Philanthropic Lodge No. 164, F. & A.M.

12/25/2025

A Masonic Moment of Light for Christmastime

As winter settles over Camden and the North Country, our village takes on that familiar Christmastime glow. Snow rests softly on the bandstand, wreaths brighten the storefront windows, and the warmth of small-town fellowship carries us through the coldest nights. For members of the Masonic fraternity, this season echoes many of the values we cherish throughout the year: charity, brotherly love, relief, and truth. While Freemasonry is not a religion and welcomes men of many faiths, the spirit of Christmas resonates deeply with its teachings, encouraging reflection, generosity, and the quiet practice of kindness.

Around the holidays, Masons across Oneida County feel a renewed obligation to serve. The season can be joyful for many, yet difficult for neighbors facing hardship. Local lodges often direct their efforts toward food pantries, holiday drives, or assisting families who prefer their dignity preserved through private acts of help. These gestures, given without expectation of recognition, reflect a simple idea at the heart of Masonic practice: that the greatest charity is often the one performed silently, with no desire for anything in return.

The glow of Camden in December also mirrors the sense of brotherly connection that guides the Craft. Driving down Main Street after dusk, each home and business contributes its own quiet point of light. In Masonry, individuals are sometimes called living stones, each adding strength to the moral and spiritual structure around us. The holiday season reminds us that small acts of goodwill — shoveling a neighbor’s driveway, sharing a warm meal, calling someone who might be lonely — help build that structure and strengthen the ties of a close-knit town.

As the year winds down, Masons often use the quiet of winter to reflect on personal growth. We ask ourselves whether we acted with integrity, listened with patience, offered compassion when it was needed, and used our time in ways that uplifted others. Christmastime offers a gentle pause for these questions, and an invitation to renew our commitments as we step into the new year.
Across centuries, the winter solstice has symbolized the return of light after the darkest days. In its own way, Christmas carries that same promise of renewed hope and brighter paths ahead. May this season bring peace, warmth, and a steady glow of good will that lasts long after the lights come down.

From our lodge to your home, may you enjoy a Merry Christmas, a hopeful New Year, and a winter filled with brotherly love.

12/13/2025

Thank you to Imagine Greater Camden for letting us take part in this year's Holiday Stroll. We were more than happy to open our doors and offer a warm place to get out of the cold and grab a hot beverage. ☕🎄

11/26/2025

Today in history, November 26, 1789, marked the first nationally recognized Thanksgiving Day in the United States. In commemoration, our Junior Warden has written the following reflection.

George Washington’s Thanksgiving Proclamation: A Masonic Perspective on Gratitude and Unity - by R. V. Stoltz

As Thanksgiving approaches, our thoughts turn naturally to appreciation for our families, our friends, our community, and the blessings that sustain us throughout the year. It’s a season that invites gratitude and humility, values that resonate deeply within Freemasonry and the teachings of one of our most revered brothers: George Washington.

In 1789, just months after taking office as the first President of the United States, Washington issued a proclamation calling for a national day of thanksgiving. The young nation was still fragile, having only recently established its Constitution, and Washington understood the need for unity and moral grounding. He invited Americans to pause from their daily labors and give thanks “for the many signal favors of Almighty God,” urging a spirit of humility, thanks, and cooperation among all citizens.

For Freemasons, those virtues lie at the very heart of our craft. Gratitude reminds us to acknowledge the blessings bestowed upon us, not only in material comfort but in fellowship, opportunity, and wisdom. Humility keeps us mindful that no man stands above another in the Lodge or in life, and that true greatness is found in service to others. And unity, perhaps the most essential virtue of all, binds us together in friendship and brotherly love, helping us rise above division and work for the common good.

Thanksgiving, then, is much more than a holiday. It is a practice, one that calls us to live gratefully, act charitably, and see the light of goodness in those around us. These ideals mirror the Masonic teachings that have guided our fraternity for centuries. Just as Washington sought to unite a young nation under the shared banner of gratitude, Masons strive to build communities rooted in understanding, tolerance, and mutual respect.

Here in Camden, we are fortunate to see these values at work every day. Whether it’s a neighbor lending a hand, a volunteer giving time to a cause, or a family gathering around the table to share stories and laughter, these simple acts are the living embodiment of Washington’s vision. They remind us that the strength of a community comes not from its size or wealth, but from the goodness of its people.

As we celebrate Thanksgiving this year, may we remember Brother Washington’s example: to give thanks for the blessings we enjoy, to offer compassion to those in need, and to nurture unity wherever it can be found. In doing so, we honor not only the founding spirit of our nation, but the enduring moral teachings that continue to shape our small village.

11/11/2025

🇺🇸 Honoring Our Veterans 🇺🇸

Today, we pause to honor the brave men and women who have served our nation with courage, dedication, and sacrifice. Their steadfast commitment to freedom and brotherhood embodies the very principles we as Freemasons hold dear: duty, integrity, and service to others.

To all our Brothers and community members who have worn the uniform: thank you for your service. You remind us every day that true strength lies in compassion, unity, and unwavering resolve.

“The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war.” ~ Brother Gen. Douglas MacArthur:

10/31/2025

Happy Halloween from the Brethren of Philanthropic Lodge No. 164, F.&A.M.! 👻

Wishing everyone in the Queen Village a safe and enjoyable evening filled with fun, laughter, and community spirit. Please watch for trick-or-treaters, drive carefully, and enjoy this time of year when our village truly comes alive with creativity and smiles.

