Grand Lodge Nationale Française Celebrates 90 Years

On 6 December 2003 the Grande Loge Nationale Française with its Grand Master Jean-Charles Foellner looked back on 90 years of masonic work. Among the ten different masonic jurisdictions in France, the Grande Loge Nationale Française is the only one in France recognized by regular Grand Lodges throughout the world. Founded in 1913, it has always looked on itself as the only Grand Lodge on French soil maintaining absolute abstention from politics in lodges, and strict adherence to the United Grand Lodge of England’s Basic Principles. Its membership is now more than 31,500.
    The celebrations were held in Cannes on the Côte d’Azur, and it not only provided the foreign delegations with accommodation on the famous Croisette, but it also bestowed mild, radiantly sunny days, in contrast to the storms in Provence less than 250 kilometres away.
    The Grand Master’s reception saw delegations from 54 countries all over the world, many of them very sizeable, a number that gave splendour to the celebration. Among the guests were many dignitaries from African Grand Lodges. The United Grand Lodge of England was represented by its Grand Secretary, Bob Morrow.
    The masonic ritual was celebrated with about a thousand Brethren attending, in the great festival hall on the Croisette, followed by a festive banquet. 1,400 people moved into the restaurant in a long line, guarded by heavily armed police. A high-ranking Belgian mason joked that the police were deployed in order to protect the guests from the attacks of irregular masons.
    In an interview with the daily Nice-Matin Grand Master Foellner stressed that the end of the time of affairs and scandals had come. They had suffered, even more than other French Grand Lodges it seemed, and especially in the Provence and Côte d’Azur district, from groups of members who mistook masonry for a boost to their business and a licence to use police files. In his address during the convention the Grand Master particularly thanked his predecessor, Claude Charbonniaud, who had strengthened the Grand Lodge during his term of office. He went on to speak of the position of the Grand Lodge in relation to other masonic jurisdictions. The day would come, he said, when only their similarities would count, and not those things which could separate them; they would then be hundreds of thousands who cultivated the same ideal of love and fraternity, and who worked at individual moral perfection by the exaltation of their spirituality. The Grand Master also spoke with great feeling about moral awareness vis-à-vis the moral ailments in society. The lack of courtesy, he said, hindered dialogue with, and comprehension of others. It favoured aggressiveness, rudeness, insolence and, in the end, violence. The disappearance of courtesy, the lack of traditional signs of politeness conveyed a decline in human relations. He closed by saying that he would make sure that the symbolic work which they were charged to bring to fruition would effectively be the ‘Temple of Humanity’.

Norwegian Day Parade in New York

The Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of New York, Carl Fitje, and his wife Renee joined with the Third King’s District and his District Deputy Grand Masters and Staff Officers to take part in the annual Norwegian Day Parade in May 2003 in Brooklyn, New York. This continued in the long tradition of parades of all kinds that gives Brooklyn its rich diversity. The Grand Lodge of New York has never been slow to take part in such events, underscoring how much this Grand Lodge regards itself as part of the community. The Grand Master, who was born in Brooklyn and is Norwegian by origin, said it was wonderful to be in the parade and to see and speak to so many fellow Norwegians.
    With acknowledgements to The Empire State Mason.

Grand Master of India Retires

On 15 November 2003 the Grand Master of India, Dilip Udeshi, installed his successor, Arun Chintopath, as the new Grand Master.
    Born on 28 January 1936, he followed a career in the legal profession in Mumbai. He was initiated in Freemasonry in 1965 and held various offices in the Regional Grand Lodge of Western India. In later years he was appointed as Assistant Grand Secretary to the Grand Lodge of India and held also other Grand Lodge offices. He was installed as Grand Master in November 2000 and has served in that high office for nearly three years.
    In his term as Grand Master he has endeared himself to the Brethren and received respect and admiration for the way he has steered the fortunes of Grand Lodge. His term of office has been marked by an impressive rise in overall masonic activity, implementation of a wide range of social service projects by a number of lodges, consecration of a number of new lodges, improvement of communication between the Brethren of the four regions and Grand Lodge and successful hosting of the World Conference of Masonic Grand Lodges.
    In a recent article, the retiring Grand Master spoke about the danger of indifference. ‘We live in a world of unimaginable terror and violence’ he wrote. ‘Of aggression and inhumanity. Of tragedy and suffering. And most importantly a world of indifference. What is indifference? It is a strange and unnatural state in which the lines blur between light and darkness, dusk and dawn, crime and punishment, cruelty and compassion, good and evil . . .in a way, to be indifferent to suffering is what makes the human being inhuman. Indifference, after all, is more dangerous than anger or hatred. Anger can at times be creative . . . one does something special for the sake of humanity because one is angry at injustice. But indifference is never creative . . . Our masonic teachings lead us to one goal; express brotherly love and give relief.’

