The 587th 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 5th day of March 2011.
A lodge of MM's was opened in due and ancient form at 13:00 hours with WB Inomata, WM in the East, Bro Sagara, SW in the West, and Bro Tsujii as JW in the South.
Then, WM recognized the Distinguished Brethren as listed in the Tyler's register of this date.
And he announced that this being our Stated Meeting for the month of March 2011, 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 5 February and it was APPROVED AS READ.
The treasurer report for the month of February reported by Bro Treasurer and after which he moved and it was seconded that the report 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 followings:
RECEPTION OF PETITIONS: Bro Secretary announced that we had received a Petition for Membership with Initial Fee from Mr. Junichiro Mukai.
BALLOTTING: None.
CORRESPONDENCE: Grand Lodge Monthly Bulletin on 20 Feb and ECM on 22 Jan posted on the Bulletin Board in the Conference Room.
CHARITY: Amount of ¥7,760 (7,500 + 3.00 USD) was collected as alms of March from brethren present.
SICK AND VISITATION: Negative report.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
EA DEGREE LECTURE: after WB Inomata had lowered the Lodge to the First Degree at 13:50 hour, Bro Taniuchi delivered the EA Lecture which was supposed done in the special meeting held on Feb. 26 in Japanese to the Lodge's newest Entered Apprentices, Bros Hoshi and Suzuki.
WB Inomata made a Lodge free from restraint at 14:35, for congratulate to both two EAs and Bro Taniuchi for his fine lecture.
NEW BUSINESS:
MASONIC TALK by WB Buda, he chose "Recognizing a Brother" as his topic. With the aid of a simple handout containing the text of quotations from Masonic and historical sources, he examined some of the ways one Brother Mason could recognize another, beginning with that defined in our Ritual.
He reminded the Brethren of their solemn obligation to keep the modes of recognition secret and the practice, among some Masons, of using Masonic handshakes to distinguish Masons from non-Masons. In describing other methods of recognizing Masons such as lapel pins, badges and accessories, or distinctive vocabulary and phrases, WB Buda warned that none of these was one hundred per cent reliable.
The last in WB Buda's list of modes of recognition was behavior. He examined closely the high standards of private and public behavior to which all Masons should aspire. Horizontals and verticals, as well as squares, levels and plumbs were all symbols of straight, honest, and selfless behavior.
In concluding his talk, WB Buda noted that whereas not everyone exhibiting such Masonic virtues of character was necessarily a Mason, any Mason who did not exhibit such virtues, or acted in contradiction to them, was not entitled to receive full recognition as a Brother, even if he had been regularly initiated, passed and raised and was otherwise in good standing.
A number of questions were asked after the conclusion of the talk, particularly about ways of differentiating between regular and clandestine Masons.
At 15:35 hours, WB Inomata invited all those below the rank of Master Mason to retire from the Lodge Room, after which he resumed labor in the Third Degree.
ANNUAL DUES of this Lodge, Bro Secretary brought up member's attention on this issue. From the view point of current membership, 117 as of December 31, 2010 in which we have 87 life members from whom we could not collect dues. And top on these, our Grand Lodge of Japan raised the head tax 1,000 yen which means we have to pay 117,000 yen extra at end of this year.
Bro Secretary leaves the matter on every brother present and would like to listen of their comment on next monthly meeting.
FC CONFERRAL upon Bro Shea Ericson will be held on next Monthly Meeting, 2nd April, after business session, if he made his EA proficiency test.
CLOSING: At 16:10 hours, there being no other business, WB Inomata proceeded to close the Lodge in due and ancient form. Peace and harmony prevailing, this lodge was closed at 16:25 hours with WB Inomata, WM in the East, Bro Sagara, SW in the West, and Bro Tsujii, JW in the South.
There were total 11 MMs, EA and Petitioner of this Lodge and 2 visitors from Yokosuka #20.
Apologies were received from Bros Anderson, Adams, Tatara and Kajiwara.
APPROVED:
NORIHIRO INOMATA, PM
Worshipful Master
ATTEST:
KAZUHIRO WATANABE, PGM
Secretary