Ocala York Rite Bodies of Freemasonry

Ocala Chapter No. 13

Chapter Meetings & Events

Meetings are on the Second Wednesday of January, March, May, September and November beginning at 7:30 PM at Belleview Lodge No. 95, Belleview, Florida (map).

Next Stated Convocation:
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Receiving the Grand High Priest

Ocala Chapter No. 13 - 2008 Officers

Exc. Lucian Mundreanu	High Priest
Comp. Wayne Sessa	King
Comp. William Wagner	Scribe
Right Exc. James P. Rudman, PHP	Treasurer
Right Exc. David A. Aponte, PHP	Secretary
Exc. James Hughey, PHP	Chaplain
Exc. Ideal Baldoni II, PHP	Principal Sojourner
Right Exc. Anthony Marotta Jr., PHP	Captain of the Host
Right Exc. Alan Walls, PHP	Royal Arch Captain
Comp. John Deakins	Master of the 3rd Veil
Comp. Larry Duff	Master of the 2nd Veil
Exc. Steve Mitchell, PHP	Master of the 1st Veil
Exc. Durward Eastman, PHP	Sentinel

Capitular Educational Materials

R. A. Floor Cloth     
History of the Royal Arch
Florida Grand Chapter Mentor's Program 

 

Ocala Chapter History

Ocala Chapter was chartered in 1888. The Minutes of the Chapter prior to April 16, 1906 were lost and are no longer available. The Chapter appears to have been inactive for a period prior to April 17, 1906. Former members of Ocala Chapter No. 13 petitioned the Grand Chapter for restoration of their Chapter charter. On April 17, 1906, this request was granted by Grand High Priest O. S. Wright. On Aril 24, 1906, with GHP Wright presiding, the line officers were elected and installed. The following installed officers were:

G. S. Scott	High Priest
A. E. Gehrig	King
I. Sherwin	Scribe
George MacKay	Treasurer
Jake Brown	Secretary
N. I. Gottlieb	Captain of the Host
J. A. Bouvier	Principal Sojourner
L. F. Blalock	Royal Arch Captain
W. J. Chambers	Master of the 1st Veil
S. H. Martin	Master of the 2nd Veil
O. W. Gale	Master of the 3rd Veil
R. E. Young	Sentinel

Chapter Charities

Royal Arch Research Assistance (RARA)
The Royal Arch Research Assistance is dedicated in helping children with Central Auditory Processing Disorders. R.A.R.A., through the contributions of Royal Arch Masons, supports the Center for Central Auditory Research at Colorado State University, where continuous efforts are being made to understand and treat individuals with Central Auditory Processing Disorders (CAPD) which is a condition in which one has difficulty processing or interpreting auditory information when in less than optimal listening environment. Individuals with CAPD typically have normal hearing acuity but are unable to efficiently process or interpret speech when in a minimally-noisy environment. For more information click here. If you wish to donate to all or any of these charities, please remit your donation to:  Ocala York Rite Bodies        P. O. Box 292 Lecanto, FL 34460-0292

 

Capitular Degrees

MARK MASTER
The work on the Temple continues. Amplifying the Fellowcraft Degree, we are taught that knowledge we received there can be employed most usefully and judiciously for our honor and the profit of others. A beautiful lesson is exemplified, inculcating the truth that although we are often misunderstood, underrated and traduced, there is ONE who will make the rejected stone the head of the corner.

PAST MASTER
This Degree begins the preparation for the Royal Arch, which we are told was removed from the Symbolic Degrees, of which it was once a part, to reserve it for the more earnest seeker of more Light in Masonry. Originally only Past Masters of Lodges were admitted to the sublime secrets of the Royal Arch. This meant that very few could receive them. The Degree of Past Master (virtual) teaches the candidate that he must first learn to obey before he can rule, and to govern himself before he can govern others.

MOST EXCELLENT MASTER
This is a significant Degree in Ancient Craft Masonry. King Solomon's Temple, which was begun so auspiciously and halted so dramatically in the Third Degree, is completed amid much rejoicing and great splendor. The labors of the Craft are given the blessing of the Lord, who descended as fire from heaven. King Solomon, in his gratitude, received and acknowledged them Most Excellent Masters, empowered them to travel and receive Master's Wages, and charged them with the responsibility of sharing their Masonic Light and Knowledge with those less informed.

