1960 BYKOTA Cornerstone Setting
ONCE REFERRED TO AS THE LODGE IN THE WOODS.
Compendium
An event took place a year and a half ago, which will be climaxed next Friday night, June 3, 1960 at 8:00 P.M., when the Bykota Organization Bykota Lodge No. 333, F.& A.M. The constitutional ceremony will take place in the Masonic Temple of Lake Worth.
On October 27, 1958, a group of Masons met in the Trail Park Fire station, with the desire to form a new Masonic Lodge for the Western Lake Worth area. The organization was sponsored by Gulf Stream Lodge No. 245, and under direction of J. Richard Smith Past Master of Gulf Stream Lodge.
The organization met with success from the start and attracted much attention in Masonic circles. Six months later, which is unusual, the organization was granted a Dispensation to Function as a Masonic Lodge, and became Bykota Lodge U. D., with J. Richard Smith the U. D. Master.
After a year of hard work and much progress, The Grand Lodge F.&A.M. of Florida granted the organization a Charter, with honorable mention for outstanding progress. The Constitutional Ceremony will take place under the direction of William S. Christian, Senior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge of Florida.
It is with no small amount of pride, that Bykota Lodge No. 333 invites all Masonic Brethren in the area to be with them at their Constitutional Ceremony.
Installed will be the following officers, John P. Lake, Worshipful Master; Garth W. Staley, Senior Warden; Robert S. Conklin, Junior Warden; Elmer G. Kingman, Treasurer; Kenneth E, Bachtel, Secretary; Newton W. Sutton, Chaplain; Thomas Roberts, Senior Deacon; Ernest A. H. Hurley, Junior Deacon; Rex R. Stoddart, Senior Steward; John W. Northorn, Junior Steward; Lynn Carpenter, Tylor.
Minutes:
Minutes, of the Institutional Ceremony BYKOTA Lodge Masonic Temple Lake Worth, Florida Saturday Evening June 13, 1959.
At a special Communication of Bykota Lodge UD.
To open a Lodge of Master Masons at this Ceremony the District Deputy Grand Master and Past District Deputy Grand’ Masters filled the Chairs:
DDGM R:.W:. William Graber: Master
PDDGM R:.W:. G. Ray Ruffing: Senior Warden
PDDGM R:.W:. Claude L. Fendley: Junior Warden
PDDGM R:.W:. J. G. Weeks: Treasurer
PDDGM R:.W:. John R. Wells: Secretary
PDDGM R:.W:. Frank Anderson: Senior Deacon
PDDGM R:.W:. Harold L. Heglund: Junior Deacon
PDDGM R:.W:. Tyler
PDDGM R:.W:. Joe Moss: Marshal
PDDGM R:.W:. J. D. Lenderman: Chaplain
PDDGM R:.W:. W. A. Colby: Steward
Lodge Was opened at 8:00 PM, R:. W:. District Deputy Grand Master Graber asked Bro. Alphanso C. Avery, Delray Lodge 171, for a prayer for the new Lodge. He then proceeded to open a Lodge of Master Masons in Due Form. As the Senior Deacon displayed The Three Great Lights, a Beautiful Bible was present to Bykota Lodge UD , to be opened on the Alter, by W:. Bro. Alphanso C. Awry in behalf of Ted Goddard, a Charter member of Bykota Lodge. The Lodge and Bro. Goddard wish to thank W:. Bro Avery for his sincere words of Light.
June 13, 1959
The opening was followed by a prayer from R:.W:. J. B. Lenderman PDDGM.
DDGM R:.W:. Graber then introduced brothers from Belle Glade Lodge 273. W:. Bro. R. J. Allen, Bro. Norris, and particularly D. I. (Dad) Evans.
R:.W:. Graber then introduced W:. Bro. James B. O’Keef, of Delray Lodge 171, who gave us an interesting talk on “Why We Have New Lodges.” R:.W:. Graber then introduced and thanked W:. Bro. Avery for his part in the Ceremony.
R:.W:. Graber ordered the appointed officers of Bykota Lodge UD to approach the Alter where they were presented by R:.W:. Joe Moss, Marshal. W:. M:. J. Richard Smith was escorted to the East, and the other officers ordered to their respective Stations.
R:.W:. Graber then read, and presented the Grand Masters Dispensation to Bykota Lodge UD.
R:.W:. Graber then read excerpts from Chapter 42, Lodges Under Dispensation, Digest of the Masonic Law of Florida. He then presented a copy of the Digest and Monitor to W:. Bro. Smith. He instructed him, as requested, by The Grand Master to hold few Meetings and keep them short.
At 8:50 PM R:.W:. Graber turned the Gavel and Lodge over to W:. M:. Smith.
Bykota Lodge No. 333 was chartered April 20,1960, to meet at Lake Worth in Palm Beach County.
| Three Line Officers at chartering were: | Chartering Grand Lodge Officers were: |
|---|---|
| JOHN P. LUKE - WORSHIPFUL MASTER | G. RODMAN PORTER - GRAND MASTER |
| GARTH W. STALEY – SENIOR WARDEN | J. EDWIN LARSON – DEPUTY GRAND MASTER |
| ROBERT E. CONKLIN – JUNIOR WARDEN | FLETCHER G. McQUEEN – SENIOR GRAND WARDEN |
| WILLIAM S. CHRISTIAN - JUNIOR GRAND WARDEN | |
| GEORGE W. HUFF – GRAND SECRETARY |
The word Bykota stands for: BE YE KIND ONE TO ANOTHER. This name is taken from the first letter of the first six words in Ephesians, 4th chapter, 32nd verse. The fifty charter members of this lodge came from seven other Florida Lodges, twenty lodges from other states, and five of them had received their degrees in Bykota Lodge, U.D.
The seven Florida Lodges were Gulf Stream No. 245, Harmonia No. 138, Okaloosa No. 312, Everglades No. 211, Nor-Mi No. 253, Northwood No. 303 and Placid No. 282. The charter W.M. and both Wardens brought their memberships from Gulf Stream Lodge No. 245 of Lake Worth.
The twenty out of state lodges were Victory No. 649, Strongsville No. 728, Parma No. 721 and Portland No. 366 of Ohio; Wyoming No. 492, Croton No. 368 and Cortlandville No.470 of N.Y.; Sextant No. 286, Fidelis No. 242 and Hiram T. Dewey No. 226 of N.J.; Geter C. Shidle No. 650 of Penn.; Crossroads No. 696 of Calif.; Belle City No. 92 of Wise.; Evergreen No. 114 of Conn.; Noble No. 362 and Candida No. 927 of 111.; Jefferson No. 15 of Del.; Loyalty No. 488 of Mich.; Ezekeil Bates of Mass. And North Birmingham No. 591 of Ala.