Boston Commandery #2 Strawberry Festival

 

I had the distinct honor and privilege to attend one of the finest Masonic events and one of the preeminent Knights Templar events that I have ever attended, thanks to my Masonic Brother and Eminent Commander Dan Daily, and the Boston Commandery #2.

The invitation materialized because I was planning a trip to Boston that was a combination of business and pleasure. I was excited for this trip as a chance to renew my relationship with my Masonic Brothers that I had developed when I visited Boston as the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota in 2011.

The Boston Commandery#2 Strawberry Festival is one of their premier events of the year. It is a social gathering held each year just before they stop activities for the Summer.

The Boston Commandery has a 221-year history that is deep, rich and unsurpassed. I would be amiss if I didn’t briefly mention their history and to add perspective for all to appreciate it more.

When knowledge of the Order of the Temple came to Boston. America was part of the British Empire, and King George III was its King.

Traveling British Military Lodges played an important role in the spread of Freemasonry across the globe. When on October 1, 1768, several regiments of British soldiers arrived in Boston, among them were several regiments that had military lodges. The 14^th Regiment (Irish) in which Army Lodge #58 was held, and the 29^th Regiment (Irish) in which Army Lodge #322 was held. A month latter the 64^th Regiment (Irish) in which Army Lodge #106 was held was added. It was these Army Lodges which brought to Boston a knowledge of the Order of the Temple.

These troops held regular Masonic relations with the Lodge of St. Andrew in Boston which had received its charter from Scotland. Within a year, a Royal Arch Chapter under the charter of St. Andrews was formed. The recordings of this first meeting were preserved and today we can see that at the meeting ten Brothers were present, of which six were soldiers, and four were members of the Lodge of St. Andrew. The British Soldiers were chosen as the top three officers. This implies that the soldiers knew the work of the Royal Arch. The orders of the Knights Templar were performed under the Royal Arch Charter.

From August 28, 1769, until 1794 the orders of the Knights Templar were worked in the Royal Arch Lodge.

Then from 1794 the Orders were continuously worked without a chartered authority, but the knowledge of the ritual was never lost. 

On March 12, 1802, a group of Masons who were Sir Knights, established Boston Encampment of Knights of the Red Cross. On December 21, 1805, these same Masons formed the Encampment of Knights Templar, and on March 15 of that same year, the Encampment of Knights of the Red Cross dissolved, and later the name was changed to Boston Commandery #2 Knights Templar.

Thomas Jefferson was President when Boston Commandery #2 was formed. –

The venue for the festival was the Daversport Yacht Club, located just thirty minutes north of Boston.   If you have traveled to Boston, you are aware that traffic in and around Boston, can be challenging at all times of the day.

Daversport is tucked away on a nineteen-acre picturesque waterfront peninsula on the Porter River that leads directly to the Atlantic Ocean. The idyllic view is just a classic Massachusetts waterfront view.

The gathering location was a courtyard surrounded by groomed gardens with a large tent pavilion. The weather could not have been more perfect, which given the rainy days leading up to the event, was a bit of a surprise to me.

Inside the tent, the tables were set with white linens for the 98 attendees. Waiters were roaming with trays of appetizers, a bartender was serving refreshments, and just outside the door was a well-proportioned table full of cigars.

The stage was certainly set to facilitate for the magic that occurs when the Masonic Brothers gather and engage in conversation, but we simply call it Brotherly Love. When this group of Masons meet, their conversation is relaxed, open, caring, curious, nonjudgmental and filled with humility. 

It was so good to see familiar faces and re-connect with acquaintances, as was well as meet so many new Brothers. It was the most welcoming of meetings, and as a matter of fact, they were very concerned about my welfare being from the Midwest, so they wanted to help me fit in. My Brothers at the table, as we waited our turn at the buffet line, conducted “how to speak like a Bostonian lesson”.  Yes, I took notes…

I was politely informed that for those natives from Massachusetts or MA, as they refer to the state, only have 25 letters in their alphabet, which does not include the letter R.

