Masons in the Broadsheets

Readers of The Times and The Daily Telegraph were treated to two contrasting stories last November which have a bearing on Masonry’s relation to the society of which it is a benevolent part. Maurice Weaver of the Telegraph told the stomach-churning story of how Derbyshire’s Labour-controlled council put pressure on the Life Education Centre to return a cheque for £10,000 to its donor: Derbyshire masons. The money was given to help run a mobile anti-drugs classroom. According to Weaver: “Tom Briggs, an officer of the Derbyshire Freemasons, said he was told by Nick Hodgson, the council’s chief executive, that its policy is “not to get involved in joint sponsorship with secret societies.” Since Freemasonry is not a secret society, Hodgson appears, at the very least, to be profoundly misinformed. In fact, the initial approach to masonic charity had come from Stephen Kitch, chairman of the Derbyshire branch of the Life Education Centre. According to the Telegraph, that charity’s national director, Michael Roberts, was not at all happy with Kitch’s returning the cheque, saying that “It is illegal for a charity like ours to turn down a donation, unless the money comes from illegal sources or the ethos of the donor is contradictory to our own. Clearly, neither of these criteria applies.”
    Playing collective judge and jury, council spokesman Christopher Hartley declared that “It is true that we share the widespread disquiet about the influence of Freemasonry and we made that clear to those involved in the initiative. We said that we were uncomfortable with it but we did not say that our money [the council offered £75,000 over three years “so long as the Masons’ money was sent back” according to Weaver] was conditional on the charity returning the Masons’ cheque.”
    FMT decided to dig a little deeper into this story and asked journalist Doug Pickford to contact the relevant parties. He found that Christopher Hartley of Derbyshire County Council’s Public Relations Dept was adamant that the council’s offer to the charity “was definitely not conditional. It would be improper and unlawful to give that stipulation. However, we are perfectly entitled, as a council, to have a view, and the view of this council is that we share what we believe is a widespread disquiet about the secretiveness of Freemasonry, and whereas this is not a policy of the council, the general view of the council is that it does not want anything to do with the organisation. But I cannot emphasise enough that there was not a stipulation that the money from the Freemasons should be returned if our money was accepted.” Asked what would have happened if the charity had not returned the money, the spokesman said: “Our contribution would still have been there.” When asked how the charity organiser had come across this view, Mr Hartley said that there had never been anything in writing putting this matter across, but when questioned further, said: “Mr Kitch may have been made aware of the council’s thoughts on Freemasonry in conversation.” FMT understands that two conversations were held between the County Council and Mr Kitch, as a result of which the donation was returned.
    Speaking to FMT, Mr Kitch expressed his “profound regret” at what had happened and offered his personal apologies to all Freemasons. “I am a member of Rotary and so am in the same area as you are and the last thing we wanted to do was to get into a political debate, and at the end of the day the charity has its objectives and we had no option but to do what we did. At the end of the day it was a simplistic view that if we did not, then the long-term funding of the charity would be in jeopardy. I don’t mind telling you it gutted me. I came out of it worse and now I have to try to spend an awful lot of time trying to build back my credibility for what has been published. I did not know the historical facts behind Derbyshire County Council’s thoughts on Freemasonry. I personally appreciate what masons do. I have no criticisms and no bad feelings towards masons. I would like to think something good has come out of it and they [the council] would reflect on their own attitude. You see, I can’t criticise the council; I can’t win.”
