1919-1926                              by III. Thomas R. Lawall, 33°

This is the second of a series of articles which will be published in "The Messenger" to give its readers a condensed history of our Valley. In this issue, we will discuss the actions that led to the formation of the Valley of the Lehigh.

The history of the Valley of Allentown begins with the sudden growth of membership in the Valley of Scranton, after the end of the First world War. A large number of Masons from the Lehigh Valley traveled to Scranton to become Scottish Rite Masons. Much of this growth came through the efforts of III. Owen W. Metzger, M.S.A., 33°, who was so deeply impressed by the exemplification of degrees and the Scottish Rite spirit of Keystone Consistory (Valley of Scranton) that he immediately became active in its' interest and put his whole heart into his efforts. He was able to get the cooperation of other Lehigh Valley members of Keystone Consistory in making an all out drive to get new members for the Rite. The records of the Valley of Scranton give ample evidence that their labors were not in vain. During a period of six and one half years, between 1919 and 1925, there were 1,371 Master Masons from the Lehigh Valley who had traveled to Scranton to receive the 32° in Keystone Consistory. For many years Caldwell Consistory (the Valley of Bloomsburg) had concentrated on Masons in the city of Bethlehem for membership. But when III. Brother Metzger took over the leadership of Keystone Consistory's interests, the activity of the workers of these two Valleys became highly competitive. The zeal exhibited by these two Valleys brought a tremendous growth in Scottish Rite Masonry to the Lehigh Valley and it was inevitable that a Scottish Rite Valley would be created by these brethren. Their dreams took form when, at a meeting on January 14, 1926, four Bodies of the Valley of the Lehigh were instituted, culminating several years of planning and hard work. At this meeting, opened by III. Edgar Fahs Smith, 33°, Acting Deputy, it was announced that the Lodge will be named Muhlenberg Lodge to perpetuate the memory of Major General Peter G. Muhlenberg: the Council will be named Lafayette Council in honor of General Lafayette: The Chapter named Bethlehem Chapter, after the village in Judea where Christ was born: and the Consistory will be named Lehigh Consistory for our great and beautiful Valley of the Lehigh. By virtue of these ceremonies, the Valley of the Lehigh was now a Scottish Rite Valley, and the brethren doubled their efforts in final preparation for the first Reunion.

The rapid growth of the Valley brought with it a very real problem. How best could the Consistory take care of so many members in so widely scattered an area? After consultation among the officers, the "Sectional Plan" was set up. This was, at the time, an innovation in the Rite, and it has proved so successful, that many Consistories have since adopted and used it with equal success. In each city, town, or township where the Valley of the Lehigh had members, it called the brethren together for the purpose of effecting an organization which would promote the growth of the Rite in getting new members, and caring for the needs of those who were already Thirty Second Degree Masons. As a contact man between himself and the members on each section, the Commander-in-Chief appointed one Brother to act as Representative. This Section Leader in turn selected a group of interested Brethren who could be counted upon to devote themselves to the good of the Consistory. This group was ever thereafter known as "The Sectional Committee". The first Scottish Rite Reunion of the Valley of the Lehigh, in April, 1926, was an overwhelming success, surpassing by far anything that even the most hopeful might have imagined. From the standpoint of candidates, it was a record-breaker with 1,226. In addition, 462 demits were on file and ready for action. Interest in the new Consistory rose as a swelling tide and reached such a point that it was necessary to issue a call for a second Reunion to be held on June 28, 29 and 30, 1926 to initiate 307 petitioners and receive 205 members by demit. Shortly thereafter, in the City of Buffalo, New York, on September 22, 1926, the Supreme Council issued a Special Warrant, which when properly delivered would constitute Lehigh Consistory a full Valley of the Scottish Rite, giving it full power and authority to convene as such. The men who dreamed a dream, and believed in the great strength of the Scottish Rite in the Valley of the Lehigh, saw their dreams become a reality!

That they had proved themselves is evidence by the fact that ten months after institution of the Valley, Supreme Council saw fit to give it the full authority of a regularly Constituted Valley. In less than one month after the announcement came from Supreme Council all was in readiness for the Ceremonies of Constitution and the conferring of Degrees on 210 petitioners. The call went out to the membership announcing the "Constitution Reunion," to be held on November 14, 15, 16 and 17, 1926. The reunion opened with Divine Services in the Asbury Methodist Church in Allentown on Sunday, the 14th. The Illustrious Brother Reverend Dr. John G. Wilson, 33°, of Philadelphia delivered a soul-inspired sermon. Letters of Constitution were officially delivered on November 15, 1926 when the four bodies were officially chartered with the Deputy, III. John S. Wallace, 33° acting as Sovereign Grand Commander at the special ceremonies. At the separate meetings held for the constitution of each of the four bodies, the officers were officially installed. That the seed was wisely planted and well received is evidenced by the fact that by November 16, 1926, the new Valley numbered 4,891 members.