Nearly 150 years ago, Archibald M. Willard rose to fame for his contribution to the art world, the very recognizable painting, The Spirit of ’76. During this time, Willard was also an active Mason, receiving his degree from Wellington Lodge in 1867. His passion for both Masonry and the arts inspired him to use his talent to create a series of charts depicting Masonic teachings. While the exact origin of the beautiful, instructional paintings is not clear, their existence was confirmed in the early 2000s during a conference in Massachusetts.
In early 2016, the paintings made their way to Willard’s home Lodge, where they were debuted at a Wellington Lodge No. 127 More Light Night. These events are designed as an opportunity for Lodge improvement and are often used to help educate the public on Masonic teachings, making it the perfect venue for the charts. Now, the paintings are scheduled to be fully restored and then donated to The Spirit of ’76 Museum to be enjoyed by the public.
(The History of Wellington Lodge #127 by Worshipful Brother Scott Markel, Lodge Historian, November 2008)
(‘The Spirit of ‘76’ Artist’s Masonic Charts Part of Public Display by Katie Nix, The Chronicle-Telegram, May 2016)
