Bytown Bulletin – Vol. 45, No. 4
- Lodge Officers 2025-2026
- Message from the East
- Chili Cook Off
- Blood Donor Clinic
- Masonic Ed: The Convivial Mason
- Trivia Event
Lodge Officers 2025-2026
Bytown Lodge has a near-full slate of officers-elect for the 2025-2026 masonic year. They were elected April 17, 2025 at our Regular Meeting.
Continuing with the previous masonic year, no Past Masters were required to fill any of the principal or assistant officer chairs with the exception of the Tyler.
IPM – W. Bro. Peter Ruttan
WM – Bro. Jon Orazietti
SW – Bro. Howard Schwartz
JW – Bro. Colin Boche
Chaplain – V.W. Bro. Jeff Hawkins
Secretary – W. Bro. Brodie Fraser
Treasurer- V.W. Bro. Scott Macdonald
SD – Bro. Spencer Jay
JD – Bro. Kyle Walden
IG – Bro. Zachery Porter
Tyler – W. Bro J.F. Legault
Senior Steward – Bro. Corto Soulas-Nallet
Junior Steward – TBD
Director of Ceremonies – R.W. Bro. John Hawkins
Master of the Degrees – IPM – W. Bro. Peter Ruttan
The installation ceremony is scheduled for May 15, 2025.
MESSAGE FROM THE EAST
As Spring has finally arrived, I write this last message for the bulletin. In May, the ceremony of installation will occur and I will hand over leadership of Bytown Lodge to Bro. Jon Orazietti. This past year has been a whirlwind of activities, learning and enjoyment.
The many opportunities to visit other lodges and engage with the members have been great moments of which I am the better for it. While this year has not been as busy with degree work as last year, we had meaningful events each month. We welcomed three new Brethren into the Craft, received our District Deputy Grand Master once for his official visit, once for his fraternal visit, and again during our Regular Meeting in April. We successfully organized and reviewed our By-Laws, which will be sent to Grand Lodge for approval, hosted another successful edition of Robbie Burns Night in January, and had an outstanding turnout at our annual chili cook-off raising over $1,500 towards our District 2 charity, Crohn’s and Colitis Canada.
I would like to take this moment to thank all of you for your support over the past year, but in particular W. Bro Fraser who kept me on track with the summons and various points of order, and V.W. Bro Hawkins in his role as IPM keeping me calm in the East and providing that whispering voice in my head. To be honest, I could name every Brother who has attended Lodge faithfully this past year and the things they have done to support me in my role as Worshipful Master, and from my full heart I truly thank you for your support.
In closing, I would like to express my final thanks to Bro, Howard Schwartz who took on the role of Editor for the Bytown Bulletin when I became Senior Warden. He has done a great job in rounding up our activities, collecting photos, and telling the stories of our brethren.
I look forward to seeing the lodge move only forward in the years to come.
Sincerely and Fraternally,
W. Bro. Peter Ruttan
Cal Bellamy Chili Cook Off
The Cal Bellamy Chili Cook Off is one of Bytown Lodge’s annual signature events. This yea, on April 11, nine chili chefs dished up their best chili to help raise money for medical research.
With ticket sales and donations from the event at just over $1,500, an additional ‘top-up’
contribution from the lodge, and the 33 percent-donation match from the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario bring Bytown’s total donation to just over $2,600.
At Bytown’s Regular Meeting in May, a cheque will be presented to the DDGM to be donated to Ottawa District 2’s recipient charity for 2024-2025, Crohn’s and Colitis Canada.
Roughly 70 people packed into the dining room at the Westboro Masonic Hall, elbow to elbow for what was arguably the best chili selection in Canadian history.
The Judge’s Choice Aware went to Holly Hawkins, and V.W. Bro. Scott Macdonald took home the People’s Choice Award. Congratulations to both of them, and a heartfelt “Thank you” to all participants, their friends, family members and visitors.
If you’re interested in entering your chili, you’ve got a year to tweak your recipe to get it ready for the next competition!
Blood Donor Clinic
Bytown Lodge revived its blood drive this year, as a dozen brethren and their families rolled up their sleeves for Canadian Blood Services.
Blood banks tend to get low as weather gets warmer or at holiday time in December as donors leave town on vacation, so consider visiting Canadian Blood Services when within the length of your cable tow.
