Mahoning Chapter 10 of the Royal Arch Masons is marking 200 years of service. Tom Weller, left, the group’s high priest, and Ryan Adams, grand high priest, look over materials for the 200th celebration earlier this month at the Masonic Lodge in Warren.

WARREN — The Mahoning Chapter 10 of the Royal Arch Masons marked a milestone of 200 years of service with a rededication ceremony.

Established in 1824, the chapter meets at the city’s Masonic Lodge.

Thomas Weller of Warren, high priest for the Mahoning Chapter, said men are looking to be part of groups such as the Masons.

“Masons take good men and make them better and encourage them to be active in their communities. From there, we build up to our philanthropic charities and community service. Many of our members are active in other local organizations and their churches,” Weller said.

Ryan Adams of Chillicothe, grand high priest with the state’s grand chapter, which is the governing body, said for a chapter to mark 200 years is rare.

“With the support from the community in being able to practice the principles of masonry, the Masons have always been very community-oriented and philanthropic,” Adams said.

Adams said the Masonic fraternity is like any other fraternal organization or group such as Kiwanis and Rotary. All organizations go through times of up and down memberships.

“We feel with the Masons, tradition is important,” Adams said. “Each organization does various things. The Masonic fraternity as a whole is very philanthropic. Each local organization supports their own local community in various ways.”

In the past decade, there have been many rededications of 150 and 175 years, but 200 is rare, he said.

The Chillicothe chapter marked 200 years, too, Adams said, adding that the Mahoning chapter should have been No. 6 since they were the sixth to be issued a charter.

In the future, the Masons will continue with growth in the Mahoning Valley.

Weller said there seems to be renewed interest in being part of the Masons, with more younger men getting involved.

“We are seeing more Masons making their communities better,” Adams said.

LOCAL HISTORY

Weller said the Old Erie Lodge uses the same building and turned 200 in 2004.

“We are parallel organizations. The Arch Masons came in a little later because to become an Arch Mason, you had to belong to the basic Masonic lodge,” Weller said.

Weller, a 52-year member, said the Masons provide fellowship for men and a place to interact no matter what occupation or career someone has.

He said at lodge meetings politics are not discussed.

Four Masonic groups gather at the Warren temple.

Adams, who has been active with Masons for 21 years, said he enjoys the friendships and camaraderie.

“We are all brothers. We are there for each other and for our communities,” he said.

Weller said that years ago men had the time to be involved with fraternal organizations, but times and priorities have changed.

“This is about priorities,” Adams said. “There has been such a shift in social economics. COVID was a very taxing time on so many people.

“During that time people saw the need for organizations like this. We have seen people come back and membership increasing.”

He said the annual Masonic session has grown and noted that a session in Dayton in 2019 had 220 people in attendance. However, in 2021, after COVID, 385 people attended. Adams said the numbers have remained steady in 2022 and 2023.

He said there will always be a decline and increase in attendance, with 2024 in an upward swing.

Adams said statewide, there are 9,500 members in the Royal Arch and 162 in the local lodge.

“As long as someone is a member of the state of Ohio, they can be a member,” Weller said.

Presenting a history of the Masons, Paul Clouser of Warren noted that years ago it was the more affluent people who were Masons.

He said the Declaration of Independence had 56 signers, nine of whom were Masons and a third of the 38 signers of the Constitution also were Masons.

“The Masons were the leaders of the community and high-profile people. These were people who were running things and doing things,” Clouser said. “Our Masons today are more important now than 200 years ago.”

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