We had a lot of fun as they helped me learn the correct Bostonian pronunciation of chowda, lobstah, wotta, or the phrase, I pahk the cah in Havahd yahd.

Now that’s Brotherly Love!  

As we were waiting for the main course to be served, I was asked if I liked lobster. I replied that it is a delicacy in Minnesota, and I enjoyed the sweet tender meat. As I finished speaking the waiter placed a platter containing the biggest lobster, I have ever seen in my life in front of me. I had never seen a lobster that big back at my hometown Red Lobster!!!

It had been a decade since I had eaten a whole lobster and as I looked at that huge lobster, I was trying to recall the process to get to that highly prized succulent meat. I observed that the brothers sitting around be appeared to be true afficionados, so I followed their lead.

First, when eating a lobster, one does not utilize a lot of culinary sophistication.  No way around it, I was going to get up close and personal with my meal. I was going to be eating with my fingers, and it was going to be messy. That big lobster bib they handed to me was a suit saver, and I highly recommended that you use it whenever eating lobster, for that bib is all that stands between you and a multitude of lobster juices.   It will be come your best friend, especially if you happen to be wearing a suite and silk tie as I was. What commenced was a lot of cracking, pulling, and twisting with bits of shell and juices flying in all directions.  I used a tremendous number or napkins and wet wipes, and I wished I had thought to bring a roll of paper towels. Eating a lobster isn’t just a meal, but an experience, and a workout as well.

As I was busy cleaning the flying lobster juices from my glasses and getting my fingers caught in the lobster cracker, I found the conversation between the Brothers both uplifting and pleasing for they were discussing what activities they were planning for their Lodges and the York Rite. It was so exciting to hear of the plans for an upcoming installation of a new Worshipful Master and officers of a Lodge and that they were expecting 120 people to attend. The York Rite degree teams had been holding rehearsals and had a few last degrees to perform before the summer season, and they were already throwing out ideas for Fall activities. For me, as a Craft Mason, it was warming to the heart to hear that the state of Freemasonry is alive and in such good caring hands.  

After dinner the R.E. Grand Commander, Sir Knight, Eugene Blake Nichols, of the Grand Commandery of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, held a short ceremony passing out some well-deserved recognition certificates. Afterwards I had the pleasure of chatting with him for a few minutes. What a nice guy.

But I must also include meeting WB Jim Orgettas, the Executive Personal Assistant to the Grand Master. He was so gracious when he refused my offer to pay for the dry cleaning of his suit, as he sat next to me at dinner, and I splashed him many times with lobster juice as I was trying to eat my lobster. For more information on WB Jim, see my blog post of July 21, 2023 “My Visit with the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts”.

After the comments were concluded by the distinguished Brothers, we all gravitated out into the courtyard, where we watched the sun set in the painted sky, with a cup of coffee, dessert, and a cigar. We did what Mason’s do best, had more meaningful conversion.

As the evening waned, we began saying our goodbyes. Every hand that I shook and pair of eyes I looked into, was a wonderful masonic moment, for it was very much a “happy to meet, sorry to part, happy to meet again” moment.

I think the nicest complement I received was when I heard the words, “We hope you make Boston your second home’”.  Upon consideration, I think I will try to do that. 

I especially wish to give many heartfelt thanks to my Masonic Brother who is the Eminent Commander of Boston Commandery, Daniel J.T. Daley, who invited me to attend and transported me to, this wonderful Boston Commandery celebration.

I am going to let the cat out of the bag. It was Dan who was responsible for the organizing of this event. It was with his caring heart, keen eye to detail, style and panache that brought a Strawberry Festival to a whole new level that I had not experienced. As Grandmaster, all we ever had in Minnesota was strawberries.  Let me just say, lobster versus strawberries. There really was not a contest.