St. John Lodge No. 9

The Name

                St John's is a lodge name found everywhere in the English-speaking Masonic world. There are two feasts of St John observed by Masons: the feast of St John the Baptist, in June, celebrating the prophet of righteousness and forerunner of Christ, and the feast of St John the Divine, the evangelist of Love "the Disciple whom Jesus loved," as he calls himself in the Fourth Gospel.

                There is an old legend, how authentic it is hard to say, which tells us that originally Masonic lodges were dedicated to King Solomon. From thence, to the coming of Christ, they were dedicated to Zerubbabel, who rebuilt the Temple after the captivity, and thence to the final destruction of the Temple by Titus, AD 70, lodges were dedicated to St. John the Baptist. Later the Craft fell into a low estate and its members, thinking to revive it, induced St. John the Evangelist who was living at Ephesus to become its Grand Master and since that time lodges have been dedicated to him, along with St John the Baptist.

The Lodge

                St John's Lodge was founded in Manila by Frederick Gallin, Jr. Joseph Russ: Theodore C. Zschokke, Walter R. MacFarlane and Leslie Gordon Scott. Its name under dispensation was Philippine Lodge, but it requested that its name be changed to St John's in its charter. Thus, its charter, issued on February 13, 1917 named it as St John's Lodge No. 9.

                St John's Lodge was very active before the Second World War. Its meetings were always well attended. Some were even reported in the Cabletow, the official organ of the Grand Lodge. One meeting that saw print was Past Masters' Night on October 21, 1932. There was an attendance of nine Past Grand Masters, eleven Grand Lodge Officers, thirteen officers of the lodge, forty-three Past Masters, thirteen members of the lodge and eighty-one visitors. The nine PGMs entered the hall as a body and, after their reception; they occupied the seats of the regular officers and proceeded to confer the 3° degree of Masonry upon Leon Baynes, a Fellowcraft of the lodge. After the raising, the regular members resumed their stations and the Master thanked the PGMs and congratulated them for the excellence of their work.

                St. John's Lodge closed its doors when the 2nd World War broke out, but it was reestablished soon after the war ended. The first post-war meeting was held on December 3, 1945 with WB Mark Nestle as presiding officer. Four days later, the lodge met again and elected W. H. Fanger as Master, O.J. Zwonecheck as Senior Warden; Leahman Nestle, Junior Warden, Frank Miles, Treasurer and Mark Nestle, Secretary

                The loss of American members weakened the lodge. In 1975 it was constrained to consolidate with Corregidor-Southern Cross No. 3. They are now collectively known as St. John's Corregidor No. 3.