The year 2017 marked the 300th anniversary of the founding of the Grand Lodge of England. This Grand Lodge was the Mother of our Grand Lodge. On June 24th, 1717, four London Lodges, which had existed for some time, came together at the Goose and Gridiron Tavern in St Paul's church yard, declared themselves a Grand Lodge and elected Anthony Sayer as their Grand Master. This was the first Grand Lodge in the world.

The questions of when, how, why and where Freemasonry originated are still a matter of debate. The consensus amongst Masonic scholars is that it descends directly or indirectly from the organization of operative stonemasons who built the great cathedrals and castles of the middle ages.

During the 1600's, non-working or speculative Masons became interested in joining the operative Mason lodges. The first recorded evidence of a speculative Mason being initiated is in 1641 in England. Ireland and Scotland also formed Grand Lodges and all three of them registered lodges in Canada, as Masons came to Canada as pioneers and military members. The Lodges in Canada at the time included both Quebec and Ontario. The Grand Lodge of England was stubborn in recognizing the establishment of a Grand Lodge in Ontario or Upper Canada as it was then known. They had been petitioned since 1817 by a group of lodges in the Kingston area to have a Grand Lodge established. This did not happen until 1822, when they appointed Simon McGillivray to be Provincial Grand Master for the Province of Upper Canada.

The new lodges in Upper Canada were known as the Provincial Grand Lodge and the Grand Lodge of England appointed the Provincial Grand Master. The Lodges of Upper Canada eventually wanted to form their own Grand Lodge to have local control. Finally, in October of 1855, forty-one lodges met in Hamilton to discuss forming their own Grand Lodge. Twenty-six of these lodges were under the register of the Grand Lodge of England. The other lodges were under the register of the Grand Lodges of Ireland and Scotland. Thirty of those forty-one lodges voted to become part of the new Grand Lodge. William Mercer Wilson was appointed the first Grand Master.

The Past Grand Master of Michigan consecrated the Grand Lodge of Canada and installed the Grand Master and invested the officers. The Grand Lodge of Ireland and several American Grand Lodges recognized the new Grand Lodge.

The published Proceedings of our Grand Lodge abound with the documentary evidence to enlighten and encourage those who follow. The formation of the independent Grand Lodge of Canada under the leadership of M.W. Bro. William Mercer Wilson, the first Grand Master, is the great example of 'change way back then' achieved by the determination and perseverance of a few good men. They had a dream, a vision of how change could achieve a better way of practicing their Craft in Upper Canada, adapting Old World conventions in principle to serve the needs of their Brethren and conditions in the New World. They understood the delicate balance between timeless values and the necessity of adapting them to the present times and conditions. In this sense, they proved that Freemasonry is both timeless and timely. "Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved." William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925)

At present, many lodges are enjoying an influx of candidates for Initiation. It is easy to bring a man into Masonry; it takes only about forty-five minutes. The challenge is to keep these intelligent, curious young men interested and active in the practice of Freemasonry for the rest of their lives. A lodge must be more than a degree mill; more than a social club. A meeting must have more than the reading of minutes, the conduct of routine business, and the perfunctory conferral of yet another degree to supply the "mysteries and privileges" we promise every man that enters the lodge. The lodge must be a place of lively learning & an experience that is rewarding through participation, study, and discussion - education and self-improvement.