By John Kriz
Two centuries in New Canaan. What organizations in town have such a long tenure? Well, New Canaan itself is older, chartered in 1801. The Congregational Church on God’s Acre is even older, having been gathered in 1733.
And then there is Harmony Lodge No. 67 AF&AM (Ancient Free & Accepted Masons) — two centuries young this year, having been chartered on May 30, 1825. www.newcanaanfreemasons.com Its founders are a veritable who’s who of early New Canaan, with surnames such as Benedict, St. John, Silliman, Weed, Seeley, Carter, Richards and Talmadge.
Harmony Lodge History
Harmony Lodge’s first meeting place was in what is now called the Hanford-Silliman House, built 1764, which has since become part of the campus of the New Canaan Museum & Historical Society. A brass plaque noting this historic site and event is found in the Historical Society’s main building, which was originally New Canaan’s Town House (Town Hall), built 1825. For many years Harmony Lodge rented the second story from the town for meetings.
In subsequent moves, Harmony Lodge used a room in Benedict’s Shoe Factory, which was a large building on the northwest corner of Main and Elm Streets, and also the building just south of what is now the fire station. This building still stands, and is currently occupied by Chef Prasad. The round window at the top of that building used to be stained glass with the Masonic symbol of the builder’s square, compass and letter G, for God and Geometry. (Geometry relates to building design and construction, and the trade of being a stonemason – the antecedent of today’s Freemasonry – as well as God being the Architect of the Universe.)
In the late 1950s a complex land swap involving Harmony Lodge, the Episcopal Church and the Methodist Church was struck, with Harmony Lodge taking over the 1800s-built former Methodist Church at the corner of Main and Church Streets, just south of the library. Harmony Lodge has remained there to this day.
Harmony Lodge is also a landlord, renting space to the New England Academy of Dance, a for-profit dance school, which also has a not-for-profit arm, the New England Dance Theater. Ted Thomas, who is Senior Warden of Harmony Lodge, is also an owner of the dance academy, and an artistic director of the dance theater. Some space is also rented to Lilia Khanina Ph.D., who gives piano lessons. Harmony Lodge allows the Veterans of Foreign Wars post, as well as numerous other charitable and civic groups, to meet in the lodge’s building.
Masonic History
The founding of Freemasonry is shrouded in much mystery, some believing that it goes back to the stonemasons (called ‘operative masons’ by Freemasons) who helped build the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem. In any case, Freemasonry is generally recognized as the oldest fraternal and charitable society in the world, with modern Freemasonry likely emerging from medieval craft guilds. The stylized aprons Masons wear at meetings are symbolic of the toolbelts operative masons wear, and the ‘jewels’ that Masons wear to denote their office in the lodge are styled after operative masons’ tools such as the plumb bob and trowel. In a nutshell, this symbolism is all about building: building better men, building better communities, and building a better world.
While there are variations in Freemasonry practices around the world, most Masonic lodges are male-only, and have a range of secret words, symbols and methods of greeting exclusive to members, though Freemasonry is not a secret society itself.
There are three levels, or degrees, of Freemasons: Entered Apprentice, Fellow of the Craft and Master Mason, each degree requiring the candidate to know various ever-more-advanced rituals and teachings of Freemasonry. Reaching the third level – Master Mason – requires much study and intense questioning by fellow lodge members. This is the origin of the phrase ‘Getting the third degree.’
More than a dozen U.S. presidents have been Freemasons, including George Washington, who was Master of his Lodge, as well as many of the nation’s Founding Fathers, such as Benjamin Franklin. Harmony Lodge secretary John Ruth notes that “when you go through the things that we go through as Masons to be able to join this organization, the level of trust just gets that much higher. And that’s kind of what was going on with particular officers during the Revolution. Washington’s cadre, the people he could trust beyond just, yes, I trust you. This was like trust beyond trust. And that’s kind of a lot about what this organization is about.”
Furthermore, the Great Seal of the United States, both sides of which are on the back of the one dollar bill, has Masonic symbols, such as the all-seeing Eye of Providence that hovers over the unbuilt pyramid. This common Masonic symbol reminds Masons that the Supreme Being is always there, watching over them. (One of the things a candidate must affirm is his belief in a Supreme Being, the definition of which is up to the candidate.)
Brotherhood, patriotism, faith and community are Freemasonry touchstones. Says Senior Warden Ted Thomas, “You want to be a moral and upright citizen in front of God and your neighbors.” He goes on to remark that “one of the first things I was told when I first became a Mason is that you have to have faith in something or you can’t be held to anything.”
There is no overall national or international Masonic governance organization, with lodges in the USA being chartered by the Grand Lodge in each state. Connecticut’s is in Wallingford.
While few Masonic lodges accept women as members, there a several Freemasonry-affiliated female groups, such as the Order of the Eastern Star and the Order of the Rainbow.
In addition to the basic Masonic lodge (referred to as ‘blue lodges’) are Masonic lodges with diverse styles and practices. These include the Shriners (who are recognizable by the fezes they wear), Scottish Rite and Knights Templar. Some Masons are members of multiple lodges.
John Ruth sums it up this way regarding the motto of Freemasonry: “Bring a good man and make him a better man.”
Joining a Lodge
Freemasonry does not recruit people directly, such as suggesting someone join. Rather, they recruit by example. In addition, if a potential candidate takes the initiative to ask about joining, it demonstrates curiosity, “and curiosity is an interesting part of Masonry in general because curiosity leads to learning and growth, and that’s some more of the characteristics of the organization,” says John Ruth.
Joining Harmony Lodge is as simple as showing up at a meeting, or asking a member.
Duties of members include modest dues, attending lodge meetings and taking part in the lodge’s civic, social and charitable activities.
Charity
Freemasonry is “an organization that has always been involved in charitable works,” stresses John Ruth. Harmony Lodge is a regular donor to such local charities as Daycare Center of New Canaan, New Canaan EMS, an organization that brings children to town for a summer camp program, New England Dance Theater, the police and fire departments, and the Boy Scouts. In addition to its support for the town’s Memorial Day parade, for many years Harmony Lodge has held a pancake breakfast on the holiday, with veterans eating for free.
Beyond support of these local charities, Harmony Lodge works with brother lodges in Connecticut to support Masonicare www.masonicare.org a nonprofit continuing care retirement community in Wallingford that provides housing and health care for the elderly in all stages of aging. Lodges in other areas support such large entities as Masonic, and Shriners children’s, hospitals.
Ted Thomas puts it this way: “We are a philanthropic organization that gives to the assistance and the perpetuation of society.”
200th Anniversary Celebration
To help mark its two centuries of service in New Canaan, Harmony Lodge is holding a dinner, with live music supplied by the band ‘Not My Problem’ and dancing at the Historical Society – the location where the lodge first met. “It’s almost as if we’re coming home,” observes Ted Thomas. This festive and important community celebration will be on May 31, and is open to everyone. Tickets are available at www.eventbright.com then search under Harmony Lodge.
What Next?
Many social and fraternal organizations have struggled in recent years with declining membership, and Harmony Lodge, and Freemasonry, are no exceptions. Yet Freemasonry still thrives in New Canaan, demonstrating that making new friends, fellowship, self-improvement, and supporting the community both near and far retain their appeal and value. It seems certain that these characteristics will carry Harmony Lodge forward for centuries to come.
John J Kriz is a 30+ year resident of New Canaan. The views expressed are his own.
