Oriental Lodge #20

 HISTORIC SUMMARY

1909 - 1951

It is especially fitting that the opening paragraphs of this history should have been written by Brother Charles Leander Diehl, the first Secretary of Oriental Lodge, and they are quoted here exactly as he wrote them many years ago:  ORIENTAL LODGE NO. 20, F. & A.M. MESA, ARIZONA CHARLES L. DIEHL, SECRETARY  In the latter part of the year 1909, several Masonic Brethren belonging to different Lodges throughout the United States, having satisfied each other that they were Masons in good standing, conceived the idea of organizing and establishing a Masonic Lodge in the town of Mesa, Arizona.  After repeated efforts to get other Masonic Brethren interested in the proposed matter, they finally succeeded in getting together the following named brethren:  R.J. Albertus Wingar John L. Waring Frank P. Drew Frank Robinson Alfred L. Hawley Charles L. Diehl Columbus Steward William N. Amos Donald T. McQueen William H. Gilbert John D. Attaway S. Harden Burnett James E. Drane, Sr. John J. Fraser James E. Drane, Jr. Austin S. Frankenberg Holding the first preliminary meeting in the office of Brother James E. Drane, Jr., on the evening of January 7th, 1910, at which meeting Brother Alfred L. Hawley was chosen Chairman, and Brother John L. Waring as Secretary of the preliminary meeting to be held until a dispensation had been granted by the Grand Lodge of Arizona to form a lodge.  The name chosen at this meeting for the new Lodge was “Oriental,” and the following brethren were chosen for recommendation to the Grand Master to act as Master, Senior and Junior Wardens of the Lodge:  Brothers Austin Sprague Frankenberg for Master; John Lawrence Waring for Senior Warden; and James Erasmus Drane Jr. for Junior Warden.  At this meeting the following committee, Brothers John L. Waring, Charles L. Diehl and R.J. Albertus Wingar, were appointed to prepare a petition to be sent to the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Arizona, praying him grant a dispensation to form and open a Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons, to be called “Oriental Lodge.”  The names of the brethren who signed this petition as prepared by this committee and the names of their respective Lodges of which they were a member, were as follows:  Austin Sprague Frankenberg Of Tempe Lodge No. 15, Arizona John Lawrence Waring Of Tempe Lodge No. 15, Arizona James Erasmus Drane, Jr. Of Oriental Lodge No. 415, Missouri Alfred Lincoln Hawley Of Anchor Lodge No. 88, Washington Rinaldo Julius Albertus Wingar Of Tempe Lodge No. 15, Arizona John James Fraser Of Gila Valley Lodge No. 9, Arizona B. Harden Burnett Of Chickalah lodge no. 304, Arkansas James Erasmus Drane, Sr. Of Oriental Lodge No. 415, Missouri Donald Thomas McQueen Of Tempe Lodge No. 15, Arizona John Peter Striegel Of Arizona Lodge No. 2, Arizona William Emmot Marlar Of Pleasant Hill Lodge No. 233, Arkansas Jay Corwin Sexton Of Minneapolis Lodge No. 15, Kansas Frank Pierce Drew Of Tempe Lodge No. 15, Arizona William Henry Gilbert Of Chickalah lodge no. 304, Arkansas Frank Robinson Of Flint Lodge No. 23, Michigan Charles Leander Diehl Of Osiris Lodge No. 26, Washington, D.C. Columbus Steward Of Tempe Lodge No. 15, Arizona William Rowley Adams Of Verde Lodge No. 1, North Dakota Charles Shoune Of Shiloh Lodge No. 1 John Dorsen Attaway Of Norman Lodge No. 38, Oklahoma William Nathaniel Amos Of Chalcedonn Lodge No. 6, Arizona The second preliminary meeting was held on January 14th, 1910 in the office of Brother James E. Drane, Jr., at which meeting the Chairman was requested to present the petition for a dispensation, together with the demits accompanying same to Tempe Lodge No. 15, F. & A.M., for it to recommend to the Grand Master the issue of a dispensation for the establishment of the proposed new Lodge.  A dispensation to form and open Oriental Lodge was granted and issued by the Most Worshipful Grand Master Frank Thomas, attested by the Very Worshipful, George J. Roskruge, Grand Secretary, on the eighth day of April, A.L. 5910, and the first meeting under this dispensation was held on April 15th, 1910, at which meeting the Master appointed the following officers:  Brother Frank P. Drew Treasurer Brother Charles L. Diehl Secretary Brother Alfred L. Hawley Senior Deacon Brother Donald T. McQueen Junior Deacon Brother R.J. Albertus Wingar Marshal Brother John P. Striegel Steward Brother Jay C. Sexton Steward Brother Columbus Steward Tyler  at which meeting the by-laws were adopted.  