Araw Lodge: A Brief History by VWBro Ben Apacible

The Lodge was chartered as Araw Lodge No. 304 on August 14, 1908 and was duly constituted on November 8, 1908 under the jurisdiction of the Grand Oriente Espanol.

The three pioneering brothers who envisioned the organization of this Lodge were Brothers Estanislao Vergara, Eugenio Ocampo and Narciso Vergara. They were ably assisted by brothers Justino Ocampo, Ramon Mendoza, Isidro Hernandez, Dalmacio Monroy, Crispulo Layoc, Juan S. Hernandez, Lucio Bernabe and Jose Silos. They conceived of founding a Lodge and gave her a name that is both symbolic and alluring – Araw (meaning Sun), the beauty and glory of the day.

After about nine years, her members unanimously agreed to affiliate with the newly organized Grand Lodge of the Philippine Islands and became the 18th Blue Lodge of the new Grand Lodge on February 17, 1917. Officiating at the consecration was Most Worshipful Grand Master Taylor assisted by Most Worshipful Comfort, PGM, who was then the Grand Secretary.

King Solomon’s Temple in Bilbao, Tondo, Manila constructed in 1917, was for sometime the meeting place of Araw Lodge together with several other Lodges.

It was fortunate that the builders and leaderships of past decades had strengthen the structure of the Lodge, otherwise, she would not be able to survive the vicissitudes brought about by the Second World War, when Chinese brethren who had greatly increased in number suffered dearth in rituals and leadership. During the war, many Chinese members died and some went through privation.

When liberation came in 1945, only 27 members survived. Only about a dozen could pay their dues and only four could attend meetings. That situation greatly discouraged then Worshipful Master, WB Anastacio Uy Mochay and the Lodge secretary, WB Ong Tiong Chie. They were so discouraged that they thought of fusing Araw Lodge with Mencius Lodge, whose membership was predominantly Chinese.

But with the timely affiliation of Brother Jose N. Quedding of Isagani Lodge No. 96, Tarlac, Tarlac, he was able to dissuade the two Lodge leaders from carrying out their fusion plan and pledged all his efforts to aid in the rehabilitation of Araw Lodge.

Brother Quedding succeeded in winning the affiliation of Brothers Wenceslao Santiago and Justiniano Castillo, both of Isagani Lodge No. 96, and Brother Jose Carlos of Baguio Lodge. This started the slowly increasing Filipino membership of Araw Lodge.

In 1947, Worshipful Master, WB Mochay, and the Lodge Secretary, WB Chie, dropped their working tools leaving Araw Lodge prematurely orphaned and affected the slight gain in the rehabilitation process of the Lodge.

Fortunately, Brother Quedding and the new affiliates were there, tending and shielding the flickering light from completely dying out. However, the odds were very great because the two pillars of Araw Lodge left too soon before Brother Quedding and company could gain the trust and confidence of the old members. They inherited three problems: lack of proficient members, lack of funds and lack of intimate background with the old members.

Brother Quedding assumed leadership of Araw Lodge and with the assistance of Brothers Santiago, Castillo and Carlos, they revived the interest of the old members and won their confidence. Degree works performed on several petitioners were with the help of the brethren of other Lodges. Heretofore, the ritual used was in Spanish but upon the demise of the old leaders, the work shifted to English, paving way for more Filipino petitioners.

During the next five years after the incumbency of WB Quedding as Master, he was busy as Secretary and coach to the new officers of the lodge. Worshipful Brothers Jose Carlos, Teodoro de los Santos, Gregorio Domingo, Wenceslao Santiago, Justiniano Castillo and Felipe Pilapil, Jr occupied the East one after the other from 1949 – 1954. Theirs was the task of careful, slow, training and proving their way in search of more light.

Succeeding leaderships have sincerely and successfully steered Araw Lodge No. 18 to what it is now and today.

As a humble contribution to our fraternity, Past Worshipful Master (1986), WB Magdangal M. De Leon, composed the music of today’s Grand Lodge March while a brother of another Lodge wrote the lyrics. Likewise, the Lodge had contributed the time, effort, knowledge and leadership of eleven of her members in then Masonic District (MD)1-B and MD 5 now MD NCR–C serving as District Deputy Grand Masters (including this Masonic Year 2008). The Lodge had likewise led her Masonic District in the joint commemoration of the Lodge of Remembrance in the past years.

Araw Lodge No. 18, F. & A.M. can proudly look back in service and fellowship in the last century, serving as the beacon light shining through the years.

This year, Araw Lodge celebrates its centennial year.