Zion 77 - The last lodge to be established in British Columbia before
the Great War broke out was at Kerrisdale, formerly in the municipality
of Point Grey, now a part of the city of Vancouver, where a Lodge of Instruction
had been authorized and a meeting called for January 15, 1914. Several
meetings were held for exemplification before a dispensation was granted
by the GM on March 6, 1914, and the Lodge was instituted by the DDGM on
March 9, 1914. It was named Zion Lodge, after the hill and town of Jerusalem
and later numbered 77 at Kerrisdale. The charter was granted at the Annual
Communication of Grand Lodge on June 18, 1914, and the Lodge was constituted
by the GM at an Emergent Communication of Grand Lodge held at the Masonic
Hall at Kerrisdale on July 20, 1914. For its ritual it adopted the Canadian
work. (Ref: History of the GL of BC AF & AM, 1871-1970. P. 234).
The lodge is a rather small lodge, typical of many in the city, with
about 60 members in 1997, with a cosy atmosphere. The demography of the
membership may be unusual in that there is almost exactly one member representing
each year of age from thirty to ninety; 30 members below and thirty members
above age sixty. Of the Tyler, Inner Guard, Deacons and Wardens, not one
has previously been Master of any lodge. Zion Lodge has contributed two
cars to the volunteer driver program operated in collaboration between
Grand Lodge and the Canadian Cancer Society. Several members of the lodge
volunteer their services as drivers. The building is a class B historic
site and in the summer of 1997 an extensive restoration of the exterior
of the building was undertaken by the holding company. Some interior renovations
on the ground floor are also underway. The ground floor of the building
is occupied by commercial premises. (G.W Eaton, WM, 1997-07-14)
