Seated from Left
Bro Sugiura | Bro Ocampo | Bro Horiuchi | WB Tsujii | MWB Katagiri | Bro Vardeleon
May 6, 2013September 7, 2013September 8, 2013
The 614th 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 7th day of September 2013.
A lodge of Master Masons was opened in due and ancient form at 13:00 hours with WB Tsujii, WM in the East, WB Sagara, SW in the West and Bro. Ogawa (Taiki), JW in the South.
WB Tsujii reported the death of MWB Roy Baker (PGM, 1977) and raised the Lodge for a minute of silent prayer. He ordered the Lodge’s charter to be draped for a period of one month.
The WM then recognized the Distinguished Brethren of this Lodge as listed in the Tyler’s register of this date.
Seated from Left
Bro Sugiura | Bro Ocampo | Bro Horiuchi | WB Tsujii | MWB Katagiri | Bro Vardeleon
WB Tsujii announced that this being our Stated Meeting for the month of September the first order of business would be the reading of the minutes of our last Stated Meeting. WB Buda, Acting Secretary, read the minutes of the Stated Meeting held on 6th July and they were APPROVED AS READ.
The Treasurer’s Report for the month of July was reported by Bro. Ogawa (Tomio), Treasurer, after which he moved and it was seconded that the report be accepted as read subject to the usual audit. MOTION CARRIED.
The Acting 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.
BALLOTING: The reports of the Investigating Brethren being favorable, at 13:35 hrs a ballot was held on the application for membership of Mr. Teruo Aoki. There being a discrepancy in the number of ballots cast, at 13:45 hrs. the WM ordered a second ballot, as a result of which Mr. Aoki’s application was REJECTED.
CORRESPONDENCE: The Acting Secretary announced that the G/L Monthly Bulletin of 19 July and the Newsletter of the Masonic Foundation of Japan had been posted on the Bulletin Board of the conference room.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
Committee Reports: None except the following:
Volunteer Committee: Bro. Anderson announced that the next cleaning of the Yokohama Foreign Cemetery would be held on 12 October and invited all Brethren to participate.
Refreshment Committee: Bro. Ogawa (Taiki) gave a report on the Summer Barbecue held at the Tama Recreational Facility. The event was a great success and was attended by over 30 Brethren and guests. Special thanks were owed to Bro. Jordan for his help in organizing the barbecue.
NEW BUSINESS:
Masonic Lecture: At 14:23 hrs. WB Tsujii called the Lodge free from restraint for the purpose of receiving a lecture on The History of Far East Lodge No. 1 from MWB Katagiri. Bro. Suzuki (Hideaki), EA, was invited to join the MMs in the lodge room.
MWB Katagiri, speaking in both Japanese and English, described the origins of Japanese Masonry in Yokohama and traced the foundation and development of Far East Lodge No. 1 to the present day.
Perhaps because of his advanced age and failing memory, his talk contained many factual errors and contradictions, the most serious being his contention that Far East Lodge No. 1 (GLJ) was founded in the late 1900s and descended from Yokohama Lodge No. 1092 (UGLE). Brethren will find accurate accounts of the history of Masonry in Japan and Far East Lodge No. 1 on the Grand Lodge of Japan website and the website of Far East Lodge No. 1.
At the conclusion of his talk he invited questions from the floor and at 15:15 hrs. WB Tsujii thanked MWB Katagiri for his lecture, the Brethren expressing their appreciation with applause.
After a short break for refreshment, WB Tsujii called the Lodge back to labor at 15:40 hrs. He asked the four visiting Brethren to stand West of the Altar and introduced them individually:
WB Tsujii presented the four visiting Brethren with small mementoes of their visit and then asked them to say a few words. Bro. Sugiura said he had been fascinated to hear the ritual given in English, his mother lodge performing its work in Japanese. Bro. Horiuchi noted that he had visited Far East Lodge No. 1 in 1968, when it was still located in the old Bluff Temple. Bro. Vardeleon brought fraternal greetings from several members of Yokosuka Lodge No. 20, with whom he had been performing voluntary work at a local orphanage that morning. Bro. Ocampo apologised for his late arrival, caused by the difficulty of finding his way from the station to the Temple.
WB Tsujii asked all four visiting Brethren to carry fraternal greetings to the WMs and Brethren of their mother lodges.
Coming Schedule: The WM announced that he intended to confer the Second Degree of Freemasonry on Bro Suzuki (Hideaki) at our Stated Meeting for October. He asked if any officers were unavailable on that day. There being none, WB Tsujii said he would prepare a Trestle Board of work assignments and distribute it to the Brethren.
Under Further Business from the West, WB Sagara suggested that the Temple Committee look into maintenance and cleaning of the yard at the back of the Temple and the passages at the side.
From the floor of the Lodge, Bro. Tatara asked for permission to distribute a Japanese-language handout of MWB Katagiri’s lecture.
CLOSING: At 15:55 hrs., the WM announced that there being no further business to come before this Lodge of Master Masons, he would proceed to close. Peace and harmony prevailing, the Lodge was closed at 16:00 hrs. 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 of 18 Master Masons, 1 Entered Apprentice, and 4 visiting Brethren present.