2017 Masonic Spring Ball magazine

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recently read an article which debated the real meaning of the quotation “the more things change, the more they stay the same” and my thoughts were drawn to our annual Masonic Spring Ball and our fund-raising efforts around our Masonic Homes.

The Masonic Spring Ball was first held in 1975 and the Spring Ball Magazine was introduced in 1981. That’s 43 Spring Balls and 37 annual Magazines. In the very first Magazine RW Bro Andy van Niekerk wrote an Introduction which I thought that I’d share with you.

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When Buddha was still Prince Siddartha he often escaped from the splendid palace where he lived in fairytale seclusion and drove about the countryside. The first time he went out he saw a tottering, wrinkled, toothless, bowed old man – trembling and mumbling as he propped himself on his stick. The sight astonished the Prince and his charioteer told him just what it means to be old.

“It is the world’s pity,” cried Siddartha, “that weak and ignorant beings, drunk with the vanity of youth, do not behold old age! Let us hurry back to the palace. What is the use of pleasures and delights – unseeing – since I myself am the future dwelling place of old age?

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Andy then went on to explore the challenges being faced by the elderly at the time, at the increasing longevity of man and the financial stresses being faced by many senior citizens. He believed that “The solution to the problem is not providing institutions for the aged but better accommodation where the aged can form part of the community and live a normal active and independent life.”

All these years later we still subscribe to Andy and Geoff Burchell’s original view and while there have been enormous changes to the world around us, major developments in technology and medicine and dramatic changes in our own country, those less fortunate than ourselves still need our assistance. “The more things change, the more they stay the same” really does apply to the Masonic Homes project.

MW Bro Geoff Edwards OSM Editor - Spring Ball Magazine

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Spring Ball Convenor RW Bro John Smith OSM

Committee MW Bro Geoff Edwards OSM RW Bro Tommy Hardiman RW Bro Avron Jacobson Wor Bro Dennis Benadie Wor Bro Jan Venter Wor Bro Llew Lloyd-Jones

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Special Thanks To

Wor Bro Cobis Wilson, our Master of Ceremonies.

Mr Shawn Benjamin, our Spring Ball Photographer.

The Contributors of the excellent magazine articles.

Bro Mark van Dijk, who does such an outstanding job in laying out our magazine.

All the other Brethren, and their partners, who assist us.

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Contents MESSAGES

From The Grand Master Van Die Grootmeester From The Provincial Grand Master Van Die Provinsiale Grootmeester From Our Sister Constitutions

MASONIC INTEREST Introducing The New Grand Master Innovations in Freemasonry From Whence We Were Born Pioneers In Race Relations Lodge De Goede Hoop & Early Cape Town Laus Deo Lesser Known Rites, Orders & Degrees Frequently Asked Questions Masonic Collar of Office President en Broeder

MASONIC THOUGHTS The Forgotten Virtue Your Perfection Face-to-Face Facing New Challenges

SOUTHERN DIVISION A Masonic Year in Pictures The Masonic Homes Seen At The 2016 Spring Ball Adventures of a Grand Master 2016 Pledges

The Grand Master’s Message

Die Grootmeester Se Boodskap

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iermee wil ek en Louise elkeen gelukwens en bedank wat betrokke was by die organisering van die Masonieke Lente Bal asook een en elk van u wat hierdie fondsinsamelingprojek ondersteun. Dit is vir die afgelope 43 jaar in die voorgrond om die wonderlike Masonieke beginsels te demonstreer.

Ons salueer die visie en die pogings van elkeen wat deelgeneem het aan die Masonieke Tehuis projek. Dit is werklik ‘n bewys van ‘n volgehoue voorbeeld van die sorgsame aard van ons organisasie.

Vir Vrymesselary om te floreer, moet dit relevant wees in ons gemeenskappe. Die Wes-Kaap is gelukkig om te deel in aktiewe Vrymesselary – en Vrymesselary is bevoorreg om soveel sorgsame Broerders in hul geledere te hê. Die feit dat ons nou ‘n woonstelblok en drie gemeenskaplike huise het vir bejaardes asook ‘n huis vir kwadruplieë, is ‘n huldeblyk tot die kwaliteit van hulle arbeid.

Deur van onsself te gee in die proses van omgee vir diegene wat in egte nood verkeer sonder dat hulle daarvoor gevra het, verryk ons sodoende ons eie lewens.

Strukturele fondsinsameling laat die fokus val op die pogings van die Broeders en hulle families deur samewerking vir ‘n verdienstelike saak, terwyl hulle in die proses ook in die pret deel. Die aangesig tot aangesig interaksie wat deur samewerking meegebring word is vinnig besig om vergete te raak in ons daaglikse bestaan, aangesien ons onweerstaanbaar beweeg na die werklikheid van elektroniese kommunikasie. Hoe dikwels moet ons toekyk hoe ons jongmense met mekaar kommunikeer per SMS, epos en Facebook, en dit terwyl hulle slegs binne ‘n paar meter van mekaar verkeer? Is hulle besig om die vele niekommunikasie fasette van ‘n gesprek te verloor?

Laat ons dus hierdie aand wat vir ons voorberei is, geniet deur deelname en interaksie met sorgsame mense en bo alles, laat ons aansluit by gesprekvoering met diegene wie ons geniet en stimulerend vind.

ay Louise and I congratulate and thank everyone involved in organising the Masonic Spring Ball, and each and every one of you for supporting this annual fundraiser. Now in its 43rd year, it has been at the forefront of promoting a wonderful demonstration of Masonic principles.

We salute the vision and efforts of everyone who has participated in the Masonic Homes project. This has proved to be an enduring example of the caring nature of our organisation. For Freemasonry to prosper, it has to be relevant in our communities. The Western Cape is fortunate to have active Freemasonry – and Freemasonry is blessed to have such caring Brethren amongst its members.

The fact that we now have a block of flats and three communal homes for the elderly and a home for quadriplegics is a tribute to the quality of their labours.

By giving of ourselves in caring for those who are in real need through no fault of their own, we enrich our own lives.

Structured fundraising focuses the efforts of the Brethren and their families through working together on a worthy cause while having fun doing so. The face-to-face interaction that comes from working together is fast becoming a lost opportunity in our daily lives as we move irresistibly into the age of electronic communication.

How often do we now watch our youngsters communicating

by SMS, email and Facebook, whilst no further than a few metres apart? Are they losing the many non-communication facets of a conversation?

So, let us enjoy the evening prepared for us, participate in interactions with caring people and, most of all, let us join in conversation with those we enjoy and find stimulating.

MW Bro Dave Duncan OSM Grand Master

HE Br Dave Duncan ODV Grootmeester

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From The Provincial Grand Master

Van Die Provinsiale Grootmeester

Southern Division

Suidelike Afdeling

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t is my pleasure to host, as the Provincial Grand Master of the Southern Division, the annual Masonic Spring Ball.

This is the 43rd consecutive Masonic Spring Ball, which is in itself a fabulous achievement and a tribute to the efforts and support of all the Freemasons of the Western Cape.

I have had the privilege and pleasure over the past seven years of working closely with a group of men whom I trust, whose company I always enjoy, who are skilled and passionate about what they do, who contribute greatly to charity in this province and who exhibit a moral commitment to assist and do good for others. These men are Freemasons.

The Brethren of this Province continue to set an amazing example of Brotherly Love, Relief and Charity and continue to work tirelessly for the benefit of those members of our community who are less fortunate than ourselves. Freemasonry all over the world has developed an incredible organisational network of philanthropic endeavours that generate billions every year for worthy causes and we are justly proud of the contribution that we, as the Freemasons of the Western Cape, make to this.

This past year alone has seen our own Masonic Homes project (comprising of four homes for the elderly and a home for Quadriplegics), the Society for the Blind and numerous other charities receiving considerable financial assistance, directly from the hands of Freemasons.

My sincere thanks to all of our local Freemasons, including our own GLSA Brethren, the Convener and members of the Spring Ball committee and the Brethren of the English, Irish and Scottish Constitutions for the fantastic work that you do. It is an absolute privilege to share my journey in this Ancient Craft with each and every one of you.

it is my voorreg om as die Provinsiale Grootmeester van die Suidelike Divisie, die jaarlikse Masonieke Lentebal aan te bied. Dit is die 43ste opeenvolgemde Masonieke Lentebal, wat op sigself ‘n wonderlike prestasie is en ook ‘n huldeblyk is vir die pogings en ondersteuning van al die Vrymesselaars van die Weskaap.

Ek het die voorreg en plesier oor die afgelope sewe jaar gehad om nou saam te werk met ‘n groep manne wie ek vertrou, wie se geselsskap ek altyd geniet, wie ervare en passievol is oor wat hulle doen, wie grootliks bydra tot liefdadigheid in hierdie provinsie en wie morele bystand bied om te help en goed te doen vir ander.

Hierdie manne is Vrymesselaars.

Die Broeders van hierdie Provinsie gaan voort om ‘n ongelooflike voorbeeld van Broederliefde, Verligting en Liefdadigheid daar te stel en werk moeiteloos voort tot voordeel van daardie lede van ons gemeenskap wie minder as ons daaraan toe het. Vrymesselary het wêreldwyd ‘n ongelooflike organisatoriese netwerk van filantropiese strewes wat biljoene elke jaar vir waardige geleenthede genereer en ons is met reg trots op die bydrae wat ons, as Vrymesselaars van die Weskaap, daartoe maak.

Hierdie afgelope jaar alleen is daar waargeneem hoe ons eie Masonieke Tehuis projek (bestaande uit vier huise vir bejaardes en ‘n tehuis vir kwadruplieë), die Genootskap vir Blindes en talle ander liefdadigheidsorganisasies, ruim finansiele bystand ontvang het van Vrymesselaars.

My innige dank aan al die plaaslike Vrymesselaars, ingesluit ons eie GLSA Broeders, die samesteller en lede van die Masonieke Lentebal Kommittee en die Broeders van die Engelse-, Ierse- en Skotse Konstitusies vir die fantastiese werk wat julle doen. Dit is ‘n absolute voorreg om my reis in hierdie Aloue Orde met een en elk van julle te deel.

RW Bro Tommy Hardiman Provincial Grand Master

SV Br Tommy Hardiman Provinsiale Grootmeester

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Messages From Our Sister Constitutions

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English Constitution

rethren of the GLSA Southern Division, It is my privilege for the ninth and last time to bring you fraternal greetings from your Brother Freemasons of the English Constitution of South Africa Western Division. In so doing, we also wish to congratulate MW Bro David Duncan OSM on his appointment as the Grand Master of the GLSA and wish him and his team every success for the future. I likewise wish MW Bro Geoff Edwards OSM all the very best on his retirement.

On a more personal note with my retirement fast approaching, I would like to thank all the Brethren of the GLSA for the way that you have received me and always made me so welcome in your presence as a Brother Freemason.

I am very proud of the strong fraternal bond that is shared between our Constitutions and see it as a very important and intrinsic part of Freemasonry in South Africa. May this bond we share continue until time with us shall be no more.

