANABE, PGM
Secretary