    Michael Roberts, the charity’s national director, denied the Daily Telegraph quotation that he had informed Mr Kitch that he “was not at all happy” about what he has done, saying: “We have, and we will accept money from Freemasonry charities, and will accept money from any source unless it is illegal or it varies with our ethos. I see no evidence of this with Freemasonry. [in fact, he has received the first of three instalments towards a total of £160,000 donated by the masonic Grand Charity] Regarding Mr Kitch, in view of what he was told, he took the pragmatic view. More than that I cannot say. We as a charity have been caught in the crossfire. As I understand it, we were pledged £25,000 in the first year with the possibility of further funding. It was very substantial funding against a very generous donation. I was very happy with what Mr Kitch did under the circumstances; I do not wish to offend anyone. If the masons came along to me with money, I would not turn it down.”
    The fact that Debyshire children would have been the beneficiaries of the masonic gift does not seem to have deterred what is an odious, malicious and mean-spirited snub. Who could now deny that the anti-masonic activities of some councils are biased and political? Anti-Masonry is clearly a feature of old and New Labour – though not, of course, in writing.
    The second story is rather more heartening. David Pannick QC, a practising barrister, part-time judge and Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford, headed his Times article: Does it matter if 247 judges are Masons? Pannick, not a mason himself, focused on the issue of privacy raised by the government’s demand that members of the police and judiciary enter information for a registry of masonic membership. (Jack Straw MP expects such declarations to become a condition of appointment to jobs in these fields). Over 5000 judges were sent the declaration forms. 247 admitted to being Freemasons while 64 declined to answer. According to David Pannick: “Requiring new judges to state whether they are Freemasons, and encouraging existing judges to do so, is undoubtedly an invasion of privacy. Personal privacy is essential to our autonomy as human beings, whatever we do. The Lord Chancellor would not normally expect candidates for judicial office to tell the public about their religious beliefs, political views or sexual preferences as the price of appointment to the Bench.” Pannick clearly sees the privacy-invasion as pandering to ill-informed prejudice. “It is hard to understand” he writes, “how a register will reassure members of the public suffering from ill-informed concern. To suggest that they should be comforted by the fact that only 247 judges admit to being Freemasons would wrongly imply that there is something so dishonourable about being a Freemason that a larger judicial membership would be troubling.”
    Pannick reckons the government’s ill-judged policy is “hard to reconcile” with the European Convention on Human Rights with regard to the protection of privacy from unjustifiable interference: “It would be ironic indeed if, when the Human Rights Act is implemented, one of the first successful cases were brought by the judiciary.”
    It is clear from both of these stories that certain politicians, both locally and nationally, simply do not want the public to see Freemasonry as an honourable fraternity because they themselves will not see it as such. Claiming that they act merely as representatives of public concern is a sham plea that warrants a thorough exposure: it is the plea of every ‘witch-finder’ type and ‘moral’ busybody through history. Their freedom (or power) is always won at the expense of yours. “By their fruits ye shall know them.”
    T.C.