The first stated meeting was held on April 22nd, 1910 at which meeting there were received six petitions for the Degrees of Masonry, and the last stated meeting under the dispensation was held on January 13th, 1911, closing the first year of the Lodge with a membership as follows:  Charter Members - 21, gained by Degree - 8, Affiliated - 2, lost by withdrawal - 1, leaving a total membership of 30.  At this meeting, a petition for Charter was prepared and sent to the Grand Lodge of Arizona in session at Tucson, and a Charter was issued by the Grand Lodge of Arizona on the 15th day of February, A.L. 5911.   Knock and it shall be opened unto you: Seek and ye shall find the place where all worthy Laborers may have their names recorded and receive wages, But the sublime moment of a Mason is, when he is entitled The privilege of signing his name in the Roll Book: Thus it was with Oriental Lodge No. 20, when she was entitled to the privilege of having her name placed on the roll book of Masonic Lodges.   On the third day of March, 1911, Oriental Lodge No. 20, F. & A.M. was constituted by the Right Worshipful Cyrus Grand Jones, Past Grand Master, who was authorized by the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Arizona, to act as his proxy in constituting the Lodge and installing the first officers, whose names are as follows:  Brother Austin Sprague Frankenberg Master Brother John Lawrence Waring Senior Warden Brother James Erasmus Drane, Jr. Junior Warden Brother Marquis LaFayette Gibbons Treasurer Brother Charles L. Diehl Secretary Brother Irving Chester Harris Senior Deacon Brother Donald T. McQueen Junior Deacon Brother R.J. Albertus Wingar Marshal Brother John P. Striegel Steward Brother Jay C. Sexton Steward Brother Columbus Steward Tyler  On April 4th of this year, the Lodge lost by death, Brother James Baird Atkinson, who was a very active and promising member, much beloved by all the brethren, who mourned his loss as untimely for he was yet young amongst the ranks of Masonry, having only been raised by the Oriental Lodge on July 15th, 1910.  On October 3rd, the Lodge lost another by death, Brother John H. May, who had formerly been a member of Georgiana Lodge No. 285, in the state of Alabama and was elected to become a member of this Lodge on April 7th, 1911.  The year of 1911 was closed with a membership as follows:  Membership at the beginning of year - 30, raised during the year – 4, Affiliated – 3, demitted during the year – 1, lost by death - 2, making a total of 34 members at the end of the year.  The officers of the Lodge for the year 1911 were as follows:  Brother Austin Sprague Frankenberg Master Brother John Lawrence Waring Senior Warden Brother James Erasmus Drane, Jr. Junior Warden Brother Marquis LaFayette Gibbons Treasurer Brother Charles L. Diehl Secretary Brother Irving Chester Harris Senior Deacon Brother Donald T. McQueen Junior Deacon Brother R.J. Albertus Wingar Marshal Brother Jay C. Sexton Steward Brother Ralph F. Palmer Steward Brother Columbus Steward Tyler  The year of 1912 was closed with a membership as follows:  Membership at the beginning of year - 34, raised during the year – 3, Affiliated – 1, lost by death - 1, making a total of 37 members at the end of the year.  The officers of the Lodge for the year 1912 were as follows:    Brother John Lawrence Waring Master Brother James Erasmus Drane, Jr. Senior Warden Brother Jay C. Sexton Junior Warden Brother Maxime E. Viault Treasurer Brother Charles L. Diehl Secretary Brother Donald T. McQueen Senior Deacon Brother Irving Chester Harris Junior Deacon Brother Lin W. Bartholomew Marshal Brother Ralph F. Palmer Steward Brother Marquis L. Gibbons Steward Brother Joseph A. Nesbitt Tyler  The year of 1913 was closed with a membership as follows:  Membership at the beginning of year - 37, raised during the year – 5, Affiliated – 2, making a total of 44 members at the end of the year.  