Mount Moriah Lodge No. 15
All was not work in the Lodge. While little is known of social activity in the first decade, the members did seem to have had a tradition of holding a supper on St. John’s Night after the Installation of new Officers. A note in theMinutes of December 1, 1913 leaves the issue of a St. John’s Night supper unclear “ the question of preparing a supper for St. John’s Night was then taken up and after a lengthy discussion it was decided that no demonstration would be percipitated in.” In 1914 the Brethren gathered across the road at the Landsdowne Hotel where a few of their friends and Brethren from True Brothers Lodge had already assembled and “a very pleasant evening” was spent. The ladies were included in the celebration for the first time in 1922. In 1926 after the Installation of W.Bro. George MacWilliams, the Brethren “repaired to the festival room where tables were loaded with good things to which all did ample justice and a very special evening spent by all.” Having a St. John’s Night function such as a house social, goose supper, banquet or refreshments in the Hall occurred intermittently until the 1950’s.
The last St. John’s Night Installation was held in 1946 when W.Bro. Norman MacWilliams was installed by W.Bro. Lloyd Inman PM. The Regular Communication in December 1947 was cancelled due to an election in the Province. The Installation of new Officers was held at the Regular Communication in December beginning in 1948. In 1949 a goose supper catered by the Cape Traverse Womens’ Institute was held on the Friday Night previous. Tickets sold at $1.25. An Open Installation was held in 1967 at the suggestion of W. Bro. F.I. Bell PGM. The Installation was conducted by M.W.Bro Harold Palmer PGM with ten ladies in attendance.
The lease agreement with the Hall Company ran smoothly and the Mount Moriah Brethren were very pleased with their facility. However, when the opportunity came in 1950 to purchase the Hall, the Brethren seemed eager to have full autonomy over their facility. W.Bro. Norman MacWilliams PM was chairman of a committee that attended the A.G.M. of the Hall Directors in December 1950. The Minutes did not report the outcome of the discussions but the Lodge received a Loan of $1000 from the Grand Lodge Benevolent Fund in 1950. In 1976 W.Bro. Clifford Dawson PM reported on his search for records on the Old Hall and he indicated that $267.85 of the 1950 loan was used to purchase the Hall.
Perhaps as a celebration of their new independence, the Brethren served a lobster supper on the occasion of the Annual Visitations of the Grand Lodge in 1950, 1951 and 1952. Twenty pounds of lobster were purchased on each occasion. The cost was $19 in 1950 and $13.75 in 1951 and $25 in 1952. Seventy-four Masons attended the Visitation in 1950. (Minutes, selected years)