Stay safe, have fun, and remember—kindness is always in season! 🎃

10/26/2025

200 Years Ago Today: The Marriage of the Waters 💧

On this day in 1825, Governor and Brother DeWitt Clinton, a proud Freemason and Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of New York from 1806 to 1819, marked the completion of the Erie Canal by ceremonially joining the waters of Lake Erie and the Atlantic Ocean, a moment forever known as the “Marriage of the Waters.”

This monumental achievement connected the Great Lakes to the Hudson River, transforming New York into the Empire State and opening the door to commerce, growth, and unity across our young nation.

As Masons, we celebrate this bicentennial not only as a triumph of engineering and vision, but as a reminder of what can be accomplished when perseverance, brotherhood, and purpose flow together.

10/25/2025

Our Brothers had a great day at the annual Camden PBA Spooktacular Fall Festival handing out candy and speaking with the community about our fraternity.

10/24/2025

Traveling notes from the Junior Warden, Brother Ross V. Stoltz, who also holds the position of Assistant Grand Lecturer for the Oneida Masonic District:

Last night, Masons from across Oneida and Herkimer Counties gathered in Boonville to welcome R∴W∴ Greg Noulas, Grand Lecturer of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of New York. Brother Noulas, alongside the district Assistant Grand Lecturers, led an inspiring educational program on the meaning and importance of the Masonic Ritual, the timeless tradition that sets Freemasonry apart from all other fraternal and civic organizations.

It was an evening filled with good food, great fellowship, and meaningful discussion about the values that unite us as Brothers and as members of our local communities.

A heartfelt thank you to W∴ Jonas Bowers, Master of Boonville-Uriel Lodge No. 165, for his hospitality and an excellent meal shared among friends.

"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!"

10/16/2025

Always great when your Brothers from the farthest point East travel out to the farthest point West in the district! .

Great night of Brotherhood at Camden Lodge!!

10/08/2025

Which one are you?

10/03/2025

Autumn Reflections and Masonic Lessons

by R.V. Stoltz

There’s something about fall in Camden that feels both familiar and fresh every year. The mornings start with mist rising off the fields, the air grows crisp, and before long, the hillsides are ablaze in every shade of red, orange, and yellow. We mark the season with hayrides, apple cider, and the crunch of leaves underfoot, but beyond the sights and sounds of autumn lies a more profound lesson. The changing seasons have a way of reminding us about life itself, how every stage has its own beauty, purpose, and meaning.
For generations, the Masonic lodge has taught lessons that echo the rhythm of the seasons. Masonry uses symbols and stories to encourage reflection, growth, and renewal. In the fall, those teachings feel especially close to home.

As the leaves turn and drift gently to the ground, nature shows us that letting go is not a loss, but rather a necessary preparation. The trees don’t mourn their leaves; they release them to rest through the winter and be ready for spring. In the same way, Masonry teaches that there are times in life when we should shed what no longer serves us: old habits, grudges, or doubts. By doing so, we make room for new growth, just as the bare branches make way for buds in the spring.

Every season plays its part. Spring bursts with new beginnings, summer offers strength and abundance, autumn teaches transition, and winter brings reflection. The lodge reminds its members that life follows a similar pattern. Youth is full of energy and discovery, middle age is marked by building and striving, and later years offer wisdom and perspective. Each season is necessary, and each has its own beauty.

Autumn, with its striking colors and fleeting days, asks us to pause and take stock. It’s a season of balance, day and night in near-equal measure, and a reminder to find balance in our own lives as well.
Fall has always been harvest season in small towns like ours. Neighbors share apples from the orchard, pumpkins from the patch, and stories over steaming mugs of cider. It’s a time of gratitude, when we look at the fruits of our labor and recognize the blessings of community.

That same spirit lives in the work of the Masonic lodge. Masons are taught to practice charity and kindness, lending a hand where it’s needed and remembering that life is richest when shared. Whether it’s supporting a local scholarship, helping a neighbor in need, or simply gathering together in fellowship, Masonry holds fast to the values of gratitude and giving.

Though autumn is beautiful, it is also a prelude to winter. The earth prepares to rest, and in that rest is wisdom. The quiet months ahead give us time to reflect on where we’ve been and to prepare for where we’re going.

The lodge, too, encourages reflection. Its lessons remind us that silence and stillness are not empty; they are full of meaning. Just as the snow-covered fields are not barren but waiting, so too can we use quieter seasons of life to strengthen ourselves for what comes next.

Here in Camden, fall is more than just a season; it’s part of who we are. It’s in the farmers’ markets, the high school football games played under bright lights on cool nights, and the sight of Fish Creek and Mad River winding between fiery maples and golden birches. It’s in the way neighbors greet each other while raking leaves or stacking wood, each task a reminder that we live not just beside one another but with one another.

The Masonic lodge draws inspiration from that same sense of place and belonging. It reminds us that, like the changing colors, life is always moving forward, and that community, reflection, and kindness will always be steady guides through every turn of the seasons.

As you sip cider, walk beneath the canopy of red and gold, or simply watch the leaves drift across your yard, take a moment to listen to what this season is saying. Change can be beautiful. Rest is necessary. And the bonds of community, like the roots of our trees, are what keep us grounded through every season of life.

For more information about the lessons of Freemasonry, contact us at [email protected]