The Minutes of this meeting read as follows:
“The Officers of Grand Lodge being announced, were admitted with ‘Grand Honours’ in due and ancient form.
The Lodge was then Consecrated in due and ancient form”.
Grand Lodge Officers then Installed the following Officers of Acacia Lodge:
| W. H. Owens, W.M. |
| Charles Chase, S.D. |
| J. W. Andrews, S.W. |
| J. McKean, J.D. |
| J. Buckmaster, J.W. |
| A. Freeman, S.S. |
| Robert Dawson, Treasurer |
| S. Benjamin, J.S. |
| David McKay, Secretary |
A bill for $208.00 was passed for material and labour for the new room.
The rent for the Lodge Room to be Sixty ($60.00) Dollars a year.
St. John’s Day, December 27th, was to be celebrated as in the previous year, by holding a Church Service and Dinner.
Each member was to bring a basket of eatables to the Lodge Room by 4.00 pm.
The Committee was authorized to purchase requisites for dessert, to be paid for by subscription of the members.
On June 24th, 1869, an Amended Warrant was issued to change the number of the Lodge from Number 20 to Number 39.
Being desirious and anxious to know the ritual and to be able to confer the Degrees in a most satisfactory and efficient manner,
they held a Lodge for Instruction on the following dates:
February 24th, 1870, 25th, 26th and 28th, March 3rd, 4th, 5th, 7th, 9th, 10th, 15th and 18th. Brother Charles White, “Ancient Grand Lecturer” was the Instructor and was paid $60.00 for his services.
The Lodge approved of the account and passed a Resolution to pay the same at the meeting of March 18th, 1870.
The records up to this date, I would designate as the Ancient History of the Lodge.
Now we shall pass along and begin with some events of the year that followed.
At the meeting in May, 1878, we find two Clergymen making application for membership —
Rev. William Brown and Rev. William Robertson, Methodist and Presbyterian respectively.
In July, 1878, R.W. Bro. T. A. Cossman, D.D.G.M. of District No. 1 visited the Lodge at the request of the Grand Master.
His report states — “Minutes not as satisfactory as might be and trust that the suggestions made by me will be carried out.”
R.W. Bro. Cossland presented his Commission from M.W. Bro. W. A. Laurie, Grand Master, to visit the Lodges in Lunenburg County.
The first record I can find regarding a new Masonic Temple is in the year 1907.
At that year a “Fair” was held to raise funds for a new Temple.
The Committee on sites for the Temple reported on two properties, one at the corner of Dufferin and York Street, 81′ x 60′ — $800.00;
the other on east side of Pleasant Street, 60′ x 124′ — $400.00, or the whole lot — 128′ x 124′ — $800.00.
September 15th, 1914, a letter was written to R.W. Colonel Dr. Fred Ford,
a member of Acacia Lodge on his leaving for overseas with the First Medical corps from Canada in the First World War.
Colonel Ford was practising his profession at New Germany when he enlisted to organize the Corps.
His reply was most fitting and a copy of the letter to him and his reply was ordered to be spread on the Minute Book of the Lodge.
April 8th, 1919, a Committee was appointed to investigate the price of the old school property as it was understood that the town was going to build a new school.
On May 13th, 1919, the ‘site’ Committee reported and was given power to make an offer to the Town for the School Lot and building. The price to be $1,500.00.
On July 8th, the Town accepted $1,700.00 and a motion to pay $1,000.00 on account and the balance when the Deed was prepared and ready for delivery was passed unanimously.
The Committee was appointed to submit a plan to finance the building of a new Temple consisting of Bro. A. F. Pamenter, Bro. Robert Newcombe, Bro. George Boehner, Bro. A. M. Olive, Bro. H. S. Barnaby and Dr. Trethewey. On February 10th, 1920, the above Committee had added Bro. W. F. Ritchey and Rev. J. G. Stones to their number.
On June 8th, 1920, Acacia Lodge was authorized to subscribe for 50 shares of ‘The Bridgewater Masonic Building Co., Limited’. The Trustees were authorized to convey the Building Lot to the Building Company.
Much of the activity of the Lodge during the years 1920-21 was involved in the building of the new Temple.
It was regularly moved and seconded that the Lodge give its assent to the forming of a Masonic Lodge in New Germany.
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