Far East Lodge No. 1 News

Stated Meeting

Our Stated Meeting for June 2011 was honored by the official visit of MWB Donald Smith, Grand Master, RWB Shinya Takeda, Grand Junior Warden, and WB Donald Zamorra, Grand Lodge Inspector for Far East Lodge No. 1.

After the Lodge had been opened in due form, the Grand Master and his deputation were received with Grand Honors and invited to take their rightful seats in the East. WB Inomata offered MWB Smith the gavel of the Lodge in token of our allegiance to him and, through him, to the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Japan. MWB Smith accepted the gavel, thanked WB Inomata for his gesture, then returned the gavel so that the WM could proceed with the busy agenda scheduled for that meeting.

After the reading of the Minutes, the Treasurer's Report, the payment of our just debts, the collection for Charity, the nomination of Counselors to the Tokyo Masonic Association, and other items of regular business, the Lodge returned to its ongoing discussion of the necessity for increasing its annual dues to cover the planned increase in Grand Lodge's 'head tax' on all qualified members under its jurisdiction. WB Inomata summarized the discussion thus far by noting that most Brethren had voiced their approval of a substantial increase in annual dues. He then asked WB Buda, Treasurer, for his opinion. In response, WB Buda informed that many US Grand Lodges changed their head tax from year to year, creating much confusion among daughter lodges. To avoid this confusion, a majority of lodges under such constitutions raised their dues in infrequent but relatively large increments, these increments being sufficient to cover several consecutive head tax increases and obviating the need for frequent changes to lodge bye-laws. WB Buda voiced his support of an increase in annual dues from the current 6,000 yen to approximately 10,000 yen, a sum comparable to that charged by many other lodges, and sufficient to cover several future increases in head tax. MWB Watanabe, Secretary, said he fully agreed with WB Buda and further suggested that changes to our Bye-laws could be kept to a minimum if the annual dues were expressed as a multiple of the current Grand Lodge head tax. He would draft a provisional revision to the relevant section of our Bye-laws and present it for consideration at a future meeting.

With the approval of the WM, Bro Tsujii announced the closure of the Lodge's charity fund for the victims of the Tohoku Tsunami. In addition to the 100,000 yen collected directly, he proposed, and it was approved, that the participation fees for our Hanami Party, which had to be cancelled because of the Disaster, be allocated to the Tsunami Fund.

The Grand Master and other Brethren congratulate Bros Suzuki and Erickson on the completion of their Second Degree Proficiency.

WM Inomata then lowered the Lodge to the Second Degree of Masonry for the purpose of testing two FC Members on their proficiency in that Degree. Bros Shea Erickson and Shunji Suzuki were invited into the Lodge and tested separately in English by Bro Anderson. At the conclusion of the examinations, WB Inomata declared both Brethren fully proficient in the Fellowcraft Degree and called the Lodge free from restraint for the purpose of congratulating Bros Erickson and Suzuki and also taking a short break.

After the break, with the Lodge still free from restraint in the Second Degree, WM Inomata invited WB Buda to give another in his series of Masonic talks. WB Buda chose the topic of "Masonic Authority" to complete and conclude an earlier talk on "Masonic Behavior". WB Buda noted that the answer to the question, "What is Masonic Authority?" can, like the answers to so many other questions, be found in our ritual, in our Bye-laws, and in the Constitution of the Grand Lodge of Japan. Quoting from the First Degree Charge as given in Lodge Star in the East, WB Buda noted that all Entered Apprentices are charged to exhibit a 'perfect submission to the will of the Worshipful Master and his Wardens when acting in the discharge of the duties of their respective offices.'

'Perfect submission' to someone's will may sound ominous and undesirable, but it is important to place it the context of the second part of the quotation. All Masons are obliged to accept the authority of the Worshipful Master and his Wardens and, at a higher level, of the Grand Master and his Grand Lodge officers, but only when those Brethren are acting in their elected or nominated capacities. Many younger Brethren are unclear about the chain of Masonic authority and assume that authority comes with age, experience and seniority. Such is not the case, and this misunderstanding can lead to dissent and disharmony in lodge.

No matter how senior or respected a Brother may be, unless he is acting as a Worshipful Master or one of his Wardens, his orders and opinions have the same authority as those of of any other Brother, all being on the level. WB Buda then gave two examples of problems arising when younger Brethren blindly follow the lead of senior Brethren on the assumption that they are acting with Masonic Authority. WB Buda urged all Brethren to be cautious and to use their common sense when advised or instructed by senior members. He encouraged them, when in doubt, to discuss the matter with the WM.

WM Inomata, RWB Takeda, MWB Smith, WB Zamorra with the Brethren of Far East Lodge No. 1 and visitors from Yuai Lodge No. 11.

After WB Inomata had resumed labor in the Third Degree, a discussion was held on the scheduling of future degree work. However, the conferral of the First Degree on Mr Mukai, the raising of Bros Erickson and Suzuki, and the Second Degree Proficiency examination of Bro Yamada were all dependent on the availablity of the candidates and members of the lodge. A Special Meeting was tentatively set for 25 June, and a provisional First Degree work assignment made by the WM.

There being no further business from the West, South, Secretary's desk or floor of the Lodge, our distinguished visitors were invited to say a few words. WB Zamorra said he had thoroughly enjoyed serving as the Lodge's Inspector in the previous year and was delighted to have been re-appointed to the same position. RWB Takeda brought fraternal greetings from Yuai Lodge No. 11 and hoped that today's visit by several members of that lodge would serve to strengthen fraternal ties. Finally, MWB Smith noted that Far East Lodge No. 1 continued to attract a constant stream of new petitioners and was being kept busy with degree work. He hoped that this gratifying tendency would continue. He praised the quality of the Lodge's work and its program of Masonic education and expressed his intention of again visiting Far East Lodge No. 1 in the near future.

WM Inomata then asked MWB Smith to accept the gavel and close the Lodge in short form.

In addition to our visitors from Grand Lodge, we welcomed four Brethren from Yuai Lodge No. 11: Bros Yutaka Yagi, Akira Saito, Atsushi Maeda, and Hiroshi Suzuki.