Smyrna Masonic Lodge donates to Tennessee Fisher House Foundation May 10, 2021 at 10:28 am by WGNS
Pictured L to R are: Zachary Smith, Thomas L. Hickerson, and David Neal Martin
Members of the Sam Davis Masonic Lodge # 661 located in Smyrna, TN donated $1500.00 from their recent pancake breakfast to The Tennessee Fisher House Foundation.
Sam Davis Masonic Lodge # 661 is a Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons operating within the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Tennessee. The mission of Freemasonry is to promote a way of life that binds like minded men in a worldwide brotherhood that transcends all religious, ethnic, cultural, social and educational differences by teaching the great principles of Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth and by the outward expression of these, through its fellowship, its compassion and its concerns to find ways in which to serve God, family, country, neighbors and self.
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Representatives of three Masonic lodges, Missouri Lodge No. 12 of St. Louis, Joachim Lodge No. 25 of Herculaneum, and St. Charles Lodge No. 28, resolved on February 22, 1821 in Missouri Lodge’s hall to organize a Grand Lodge for Missouri.
Edward Bates, master of the St. Louis Lodge, chaired the convention, which appointed a committee to draft a constitution for the proposed Grand Lodge and distribute it to other lodges. A majority ratified the constitution, the Grand Lodge organized April 21, 1821, and adopted the constitution and bylaws. Thomas Fiveash Riddick served as the first Grand Master.
It is sometimes said of Freemasonry in the early republic that, “Freemasonry follows the flag.” Many of the founding fathers were members, including Washington, Jefferson and Franklin. It is likely only a dozen or so freemasons were in the newly-formed Missouri territory in 1804.
MOUNT CARMEL - Paul Rutledge, 83, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, and uncle passed away peacefully at his home on December 21, 2020 after a courageous fight with cancer. He was born in Mt. Carmel TN and spent his entire life in the area. He was a member of New Fellowship Baptist Church. He served in the US Army Reserves for a short time. He retired from the Kingsport Press after 43 years of service and has served on the Board of Directors of the Kingsport Press Credit Union for 33 years. He was very active as a master mason with Clay Lodge #386 where he served as Worshipful Master a couple of times once in 1978 and again in 2008. Upon his death he was serving as treasurer of Chapter #238 of Royal Arch Masons in Church Hill. He served as a Grand Officer in both the Grand Lodge of Tennessee and in the Royal Arch Masons. Mr. Rutledge was a 32-degree mason of the Scottish Rite of Knoxville and a member of the Jericho Shrine, Kingsport Council #117, and Kingsport