the founding of Mehr lodge
The Founding of Mehr Lodge Charles S. Iversen Past Grand Master
T
he most worthy achievement during my year as Grand Master in 1990 was the creation of Mehr Lodge No. 90. In 1989, when I was Deputy Grand Master, I was invited to attend a luncheon on Connecticut Avenue. It was hosted by MWB Robert B. Heyat (Grand Master in 2007). Present, in addition to him and me, were MWB Robert A. Statler, the Grand Master in 1989, now deceased, and MWB Stewart W. Miner (Honorary Past Grand Master in 1975) and the then Grand Secretary. MWB Heyat explained that many Iranian Masons were living in the Washington, DC area, having been forced to flee their native land when the Shah was overthrown, and that they would like to form a Masonic lodge under our Grand Lodge, and be permitted to confer the degrees in the Persian language pursuant to the emulation ritual of England (as it is done in Iran). Following the luncheon, I heard nothing further, and assumed the matter was dormant.
there was no one living now who had been a principal in the creation of the last one 44 years previously. MWB Miner learned that there were several steps needed: 1. Petition by Masons asking for a dispensation from the Grand Master 2. Issuance of the dispensation 3. Appointment of a committee to supervise the new lodge 4. Petition by the lodge for a charter from the Grand Lodge (in 1990 there was no waiting period for a lodge UD to petition for a charter) 5. Report of the committee to Grand Lodge 6. Favorable vote of Grand Lodge 7. Election of officers of the new lodge
8. Issuance of a charter by During the Grand Lodge Annual Grand Lodge Meeting in mid-December 1989, 9. Dedication ceremony by after I had been elected Grand Grand Lodge Master for 1990, MWB Heyat invited me to lunch at the Twigs An early hand-drawn rendering of Mehr 10. Installation of lodge officers Restaurant located in the Hilton Lodge’s seal at the time of its founding One further item had to take Hotel where he iterated most place, namely the removal from of his presentation at the earlier luncheon. I was Grand Lodge code of a provision that required all impressed by his sincerity and by the idea of a bi-lingual ritual to be in conformity with that authorized by the lodge for the Iranian brethren. The primary issue Committee on Work and Lectures of the Grand Lodge. in my mind was two-fold: what were the mechanics At the Semi-annual meeting of the Grand Lodge in May needed to bring it about and would the Grand Lodge 1990, I explained to the representatives of the Grand representatives agree to it? A bi-lingual lodge in Lodge what was being contemplated by me and that I German (Arminius No. 25) had been chartered in desired to issue a dispensation for Mehr Lodge UD, but 1876, but it used the same ritual as did all other DC first I wanted to see whether the Grand Lodge would lodges, translated into German. favor the idea. So I took a straw vote and learned that I talked to MWB Miner at which time we discussed the the representatives at that meeting were highly in mechanics. The result was that he made a study of the favor of the idea. Then I presented the amendment to steps needed to accomplish it. There had been no new the code that would, if passed, eliminate the aforemenlodge chartered by our Grand Lodge in 44 years, so tioned restriction. It would take a 2/3 favorable vote to
The Voice of Freemasonry
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