Mansfield Freemasons have 173rd installation of officers

MANSFIELD — Venus Lodge #152 Freemasons of Mansfield had its 173rd annual installation of officers on Friday, Jan. 22 at the Masonic Complex building at 1250 Middle-Bellville Road.

“Members are as close as brothers, and yes we have some secrets, which is common in almost any fraternity, and known only by members,” said Brunell “Bru” Lewis, the lodge leader. “We accept all good men who have a fundamental belief in a higher being, regardless of religion, race, job or economic background, political or sexual orientation, or educational level.

“If a man is a good man they may be Mason material.”

Venus Lodge was chartered on Oct. 20, 1847, and has a rich heritage of history, tradition, and charitable work in Mansfield. Thirteen officers were sworn-in to lead the Lodge for 2021. Due to the pandemic only the officer’s and their ladies were in attendance with masks and social distancing required.

The Freemasons are a non-profit, philanthropic, men’s Fraternity which has Lodges covering the United States and the world. Currently there are approximately 75,000 Freemasons in Ohio. Freemasons contribute over $2 million dollars a day to charitable causes.

“Freemasonry evolved from the guilds of stonemasons and cathedral builders of the Middle Ages. With the decline of cathedral building, some Lodges of Operative (working) Masons began to accept honorary members to bolster declining membership,” Lewis said. “From these “Lodges” developed modern symbolic or ‘Speculative’ Freemasonry. In 1717 the first Grand Lodge was founded in England.

“Masons are essentially a close Fraternal Brotherhood of good men wanting to do some good in a world where good is sorely needed. We are not a “secret society,” neither are we a cult or religious body.