Southern California Research Lodge

FRATERNAL REVIEW

Editor - Ralph A. Herbold     (8-15-92)                       No. 655
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SPAIN - RITUAL
Having completed the Olympic Games, might be of interest to our members to
know things Masonic there, not only Spain in general but Barcelona in
particular, for it is the home of the Grand Lodge of Spain, A.F.&A.M.  On
this theme, the last Lodge to be chartered (as of the 1992 List of Lodges
Masonic) is Europa Olympica No. 56 in Barcelona.

At the Olympic opening ceremonies it was noted that announcements would be
made in French, English, Spanish and Catalan, the last language of Catalonia,
the home of Barcelona, and, incidentally, Lodges can be found in Spain using
these four languages.  Use of the Catalan language was banned during the
reign of Franco.

The Grande Lodge Nationale Francaise chartered Lodges in Spain, starting in
1978, and followed with the District Grand Lodge of Spain on July 1, 1980.

On July 12, 1982, the Grand Master of the G.L.N.F. caused Edicts No. 656 and
657 to be promulgated under his name.  The former erecting and constituting a
Grand Lodge in Spain, the latter extending recognition thereto and also
acknowledging its first Grand Master as its head, in the person of M.W. Bro.
Luis Salat-Gusils, who still serves in this capacity.

Ceremonies of consecration were held November 6th, 1982.  And, a thoughtful
and appropriate gesture, after opening, the Deputy Grand Master of France,
the presiding officer, resumed Grand Lodge in the First Degree so as to allow
all bretheren not yet Master Masons to witness the ceremony to follow.

This is unusual in that a Grand Lodge was formed by another Grand Lodge,
which, by such action, made it relatively easier for recognition by other
Grand Lodges.

Certainly no uniformity of work as you will note by the following twelve
different language/ritual workings.

San Juan de Catalun Lodge No. 1 works in Spanish with A.&A. Rite/Craft
ritual.  
Sant Jordi Lodge No. 2 works in Spanish with Reconcillation/
Emulation ritual.  
Perservernca Lodge No. 3 works in Catalan with A.&A.
Rite/Craft ritual.  
Gillem de Montrodon Lodge No. 6 works in Spanish with Rectified/Craft ritual.  
Ramon Llull Lodge No. 9 works in Engilish with Reconciliation/Emulation 
ritual.  
Acacia Lodge No. 19 works in Catalan with Reconciliation/Emulation ritual.  
Jason Lodge No. 22 works in French with Reconciliation/Emulation ritual.  
Sydkorset Lodge No. 23 works in Danish with Swedish Rite ritual.  
Santiago R. Cajal Lodge No. 35 works in English with York ritual.  
Lautaro Lodge No. 41 works in Spanish with York ritual.
Lafayette Lodge No. 50 works in French with A.&A. Rite/Craft.
Euromason Costa Blanca Lodge No. 55 works in German with Schroeder ritual.

We sent the complete story, six pages, of the founding of the Grand Lodge of
Spain and preceding events, written by a member of our Lodge, V.W. Bro.
Andre A. G. Bassou, who was there, in one of our 1983 mailings, shortly after
the founding of the Grand Lodge.  We can make a copy and mail it to you for
one dollar.

RESEARCH LODGE
The June 1992 Bulletin of Walter F. Meier Lodge of Research No. 281 has an
item of interest to our members in the northwest not members of that Lodge:

"WB Bob Jensen (SCRL member) is planning a Seminar of the Research Lodges in
the Northwest to be held October 24th at Clover Lodge in Tacoma.  Research
Lodges from Washington, Oregon and British Columbia are being invited to
participate."

YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS - PENNSYLVANIA
The May 1992 Pennsylvania Freemason makes those particularly interested in
our Masonic youth organizations really take notice with their work.

This work is headed by their Youth Foundation in Elizabethtown and if your
touring takes in this area of Pennsylvania it would be worth you effort to
see what they have.  It includes facilities for housing youth groups for
several day retreats or whatever you may want to call them, as well as all
sorts of indoor and outdoor activity areas including a swimming pool with
a retractable roof for all year use.

But what got my attention was two items of youth activities that really
tells the story if you stop and think about it, for you must be successful
to have such accomplishments.

"Pennsylvania Job's Daughters have reached 75% of their goal ($10,000) to
raise money for the H.I.K.E. (Hearing Impaired Kids Endowment) Fund.  The
H.I.K.E. Fund is the official charity of the International Order of Job's
Daughters.  It provides hearing devices for children between birth and the
age of twenty."

"One of the most prized possessions of The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania is
The Brother George Washington Apron, hand embroidered by Madam Lafayette.
This unique item was recently found to be in some need of conservation and
preservation.

"This Need was brought to the attention of Continental Chapter, Order of
DeMolay in York, Pennsylvania whose members decided this was just the
project they were looking for.

"At the December Quarterly held in Philadelphia on December 4, 1991, the
Right Worshipful Grand Master, W. Scott Stoner, called the Grand Lodge off
from Labor for a short time and directed that Matthew Campbell, Senior
Councilor of Continental Chapter, Order of DeMolay, be ushered into the
Grand Lodge.  Accompanied by Bro. Clarence Lauer, Advisor, Mr. Campbell
presented the Grand Master with a check in the amount of $2,500 for use
in the preservation and conservation of the Apron."

WASHINGTON
The Synopsis of the Washington 135th Annual Communication included a
biography of the newly elected and installed Junior Grand Warden and it
contained interest to our local brethren.

"Right Worshipful G. Preston Stedman became a Master Mason on August 24,
1968, in Palos Verdes Lodge No. 389, in Long Beach, California.  He received
his Fellowcraft Degree by courtesy from Pearl Harbor Lodge No. 598.  He
affiliated with Dayton Lodge No. 26 in 1974 and served as its Master in
1978."
