Thomas P Rogers Grand Historian tprogers@accesswave.ca 2010-06-21

I have often been asked just what does the lodge historian do? Some think he just sits in a chair and holds an office in lodge. We should look at the charge to the historian at the time he is installed. It states: "Brother_______, the care and preservation of the records and muniments of your Lodge and the compilation of the story of its growth and achievements devolve upon you as Historian. No task requires more zeal and enthusiasm, more care, patience, and perseverance. With confidence in your skill and ability we commit this important work to you." What does this charge mean? The care and preservation of the records and muniments? Compilation of the story of its growth? What should the historian be doing? There are a number things he should be doing to reach these goals. These duties in some lodges will fall on the secretary, which can often mean that some important facts or muniments maybe lost or misplaced, due to the many duties of the secretary. The lodge historian should keep in contact with the lodge secretary to ensure the minutes of the meetings are turned over to him; he should be taking notes either during or after the meeting, and these minutes and notes turned into a short story to be added to his historical journal after each meeting night. The Lodge historian should also be careful to preserve any items that are turned over to the lodge. If the lodge has its own building, it would be a benefit if these items could be displayed. If the lodge does not have its own building these items could be placed in a display binder and taken out and displayed for the lodge meetings. Often the family of a departed brother will turn over to the lodge, the brothers jewels and apron, these can be very important to the lodge. One thing to remember is that these items don't need to end up in a drawer or a box; they could be used and passed along to other brothers in the lodge. As an example, our present Grand Master while attending his lodge meeting as Senior Warden came to find out that a past DDGM's dress apron had been returned to the lodge, and the lodge was trying to decide what to do with this apron. The brother stood up and suggested that it should be given to the next DDGM to come out of the lodge. Well a short time after that, he became DDGM, and after his year received this apron and wore it proudly and also kept the departed brothers' name alive by wearing that apron to lodge meetings, and telling the story. When our Grand Master was in the line to become Grand Master he returned to that lodge and returned the past DDGM's apron to the lodge, and once again asked them to present it to the next DDGM to come out of the lodge, quite the history for one apron. Another heart warming story comes to me from another lodge, where a brother had been very active in his mother lodge, then after retiring, moved and became active in another lodge, but this brother never demitted from his mother lodge. After being an active member for over 40 years, he was offered not one but two Grand Lodge appointments, of which he chose to become a Grand Steward. Now in this brother's mother lodge, two other members had been Grand Stewards, many years ago and when they passed on their jewels were returned to the lodge. It was noted in lodge one evening that one of our brothers had been appointed Grand Steward and that we had sitting in our archives of the lodge a Past Grand Steward's Jewel, and that it had belonged to a friend of his. It was voted on and passed that this Past Grand Steward's Jewel be engraved and given to the brother that was the present Grand Steward.Brothers, I have to tell you that he was touched beyond words, and he later said that having this jewel given to him by the lodge was more important to him than his Past Master's Jewel, because it had belonged to another brother of his lodge and his close friend. That is what it is all about. This helps keep our departed brothers alive. I was once told while doing research that if a persons name is spoken, that person will never die. I wear the Lewis Jewel because I am proud that my father was a mason, I wore a master masons apron given to me by a past master of my lodge because I was proud to be a mason, and also that a brother saw fit for me to wear his master masons apron. We do need to keep track of these items and to ensure it is recorded in the history where these items are. We need to ensure it is well documented when something is given to a lodge. If the family of a brother has taken the time, to make, buy or donate something to the lodge, we owe it to them to record that information. Remember, what happened today will be history tomorrow. Submitted by Rt. Wor. Bro Thomas P Rogers Grand Historian