The delegates of the 204th annual session of the Grand Lodge of Ohio voted to create Pioneer Lodges as a special Civil War reenactment lodge. The new lodge is named after Pioneer Lodge UD, which was the first traveling military lodge formed by the Grand Lodge of Ohio during the Civil War. Five more would be formed during the course of the war.
The American Civil War brought a resurgence of interest in Freemasonry and membership numbers grew for the first time since the Morgan Affair. Military lodges provided fraternal comfort to men at the front - many of whom were away from home for the first time.
The officers and members of the new Pioneer Lodge are excited to have the opportunity to make Freemasonry a part of their historical reenactment experience.
Little Known Fact: The Grand Lodge of Ohio and the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Ohio use the same cipher ritual. However, the two Grand Lodges use different monitors. Consequently, the “plain English” portions of the ritual vary greatly between the two Grand Lodges.
