There is a 142-year-old organization in town that has supported the local community in so many ways.
Musconetcong Masonic Lodge #42 F. & A.M. in Budd Lake stands right on Rt. 46 east at the entranceway of the International Trade Zone but seems as if many do not really know what its purpose is and what it strives to accomplish.
For well over a century, this lodge has supported the local community by providing scholarships, organizing charitable events for children, hosting Memorial Day ceremonies for veterans, offers its building as a meeting space for various groups and has historically contributed to community causes, such as assisting local preschools, senior citizens and blood drives.
Various members of the community have belonged to the lodge over the years, but numbers are down. The lodge is always looking to recruit more members and welcomes support from residents by inviting them to their monthly fundraiser breakfasts held at the lodge every third Sunday from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
“We have a group of regular attendees that is getting even bigger every month,” says Timothy O’Connor of Hackettstown, current lodge secretary. “This is a very economical all-inclusive breakfast for $10, which also allows us a chance to showcase the facilities for anyone feeling inquisitive. There is a saying: To Be One, Ask One.”
For those with that inquiring mind, read on to learn the history of the lodge and how it has impacted Mt. Olive.
Musconetcong Lodge #151 was established in Netcong in 1882 by Anson B. Cope and 11 prominent men of the town, shared O’Connor. They had to travel in person to Trenton in 1882 to meet with the Grand Lodge of N.J. and were granted a Charter with Lodge number 151; that charter was replaced in 2009 when Independence Lodge #42 of Hackettstown consolidated with Musconetcong Lodge 151. In a uniting manner, the number #42 was taken to create legacy for Independence Lodge.
It originally met above the bank next to the Stanhope House in Netcong, adds Louis Cicala of Phillipsburg, worshipful master of the lodge.
“Worshipful Master, being an old English term meaning respect, like your honor for mayor or judge,” explains O’Connor, whose been a mason with this organization since 1989 and was a master in 1995.
The Masonic Fraternity are men; the women’s masonic group are the Order of the Eastern Star, explains Cicala, who has been a mason for 23 years.
“We are members of a world-wide men’s fraternity that has been in existence in America since at least 1730 from England,” shared O’Connor. “There are many pre-revolutionary men that were masons, George Washington’s generals were mostly masons as were many of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Our Grand Lodge Mission Statement: Freemasonry promotes a way of life that binds like-minded men with the principles of Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth in order to serve God, Family, Country, Neighbor and Self.”
There are currently 145 members.
“Membership has actually decreased,” adds Cicala. “A lot of the older members have passed and while we are getting new members in, it does not equal the members who move or pass on.”
To join, members must hold a belief in supreme being, being of a sound mind and 18 years of age, says O’Connor. Musconetcong requires a $35 background fee, $150 initiate fee and membership yearly dues of $190.
Meetings are held two times a month for regular business meetings: Second and fourth Wednesday except July and August, and fourth Wednesday of December.
Besides meetings, main events include a monthly breakfast, Citizen of the Year awards, Widows Night and Wreaths across America Ceremony.
“We provide scholarships for high school children, we hold charitable events for needy children, we participate in Memorial Day Ceremonies for our Veterans,” shares Cicala.
“Our building is made available for anyone in the community who needs a place to meet,” says O’Connor. “In the past we helped the Mt. Olive Preschool with parking and a graduation location when the street was attached to our property. Mt. Olive Senior Citizens met twice monthly before retaining their own current meeting location, sports groups and scouting groups, Morris County Muslim Prayer Group all met regularly as well.
“In the 1970 and 80’s the lodge was the call center for Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon manned by our members and their families,” adds O’Connor. “We have collected thousands of pints of blood for N.J. Blood Bank and have collected thousands of gifts for the Easten Children’s Orphanage in the 1990’s we called Charlie Brown’s Christmas which was directed by our member and past Master, Charlie Brown, who was Mt. Olive chief of police. There are many prominent members of the community that are or have been members of Musconetcong Lodge.”
With all that it has done, the lodge is looking to get even more involved with the community.
“We have signed up to participate in the National Night Out and the Non-Profit fair at Turkey Brook to share our information with the community,” says Cicala.
“We are always willing to participate in any invited community event,” adds O’Connor.
With the current state of the economy, the masonic lodge always welcomes the community’s support as well.
“As any organization knows, it is increasingly expensive to maintain a viable building to current rules and regulations, to remain properly insured and maintain safety for everyone who enters our facility,” says O’Connor. “Our costs are increasing at such a rate that we are working very diligently to contain.
“We remain extremely grateful for the support we receive from our community,” he adds. “We welcome the community to feel free to come and discover what we are and join us in our travels to the future. We welcome anyone of any nationality, creed or color.”
Mt. Olive Mayor Joe Nicastro says, “I know they are a valuable organization to our community as they help people in need and recognize people in the community for all the good they do.”
He says, “I will certainly explore any options” to see “if there is anything the town can do to help them.”
In the meantime, “the community can help out but supporting the monthly breakfast they host to raise money and by making donations directly to them,” says Nicastro.
Visit https://lodgelocator.com/musconetcong-42 for more information
