Tuesday Treasures

Tom the backroads traveller hosts this weekly meme.

May 2018 - Stoney Creek ON

This will be at least a two part post.

We visited the Masonic Lodge during Doors Open Hamilton. A totally new world to us, we had a great tour guide but I'll admit a lot of the pomp and circumstance eluded me, information overload.

The information below is from Wikipedia.

Freemasonry in Canada traces its origins to the United Grand Lodge of England, the Grand Lodge of Scotland and the Grand Lodge of Ireland, as a result of Canada's history as a dominion within the British Empire. Freemasonry in the United States, including Prince Hall Freemasonry, also influenced the formation of Freemasonry in Canada. Erasmus James Philipps became a Freemason while working on a commission to resolve boundaries in New England and, in 1739, became provincial grand master for Nova Scotia; Philipps founded the first Masonic lodge in Canada at Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia.

The Freemason’s Apron is representative of the apron worn by Operative Masons, to protect their clothing from the abrasive surface of building materials, particularly stone. After receiving knowledge and instruction in the symbolic form, the new Brother is at last given a tangible symbol of Masonry to wear as his own and eventually to carry away in the form of an Apron.

All Shriners must be Masons and petitioners to Freemasonry must profess a belief in a Supreme Being. To further minimize confusion with religion, the use of the words "temple" and "mosque" to describe Shriners' buildings has been replaced by "Shrine Center", although some individual local chapters are still called Temples.

In many English speaking countries, the Square and Compasses are depicted with the letter "G" in the center. The letter has multiple meanings, representing different words depending on the context in which it is discussed. The most common is that the "G" stands for God, and is to remind Masons that God is at the center of Freemasonry. In this context it can also stand for Great Architect of the Universe (a non-denominational reference to God). In a different context, the letter stands for Geometry, described as being the "noblest of sciences", and "the basis upon which the superstructure of Freemasonry is erected."

The Tall Cedars of Lebanon of North America is a side degree of Freemasonry, open to Master Masons in good standing in a regular Masonic Lodge. Its motto, "Fun, Frolic, & Fellowship," is indicative of this social bent. Its members are distinguished by the pyramid-shaped hats they wear at their functions. The name is derived from the cedars of Lebanon that King Solomon used to build his Temple.

I can't remember and don't plan on researching each and every one of these medals.
The guide was very proud of this one in his collection, found at a flea market.