Article by R ∴ W ∴  Brother Roderick M. MacDonald and R ∴ W ∴  Brother Karl R. Olson

In the late Colonial Period, Portsmouth was a major east coast seaport and, as the capital of colonial New Hampshire, the hub of activity for the Colony of New Hampshire.  Among the more significant institutions in colonial Portsmouth was St John’s Lodge No. 1, which had been constituted from the Grand Master of Masons in England in 1736. The town also boasted a number of Taverns that served as the community’s “social centers”.  In 1766 a local merchant and member of St. John’s Lodge John Stavers built a new tavern called the Earl of Halifax Tavern and through the encouragement of his fellow Freemasons, included a room on the third floor large enough to accommodate the regular meetings of the Lodge.  

The building contained a number of innovations for its time. Three-story wooden structures were relatively rare in areas north of Boston, but even rarer was the placement of chimneys on both ends of the building rather than the central chimney and fireplaces so common to colonial New England construction. Stavers was at first criticized for this, but that criticism died quickly when it proved to be an extremely efficient method of heating the structure.  Stavers even went to the extent of placing sand between the second-floor ceiling and third story floor so his guests in the second-floor bedrooms would not be disturbed by the noise coming from the third-floor meeting room.

His business as a tavern owner appears to have been very successful until the American colonies saw their long standing relationship with and ties to Great Britain begin to decline rapidly. As events leading to the American Revolution rapidly unfolded, Stavers was rumored by many in Portsmouth to “show loyalists sympathies”.  Stavers denied this and went as far as to drop the name Earl of Halifax Tavern and rename his business the William Pitt Tavern. William Pitt, although a former British Prime Minister, was highly thought of by American colonists for sending troops to North America to end the French and Indian Wars and his opposition to British tax and control policies aimed at the Americans in the 1766-1774 era.

The taverns last “hurrah” came on  July 8, 1789 when four members of St. John’s lodge (John Sullivan, Hall Jackson, Joseph Bass, Nathaniel Folsom) and one member from Rising Sun Lodge in Keene, N.H., (Alpheus Moore) met to form the Grand Masonic Lodge of New Hampshire and elect Major General John Sullivan the first Grand Master of New Hampshire.  St John’s Lodge continued to meet there until 1792 when they moved to other local meeting places in the city of Portsmouth.

John Stavers died in 1797, passing his tavern to his two daughters who apparently had little luck keeping it as a profitable business.  They finally closed the tavern for good a few years later and were said to have subdivided it between their two families as living quarters.  This began a two centuries decline whereby the building was further divided into smaller and smaller apartments eventually leaving the structure a deteriorating tenement that by the early 1960s stood condemned.

During the late 1950s, a historic building preservation organization was launched to save as many of the city’s old “South End” historic homes as possible (including the Pitt Tavern).  By 1964 this group had evolved into Strawbery Banke. They reached out to the Grand Lodge of New Hampshire to see if a partnership could be formed to preserve this historic structure. In 1964 at the 175th Anniversary of the founding of Grand Lodge, several members got together and placed a commemorative plaque on the building to remember what part it played in the founding of our Grand Lodge.  By 1977 an agreement was formulated to renovate the structure with a Lodge Room on the third floor, a Masonic Museum on the second floor, and Strawbery Banke using the first floor. A capital campaign ensued and it took nearly seven years to raise the funds and renovate the structure.

Through the fundraising efforts of the Grand Lodge committee, a decision was made to form William Pitt Tavern Lodge  No. 1789. The Lodge was chartered on July 8, 1983 as a special lodge, not empowered to perform the symbolic degrees, but to raise funds necessary to restore and maintain the tavern, with a further goal to provide a place where Lodges in this jurisdiction could hold a meeting and confirm degrees if they wished.

All these years later, the Grand Lodge of New Hampshire is one of the few if not the only Grand Lodge in the United States to retain the original meeting room where this Grand Lodge was formed, still consecrated as a Lodge room where constituent Lodges can meet and confer degrees in its historic confines.

In late April, a presentation was made to the Honorable Walter P. Sword at the Upham Walker House in Concord, NH. The plaque, which contained a Marine non-commissioned officer dress sword, was presented to Brother Sword for his twenty years of service to the New Hampshire House of Representatives.

Appointed as a Doorkeeper in 1999, he served in that capacity until he was elected to the office of Sergeant-at-Arms in December 2008; being subsequently reelected in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018. He resigned from the office in January 2019.

Brother Sword has been a very active Mason and served as Worshipful Master of Jewell Lodge No. 94 in Suncook; served the Grand Lodge of New Hampshire as Grand Sword Bearer; and has been presented with the Major General John Sullivan Distinguished Service Award in Bronze. A founding member of General Court Lodge, he has been its Chaplain since the lodge was chartered in 2007. An active member of the appendant bodies he has been very active in the York Rite especially, and currently serves as Grand Chaplain in both the Grand Royal Arch Chapter and Grand Council of Cryptic Masons.