RW Bro Jim Duggan District Grand Master

Irish Constitution

Scottish Constitution

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t is again my privilege to deliver fraternal greetings from all the Brethren of the Irish Constitution in the Southern Cape Province. It is our sincere hope that this year’s 43rd Annual Spring Ball will be a resounding success and of great benefit to its intended beneficiaries.

We applaud the organizers, thank the sponsors and wish all attendees to this impressive event an enjoyable time with their spouses, partners and Brothers!

t is again my privilege and pleasure to bring to the Grand Lodge of Southern Africa, Southern Division, the fraternal greetings of the Western Province of the Cape of Good Hope District of the Grand Lodge of Scotland on the occasion of your 43rd annual Spring Ball. We are comforted in the fact that the money raised at this wonderful event will be used to help those less fortunate than us.

The Scottish Constitution in The Western Province of the Cape of Good Hope wish to congratulate the Grand Master, Grand Lodge of Southern Africa Most Worshipful Brother Dave Duncan OSM on his installation.

On behalf of the Brethren of the Scottish constitution we again thank the Convener and organisers of this Spring Ball for their tireless efforts in making this event the successes it is.

RW Bro Gordon Bergh Provincial Grand Master

Bro Charles Smith RW District Grand Master –7–

Introducing The New Grand Master On Saturday 8 July 2017, the GLSA installed their 10th Grand Master, MW Bro David James Duncan OSM.

By MW Bro Geoff Edwards OSM

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W Bro David Duncan OSM was born in Liverpool, England in 1944. His father served as a Marine Engineer repairing the liberty boats that kept England alive at that time by supplying food and munitions from America.

After the war ended, the family moved to his mother’s birthplace and set up home in rural Lincolnshire.

Dave attended King Edward Sixth Grammar school in Spilsby to ‘’A’’ levels and later studied at the National College of Rubber Technology in London. On graduating with a Research Degree, he joined Gillette in Reading, Berkshire as a Research Chemist working on the coatings that make stainless blades comfortable to shave with. He later joined Uniroyal Chemical Company and worked on the development and production of the synthetic rubbers that are used extensively in paper coatings and carpet backings.

Dave moved to South Africa in 1975 to work at the General Tyre Company in their Industrial Products Division in Boksburg. He left General Tyre in 1984 to set up his own Company producing speciality and technical rubber products. This Company was sold in 2008 and Dave, such as his personality allowed for it, became a “gentleman of leisure’’.

Having been brought up with a love for the English countryside, Dave soon developed a similar love for the open spaces of South Africa and, through this interest, met and developed friendships with likeminded people. Camping, caravanning and “4x4ing” were the connections and monthly trips were made to all corners of Southern Africa. Dave is still totally taken up by the exhilaration of the outdoor life and trout fishing accounts for most of the time when he is “out of contact”.

Prior to 1992 Dave was very involved in his professional Institute, the Institute of Materials based in London, and served for many years as either the Chairman, Secretary or Treasurer of the branch in South Africa.

He joined Freemasonry in 1993 when he discovered that practically all of his closest recreational friends were members of Lodge Friendship in the GLSA. Being an Englishman in that Lodge was not a problem as almost 60% of the members were expatriates working on the helicopters at Atlas Aviation in Kempton Park. It was only later that Dave discovered that he had, in fact, come from a Masonic family dating back for several generations from his paternal Grandfather.

Dave became the Worshipful Master of Lodge Friendship in 1999; joined the Northern Division Provincial Grand Lodge team in 2000 and quickly progressed to the Provincial Grand Master of the Northern Division in 2005. The Grand Master at that time was MW Bro John Bowen OSM. Dave was then appointed as an Assistant Grand Master by MW Bro “Watty” Watson OSM in

2011 and Deputy Grand Master by MW Bro Geoff Edwards OSM in 2014. In recognition of his exceptional services, Dave was awarded an OSM (Order of Service to Masonry) in 2015.

Dave’s other Masonic activities have included supporting benevolence initiatives through the Johannesburg based InterConstitutional Masonic Services Committee and the Transvaal Inter-Constitutional Masonic Committee and he was Chairman of both Committees on various occasions. He was actively involved in the Lyceum Lodge of Research, edited the Annual GLSA Yearbook for a number of years and was the originator and editor of “Square and Compasses”, the Grand Lodge monthly newsletter now in its 65th Edition.

Dave met and married Louise in 1992 and they are a fully committed Masonic couple. Over the years Lou has worked tirelessly supporting Dave’s Lodges and Brethren as a fine food provider and general source of encouragement. It is no surprise that Dave’s Brethren hold Lou in extremely high regard and she is always welcomed with great enthusiasm. She and Dave made an enormous difference to my term as Grand Master always making me feel like a welcome visitor into their home and creating a relationship where I much looked forward to sharing time with them.

Between them Dave and Lou have four daughters, eight grandchildren and one great grandchild – and each and every one of them is much loved and spoiled. The Duncan story wouldn’t be quite complete, however, without reference to Jason, the family parrot, who makes very clear decisions on who he likes and who he doesn’t – and those that don’t meet with his approval are made very aware of it!

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Innovation and Freemasonry from Masonrytoday.com (Submitted by Wor Bro Graham Symons)

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nnovation within Freemasonry can be something of a dirty word. It conjures up thoughts of changing how a Lodge functions from the comfortable, and sometimes ineffective, processes that the Lodge has been using for generations. Quite often someone will point to the idea that “it is no man’s power to make innovations in the system of Freemasonry.”

The truth is that Freemasonry has been undergoing innovations for centuries and it is those innovations that have kept the fraternity alive and moving forward. Although no one is 100% sure how Speculative Freemasonry began, the most commonly held belief is that it came from the guilds of the middle ages. Making the assumption this is true, the fact that Speculative Freemasonry arose, is in itself an innovation.

Looking back we begin to see the first signs of Speculative Masons coming into existence around the late 16th, early 17th century. At that same time there was a fundamental shift in the world. As the Enlightenment began education started to become more common. It was no longer just for the clergy or the elite, more people began to learn mathematics and reading. This put the guilds, who were a source of education for the lucky few, in a position where they could be losing their influence. What appears to happen is that the Lodges of the time innovated, they brought in non-operative Masons into their Lodges. It is quite probable that many were patrons who had ordered buildings to be constructed.

Now this is pure speculation on my part, but I use it only to illustrate the idea that innovation, the change from the norm, can be healthy and effective for the fraternity and still not damage the “system of Freemasonry.” Even the formation of the Grand Lodge of England in 1717 was an innovation. Up to that point the idea of a Grand Lodge had not taken shape.

The key to any innovation in the fraternity is that any changes that are made are done within the boundaries of the Landmarks of the Fraternity. The Landmarks give us borders within

which innovation is allowed and should even be encouraged.

Innovations, creative new ways of thinking about how we conduct the business of the fraternity, is critical. Too often in Freemasonry we want to stick with how it was in the “good old days” or “just how it has always been done.” There is a difference between changing the “system of Freemasonry”, for example deciding to no longer obligate new Masons or practice the three degrees, and changing how we conduct our business, for example sending meeting minutes out to members ahead of the meeting so the Secretary doesn’t have to read the minutes at the meeting itself.

Changes to how we do business can be uncomfortable to some. This is not a problem with the Masonic Fraternity only, it is human nature to dislike change. It becomes uncomfortable to think that things are no longer going to “be the same.” The truth is, however, if it were not for innovative individuals within the history of Freemasonry, we might not be here to object to Innovations.

TRIBUTE TO RAY SUPRA Over the past few years we have had the extraordinary privilege of having Wor Bro Ray Supra selling advertisements for our Magazine. Ray has worked tirelessly on the project and really did achieve some excellent results. He averaged sales of some R25,000 each year and was very deservingly awarded a PGL Charity Jewel in recognition of his contribution to the Homes project. Sadly, Ray has now been taken to the Eternal East and those of us who knew him well and loved him for the example that he set for us, are now left with the cherished memories of a very special Freemason. The Spring Ball Magazine and the Masonic Homes will always bear testament to a Masonic life well lived.

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From Whence We Were Born 2017 is the Tercentenary year of English Freemasonry, the United Grand Lodge of England recognised as the Premier Grand Lodge of Freemasonry. A remarkable accomplishment given the ever changing nature of society over 300 years.

By RW Bro Kenneth Marcus

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fficially, the Grand Lodge of England was founded in London on St John the Baptist’s day, 24 June 1717, when four existing Lodges gathered at the Goose and Gridiron Ale-house in St Paul’s Church-yard in London and constituted themselves a Grand Lodge. The four Lodges had previously met together in 1716 at the Apple-Tree Tavern, “and having put into the Chair the oldest Master Mason (now the Master of a Lodge), they constituted themselves a Grand Lodge pro Tempore in due form.”

It was at that meeting in 1716 that they resolved to hold the Annual Assembly and Feast and then choose a Grand Master from among themselves, which they did the following year. All four Lodges were simply named after the public houses in which they were accustomed to meet, at the Goose and Gridiron Ale-house in St Paul’s Church-yard (Lodge now called Lodge of Antiquity No 2); the Crown Ale-house in Parker’s Lane off Drury Lane; the Apple-Tree Tavern in Charles Street, Covent Garden (Lodge now called Lodge of Fortitude and Old Cumberland No 12); and the Rummer and Grapes Tavern in Channel Row, Westminster (Lodge now called Royal Somerset House and Inverness Lodge No IV).

While the three London Lodges were mainly operative Lodges, the Rummer and Grapes, by the Palace of Westminster appears to have been primarily a Lodge of accepted and speculative gentlemen Masons. As they pre-date the formation of the English Grand Lodge itself, these Lodges have the status of being ‘time immemorial’.

Of the four Lodges which came together to elect a Grand Master in 1717 three are still working today – the Lodge of Antiquity, the Royal Somerset House and Inverness Lodge and the Lodge of Fortitude and Old Cumberland – but their early minutes have long been lost so that, with the exception of those elected to the offices of Grand Master and Grand Wardens there is no record of whom

their members were in the years 1717–1725, when the Grand Lodge first called for Lodges to submit lists of their members, or who attended the meeting on 24 June 1717. What we can deduce from secondary evidence is that the meeting was not a huge assembly. The Goose and Gridiron survived until the 1890s and just before it was demolished an enterprising Masonic historian drew sketches of its exterior and measured the room in which the Grand Lodge was formed. The room would have held less than a hundred people who would have had to stand very close to each other to fit into the room!

The Grand Lodge of the English Constitution, established in 1717 is considered by all, if not most, to be the “mother” Grand Lodge of Freemasonry.

The formation of the United Grand Lodge of England came about in 1813 when the then “Antients” and Moderns came together under some duress.

It can be safely said that behind the history of our interconstitutional brotherhood lies the English Constitution. Boerenbeker considers that “The ideal image of the Mother Grand Lodge was a means to make its authority accepted throughout the Masonic world, the Mother Grand Lodge from which had sprung the impetus for the spirit of Freemasonry over the surface of the earth. Thus the English Grand Lodge, in this ideal image of the Mother Grand Lodge, also comes to be the protector of those traditional forms and values which are ultimately the cement of universal Freemasonry.”

