Benjamin Franklin Lodge #83, Madison, WI

The Philadelphia Masonic Temple is an elegant building erected in 1873 in the geographic center of “The City of Brotherly Love”. On May 26th I had the pleasant opportunity to attend a Lodge meeting there as a guest of Melita Lodge No. 295, Philadelphia. Melita is one of 30 different Blue Lodges that meet in the Temple, along with the Pennsylvania Grand Lodge and other Masonic attendant bodies. It has a wonderful Masonic museum with George Washington’s Masonic Apron, Masonic books printed by Benjamin Franklin, Franklin’s Grand Master’s sash, and other Masonic artifacts. There is a nice collection of firing cannons. There is also a Masonic library and a large banquet hall. Full larger than life size paintings of George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and other prominent Masons grace the hallways and common areas.

The Temple has seven different ornate Lodge rooms, each reflecting a different period or style of architecture. Melita meets in Egyptian Hall, the first Lodge room completed in the Temple and representative of the oldest building style there. The walls, panels, columns, ceiling and furnishings are all excellent and scholarly copies of existing originals in Egypt. They are considered so accurate that local Universities and Colleges have their art and architecture students come there to study the symbols, styles and construction. Fortunately, the May 26th Lodge meeting featured a special program on the room itself. Brother John Minott of St. Alban Lodge No. 529, who is a long-time guide at the Temple, presented a fascinating program on the history of Egyptian Hall and the symbolism contained therein.

Other Lodge rooms are in the Ionic, Corinthian, Oriental, Renaissance, Gothic and Norman styles. There is at least one fault or imperfection built into each room.

The Lodges in Pennsylvania note that their ritual is different than most other states’ and is supposed to be a very early working as in Colonial days. I was impressed at the similarities it has with the Emulation work used by Benjamin Franklin Lodge #83. The Master’s apron is very similar to the Master and Past Master apron in Emulation ritual. Officers were Tuxedoes and white gloves. Officer’s jewels are on collars similar to Emulation. The Master raises three times. The business portion of the meeting covered topics that would be familiar to most Lodges, and there were some Masonic esoteric and symbolic addresses. Approximately 23 Masons were in attendance, with a total membership of 128.
The Brothers of Melita Lodge are all welcoming and friendly. They enjoy dinner together before Lodge, and seek refreshment after Lodge. They have organized Masonic educational activities, social gatherings, and work in the quarries of life.