Doors Open 2014: Rising Sun Masonic Lodge

June 25, 2014 · 0 Comments

By Ted McClenny,
Lodge Historian

It has been said that Aurora’s Masonic Lodge “has been here forever.”
DoorsOpen_Blue
While that is, of course, not exactly true, Aurora’s Masonic Lodge, more properly known as “The Rising Sun Lodge AF & AM No. 129 GRC” is the oldest, uninterrupted organization in Aurora’s lengthy history having been chartered in 1860 – three years prior to the incorporation of Aurora as a municipality.

The first Master of the Lodge was a Scottish immigrant by the name of Robert Lyon, who was a farmer who farmed at the southeast corner of what is now Leslie Street and the Aurora Road.

Lyon’s wife passed away that year and he was left with five children to raise.

Throughout the years, the Lodge Brethren held their meetings at three different locations in Town – one of which was the scene of a fire wherein all the Lodge records were lost.

In the year 1885, the 25th anniversary year of the Lodge, the Brethren purchased the property and building it now occupies at 57 Mosley Street in the Town of Aurora.

This structure was originally built in 1877 as a Methodist Episcopal Church. With the exception of a small addition at the south side of the building, there have been no major structural changes to the building since it was bought.

The Rising Sun Lodge building proudly has the reputation of being one of the most beautiful, historic Lodges in the Province of Ontario and houses several original Masonic art treasures.

Throughout the many years as home to Aurora’s Masons, many prominent citizens of the Town and surrounding area have chosen to become members of this Lodge: doctors, lawyers, Town Councillors, Mayors, Provincial and Federal Representatives, shopkeepers, educators, members of the Military, factory workers and perhaps the most prominent of all, Sir William Mulock, Canada’s first Postmaster General.

Freemasonry is not a service club as some believe, but rather it is a Fraternity – a Brotherhood of men; good men who desire to become better men.
The Rising Sun Lodge No. 129 has a proud and distinguished history with a promising future. We welcome all to come and view one of the “jewels” of Ancient Free and Accepted Masonry in Ontario.