Bro Durbin | Bro Sato | Bro Jordan | Bro Anderon | Bro Kajiwara | Bro Bohol
[Note: By Dispensation, our Stated Meeting for May was held one week later than usual, as the First Saturday in May fell during Golden Week.]
Although the Lodge has decided to separate business meetings from degree conferrals wherever possible, an exception was made for our Stated Meeting of May 9, 2009. The ever-growing backlog of First, Second and Third Degrees and the difficulty of coordinating attendance at our Special Meetings has resulted in several Brethren taking their proficiency tests and then being kept waiting for the conferral of their next degree. Bro Eric Anderson was initiated in December 2008 and passed his First Degree Proficiency in March of this year. Consequently, it was thought expedient to pass him to the Fellowcraft Degree at our Stated Meeting for May, and devote our Special Meeting of May 23 to a conferral of the much longer Third Degree.
Bro Durbin | Bro Sato | Bro Jordan | Bro Anderon | Bro Kajiwara | Bro Bohol
The Lodge was again honored with a visit from WB Donald Zamora of Yokosuka Lodge No. 20, the Grand Lodge Inspector for Far East Lodge No. 1. WB Zamora chose to make this visit the occasion of his formal inspection of our Lodge, and was therefore received with Grand Honors and invited to take a seat in the East.
The Lodge was also pleased to receive visits from Bros Takigami and Sugita of Yuai Lodge No. 11, Bro Wilson Bohol of Yokosuka Lodge No. 20, and Bro Sam Durbin of Anoka Lodge No. 30, Minnesota. Bros Bohal and Durbin being first-time visitors to our Lodge, the WM presented them with the customary commemorative card.
Bro Bohol | Bro Honda | Bro Ogawa | WB Zamora | Bro Durbin | MWB Watanabe | Bro Inomata | MWB Sagara
While the Lodge was still at labor in the Third Degree, Bro Secretary reported that Bro Honda had arranged for the Lodge's trash to be taken away by a garbage disposal company named Takamatsu-shoji. Bro Secretary explained the details and cost of the service and his proposal that the Lodge avail itself of this service was duly seconded and unanimously approved. WB Buda said he would inform Lodge Star in the East of the arrangement and propose that the two lodges share the cost.
WB Buda then reported on some significant developments concerning Masonic Hall Ltd (MHL), the company that owned and administered the Temple building. After reviewing the history of the company and some of the many difficulties raised by its current administrative structure, WB Buda announced that trusteeship of MHL would be taken over by a registered law office in Hong Kong, which would act only on specific instructions from the General Committee of Lodge Star in the East. As part of the agreement with this trustee company, it was specified that, should Lodge Star in the East ever go dark, the Temple assets would revert to the District Grand Lodge of the Far East, Scottish Constitution. Under this new arrangement, it would no longer be possible for individual members of Lodge Star in the East to lay claim to the Temple property or any of its assets.
Bro Anderson, the Lodge's newest FC, with the Brethren of Far East Lodge No. 1 and Visitors.
After the Lodge had been lowered to the Second Degree, the Degree of Fellowcraft Mason was conferred upon Bro Eric Anderson, all degree work being conducted in English. WB Buda gave the Obligation, Bro Kajiwara the Working Tools, and Bro Honda conducted the Candidate. For the Second Section of the Degree, Bro Inomata, SW, took the East and WB Buda replaced him in the West. Bro Honda gave the Staircase Lecture, Bro Inomata the Letter G Lecture, and MWB Watanabe delivered the Charge.
WB Buda then returned to the East and resumed labor in the Third Degree. He called upon Bro Secretary to outline the Lodge's schedule for the coming months. Our next meeting would be on May 23, when the Third Degree of Masonry would be conferred on Bro Alawn Jordan in English. MWB Watanabe then proposed that we devote our Stated Meeting for June to business only, and hold a Special Meeting on June 27 for the conferral of the First Degree (in English) upon Mr. Jason Kraker and Mr. Masumi Ishibashi.
In the final item of business, WB Buda extended formal greetings and thanks to WB Zamora and invited him to say a few words to the Brethren of the Lodge. WB Zamora praised the Brethren for their excellent floorwork and suggested that the few slight errors he had noticed might be best discussed at a Lodge of Instruction that he would conduct at a later date. WB Zamora concluded his remarks with an invitation to all Brethren of Far East Lodge No. 1 to join the Brethren of Yokosuka Lodge No. 20 in a picnic party to be held on the grounds of the Negishi Base, at a time and date to be decided.
Before closing the Lodge, WB Buda asked if there were any other business in the West or South, on the Secretary's Table, or from the floor of the Lodge. Bro Sneathern announced that he had prepared a notebook for recording all borrowings and returns of books in the Lodge's cabinet downstairs. He suggested that only one book be borrowed at a time, and returned within two months. Bro Bohol brought fraternal greetings from the WM, Officers and Brethren of Yokosuka Lodge No. 20, and Bro Durbin brought similar greetings from the WM, Officers, and Brethren of Anoka Lodge No. 30, Minnesota. WB Buda asked both Brethren to carry reciprocal greetings from Far East Lodge No. 1 to their own Lodges.