Summit Lodge
Our Story
According to Grand Lodge records, sometime between Oct. 19 and Dec 5, 1850, a dispensation was issued to the Brethren of Twinsburg to organize a Lodge to be called St. John’s Lodge. As in those days, communication was not as fast as today, it seems there had been a Charter issued to a St. John’s Lodge down near Cincinatti, Ohio. Twinsburg was forced to change their name and settled upon Summit Lodge #213. The Grand Lodge granted a Charter to Summit Lodge #213 on Oct. 28, 1851. Summit Lodge has held their meetings in different buildings since the beginning. The first 2 buildings met with fire. The first fire destroyed all documents and records. The second fire did not destroy the records. The third building that Summit Lodge moved into was on the southwest corner of Rts 82 and 91. In 1957, the Brethren began construction of the now present Temple on Shepard Rd. and completed the building in 1958. The cornerstone was laid on June 8, 1958 and the Lodge room was consecrated on Sept. 18, 1958. Some of the Charter members of Summit Lodge were G. H. Alling (son of the first settler in Twinsburg, Ethan Alling), William Crankshaw, Silas Oviatt, Solon Lacy, Hector Taylor, William H. Andrews, Eli Thompson and Henry Boswell. In the 1860’s dues were $2.00 per year. Today we have a total of 168 members of Summit Lodge.
I am proud to be a Mason
By Seymour Atlas
I shall never forget my first thought as I made my initial entrance into the Masonic Lodge that conferred the Entered Apprentice Degree on me, and followed with the FellowCraft and Master Mason Degrees. I was immediately made to feel that I was surrounded by Brothers. I felt there were no strangers present. This was one big family that seemed to have adopted me, and I, in turn, was elated to adopt them as my family. My horizon of Masonry expanded. I couldn’t wait to be able to confer the Degrees on others as there was so much I wanted to explain and elaborate about each Degree. I was offered this opportunity and immediately began to study and memorize many parts, and over the years I became very active, holding office, lecturing, and taking an active part in every phase of Masonry where my talents and abilities could be used. One aspect of Masonry that has made a great impression on me was the ability of all Brothers, regardless of religion, to ask me why did I need Masonry as a Rabbi, because my profession was one of integrity, kindness, honesty, and all the attributes expounded in Masonry. It was difficult for many to grasp my need for this addition and supplement to religion. I worked with men of different religions, as well as of the Hebrew faith, and they were all impressed when I would say that Masonry is not a religion, but to be a Mason, we had to believe in God, and if this was the only aspect of our religion and we had no other formal religion, yet we adhered to all the moral teachings of Masonry; this too would have put us in the category of men of integrity. However, Masonry is not a substitute for religion, nor is it a religion. My experience has shown that Masons are, for the most part, deeply religious men. I am proud to be a Mason and a part of an organization that is devoted to helping, without question or embarrassment, widows, orphans, and those in need.
This is who we are – helping a fellow Brother out
Wednesday Morning Breakfast with the guys from Lodge
