The 610th 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 6th day of April 2013.
A lodge of MM's was opened in due and ancient form at 13:00 hours with WBro Tsujii, WM in the East, WB Sabara, SW in the West and Bro. Ogawa JW in the South.
Bro Tyler informed us that the MWB Yoshiharu Shimokawa, GM of MW Grand Lodge of Japan accompanied Grand Lodge officers desire admission. They were received by Grand Honor.
WBro Tsujii recognized the Distinguished Brethren of this Lodge as listed in the Tyler's register of this date.
Worshipful Master announced that this being our Stated Meeting for the month of April 2013 the first order of business would be the reading of the minutes of our last Stated Meeting. The Secretary read the minutes of our Monthly Meeting held on 6th March was APPROVED AS READ.
The treasurer report for the month of February was reported by Bro Ogawa Tomio, Treasurer, 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.
RECEPTION OF PETITIONS: None.
BALLOTTING: WM of the Lodge reported that the Committee of Investigation had submitted a full favorable report on the petition of Mr. Hideaki Suzuki. He then elected to receive the degrees of masonry in this lodge by ballot of the member present.
CORRESPONDENCE: The secretary announced the G/L Monthly Bulletins on 23 March and GLEC Minutes of 16 March were tapped on the Bulletin Board of the conference room.
CHARITY: Amount of ¥5,800 was collected from brethren present.
New Short Form of 1st Degree Proficiency Examination
WB Tsujii announced that the Grand Master had ordered two questions to be added to the short proficiency test for the First Degree. The answers to the questions "Whence came you?" and "What came you here to do?" are part of our ritual and familiar to all Brethren. However, this very familiarity has caused many Masons to lose sight of their reason for joining the Fraternity. MWB Shimokawa commented that this fundamental principle of Masonry is vital to newly initiated Masons.
Report on GL Annual Communication
WB Sagara reported about the Grand Lodge Annual Communication which was held at Tokyo Masonic Center on March 15 and 16. In the election for the Grand Lodge officers for the Masonic year 2013, WB Inomata was elected as Junior Grand Warden and WB Tsujii was appointed as Grand Organist.
WB Tsujii, shared several important clarifications of ritual that had been presented in a Lodge of Instruction held at this year's Annual Communication. Although our monitor gives clear and unequivocal instructions on floorwork, the outgoing Grand Lecturer had noticed that many lodges were ignoring these simple instructions. MWB Watanabe rose to point out that every single aspect of floorwork had been carefully and minutely described in a guide created by MWB Shigeru Nishiyama in 1973. These instructions have been posted to the Members' Section of the Lodge's website and are available to all Master Masons.
Discussion was had on preparations for the Annual Children's Day festivities at TMC, on the scheduling of 1st degree work, and on a disturbing case of a non-Mason claiming that he was a member of Far East Lodge No. 1. WB Inomata advised Brethren to be wary of discussing Masonry with this person.
CLOSING: At 15:40 hours, the WM announced that there being no further business to come before this Lodge of MM's and asked MW Shimokawa, Grand Mater to say a few words before the end of the meeting and then close the Lodge in short form, MWB Shimokawa thanked the Brethren of Far East Lodge No. 1 for their warm welcome and praised them on the quality of their ritual work. He then proceeded to close the Lodge in short form.
Peace and harmony prevailing, this lodge was closed at 15:50 hours in due and ancient form with WB Tsujii, WM in the East, WB Sagara SW in the West, and Bro Ogawa Taiki, JW in the South.
There were total 12 brethren present this Lodge.
APPROVED:
TAKASHI TSUJII
Worshipful Master
ATTEST:
KAZUHIRO WATANABE, PGM
Secretary