MESSAGES
MADISON'S LOST LODGES Madison presently has four Lodges in the Downtown Center; Madison Lodge # 5, Hiram Lodge # 50, Commonwealth Lodge # 325 and Four Lakes Daylight Lodge # 362. The East Side Center houses Doric Lodge # 356 and the Middleton ( West Side ) Center is home to Middleton Ionic Lodge # 180. Madison has also been home to two previous lodges that have since surrendered their charters. Excelsior Lodge # 19was created in 1847 when 15 members of Madison Lodge demitted to create Excelsior Lodge #19. This lodge failed after only four years and surrendered its charter in 1851. Concordia Lodge # 83 was chartered in 1857. It was by far the most controvertial lodge in Madison's history. It was a German Language lodge that followed the French Rite of Masonry. When it was reported to the Grand Master that they were practicing such unorthodox procedures as opening up "Sisters Lodges" where women and children were admitted into lodge and baptising the children of members, their charter was suspended for a couple of months until it was explained to them that these practices are not acceptable in the United States even though it might happen in Europe. Its charter was returned and the lodge continued 22 years until it voluntarily surrendered its charter due to inactivity. Deputy Grand Master Amasa Cobb in 1860 stated of the incident "the errors of Concordia Lodge were errors of the head and not of the heart. The Brothers in these Lost Lodges of Madison helped set the stage for the stable growth of the past hundred years and merit our eternal thanks.