Grand Charity steps up public relations

The Grand Charity has launched a new publicity drive to get more media coverage and more information to Freemasons.
    Press releases have already been issued on a national newswire service and Provincial Grand Masters, Provincial Grand Secretaries and Provincial Information Officers are contacted so they can inform their local media. More press releases are set to follow. “We’re really pleased with the response so far,” says Dudley Wensley, Grand Charity Secretary. “Indeed, many newspapers have printed our press releases verbatim.”
    As part of the drive, the Grand Charity now also has a set of six professionally produced display boards, freely available for Provinces and Masonic Centres to use. The boards are ideal for events such as open days or Provincial Grand Lodges, and have already been used very successfully at other events. Bookings reach as far ahead as next May. For more information or to book, telephone the Grand Charity on 0171 395 9293.
    The Grand Charity will also be actively looking at other ways of promoting what it does, such as the Internet. Information will in future be more easily available to brethren so that they can better explain what their Grand Charity does.

Durham Masonic Millennium Project

Established in 1970 to preserve buildings and objects from the north of England’s industrial past, Beamish Museum in Co Durham covers 300 acres and features a typical town street of the early 1900s. Old electric tramcars rattle down the cobbled street transporting visitors around an open-air site which also includes a Colliery Village, a working farm and a railway station, all rebuilt as they would have been around 1913. The award-winning Beamish Museum is the North East’s major tourist attraction with over 400,000 visitors a year.
    Three years ago, Mrs Dorothy Hall, wife of Co Durham’s Provincial Grand Secretary, suggested the idea of establishing a Masonic Hall at Beamish Museum. Meetings were held with Peter Lewis, the Museum’s Director, resulting in the commission of a feasibility study in May 1998. After the meeting, Provincial Grand Master, Dr Alan Davison, Alan Hall (Provincial Grand Secretary) and Tom Coulson, Curator of the Provincial Museum in Sunderland, discussed the required frontage. They visited a derelict Masonic Hall, only five minutes away: Park Terrace, purpose-built in 1869 for St John’s Lodge No 80. Sold in 1934, it had stood empty for many years, suffering the ravages of weather and vandalism. It was with some amazement that the team discovered the building was to be demolished that very day! After some quick negotiations with the contractor and with Beamish, the Province purchased the complete façade, now carefully dismantled under the direction of Beamish experts and stored for safe-keeping.
    The purchase has now achieved a high profile among Brethren and the media, lending itself wonderfully to the cause of dispelling many myths associated in the public mind where the Craft is concerned. According to W Bro Thomas FR Coulson, Provincial “William Waples” Library & Museum Chairman & Curator: “Imagine the opportunity this project will give – the chance to open the doors of a Lodge room to over 400,000 visitors each year! It will make an immense contribution to the spirit of openness that we are all trying to promote. Of course, coming down to earth, we are still in the middle of our feasibility and costing studies and considering the many tasks before us. The one unshakeable fact, however, is the enthusiasm that everyone has shown, and for that reason alone, we look forward to a successful conclusion to our Durham Millennium Project.”

District Grand Lodge of East Africa

The half-yearly communication of the District Grand Lodge of East Africa took place on Saturday 22 August 1998. This was the first time that the District Grand Lodge had met in a non-masonic building since the District was established on 15 October 1926. Beneath a thatched roof, 146 members were present for the unique occasion. More information about this thriving District may be obtained from W Bro JK Chande, District Grand Master of the District Grand Lodge of East Africa, PO Box 9251, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
    Brethren may also be interested in the RW Bro Jayantilal Keshavji Chande’s Collected Works, entitled “Whither Directing Your Course” which has recently been republished and is available from the author or from Toye Kenning & Spencer’s shop at 19-21 Gt Queen Street, London. The book is a fascinating collection of discourse and homily given to his District on masonic essentials. On the Third Degree, for example, the District Grand Master writes: “the selection of the passage in the book of Ecclesiastes as preamble, and the Hiramic legend stress that unless a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of Heaven. The burying of the past, together with the raising of life, is a lesson of spiritual rebirth. It is a degree of spiritual development.”

New society for young Freemasons in Indiana

A new group has been formed in Indiana aimed at expanding the activity and interest of younger Freemasons.
    The Rough Ashlar Society, which officially adopted its name on October 15, 1998, is run by young masons and will focus on the social, philanthropic and educational aspects of Freemasonry. There are to be informal statewide and regional events which will give people the chance to become better, more dedicated members of their lodges by enabling them to explore the connections between themselves, the community and Freemasonry.
    The society aims to create the leadership that will carry the world’s “oldest, largest and greatest fraternity” into the next millennium. The society, based in Indianapolis, with regional centres around the state, is open to all Master Masons aged 18-45, irrespective of whether they belong to the Grand Lodge of Indiana or the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Indiana. More information about the Rough Ashlar Society can be found on the internet at www.youngmasons.org

