FREEMASONRY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 197, 9 May 1918, Page 6

FREEMASONRY

GRAND LODGE OF NEW ZEALAND BENEVOLENT WORK AND WAR HELP MR. JUSTICE HERDMAN, GRAND MASTER Fwemasona from all parts of New Zealand were present jesterday nt the r.unl communication uf the Grand Lodge of New Zealand, which was held in tlio Town Hall Concert Chamber, the wand[Master for the past year, M.W. •pro. Oliver Nicholson, iresiding. This is the iii-st communication held for two Tears. That of last year, which was to have been held at Invercargill, was allowed In lapse, chiefly owing to the unsettled state of railway matters at tho time. . Grand Master's Address. After opening the proceedings, the Grand Master reviewed tho Masonic events of tiie, last two yeart. He. •'*• pressed sympathy with tlio relatives of tho Freemasons who had fallen in tho war, and fraternal rogard iml good wishes towards wounded brethren. Referring lo the sptc'ial War Benevolent Fund, he *aid that the results of the effort being made in tho Wellington district was expected'to bring '.he total of tho fund to about .£12,001}. Following up a proposal which originated in the Palmerstou. North aud Wanganui districts, he had issued circulars proposing the creation of the Masonic Hutment scheme for the establishment and maintenance of Masonic hutments at the battlefront. Aβ the result of tho funds subscribed, one such hutment bad been opened, under Y.M.C.A.- management, and lotters received from the front showed that its comforts were much upprceiatd. He ursjtd every member of tho craft to contribute to >-o excellent a fund in recognition cf the work of those who were striving and suffering in order that we in New Zealand might live in comfort and security, nnd to make his contribution an fnnual one during the war. That would ]>e one of the best forms of recognition of the work of our soldiers, and Freemasons should be ready to,-practice self-denial in order to support it. Tho Grand Master also reminded Grand Lodge that the time was approaching when the Grand Secretary (M.W. Bro. Malcolm Niccol) would find it necessary, on account of age, lo divest himself of his present responsibilities. It was probable that offer the term of two years for which the Grand Lodge office will remain in Wellington, it would be necessary to consider the question of M.W. Bro. Niccol'e voluntary retirement. New Grand Master "Elected. Tho V.M. Bro. the Hon. A. L. Herdman was unanimously elected to the oßice of Grand Master fer the ensuing year. Benevolent Funds; The report of the Board of Benerulence showed that .WA had been grant, ed during tho year for the relief ot casunl distress, and vhat the amounts to the credit of 18 fuuds raised by means of circular appeal, or in process ot being raised, give a total of .£121)7., In the report of the Annuity Board, it was shown that the capital value of the annuity fund had increased during the year by ,£2050. Forty-nine aged Masons 'or Masons' widows and orphans u/o noiv in receipt of'annuities amounting in the aggregate to ,£1285 per annum. Work For tho Year. In a separate category comes the Special (War) Benevolent Fund created some three years asjo. It has now reached a total of .£11,523, and the Board of General Purposes, in its report, urged that the efforts for the increase of the fund should not Dag, in view of the calls that will lie made upon it. It «•»« Stated by the Board of General Purposes, that tho roll of members, of lodges who have gone to the front contains nearly 2000 names, and is every , day being added to. Mention is also ] made of the success of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force Masonic Association, "which has done much at tho front to prove the reality and value ot Freemasonry as an institution.

The Masonic Hutment. Recently, says the same report, the Grand Master issued a- circular inviting lodges and brethren to coutnbuto lo .< fund for the maintenance of one or more huts as near 'the fighting line as military rule would permit. At these hut.? 1 it was intended that soldiers of any of ; the MM forces Miould be able to ob- ! tain light refreshments and a cheery !■ word when going into or returning from ; battle the refreshments to bo free ot charge Tho replies of the lodges show 1 that the circular struck a responsive chord in the hearts of members, and it ceehis probable' that • sufficient funds will be provided , to maintain several hutments. Arrnnsemcnfs have been marie with the Y.M.C.A. to take charge of n hut that has been i-penod in the New Zealand Artillery area, and is now., in full swing. ■ \ Funds and Finance The cash balances of tho several Masonic funds show a total of ,£S3,OSS, of which the details are as follow:~ General fund, .£4937; fund of beuevolence, ,£2797; widows' and orphans' and a»ed Masons' fund, X31.5M; special war benevolent fund, £11,523; circular appeal funds, .£1297; ror-<>sentation fund, ,C(M; Masonic hutment funu, ;C226. The list of investments euj*.- tliat Grand Lorlge has taken up .£13,700 of the New Zealand wai loans. -V donation was also made during the year of .£IOO to the Red Crnss Fund. The reports embodying the above anil other information were considered unu adopted. Next Year's Communication, It was resolved that the next com. munication of Grand Lodge in May, 191' J. be held at Christchnrch. By quick dispatch of business, Grano Lodge had got ahead of its order paper. By unanimous consent several amendments to Grand Lodge laws, which had been set down for consideration to-day, were discussed. The most debatnblo questions and f-ome notices of motion were reserved for to-day's sitting.

