One of the most heartfelt toasts at Festive Boards is to “Guests and Visitors”, the lifeblood of Masonry. The south-east corner of our Province provides an active circuit for such guests, in the form of visiting Masters, of whom I am currently privileged to be one. This role has provided one of the lasting joys of my year in the Chair, through the inherent socialising and companionship entailed and through the freshness of witnessing and sharing the similarities and differences in Lodge workings. However, my geographic circuit extends a little further than most! I am lucky to enjoy regular visits to my daughter and family in Boise, the state capital of Idaho, real cowboy country in the American far west. Idaho, one of the newest states in the USA, has a fascinating Masonic history, which I am fortunate to share and enjoy.

Back in 1730, The Grand Lodge of England appointed the first American Provincial Grand Master to cover New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. In 1804, encouraged by Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, a “Corps of Discovery” set out to carve a track across the continent to the Pacific. Their arduous journey took two years four months and ten days, as they trekked beyond the edge of the then known world west of the Mississippi. That Corps was led by two Freemasons, Lewis and Clark, who continue to enjoy iconic status in the West.

The photo shows my daughter Pippa Balogh, at home, receiving her bouquet of flowers from the Deputy Grand Master of Idaho, at the same time as my other three daughters were receiving theirs at our Ladies’ Festival, in Dover’s 12th Century Town Hall.

Idaho’s Masonic growth boomed with the discovery of gold in 1860, when Freemasons from almost every jurisdiction in the world came together and instituted a loosely-bound Masonic Club. In 1863 dispensation was obtained to found the Grand Lodge of Idaho. As Freemasonry followed the pioneers and covered wagons westwards, similar histories unfolded, with about half the Grand Lodges in the western states, being formed before the states themselves existed. It was around this time that the decision was made for each state or territory to be sovereign, within the limits of its own jurisdiction, each to be presided over by a Grand Master, and with no supreme figurehead for the USA as a whole.

The first Masonic Temple west of the Mississippi was built in Idaho City (20 miles from Boise the capital) in 1865. During the gold rush, that city boasted 15,000 inhabitants, but today is home to a mere 400. The historic wooden temple that I have visited is still used, once every year, by Brethren from all across the state and beyond. I have enjoyed outings to moon Lodges, whose meetings were originally held at full moon to enable Brethren to travel more quickly by horseback, at night. I have also been the Master’s guest at Silver City Lodge, where in 1878 one of his predecessors as Master, the appropriately named Bro Oliver Hazzard Purdy, was unfortunately eradicated during an Indian raid! Happily, similar tribulations are rarer for Masters in East Kent!

Another difference between our own Province and Idaho is that State’s “dry” status for Masonry, so toasts at festive boards, which precede meetings, are taken with milk! Further, to signify that his Lodge is duly open, the Master dons fancy headgear, whether a top hat, a bowler or Stetson! Effective and meaningful visiting is a reciprocal activity. Accordingly, it is delightful that an American colleague, W.Bro Corby K. Christensen, was the Grand Master of Idaho’s personal representative for the investiture of our own Grand Master. During his time here, he attended a meeting of the General Gordon Lodge No4292 in Chatham, and also visited the Masonic museum in Canterbury. W Bro Corby is a Past District Deputy Grand Master, and works as the Deputy Coroner for Ada County, in Idaho.

Early Masonic pioneers such as Lewis and Clark, Daniel Boon and Davy Crocket, were followed two centuries later by another Masonic pioneer, famous astronaut Buzz Aldrin. For those of us with a less adventurous nature, however, the fact that Freemasonry is universally spread is joy enough. A charming example of this occurred at our recent Ladies’ Festival, where only three of our four daughters were able to be present. During that special evening whilst the three were receiving bouquets of flowers, the fourth daughter answered her front door in Idaho, to receive her bouquet from the Deputy Grand Master of Idaho, accompanied by Brethren from Boise.

W Bro Mike Webb
Pharos Lodge No6967

From Ed46, P14