MW Seldon W. O’Brien, PGM

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Part of The Cabletow

Title: MW Seldon W. O’Brien, PGM
Creator: Escosa, Dominador
Language: English
Year: 1967
Rights
Fulltext: Remembrances of. . MW Seldon W. O'Brien, PGM WB Dominador Escosa, PM • It was a wonderful occasion for the brethren of St. John’s Lodge N®.9, F. & A.M. and I believe for the brethren of the Fraternity when we heard from Most Wor. Seldon W. O’Brien, P.G.M. of the Grand Lodge of the Philippines last Christmas sea son. He wrote the Lodge saying: “May this Christmas Season bring each of you peace and joy and a full measure of all the good things of this wonderful holiday, and may our beloved Lodge continue to pros per under your thoughtful guidance, and continue to dispense, as ever, that indispensable brotherhood and friendship, which is so close to us and for which we are truly grate ful." MW O’Brien and wife, Clara^Edna, reside at 2605 Berwick Boulevard, Columbus, Ohio, USA. They have spent over thirty years of their married life in the Philippines. MW O’Brien will be remembered for his work, services, and labors for Freemasonry in the Philippines, for over twenty-five years and for which he was rewarded with the highest honor his brethren could confer upon him. His Masonic career began by being initiated, passed, and on July 1, 1914, raised to the Sublime Degree of Mas ter Mason in Shade River Lodge No. 453, F. & A.M., of Chester, Ohio. He studied Masonry and it became a living force in his practical life and its spiritual significance was manifested in his actions and conduct. In 1920, he became a member of St. John’s Lodge No. 9, F. & A.M., later becoming a Life Member there. At its first Annual meeting after he became a member, he was chosen Junior Warden of the Lodge, then, in the following year, Senior Warden, and for nine months of that year, during the absence of the Master, he was Acting Master of the Lodge. In 1923, he was chosen and served as Master of the Lodge. Under his management and leadership, the Lodge became one of the most active and effective of the subordinate lodges in Manila. The Grand Lodge soon recognized the outstanding qualities of leader ship of MW O’brien and after he had taken an active part for some time in its Annual Communications, serving on many of its committees, including its Jurisprudence Commit tee. he was in 1925 elected Junior Grand Warden and subsequently ad vanced in 1929, after filling the var ious intermediate stations, to the exalted position of Grand Master of Masons of the Philippines. The welfare of Masonry was fore most in his mind. He guarded well the solidarity and harmony of the brethren, gave a practical expression of deep interest in all phases of Ma sonic charities, and promoted unders tanding and interest among the bre thren. We cannot forget that one of the outstanding events of the year was a special meeting of his own Lodge, when, for the first time and the only time then in the history of Freemasonry in the Philippines, the Third Degree of Masonry was impressively conferred by Past Grand Masters filling every Station in the Lodge. This was Masonry in action. Turn to pogo 30 14 The Cabletow REMEMBRANCES OF . . . From pog* 24 He also sponsored the Masonic Golf Tournament between the bre thren of the Scottish Rite and York Rite Bodies of Manila, to which he donated a beautiful silver trophy, known as “The Grand Master’s Cup,” thereafter to be awarded annually to the winner at a special luncheon given by him for the participating brethren. The distinguished Brother Paul V. McNutt, the United States High Commissioner to the Philippines, was a guest at one of the banquets. MW Brother O’Brien indeed ably, fairly, and impartially performed the important duties of his high office and his long career in every branch of Masonry has been dedicated to true work, wisdom and zeal. His other Masonic activities, per formed also with great leadership and dedication included in 1930, Repre sentative of the Grand Lodge of Ohio to the Grand Lodge of the Philippines, a position he held until his retirement from the country: 1935, “Ambassador of Goodwill” under commision of the Grand Master during his short va cation in the United States; 1965, the Grand Lodge of the Philippines, through the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, presented MW O’Brien with its 50-YEAR GOLD PIN ; January 10, 1966, he was elected to receive the honor of Knight Com mander of the Court of Honor which he assumed on February 12, 1966, under Scottish Rite Masonry; in 1930, he was the High Priest of Luzon Chapter No. 1, Royal Arch Masons and in that year, was its Delegate to the Triennial Convocation of the Ge neral Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of the United States in Oak land, California; in 1931, he was Illus trious Master of Oriental Council, Royal and select master and later on, a life member, of Afifi Temple. A.A.O.N.M.S., of Tacoma, Washing ton, and was the personal Repres