WB Sagara with Members of Far East Lodge No. 1 and visitor Bro Kitahara
April 7, 2012June 2, 2012July 7, 2012
Ever since WM Masaki instituted a formal dress code in 2007, the members of Far East Lodge No. 1 have maintained a high standard of clothing and it has become an unwritten tradition for the Three Pillars to wear at least a tie and jacket to all meetings, not only conferrals.
Some members who did not attend the Stated Meeting for June will no doubt be surprised by the photograph below. As a barbecue at Bro Anderson's house was scheduled after the meeting, it was the will and pleasure of the WM to relax the dress code and permit members to wear what has come to be called 'cool biz' in Japan — a policy initiated by former Prime Minister Koizumi to save energy resources by raising indoor temperatures in summer and encouraging businessmen to dress more casually.
WB Sagara with Members of Far East Lodge No. 1 and visitor Bro Kitahara
After opening the Lodge and dealing with the usual routine business, WM Sagara announced that the Committee of Enquiry had returned a favorable report on the application of Mr. Tatsuo Wada and proceeded to call a ballot. The ballot was favorable and Mr. Wada was elected to receive the Degrees of Masonry in our Lodge.
Bro Mukai, raised at a Special Meeting in March and the youngest MM in our Lodge, elected to take his MM proficiency exam, which he passed with flying colors.
Bro Secretary announced that we were in receipt of a duly completed application from Mr Tatsuro Hayashi. This application having been published in the Grand Lodge Monthly Bulletin, we could go ahead with the usual investigation and hopefully ballot on Mr Hayashi's petition at our July 7 meeting. Assuming that the ballot on Mr Hayashi's application be favorable, we could then go ahead with a First Degree conferral on Mr Wada and Mr Hayashi, welcoming them into our lodge before our summer break.
Bro Kitahara, a member of Tokyo Masonic Lodge No. 2 and also of the Children's Festival Committee, attended our meeting and gave a report on this year's festival, thanking the members of Far East Lodge No. 1 for their support in both manpower and financial donations. He reported that the festival was a great success and was attended by some 900 people.
There being no other business to be brought before the Lodge, WM Sagara closed in due and ancient form at 1500 hrs. Our meeting was attended by 11 Master Masons of Far East Lodge No. 1 and one visitor, Bro Kitahara. Regrets were received from 7 members.