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All those who plan on, or who has helped in the past, are cordially invited to attend

Thank you to all the members who promptly paid for their 2010 dues. If you haven't yet, please mail a check payable to "Midlothian Chapter No. 85, OES" to our Secretary, Dorothy Butler, as soon as possible. A reminder that when dues are two years past due, a member can be suspended from the Chapter. Annual Dues are due on January 1st. What a gift we have ... to be able to visit any OES chapter in the world as long as we are holding a current Dues Card.

We are fortunate to be able to share the Midlothian Masonic Temple with the group who owns the building – Midlothian Masonic Lodge No. 211. This is an active lodge and supports the Eastern Star.

In the early 1700's, the area known as Midlothian was a coal mining community. The first Masonic Lodge in the community was known as Black Heath Lodge No. 89, which was chartered on October 8, 1853. In 1860, the proceedings of the Grand Lodge show that the charter was suspended. There is no indication as to why this Lodge did not continue. After the War Between the States was over, and the surrender at Appomattox, in April 1865, a group of Master Masons received permission to rejuvenate the old Black Heath Lodge under the new name of Midlothian Lodge No. 211, on April 5, 1866, with the following officers:

A. S. McRae Worshipful Master

R. Lindsey Walker Senior Warden

W. E. Martin Junior Warden

In 1875, Brother Robert Marks of Midlothian Lodge made a gift of land to the Lodge. On July 5, 1875, dedication of the new Lodge building was held and this same building has been in constant use since then with several alterations and a major addition in 1983, which more than doubled the size of the building. The building has been kept as near original as possible. The Lodge has been involved in the cornerstone laying of most all of the older Churches in the area, although in more recent years, the churches have not used the Masons for this purpose as often as in the past. In 1882 an explosion ripped through the Grove Shaft Mines, killing thirty-two men, their bodies entombed in the mines some 800 feet below the surface. Four of these men were Masons and members of Midlothian Lodge. These thirty-two men left behind twenty-seven widows and one hundred eight destitute children. The communities from all over helped these families. The Grand Lodge of Virginia collected contributions from the Lodges of the entire state totaling $924.30 and Grand Secretary W. B. Issacs presented it to the Lodge to help the widows and children of the four Brothers who had died in the mines.

Dr. P. S. Hancock was Worshipful Master of Midlothian Lodge for many years and was loved by the entire community. Shortly after his death in 1893, the citizens of the community dedicated a monument in his honor. There were eight hundred people present for the dedication ceremony, they came from all walks of life and some traveled a great distance to be there.

The Lodge observed its fiftieth anniversary on September 4, 1916, with an old time barbecue, Brunswick stew and fried chicken meal, with state Governor Stuart being one of the speakers. In 1966, the Lodge celebrated its one-hundredth birthday and published a history book. Brother G. I. Johnson, spent approximately three years compiling the necessary material to be included in the history. This research must have been a gigantic task and Brother Johnson did an outstanding job, most of this information was taken from that text.

Most Worshipful George William Farley, a Past Master of this Lodge, served as Grand Master of Masons in Virginia in 1990.

The history of Black Heath Daylight Lodge No. 1982 is necessarily a short one. The Lodge received its dispensation on September 8, 1982, and received its charter on April 8, 1983.

Midlothian Lodge No. 211 helped this Lodge in many ways. They gave the use of their temple, rent-free until 1988. They also gave this Lodge their old officer's aprons, and use of the kitchen and dinning facilities. Many of the members of this Lodge are members of Midlothian Lodge No. 211.

The Holy Bible on the Altar was a gift from Mrs. Julian C. Roden, widow of Most Worshipful Julian C. Roden, Grand Master of Masons in Virginia in 1969.

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