Gould's History of Freemasonry Around the World - Lodge Prudentia

OF CANADA AND NEWFOUNDLAND 19present Grand Secretary, Dr . W . A . DeWolf-Smith, is numbered among ourprominent Masons . During his thirty years of Office, first as Grand Historianand later as Grand Secretary, Dr . DeWolf-Smith has been a tower of strengthto the Officers and members of the Craft . In carrying out his duties as Chairmanof the Committee on Foreign Correspondence he has become well knownin all jurisdictions as an erudite Masonic scholar and a brilliant and witty writer .MANITOBAJAMES A . OVASTHE first Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons to organise inwhat is now the Province of Manitoba was authorised by M .' . W .' . A .T. C . Pierson, 'Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota, undera Dispensation dated September 13, 1863 . It reached Canada by way of Pembina,Dakota Territory, and Fort Garry, now Winnipeg, in what was thenknown as the Red River Settlement in the Canadian Northwest . In his addressto the Grand Lodge of Minnesota at the eleventh Annual Communication heldat St . Paul on October 2.7, 1863, M .*. W .-. Bro . Pierson, Grand Master of Minnesota,made the following statement : "About the middle of last month I receivedan Application signed by W .'. Bro . C . W. Nash, Bro . J . L . Armington, Bro .A. T. Chamblin, Bro . Charles H . Mix, and eight others, who were en routefor Pembina, Dakota Territory, for a Dispensation authorising them to openand Work a Lodge . Pembina is the most northern point in the territory of theUnited States, a great central point where concentrates a large amount of emigrationand of travel between the two oceans . The want of a Lodge at that placehas been long felt and often expressed ; and as the Brethren named were active,well informed, and discreet Masons, the first two, former Masters, and thelatter, Wardens of Lodges within this jurisdiction, and as they expected toremain in that hyperborean region for at least two years, I granted a Dispensationto establish a Lodge at Pembina ."Prior to holding the first meeting, it was discovered, however, that noname had been given the Lodge in the Dispensation . " How it was settled,"says M .' . W .'. Bro . William G . Scott, Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodgeof Manitoba, in his article " Early Masonry in Manitoba," " I will leave Bro .Nash to describe ." The following description was then given :" I wrote to the Grand Master calling his attention to the omission, andtook occasion to suggest what I thought would be a proper and very appropriatename, and in case it met with his approval to so advise me and directthat I insert it in the Dispensation . The name that was suggested met withhis cordial approval and was thus named . It came about in this way : It wasat night that I was writing the Grand Master, and going out of my quartersI observed the grandest display above me that it was ever my pleasure to