Geneva Freemasons celebrate 170 in the community with open house and ribbon cutting

Geneva Masonic Lodge #139 marked its 170th anniversary this month and celebrated with an open house event at the lodge at 10 S. Second St. in Downtown Geneva.

About 40 people gathered outside the lodge just before noon for the ribbon cutting and to hear speeches from the Geneva Lodge’s Worshipful Master Eric Johnson, Chamber of Commerce Chair Mike Olesen, Mayor Kevin Burns and the Worshipful Grand Master of the state chapter David Lynch.

Johnson gave a brief history of the lodge. It received its charter on Oct. 2, 1854, from the Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, four years before Geneva was incorporated as a village. He said member dues were $1 that year.

Johnson said by 1900, its had 190 members, and the lodge has been at its current location since 1960. Today the Geneva Lodge has over 100 members, who come all over Kane County and the surrounding area.

Lynch detailed the work Freemasons do for their community. He estimated that Masonic lodges throughout Illinois give nearly $1 million per day to charity, in total.

“It’s an honor for our Grand Lodge officers to honor the Geneva Lodge on 170 years of being in this community. That is quite a feat when you think about it,” Lynch said. “That tells me that we have a purpose here on earth, that god put masons here on earth because we are a moral institution. We take good men and teach them to be better men.”

After the ribbon cutting, community members were invited to tour the lodge. Inside, several historic artifacts were on display, including the lodge’s original 1854 Bible, their charter certificate and plaques memorializing hundreds of members throughout the past 170 years.

Lodge members at the event ranged from 28 years old with seven months of membership to 96 years in age with 68 years of membership.

Batavia resident Carmine Routon became a Freemason this spring, after a coworker introduced him to the lodge. He’s enjoyed the first few months.

“It’s awesome getting to know all the guys and helping with charities,” Routon said. “It’s a really great group guys, real welcoming and real friendly. It’s been a really great experience.”

Shriner and Freemason Jason Arrington has cerebral palsy and was a patient of Shriners Hospital in Chicago. He said the Freemasons have donated millions of dollars to take care for his and other children’s medical bills over the years.

“If it wasn’t for Shriners and it wasn’t for Masons, right now I wouldn’t be walking,” Arrington said. “I’ve never seen a medical bill in my whole life.”

Senior Warden and Charity Committee Chair Jacob McConnell said the fraternity’s mission hasn’t changed much in the past 170 years. He said their mission is still to support and better the men in the community and they still do as much charity and community work as possible.

Each year, the lodge supports local school districts by offering four scholarships, and in the last month they donated $2,000 to both the Geneva and St. Charles School Districts. They also host frequent blood drives, holiday toy drives, and members donate their time to the Salvation Army and Feed My Starving Children.

The lodge is currently collecting coats, clothes and necessities for people in crisis situations, which will be donated to the Geneva Police Department.

McConnell said the lodge is not as secretive as people think, though there are certain things they don’t make public, like their secret handshakes and the words said during their rituals. The lodge opening to the public, however, is still a rare occurrence, as their last open house was 20 years ago to celebrate 150 years.

McConnell said while they don’t recruit, men can become members by filling out an application on the lodge’s website or by being referred by a member. Applicants are required to fill out a petition, which is then voted on by members.

McConnell said dues have increased substantially from $1 per year 170 years ago, but are still under $100 per year.

The lodge’s officers changes every year. McConnell was appointed to Senior Warden in June, and next June he will be promoted to Worshipful Master, the highest ranking member of the lodge.