Masonic Library on WorldCat
The Van Gorden-Williams Library and Archives, on the grounds of Northern Masonic Jurisdiction’s Supreme Council headquarters in Lexington, MA, has broken new ground. Its catalogue has been added to WorldCat, making it the first such Masonic library to list its collection there.
WorldCat is the world’s largest network of library content and services, and it provides access to its resources via the Internet. It currently lists the holdings of more than 70,000 libraries in 112 countries. It was built, and is maintained, collectively by the participating libraries.
For more information visit www.WorldCat.org.
Valley Anniversaries
Bro. Howard B. Dittman, Secretary of the Valley of Oil City, reports that both the New Castle Lodge of Perfection in New Castle, PA, and Venango Lodge of Perfection in the Valley of Oil City, PA, celebrated their centennial anniversaries in November. Also marking a major milestone was the nearby Drake Well Park. That was the site – 150 years ago – that Bro. and Col. Edwin L. Drake drilled the first oil well.
Grand Commander John Wm. McNaughton was on hand, together with members of the local Valleys, for the celebrations and for a tour of Drake Well Park in Titusville.
Bridges Program Survives, Thrives During Blizzard
Bro. Ben P. Rosenfield, editor The Rite Recorder in Cincinnati, reports that despite inclement weather the Valley of Cincinnati’s “Bridges Program” took place with a good attendance. He says, “Record amounts of snow blanketed Cincinnati during the month of February and, as luck would have it, a major winter storm clobbered the city. Still, hundreds of Scottish Rite Masons and more than 40 eager candidates braved the inclemencies of the weather to be a part of the ‘Bridges Program,’ a truly inspirational and historic moment in the Valley of Cincinnati.
“The roads proved dangerous and ultimately impassable for the buses carrying degree teams and equipment from Dayton, Columbus, and Indianapolis. However, each of those Valleys was represented at the event.” Also in attendance were Sovereign Grand Commander John Wm. McNaughton, Grand Lieutenant Commander, Jim S. Deyo, Past Grand Commander Robert O. Ralston, and other special guests. The 4˚, “The Master Traveler,” was presented by the Valley of Cincinnati. The Valley of Covington, KY, from the Southern Jurisdiction, exemplified the 30˚, “Knights of Kadosh.”
Bro. Todd McIntosh, 32°, general chairman of the event, says, “The enjoyment of having introduced 42 new members to the excitement that is the Valley of Cincinnati is as great as the thrill of the several Valleys of the Northern and Southern Jurisdictions coming together.
“While we missed many who were snowbound by a storm that crippled most of Ohio and Kentucky, more than 350 of the 850 Brothers who reserved seats brought new life to the Cincinnati Masonic Center and witnessed the moving ritual that is so very valuable to our growing membership.”