THE ROYAL ARCH
In this Degree we find the completion to the Master's Degree and the Recovery of the Word. After the death of King Solomon, his magnificent Temple was destroyed and the Israelites carried away as captives to Babylon, where they lived for about 76 years. Here, many acquired considerable wealth and attained high rank and influence in the Chaldean government. However, when liberated by King Cyrus, many of them returned to Jerusalem and began rebuilding the Temple. While this work was going on and rubbish of the ruins of the first Temple was being cleared away, many interesting and valuable discoveries were made, chief of which was the recovery of the Lost Word. With the recovery of that which was lost, it would seem to the novitiate that his search for Light was ended. However in order that he might better acquire the lessons, a seemingly inverse movement of the Degrees, historically, is setup.

ORDER OF HIGH PRIESTHOOD
This is a "chair" degree which is conferred on present or past High Priests, usually during the time of the state Grand Chapter meeting. It tells the story of Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and his encounter with Melchizedek, High Priest of Salem. The High Priest is then solemnly anointed, consecrated and set apart to the Holy Order of High Priesthood.

Ocala Chapter No. 13 Past High Priests

 

1906 Scott, G. S. 1907 Scott, G. S. 1908 Gottlieb, N. I. 1909 Gottlieb, N. I. 1910 Blalock, L. F 1911 Bouvier, J. A. 1912 Cormier, C. E. (?) 1913 Cormier, C. E. (?) 1914 Simmons, C. E. 1915 Wesson, H. S. 1916 Burnett, A. E. 1917 Webb, Bradford C. 1918 Bouvier, J. A. 1919 Cormier, C. E. (?) 1920 Wesson, H. S. 1921 Wesson, H. S. 1922 Lucas, A. L. 1923 Lucas, A. L. 1924 Lucas, A. L 1925 Lucas, A. L. 1926 Lucas, A. L. 1927 Lucas, A. L. 1928 Baugert, C. A. 1929 Baugert, C. A. 1930 Baugert, C. A 1931 Robertson Jr., J. D. 1932 Robertson Jr., J. D. 1933 Jennings, A. B. 1934 Jennings, A. B. 1935 Ferguson, W. V. 1936 Ferguson, W. V. 1937 Krueger, Henry 1938 Needham, William 1939 Reiner, O. S. 1940 Winfield, J. A. 1941 Theus, C. W. 1942 Jordan, W. C. 1943 Hunter Jr., A. S. 1944 Hunter Jr., A. S. 1945 Smith, Alexander K. 1946 Tomlinson, W. L. 1947 Wilson, P. E. 1948 Quixley, C. L. 1949 Barco, James O.

1950 Stewart, Oscar 1951 Thompson, V. C. 1952 Laird, Henry B. 1953 Forbes, I. U. 1954 Ehlers, Franklin F 1955 Nelson, Walter 1956 Kellam, Arthur L. 1957 Sprinkle, H. J. 1958 Marwick, Arthur R. 1959 Smith, James O. 1960 Watson, Philip L. 1961 McDonell, Harold Ray 1962 Dunn, Wallace 1963 Seals, John H. 1964 Smith, Alexander K. 1965 Tubbs, Elmer L. 1966 Hill, William C. 1967 Moore, James R. 1968 Hall, Karl S. 1969 Sykes, Thomas K. 1970 Evers, Luther T. 1971 Smith, Alexander K. 1972 Smith, Alexander K. 1973 Broaddus, George H. 1974 Hammaker, Phil W. 1975 Schotter, John 1976 Finney, Charles B. 1977 McKelvey, John R 1978 Tickner, John W. 1979 Clemmons, Junius C. 1980 Burke, Franklin H. 1981 Burke, Franklin H. 1982 Long, Harold R. 1983 Corbin, Kenneth L. 1984 Hinton, James M. 1985 Riesdorph, Frederick 1986 Sanchez, Leonard 1987 Reiner, Bernard 1988 Ehlers, Edward W. 1989 Freund, William J 1990 Gynan, William R. 1991 Stephens, A. Dix 1992 Watts, Edward J. 1993 Lousier, Fred L.

1994 Mahler, Louis R. 1995 Johnson, Jarvis H. 1996 Smith, James A. 1997 DiPasca, Albin W. 1998 Rudman, James P. 1999 Eastman, Durward 2000 Aponte, David A. 2001 Moffett, Richard H. 2002 Mitchell, Steve 2003 Marotta Jr., Anthony 2004 Ayres, Benjamin 2005 Walls, Charles Alan 2006 Padron Jr., Michael 2007 Salls, Steed 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 2035 2036 2037 2038