Dispensation

On Monday evening, November 7, 1870, Right Worshipful William E. Pine; Deputy Grand Master and Worshipful Bro. William W. Mead, Grand Lecturer set Fidelity Lodge No. 113, Free and Accepted Masons to work, on Dispensation dated October 17, 1870.

Before opening the Lodge the Grand Lecturer read a letter from the Grand Master to set the officers of Fidelity Lodge to work. Lodge was then opened and the officers duly installed.

The Deputy Grand Master instructed the officers in regard to their rights and duties under Dispensation. A rehearsal was then held after which the Worshipful Master issued a summons for the first stated communication to be held the Friday following, November 11, 1870. Initiation fee was fixed at $30, one half payable with the application and one half at the Entered Apprentice initiation. Dues were $5 per annum payable quarterly and the regular meeting night during Dispensation was every Friday.

There were about 26 visiting brethren present at this meeting. Among the visitors was a special delegation from Ramapo Lodge of Suffern, NY and another from Friendship Lodge of Pascack. Of the other visitors present it is not known if they were residents of Ridgewood. We conjecture that some of them were among those Master Masons found by Bro. Knapp in 1869, but who, for one reason or another, declined to join the new lodge. The secretary for this meeting chose to note in the minutes that there was present as a visitor Bro. John Berdell, a Master Mason raised in the year 1813, a Mason for 57 years.

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