Pawnee Masonic Lodge #675- All About Helping Others
By Cindy Ladage
The Masonic Lodge is located on the square in Pawnee, Illinois. It was built in 1991, replacing one that was there many years before. Lodge members Vince Harris, Worshipful Master, Michael Brodie, Senior Warden, Brian Spellman, Secretary, and Tom Dozier, Chaplain, and Carl Springer, a member that has held most official positions, shared information about the Pawnee Lodge. “The building that sat here had a post office in the bottom, and the Lodge upstairs,” Michael Brodie said.
Much of their ornate furniture in the meeting room is from the old Lodge Hall in Springfield that is now the Hoogland. The center of the Lodge meeting space holds a Bible that they said was open during the meetings.
These members have been Masons for many years. Carl has been a member for over 70 years. The only member that has been there longer is Bill Dickey. “He got in two or three months before me,” Carl shared. Ninety-year-old Clifford Tyler, and Herman Goddard are also long-time Masons as well.
The Masons have been a group since 1871, and Michael shared that in many cases when one family member joins, others do so as well. Many of their members are 2nd or 3rd generation members. Five members of our family are Mason’s,” Carl said.
In 2017, Tom Dozier wrote a history of the Masons when they celebrated their 300th anniversary of the Masons as they are today. He wrote, “Masonry is a fraternity of men whose purpose is to make “better men out of good men” by strengthening his character, improving his moral and spiritual outlook, and broadening his mental horizons.”
Michael added another motto is, “To be one, ask one.”
The Mason’s began in London in 1717 and soon after Grand Lodges were established in Ireland, Scotland, France, Spain and Poland, so this is a global organization. Tom said eight members of the Masons signed the Declaration of Independence and 13 signed the Constitution of the United States. Several members recognizable from the American history books include Benjamin Franklin, Paul Revere, John Hancock, Patrick Henry, Nathan Hale, and John Paul Jones.
Several US Presidents were also Masons including George Washington, James Monroe, Andrew Jackson, James Garfield, Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, Warren Harding, and Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Michael shared that they are mostly a charitable organization offering two $1,000 scholarships to Pawnee students, helping with the Lion’s Club Christmas Basket, and more.
They also assist younger member groups like Rainbow Girls, Job’s Daughters, and Demolay with funding their summer conventions as well. This past year they assisted an award-winning Pawnee football player, Carson Wort, with funding to participate in a game at Weslyn College.
“We sponsor kids in town on the Angel Tree in both Pawnee and Divernon,” Brian Spellman shared, adding that Divernon merged with the Pawnee Lodge in 2022. Years earlier, the Loami Lodge merged with Divernon, and today they have a variety of members. “We have 105 members from Pawnee, Divernon, Kincaid, Taylorville, and some from Springfield,” Vince added.
The term Mason originally comes from the term stone masons. Origins of the term go back to the stone mason’s that built Solomon’s temple.
The Pawnee Masonic Lodge is welcoming new members, the Masons are the male membership, and the Eastern Star is the female arm of the Masonic group. The Mason’s meets on the first Thursday of the month. While the Mason group is large and growing, Tom shared that the Eastern Star group is smaller in Pawnee, with mature members. In the past, the Eastern Star women have offered a chili and soup dinner and spaghetti dinners.
The Masons do not have any religious or political affiliation. Members just need to be 18 years of age, have no criminal background and share a belief of a Higher Power. The Ansar Shriners are also Masons.
In May and September, Pawnee Masonic Lodge has breakfasts to raise money for the scholarships. The front part of the Lodge where meals are served can be rented out for events. ‘It is often used for bridal showers, family gatherings and such,” Brian said.
Being a member of this organization that does so much for the community means a lot to their members. “My favorite part of being a Mason is the brotherhood. If you have a problem, you don’t have to ask, they are there to help.”
“Meeting people and being involved with the lodges,” is Michael’s favorite aspect. The Masons have three levels of membership, and other lodges come to their assistance when initiations take place supporting one another
To contact the lodge, reach out on Messenger from their Facebook Page.