Lafayette County WI Archives History - Books .....Argyle Lodge, Free & Accepted Masons 1976
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Book Title: A History Of Blanchardville, Gem Of The Pecatonica

Argyle Lodge #178 Free And Accepted Masons, Argyle, Wisconsin

    Argyle Lodge was granted a dispensation by Gabe Bouk, Most Worshipful Grand
Master of F. & A. M. of the State of Wisconsin on June 17, 1869. Accordingly,
nine charter members met on July 17, 1869 to organize Argyle Lodge Under
Dispensation and appoint officers.

    Meeting nights were set for first and third Fridays of each month. On August
18, 1917, the meeting date was changed to the second and fourth Thursdays, and
has met according to that date ever since, recessing during July and August of
each year.

    The Lodge was granted its Charter on June 16, 1870 after serving a year of
apprenticeship. The original meeting place was Dr. Thurston's home or office on
Highway 81, still standing and in good repair.

    In 1899 rooms were rented on the second floor over the H. J. Hendrickson
Hardware Store on Main Street where the Argyle State Bank parking lot is now
located.

    In January, 1915, the Lodge voted to purchase a parcel of land from the
Village of Argyle for $500. In May of that year it voted to construct a temple
on that site. On the evening of January 1, 1916, while the temple was under
construction, the front wall toppled, narrowly missing pedestrians passing from
the railroad depot to the business district. At the same time the lodge was
conferring two degrees. The temple was completed at a cost of $7,000.

    On December 14, 1916, the new temple was dedicated. An overflow crowd coming
from Darlington, Blanchardville, Argyle, Gratiot, South Wayne, Monroe,
Monticello, and New Glarus attended. Many were furnished overnight lodging in
Argyle homes because their Model T Fords would not start in the -30 degree weather.

    On June 14, 1920, the 50th Anniversary of Argyle Lodge was celebrated with
Alvin Larson as Worshipful Master, the 75th Anniversary in 1945 with Clarence
LaVassar as Worshipful Master, and the 100th Anniversary on June 15, 1970 with
Karl Gant as Worshipful Master. The present Worshipful Master is John Metzger.
On December 5, 1967, South Wayne Lodge #278 surrendered its charter and
affiliated with Argyle.

    Free Masonry is a fraternity of men bound together by vows of morality in
public and private life who believe in God and in the constitutional right of
members to free choice of religion and political persuasion.

    Masonry is a charitable, benevolent and educational society. Its basic
tenets are Brotherly Love, Relief (philanthropy) and Truth. Through the
improvement of the individual, Free Masonry seeks to improve the community.

    Masonry is neither a religion nor a substitute for one. Some people and some
churches oppose Free Masonry in the belief that Masonry is a religion and may
conflict with some of their teachings. Masonry has no creed and no priesthood.
Neither is it an offspring of any church, ancient or modern. It espouses none of
them nor is it subservient to any. When we compare Free Masonry and Religion we
find that while they have many things in common, their aims and purposes are not
the same.

    A Mason worships in his own fashion according to his own religious faith
whether he be Christian, Jew, or Moslem, Protestant or Roman Catholic, Buddhist
or Hindu, but free of regimentation by society or the state.


Additional Comments:

Extracted from

A History of Blanchardville, Gem of the Pecatonica


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