The Masonic precept of Brotherly Love has held together in this rugged country of 1.22 million square kilometres. Early settlers from Holland and Britain, coupled with British colonial aspirations and the presence of the military, have contributed to the “glue” which continues to bind South African Freemasonry.

It is the wish of the four constitutions in South Africa that

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“the principles of the Ancient Landmarks, customs and usages of the Craft which the English Grand Lodge deems essential for Freemasonry...” be adhered to, “although allowances can be made for the differences in predisposition, in character, and in the historical development of the different peoples.”

Behind the presence of the Netherlandic Constitution lay English Freemasonry which in 1731 encouraged Dutch Freemasonry and in 1756 supported the establishment of its own Grand Lodge in the Netherlands.

Amongst the early sailors, settlers and troops in the Cape colony were Freemasons of both the Dutch and English Constitutions though memberships were confined to the Lodge de Goede Hoop and Lodge de Goede Trouw under the Grand East of the Netherlands. Cultural and language issues combined to persuade the English-speaking brethren to submit a petition to the Grand Lodge of England to establish an English-speaking Lodge in Cape Town under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of England. This was granted in 1811 and the British Lodge No 619 was consecrated in 1812. The Deputy Grand Master National of the Dutch Lodges officiated and installed the Worshipful Master. Officers of Lodge de Goede Hoop and Lodge de Goede Trouw were present together with the Lodge assembly of “other respectable Brethren”.

Thus began the first formal Masonic Brotherhood of these two constitutions in the Cape Colony, and it continued, albeit with political, language and similar schisms from time to time as the Dutch and English Constitutions moved into the hinterland.

It is noteworthy that Sir Johannes Andries Truter, Deputy Grand Master National for the Netherlandic Constitution in the Colony, was requested by England to assume authority over the English Lodges in South Africa and he duly established an English Provincial Grand Lodge in Cape Town in 1828.

In the second half of the nineteenth century considerable rivalry over the establishment of new Lodges was encountered between English, Dutch, and Scottish Freemasons, certain instances having been already experienced earlier in the century.

Confrontation between the English, Scottish, and the Dutch arose as a consequence of rivalry between the constitutions, accentuated by the expansionist moves of the Dutch and English in particular.

Several English and Scottish Masons claimed that the Dutch Constitution had no right to establish new Lodges in South Africa and had done so in violation of the Convention of 1770.

The Grand Lodges of England and Holland had in that year agreed that if the Grand Lodge of England would not constitute any new Lodges within its jurisdiction, the Grand Lodge of Holland would observe the same restrictions in respect of all parts of the world where Lodges were already established under the patronage of England. This had been tacitly ignored in South Africa for over 100 years. Holland dismissed the objection, pointing out that the Dutch Constitution had established itself in the Cape in 1772, and its Lodges had been ruled since then by the Deputy Grand Master National appointed by Holland. It also pointed out that it had in fact been the first Masonic constitution in the Cape. The matter was submitted to the UGLE in 1867 and the latter responded saying that, following the ceding of the Cape to Britain in 1814, Dutch Lodges had welcomed the newly-formed English Lodges and, when the English Provincial Grand Lodge in South Africa was

formed in 1828, the head of the Dutch Lodges had been chosen to lead the English Lodges as well. By this double appointment the Grand Master of English Freemasonry thus recognized the Dutch Lodges, and it was therefore felt that the 1770 Convention had never applied to the Cape, which was considered neutral ground where the two constitutions had existed side by side since 1812.

The UGLE thus affirmed that the 1770 Convention, outlining the territories of Masonic constitutions in the world, did not apply to South Africa and the ruling remains in force to this day.

Over the last 300 years Freemasonry has developed and expanded in ways it could not have imagined. What English Freemasonry has demonstrated over the last 300 years is that it is a living organisation capable of changing its outward forms and adapting itself to the society in which it currently exists. It has had a wonderful knack of making those changes without in any way changing those fundamental and inalienable principles and tenets on which Freemasonry was founded and which would certainly be recognised by those who met in 1717.

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UGLE’s Tercentenary Charity Initiative

By RW Bro Jim Duggan The United Grand Lodge of England is celebrating its tercentenary (300 years) this year, and to commemorate this event the District Grand Lodge of South Africa Western Division, decided to raise R1 000 000 to support a community based project that could also enhance the general public’s view of Freemasonry in general. To this end they chose the Western Cape Society for the Blind, who train youths who have completed school but are sight impaired, to enable them to qualify for full time employment and independence. As a result of the fundraising efforts, two vehicles were presented to Lizelle van Wyk (CEO of CTSB) by VW Bro Sir David H Wotton (Assistant Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England). Both vehicles have the Tercentenary logo with the words Donated by Freemasons in the Western Cape.

Trailblazers In Race Relations

Freemasonry is an organisation that is linked in the minds of many with elitism, secrecy and protecting the establishment, but new research suggests that the Scottish Freemasons may once have blazed a trail in the world of race relations.

By Claire Gardner

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remarkable photograph has been unearthed that shows how a group of black American actors were admitted to the movement in Edinburgh more than century ago, in a move that would have caused shock waves. The same research – conducted by the Freemasons themselves – has also revealed how, more than a century earlier, British troops and Freemasons in the American colonies admitted a former slave to their movement.

Robert Cooper, the curator of the museum and library at the Grand Lodge of Scotland, began his inquiries after receiving an e-mail accusing his organisation of perpetuating racism.

What began as an attempt to rebut the claim turned into a major research project lasting months. Cooper said: “It

was quite a nasty email, but it did set me thinking about the history of black men and their involvement with Freemasonry, and research has flung up some very interesting results.”

Working closely with a historian in the United States, Cooper sifted through archives and came across data that charted the initiation of the first black men into the Brotherhood almost 100 years before slavery was officially abolished.

Frank Cogliano, lecturer in American history at Edinburgh University, said inviting black men to join the Freemasons would have been a controversial move, especially given that the British soldiers were figures of hate.

Bashir Maan, author of The New Scots and the Scottish representative on the Muslim Council of Great Britain, said it

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was revolutionary for black men to have been invited to join a society as equals at the time. “In 1904 there was a lot of discrimination in Scotland, a totally obvious kind of discrimination, because that was the height of the British Empire.

People of other races from Africa and the Indian subcontinent were regarded as servants and subjects,” he said.

Footnote: The contributor notes that, after have been interviewed at length by the reporter concerned, who was allowed access to the relevant supporting material, this piece did not appear in the print media as promised. Instead, it was confined to an obscure corner of the newspaper’s website from where it was “rescued”.

A Masonic Year In

Pictures

Our first Ritual Excellence Pin recipients, RW Bro Tommy Hardiman and Bro Scotty Lourens, with MW Bro Geoff Edwards OSM.

Our Quads at the highly successful Simon van der Stel / Johan van Riebeek Golf Day.

Lodge Bellville ran a regular soup kitchen - helping were Ronnie Smith and Jock Wood.

The Andy’s House residents with RW Bro Swenny (‘Sweety’) Crofton.

Bro Brendan Hamer of de Goede Trouw receives an ‘Honesty’ award from reinstalled Master, Wor Bro Giuseppe Ricci.

RW Bro Tommy Hardiman with new Johan van Riebeeck Master, Wor Bro Jan Venter.

Wor Bro Martin Slabbert as the new Master of Jacob de Mist.

Perseverance Master, Wor Bro Theo Lindeboom, greets Wor Bro Gordon Creighton.

Cape Town Master, RW Bro Brian Rossouw, greets Wor Bro Len Kingsley.

The Homes Christmas Lunch saw Father Christmas with Donovan and Lisa from the Masonic Home for Quadriplegics.

Wor Bro Jan Venter, RW Bro Tommy Hardiman, Wor Bros Sarel Kleynhans, Sean Morony and Dawie van Rooyen at Helderberg’s Installation.

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De Goede Hoop Brethren with MW Bro Dimitrios Kontesis (2L), Past GM of Greece.

Lodge De Goede Hoop & Early Cape Town Freemasonry in Cape Town traces its origins to the late 1700s - a facinating period in the early history of the Mother City.

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By RW Bro John Smith OSM

he Cape of Goede Hoop has no written history before it was first mentioned in a report by the Portuguese explorer, Bartholomeu Diaz in 1488. The next mention thereof is by another Portuguese explorer, Vasco de Gama in 1497 who stopped at the Cape while searching for a route from Europe to Asia. Although the Khoisan inhabitants at the Cape called the mountain Hoeri ‘kwaggo (sea mountain), it was a Portuguese sea Captain, Antonio de Saldanha, who gave Table Mountain the name of Taboa da caba (Table of the Cape) in 1503.

In 1647 a Dutch ship was wrecked in Table Bay and the survivors built a small fort of sand, wood and stones near the beach and called it the Sand Fort of the Cape of Good Hope. They lived in this fort for almost a year before they were rescued by a fleet of ships belonging to the Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie (VOC) or the Dutch East India Company. One of the men on board of one of these ships was Jan van Riebeeck.

As the conditions at the Cape were more than suitable for permanent habitation, the reports of these survivors eventually persuaded the VOC, whose headquarters were in the Netherlands, to send 90 persons to the Cape in 1652 under the command of Jan van Riebeeck to establish a halfway station to provide fresh water, vegetables and meat for passing ships traveling between Europe and Asia.

These settlers built a square wooden fort on the left bank of the Salt River and proceeded to lay out a vegetable garden and plant fruit trees in the area which is presently still called the Company’s Gardens. Water, which descended from the slopes of Table Mountain, was channelled into the canals built by them to provide irrigation for the garden. The settlement quickly attracted the attention of the local Khoisan inhabitants and the settlers bartered sheep and cattle from them.

In 1654 a group of Asians were banished to the Cape from Batavia and they introduced the Islam religion to the Cape. The VOC however banned the practice of any other religion except the Dutch Reformed Church and it was more than a century later that the Muslims at the Cape were permitted to build their own mosque.

In 1657 certain farmers were granted land by the VOC along the Liesbeeck River in an attempt to increase the production of food.

By 1666 the population at the Cape numbered about 300 persons and it was decided to build a more permanent structure for the Governor and the officials of the VOC and work commenced on the Castle of Good Hope, which was completed in 1679 and is the oldest remaining building in South Africa.

It is uncertain when the tool shed next to the Company Gardens was first erected but this was eventually expanded to accommodate the person in charge of these gardens and the equipment.

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By 1674 the gardens were in full bloom and this humble abode was rebuilt into a “Garden House”. This building was converted into a guesthouse in 1682 for the Governor to entertain his guests and in 1751 it became the Governor’s summer residence and was then officially called De Tuynhuis. This building, appropriately renovated, now serves as the President’s private office when he is attending Parliament.