United States Mass Initiations

Following on the report published in Freemasonry Today, Issue 25, and the replies received from New York the Grand Secretary of New York, Gary A Henningsen, wrote an article in The Empire State Mason outlining some of his views of current trends in Freemasonry in general.
    In the article he spoke of ‘the pressures from related organizations for members’ having caused great changes to Freemasonry. He went on ‘We have tried to become an organization we were not intended to be. We have watered down our rituals [and] made instant members. We have gone from making Masons connected by the sacred ties of brotherhood to a mediocre organization, where large induction of members are more important than the original intent our forefathers had for our beloved fraternity.
    . . . . Candidates for membership must be carefully selected, slowly brought through the degrees to make sure they will be a good fit for our beloved Fraternity. Not everyone who applies . . . should be selected, only those who really want to be a part of our brotherhood . . . together with the examination of the inner, not the external part of the candidate taking precedence in the selection process. The direction we are going and have gone for the past four decades without success cannot continue. A new bold initiative to downsize and get back to basic Freemasonry is the only way we will strengthen our fraternity’.
    Brother Henningsen expanded on his remarks, saying that by ‘related organizations’ he was referring to the Shrine and the Scottish Rite. ‘I get the distinct feeling the tails are wagging the dog, forgetting the Grand Lodge is the supreme organization in Freemasonry. I do not believe the "One Day Class" is the salvation of Freemasonry. Our beloved fraternity is a way of life, not meant for everyone. Making members is not making Masons!’ But having said that, he continued ‘We have had some positives in the process. Men . . . who did not have the time to take the degree over a long period of time were recruited. The degree work was the best I have seen in many years. But after all is said and done, I do not believe this phenomenon will be a lasting benefit to Freemasonry. In as far as I can determine, the membership was not in favour of the Grand Master’s actions, but as time goes on . . . the views of the craft are softening. The Grand Master’s actions have served as a wake up call for our membership. We have seen a rise in . . . degrees being performed in the traditional manner. There are however, voices in the background trying to continue the process of making instant Masons . . . let us hope and pray the traditions, teachings and meaning of our beloved institution will not be destroyed, leaving an empty shell of our glorious past and nothing for the generations of the future to be a part of.’

Florida Lodge Holds Mozart Competition

The city of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, recently resounded to the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as Alpha Lodge No. 172 sponsored its second annual Mozart Piano competition. Forty nine young musicians aged 7-18 competed in the event. The Lodge offered prizes in four age groups ranging from $50 to $500 as well as ribbons for the winners and ‘honourable mentions’. Each participant received a certificate of participation.
    The contest was well received in the local community. It gave Alpha Lodge the opportunity to show that masonry not only supports athletic and academic achievements but also encourages young people to pursue the fine arts. Working with their co-sponsors, the Okaloosa Music Teachers Association, planning for the event began in March last year with the selection of the Mozart compositions appropriate to each age group. The Playground Music Store in Fort Walton Beach made their recital hall and grand piano available free of charge. A professional judge from a Junior College adjudicated.
    Twelve Brethren and their wives assisted with student registration, recital hall control and award of prizes and certificates. The music was highly enjoyable and there was a real thrill about competing. The reward for the Lodge was seeing the beaming faces of the young musicians and the knowledge that Freemasonry had contributed to the culture of the community and supported the artistic development of nearly fifty participants. ‘This is an exciting way to support our youth and to portray Freemasonry in a very positive light,’ said Chairman of the Competition Committee Gene Barnes. ‘If we can expand this endeavour statewide, our fraternity could potentially gain national recognition for our contribution to the arts.’
    Reprinted with permission from The Florida Mason (January 2004) www.phmainstreet.com/flmason/

Queensland Masons Committed to Leukaemia Foundation

Alan Wright, the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Queensland, Australia, in conjunction with his Board of General Purposes has announced that Freemasons will continue their partnership with the Leukaemia Foundation. A poll earlier last year showed that lodges and individual Freemasons indicated support for the continuation of the partnership.
    The Grand Master said that the amount of publicity generated by lodges over the past three years, and the opportunity to be seen in the wider community through this link have proved invaluable in improving the public awareness of Freemasonry.
    The Board is confident that Freemasons of Queensland will raise A$700,000 over the next three years in support of the establishment of an urgently needed additional accommodation centre in Brisbane.
    Recognition of the contribution of Queensland Freemasons will include naming rights to the Patient Support Centre within the new village, and publicity on a new 10-seater bus to be used daily to transport patients between the Foundation’s villages and the major treatment centres.
    The proposed village will cost in the region of A$5 million. It will be built on a site adjacent to the QEII Hospital at Nathan, Brisbane. The village will provide support, counselling and financial assistance for Brisbane patients, and accommodation and support for Queensland patients who need to relocate with their families to Brisbane, to receive long-term and intensive treatment.
    Freemasons throughout the State will be asked to take part in coordinating fundraising activities designed to achieve maximum exposure in the public arena. The Grand Master stressed that, in order to achieve this exposure, funds should be raised as much as possible from the public, rather than from individual lodge members.
    With acknowledgments to The Queensland Freemason