MASONS IN JERUSALEM

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16272, 24 July 1918, Page 8

MASONS IN JERUSALEM

NEW ZEALANDERS' LODGE. An event of outstanding interest to Freemasons is described in' letters received in Auckland from members of the 1 New Zealand Expeditionary Force on | active service in Palestine —the holding ] of a Masonic mooting on the of King | Solomon's Temple, a place of peculiar interest to the craft. j In New Zealand forces on all the war fronts there are a large number of Freemasons, who have organised an institution knmra as the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces Masonic Association. |Of this body Lieutenant-Colonel Bar- | clay, of Auckland, now in Franco, is ! president. On the arrival of the New I Zealand M-unted Brigade in Jerusalem, ! it was arranged by the Association that | an opportunity sliould be taken to hold) a Masonic gathering in the historic city. I The Temple site itself was aimed at, provided the religious prejudices of the Moslem worshippers did not present an insunerable obstacle. As is well known the Mosque of Omar, the great Mahommedan centre of the city, occupies the site accredited to the three successive Jewish temnlcs. Accordingly the Grand Sheikh in charge of the Moslem temple was approached. and to the surprise of the officer entrusted with the overtures, the Sheikh avowed himself a Freemason. Masonic institutions, as a matter of fact, flourish almost as widely in Mahommedan and Jewish communities as amongst Christians. The She'kh at onr*o shewed himrelf sympathetic to the proposal 'of his New Zealand brethren, and the necessary arrangements were soon completed. The portion of the mo=que known as the Cave of the Dome of tlio R-ck w' ich is rrouted to on the site of the Holy of Holies of the Jewish temp'es, was prejwred for Masonic purposes", and on April 6th. a lodge was duly opened in it. Bris«die r -Ge , 'eral Mole 1 nm. commanding the New Zealand Mountel Fo-cc and an old Aucklander. the Master's and Colonel M~Carroll, of North Auckland, acted as Sen or Warden. The jewel used by the Litter officer rm the occasion has been pent by him to Masonic friends in Aucklnnd, as a memento of a historic gathering. The Grand Sheikh took part in the p-oceed-ings, acting as one of the guard' of the lodge. A large number of soldiers of all ranks were present, and the business of the evening included the passing of resolutions conveying fraternal greetings and good wishes to various Grand Lodges, to the Lodges in Nrw Zealand represented at the meeting, and to the members of the Association on service ia France. i