Marking 100 years of Freemasonry in Bruce District

Several Masons were on hand to explain the gallery April 9, that will be available for viewing at the Bruce County Museum until April 30.

Hub Staff

A display of one of the world’s oldest, and largest male-fraternities, the Freemasons, known for their impressive member list and their often publicized secretive past, has found its way back to the Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre.

Freemasonry - A History Hidden In Plain Sight, is on display until the end of April, and had its grand opening April 9. The fraternity known for its privacy is also known for its charitable contributions which took centre stage April 9 when Ontario's and Bruce District’s Grand Masters presented a cheque for $10,000 to the Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation.

See: Masons make five year pledge to SMHF

Museum Curatorial Assistant, Laura Leonard said that the intrigue and popularity of Masonry will interest many people. “Every time you turn on the TV there’s a secret treasure, or if there’s some kind of conspiracy the Masons are doing it. And then there’s Dan Brown’s book, The Lost Symbol, so there seems to be a lot of pop culture things happening right now around Freemasonry that people are interested in,” Leonard said April 9.

John C. Green the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of A.F. (Ancient Free) and A.M. (Accepted Masons) of Canada in the Province of Ontario, was born and raised in Paisley and was on hand to explain the significance of the exhibit.

“To be back home on the 100th anniversary of this particular district [Bruce District], which runs from Harriston to Wiarton, is a very important part of our masonic history,” said Green, adding that people will find that masonry is deep rooted in the history of North America, and will learn a lot of the “great history” and some of the “great people that were involved”.

He also touched on the perception that some have about Freemasonry.

“There’s a mystery in masonry because the people who aren’t Masons think it’s a mystery, it’s not a big a mystery. There are hundreds of books that are written on... freemasonry and all kinds of access on technology today that you can find out,” said Green. He added that if one wants to become a Mason they just need to know one, and apply to be accepted.

The bulk of the show was put together in 2010-2011, and displayed in the Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre, then travelled around Canada due to its popularity.

Lining the walls of the exhibit, are former Masons, from Canada's first Prime Minister Sir. John A. MacDonald to hockey and coffee legend, Miles Gilbert "Tim" Horton, and a few former presidents of the United States.

The infamous “Kipling Gavel” is also featured. A gift from Rudyard Kipling, author of the “The Jungle Book” and “The Man who would be King”, the Kipling Gavel is made of four kinds of wood, is mentioned in the Bible and is featured at the museum next to an inscription from Kipling himself.

The exhibit will be on display until April 30, with interpreters on site from 1 to 4 p.m. each Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Mason Paul Zorzi (left), District Deputy Grand Master Robert Shular, Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation (SMHF) Executive Director Sally Kidson, and Grand Master of the Province of Ontario, John C. Green (right) presented the SMHF with a donation of $10,000, during the day of the opening ceremony, April 9.