Every so often, men from the area convene inside of a building resting at the corner of Bridgeton Pike and Mantua Boulevard. What lies between the four concrete walls are people, documents and artifacts that tell the lodge’s 150-year history.
On Jan. 21, 1869, the Mantua Masonic Lodge was constituted in the state. Senior Warden John Stephenson said the lodge held a small celebration in January, but set aside June 22 as the day to celebrate with the community.
“Freemasonry is the oldest fraternity on the planet,” Stephenson said. “We outdate the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Knights of Columbus, Elks and Moose lodges.”
He added members learn lessons of morality, charity and brotherhood. Freemasonry, he said, is non-denominational and just asks that a member has a belief.
“We’ll have Muslim brothers come in with wooden compasses to place on the Qu’Ran,” Stephenson said. “As long as you have a deity – Allah, God or whatever – that’s OK because we don’t get specific. You just have to believe. Our lessons are symbolic of life in conduct.”
In the lodge’s history, Stephenson said members have always sought to help other people in both big and small ways. He said members supported a newborn – named Baby Claire – and her family when she was born with a heart defect. He said they replaced the family’s hot water heater, donated food, clothing and medical supplies to help them get by.
“We’ve been involved with Project Prom for as long as it’s been around at Clearview Regional High School, we give scholarships to high school and some J. Mason Tomlin sixth-grade students,” he added.
During the June ceremony, Stephenson said the public was able to see one of two ceremonies they do in public (the other being funerals for brethren who passed) with Gregory J. Scott, grandmaster of New Jersey, coordinating ranking state members to strike an ashlar with a gavel.
“We had symbols such as squares where you want to treat your people squarely, friends and neighbors squarely,” Stephenson said. “They’d step up with the tool and say ‘grand master I find this stone to be square’ and there’s a level and everything.”
The lodge has had one member be elected to the Grand Lodge, Harold D. Elliot, who was a grandmaster.
Stephenson added the lodge was not always at its current location. Prior to 1964, members met at various points within the township.
Despite the location changes, he added the lodge retained a record book, which had to be re-bound some time ago, each member signs when they’re initiated; an oil painting of former President Washington, who was a freemason; knockers on the temple doors for the public to use to talk to them about freemasonry and other artifacts.
Stephenson said freemasonry changed his life as he was a “little wild” and he began to question the things his father-in-law was doing and wanted to join.
“When I joined, even though the guys were much older, I understood the lessons they were trying to teach: brotherly love, charity, make the world a better place one small deed at a time,” Stephenson said.
As for membership in the lodge, he said it’s declining and current members keep it alive through monthly hoagie sales (except for July and August) and donations made by either members themselves or the public. He added declining membership numbers are occurring statewide.
“Think of how the local leagues are with everything attracting guys in there,” he said in regard to dart and pool leagues, bowling teams and bars. “We are teaching lessons of morality, brotherly love, charity and ancient architecture. Maybe people don’t want to do that kind of thing. Maybe they want to do more ‘fun’ things.”
Stephenson said the state leaders are looking into putting up billboards along I-295 with a man holding a square and compass with the text “not just a man, a mason” next to him. Besides that, he added solicitation of membership isn’t allowed in New Jersey’s lodges.
Men can contact the lodge by visiting its website, www.MantuaLodge.com, or by visiting the lodge itself.
“I would love to see this place stand and be prosperous until the day I die,” he said. “I enjoy the heck out of it and it made me a better person. My family has helped with this in the hoagie sales, sweet 16 parties, first birthday parties – it’s my home.”
