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About Holland Lodge | About Freemasonry
About Holland Lodge
On May 30th, 1787, a group of eight Masons of Dutch descent living in New York City petitioned Grand Lodge for permission to establish a new lodge that would conduct its proceedings in the Low Dutch language. After some negotiation, and after conceding that minutes would be maintained in English for the benefit of Grand Lodge inspectors, a warrant to confer the degrees of Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft, Master Mason and Mark Master Mason was issued on September 20th, 1787, and The Holland Lodge was formally consecrated in ceremonies held on October 1st, 1787. Deugd Zy Uw Cieraad (Virtue Is Your Jewel) was selected as our motto, and our first candidate was initiated: Rudolph Henry Van Dorsten, Secretary of the Minister of the United Netherlands to the United States.
From its very beginnings, Holland Lodge has had a distinguished membership, including honorary membership conferred in 1789 on President George Washington while the nation's capital was in New York City. Distinguished members included Baron Von Steuben, the Revolutionary War general, and Samuel Fraunces, the famous tavern keeper, who joined in 1789 just prior to his service as steward to President Washington. Other notable early members included German-born John Jacob Astor, raised in 1790 at the age of 27, and future New York City Mayor and New York State Governor Dewitt Clinton, also raised in 1790 at age 21 while serving as private secretary to his uncle Governor George Clinton. Dewitt Clinton went on to have as distinguished a career in Masonry as he did in public office, rising to become Grand Master of Masons in the State of New York among other high offices in related bodies.
Although founded to perform ritual work in Dutch, by 1800 the lodge enjoyed a more diverse membership, for whom English was preferable. To preserve the connection with our Dutch origins, however, the lodge adopted the color orange for regalia and trappings on April 18th, 1800, a custom we maintain to the present day, unique in New York Masonry.
Holland Lodge maintained its prominent status in Masonry and in New York society during the early decades of the 19th century. Unfortunately, Masonry suffered from a national anti-Masonic movement beginning in the late 1820's, culminating in the formation of the Anti-Masonic Party, which fielded a national candidate in the Presidential election of 1832. Holland Lodge suffered along with the craft in general, a decline hastened by a disastrous fire on April 23rd, 1833, that destroyed most of the lodge's property and a significant portion of our early records. After this tragic event, the lodge limped along for the next 13 years with barely more than a nominal existence, coming perilously close to losing its warrant for lack of activity.
These bleak years came to an end on November 21st, 1846, when the lodge was reorganized with a new generation of Masons. As it grew during the remainder of the century and the beginning of the next, it rapidly regained its former position as one of New York's premier lodges, including in its membership such luminaries as Commodore Matthew C. Perry, Edward H. Harriman and Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was raised in Holland Lodge in 1911.
As the years passed, Holland Lodge celebrated its Centennial, Sesquicentennial and Bicentennial with great affection. The Bicentennial included a special commemorative Memorial Service at St. Paul's Chapel on October 27th, 1987, and concluded with a special Third Degree conducted in 18th century costume on Past Master's Night, November 24th, 1987.
Today, the lodge confers three sets of degrees each year, raising three to five new Master Masons in each class. Each degree cycle, organized into fall, winter and spring classes, fits into our schedule of meetings on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month, October through May. All meetings are conducted in black tie, with the Master in white tie and top hat. Several special degree nights are scheduled, including Past Masters' Night for the Third Degree in the fall class and Officer Step-Up for the Second Degree in the spring class.
In addition to degree nights, other purely social events are included in our schedule. On the third or fourth Friday of each month, during the lodge season, a luncheon is held for brethren and gentleman guests in our magnificent Supper Room, located in the Masonic Hall office building on West 23rd Street. In October we have an Annual Dinner at the Union Club on East 69th Street at which awards for length of service and other noteworthy events are handed out. In December or January, the lodge conducts a Memorial Service and Affectionate Commemoration at which we remember and honor our recently departed brothers. In recent years this has been held at the historic and beautiful Church of the Incarnation on Madison Avenue, in the Murray Hill district. Afterwards, the lodge hosts a reception at which we honor lodge widows.
In late December, in honor of St. John's Day, the lodge's usual Friday luncheon is replaced by an especially festive luncheon at which is served our late Brother Frank Baker's legendary Fish House Punch, a libation that must be experienced to be believed. Other purely social events include several cocktail parties, the Spring Dance in April and a Lodge Outing in June. Most of these events are open to ladies and guests, punctuating each season with good cheer and fellowship.
Starting in 1998, the lodge added a new event. Known as a Table Lodge, it is a formal and ritualized dinner program that combines Masonic ritual, songs, formal toast-making and the unique tradition of The Good Fire into a truly enjoyable evening of camaraderie among the brethren and their gentleman guests.
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