Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-05-06
HAWAIIAN LODGE COMPLETES
ITS FIFTY YEARS
In APPROPRIATE CEREMONY

CAV hVt =
CONTINUED from page IL
war vessels that were scheming to
seize the group, they took what was
considered the shortest practicable but
| somewhat hazardous route. going by
schooner to San Bias and across Mexi-
co to Vera Cruz on horse or mule back.
1t was about that time and under
those conditions that there came into
this harbor Of Honolulu on March 30,
1S43, French whaling vessel, the ship
Ajax, lie Teller commander. of Havre,
France, some ten months out from
home.
Captain lie Teller. an enthusiastic
Freemason, was held in such high esti-
nation by the highest of French au-
thority In Freemasonry in those days,
as to be empowered by the Supreme
Council SO degree of the Scottish Rite
in France, to institute Masonic lodges
in ports of the Pacific and South Seas,
in places over which no other Masonic
jurisdiction had been established.
Captain lie Teller remained in port
until May Sd. of that year, when he
sailed on a whaling cruise to the north
west. During the interval he met sew
eral brother Masons, both among the
residents and the officers of whaling
vessels froquenting this port and It was
mutually agreed that now was the time
and the opportunity to establish lodge
of Freemasons. and he granted author
! ity to these brethren to organize a
lodge under the name of lie Progress
de rOceanie."
First Masonic Meeting.
The first meetings of this lodge were
held on board the Ajax, and when the
| time came for her departure. the meet
| ings were held at the residence of Bro.
John Meek on the upper side Of King
street. where Smith or Konia street,
was cut through about twelve years
ago.
From Captain Meeks residence the
lodge moved and became regularly es-
| tablished in a two-storied frame build
| ing on the lower side OF King street
and opposite to Captain Meek's, he, as
owner, having donated the use of this
building for lodge purposes. The up
per floor was fitted up for lodge and
ante-rooms and the lower floor made a
spacious and convenient banquet hall.
AS this building stood back from the
street and was surrounded by high
board fence, II was in every way well
fitted for lodge purposes in those days.
A diligent search has been made for
the document containing the names OF
the original members of this first lodge
but without success. As the earliest
burned when the residence of Henry
Sea was destroyed by fire few year!
later. II Is to be feared that the identity
of all but three of the founders of Free
masonry in Hawaii, as an evidence. il
forever lost. These three were Captain
lie Teller. John Meek and Henry Sea-
When in lS49 the tide OF humanit.
from all parts of the world. both civil
lized and uncivilized. swept in resist
less current towards the golden shore
OF California. these Islands furnlshe
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lodge seeking the Jurisdiction NJ son
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