For Immediate Release
NEWS
Written: March 31, 2002

Local Masonic history book republished on web

MONTICELLO - A history of the Masonic fraternity in Sullivan County first published in 1942 and long out of print has been made available on the Internet, by the authorization of Monticello Lodge No. 532 of Free & Accepted Masons.

Originally numbering 140 printed pages, entitled Early Masonry in Monticello and Sullivan County : History of Monticello Lodge No. 532, F. & A. M., the complete volume is now available for free at mastermason.com/monticellolodge. The book was compiled just after the entry of the United States to World War II by the late Alvin O. Benton, former editor of the Republican Watchmen while Mr. Benton was serving as Master of Monticello Lodge. Assisting him were Clarence Maine and H. Lyndon Hatch.

Contemporary publications indicate that only 200 copies of the book survived a fire at the Watchman offices that year, making copies difficult to obtain today.

Many of Sullivan County 's settlers were Freemasons, as were many of the founders of the young republic. Turning back the dust-laden pages of time to the days when Sullivan County was a wilderness and when the first settlers carved their way through the deep forests of this section we find a story of Masonry filled with human interest, sacrifice and devotion.

"No sooner did the early pioneers see the light through the thick virgin forests than the light of Masonry began to shine upon him," Mr. Benton wrote.

Masonry seemed to be a part of the settlers' plan and in 1811 Sullivan Lodge was formed in the sparsely scattered log cabin village of Monticello .

Old Sullivan Lodge prospered through its first 10 or more years, then came the Morgan troubles and anti-Masonic groups "like a thief in the night," the history reports, "robbing Sullivan Lodge and Masonry in general of members and assisting fancied and zealous groups in their work of destruction."

The story of those trying days experienced by the Craft, the struggle of local Masons through years of vicious attack and depression is found in this recently republished book.

Other chapters cover Masonic events from the days of Sullivan Lodge, the formation of and members of old Bloomingburgh Lodge No. 310; the story of the formation of Lodge No. 460 in Monticello and events leading up to the forfeiture of its charter just before Monticello Lodge No. 532 was formed.

Included are human-interest stories. A resume of each of the 46 lodge Masters to serve since the Lodge was formed in 1862 until 1942, and interesting facts covering fires which devastated Monticello ; the building of three Masonic temples in Monticello and other facts which few of the present day members have known about the Lodge.

The book contains a chronological list of the name of everyone who ever was a member of Monticello Lodge; and pictures of every Master and others who contributed their time and service to the Lodge, up to 1942.

Optical scanning of the book (text and photos) was completed by Thomas Rue, the current Master of Monticello Lodge No. 532. Mr. Rue states that an update of the work is in progress, and he hopes to someday see the entire document reprinted in book form due to its value to local historians as well as those with an interest in Freemasonry.