Category: Portland Valley Scottish Rite

The place, 709 SW 15th Ave in Portland, Oregon, home of the Sottish Rite in Portland. It was such a tiny ember glowing… maybe I should start at the beginning.

Portland has had its share of setbacks, Covid, etc., but the membership made up their minds and set a goal to make the Portland Valley better than ever and they worked very hard to accomplish their goal. Most especially Brother Nate Neff, 32° K.C.C.H. The membership had to deal with situation like members dropping out of the degrees up to and including the day of the Reunion. I was receiving reports of concerns even on Saturday. I shared my story with numerous Brothers that it was a good sign, because when I was coaching if everything went well during our last practice before a big game, I would be very worried. Sorry, I digress. On Saturday October 9, 2021, was Portland Valley’s first Reunion in about three years.

I walked into the Rite about 8:15 a.m. the class was in session going over the 5º through the 13º in the dining room. They had to move out of the beautiful Candidates Room because the class was too large. We raise thirty new Scottish Rite Masons, and we already have two more candidates ready to come in! Coos Bay, Eugene, Medford, and our Brothers across the river in Washington jointed us. After the lectures we went upstairs to watch the 4º, lectures on the 5º through 13º, into the Blue Lodge to watch the 14º, lectures on the 15º thought the 17º, then back to the auditorium for the 18º, lectures up to the 30º and back to auditorium for that conferral, one more lecture on the 31º, then finally the 32º. The degrees were Fabulous! The casts of all the degrees were a credit to the Scottish Rite. The Rite is known as the University of Freemasonry and Masonry as a whole and this was evident. The sage crew was fantastic, they did not miss a beat. Every scene was set up on time, like clockwork, it was very fluid and smooth. After the 32º I went backstage and the stage crew were smiling, joking, and enjoying the fantastic job they performed. Lighting & Sound did their usual fantastic job. Performing their last-minute mic changes and we need a light over here, and typical changes from the Directors. They managed all these changes with precision and Brotherly care. Wardrobe always looks like a circus time, where is my costume, what happened with my crown, this costume does not fit, and where are the socks? Then afterward the degree getting all the costumes up into the dryers while putting everything back in place and getting ready for the next degree team. It was another excellent job by our wardrobe crew!

Lunch was setup according to Covid regulations and everyone seem to enjoy the food and break. A big thank you to those who set it up. Security and sign in at the door were handled extremely efficiently and everyone was greeted with a smile and pleasant conversation, thank you Brothers! A super job was done by our class director who was also in the 32º to top it off. Then around 6:20p.m. it happened…

I was leaving the Rite and looked into dining room, and I saw numerous new members, K.S.A., Officers, and Body Heads. They were tearing down tables and setting up for Sunday’s rentals. That was when I notice that tiny ember grew into a very bright glow of Brotherly love. I am so proud of each and every one of you throughout the State.  Scottish Rite Masonry in Oregon has a bright future! God bless each of you and your families!

Fraternally,

Gary Kuney 33º
S.G.I.G. in Oregon

P.S. A Brother should experience all of these degrees and experience the Brotherly love, the audience experience, all of this firsthand. In other words, come and watch the degrees and be an important part of our Fraternity!

Individual commitment to a group effort
That is what makes a team work,
A company work, A society work,
A civilization work.

At one-thirty o’clock pm on Thursday, June 12th, 1902, on the second day of the 52^nd Annual Communication of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Oregon, Most Worshipful Brother William E. Grace called the Grand Lodge from labor to refreshment, a Lodge of Entered Apprentices was opened in Ample form with the Grand Officers in position and procession was made, with the accompaniment of Oregon Knights Templar Commandery No. 1 and all totaled about 500 Masons to the northeast corner of an open field at the intersection of Morrison and Lownsdale street (now 15th Avenue).

There they dispensed with ceremonies to dedicate the Cornerstone of a soon-to-be stately Masonic edifice to be erected on the site and serve as the future home and first of its kind Cathedral style model of Scottish Rite Masonic buildings.

At the occasion, Ill. Brother William Fenton, 33º (then K.C.C.H.), provided the oration, its entirety is available in the Proceedings of the Grand Communication from 1902, provided here are some excerpts: “This is an epoch in ceremonial Masonry. It is also a day of reflection, re-examination of fundamental truths and consecration to new ideals. In the brief moment devoted to this service a mere outline of our thoughts can be expressed. This corner-stone is to perform a double purpose and to mark alike the foundation of a great temple builded of brick, mortar and the handiwork of man, and also an unseen house not made with hands, erected in the hearts and consciences of men, swift in purpose and sure of endeavor…  The Masonic lodge is a changing and mortal constituency. Its membership comes and passes out and into the Eternal. Its officers serve their terms and succeed each other, and each year, decade and cycle new men pass over the threshold and enter from the outer door. The temple of yesterday, last decade and of a former generation endures. This corner-stone looks young and new today, fresh from the hand of its craftsman—but it was made in the crucible of the world and will endure until the day ’in which the heavens shall pass away with great noise and the elements shall melt with fervent heat.’… This cathedral, builded by the hand of man, fashioned and adorned by the genius of his brain, will stand as a mute sentinel guarding the fame and glory of our noble order… Individuals, communities, states and nations pass away—their good deeds alone survive the defacing finger of Time. This cathedral shall outlive all that are now present, and into its open doors shall go the unnumbered brethren who follow us. It shall live as a memorial, a witness testifying of our sacrifice, our love and consecration.”

This June 12^th, 2021, marks the 119^th anniversary of the laying of our Temple’s Cornerstone by the Grand Lodge of Oregon; although we are unable to unite at this time for this recurrence it is hoped the Members of the Portland Valley will still celebrate its steadfast endurance and soon again resume labor in our historic temple.  If you are so inclined please consider donating to the Temple Preservation Foundation. All funds donated to the Portland Scottish Rite Temple Preservation Foundation go to support the Foundation’s stated mission: “To solicit and expend funds to protect, preserve, maintain, and restore the cultural and structural integrity of the Scottish Rite Masonic Temple in Portland, Oregon.” The funds donated to the Portland Scottish Rite Temple Preservation Foundation are not used for the day-to-day operations of the facility or fraternity.