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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2009-12-16, Page 7News The Huron Expositor • December 16, 2009 Page 7 Seaforth Masons open their doors to interested public Susan Hundertmark 4111111.1.11111110 Passersby got a rare opportunity to tour through Seaforth's 145 -year-old Britannia Masonic Lodge recently when Masons throughout Ontario held an open house forthe public. "We decided to open up the doors and explain what Masons .are. It's a beautiful facility up here that was refurbished in 1983," says member Bruce Whitmore, of the second sto- rey Main Street meeting place in Seaforth. Barry Hutton, Britannia Lodge's secretary, says that while the lodge has opened up to invited guests in the past, this is the first time it's held an open house for the public. "There is a misconception that we're a secret society but we don't hide the fact that there's a meeting place here - there's a sign on our building, we wear rings and our cars have Masonic signs on them," he says. While men over age 21 must be recommended by two Masons and the lodge membership must approve their application before they can be- come Masons themselves, Hutton says recent movies, such as The Da - Vinci Code and Angels and Demons, both written by author Dan Brown, along withhis new book The Lost Symbol, have attracted some inter- est in potential members. "Dan Brown's books have shed a lot of light on Freemasonry and I think it's helping," he says, adding that the traditions in Masonry don't permit Masons to recruit members - inter- ested men must seek out members and ask to join. . Jason Beuermann, another Sea - forth Mason, says his friends started asking him about his membership Barry Hutton shows Bill and Gall Price around the Britannia Masonic Lodge during a recent open house. with the Masons when the movie National Treasure, starring Nicolas Cage, was released. "They were intrigued by the way it comes across, by the secrecy and mystery behind it and I tell them they have to join to find out," he says, adding that a number of younger men in the their 30s have been join- ing the Seaforth lodge recently. The Seaforth lodge has 62 mem- bers, with 15 to 20 who attend regu- lar meetings. Hutton says that, like other organizations, the membership in the Masons has dropped from 700 lodges across Ontario 10 years ago to 500 now. Masons cannot share their ritual with non-members or open their meetings to non-members but Hut- ton says the ritual is based on the building of King Solomon's temple and created to build strong character in its members. "Generally, Masons are the pillars of the community, the builders of the community," he says. "The Masons are an organization that build values and character in T GIFT • SELECTION • SAVINGS • SERVICE men. A lot of lead- ers of the commu- nity belong to the lodge," adds Whit- more. Hutton says that while Free- masonry is not a religion, mem- bers are obliged to have a belief in a higher power, which Masons re- fer to as the Great Architect of the Universe. A giant golden capital let- ter G hangk from the ceiling of the lodge over the altar in the centre of the room. "You can be Muslim, Buddhist, Christian or any other religion to be- come a Mason but you must believe in the existence of a supreme being, something that directs faith and our lives," says Hutton. Acts of charity are a big part of be- ing a Mason, with recipients that range from 4-11, student bursaries, Boy Scouts, Girl Guides to the chil- dren's hospitals run by the Shriners, an organization composed of Master Masons. In Seaforth, the Masons are plan- ning to get involved in the Habitat for Humanity build and have com- mitted to feeding the construction crew for a week along with taking part in the build. "We believe in charity and helping our fellow human beings but an ide- al Mason sees a need, responds and retires 'back into the crowd without fanfare - we don't need praise," says Hutton. With the motto, "To be one, ask one," Hutton says any man interest- ed in becoming a Mason should seek out a member. The Britannia Lodge's Worshipful Master Brad Pryce can be reached at 519-527-2418. Now is the time for YOU to Advertise YOUR Available Off -Campus Student Housing (for Students Studying at REACH in Clinton, Ontario) • Pending sufficient enrollment of 40 full-time students, the University of Guelph's Ridgetown Campus plans to begin the delivery of the Performance Horse Handler Certificate program in Clinton, ON at the Regional Equine and Agricultural Centre of Huron (REACH) in September 2010. UNIVIASITY GUELPI 1 CAMPI..'S CHANGING L VES IMPROVING LtF.E, • Students studying at REACH in Clinton will be looking for off -campus options including: o Apartments to Rent o Houses to Rent o Rooms to Rent o Room and Board Renting AND o May also be looking for options to board their horse or bring their pets • Ridgetown Campus encourages all persons who could provide off -campus housing to students from September 2010 through April 2011, to contact us OR to post your listing on the Ridgetown Campus Website. HOW DO I LIST MY OFF -CAMPUS HOUSING OPPORTUNITY? Two easy options! 1. Post your housing option on-line at the Ridgetown Campus Website at: www.ridgetownc.com/services/rental_index.cfm 2. Call us directly at Administration, Off -Campus Housing at 519-674-1517 NOTE: Landlord and tenant agreements are strictly between the renter and the student. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RIDGETOWN CAMPUS www.ridgetownc.uoguelph.ca TO LEARN MORE ABOUT REACH www.reachhuron.ca 1