By Craig Moorhead
For the Caledonia Argus
On Jan. 7, 1858 Minnesota’s Masonic Lodge number 20 was chartered. This predates Minnesota statehood (which arrived the following May).
 While visiting the Caledonia lodge last week, past Lodge Master Ervin Barth opened the book labeled simply “1.” On the first page were the minutes of the very first meeting of the Caledonia Masons. The faded but still legible script tells that on Friday evening, Oct. 2, 1857, while the lodge was still under development, Lodge Master W.B. Burfield convened the first meeting. In attendance were freemasons Samuel McPhail (Caledonia’s founder), R.S. Williams, W. Dunbar, A.G. Sprague, W.W. Willis, and Hokah masons James Hiner and Eugene Marshall. W.D. Gibbs petitioned to join.
Caledonia Lodge history states that, “The roots of Caledonia Lodge were at Hokah Lodge No. 17.” Hokah’s lodge is no longer in existence, but 150 years later, Lodge 20 is still up and running.
On Oct. 16, at 6 p.m. at the United Methodist Church, 308 N. Kingston, Caledonia Lodge #20 will hold its 150th anniversary celebration. Senior Warden Tyler Engen will open the festivities, followed by a banquet from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Recognition of officers, past masters, widows and relatives of Masonic Brothers who “have been raised to the Celestial Lodge” follows, and then Lodge Master John Benton will welcome Minnesota Grand Lodge leaders and guests. Thomas G. McCarthy, Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota, will speak. Special music is to be performed by Carolyn Tornstrom.
Past Master Barth, who currently serves as treasurer, spoke a little about the Masons.
“Masonry is not a religion,” he said. “Masons support religion of any form- we believe in religious tolerance.” He said there are Masonic lodges all over the world, in countries where all faiths are practiced. Barth said that prospective members must profess some sort of a belief in God but that it could take any form. In the United States, Native Americans became lodge members during European settlement, while adhering to their traditional beliefs. Combatants on both sides of the American Revolution and Civil War were Masons. Soldiers who were wounded and in need of assistance were often helped by their “enemies” if they happened to signal a Mason on the other side.
“Giving the sign of distress saved their lives,” Barth said. Union and Confederate troops sometimes slipped away from camp at night and held Masonic meetings together, then returned before dawn to take their places in the ranks, shooting at each other when battle was joined.
Barth looked at the wall of the lodge, covered with photographs of Caledonia Masons. He explained what mattered to all these members were the principles which the Free Masons have always stood for- political freedom, religious tolerance and personal integrity. These principles have made life difficult for Masons living in totalitarian states. Hitler outlawed Free Masonry and Communist governments have had a long history of persecuting the organization.
Local Masons are active in community charities, recently sending help to Rushford after last year’s flood, raising funds to help local fire departments and assisting a Brother who needed to remodel his home when he became physically challenged.
In short, Masons are people who do believe in doing their duty. Barth, a World War II veteran of the Marine Corps, will be joining 120 other local veterans on Oct. 8 as they take part in the Freedom Flight to visit the World War II Memorial in Washington. Chances are when Brother Barth gets on that plane he’ll likely find some Masons in the group.
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