He was presented the General Grand Chapter Distinguished Service Award in Bronze in May for his continued involvement and support of Freemasonry. Walter’s retirement ceremony was aired on WMUR and he was truly tickled pink. Congratulations Worshipful Brother Sword!

Article by R ∴ W ∴ Brother Mark E. Langis, Grand Secretary

To those who put my name on the ballots back in November, I thank you very much. I said it then and permit me to repeat myself, I will serve you and our Grand Lodge to the best of my ability. I came into this position with my eyes wide open. The duties and responsibilities are significantly more in-depth and demanding then on the Lodge level.  I have many years as Secretary of Benevolent Lodge No. 7 and many other Masonic experiences under my belt. Those experiences have provided me with the confidence that I will live up to my commitment. Will there be growing pains, but with patience and the usual Masonic Brotherly care and understanding, all will work out well!

I spent the last thirty years working for a small lumber company in Amherst. It was a good job, but it was time for a change. Had I not been a Lodge Secretary, I’m sure I would not have had any interest in this position. At the Semi-Annual in 2017, R ∴ W ∴ Brother Lowe announced that 2018-19 would be his last year as our Grand Secretary. Several brethren asked if I was going to offer myself as a candidate. I thought long and hard about it. After discussing with my wife and a few others, I spoke up in July, was interviewed by the Grand Line in October and elected in November 2018. I had to wait until installed on May 18, 2019 to be official. I did spend time in the office and traveling with R ∴ W ∴  Lowe over the last few months in an effort to learn a few things prior to stepping up.

As for the transition into my new position, R ∴ W ∴ Lowe accepted the position as Deputy Grand Secretary to assist me in the finer points of the office.  I am grateful that with eight years under his belt, he’s going to be right beside and guiding me for the near future. With Lisa Hollis’ two years and my wife Roberta with fourteen years in the office, we are in very good hands to keep things working smoothly and efficiently.

Another person has stepped up to offer his assistance. I first met him while still in DeMolay. I got to know him a little bit better during the Grand Lodge Bicentennial Celebration. Then he became Grand Secretary just prior to me becoming Lodge Secretary in Benevolent. He assisted me greatly, particularly in my early years as Lodge Secretary. M ∴ W ∴  Brother John C. Marden, Grand Master in 1982 and 1983 then serving as Grand Secretary from 1992 until 2011 has a wealth of knowledge from his many years committed to New Hampshire Masonry. My wife and I had the opportunity to travel with M ∴ W ∴  Marden and his wife Ruth on several occasions around New England. The conversations often centered around Masonry and I was always picking something new up. I have no doubt I’ll be contacting him from time to time.

This message is being written from behind my new desk in the Grand Lodge Office. This is also the Milford Masonic Temple. A building that’s been my fraternal home since I joined DeMolay in October 1972 at the age of thirteen. It’s been a great forty-seven years meeting and working with so many both here in Milford and around New Hampshire. I hope this ride continues for many more years.

Article by R ∴ W ∴ Brother Daniel R. Hotchkiss, Senior Grand Warden

Brethren,

First and foremost, THANK YOU for the honor you have bestowed upon me by electing me as your Senior Grand Warden.  I look forward to continuing to serve our Grand Lodge and each of you, as well as our newly installed Grand Master, M ∴ W ∴ Brother Kenneth A. Clay, Jr.

Our ritual teaches that the West is a station whereby wages are paid, but just as important, we emphasize the principle of harmony.  

Harmony is, by definition “agreement or accord.”  In relation to music harmony is “the simultaneous combination of tones, especially when blended into chords, pleasing to the ear.” Each of these definitions are espoused in the teachings of our ritual.  Music, one of the seven liberal arts and sciences we are charged to study, is a science which allows us to more fully appreciate the wonder and beauty of tones and chords. When those tones and chords blend into a harmony, the music produced provides us with an oasis to sooth and calm our spirit.

The first definition of harmony, that of agreement and accord, is one we are charged to practice not only within the Lodge but outside the Lodge.  It is the final sentence we hear from the Master in our closing charge, “Finally Brethren, be ye all of one mind, live in peace and may the God of love and peace delight to dwell with and bless you.”  We are charged to practice harmony in our daily lives, in all that we do. By exercising the art of harmony, we can better serve mankind and make the world a place of peace and one of joy in which to operate.

I wish each of you a life of harmony and thereby a life in tune with the talents wherewith the Supreme Architect of the Universe has blessed you to please Him and your fellow creatures.

In Brotherly Love and Friendship,

Daniel R. Hotchkiss

Senior Grand Warden

Article by R ∴ W ∴ Brother Michael T. Salisbury, Grand Lecturer

Masonry is a system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols. That sounds kind of complicated at first, but think about it. In essence, it states that Masonry is a code of ethics or standards based upon the principles of friendship and moral virtue, Brotherly love for our fellow man, relief of the distressed, truth, and charity.