The officers of the Lodge for the year 1913 were as follows:    Brother Austin S. Frankenberg Master Brother Irving Chester Harris Senior Warden Brother Jay C. Sexton Junior Warden Brother R.J. Albertus Wingar Treasurer Brother Charles L. Diehl Secretary Brother Ralph F. Plamer Senior Deacon Brother Marquis L. Gibbons Junior Deacon Brother William J. Longmoor Marshal Brother Maxime B. Viait Steward Brother Cecil L. Drew Steward Brother John J. Fraser Tyler  A bit of history that Brother Diehl could not have known when he wrote the opening paragraphs of this history, was that the first candidate initiated on Mary 20th, 1910, Brother Marquis Lafayette Gibbons, was later to become Worshipful Master of Oriental Lodge in 1921, and Most Worshipful Grand Master, Free and Accepted Masons of Arizona in 1933.   Brother Diehl did not mention in his portion of the history that two candidates shared the honor of being the first brothers raised in Oriental Lodge U.D.  They were Brothers James Baird Atkinson and Ralph Fleetwood Palmer, who were raised on July 15th, 1910.  Brother Atkinson died April 14th, 1911.  As stated by Brother Diehl, the Lodge grew from the 21 charter members in 1910 to 44 at the end of 1913.  The membership peak was reached in 1928 when 154 members were listed on the rolls, but after that year, membership dropped slowly until 1931 when the rate of loss increased and by 1931 only 103 members remained.  In 1942, membership started to increase slowly at first, but gained momentum until 1946 when the annual report showed 159 members.  Ten years later in 1956, after a period of steady growth, the membership totaled 283 and today is in excess of 400.  As early as 1912, there was talk of a new Masonic Temple, and a few years later, committees were appointed to explore sites and discuss possibilities of a new Temple.  In 1927, concrete action was taken when the Lodge purchased a 50-foot lot on South Center Street.  A small building fund of $55.10 had accumulated and $50.00 was withdrawn from this and $450.00 from the General Fund to make the down payment.  Subsequently a $500.00 bond of the Arizona Lodge No. 2 Masonic Temple was sold and the payment completed on the lot. P.M. Austin S. Frankenberg, the first master of oriental Lodge and his business partner Brother Hans T. Hansen, who was to become Worshipful master in 1931 and 1932, donated $1,000.00 to the building fund, and it is thought that this money paid for the lot upon which that building stood.  An architect was engaged and plans were drawn for a building not to exceed $17,000.00, but before action could be taken, the membership had started to decline, the Big Depression had set in and plans were held in abeyance.  In 1933, the Lodge moved from the J.H. Barnett Hall to the Mahoney Building on South McDonald.  The Woodman of the World and the Odd Fellows subleased the quarter for their meetings and the rent they paid reduced the cost to Oriental Lodge to $10.00 per month.  Sometime prior to 1928, the Lodge acquired a piece of property on South Sirrine Street from one J.W. Suggs, presumably by bequest, as the minutes of the period shows the Lodge had advanced him money as a result of an illness he suffered in Oklahoma.  The property was rented for a brief period, but as the upkeep and taxes were mounting, the Lodge sold the buildings on the property to Brother Jack Fraser for $60.00 and they were removed.  In December 1945 the Lodge authorized the trustees to dispose of the property for $3,000.00 and the money was placed in the Building Fund.  In 1946, the Lodge moved back to the Barnett Building, newly named the “Passey-Gurtler” Building,” where it remained until moving to the South Center Street building in 1951.  About 1945, sentiment regarding a new Masonic Temple began to crystallize and the Worshipful Master requested the Trustees to meet with several appointed brethren to discuss plans and finances, among them a plan to lease the property to a group of brothers to build a multiple use building, containing office and Lodge facilities.  The plans did not materialize and although very little progress was made toward obtaining a new building, sentiment for a new home remained high.  In 1949, Worshipful Master Maynard S. Sargent appointed two committees, a Building Committee and a Finance Committee to explore the financial prospects and examine plans.  