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About the Lodge
Kitselas lodge was named after one of the 14 tribes of the Tsimshian nation of British Columbia. The original name Gits’ilaasü means “people of the canyon.”
The lodge originally met on the upper floor of the Sparkes store on Kalum Street. The building you see in front of you was dedicated September 7th, 1973. The building is a paralellapipedon, or in simple terms, a rectangle. Its main axis is situated east-west and divided into two parts: the lobby and entry on the west, and the lodge room to the east. The lodge room itself is a perfect square. To define the lodge room as the principal space, the exterior walls are finished with cedar, and cantilevered on three sides over the foundation.
From east, west, south, and north, one can observe the three major roof levels, symbolic of the three degrees of Freemasonry. Entrance to both the building and the lodge room is from the southwest angle. This unique expression of Freemasonry only became a reality through strong effort, perseverance and cooperation of the lodge members.
Kitselas lodge meetings occur on the 2nd Thursday of the month at 7:30pm, except July and August.
Location
4915 Lazelle Avenue, Terrace, British Columbia V8G 1T6, Canada
Province
Lodges that meet here
Kitselas Lodge No. 123
Few Masonic lodges have started under more difficult circumstances than that of Kitselas Lodge #123 Ancient Free & Accepted Masons. Canada was in the midst of a great depression and at that time Terrace was a community of less than 500 people.
After approaching every Freemason in the immediate area, the brethren found they had 27 charter members, nobody having refused to assist. The problem was that none of them had the qualifications to be the Terrace Worshipful Master. This was resolved when Walter Vance, a Past Master of Tsimpsean Lodge 58, volunteered to come to Terrace from Prince Rupert each month to give the necessary coaching. He did this at a great inconvenience to himself because the train schedule being anything but regular, he was often delayed several days in Terrace. There is no doubt that Kitselas Lodge is greatly indebted to the dedication of Walter Vance, who eventually became its first Worshipful Master.
Although Freemasons from the region of Terrace expressed an interest to form a lodge, it was initially vetoed by the Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of British Columbia. Undeterred, the Terrace brethren appealed directly to Grand Master H.B. Morley. Morley was more sympathetic, and he directed that they be authorized to form a Lodge of Instruction under the guidance of Tyee Lodge 66 in Prince Rupert.
The District Deputy Grand Master (DDGM) for District 12 reported visiting a Lodge of Instruction at Terrace on October 27, 1930. He was very impressed with the proficiency of the local Masons and recommended that a dispensation be issued for a Lodge in Terrace. The new Grand Master ignored the initial recommendation of the DDGM, but in his address to Grand Lodge in June, 1932, “After enquiry and consideration, I decided to grant a dispensation (March 10, 1932) to the Brethren of Terrace to open a new Lodge."
The District 12 DDGM instituted the Terrace lodge on April 21, 1932, and on June 23, 1932, the Committee on Warranted Lodges recommended that the dispensation be continued for another year. On September 14, 1932 a newly elected DDGM visited the Lodge and recommended that a warrant be granted. The charter was granted on June 22, 1933 by Grand Lodge. The Lodge was constituted and consecrated as Kitselas Lodge 123 on September 15, 1933, under a Commission from the Grand Master, at an emergent Communication of Grand Lodge held in the Masonic Hall at Terrace.
Kitselas lodge was named after one of the 14 tribes of the Tsimshian nation of British Columbia. The original name Gits’ilaasü means “people of the canyon.” The lodge uses Canadian Rite work for its ritual.
Kitselas lodge meetings occur on the 2nd Thursday of the month at 7:30pm, except July and August.
