Masons receiving the 33rd degree from Maine are pictured. In front from the left are William H. Stretton, Lewiston, and John E. Lord, Readfield; back, Richard A. Makahusz, Brewer; Richard C. Trott Jr., Brewer; Walter L. Hayes, Westbrook; and Jeffry A. Simonton, Scarborough.

Local Masons receive degrees at D.C. meet

WASHINGTON, D.C. – More than 3,500 33rd Degree Masons and their companions gathered in the nation’s capital recently for a meeting of Scottish Rite Masons.

For the first time since their founding in the early 1800s, the northern and southern jurisdictions met in joint session. Sharing the platform were the leaders of the two Scottish Rite Supreme Councils in the United States, John McNaughton, sovereign grand commander of the northern jurisdiction, and Ronald Seale, sovereign grand commander of the southern jurisdiction.

Those in attendance included grand masters from the grand lodges in most states and 46 representatives from Scottish Rite jurisdictions around the world.

Although many events during the week-long meeting in Washington were held jointly, each jurisdiction independently conferred the 33rd degree on a group of Masons who were selected for dedicated service to Scottish Rite Freemasonry or service reflecting credit upon the Masonic fraternity.

Local members receiving the degree were William H. Stretton of Lewiston, Lewiston safety coordinator, and John E. Lord Jr. of Readfield, engineering technician.

The meeting concluded with a joint banquet at which former U.S. Sen. and astronaut john Glenn was presented the Gourgas medal from the northern jurisdiction.

The northern jurisdiction will hold next year’s meeting in late August at Providence, R.I. The names of 105 Scottish Rite Masons have been selected to receive the 33rd Degree at that time.