Furnishing A New Masonic Home

It’s amazing the myriad details that have to be attended to in building a new Lodge building.  There are committees galore dealing with permits, foundation, framing, supplies, contractor, sub contractors such as a plumber and electrician, code inspections and probably a lot more I have left out.

We have a nice double lot that extends way in from the road as you can see from the picture. The Lodge is all a buzz like little beavers with meetings, phone calls, follow-up meetings on the meetings.  The Master is well organized and the Lodge now has in place the necessary ingredients to get the building raised.  A lot of the inside work will be done by Lodge members.  I can just see myself helping to hang drywall, if that’s how you say it. A tradesman I ain’t.

All the bases seem to be covered except……………………well when I brought up the subject of furniture.  I can’t blame anybody for that because it really is not part of building the edifice.  It’s what comes after.  But after a few merges and renting for a number of years using somebody else’s furniture, my Lodge’s furniture seems to be no more.  Maybe there are a few pieces saved, scattered here and there at members houses for safekeeping, but that remains to be seen.

Since I am going to be little help in the construction of the building, I turned my thoughts to what I could do about getting us some furniture.  We need an altar, East, West and South stations encompassing chairs therein, the three lesser lights, chairs and/or benches for the rest of the officers and the sidelines members and even rods for the Deacons & Stewards.

My thoughts turned to an article I wrote not too long ago where Paul Dean Lodge AF & AM of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts merged with Paul Revere Lodge, sold its building and donated all its furniture to the Lodges of Bangor, Maine who were rebuilding after a fire completely destroyed all that they had. A delegation from Paul Dean participated in the rededication ceremony of Bangor’s new quarters and was lauded before the entire group.  What a great story!

http://ep9.f3a.mwp.accessdomain.com/2010/05/masonic-organ-donor-2/

Could there be another Lodge somewhere in the U.S.A. who is also turning in its charter or merging and has furniture that they no longer have a use for? Or as a Brother and friend of mine suggested:

What about commissioning some of it from currently skilled people, some might even be retired and do it as a labor of love for cost. What an opportunity !   ” This Worhipful Master’s Chair designed, carved and assembled by ________________ for the benefit of the lodge and the good of the Craft. AL 6010 “

So if you are reading this and can be of help please get in contact.  It looks like the Lodge building will be raised at the beginning of the New Year and by spring we should have the inside completed. The Master says we are probably going to be able to beat that schedule and have it completed earlier.

Pride of Mt. Pisgah Lodge #135 would enjoy the opportunity to fete and regale all, who would join us in our celebration and aid us in the completion of a Masonic home, with some of that famous Southern Masonic hospitality.