COBDEN — The blue building on the corner of Astrolabe Road and Pembroke Street (Hwy. 17) may be a mystery to many. There never seems to be many vehicles near it. The yard is immaculate and the building well maintained.
But, it is a well-respected facility by those who enter its doors.
It’s the Cobden Lodge 459 – perpetuating the memory of Enterprise Lodge No. 516 (Beachburg) of Freemasonry.
Freemasonry is the oldest and largest fraternal organization in the world, celebrating its 300th anniversary this year.
Its members share a common goal of helping each other become better men, noted member Keith Clifford during an open house held on Saturday, June 3 at the facility.
“Membership is open to anyone who has a belief in a Supreme Being,” he said. “We are open to all religions.”
Hoping to encourage the public to have a glimpse into the world of Freemasonry, the club hosted an open house on Saturday.
Upon entering the building, guests were met by Freemasons who provided a tour of the facility, answering any questions they may have had.
Freemason Doug Schauer, who is the secretary, said its members are very diverse, from lawyers to doctors, teachers to farmers, businessmen to military, and everything in between.
In a pamphlet provided to the guests, a brief history of the Cobden Lodge was told. It received its charter in 1903 with 16 members. While the majority were farmers, there were doctors, businessmen and the editor of the Cobden Sun. The first Worshipful Master was W. Bro. MH Wilson and the first meeting took place at Danlin’s Hall on Crawford Street.
In 1919, Memorial Hall was built on Main Street to commemorate the sacrifice of the war of 1914-1918 and the lodge moved to the second floor and membership grew.
On Tuesday, February 11, 1958, as members and visitors assembled, the building caught fire. While no lives were lost, all furniture and records were destroyed.
A new lodge building was constructed at the current location and the first meeting was held on Tuesday, January 13, 1959 with W. Bro. HW Hawkins presiding.
In 2003, Cobden Lodge celebrated its centennial year, and on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2007, Enterprise Lodge No. 516 of Beachburg amalgamated with Cobden Lodge.
Cobden Lodge continues to serve Cobden, Beachburg, Foresters Falls and outlying areas. It meets the second Tuesday of the month except for June, July and August.
Freemasonry offers much to its members, including the opportunity to grow, the chance to make a difference and the means to make a better world for children. It offers the chance to socialize and work with men who have the same values and ideals.
Masonry is a fraternity rather than a service organization, social club or benevolent body. However, charity in the form of helping other people is considered to be a cornerstone of the fraternity. Masons are encouraged to be actively involved in their communities.
The Cobden lodge has about 50 members, noted Mason Fred Smithers.
He noted the Order of the Eastern Star, of which there are organizations in Renfrew and Pembroke, are part of the Freemasons.