Formation of the Districts of Moldova and the Ukraine

The Grand Master of the Regular Grand Lodge of Italy, Prof. Giuliano di Bernardo, has formed the Districts of Moldova and the Ukraine.
    On 10 October 1998 he visited Kishinev in Moldova where, having ascertained the existence of five regularly consecrated Lodges (“Alleanza”, “Millennium”, “Stella del Sud”, “Rinascita”, “Union”), he formed, in accordance with antient usage and assisted by Grand Officers, the District of Moldova.
    The Grand Master (pictures right, center) appointed Bro Anatoli Coman, former Master of the “Alleanza” Lodge (the first to be consecrated in Moldova in June 1997), as District Grand Master.
    The event, which took place in the sumptuous palace of Kishinev, was filmed by national, international and local television channels. In particular, Moscow NT made a programme that was subsequently broadcast a number of times during the following week in all the countries of the former Soviet Union. Leading daily newspapers also spoke of the event in glowing terms.
    On 17 October, Grand Master Di Bernardo went to Odessa in the Ukraine where, having ascertained the existence of three regularly consecrated lodges (“Hiram”, “Nuova Atlantide” and “Cosmopolitan”), he formed the District of the Ukraine. Following the customary rituals, in the splendid hall of the Museum of Literature, he appointed Bro Valery Zaporozhan, Rector of Odessa Medical University and Master of the Hiram Lodge of Odessa, as Grand Master. Grand Master Zaporozhan then appointed and invested his Grand Officers.
    The ceremonies took place in accordance with the Emulation Ritual, translated into the languages of Moldova and the Ukraine. Interest in Freemasonry in these two countries is very strong. One example of this is the eagerness to become masons shown by men who represent the highest levels of their countries’ public and private institutions. For them, Freemasonry is a way of looking at life that must be shared and understood.
    Other lodges will shortly be opening in the Ukraine, in Kiev, L’Vov, Donbas and Crimea, and it seems highly probable that the light of Freemasonry will also be shining in other ex-Soviet Union countries by next year.

Black Country Masons’ Vision Approaches Reality

Sponsored by the Noah’s Ark Lodge No 347, a group of Black Country Masons have got together to form “The Black Country Heritage Lodge”, founded on the philosophy that Masonry will flourish and prosper if it is affordable and enjoyable. Following Emulation Ritual, a unique vision will combine it with The Black Country Workings, drawing on the Black Country’s industrial era and the warmth, friendliness and renowned humour of local people.
    Frank Pressdee (Worshipful Master Designate) told FMT that the founders “have listened to the views of masons of varying rank and from different lodges, but in particular the comments of junior brethren. The following concerns will be addressed: the high cost of membership and sometimes excessive dining charges; élitism: the distancing of some senior members from juniors; the reluctance to progress because of the burden or fear associated with the pursuit of ‘perfect ritual’ at the expense of ‘enjoyable ritual’; the ‘enjoyment factor’ of ceremonies marred by interfering Past Masters; the austere atmosphere of some lodge rooms; insufficient attention given to the feelings and thoughts of junior brethren – and the lack of family involvement.”
    While the founders recognise that there are many lodges where none of the above concerns exist, they will nonetheless strongly address all these concerns and, hopefully, become a model for other lodges. They have found a home in the Royal Oak Inn, Dudley Port (West Midlands), which has a purpose-built lodge room and function room. An architectural gem, the lodge room was built on to the existing pub in 1836, for the benefit of the sponsors: the second oldest surviving lodge in Staffordshire (warrant issued on 27 November 1815). According to Frank Pressdee: “The WM’s chair [see photo] is such a magnificent piece of craftsmanship, it’s likely to inspire a ritual all of its own!”
    Consecration is likely to be in Autumn 1999. Interested brethren attracted to the Black Country are welcome, but must possess a good sense of humour, be regular attenders and enthusiastic supporters of lodge events. The Black Country Workings will shortly be submitted to the Province for discussion and, hopefully, approval. At a time when Grand Lodge is anxious to raise public awareness of the positivity of the Craft, the founders have established contact with the Director of the Black Country Museum in Dudley, who is interested in the idea of constructing a 19th century lodge room above the Bottle & Glass pub in the museum. Bro Pressdee can be contacted at 46 Bath Street, Sedgley, Dudley, W Midlands DY3 1LR. Tel: 01902 402592.

