Some Historic Photos of The Duncan Masonic Temple, Circa 1912-1915

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Here are some historic photos of the Duncan Masonic Temple which we came across recently.

The first photo shows Canada Avenue (then known as Front Street) circa fall 1912 or sometime in 1913. We are using those dates because the Duncan Masonic Temple was built in the summer of 1912 while the building that is now the Duncan Christmas Heritage Mall, which was completed in 1914, does not appear in the photo.  The Esquimalt & Nanaimo Railway Station, built in 1912, appears at the right of the photo with the word “DUNCAN” on its south facade.

Front Street (now Canada Avenue) in downtown Duncan looking northwest, circa 1912-1913. The Duncan Masonic Temple is in the center right.
Front Street (now Canada Avenue) in downtown Duncan looking northwest, circa 1912-1913. The Duncan Masonic Temple is in the center right.

The following photograph was taken from the upper storey of a building (since demolished) on Duncan Street looking northwest. The photo shows the E & N Railway Station on the left and the Duncan Masonic Temple on the center-right. We are guessing this photo was taken circa 1912-1913.

The E&N Railway Station (left) and the Duncan Masonic Temple (center) circa 1913-1914
The E&N Railway Station (left) and the Duncan Masonic Temple (center) circa 1913-1914

The following photograph shows Front Street (now Canada Avenue) looking southwest from Kenneth Street circa 1914.-1915. We are using those dates because the Duncan Christmas Heritage Mall, which was completed in 1914, appears in the photo adjacent to, and to the left of, the Duncan Masonic Temple, which is the building on the right of the photograph.

Front Street (now Canada Avenue) in downtown Duncan circa 1914. The Duncan Masonic Temple is on the right.
Front Street (now Canada Avenue) in downtown Duncan circa 1914. The Duncan Masonic Temple is on the right.

 
Here is a current photo of the Duncan Masonic Temple:

Duncan Masonic Temple, 1963 Canada Avenue, Duncan, B.C.
Duncan Masonic Temple, 163 Canada Avenue, Duncan, B.C.

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McMillin Memorial Mausoleum, Roche Harbor, Washington

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Mike Gains, of Vancouver & Quadra Lodge No. 2 in Victoria, has provided us with some photographs he took during a recent visit to the McMillin Memorial Mausoleum in Roche Harbor, Washington.

Freemasons travelling to Roche Harbor may want to visit this site, which contains a lot of Masonic symbolism.

McMillin Mausoleum information plaque, Roche Harbor, Washington (photo by Mike Gains, V&Q, No.2)
McMillin Mausoleum information plaque, Roche Harbor, Washington (photo by Mike Gains, V&Q, No.2)
McMillin Mausoleum, Roche Harbor, Washington (photo by Mike Gains, V&Q, No.2)
McMillin Mausoleum, Roche Harbor, Washington (photo by Mike Gains, V&Q, No.2)
McMillin Mausoleum entrance gate, Roche Harbor, Washington (photo by Mike Gains, V&Q, No.2)
McMillin Mausoleum entrance gate, Roche Harbor, Washington (photo by Mike Gains, V&Q, No.2)
Mike Gains of V&Q, Lodge, No. 2, at the McMillin Mausoleum, Roche Harbor, Washington. (photo by Mike Gains, V&Q, No.2)
Mike Gains of V&Q, Lodge, No. 2, at the McMillin Mausoleum, Roche Harbor, Washington. (photo by Mike Gains, V&Q, No.2)
McMillin Mausoleum, Roche Harbor, Washington. The seats hold the cremated remains of McMillin family members. (photo by Mike Gains, V&Q, No.2)
McMillin Mausoleum, Roche Harbor, Washington. The seats hold the cremated remains of McMillin family members. (photo by Mike Gains, V&Q, No.2)
Broken Column at the McMillin Mausoleum, Roche Harbor, Washington. (photo by Mike Gains, V&Q, No.2)
Broken Column at the McMillin Mausoleum, Roche Harbor, Washington. (photo by Mike Gains, V&Q, No.2)

John S. McMillin was a lawyer who went into the lime business in 1886. Lime is a key component of cement, which was the key component of concrete. After 1876, concrete was becoming an increasingly popular building material and McMillin’s Roche Harbor Lime Company was a key supplier of cement in the western US.

John S. McMillin was a friend of Robert Pym Butchart, whose limestone quarries and cement factory at Tod Inlet is now the Butchart Gardens.

John S. McMillin and Robert Butchart were both Freemasons and Masonic symbolism is openly visible throughout the McMillin Mausoleum.

The entrance stairway consists of 3 steps, followed by 5 steps, followed by 7 steps. This is covered in the Fellow Craft Degree.

The Broken Column is a frequent feature of Masonic graves.

The circumference and diameter of the columns are the same as those of King Solomon’s Temple.

Here are some pages with more information on the McMullin Memorial Mausoleum:

Here is a map showing the location of McMillin Memorial Mausoleum in Roche Harbor, Washington:

Regular Meeting Of Temple Lodge No. 33 – 10 September 2019, 7:30 p.m.

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The Regular Meeting of Temple Lodge No. 33 for September 2019 will be held at the Duncan Masonic Temple, 163 Canada Avenue, Duncan, B.C. on Tuesday,  10 September 2019 at 7:30 p.m.

Please note that we will be conducting a Fellow Craft Degree as part of this Regular Meeting. Temple Lodge No. 33 usually holds Emergent Meetings to conduct degrees but, in this particular case, we are making an exception to our usual practice.

All Visiting Brethren are very welcome to attend.

Duncan Masonic Temple, 1963 Canada Avenue, Duncan, B.C.
Duncan Masonic Temple, 163 Canada Avenue, Duncan, B.C.

Dr. David Berlinski On “Atheism and Its Scientific Pretensions”

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For the philosophically inclined among our readers, here is an interesting 2011 video of Dr. David David Berlinski at the Hoover Institution discussing “Atheism and Its Scientific Pretensions” .

 

For those interested in reading more on this topic, here is a link to Dr. David Berlinski‘s book, The Devil’s Delusion: Atheism and Its Scientific Pretensions.

Here are some more videos featuring Dr. David Berlinski:

David Berlinski and Christopher Hitchens,

David Berlinski at the Hoover Institution, 2014

Grand Master's Chair. Grand Meeting Room, Freemasons Hall, London, UK, July 2018 (photo by Paul Philcox)
Grand Master’s Chair. Grand Meeting Room, Freemasons Hall, London, UK, July 2018 (photo by Paul Philcox)

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Shriners Supporting Masonic Lodges And Masonic Lodges Supporting The Shrine

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Mhairi Logan Swanson, Queen of Miriam, Temple No. 2, Daughters of the Nile sent us the following graphic to promote cooperation between Masonic Lodges and the Shriners.

Graphic courtesy of Mhairi Logan Swanson, Queen of Miriam Temple No. 2, Daughters of the Nile.
Graphic courtesy of Mhairi Logan Swanson, Queen of Miriam Temple No. 2, Daughters of the Nile.

This states the case very well. Far too often we tend to focus on the Shrine at the expense of our Masonic Lodge or on our Masonic Lodge at the expense of the Shrine.

Gizeh Shriners of B.C. & Yukon and the Cowichan Valley Shrine Club No, 27 are the public face of Masonic charity in the Cowichan Valley. If you would like to get involved, please contact the Cowichan Valley Shrine Club No, 27.

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