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About Us
About Holland Lodge | About Freemasonry
About Holland Lodge
A BRIEF HISTORY
On May 30, 1787, a group of eight Masons of Dutch descent living in New York City petitioned the Grand Lodge of the State of New York for permission to establish a new Masonic lodge that would conduct its proceedings in the Low Dutch language. After some negotiations 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 to The Holland Lodge on September 20, 1787. Holland Lodge was, in fact, the first "new" Lodge to be warranted by the newly formed Grand Lodge of the State of New York in the wake of the American Revolution. Interestingly, the lodges existing in New York State at the beginning of the Revolution were "back-dated" to their original colonial warrants granted under the aegis of the two English Grand Lodges then in existence. Holland Lodge was formally consecrated in ceremonies held on October 1, 1787, and selected as its motto Deugd Zy Uw Cieraad, "Virtue Is Your Jewel." The Grand Lodge first issued lodge numbers in 1789, and Holland Lodge was then assigned No. 8.
The first candidate, Rudolph Henry Van Dorsten, the Secretary of the Minister of the United Netherlands to the United States, was duly initiated in the fall of 1787. From its very beginnings, Holland Lodge has had a distinguished membership, including an honorary membership conferred in 1789 on President George Washington, while the nation's capital was in New York City. Distinguished members in the formative years included honorary members Baron Von Steuben, the Revolutionary War General, the Marquis de Lafayette in 1788 and Samuel Fraunces, the famous tavern keeper, who joined Holland Lodge 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. In addition, the future New York City Mayor and New York State Governor Dewitt Clinton, was also raised in 1790 at age 21, while serving as private secretary to his uncle George Clinton, Governor of New York. 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 Holland Lodge was founded to perform ritual work in the Dutch language, by the end of the eighteenth century English had largely taken the place of Dutch in the ritual of Holland Lodge as it grew to include a broader cross section of New Yorkers. To preserve the connection with our Dutch origins, however, the Lodge adopted the color orange for regalia and trappings on April 18, 1800, a custom it maintains to the present day, unique in New York Masonry. Through the early 19th century, Holland Lodge maintained its prominent status. However, Masonry suffered from a national anti-Masonic movement beginning in the late 1820s. This reaction culminated in the formation of the Anti-Masonic Party, which fielded a national candidate in the Presidential election of 1832. Holland Lodge itself suffered along with the Craft in general, a decline that was hastened by a disastrous fire on April 23, 1833. The fire destroyed most of the Lodge's property and a significant portion of its early records. After the disastrous fire, the Lodge struggled to survive for the next 13 years. During this period of nominal existence, Holland Lodge came perilously close to losing its Warrant for lack of activity.
Holland Lodge's period of trial came to an end on November 21, 1846, when the Lodge was reorganized by a new generation of Masons. As Holland Lodge grew during the remainder of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century, it regained its former position as one of New York's premier lodges. The membership of the period included such luminaries as renowned explorer Commodore Matthew C. Perry, railroad entrepreneur Edward H. Harriman, and Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was raised in Holland Lodge in 1911. As the years passed, Holland Lodge celebrated its Centennial in 1887, its Sesquicentennial in 1937 and its Bicentennial in 1987 with great enthusiasm and pride. The Bicentennial included a special commemorative Memorial Service at New York City's St. Paul's Chapel on October 27, 1987, and concluded with a unique Third Degree conducted in 18th century costume on Past Master's Night, November 24, 1987.
HOLLAND LODGE TODAY
Holland Lodge No. 8 is recognized today as one of the country's foremost Masonic Lodges, known for the excellence of its ritual work and its commitment to the underlying ethical principles of Masonry which members of Holland Lodge live, practice and exemplify. These principles are Brotherly Love, Charity, Truth and Faith (see http://www.hollandlodgeno8.org/about.php?id=2, link to "What is Freemasonry?"). Holland Lodge's membership of about 270 Brothers is well balanced among generations in a wide spectrum of professions. Holland Lodge is one of the great refuges for gentlemen in New York City. In truth, every social and moral virtue cements the Brothers while they are together. The chaos, ignorance, absence of moral standards and cultural taste in our contemporary society seem less burdensome when Lodge brothers part and again confront the turbulent world outside the walls of the Lodge.
Each year Holland Lodge confers three sequences of Masonic degrees: Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft and Master Mason. The Lodge's goal is to raise at least fifteen new Master Masons each year. Each degree cycle, organized into fall, winter and spring classes, fits into the schedule of meetings held 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 also scheduled each year, including a Past Master's Night for the Third Degree in the fall and an Officer Step Up for the January Business Meeting and the Second Degree in the spring.
Considered by many of the members of Holland Lodge to be the most important date on the Lodge's calendar is the annual Memorial Service, at which those Brethren who have died in the previous year are commemorated. Widows and family members of deceased Brethren are invited to attend, joining members, their ladies and guests. In recent years this service has been held at the historic and beautiful Church of the Incarnation on Madison Avenue in the Murray Hill District of New York City. A reception follows the service. Widows of former Lodge members are sent letters inviting them to this service as guests of the Lodge. This annual event normally takes place in December.
The most important purely social events on the Lodge's schedule are the Friday lunches and the cocktail parties on Tuesdays which afford potential candidates an opportunity to visit the Lodge and meet its members, and vice versa, helping to assure a full trestle board in future degree cycles. The Friday lunches, at which gentlemen guests are welcomed, take place on the third or fourth Friday of each month during the Masonic year. They consist of a delicious luncheon and a luncheon speaker. These lunches have become increasingly popular recently. The lunches are held in the Lodge's historic and picturesque Supper Room, located in the Masonic Building at 71 West 23rd Street. In December, the Lodge holds its annual Holiday Season Luncheon in honor of St. John's Day (members only), an especially festive occasion at which is served our late Brother Frank Baker's legendary Fish House Punch, a concoction that must be experienced to be believed.
Four other highlights include the popular Table Lodge held in the fall. It is a formal and ritualized dinner program that combines Masonic ritual, songs and formal toasts (brethren and their gentlemen guests are invited). The Annual Dinner (members only) is normally held at the Union Club, where there is much good fellowship and formal recognition for length of membership. Also in recent years, Holland Lodge's Annual Dinner Dance has featured music by Brother Bob Hardwick's Band and has been attended by a large number of members and guests. The next Annual Dinner Dance is scheduled for Thursday, April 19. The Spring Outing in June completes the Lodge's social calendar and is open to ladies and guests as well.
For Masons in good standing who wish to visit one of our regular communications, Holland Lodge meets on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month (black tie), mid-September through late May, normally in the Renaissance Room, Masonic Hall, 71 West 23rd Street, New York City. Please call the Lodge office at (212) 675-0323 or email office@hollandlodgeno8.org for further information.
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