Current Interest: 116 New 32° Masons in West Virginia

As part of the 100th Anniversary celebration of the Charleston, West Virginia, Lodge of Perfection, the Valleys of Charleston, Parkersburg, Morgantown, Huntington, and Clarksburg joined forces to create 116 new 32° Masters of the Royal Secret on November 21, 2009.

The celebration weekend began on Friday evening with a banquet for 300 and music by the Kanawha Valley Community Band, complete with bagpipes, under the direction of Mr. Robert Leighty. After dinner the Valley formally received the Grand Master of West Virginia, MW Gregory A. Riley, Sr., 32°, KCCH, the York Rite Grand High Priest and Grand Commander, Ill. Michael Smith, 33°, SGIG in S.C., and Ill. C. B. Hall, 33°, SGIG in W.V. Ill. Hall presented his Legion of Merit Medallion to Personal Representative Crawford for his many years of dedicated service to Scottish Rite Masonry in West Virginia. Then 64 new Knights Commander of the Court of Honour received their ranks and decorations. It was a wonderful way to start a new century of Scottish Rite in Charleston.

(Photo: James Busby, 32° KCCH)

Submitted by Gary Frame, 33°

The Scottish Rite Journal (ISSN 1076-8572) is published bimonthly by the Supreme Council, 33°, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry of the Southern Jurisdiction, United States of America, 1733 Sixteenth St., NW, Washington, DC 20009-3103.