entative of the Temple in the Philip pines for many years. He was also Intendant General for the Division of the Philippines of the Grand Imperial Council of the Red Cross of Cons tantine and Appendant Orders of Manila. He was also a member and Past Worthy Patron of Mayon Chapter No. 1. Order of the Eastern Star, of Manila. Until his retirement from the Philippines, he was a member of Manila Lodge No. 761, B.P.O.E., of Manila, the Uni versity Club, the Manila Golf Club, the Baguio Golf and Country Club, and the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club. MW O’Brien belonged to the early and distinguished group of prominent American and Filipino lawyers, res pected by the Bench and the Bar, in his practice of law. He graduated in 1914 with the Degree of Bachelor of laws in the Law School of the Uni versity of Michigan, passed the Phil ippine Bar Examinations in 1915, the Third in standing from the list of 550 candidates, and was admitted as member of the Philippine Bar, in Sep tember, 1915. He became a member of the law firm of “Crossfield & O’Brien.” In 1919. he was admitted to practice law before the Supreme Court of the United States; in 1942, he was admitted to the Bar of the State of Mississippi, and in 1948, to the Bar in Ohio. He is a Life Mem ber of the American Bar Association. For his distinguished services for fiftv years to the Bar and his interest in the advancement of the profession of law, on April 16, 1964, he was ho nored with a Special Luncheon, ten dered by the Columbus (Ohio) Bar Association, at which instance the said Association conferred upon him the title of “Senior Counsellor." Thus, in his Masonic life, in his pro fessional life, in his labors and services 30 The Cabletow Letter to the Editor . . . THE GRAND LODGE OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL OF AN CIENT FREE AND AC CEPTED MASONS P. 0. B. 2080, Tel. Aviv, Israel April 7, 19G7 The Cabletow, Grand Lodge of the Philippines. 1440 San Marcelino, Dear Brethren, May I take the opportunity of saying how very much we enjoy reading your bulletin, “The Cabletow”, both facts masonic as well as informative content. I would like to draw your attention to the November 1966 No. 11, specifi cally the article “Masonry in Asia”. The art.cle numbers the Grand Lodges in Asia, rightly stressing the univer sality of Freemasonry in this Great Continent. However, somehow the writ er overlooked our Grand Lodge and we too are in Asia. For the sake of the record, our Grand Lodge was erected and consecrated by the Grand Lodge of Scotland in the year 1953 and to day numbers 57 Lodges which work in the following languages. Hebrew — the language of our Grand Lodge. English, Arabic, French, German and Rumanian. We are also proud that in our Jurisdiction, Bi n. of all creeds Jew, Gentile, Arab are to be found in the Lodges. Further, in Lodges where Brn. (or initiates) are of different Faiths the holy Books of the 3 great faiths — Old Testament, New Testa ment and the Koran are to be found on our altars. I have mad-; the nbovc comment mere ly to round off the information in your above article. Should you be :nterested in any other information, Please do not hesi tate to ask. Sincerely and fraternally yours, (Sgd.) J. BAR-N’ER Grand Secretary to humanity, MW O’Brien will be remembered by the brethren, as a man and a Mason. /\ INAUGURAL ADDRESS . . . From papa 24 liberator of the Philippines from the Japanese invaders, was a dedicated Mason. Passing mention is made of these few Masonic leaders, not be impress that all leaders in the world are Ma sons, but to remind us of their Ma sonic virtues, which should serve as beacon lights to all Masons wheresoev er dispersed; to make us Masons arise, go forward and follow the Masonic way and fear not what man can do unto you. Fear not a man because of his temporal influence, fear him not because of his ecclesiastical powers. Neither should Masons fear another man because of his wealth. In times of national distress, when freedom fighters were needed in this country, Freemasonry was not wan ting in leaders. From its folds emerged to become national leaders, Brothers Jose Rizal, Marcelo H. del Pilar, Lopez Jaena. Mariano Ponce, Antonio Luna, Moises Salvador, and an array of other great Filipinos. From the Masonic Lodges in the Philippines also sprang Brothers Juan Luna, Vergel de Dios, Abarquez, Andres Bonifacio, Apolinario Mabini. and in more recent times, Manuel Quezon, Jose Abad Santos, Manuel Roxas, Emilio Aguinaldo, and a host of other equally illustrious Filipino leaders. Bro. Masons, let the light of bro therly love, relief, freedom and truth, which has been kindled bv these great Masonic leaders be our beacon light in our efforts at attaining better un derstanding in this world, and in fighting all kinds of intolerance and oppression. Let us zealously guard against the insidious machinations and the misleading schemes of the enemies of truth. As Free and Accepted Masons Turn to next page JUNE, 1967 31