Now they were home again, more anxious than ever to become members of the craft. The Freemasons of Toronto sensed the situation and began to plan new lodges throughout the whole area. In the West Toronto Masonic Temple, which had been erected in 1909 and which at the time had only four tenants, Stanley, Victoria and Temple Lodges, A.F. & A.M., and Shekinah Chapter R.A.M., there were many vacant nights available.

At the request of R.W. Bro. Allan B. Rice, who had served as District Deputy Grand Master in District No. 11 during the preceding year, and the members of the three Craft Lodges, the initial steps were taken for the formation of a new lodge. The consent of R.W. Bro. Alexander J. Anderson, Past D.D.G.M., was obtained to become Worshipful Master of the new lodge while it operated under dispensation from Grand Lodge. In view of the pressure of business in his law practice at the same time, R.W. Bro. Rice would carry on the duties of organizing the lodge. Accordingly, this was done and the officers were selected by the two Past D.D.G.M.’s mentioned above. The names of the proposed Wardens, as well as that of the Worshipful Master were shown in the petition for dispensation.

Chosen for those offices were: Bro. John A. Copeland, Past Junior Warden, a member of Temple Lodge; and Bro. A. Gordon Rice, Master Mason, a member of Victoria Lodge, as Senior Warden and Junior Warden respectively. The names of the charter members are shown on our warrant.

Naming the Lodge

R.W. Bros. Anderson and Rice had for some time difficulty in choosing a name for the new lodge. In many of their evening conferences about lodge details in the study of R.W. Bro. Anderson’s home, the question of name was discussed but no decision had been reached on the several names which had been tentatively suggested.

A solution to the problem came after Mr. Frank Mercer had presented R.W. Bro. Anderson with a framed photograph of his brother, Major-General Malcolm S. Mercer, C.B., who had made the supreme sacrifice at the battle of Sanctuary Wood on June 2, 1916.

The portrait was of special interest because, wearing his uniform, the General had posed for it only a few days before was struck down by enemy shell and had probably never himself seen the finished product of the photographer’s art.

This photograph, displayed on a mantel shelf in the R.W. Bro. Anderson’s home caught the eyes of both of the R.W. Brethren as the visitor was being escorted the door. The idea must have struck them both simultaneously for in unison they exclaimed: “We have found the name!”

Lodge’s Crest/Logo

• Two pillars, representing B & J
• A circular crest, containing the name of the Lodge and the year of its founding, with a picture of Major-General Malcolm S. Mercer in the centre, with a sprig of acacia on one side (representing Freemasonry) and a branch of maple leafs on the other (representing Canada).
• On the top of the crest is a beaver, again representing Canada

Some Well-Known Members of the Lodge

M.W. Bro. Alexander James Anderson

• Member of Parliament: Toronto-High Park, 1925-1935/ High Park, 1935-1945
• Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario, 1935-36
• First Worshipful Master of The General Mercer Lodge, 1919-1920 (Under Dispensation)

M.W. Bro. Roderick B. Dargavel

• Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario, 1929-1930
• First Immediate Past Master of The General Mercer Lodge, 1919-1920 (Under Dispensation)

R.W. Bro. Allan Berlin Rice

• Early historian of the West Toronto Junction and journalist with the Toronto Globe newspaper
• Past District Deputy Grand Master, Toronto District 11
• Installing Master at The General Mercer Lodge installations of 1922, 1923, 1924 & 1925.

Bro. William J. (Bill) Campbell

• Member of the Toronto Star Board of Directors, 1948-1993/ Director of Advertising, Toronto Star, 1948-1965
• “When an advertisement did not meet his standards of truth, he killed it without hesitation. And in doing so, he really helped to raise the standard of advertising in Canada, because if Bill refused an advertisement, other papers wouldn’t take it either.”– Beland H. Honderich, former Chairman of the Toronto Star
• Initiated into The General Mercer Lodge in 1925, he was the Lodge’s longest serving member at the time of his passing in 1993

Compiled By: W.Bro. Adam Meldrum