These standards are presented to the newly made Mason through a series of degrees found in our Ritual. They are explained by giving examples or making comparisons based upon architecture, certain objects, and the working tools of a stonemason to symbolically represent these principles or ideals.  For example, the square is the working tool we use to represent the principle of giving someone a square or honest deal. Every Mason takes a solemn oath and obligation, wherein we promise that we will devote serious effort to living our daily lives according to these standards.

All of this is presented to the initiate through our ritual ceremonies. Looked at in this light, the ritual is in effect the “Instruction Manual” for becoming a Mason. The whole system of Masonry revolves around the ritual in one form or another. A Lodge cannot  transact business of any kind, not even the most mundane business like paying the bills, without being properly opened and closed in due and full form as laid out in the ritual.

Where To Start

It starts first at the top with the Worshipful Master, but also at the beginning, with the candidate. The first pieces of ritual every Brother must learn are his lessons. If we really want to get serious about our Culture of Excellence, why not start with the proficiency tests of our new-made Brethren? No candidate should be advanced to his next degree until he is truly proficient in the lessons of the degree he is laboring in.

Making a man a Mason is serious business. We put far too much emphasis on moving our candidates to the next degree within that minimum 28-day window.  It’s not about how quickly you can make a man a dues-paying member, rather it’s about the type of Mason you have forged at the end of the process. There is no reason or excuse to rush a Brother through his degrees and short-change him in this experience. What we should be striving for is the Brother to have a good understanding of the symbolism and principles of the degree he just received as well as being able to recite his lesson with confidence and little to no prompting.

What should we expect in terms of ritual proficiency from our officers? There is one and only one real answer to this question: we should expect excellence!

The Worshipful Master must set the bar and the example. Everyone in the Lodge, from the members on the sidelines to the Senior Warden take their cues from him. When the Master does exemplary work, and sets the expectations for the same from his line, they will strive to live up to his example.

On the other hand, the Master who has not learned his part will find it very difficult, if not impossible, to get his officers to learn theirs.

Every officer in the Lodge swore an oath, on his honor as a Mason, that he would perform the duties of his office to the BEST of his ability. Based upon this oath, one would like to think that every officer of the Lodge would step up to the plate and make proficiency in the ritual work of his office a top priority.

When all is said and done, becoming a proficient ritualist boils down to committing about 30 minutes a day every day to working on ritual. I realize that everyone has a busy life, kids in sports, job demands, and family commitments. So where are you going to find 30 extra minutes to work on your ritual performance? How about 30 minutes just before bed?

Anyone, no matter where they are starting from today, can become a good ritualist if they will but dedicate the time and effort necessary to do so. You must allow adequate time for the task at hand. Bear in mind that it usually takes about 100 repetitions of the entire part to reach the stage where you “own it”. When it comes to allowing adequate time, think in terms of months; not days or weeks.

Finally, don’t be afraid to ask for help in achieving this level of performance. The guys in the purple aprons, the Grand Lecturers and District Deputy Grand Lecturers, are here to assist you, not make your life harder. We are here to work with you to achieve outstanding results.

“Ok” is never good enough. Every lodge needs to develop their own culture of ritual excellence. It is not an exaggeration to say that the future of Freemasonry depends upon it.

Set the bar at “Outstanding” in your lodge!

All Dates are Saturdays

Worshipful Master, Senior Warden, Junior Warden, Treasurer, and Secretary are the officers who are Constitutionally required to attend but is open to all officers and Master Masons. All New Master Masons are strongly encouraged to attend.

Afternoon Schedule (See District 8 exception):
11:30 AM Book Sales Open
12:00 PM Lunch
1:00 PM Grand Lodge Opening
3:30 PM Grand Lodge Closing

Evening Schedule:
5:30 PM Book Sales Open
6:00 PM Dinner
7:00 PM Grand Lodge Opening
9:30 PM Grand Lodge Closing

Dress Code:
Grand Lodge Line Officers: Tuxedo, Bow Tie, Apron, Collar, Jewel
Grand Lodge Officers: Tuxedo, Bow Tie, Apron, Collar
Lodge Officers: Tuxedo, Bow Tie
Brethren: Business Suit

September 7
District 5 (Afternoon), Rochester Masonic Temple
District 1 (Evening), Portsmouth Masonic Temple

September 14
District 2 (Afternoon), Nashua Masonic Temple
District 3 (Evening), Milford Masonic Temple

September 21
District 7 (Afternoon), North Woodstock Masonic Temple
District 6 (Evening), Holderness Masonic Temple

September 28

District 8 (Afternoon – 11:30AM meal; 12:15PM GL Opens), Gorham
District 4 (Evening), Penacook Masonic Temple (Horace Chase)