In 1678 the Dutch Reformed Church was built on the site where it still stands at the top of Adderley Street. This initial building was however demolished in 1840 and rebuilt by Herman Schutte who, of course, was the builder of the de Goede Hoop Temple some years earlier.

In 1679 the Slave Lodge was built between the Dutch Reformed Church and the Company Gardens on the site where the extended building still stands. In 1812 this building was converted into the Supreme Court.

In 1688 the first non–Dutch immigrants arrived at the Cape.

They were called the Huguenots and were French citizens who fled to the Netherlands to escape anti–protestant persecution in Catholic France. They settled in the Stellenbosch, Franschoek and Paarl areas and they brought vast experience in wine production to the Cape.

By 1760 the population at the Cape had reached about 12,000 persons, half of whom were slaves. In 1772 Abraham van der Weijde, an employee of the VOC and a senior Freemason in the Netherlands, was sent by the Grand Lodge of the Netherlands to establish a lodge at the Cape. On 2 May 1772 he convened a meeting with several Freemasons living in or near Cape Town and it was resolved to establish Lodge de Goede Hoop. Abraham Chiron was elected as the first Presiding Master and certain other officers were elected. It is uncertain where the first meetings of the Lodge were held but by July 1772 the members decided to lease more suitable premises. From the records of the Lodge, it appears that these premises were situated quite close to the Governor’s summer residence, De Tuynhuys.

The VOC’s ban on all religious practices at the Cape except the Dutch Reformed Church was eventually relaxed and in 1785 a barn in Strand Street was converted into the German Lutheran Church, which still exists today. It was designed by the French architect, Louis Thibault and decorated by the German sculptor, Anton Anreith.

In 1794 the Auwal Masjid (Mosque) was built in Dorp Street and it is the oldest mosque in South Africa. The present building is quite different to the original building, most of which collapsed during the 1930’s but at least two of the original walls still exist.

In 1798 the first South African-born member of Lodge de Goede

Hoop, Johannes Truter, was elected as its Presiding Master.

He was instrumental in encouraging the members, in 1800, to purchase the property south of the Dutch Reformed Church and east of De Tuynhuys and known as the garden Domburg. Louis Thibault was a member of the Lodge and he was requested to draw the plans for the new Lodge building. His design followed the Neo–Classical style which expresses order and rationalism and has columns which rise to the full height of the building. It also has triangular pediments and a domed roof. Buildings in this style are modelled after classic Greek temples which symbolise the principles of justice and democracy. Herman Schutte, another member of the Lodge, was employed as the builder and Anton Anreith, also a member, was commissioned to design and sculpt the statues. The Lodge building was eventually completed in 1803.

It was decided to publish an invitation in the Kaapsche Courant, the official newspaper at the Cape, inviting all Freemasons to attend the consecration ceremony. This was the first Masonic advertisement to be published at the Cape. In the interim and during 1800, a daughter Lodge of Lodge De Goede Hoop, namely Lodge De Goede Trouw, had been formed and all members were requested to assemble at the Lodge De Goede Trouw temple in Plein Street from where they would march to the new building.

The new Lodge De Goede Hoop Temple complex was officially consecrated on 7 July 1803 by the Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of the Netherlands and the Commissioner General of the Cape Colony, Abraham Jacob de Mist, in the presence of more than 200 Brethren of every rank and nationality.

It is therefore quite apparent that the Lodge de Goede Hoop Temple, our much prized Masonic home, is one of the oldest buildings still in existence in Cape Town and South Africa.

BY THE WORK YOU DID TODAY Can you say tonight in parting with the day that’s slipping past That you helped a single brother of the many that you passed?

Did you waste the day or lose it, Was it well or poorly spent?

Did you leave a trail of kindness, Or a scar of discontent?

Is a single heart rejoicing over what you did and said?

Does the man whose hopes where fading, Now with courage look ahead?

As you close your eyes in slumber, Do you think God will say, You have earned one more tomorrow, By the work you did today.

– Charles L. Mead – 23 –

Masonic Homes

For Seniors & Quadriplegics

The Masonic Spring Ball is the primary fund-raiser for the Masonic Homes.

Here is a closer look at the properties you’re supporting – and the lives you’re helping to change.

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n 1974, RW Bro Andy van Niekerk OSM was appointed as Provincial Grand Master, Southern Division. In his installation address, he announced his vision to provide homes for seniors in need. Now, some four decades later and thanks to years of tireless hard work by dozens of Freemasons like RW Bro Geoff Burchell OSM, that vision is a reality.

Today, we own a block of flats for retired couples, three communal houses for retired single people and a communal home for quadriplegics. These properties are managed by Masonic Homes NPC, with the annual Masonic Spring Ball serving as the primary fund-raising event.

The Masonic Home for Quadriplegics

Desmain Lodge Our flagship property, this block of 13 flats in Plumstead, has become a Main Road landmark. The project is now managed by RW Bro Brian Rossouw, who is ably assisted by a Resident’s House Committee.

Geoffrey Burchell House

This specially equipped home caters for seven quadriplegics and two staff. GLSA Southern Division is fully responsible for the house itself, while the Quadriplegic Association (QASA) takes care of managing the project.

This property in Bergvliet was our first Masonic Abbeyfield Home, and it set the standard for our future efforts.

This Home is under the management of Mike Burchell and caters for the needs of eight residents.

Ted’s House

Andy van Niekerk House

Our second Masonic Abbeyfield Home, located in Rondebosch East, is managed by Lodge Hiram under the chairmanship of Ronnie Smith. It houses seven residents.

Our newest venture opened in March 2010. Located in Bothasig, this property is our first Home for Seniors in the northern suburbs. It is managed by Swenny Crofton and caters for eight senior citizens.

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Seen At The 2016 Masonic Spring Ball

Left Margaret & Jim Duggan Centre Frans & Tanya Appelgryn Right Alyson & Heinz Smekal Left Ashleigh & Rob Eden

John & Edelweiss Smith, Alan van der Vyver, Geoff & Val Edwards, Tommy Hardiman, Lily Wegener

Centre Alf & Chrissie Brรถnner Right Hardy Bamana Left Wouter de Goede & Robyn MacGregor Centre Dirk Lombard & Marguerite Right Skottowe & Lizelle Lourens

Corrie, Lisa & Delene Grobbelaar

Alan van der Vyver & Tommy Hardiman

Ashleigh Eden collects auction prize from Dennis Benadie

Martin Kotze, Marius Joubert & the Northern Team

Marius Joubert, Johan Britz & Martin Kotze

Mike & Claudia Burchell with Walter Marcus

Our MC, Cobis Wilson

Enzo & Dorothy Kayembe

Ron Smith, Lisa Lambson, Venassa & Rod Potter

Laus Deo

This article explores little known facts about a historic monument erected in memory of George Washington who was, as most of you know, a very active Freemason. It supports the Masonic precept that to a Freemason, there is nothing more important than his relationship with his God.

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t is a little known fact that in Washington DC there can never be a building of greater height than the Washington Monument.

With all the uproar about stopping religious teaching in American schools, removing the Ten Commandments, and so on, the story around this is worth a moment of our time. On the aluminium cap, atop the Washington Monument, are displayed two words: “Laus Deo”.

No one can see these words and few are aware that they even exist. Understanding their history, however, gives it a whole new reality. These words have been there for many years. They are 555 feet high, perched atop the monument, facing skyward to the Father of the nation, overlooking the 69 square miles which comprise the District of Columbia, capital of the United States of America.

So, what do those two Latin words “Laus Deo”, composed of just four syllables and only seven letters, mean? Very simply, they say “Praise be to God!” Though construction of this giant obelisk began in 1848, it was not until 1888 that the monument was inaugurated and opened to the public. It took 25 years to finally cap the memorial with a tribute to the Father of the nation. From atop this magnificent structure, visitors may take in the beautiful panoramic view of the city with its division into four major segments. One can also easily see the original plan of the designer, Pierre Charles l’Enfant, a perfect cross imposed upon the landscape, with the White House to the north, the Jefferson Memorial to the south, the Capitol to the east and the Lincoln Memorial to the west.

A cross you ask? Why a cross? What about separation of church and state? Yes, a cross; separation of church and state was not, and is not, in the Constitution of the United States.

Praise be to God! Within the monument itself are 898 steps and 50 landings. As one climbs the steps and pauses at the landings the memorial stones share a message.

On the 12th Landing is a prayer offered by the City of Baltimore; On the 20th is a memorial presented by some Chinese Christians; On the 24th a presentation made by Sunday School children from New York and Philadelphia quoting Proverbs 10:7 , Luke 18:16 and Proverbs 22:6 .. “Praise be to God!” When the cornerstone of the Washington Monument was laid on 4 July 1848, deposited within it were many items including a Holy Bible presented by the Bible Society. Such was the discipline, the moral direction, and the spiritual mood given by the founder and first President of the United States of America, “One Nation, Under God.” George Washington was, of course, a very active Freemason.

He penned the following prayer: “Almighty God; We make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy holy protection; that Thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government; and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow citizens of the United States at large. And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without a humble imitation of whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation. Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, our Lord. Amen.”

“Laus Deo! Praise be to God.”

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Lesser Known Orders, Rites & Degrees

Many Freemasons are unaware that within our incredible Brotherhood exists many Orders, Rites and degrees that are generally lesser known. Out of the many we review only three.

By Bro Manny de Freitas The Knight Degree or The Degree of the Red Cross of Babylon

Congratulations on the 43rd Masonic Spring Ball.

The Knight Degree, or the Degree of the Red Cross of Babylon exists mostly in Scotland, Ireland and England. Under the English Constitution, this degree is considered one degree worked in two parts – the first in a “Royal Arch Council”, the second in “The Persian Court”. It relates the rebuilding of the Second Temple, and the return of Zerubbabel to Jerusalem – placing it historically before story of the Royal Arch Degree. The Degree is in some respects similar to the 15th, 16th and 17th Degrees of the Ancient and Accepted Rite.

In Scotland, this degree is known as the ‘Babylonish Pass’ or ‘Red Cross’ and is worked under a Lodge and Council which is attached to a Scottish Royal Arch Chapter which also works the Ark Mariner Degree and the Cryptic Degrees.

Under the Irish Constitution it was part of the Early Grand Rite, which was later absorbed into the Knight Templars and Ancient and Accepted Rite in Ireland. Under the Irish, the degrees worked are Knight of the Sword, Knight of the East, and Knight of the East and West.

The Rectified Scottish Rite

The Rectified Scottish Rite is the oldest surviving chivalric Masonic Order in the world. It adopted its current organisation in 1778.

From the 1780s, the Rite spread rapidly throughout Europe but then waned and by the middle of the 19th Century it existed only in Switzerland. Since the 1930s regular ‘Great Priories’ began to emerge in Europe. The principal reason for this expansion, prior to World War II, was the perceived threat to Switzerland of the German Nazis. Warrants for Grand Bodies were thus given to the USA, France and England so that, if Switzerland was subsequently invaded, the Rite would survive.