Many thanks to Bro. Spencer Jay for arranging the event.
Masonic Education – The Convivial Mason
This lecture was presented at the April 2025 Regular Meeting by W. Bro Peter Ruttan.
What is a Convivial Mason? It is a friendly, agreeable, sociable mason who is fond of feasting, drinking and merry company. So, with that, I now present to you the working tools of the convivial Mason; they are: the Fork, the Knife and the Tumbler.
The Fork is an implement which enables even the most inexperienced Mason to secure, sometimes by reaching across the table, the most delicate and succulent morsels which adorn our festive board to delight the eye and stimulate the jaded appetite. It is further used to convey the various portions to the aperture which has been specially designed to receive them, and which reduces all nutriment to a common level. More especially, should this implement be used in partaking of peas, which, if conveyed to the mouth by aid of the knife, often prove very elusive.
The Knife, when properly ground and sharpened, is used in bringing crude matter into due form, assisting us to dissect the anatomy of even the most venerable rooster; and to further prepare and divide the same into proper proportions to suit the dimension of the aforesaid aperture, so, that it may not be filled to excess, and thus prevent that flow of fervid eloquence, which should at all times be the distinguishing characteristics of the convivial mason.
The Tumbler enables us, with accuracy and precision, to ascertain and determine the quantity of liquid which we find best conduces to the preservation of our general joviality, and while all Tumblers have not an engraving or marking upon them commonly known as “the pretty”, the skillful craftsman can measure his “tot” by the aid of the two, three finger rule or ever popular, the 2×4 rule.
But as we are not met here as speculative, but rather as energetic and operative Masons, we apply these rules to our Morals.
In this sense, the Fork points out that we should not at all times sit down and wait for what we most desire, but should reach out, secure, and retain it, profiting by our opportunities, and assimilating the knowledge gained by our experiences, four qualities which cannot be too strongly recommended to your notice, straightforwardness in our dealings with one another; sympathy with the failings of a brother; good temper in our differences of opinion; and fidelity to the sacred tie which binds us together.
The Knife points out the value of patience and assiduity, for as it requires to be sharp, and in good condition to enable it to cope with some of the problems which confront it, so we are taught to take care of our mental and corporeal faculties that we may not be left behind in the battle of life. It also teaches us not to cut off more than we can comfortably chew, but to limit our desires in every station of life, that, arising to eminence by merit, we may live respected and die regretted.
The Tumbler inculcates the necessity for moderation in all things, for as it has no graduated scale by which to measure its varying contents, the user must exercise his own judgement as to the quantity of liquid poured therein. So we are expected to ascertain, and not exceed the limits of our internal economy, for, as the Tumbler will only hold a certain quantity without detriment to its surroundings, so should we learn our capacity, and thus avoid either overflowing with unseemly hilarity or confusing our mental and physical powers.
And as the perfect Tumbler rings true whether it is empty, or whether it contains liquor, so should the perfect convivial Mason ring true after labor at the Supper Table. A cracked Tumbler is despised and rejected.
Thus the Working Tools of the Convivial Mason teach us to bear in mind and act according to the cardinal virtues of Prudence and Temperance, so that when we shall be summoned to drink the Junior Warden’s Toast, after partaking of all the good things which a bountiful Providence has provided for us, we may arise and depart homeward or to enter into Lodge for the work of the evening with the gratifying testimony of a contented body and mind, equal poise, and a clear brain.
Contributed by Tony Huglin – Blyth Lodge No. 2869, South Africa, with edits and additions by W. Bro. Peter Ruttan, Bytown Lodge No. 721.
Lodge Trivia Event
The Westboro Masonic Hall opened its doors to participants for a trivia event in February. Brethren, family members and their friends formed teams for the tournament, hosted by W.B. Charles Singh.
The “Bytown Brain Trust” came in second place by one point, being narrowly edged out of first place by a team from The Builders’ Lodge.
Make no mistake, the questions were not easy. Then again, they’re not supposed to be.
Upcoming Events
CGP
May 8, 2025
Regular Meeting & Installation of Officers Ceremony
May 15, 2025
Day of Masonry
May 17, 2025
Ottawa District 2 Meeting
Arnprior, 7pm
May 27, 2025
Emergent Meeting
June 5, 2025
Bytown BBQ
June 21, 2025
