Page Two
The North Carolina Mason
October, 1971
Biscoe 437 Has New Lodge
Dedicated By Grand Lodge
(Continued from Page One)
corned the Masons and guests to the ceremony.
Robert L. Comer (PM-437) provided vocal and
piano music for the occasion and Mrs. Ricky
(Paulette) Harris, daughter of Biscoe’s Mas
ter, sang “How Great Thou Art.”
Secretary Neill W. Pi'eeman (PM-487) read
the following history of Biscoe Lodge:
“In 1935 Biscoe Lodee No. 437 had a mem
bership of 106 in good standing. This mem
bership was made up mainly of former mem
bers of four lodges.
Mount Olivet Lodge No. 195 at Erect, N. C.,
was defunct about 1920 or 1921, some of the
members affiliating with Star Lodge No. 437.
On June 2, 1931 Star Lodge No. 437 consolid
ated with Biscoe Lodge No. 577. Star Lodge
had a membership of 64 and Biscoe had 45.
The name of Biscoe Lodge and the number of
Star Lodge were used making the present Bis
coe Lodge No. 437.
In 1934 Montgomery Lodge No. 309 at Troy
was defunct and 16 of its members affiliated
with Biscoe Lodge.
Star Lodge was chartered in 1887 with 8
charter members. John L. Stewart was Master,
John C. McDuffie was Senior Warden, and D.
W. Hunsucker was Junior Warden. The lodge
met in school houses and private homes for
some time until money could be raised to build
a second story onto a school house, but for the
faithfulness and continued effort of the Mas
ter and two or three others, this lodge would
have died in its infancy, but they finally suc
ceeded in arousing enough interest to keep it
going and it was in good shape at the time of
its consolidation with Biscoe Lodge.
Biscoe Lodge was chartered in 1910 with 10
charter members, W. M. Bostick was Master,
C. E. Kellum was Senior Warden, and W. S.
Yates was Junior Warden.
Biscoe Lodge secured a part of the second
floor of the Norfolk Southern Railroad depot
for a hall and after the consolidation it has
been rearranged and was really a nice hall for
a small town.
From 1931 Biscoe Lodge grew to a member
ship of 226 and on June 10, 1959 Troy Lodge
U.D. was instituted and 62 of our members de-
mitted to what is now Troy Lodge No. 718,
leaving Biscoe Lodge with 164 members.
Since that time others have demitted to Troy
Lodge and several to other lodges and several
others have been called to their reward. We
now have 162 members.
In 1970 the lodge purchased a store building
and completed the basement which we now oc
cupy. Brother W. A. Lewis, Jr. drew the plans
and Kern Construction Company did the work.
Popes, Incorporated occupies the store.
Biscoe Lodge is proud of the building and
thinks it is a credit to a community as small
as ours.”
When Brother Freeman had finished read
ing the history Grand Master Mims told the
members that their building was indeed a cred
it to their or any other community. He praised
the members for the effort they had made to
provide such a fine Masonic Temple and told
them that he and the other Grand Lodge Offi
cers were proud and happy to be a part of the
dedication.
Following the ceremony refreshments were
served by the ladies of the Eastern Star.
Upper left; some of the ladies who witnessed
dedication of Biscoe 437. Upper right; Sec
retary Neill Freeman reads lodge history.
Lower left; the festive board at Biscoe com
mands attention. Lower right; Paulette Har
ris sings during dedication ceremony.
Certified Lecturers Talk
And Listen For Five Days
(Continued from Page One)
ing labor, etc. He must know the Tyler’s Oath,
the questions and answers in all three cate
chisms, and be able to deliver all three lec
tures.
In order to remain on the active roster of
Certified Lecturers a Mason must be re-exam
ined each five years and we have some who
are still active after thirty or more consecutive
years. The Laudamus Certificate is awarded
each Certified Lecturer completing fifteen or
more years of service. A Certified Lecturer un
able to remain active because of physical im
pairment is retained on the roster in an Emei*-
itus status. A Mason must be on the active
roster to qualify for selection as District
Deputy Grand Lecturer and only those lec
turers on the active roster are qualified and
authorized to conduct Lecture Seiwice for a
lodge.
Under the five-year renewal system a large
number of Certified Lecturers must be re-ex
amined each year and these, along with the
new applicants, prove their proficiency in their
respective areas each September. Several Cer
tified Lecturers are lost by death each
year. There are also a few each year who do
not respond to the call for re-examination and
these are dropped from the roster unless, for
good cause, they ai’e granted a one-year exten
sion. Losses are usually juure than offset by
new applicants and the active roster has shown
a slight increase during recent years.
A Mason appearing for examination, either
new or lenewal, is examined by a team of Cer
tified Lecturers who are not due for re-exa
mination in that year, each Certified Lecturer
examining him in a different segment of the ri
tual until all parts have been covered. A Certi
fied Lecturer may not be one of the team exa
mining an applicant he has recommended or
who is a member of his lodge. An applicant
must satisfy each examining lecturer as to his
proficiency before he can be issued a five-j’’ear
certification. The examinations begin shortly
after nine in the morning and most applicants
finish just before or shortly after lunch.
The Certified Lecturer program is largely
responsible for the excellence and uniformity
of the work being performed in North Carolina
lodges and the Masons who spend so much
time and effort in the program earn the grati
tude of all North Carolina Masonry.
Quite often when Masons hear how much
must be memorized in order to become a Cer
tified Lecturer they view this as an almost im
possible undertaking. However, the Mason who
attends lodge regularly and is active in the
work of the lodge is frequently agreeably sur
prised to discover that he has progressed to the
point that only a little more work will qualify
him to become a Certified Lecturer. Almost one
percent of the Masons in North Carolina are
Certified Lecturers and many more are either
qualified or could become qualified with just a
little more work. So it isn’t all that difficult.
PGM Burrier Hospitalized
Last Month Now at Home
Past Grand Mu;Jter W. Edward Burrier re
ceived treatment in a Charlotte hospital dur
ing part of September and is now reported to
be recuperating at home.
Cards and notes will reach Brother Burrier
at Post Office Box 1228, Charlotte 28201.