How Wahpun Lodge No. 88 Got Its Ndme

Submitted by Bro.  Lyle Stewart

The indisputable facts are that Peter Tompkins was the founding
member of that Lodge and he served as Worshipful Master in 1919
three years after its constitution. He was later appointed Grand
Steward of the Grand Lodge of Alberta. A picture of V.W. Bro. 
Tompkins hangs with pride on the wall of his son's house and his
granddaughter still occasionally wears his masonic ring.

V.W. Bro. Tompkins was active in politics and was partly
responsible, as was his son, for the Metis Act which resulted in
the formation of the colonies of East Prairie, Big Prairie and
Gift Lake as well as others in the Province.

The rest of the story has no proof but was told to W.Bro.Berg by
the son of V.W. Bro.Tompkins. The Registrar of the Lodge at the
time of Institution simply recorded the name as being chosen,
while the minute book of the Lodge is silent on the matter.

Brother Tompkins was a professional surveyor who was travelling
west when the Riel Rebellion blossomed into hostilities. He
stumbled into a group of hostile participants shortly after the
main battle between Riel's forces and those of General Middleton
in 1885.  A surveyor was particularly disliked by the metis since
the major reason for the rebellion was the failure of the
Government of the time to recognize Metis land rights.  Tompkins
was seized and taken to their base in Batoch. As he was entering
the camp he is said to have winked at an Indian maiden and won
her heart (some wink). He was bound, condemned to be burnt at the
stake at dawn the following morning, and thrown into a dirty
cellar overnight. In the early hours of the morning, the Indian
maiden freed Tompkins and two companions, similarly condemned.
The four fled westward toward Grouard where Wahpun No. 88 was
originally formed. Shortly thereafter Bro. Tompkins married the
lady who had rescued him from being burned at the stake.

At the formation of the Lodge, according to his son, he made the
motion that the Lodge be named "Wahpun" which is Cree for "dawn". 
The reason he gave was that he had been delivered from death at
that time and his life given a new and entirely unexpected
direction. He expected great things from this new Lodge and as
great things had come to him because of an appointment at dawn,
he wished the Lodge to be so named.  The brethren apparently
acceded to his request.

Many times in his life he was heard to comment on how much he
owed his wife and "how much he loved that woman".

The members of Wahpun Lodge seek confirmation of any points 
within this story.

Additional Information on Wahpun Lodge
by Bro.  Don Jackson

(The following events happened between March 19 and April 24,
1885).

John Lash, the Indian agent on One Arrow's Reserve, with his
interpreter, William Tompkins, had gone to George Kerr's general
store to purchase potatoes. Within minutes of Lash and Tompkins
entering the store, Gabriel Dumont with between sixty and seventy
men arrived at the same store to demand arms and ammunition. 
Seeing the two white men they took them prisoner and locked them
in the Church of St. Antoine de Pardue at Batoche.

About March 19, 1885 Riel's Metis cut the telegraph line sometime
in the early morning.  At 4 A.M. Mr. Gagnon, John McKean (these
two men could have been in Col. Dennis' Survey Corps.) and Peter
Tompkins were sent out to repair the line.  As they were working
the Metis captured the men and Peter Tompkins along with his
cousin William Tompkins ended up as prisoners of Riel. There was
no specific mention of either man escaping until freed by
Middleton's forces but one paragraph mentioned that some squaws,
sympathetic to the government, covered some whites with blankets
and led them through the Metis lines to the government forces.

That is the only reference to R.W.Bro. Peter Tompkins'
participation in the Riel Rebellion. The reference books used
were "Gabriel Dumont," Prairie Fire" and "Riel Rebellion, 1885."
The photo is of witnesses at Riel's trial.  The cousins, William
and Peter Tompkins, are first and third from theleft in the back
row.

From Batoche, Peter Tomkins moved on to Fort Saskatchewan, NWT,
(now Alberta) where he settled. Peter Tompkins, aged 41, gave his
occupation as "Indian Interpreter." He applied for admission and
was initiated into Victoria Lodge #76, GRM (#13, GRA) on January
29, 1901 with membership #33.  He was passed Feb. 18, 1902 and
raised June 15, 1904.  On Oct. 12, 1905, by virtue of the forming
of the Grand Lodge of Alberta he became a Charter Member of
Victoria Lodge #13, GRA with membership #1012.

Before 1915 R.W.Bro. Tompkins moved to Grouard where, with eleven
other Masons, he helped found Wahpun Lodge #88 at Grouard to
become charter member #4 upon the charter being issued on April
15, 1915. He was elected Worshipful Master of Wahpun Lodge in
1919, elected to the Grand Lodge of Alberta as District Deputy
Grand Master in 1924 and appointed Grand Steward in 1932.

His trestle board filled, Right Worshipful Brother Peter Tompkins
died on January 17, 1940 at Grouard.


GLIMPSES OF MASONIC HISTORY

During the great Indian Mutiny of 1857 ... if not the greatest,
surely one of the bloodiest in recorded history ... thousands of
Indian Soldiers rose up against their British rulers.

Among the many deep-rooted causes was the belief that the Sepoys
would be forced to bite their rifle cartridges prior to loading
... cartridges that were allegedly greased with pig and cow fat. 
This was anathema both to Hindus and Moslems. There was also the
fear that was to be followed up by a forced conversion to
Christianity and posting to overseas service.  The Indian
soldiers rose to kill or drive out their foreign rulers with
their foreign ideas.

The residents of station after station were ruthlessly
slaughtered. At a place called Bareilly, the commander, Brigadier
Hugh Sibbald had his spine shattered from a bullet fired by his
own orderly. His troops prepared to leave for Delhi by looting
seven hundred carts of treasure. Nothing seemed to be sacred.

They then gutted every single building ..... except the 
FREEMASONS' LODGE! This was spared.

Why was this structure left untouched? The expldnation was that
"strange mysteries were transacted there; a man might forfeit his
luck by so much as laying a finger on it."

That was the image in the eyes of the rebelling Sepoy.  How would
our Lodges fare today in similar upheavel?

NOTES ON THE MARGIN

"Either men will learn to live like brothers, or they will die
like beasts."
(Max Lerner "ACTIONS & PASSIONS", 1949).

MASONIC ANECDOTE

One of the better Western movies of recent years was "HIGH NOON"
featuring the late, great, Gary Cooper. It seems to have exerted
a strong influence on some people.

Evidence to support this conclusion was provided by the Junior
Warden of Lodge Renfrew No. 134 G.R.A. who developed, and found
it difficult to break an old habit.

Until he managed to kick this habit, whenever the Master asked
him, "How Stands the time?" the only answer he could think to
give was "High Noon."


THE TRAVELLING MASON

M.W. Bro.  His Excellency Lord Gowrie, V.C., Governor of General
(of Australia), on a 13,000 mile journey around Australia found
time to visit one remote Lodge.  He spent an evening at a small
out-of-the-way settlement on the coast of Western Australia where
a Lodge had been formed of only eight members who met in an old
tin hut. They held a special meeting for his benefit and
initiated a candidate .... their ninth.

At that meeting there were Brethren who had ridden horses 160
miles to be present at the ceremony.
(Reported in Proceedings of G.L. Alta., 1938; p. 71).


MINITORIAL

"Indifference on the part of its members to the great teachings
of Masonry is painfully deplorable. Its moral purpose is seldom
taken seriously.  Hosts of Masons remain utterly insensitive to
the need of translating its principles into terms of daily
living.

Masonry, when rightly understood, challenges its members to the
highest reaches of noble living.  The wealth of symbolic
suggestion found in Masonry is virtually inexhaustable!"
(Wm.  Hammond).



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