There are seven degrees in this Rite, but the first three are accepted as equivalents of the degrees of the Craft and are

ceded to the authority of the Craft, similar to the procedure in the Ancient and Accepted Rite. The degrees worked in this Rite are: Scottish Master, Scottish Master of Saint Andrew (two parts of one ceremony), Squire Novice and Knight Beneficent of the Holy City.

The degrees of Saint Andrew provide a Christian interpretation to the Solomonic and Second Temple traditions. The degree of Squire Novice recounts a legend concerning the conversion to Christianity of sages in the Holy City by St Mark. It covers the traditions of their initiation and secret oral transmission of their doctrine culminating with the emergence of the Knights Templar. The degree of Knight Beneficent of the Holy City discloses that the Christian doctrine predates the Christian. This degree reveals that good works pave the way to heaven, a better society and true enlightenment.

The Order of Eri

This Order is one of the most elite Masonic Orders. Legend says that this Order originated from an ancient Order in Ireland, established and supported by the Kings of Ireland. Evidence of the Order’s current format dates to the mid-1850s. Currently there exists only three lodges, known as Faslairts, under England.

There are three degrees of the Order. The degrees are Manat-Arms, Esquire and Knight. A Faslairt, which is headed by its Enlightened Knight Commander, meets twice a year. Membership is strictly by invitation only. To be invited to join one must hold a minimum of the Fifth Grade in yet another Masonic order, the Masonic Rosicrucians.

Legend tells us that the Order, comprising Freemasons, was founded in 1697 by the then King of Ireland, Brian Boru. An ancient book entitled ‘The Annals of the Four Masters of Ireland’ tells of the Knights of the Collar of Eri as instituted by King Eamhium and his eight princes over the armies of the four provinces of Ulster, Munster, Leinster and Connaught. The ancient Knightly Order was comprised of Ollamhs who were the teachers and hospitallers. The Brehons were judges that ensured that laws were correctly administered. Crimthears were priests who attended to the religious and moral education of the people and Bards were historians who preserved the memory of the noble deeds of their ancestors and the later heralds who assisted in the development of the Arts and Sciences.

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Frequently Asked Questions During a recent visit to the Grand Lodge of New York I was given a brochure entitled “Answers to frequently asked questions about Freemasonry”. While I have made a few amendments to cater for our local situation, this article is really just an extract from their brochure.

– Editor What is Freemasonry?

Freemasonry is the largest secular, fraternal and charitable organisation in the world. It teaches moral lessons and self–knowledge through participation in a progression of initiatory ceremonies known as Degrees.

amount of administrative procedure – approval of minutes of the previous meeting, proposing and balloting on petitions for membership, discussing and voting on financial matters, election of officers, news and correspondence.

Then there are the ceremonies for the conferral of degrees for admitting and advancing new Freemasons and for the annual installation of the Master and Lodge Officers. The three ceremonies or degrees for admitting a new Brother instruct him about the principles, tenets and lessons of the Fraternity and encompass lectures explaining the various duties and obligations of membership. Finally, there are the festive boards where the Brethren relax together in a formal or informal environment.

Is Freemasonry a Secret Society?

We are not, but Lodge meetings, like those of many other groups, are private and open only to members. However, the goals and aims of Freemasonry are available to the public. Meeting places are known and in many areas are used by the local community for activities other than Freemasonry. Members are encouraged to speak openly about its existence and the contributions of Freemasonry to the world.

What are the Secrets of Freemasonry?

The secrets in Freemasonry are the traditional modes of recognition, which are not used indiscriminately, but solely as a test of membership e.g. when visiting a Lodge where a member is not known.

What happens at Lodge meetings?

Meetings have several distinct parts.

As in any organisation there is a certain

Isn’t Ritual out of place in a modern society?

Most certainly not. The Masonic Ritual is a shared experience which binds the members together. Its use of drama, allegory and symbolism impresses the principles and teachings of Freemasonry more firmly in the mind of each candidate than if they were simply passed on to him in matter–of–fact modern language.

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Why do Freemasons recite Obligations?

New members make solemn promises concerning their conduct in Lodge and in society. Each member also promises to keep confidential the traditional methods of proving that he is a Freemason, which he would use when visiting a Lodge where he is not known. Freemasons do not swear allegiances to each other or to Freemasonry. Freemasons promise to support others in times of need, but only if that support does not conflict with their duties to God, the law, their family or with their responsibilities as a good citizen.

Are Freemasons expected to prefer fellow Freemasons in giving jobs, promotions, contracts and the like?

Definitely not. That would be a misuse of membership and abuse of privilege.

On his entry into Freemasonry each candidate states unequivocally that he expects no material gain from his membership. At various stages during the three Degrees he is reminded that the concept of Brotherly Love is to be applied to the whole human race and that his charity should extend to all.

Is it true that Freemasons only look after each other?

No. From its earliest days, Freemasonry has been involved in charitable activities.

Since its inception, Freemasonry has provided support not only for widows and orphans of Freemasons, but also for many others within the community. While some Masonic charities cater specifically but not exclusively for Freemasons or their dependents, others make significant contributions to non–Masonic organisations. Locally, our Lodges provide Homes for Seniors and Quadriplegics, guide dogs for the blind, support children’s homes and involve themselves in various other areas of need. Our own Southern

Division contributes over R1 million a year in charitable output.

A Freemason believes … that charity is the distinguishing human virtue and that personal community service is the best demonstration of one’s commitment to humanity; a Freemason acknowledges that words without deeds are meaningless, and he vows to work with his Lodge to provide service to community, and to promote charity, friendship, morality, harmony, integrity, fidelity and love.

Aren’t the Freemasons a Religion or a rival to Religion?

Emphatically not. Freemasonry requires a belief in God and its principles are common to many of the world’s great religions. Freemasonry does not try to replace religion or be a substitute for it. Rather, every candidate is exhorted to practice his religion of choice and to regard his religion’s Holy Book of Scripture as the unerring standard of truth.

That is why he takes his obligations on that book. Freemasonry does not instruct its members in what their religious beliefs should be, nor does it offer sacraments.

Freemasonry deals in relationships between men; religion deals in a man’s relationship with his God. A Freemason believes … that freedom of religion is an inalienable human right and tolerance an indispensable trait of human character; therefore, he will stand in his Lodge with Brothers of all faiths and respect their beliefs as they respect his, and he will demonstrate the spirit of Brotherhood in all aspects of his life.

Why do you call “God” the Great Architect of the Universe?

Freemasonry embraces all men who believe in a God. Its membership includes Christians, Catholics, Jews, Hindus, Buddhist, Sikhs, Muslims, Parsees and others. The use of descriptions such as the Great Architect prevents disharmony.

The Great Architect of the Universe is not a specific Masonic God or an attempt to combine all Gods into one. Thus, men of differing religions pray together without offence being given to any of them.

For any further enquiries contact

John Miller on:

Tel/Fax: 021 705 0453 Cell: 082 882 1537 Email: penpals1@mweb.co.za

Why do some Religious bodies oppose Freemasonry?

There are elements within certain churches that misunderstand Freemasonry and confuse secular rituals and lectures with religious liturgy and dogma. Although some denominations have occasionally criticised Freemasonry, within their memberships there are many Freemasons and indeed others who are dismayed that

their Churches and religious bodies should attack Freemasonry, an organisation which has always encouraged its members to be active in the religion of their own choosing.

Isn’t Freemasonry just another political pressure group?

Emphatically not. While individual Freemasons will have their own views on politics and national policy. Freemasonry as a body will never express a view on either. The discussion of politics at Masonic meetings has always been prohibited. A Freemason knows that his obligation to community extends beyond his local sphere and is partly fulfilled in his patriotism: love of his country, obedience to its laws and celebration of the freedoms and opportunities it symbolises.

Why don’t you have female members?

Traditionally, Freemasonry is constituted for men. The early stonemasons were all male, and when Freemasonry was being established, basing itself upon that predecessor organisation, its concern was with the role and responsibility of men in society. There are other separate organisations for woman which practice “Freemasonry” and these are very effectively represented locally. These orders closely parallel the teachings and mores of Freemasonry.

How many Freemasons are there?

In South Africa, spread over the four Constitutions, there are several thousand members. Worldwide there are dozens of Grand Lodges and several million Freemasons. Grand Lodges range from very small to those containing hundreds of thousand members.

Why do you wear regalia?

Wearing regalia is historic and symbolic and, like a uniform, serves to indicate where members rank in terms of responsibility and service within the organisation.

Are there not Masonic groups who are involved in politics?

There may well be groups in other countries who call themselves Freemasons and who involve themselves in political matters. They are not, however, recognised or countenanced by regular Grand Lodges who follow the basic principles of Freemasonry and ban the discussion of politics and religion at their meetings.

Is Freemasonry an international Order?

Only in the sense that Freemasonry exists throughout the free world. Each Grand Lodge is sovereign and independent, and while following the same basic principles, may have differing ways of passing them on. There is no international governing body for Freemasonry.

Is there any relationship between Freemasonry and groups like Odd Fellows and Buffalos?

None whatsoever. There are numerous fraternal orders and societies whose rituals, regalia and organisation are similar in some respects of Freemasonry’s. They have no formal or informal connection with Freemasonry.

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How and where did Freemasonry start?

It is not definitely known. The earliest recorded “making” of a Freemason in England is that of Elias Ashmole in 1646.

Organised Freemasonry began with the founding of the Grand Lodge of England on June 24, 1717, the first Grand Lodge in the world. Ireland followed in 1725 and Scotland in 1736. All the regular Grand Lodges in the world trace themselves back to one or more of the Grand Lodges in the British Isles.

There are various main theories of origin. According to one, the operative stonemasons who built the great cathedrals and castles had Lodges in which they discussed trade affairs. They had simple initiation ceremonies and, as there were no guild certificates, dues cards or trade union books, they adopted secret signs and words to demonstrate that they were trained Masons when they moved from site to site.

In the 1600’s these operative Lodges began to accept non–operatives as “gentlemen Masons”. Gradually these non–operatives took over the Lodges and turned them from operative to “Free and Accepted” or “Speculative” Lodges.

Another theory is that in the late 1500s and early 1600s, there was a group which was interested in the promotion

Helping to Build Masonic Homes

Brick By Brick!

Sincere thanks to Heinrich Kotze

COCOAFAIR

for the delicious chocolates

of religious and political tolerance in an age of great intolerance, when differences of opinion on matters of religion and politics could lead to civil war. In forming Freemasonry, they were trying to make better men and build a better world. As the means of teaching in those days was by allegory and symbolism, they took the idea of building a great edifice as the central allegorical theme on which to form their system. The main source of allegory was the Holy Bible, the contents of which were known to everyone even if they could not read, and the only building described in detail in the Holy Bible was the building of King Solomon’s Temple, which became a basic part of the allegory of the Masonic Ritual. The old trade guilds

provided them with the hierarchy of the Worshipful Master, Senior and Junior Wardens, Treasurer, Secretary, etc., and the operative Mason’s tools such as the square, compasses, plumb, trowel and level, provided them with a wealth of symbols with which to illustrate the moral teachings of Freemasonry.

