Sunday, August 19, 2007

WB JOSE A. REYES PM, A Mason to the very end

WB JOSE ADRIOSOLA MARIANO REYES PM
The First Master of Bagong Buhay Lodge No. 291
(1906 – 1910, 1915 and 1916)
- Masonic Name “Cromwell” -

JOSE ADRIOSOLA REYES y MARIANO, a prominent propagandist and revolutionary leader was born on April 24, 1864 at San Rafael, San Roque, Cavite (Cavite City). His parents were Maximo Adriosola Reyes, gobernadorcillo in 1863 and Valeriana Mariano. He has only one brother, named Bernardino. He was married to the former Socorro Kaingal of Bulacan, a teacher in a public school, and the first president of the Cavite Women’s Club. They were blessed with four (4) children, Salvador, Augusto, Arturo and Minerva.

During the Spanish regime, he was the leader of the Balangay “Lintik” or Balangay 2 of the Katipunan at Barrio San Rafael, San Roque, Cavite. He also served as Commander in the second stage of the Philippine revolution and during the American regime he served as Justice of Peace (Juez de Paz).

On September 6, 1896, he was among the 27 prominent Mason leaders or organizers who were arrested and detained in Fort San Felipe. Of the 27, there were 20 Masons who died in the firing squad; while the 7 others were released from prison. Bro. Jose Reyes outlived the revolution and witnessed the rebirth of Masonry.

After the overthrow of the Spanish government and the Americans occupied the Philippines in 1898, there were attempts by members of Espana En Filipinas Lodge to organize a Lodge in Cavite. Their efforts materialized in 1906 when they held their first meeting in the house of Bro. Jose Salamanca and the second meeting in the house of Bro. Hugo Adorable, a member of Vanguardia Lodge in the Valley of Hongkong.

On September 4, 1906, Masons in Cavite City, passed a Resolution to constitute a Lodge in the Valley of Cavite to be named Bagong Buhay Lodge to be under the jurisdiction of the Gran Oriente Espanol. Bro. Hugo Adorable 7 (Telemaco) and Bro. Jose Reyes 4 (Cromwell) were the bearers of the Resolutions to Sinukuan Lodge No. 272 in the Valley of Manila for their affiliation.

On September 16, 1906, upon the invitation of the brethren from Cavite, a Commission composed of members from Nilad Lodge No. 144, Sinukuan Lodge No. 272, and Lusong Lodge No. 185 headed by Worshipful Bros. Ramon Diokno, Timoteo Paez and Inocencio Concepcion, held an assembly of Masons and proceed with the election of officers for the purpose BAGONG BUHAY LODGE, under dispensation and elected Jose Adriosola M. Reyes as Worshipful Master, Ladislao N. Diwa as Senior Warden and Juan N. Santos as Junior Warden, all were originally members of Sinukuan Lodge of Tondo. The other officers were: Bro. Basilio San Jose, Treasurer; Bro. Hugo Adorable, Secretary; Bro. Catalino Nicolas, Orator; Bro. Eulogio Santiago, Marshal; Bro. Herminigildo Maldonado, Senior Deacon; Bro. Gregorio Medina, Junior Deacon; and Bro. Andres Perez, Almoner.

On September 21, 1906, the officers were installed with WB Timoteo Paez as Installing Officer at a house located at Calle No. 8, Cavite District proper.

On August 11, 1907, the Charter of the Lodge was approved by the Gran Oriente Espanol in Madrid, Spain and delivered to WB Jose Reyes. The Lodge was formally constituted and the officers officially installed with Illustrious Worshipful Master Abelardo Cuesta, a 33rd degree Mason as Installing Officer.

In 1907, he took part in the organization of the Grand Regional Lodge of the Philippines (Gran Logia Regional De Filipinas) and elected Grand 4th Vice President during the assembly in 1906. He joined the Noli Me Tangere Chapter of the Rose Croix No. 53 and Hermanos del 96 Council of Kadosh under the Grand Oriente Espanol where he held a 30th Degree Scottish Rite Freemasonry.

On November 15, 1908, WB Jose Reyes took part in the first installation of officers of Silanganan Lodge No. 305 (now Lodge No. 19), presided by RW Valentin Polintan and accompanied by Bros. Pantaleon Garcia, Francisco Licuanan, Felipe Buencamino, Elias Asuncion, E. Vergara and Pascual Casimiro.

In 1917, he transferred to the Philippine Bodies of the American Branch of the Scottish Rite Freemasonry.

He served as Worshipful Master of Bagong Buhay Lodge No. 291 from 1906 to 1910, and in 1915, and 1916.

WB Jose Adriosola Mariano Reyes died on May 17, 1922 at the age of 58 years, a Mason to the very end.


Bro. Ric Alvarez
Bagong Buhay Lodge No. 4 F & A M

5 comments:

RmOlano said...

WB Ric,
Thank you for Further Light and sharing with us the rich history of not only your Lodge but also the men/Brethren "who composed such a Lodge." This the gem of information that we Filipinos dont read in our Philippine History books. The labor, sacrificies and accomplishments of our forebearers regardless of their Masonic affiliations are worhty examples of how should Masons act--- standing fast to ones belief that Truth is the foundation of all virtues. One can hardly expect Brotherly Love to affect Relief without the basic ingredient of Masonic Ethics. With truthfulness deeply ingrained in ones morality, the application of Justice comes so easy and so natural which in the end begets Tolerance--- a Masonic virtue that mankind can emulate from the Craft.

Thank you again and we will be looking forward for more of your Further Lights.

F/
RmOlano
Hanford Lodge No. 279
Grand Lodge of California

Unknown said...

Wow, this is so awesome, i guess he's my great, great, grandfather, or something, he's my grandfather's uncle Oscar Adriosola Reyes...

Unknown said...

I am so proud of my family, I am the only grandson of Ramon Reyes father of Oscar Adriosola Reyes,and my name is Raymond Fernandez Reyes from Washington State.

areyes said...

I am Emilio S. Reyes Jr., the son of Emilio Adriosola Kaingal de Reyes, who is the son of WB Jose Adriosola Reyes y Mariano and Maria Socorro Kaingal de Reyes. I am based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA.

Anonymous said...

I am Eric Reyes, a great grandson of WB Jose A. Reyes. Thanks to Ric Alvarez for posting this biography. Allow me to make one correction - WB Jose Reyes and Socorro Kaingal actually had seven children. They were Salvador, Augusto ( my grandfather), Arturo, Alicia, Alfonzo, Emilio and Minerva.