Grand Charity helps Hurricane Mitch victims

The Freemasons’ Grand Charity has given £25,000 to the British Red Cross’s emergency appeal to help those caught in the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch, the worst ever storm in Central American history.
    In Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala, more than 9,000 people have died, a further 13,000 are missing and tens of thousands have lost their homes. An estimated five million people have been affected of whom at least half are now struggling to survive. In Honduras alone 85 per cent of the country is under water with 75 per cent of the country’s agriculture destroyed.
    Raymond Lye, President of the Freemasons’ Grand Charity, says, “Hurricane Mitch has left in its wake misery and devastation on an incalculable scale. Flooding and mudslides have obliterated roads and bridges across the region, making access to some of the most badly affected communities extremely difficult. We just felt we had to help instantly.” Clare le Fort, Trust Fund-raiser for the Red Cross, says that as well as the immediate needs for food, hygiene, water and shelter, the increasingly polluted water supply, together with the lack of food, is making the surviving population more and more vulnerable to disease. “For example, the donation of £25,000 could be used to buy nearly 4 million water purification tablets,” she says.
    The Grand Charity has also given £10,000 to Antigua and Barbuda following the devastation caused by Hurricane Georges in September estimated at almost £200m. The Grand Charity is now one of the largest grant-making charities in the country and has a long tradition of charitable giving following natural disasters throughout the world. Other recent emergency grants include:
    £10,000 to the British Red Cross following the devastating floods in Bangladesh in June and July where some 10 million of the 30 million people affected are in need of urgent help just to survive. £10,000 to the Red Cross for its programme to help victims of the on-going floods in China, where some 80 lives have been lost and 250,000 homes destroyed.
    £10,000 towards the Red Cross’s Afghanistan Earthquake Appeal. The earthquake, which struck last February, killed around 4,750 people, injured 600 and left 15,000 people homeless.

18th century lodge ceremony

The ‘Initiation 1765’ Demonstration Team, which demonstrates a meeting of the Union No 1 Lodge when it met at St Helier, Jersey in 1765, is now taking bookings for 2000 as 1999 is fully booked.
    Although the team normally operates in London and the Home Counties, it is happy to go further afield. One recent enquiry has been from Denmark. The demonstration lasts just over an hour and is normally done after the host lodge has called off. Team organiser Dave Barton, who now plays the role of the Master following the recent death of previously long-serving Master Frank Bredemeier, says, “Although we do not show the actual ritual as worked by the Union No 1 Lodge itself - as simply not enough is known about it - we do aim to give an accurate picture of what a visiting mason in those days might have seen.”
    The ceremony follows lodge work of the 1760s originally compiled by Brigadier ACF Jackson, author of Rose Croix: A History of the Ancient and Accepted Rite in England and Wales. Showings in the immediate future will be in Essex at Ilford on 24 February, Chingford on 12 March, Loughton on 18 March and Chingford on 21 April. Others are to be announced.
    For more information or booking details contact Dave Barton on 0181-303 5142.

The Mail and Freemasonry

The Daily Mail and its sister The Mail on Sunday aapear not to like Freemasonry. On three recent occasions they have got it wrong and were more than reluctant to publish corrections.
    A piece headlined “Downfall of a Mason” claimed that a Cheshire businessman who has been sent down for sexually harrassing a waitress was a Freemason. He was not. The Mail was told by the Grand Secretary that he was not (his father, of the same name, was), but chose to believe their ‘local source’. Grand Lodge went to the Press Complaints Council seeking a correction and apology. The PCC ruled in Grand Lodge’ favour, and Grand Lodge accepted the ruling provided that the correction and apology was given the same prominence as the original story. As usual, a brief correction, without apology, appeared at the foot of page 22, weeks after the original report. The matter is back with the PCC.
    When reporting the public enquiry into the appalling child mortality rate under surgery in Bristol, the Mail on Sunday gave great prominence to the unsubstantiated claims of a disaffected former hospital staff member that the whole affair had been covered up by a conspiracy of the many masons in the hospital. The Grand Secretary, backed by the Provincial Grand Master for Bristol, wrote to the Editor pointing out that no Freemasons worked in the hospital department concerned and asked for a retraction. The Olympian response was that comments had simply been reported and that the paper would make no further comment until the enquiry results were published.
    Reporting on the Lord Chancellor presenting the results of his survey into masonic membership amongst judges and magistrates, the Mail headlined its piece in the early editions as “One Magistrate in seven confesses to being a Mason”. A letter went off again to the Editor, pointing out that people “confess” to crimes. The response denied the use of “confess” in the headline, so a copy of the offensive piece was sent to him. Even worse, when a Provincial mason wrote to the Editor, describing himself as “foremostly a Magistrate but also a Freemason”, objecting to the use of “confess” and quoting its dictionary definition, his letter was materially altered before publication. “Foremostly” was dropped. “Confess” was altered to “admit”, and the definition of “confess” was omitted. So much for editorial standards, and it’s off to the Press Complaints Council again!
    John Hamill, Head of Communications Department, Grand Lodge.

