MWB Katagiri | Bro Inomata | Bro Tatara | Bro Taniuchi
The Stated Meeting for November 2007 was held on the second Saturday of the month, the first being a National Holiday. Before the meeting, three Brethren admitted with some embarrassment that they had forgotten the revised date, and had turned up at the Temple on November 3.
MWB Katagiri | Bro Inomata | Bro Tatara | Bro Taniuchi
The business part of the meeting covered a number of important items, including nominations for officials of the Tokyo Masonic Association. Among several bills to be paid was one for a set of garden shears and a long-handled saw, both to be used for trimming the hedge at the back of the Temple. Bro Wachi offered to give his Third Degree Proficiency and was examined in Japanese by WB Masaki. At the end of the examination WB Masaki declared Bro Wachi fully proficient.
Bro Inomata | MWB Katagiri | Bro Miyata | Bro Tatara | Bro Taniuchi | MWB Watanabe
The Third Degree of Freemasonry was conferred on Bros Tatara and Taniuchi, both of whom had proved their Second Degree Proficiency in the preceding month. With WB Masaki in the East, WB Buda in the West, and WB Herrera in the South, the candidates were obligated in Japanese and then presented the Working Tools by Bro Honda, also in Japanese.
The Short Form of the Tragedy was worked for Bro Taniuchi, and the Long Form for Bro Tatara. MWB Katagiri gave the Lecture of the Degree and WB Masaki delivered the Charge, both in Japanese.
At the end of the ceremony WB Masaki congratulated the Brethren on the successful completion of the last Third Degree of 2007. A First Degree will be conferred in December, along with the election of Officers for 2008. The Installation of Officers has already been scheduled for 12 January 2008, with MWB Johnston as Installing Officer and MWB Watanabe as Installing Marshal. The ceremony will be followed by a banquet at the Yokohama Country and Athletic Club.