O UR H ISTORY S HOULD N OT B E A M YSTERY —XIX “ Consistorial Origins ” By Sovereign Grand Inspector General Reginald B. Stewart, 33°, Grand Historian
Labanus Consistory No. 56 Valley of Salt Lake City Orient of Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah Chartered May 18, 1924 (Defunct) In the early 1920s, the United Supreme Council continued its spread westward and found a group of eager men in Utah. The name “Labanus” may be more familiar to some as it is similar to the name in one of the degrees of the Consistory — Knight of the Royal Axe, or Prince of Libanus — the 22nd degree. The story of this degree tells of those who cut cedar from the forests of Lebanon. The underlying lesson is that and that the goodness in performing labor (working) should be celebrated. “Labanus” is also an ancient name for the country of Lebanon and lends its name to the mountain range there. In the early 20s it took a great amount of “work” to organize men, inform them of masonic happenings and effect change in the form of creating something new. They enjoyed neither the immediate communication systems nor tolerable racial climate we have today and that certainly imbued a sense of resiliency within them. However, all trees do not bear good fruit. One of the primary organizers of this Consistory, S.P. H. E. Jackson 32° was involved in the illegal creation of a Council of Royal and Select Masters in the city a few years prior. This Consistory did not make it through the Great Depression era.
In May 1976, years after this Consistory went dormant another Consistory sprouted in its place — Ben Lomond Consistory No. 94 — whose name is derived from another mountain in Europe — Ben Lomond in Scotland.
Ophir Consistory No. 48 Valley of Trenton, Orient of New Jersey Chartered May 21, 1921
The ancient city of Ophir, as mentioned in the Bible, was an area renowned for its wealth, especially gold. The exact geographical location, however, has been highly debated. It has been theorized the city is in Sri Lanka; India; Africa; Saudia Arabia; or Ethiopia. King Solomon and Hiram, King of Tyre received goods and supplies from this port every third year. The name “Ophir” has also been ascribed to a son of Joktan — prince over the children of Shem. Mention of Ophir, as it relates to the port and the person can be found numerous places in the Bible — Genesis 10:29; 1 Kings 9:28; 1 Kings 10:11; 1 Kings 22:48; 1 Chronicles 1:23; 1 Chronicles 29:4; 2 Chronicles 8:18; 2 Chronicles 9:10; Job 22:24; Job 28:16; Psalm 45:9; and Isaiah 13:12. Illustrating the definition of the word, the Trenton area has been a rich preserve from the Grand Lodge of New Jersey and the United Supreme Council, Northern Jurisdiction to mine from.
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