How many Degrees are there in Freemasonry?

Basic Freemasonry consists of the three “Craft” Degrees (Apprentice, Fellowcraft and Master Mason). There are many other Masonic Degrees and Orders, which are called “side”, “allied”, “related” or “concordant”. They are not basic to Freemasonry, but add to it by further

expounding and illustrating upon the principles taught within the Craft Degrees.

How much does it cost to be a Freemason?

It varies from Lodge to Lodge, but cost is generally not a prohibiting factor. Upon entry, there is an initiation fee and a member pays annual dues to his Lodge.

This covers his membership of the Grand Lodge and the administrative cost of running his Lodge. It is entirely up to the individual member what he gives to charity, but it should be without detriment to his other responsibilities. Similarly, he may join as many Lodges as his time and personal finances may allow, as long as it does not adversely affect his family life and responsibility.

THE MASONIC COLLAR OF OFFICE

THE FRED SILBERBAUER JEWEL

By RW Bro Viv Saayman

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hen progressing through the first three Masonic degree, emphasis is placed on the apron and the way in which it is worn. On being Raised to the Third Degree, the Master Mason becomes eligible to hold an office which requires the wearing of a collar with a jewel denoting the office. Historically we learn that the collar is a descendant of the pallium, a protective collar worn by shepherds when carrying injured lambs around their neck and was usually made from a sheepskin. Over time the Pope adopted the pallium as part of his insignia of office to show that he was a protector or ‘shepherd’ of the people. In this case the pallium was adorned with five or six red crosses which represented the injuries suffered by the Christ when nailed to a cross. There are in fact two types of palliums; the collar similar to the Masonic collar and the long scarf type pallium worn by various religions. The significant meaning remains the same. In Masonic terms, the collar of office is in fact a pallium and the elected wearer is reminded that, in addition to the specific office he is responsible for, he also has a duty to protect and succour indigent or unfortunate Brethren in his Lodge.

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n this example of a Masonic Collar, the jewel is that of an Orator. This particular jewel was donated to Lodge de Goede Hoop by the then Orator, C Fred Silberbauer in 1900. “Fred” was Orator in a number of Masonic Orders and was a prolific and very accomplished Masonic writer. He has articles included in all 3 Craft sections of the Masonic Book of Life and wrote many of the Hymns which we still sing today, including “Wisdom, Strength and Beauty” in the 1st Degree, “The Fellow-Craft’s Journeys in the 2nd Degree and various others.

Adventures of a

Grand Master

After three very special years my tenure as Grand Master has now reached its conclusion. I had the privilege of attending Grand Master Installations in Mozambique, Madagascar, Mauritius, France, Burkina Faso, Portugal and Ghana as well as visiting Israel. I also spent time with our own Brethren around South Africa at Conferences, AGMs and Lodge Installations. We’ve nationalised the “Book of Life”, implemented Ritual Excellence, consecrated Lodges, have regular “What is Freemasonry?” evenings and have generally had a lot of fun. It really has been unforgettable and I can’t thank my Brethren enough for their support and just having made it possible. Here is a small selection of many memorable moments.

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By MW Bro Geoff Edwards, OSM

1. At the Chain’s Conference with Alan van der Vyver and John Smith 2. In Madagascar with MW Bro Jean-Pierre Servel (GM of France) 3. With the GMs in Mauritius at MW Bro Bruno Dumazel’s Installation as GM 4. In Israel with Past GM Nadim Mansour and Avron Jacobson 5. In Solomon’s Quarries with Avron Jacobson and Thobani Popo 6. In Kimberley with my highly supportive Grand Lodge team 7. In Lisbon with MW Bro Avi Baranes (GM of Israel) 8. In de Goede Hoop with MW Bro Douglas Grey (GM of Ireland) 9. At MW Bro Kwajo Buta’s Ghana Installation with the GMs of Morocco, Mali, Cote d’Ivoire and Mauritius 10. At the Star of the Rand Installation in Park Lane with Dave, Alan and Peet Roos 11. Installing RW Bro Dave Duncan OSM as my successor

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President en Broeder

Meeste lesers weet dat sommige van die mees prominente manspersone in SuidAfrika Vrymesselaars was. In hierdie artikel verken ons die loopbaan van Marthinus Wessel Pretorius, die eerste President van die Zuid Afrikaanse Republiek (later bekend as die Transvaal).

Deur Agb Br Johan Wolfaardt (Losie Parys)

D

ie twee Boere Republieke het vele Vrymesselaars in hulle Staatsdiens gehad en dit is interessant om op te merk dat al die Presidente van die Oranje Vrystaat, asook twee van die drie Transvaalse Presidente, Vrymesselaars was.

Marthinus Wessel Pretorius is in 1819 op die plaas Letskraal in die distrik van Graaff-Reinet gebore. Hy was die oudste seun van Andries Pretorius en se vrou Christina de Witt. As jongman het sy vader hom na Graaff-Reinet gestuur om ‘n ambag te leer. Hy het toe onder die leiding van Gerrit Maritz ‘n smid en ‘n wa-bouer geword. Maritz, later bekend as een van die Voortrekkerleiers in Natal, was ‘n welgestelde man en ‘n steunpilaar in die gemeenskap.

Dit word bespiegel dat hy ook ‘n Vrymesselaar was, maar daar is geen rekord van sy lidmaatskap nie. Toe Maritz en sy gevolg by die Groot Trek aangesluit het, is Pretorius terug na sy vader se plaas. Andries Pretorius en sy hele gesin het egter gedurende Oktober 1838 ook by die Groot Trek aangesluit en na Port Natal (later Natal) getrek.

Andries Pretorius was die verkose Kommandant-Generaal van die Voortrekkers in Natal en hy was instrumenteel in die vorming van die Voortrekker Republiek van Natalia. In Natalia was twee prominente Vrymesselaars, Josephus Suasso de Lima en Charl Ettiene Boniface wie ‘n prominente rol in MW Pretorius se lewe gespeel het. Albei was koerantmanne en uitgewers – De Lima se boek oor die geskiedenis van die Kaap was ‘n standaard handboek in die Voortrekker skole en Boniface het die eerste koerant, “De Natalier” gepubliseer.

Na die inlywing van Natalia deur Britanje in 1843, het die

– 41 –

meerderheid inwoners van hierdie kortstondige Republiek na die Transvaal en die Vrystaat verhuis. Die Pretorius familie het hulle in die Transvaal gevestig en in 1853 is Andries oorlede. MW Pretorius word toe in sy vader se plek as Kommandant-Generaal van die Wes-Transvaal aangestel. In 1857 is hy as die eerste President van die Transvaal verkies; ‘n amp wat hy tot 1871 beklee het. In 1860 is hy ook as die President van die Vrystaat ingesweer in ‘n poging om die twee Republieke te vereenig. As gevolg van moeilikheid in die Transvaal moes het hy in 1863 uit die amp as President van die Vrystaat bedank. Hy was egter die enigste Suid-Afrikaner wat ooit die amp as hoof van die regering van twee Republieke terselftertyd beklee het.

Gedurende 1862 het moeilikheid tussen Koning Mosheshwe en een van sy hoofde, Letele, ontstaan. Hierdie konflik het die oostelike grens van die Vrystaat bedreig en die hele area in die war gelaat. Die nuwe Kaapse Goewerneur, Sir Phillip Wodehouse, het gewaarsku dat hy die Vrystaat sou annekseer indien vrede nie gerestoreer word nie. Dit het tot ‘n hewige woordewisseling tussen Wodehouse en Pretorius gelei. In ‘n poging om die ontstuimige situasie op te los, word Pretorius en Mnr Allison deur die Vrystaatse parlement na die Kaap gestuur vir onderhandelinge met Wodehouse. In Junie 1862 arriveer die twee mans in die Kaap, waar hulle by die Speaker van die Kaapse Wetgewende Vergadering, Sir Christoffel Brand, tuisgegaan het.

Brand was ‘n uitgesproke vriend van die Boere Republieke, sowel as ‘n getroue ondersteuner van die Nederlandse taal en kultuur in Suid-Afrika. Hy was ook die Adjunk Grootmeester

Helping to Build Masonic Homes

Brick By Brick!

Nasionaal van die Grootlosie van die Nederland en was dus die mees senior Vrymesselaar in Suid Afrika. Hy is by Losie Vertu in Leyden in 1815 ingelyf en hy het die amp as Adjunk Grootmeester vanaf 1847 tot 1874 beklee. In 1861 het Brand sy sogenaamde Masonieke sendingsreise om Losies regoor die land te stig en te reguleer begin onderneem. Hy het ook die onafhanklikheid van Europa asook die vestiging van ‘n Suid-Afrikaanse Grootlosie in 1869 voorgestel, maar as gevolg van verskeie redes is beide voorstelle nie aanvaar nie.

Pretorius se inlywing as Vrymesselaar blyk polities gemotiveerd te wees. Brand het voorgestel dat Pretorius ‘n Vrymesselaar word om ‘n beter verhouding met Wodehouse te bewerkstellig, wie self ‘n aktiewe Vrymesselaar was. Op 27 Junie 1862 word Pretorius as ‘n Vrymesselaar by Losie de Goede Hoop in Kaapstad ingelyf.

Brand en Pretorius was van mening dat dit vir die Boere Republieke beter sou wees as Pretorius ‘n lid van Nederlandse Vrymesselary word in plaas van die Engelse Vrymesselary en sy sertifikaat, wat in die Potchefstroom Museum se versameling is, is een van die uitsonderlike vroeë Masonieke dokumente wat oorleef het. Dit is op perkament gedruk en met die sipres groen lint en rooi waksseël van Losie de Goede Hoop verseël. Dit is verder tweetalig in Nederlands en Latyn. Dit wys dat Broeder Pretorius 43 jaar oud en die President van die Oranje Vrystaat was. Hy is verder aanvaar, ingelyf, bevorder en verhef tot n Meester Vrymesselaar op een dag, synde die 27e dag van die sesde maand in die jaar van Lig 5862 en dit is deur al die ampsdraers van die Losie onderteken.

Na sy terugkeer na Bloemfontein, het Pretorius ‘n brief aan Brand gerig waarin hy, as die hoof petisionaris, Brand versoek het om ‘n Losie in Bloemfontein te stig. Brand en sy gevolg het toe na Bloemfontein gereis en op 15 Oktober 1864 is Losie Unie daar geopen, alhoewel Pretorius toe reeds na Potchefstroom terugekeer het om sy amp as President van die Transvaal te hervat. Op 22 Mei 1865 word Losie Flaming Star in Potchefstroom gestig, ook as gevolg van die werk van Pretorius en Brand. Die eerste paar jaar was moeilik vir hierdie Losie omdat geld vir bouwerk nie beskikbaar was nie en die ledetal was min. Die eerste Voorsittende Meester van die Losie, John Joseph, ‘n winkeleienaar het gekla dat die Losie die eerste jaar gesukkel het om te funksioneer. Die eerste paar vergaderings van die Losie is in Pretorius se huis gehou; wat nou bekend staan as die President Pretorius Museum. Teen 1867 het Losie Flaming Star egter hulle eie gebou besit en het tekens van groei begin getoon, Pretorius se politieke loopbaan het in 1868 begin agteruitgaan.