Several sets of plans were submitted, but the committees decided that a building similar to the one, then building for Glendale Lodge 23, best suited our needs and as a result, modified plans along those lines were adapted and sanctioned by the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge.  Preliminary solicitation showed that sufficient money, in addition to that on hand could be raised among the brothers to finance the building.  Ground was broken in August, many brothers manning shovels to dig trenches for footings, etc.  The mesa Chapter of the Eastern Star assisted by furnishing lunch to those working on weekends.  Supervision of construction was ably handled by P.M. Joseph Nesbitt, who donated his time and the knowledge gained from many years as a builder, to coordinate the efforts of both the skilled and unskilled.  To Brother Charles F. Weeks goes the credit of blending his abilities as a worker with the more important phases of coordinating the financial end of the job with construction.  This proved no easy task and there were times when it looked as though the money would not be forthcoming with which to pay for the material.  At such times he called together certain brothers of the Lodge, explained the situation, and in his words “they wrote checks like mad” to keep work on the Temple going.  Others who contributed much in labor and finances include:  P.M. Ray Gosney, who supervised the electrical work and because of the lack of skill among the brothers, did a large share of it himself.  P.M. James F. Linsey, Jr., who supervised the decorating and painting and erected the signs.  And P.M.’s Larkin Fitch, Sam Cohen, Wilson Dobson, G. Lee Mumford, Bernard S. Hixson, Jr., and the then present Master, Worshipful Brother H. Bernal Holcomb, and many others who assisted in diverse ways.  Credit should also be given to:  P.M. Maynard H. Sargent, whose efforts as Master were responsible for the enthusiasm for a new building being translated into action.  To P.M. John Hansen, during whose administration the building was started and who donated so much of his time and substance, and was able to turn over an almost completed edifice to his successor.  To P.M. William F. Berkerkamp, who worked tirelessly during construction and during whose year as Master, the financing was completed and the Temple occupied.  The cornerstone was laid in due and ancient form by Most Worshipful Grand Master Belson A. Roach and other officers of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge on Sunday, January 21, 1951 at 2:00 p.m.  The honor of being the first organization to occupy the new quarters goes to Mesa Chapter No. 16, Order of the Eastern Star, who held a meeting and initiation on Monday evening, May 7, 1951.  Oriental Lodge exemplified the Third Degree, Tuesday evening, May 8, 1951, at which time Brother Pryor Forrest Sanborn was raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason.  The only living Charter Member is William Rowley Adams, who demitted to Verde Lodge No. 14, in Jerome, on May 10th, 1911. The mortgage, which was burned when paid in full, was executed in 1951 by the then Trustees Brothers.  The amount accrued by the mortgage was $7,000.00 and was used to reimburse the brethren who had advanced money to keep construction going and pay the remaining material bills.  The terms of the mortgage were that Oriental Lodge was to pay $100.00 principal and interest monthly.  As the Lodge financial conditions improved, larger payments were made and substantial gifts received, all of which reduced the amount owed on August 1, 1957 to $508.99.  As a result of a Expansion Program Fund solicitation, this amount was paid on August 1st and the note of $7,000.00 was marked “Paid” more than a year before it was due.  While we, as present members enjoy the fine facilities at our disposal, let us not forget that good fortune is ours because brothers, many of whom have long since entered that Celestial Lodge above – “that house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” had dreams and were willing – and did – plan ahead and make sacrifices that succeeding generations might enjoy the fruits of their labors. TO BE CONTINUED...