EVENING SITTING GRAND MASTER INSTALLED. The main Town Hall was well filled last night when- Grand Lodge resinned, and the ceremony of installing very Worshipful Bro. Alexander Lawrence Herdman in the office of Grand Master was conducted by the retiring Grand Master. The proceedings were attended with musical accessories, in which a Wellington choir took, a prominent part. After his enthronement, the new Grand Muster announced his appointment oi R.W. Bro. Juclali H. Keesmg, of Wanganui, as Deputy-Grand Master, and that officer was duty invested and inducted. The Provincial Grand Aiasters tor tho year were appointed mid invested as follow :-Auckland, M.W., Bro. O. NicliolBon; Wellington, R.W. Bro. J. W. Ellison; Canterbury, W. Bro. Kenneth Mackenzie (denuty); Otngo, R.W. Bro. B, Hiiwcrideo; West Coaet R:W. Bro. R. U. Richmond; Nelson and Marlbormirh, R.AY. Bro. C. H. Mills; Southland, R.W. Bro. \. Lev H. Hoylos; Hawko's Bay, R.W. Bro. H. L. Ilarston; Tarannki, R.W. Bro. R. W. Snreent; Ruapehu, R.W., Bro. D. J. F. M'Fnrlnno. Senior Grand Warden, R.W. Bro. CM. roue Vickland; Junior Grand Wnictoii, R.W. Bro. Alfred E. Smith, Invercargill. M W Bro M Nierol holds from .war to year tho office of Grand Secretary. The elective ollicprs for the year were aiso invested.

NEW GRAND. MASTER'S WORDS THE WAR ANT) TFIR CRAFT. M.V.'. ]>m. Herdmiiii, in his address to lliD bs-tfllireii. 'impressed, upon them that in these days oi' tragedy and anxiety Freemasons were specially called upon to exhibit before the world the influence of tho prinoipleu of their craft. Freemasonry was not a benevolent institution, but a 6oclal body for tho cultivation of tho social virtues, especially those which fended Co make them look with kindly and generous eyes upon the weaknesses

of' their fellow-men, and upon those- who wcro in need of help As well, he emphasised the fact that Masonry was a loyal institution— that loyalty to fclie Sovereign and obedience to the laws were amongst its pillaw. Tho conditions existing in tho world to-day called for the practice of Masonic principles more than ever before— culled for loyalty to tlio Crown, and for a rigid obedience to the laws. His own observation was that the great bulk of the l''reeuKwons of Isew Zealand exhibited in their daily lives adherence to tho principles of tlio craft, but he warned His hearers against some less desirable types who were occasionally to be mot with, notably the person who advertised his Masonry by the number of Masonic jewels ho displayed iu everyday life. No man, he declared, hud any right to parade his membership of the craft. Lately ho had read a statement that a "well-ordored Masonic lodge is a source of strength to the community. It possesses all that stands for the good order of the community." That must bo so, for every member of the craft had had to pass a test, and Ihe was a competitor in the race for the dispensation of charity and in the doing of kindly actions to his follow-men.

Coming to the subject of the war, M.W. Bro. Hcrdmaii urged that every man in tho community must support the leaders of the nation in their nuts of policy with all his strength, until they were ilemonstrabiy proved to be wrong. He was not at all certain that the irur was wholly evil—tlhat it had not evoked in this country signs of a growing strength that might not have coma otherwise. AVo were, as a community, growing in wisdom and experience. Our young men left for the front with smiles upon their faces and even when they returned broken tho emilc was still there, and confidence wne in their hearts. In the years to come stories would bo told to the honour of the memory of vhoso young men who had been prepared to sacrifice everything in order that their raco might live and their nation might not suffer. It behoved every Mason, until the terrible struggle was ended in our favour, to comfort himself according to the principles taught in his lodge—to behave in suc-h a wiiy that those outside the institution would say "This man is indeed a worthy and an upright citizen, ami a worthy Mason."

Vestwlay-'s proceedings included the entertainment of visitiiiy Indies at afternoon tea at the Oriental Iky Kiosk, and again at the Queen's Picture Theatre in the evening. This morning Grand Lodge will continue its business silting. . In the afternoon visiting Masons and their lady friends will bo taken on an excursion to Day's Buy, and in the evening ii couccrt will be given at the Town Hall.