Sy politieke opponente in die Transvaalse Volksraad het hom beskuldig van geld verduistering maar die Staats Sekretaris, Cornelis Stuart en ‘n Vrymesselaar, het hom egter verdedig. Dit is gevind dat die boekhouding onvolledig was en staatsfondse is of misbruik of is bloot net weg. Die Volksraad het Pretorius hiervoor verantwoordelik gehou en hy was verplig om sommige van sy eiendom en besittings te verkoop om te vergoed vir die vermiste geld, al was dit nie deur sy toedoen nie. Mede-Vrymesselaars soos Eduard Rocher en Andreas Goetz het sy grond gekoop en het ook Pretorius finansieël bygestaan. In 1871 is Pretorius van verraad en pligsversuim aangekla toe hy hom weerhou het om deel te neem in die arbitrasie hof wat insake sekere eise by die Kimberley diamantvelde gesit het. Hy het toe as gevolg van vele beskuldigings en beledigings bedank en op sy plaas gaan aftree.

Pretorius se verdere Masonieke loopbaan is vaag gedokumenteer en daar kan dus nie bepaal word hoe aktief hy was nie.

Toe die Transvaal in 1877 deur Britanje geannekseer was, is Pretorius egter verkies as die leier van die Volkskommittee om met die Britse Regering se onderhandel. Hy en ‘n mede-Vrymesselaar, Willem Bok, het die onderhandelinge gelei, maar beide is in 1879 op bevel van die nuwe eiesinnige Britse Goewerneur, Sir

Owen Lanyon, gearresteer op klagtes van hoogverraad. Hierdie aksie het byna ‘n oorlog ontketen en beide is na twee weke in aanhouding vrygelaat. Oorlog het egter in 1880 tussen Britanje en die Transvaal uitgebreek en Pretorius is verkies as ‘n lid van die Triumviraat (driemansskap) wat die Transvaal gedurende die oorlogtyd sou regeer. Hy, Paul Kruger en ‘n mede-Vrymesselaar, Piet Joubert, het hulle werksaamhede vanuit Heidelberg tot 1881 bedryf toe vrede verklaar was met die Boere se oorwinning by die slag van Majuba.

Pretorius het toe na sy plaas teruggekeer. In 1892 word hy as Goewerment Historikus van die Transvaal aangestel en hy publiseer ten minste twee boeke vir die Transvaalse skole. Hy was besig met ‘n gedetailleerde geskiedenis van die Groot Trek toe die Anglo Boere-Oorlog in 1899 uitgebreek het. In 1900 word sy plaas deur die Britse magte vernietig as deel van hulle “verskroeide aarde” beleid en hy is onder huisarres in Potchefstroom geplaas. Hy word toe na Pretoria ontbied deur Lord Kitchener, ‘n Vrymesselaar en die Britse Kommandeur en hy word versoek om ‘n boodskap aan die Boeremagte deur te gee. Op 10 Januarie 1901 ontmoet hy vir Louis Botha, die Kommandant-Generaal van die Transvaal en ‘n Vrymesselaar, naby Belfast. Botha het egter vir Pretorius van hoogverraad beskuldig en Pretorius keer terug na Potchefstroom waar hy op 19 Mei 1901 as gevolg van longontsteking oorlede is.

Sy enigste kind, Christina, was vanaf Merebank Konsentrasiekamp ontbied om hom in sy laaste dae te versorg, Teen hierdie tyd was die familie brandarm en hulle moes ander smeek vir geld om Pretorius te begrawe. Toe Lord Methuen, ‘n Britse Generaal en ook ‘n Vrymesselaar, hiervan gehoor het, het hy self vir Pretorius se begrafnis betaal en ‘n erewag vir die begrafnisseremonie voorsien.

So eindig die lewe van ‘n Masonieke pionier – ‘n imperfekte Broeder met baie foute, maar ‘n man wat gestrewe het om in alle dinge goed te doen.

– 43 –

The Forgotten Virtue

LODGE HIRAM Best wishes for the 2017 Masonic Spring Ball.

hiram@grandlodge.co.za

O

By HH Astbury Grand Master’s Message, from The Tracing Board (February, 1982)

f all the virtues and attributes propounded by Craft Masonry, the most obscure, overlooked, and yet all persuasive, is also one of the most vital and essential to our Order. It is found as a continuing theme in the great religions of the world. It is basic to many of the other virtues, yet is for many people, one of the most difficult to apply. This virtue is Humility.

Our rituals in Craft Masonry do not make direct reference to this virtue except in our attitudes to the Great Architect Of The Universe. It is not listed as one of the four cardinal virtues, or the three theological ones. In our relationship to each other, and as Freemasons, we are seldom reminded about the essential nature of humility; yet it must, of necessity, be presented in varying degrees throughout our work. It has been said, in fact, that the totality of our ceremonies is really a continuing lesson in humility, and therefore need not be expounded upon further in our allegories and mysteries.

The preparation of a candidate for our ceremonies is of itself a humbling experience. Divest a man of his normal apparel, deprive him of all signs of materialistic possessions – watches, rings, money – blidfold him, lead him into unknown surroundings to hear unknown voices ask him personal questions about his fundamental beliefs; yes, it is truly a humbling experience.

Our lesson in humility has just begun. Throughout the course of the three degrees our candidates are told what to say, where to go, where to sit, when to stand, walk, sit and speak.

They are dressed in an inferior manner, presented with an unadorned apron, and treated generally as a neophyte in the counsel of the skilled and learned.

Upon receiving their third degree, our candidates have earned the right to become an equal among equals. The only distinctions within the Lodge are merit and position, and the Worshipful Master might readily be a man of limited wealth, social position and formal education. The labourer sits as an equal with the professional; the clerk with the judge, the scholar with the student. Each has the

same voice in the affairs of the Lodge.

Perhaps because it is not specifically emphasised in our lectures, or stressed in our instruction, all too often the lessons of humility are missed or forgotten. They are so veiled in our allegory that we devote little time or effort in bringing them out. Yet it becomes virtually impossible to practise true Brotherly Love without genuine humility, because only the truly humble person has shed the trappings and motivations of self-interest. His concerns and feelings are for his fellow man, rather than for himself. He has been able to widen his sphere of interest, compassion, and action to encompass all with whom he comes in contact. This is not to say that he lacks strength of character or personality, that he has no personal pride or selfesteem.

To be humble is not to lack confidence in one’s own abilities. We hope that those who join our fraternity do so for the right reason.

We hope they accept a chair for the right reason and stand for an elected office in their own Lodge, Division, or Grand Lodge for the right reason. We hope they will not be motivated by selfglorification – the largest and brightest apron, the power or prestige of the position or the accolades and attention that is accorded to rank. If their motivation is to serve the Order and contribute to the advancement and well-being of our craft, then they will know that this virtue called “humility” has its own reward.

Let us then take heed of our teachings and as we attempt to influence new members to our Order, search out “the man, who, without courting applause is loved by all noble-minded men, respected by his superiors, revered by his subordinates; who never proclaims what he has done, will do, can do, but where need is will lay hold with dispassionate courage, circumspect resolution, indefatigable exertions, and a rare power of mind, and who will not cease until he has accomplished his work; but who then, without pretension retires into the multitude, because he did the good act, not for himself, but for the cause of good”.

– 45 –

Your Own

Perfection

By Wor Bro Evangelos Doucas

W

e often pass comments on how a Brother is performing in his ritual work and standards are set for the perfect ritual performance. We watch our Brethren learn from month to month and observe how they improve with practice.

Like everything in life, attaining any good result comes with time and effort as well as consistency – and in most cases, the results surprise us.

As Freemasons we put a lot of our personal time into reaching out for our truest self by furthering self knowledge coupled with practice, perserverance and consistency with an ultimate goal of reaching our very own perfection. We dress up in the finest of all ways and listen to true words of wisdom written and inspired often many years ago, all with the aim of becoming the best that we can be. Every Brother in this organisation who takes his life and activities seriously wants to reach the best that he can be by taking the time out to come to participate in an organisation such as ours with a view to reaching his own Perfection.

The key words here are “his own perfection”. While this individually tends to be subjective, ultimately if we believe that we are all but one chain bound together, then all our respective perfections are required in order to reach “the ultimate perfection” for the Greater Whole and Good. It is therefore imperative that we see each other as part of the whole that we all belong to and we need to encourage personal patience, tolerance, compassion and understanding with each other’s personal goals. This perfection is our mutual perfection and any sabotage of this goal is ultimately the sabotage of our goals as a whole. We see each other as one in Union Consciousness. A level of maturity that comes with time in our Order and in the profane world in which we operate daily, will provide paths of guidance and light to our fellow men and Brethren to whom we owe our allegiance, respect and Brotherly Love.

We need to believe that all of our Brethren are serious about their Freemasonry as a precondition for the above. Learning compassion, tolerance, mutual Brotherly Love, seeing each other as One, takes time and maturity. Where we see that some Brethren, as can be expected at times, are not serious about their goals, it is

important to gently encourage them and be pillars of support and reminders that time taken to be amongst us should not be wasted, as each individual’s waste is our waste. There will be times that Brethren fail and make errors, but it is our responsibility, instead of judgmentally perpetuating the negative, to rather assist in their efforts to reorganise and restrategise because their success and perfection is part of our ultimate mutual success.

As pillars of light and holders of truths imparted from generations of Freemasons to newer generations, it is important that we remember to value our time taken to be at Lodge. Do your outmost to take what you do and what you say most seriously. While there is time for light heartedness, the underlying message is one: we need to use our time wisely to learn and labour and, in that spirit alone, enjoy the fruits of serious hard labour. Frivolity alone is futile as it lacks foundation and is therefore only ephemeral. True fun is deeper and longer lasting. It is gratifying and a growing experience to see us as a whole, all together, reach our Perfection.

Brethren, take your ritual seriously. Those three degrees which encompass our Craft’s teachings, contain so much value.

Take the time to read through them before you come to Lodge.

Wake up earlier each day and learn one sentence at a time. Repeat a few lines together. Stand up, proud to be a Freemason, honouring those before and after us. Do what you do with earnestness and you will surprise yourself and your Brethren. You will recite that ritual making errors but the next time it will get better and more perfect but, whatever happens, keep trying and don’t just give up.

Feel proud and honoured to be partaking in the ceremony and then learning becomes so rewarding as your input done to the best of your ability, without judgement from your Brethren, takes on yet a new more rewarding meaning. Take up the challenge when offered to you; it’s part of that chain.

No-one is better than anybody else and he who perceives himself as better, has much to learn about humility. He who wastes time or does not use his time amongst us seriously in order to learn and comprehend and offer learning to others, has much to learn about that long-lasting fun that only comes with Hard Labour.

