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aedifico42| On the Commonwealth “For Lovers”…

Posted at: 9:05 am

[As a rule, MasonicMinute will not promote the constant blathering usually involved with self-serving travel journals.  But since I have a Masonic office that corresponds directly to this trip, I will bend the rule…just this once.]

The Library and the Museum located at the Offices of the Grand Lodge A. F. & A. M. of the Commonwealth of Virginia are wonderful places with amazing histories…and Marie, the curator of both, is the epitome of grace and hospitality. 

Nestled on the campus of the Virginia Masonic Home (a beautiful and scenic place) one can find the Library and Museum mentioned above.  As we drove-up to the building, we had no idea what would be in store for us.  Volumes and periodicals, preserved with love and attention (in spite of the inadequate funding…not a problem isolated to Virginia, but too common among libraries around the country) lined the shelves and walls of the Library.  The Museum, also located on the second floor of the GL building is surrounded by portraits of the past Grand Masters, looking down on the history and herritage of the Masons of the Old Dominion.

The Museum contains handpainted aprons dated from the late 1700’s, a handmade bed-set with over 20,000 pieces of inlaid wood, and a secretary’s desk of a form and style that rivals anything you might see on the ‘Antiques Roadshow’.  None of this compares to the personal attention my guest and I received…and to be sure, we were even treated with a quick glance at the Grand Master’s suite…very nice.

The next night, I was privileged to attend the Annual Communication of Norview Lodge #113 in Norfolk.  After a great dinner, I was welcomed into the Lodge and witnessed an Election and Installation.  Norview #113 was dealing with a great tragedy as their Senior Warden had passed-away in October.  The Worshipful Master took the reigns for another year and appointed all the officers that his successor was going to appoint.  He also dedicated himself to the same calendar and projects that his successor had planned for.

His is a true Brotherly Love…I was happy to witness it.

So the lesson for today is that Virginia really is for lovers…even if it is your recently-passed brother who happens to be the target of your love.

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