New Masonic Research Centre

A new masonic research centre has recently been established. The Canonbury Masonic Research Centre is being privately funded, and is based in Canonbury Tower, Islington. The Tower was built by Prior Bolton and is a medieval building on the Northampton Estate.
    The Trustees of the Centre are the Assistant Grand Master, Lord Northampton, the Grand Secretary, James Daniel, and the author, Michael Baigent. The Secretary of the Centre is Mrs Snezana Lawrence who will manage the work of the Trust.
    The first year will be spent largely in collecting a data-base on all aspects of Freemasonry. Interesting information from the Grand Lodge Library and from other research institutes around the world will be considered. The Centre will make its data available to masons and non-masons alike. It hopes to forge links with universities and encourage research by academics who will write papers for publication in an annual journal. Several university lecturers have already agreed to run courses from the Centre, and it is hoped that these will eventually lead to an MA degree course. Dr Leon Schlamm of the University of Kent is helping to set up these courses with his experience of running an MA course in the study of mysticism and religious experience.

Regional PR meeting held at Darlington

As part of an on-going series of meetings, requested by the Board of General Purposes to survey the views of the Craft in general on public perceptions of Freemasonry and how to deal with them, a third regional meeting was held at Darlington on 13 October.
    Attended by more than 120 brethren of all levels from Northumberland, Durham and Yorkshire, the meeting was chaired by the President of the Board of General Purposes, Gavin Purser, accompanied by members of Grand Lodge’s PR Steering Group.
    ‘Full and frank discussions’ is a cliché but aptly describes the mood of the meeting, and two previous meetings held in Birmingham and Keynsham. The views expressed at all three meetings are being evaluated and the results of the evaluation will determine the format of meetings being planned for early 1999 with other groups of Provinces. John Hamill, Head of Grand Lodge’s Communications Department, says, “The views expressed at the three meetings will be invaluable to the PR Steering Group in formulating both a long-term PR strategy and in dealing with immediate problems. It is vital to any planning that we know and understand the views of the Craft.”

Masonic Service in Westcliff-on-Sea Synagogue

The Mayor of Southend-on-Sea, Councillor Nora Goodman, was amongst the dignitaries attending a significantly historic moment as Freemasons and Congregants from all parts of Essex joined together in a service of thanksgiving open to and participated in by all denominations at Southend and Westcliff Hebrew Congregations’ Finchley Road, Westcliff-on-Sea Synagogue on Sunday 25th October 1998.
    It was the first time in the history of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Essex that such a service had been held in a synagogue but Provincial services had previously been held in Chelmsford Cathedral.
    Following an opening address of welcome by Southend and Westcliff’s spiritual leader, Rabbi Mendel Lew, the service included scriptural readings by the Provincial Grand Master, RW Bro Lt. Col. Sir Neil Thorne OBE TD DL and by VW Bro Peter Neivens OBE, QPM, the Deputy Provincial Grand Master. The service was conducted by W Bro Rev Michael Plaskow MBE, PAG Chaplain, Minister of Woodside Park Synagogue and the Address was given by Bro Rev Leslie Hardman MBE, HCF, Emeritus Minister of Hendon Synagogue. The Assistant Minister of Southend and Westcliff Hebrew Congregation, Rev Gary Newman, also participated.
    Over 350 brethen and their ladies attended, the majority of the Freemasons wearing full dress Masonic regalia. Shortly before the service ended Rabbi Lew presented the Provincial Grand Master and his Deputy with transliterated prayer books on behalf of the Southend and Westcliff Hebrew Congregation in recognition of the unprecedented proceedings and as a memento of the occasion which had been organised by the former President of the Congregation, W Bro Derek Baum MBE. Following the service a tea was held in the Synagogue’s Communal Hall.