THE PLUMB Build up your life like the temple of old With stones that are polished and true; Cement it with love and adorn it with gold As all Master builders should do; Upon foundation, well chosen and strong, Build now for the ages to come: Make use of the good, while rejecting the wrong And test all your work with the Plumb.

– Neale A McAulay – 47–

Face to F@ce I have long felt that people tend to use emails when personal interaction is far more appropriate and was, therefore, delighted by the following article. Emails are fantastic for disseminating information, but when personal contact is really needed, hiding behind a computer is simply not the answer.

This research article puts it all into perspective. – Editor

By Vanessa K Bohns (Assistant Professor of Organisational Behaviour at the ILR School at Cornell University)

I

magine that you need people to donate to or support a cause you care about. How do you get as many people as possible to contribute? You could send an email to 200 of your friends, family members, and acquaintances. Or you could ask a few of the people you encounter in a typical day – face-to-face. Which method would mobilise more people for your cause?

Despite the reach of email, asking in person is the significantly more effective approach. You need to ask 6 people in person to equal the power of a 200-recipient email blast. In other words, faceto-face gets a 34 times better response! Still, most people tend to think the email ask will be more effective.

In research that Mahdi Roghanizad of Western University and I conducted, recently published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, we have found that people tend to overestimate the power of their persuasiveness via text-based communication, and underestimate the power of their persuasiveness via face-to-face communication.

In one study, we had 45 participants ask 450 strangers (10 strangers each) to complete a brief survey. All participants made the exact same request following the exact same script; however, half of the participants made their requests over email, while the other half asked face-to-face. We found that people were much more likely to agree to complete a survey when they were asked in person as opposed to over email. These findings are consistent with previous research showing that people are more likely to comply with requests in person than over email.

However, prior to making their requests, we asked the participants

in each group to predict how many of the 10 strangers they asked would agree to fill out the survey. Participants in the face-to-face group guessed that on average 5 out of 10 people would agree, while participants in the email group guessed that on average 5.5 out of 10 people would agree. This difference was not statistically significant; participants who made requests over email felt essentially just as confident about the effectiveness of their requests as those who made their requests face-to-face, even though face-to-face requests were proven to be 34 times more effective than emailed ones.

Why do people think of email as being equally effective when it is so clearly not? In our studies, participants were highly attuned to their own trustworthiness and the legitimacy of the action they were asking others to take when they sent their emails. Anchored on this information, they failed to anticipate what the recipients of their emails were likely to see: a questionnable email asking them to click on a suspicious link.

Indeed, when we replicated our results in a second study we found the nonverbal cues requesters conveyed during a faceto-face interaction made all the difference in how people viewed the legitimacy of their requests, but the requesters were oblivious to this fact. If your organisation runs on email and text-based communication, it’s worth considering whether you could be a more effective communicator by having more conversations in person.

It is often more convenient and comfortable to use text-based communication than to approach someone in-person, but if you overestimate the effectiveness of such media, you may regularly, and unknowingly, reduce your level of effectiveness.

THE LAYING OF THE CORNERSTONE The symbol of a stalwart faith thou art, Firm set and sure, for ages there to stand, At once the token of a cunning hand, And of the consecrated, faithful heart; To those who follow us shalt thou impart Some knowledge of the tasks this day fulfilled, And of the men that wrought it, wise and skilled, Their memory shall their presence ever start O stone, thou art an altar, on thee rears A Temple, standing wondrous in the sun, A Lesson unto all the coming years Of faithfulness to work today begun, And on thee, raised in glory, there appears All Wisdom, Strength and Beauty, joined in one

– Bro Russell J McLauchlin – 49 –

2016 Pledges

Helping to Build Masonic Homes

Brick By Brick!

Our thanks to the many individuals who contributed to the success of last year’s Masonic Spring Ball. In addition to the magazine advertisements, “bricks” and charity auction purchases, the following generous donations were made in the form of pledges.

Donor

Masonic Bowling Association Jacques le Clos Herman’s Royal Arch - Grand Chapter Royal Arch - Northern Division Royal Arch - Southern Division Wouter de Goede Martin Kotze Lodge de Goede Verwachting Vic & Barbara Muhlenbeck Paddy Roberts Lodge Mutual Gordon Crighton S Thuebes Bernard Neuhaus Lodge Bellville Losie Jacob de Mist Marco Petronio Clayton Dunne Mark le Roux Monty & Lara Montgomery Lodge Makalani Raymond Supra Lodge Helderberg Liza & Bertie Lodge Dedication Lodge Excelsior (IC) van der Vyver family PGL Northern Division DGL English Constitution Rob & Ashleigh Eden Ian Hetherington Lodge Unity (SC) Lodge Cape Town Brian & Kay Rossouw Thobani & Unathi Popo Chapter Libertas Carlos Feldman King Armstrong AASR Consistory EMM Lodge Koh-I-Nor Keith & Liezel Hutton Avron Jacobson Frans Roodt Claudia & Michael Burchell Visiting Grand Masters Wendy Smith Charles Smith Soren & Lameez Smith Lodge de Goede Verwachting

R Value

1 000.00 200.00 2 250.00 3 750.00 4 100.00 4 100.00 500.00 100.00 2 100.00 2 000.00 600.00 500.00 250.00 250.00 1 800.00 10 000.00 1 000.00 750.00 450.00 750.00 1 000.00 1 000.00 500.00 500.00 100.00 100.00 2 000.00 1 000.00 1 000.00 2 000.00 500.00 1 000.00 500.00 10 000.00 1 000.00 1 000.00 300.00 1 500.00 1 000.00 1 000.00 2 500.00 2 500.00 500.00 2 500.00 1 000.00 3 250.00 500.00 500.00 17 210.86 1 500.00

– 51 –

Donor

Dr Dirk Lombard Camps Bay Lodge Losie Johan van Riebeek Table 26 Lodge Carnarvon (EC) Margaret Duggan AASR Chapter EMM PGL Sentrale Divisie Alf & Chrissie Brönner Frans Appelgryn Martha Robertson Rod & Vanessa Potter Lodge Simon van der Stel Sheldon Topham Heyneke Tours Jim Duggan Losie St Jan Lodge Royal Alfred (SC) Clinton & Carryn Clark Quewin Keyser Lodge Westerford Carl Habel Craig Dobson (Scottish RA) RA Northern Division Dimitrios Kontesis Table 24 Garreth Wilke Graham Symons Ricky & Anja Plescia Wouter de Goede Skottowe Lourens Shadley Collier Andre Engelbrecht Cedrick & Beverley Mutombo Losie Johan van Riebeek Sure 2 Travel Tanya Appelgryn’s unborn baby Carl Pohl Wayne Freed KIN RA Lodge de Goede Hoop Losie Brits Walter Roos Table 25 Darren Bergman Ken Marcus Losie Oranje Carl Planting

** TOTAL PLEDGES **

R Value

500.00 750.00 1 000.00 500.00 1 000.00 500.00 1 000.00 1 000.00 1 000.00 1 000.00 200.00 1 000.00 2 000.00 100.00 1 000.00 500.00 500.00 500.00 400.00 300.00 2 000.00 2 000.00 500.00 1 000.00 750.00 300.00 2 000.00 250.00 1 000.00 250.00 450.00 500.00 250.00 2 000.00 1 000.00 1 000.00 200.00 1 000.00 500.00 1 000.00 9 000.00 200.00 300.00 700.00 200.00 1 000.00 260.00 1 000.00

140 770.86

3

I

Facing New Challenges

By MW Bro Geoff Edwards OSM

am a sports fan and I love all sporting activity. One of the great joys of being a sports fan, of course, is that sport has this tendency to produce these wonderful human stories. A favourite of mine, for example, has been that surrounding Cape Town’s Natalie du Toit. She was a highly competitive young swimmer and I had followed her progress with interest and expectation. I would like to share her story with those of you who may not, necessarily, be that familiar with it.

In 2001, Natalie was a 16 year old Springbok swimmer, striving to qualify for the Olympic Games. Early one morning, she was riding her scooter to training at the Newlands pool, when she was involved in an accident with a car. As a result, her leg was amputated at the knee. Her worst nightmare had been realised - her dreams destroyed! And yet, 2 weeks later, there was this photograph of Natalie, surrounded by her friends, announcing that she was fine and that she’d just have to set new goals.

Now that’s all well and good, I thought at the time, but let’s see how she copes when reality sets in. This exceptional young lady, however, refused to give up. Having recovered from her hospitalisation, she trained harder than ever before. She determined to qualify for the Empire and Commonwealth Games, not only as a disabled swimmer, but in the open category as well.

To everybody’s delight, she succeeded in both of these goals and went off to represent South Africa in England.

The rest, of course, is history. During the following two weeks Natalie won two gold medals in the disabled category, set a new world record and, for the first time in the history of swimming, we saw a disabled person qualify for the final of an open event at a major championship. At the end of the fortnight, Natalie received the award for “the Outstanding Athlete of the Games”.

She had captured the hearts of the world by her sheer courage, determination and optimism.

A short while later, after receiving a well-deserved heroine’s welcome home, Nathalie was interviewed about her experiences.

Yes, she still felt a bit devastated about the loss of her leg sometimes, but there’s nothing she could do about it so she was

just getting on with her life – and her life had really turned out pretty well! No, she didn’t really consider herself to be disabled and got irritated when people treated her as such – her friends certainly didn’t. Yes, she was looking forward to the future and believed that she could still do a whole lot better yet.

Now, isn’t that a wonderful story. But what, you may ask, has it got to do with Freemasonry. Well, the reality is, Brethren, that we all face situations, at some stage or in some way, where our dreams are destroyed or our carefully made plans are ruined. We all have hopes and aspirations which, often due to factors outside of our control, we are suddenly unable to fulfil. It is at these times that we are faced with the real challenges. Do we just give up, or do we set ourselves new, bigger and more demanding goals?

It was John Lennon who said that “life is what happens when we are busy making other plans”. How true this is – and how often aren’t our best laid plans destroyed by the unexpected. Now don’t misunderstand me, of course we must set plans - and plan well.

We must create hopes and aspirations for ourselves and schedule our activities and our behaviour so that we may achieve them. But we also have to realise that life isn’t always predictable and can be very imperfect and unfair. It’s in how we handle the set-backs, that our real character is determined. Do we use them as justification to simply give up – or as a stimulus to aim even higher and to set newer, bigger goals. The choice really is ours!

People like Natalie du Toit are wonderful examples of what can be achieved by people with the right attitude, by people who don’t give up when things go wrong, by people who always believe that there is hope in the future, that life is worth living and that challenges are there to be faced.

In my view, these attributes epitomise the true Freemason.

When things go wrong, when life seems unbearable, when the challenges seem insurmountable, remember the example set by people such as Natalie du Toit. Set yourself new goals – aim higher – and enjoy the blessings provided for us by the GAOTU as he acknowledges our efforts to glorify his holy name.

– 51 –