Inauguration Of The Johannesburg Lodge, No. 2313.

INAUGURATION OF THE JOHANNESBURG LODGE , No . 2313 .

An Address by P . M . Charles Cowen , delivered on 26 th March 1800 .

BRETHREN , —After listening as we have to the instructive , pertinent and eloquent oration addressed to ns just now by the Rev . Brother Fisher , bearing in mind , too , the teachings and exhortations set forth in the Ancient Charges , and what is therein demanded of a Master of a Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons , as you have heard

them addressed tome at the pedestal ; and remembering also the words of the solemn obligation which , as Mastor of this Lodge I have there taken upon the Sacred Volume

you will not , I think , be surprised at the tenour of the few , remarks whioh I ask permission to address to you , and which , I trust , as true Masons , you will be pleased to accept in the Spirit of the Craft .

The ceremony in whioh we have this day participated marks a new era in the life of the young community in which we live . We have inaugurated , with a solemn service to Almighty God , the founding of another Lodge under the Constitution of The United Grand Lodge of

England , whose warrant is the first granted for such an institution on the Witwatersrand Gold Fields , an institution which , we must hope , will last to the end of Time , and

enduring , be a monument of the Amity , Benevolence and Wisdom of tbe Craft ; and of enlightenment and practical utility to the People and the Country in which this Lodge ' s foundations are laid .

As the incidents connected with the creation of the Johannesburg Lodge , No . 2813 , are unique in the modern history of the Order , especially in South Africa , they have been deemed deserving of such permanent record as we can give them in our archives .

To the Brethren under the Constitutions respectively of the G . Lodge of Scotland , the Grand East of the Netherlands , and the English Lodges in the several States and

Colonies of South Africa , we owe greatful recognition of the valuable services which they have rendered us in our hour of need , and through us to the Craft in general , but to the members in this Republic in particular .

At a meeting held 30 th September 1887 , a few Brethren , earnest in the promotion of the best objects of Freemasonry , resolved on obtaining a Charter for a Lodge on

these Gold Fields . The announcement was met b y acclamation , and Brethren of every degree , and of the several Constitutions already mentioned , were eager to do what they could to further so desirable an object .

A petition was drawn up , giving the names of P . M . Charles Cowen as the W . M . elect , Edward Jones ( now happily again amongst us ) S . W ., and Thomas Sheffield J . W .

The exact wording laid down m the Book of Constitutions was followed , bat , in the earnestness of tbe time , other Brethren than those of our own Constitution were allowed to sign the petition , an irregularity which many

hoped would be excused , and looked upon by the Grand Lodge as evidence of their warm appreciation of the movement then being made , and of their wish to see this British Lodge established .

In due course we received the reply which we had waited

That petition was not allowed to go forward unaccompanied by other expressions from the Brethren . For in a supplementary Memorial just reasons were adduced , which I thought should outweigh any scruples there might be

against granting our prayer ; and this had my Brethren ' s hearty approval . This was done because there arose expressions of fear that His Royal Highness the M . W . the Grand Master would not accede to our requests .

Having learned what ultimately proved to be the actual grounds for this belief , I drew up a series of other Memorials , addressed to the Grand Lodges of the Western and Eastern Districts and of Natal , respectively , invoking their united support of our petition ( dated 30 th December

1887 ) . Appeals were likewise made to the Transvaal Lodge ( established-in 1878 ) , in Pretoria , and to Lodges in the Free State , the Diamond Fields and the Colony , to aid us in our endeavours . And most readily did they all respond , Lodges even under the Grand East of the Netherlands voluntarily coming forward to encourage and assist us .

Inauguration Of The Johannesburg Lodge, No. 2313.

for with grave anxiety , telling us that the Grand Master had decided to grant no more warrants for places outside of British Jurisdiction . This , I felt , was so plainly opposed to some fundamental principles of our Order , that it was believed that tho

Grand Master had been misle / l to such a decision by erroneous representations , and that therefore we should be justified in respectfully returning to His Royal Highness with additional reasons why the Brethren in these parts should have tbeir prayers granted .

Past Masters Crowe and Keith , of Pretoria , were fortunately , just then about to visit England , and the Brethren here , witb tbe consent of the Transvaal Lodge deputed them to wait upon Grand Lodge , and , knowing our views , use their influenco , and by personal

explanations and indefatigableness of supplication , try to win for us that which was so greatly desired , authority to establish this Lodge . For this pupose wre entrusted to their care our second memorial . But this too , was rejected . The Delegates

however , were not disheartened . They returned to tho charge , and as Grand Lodge could not rescind tho resolutions which bad negatived our prayer , it was induced by our Delegates' representations and importunities , to consent to receive a new petition . To enable them to

succeed , a fresh one was drawn up , in strict conformit y with the requirements of the Constitutions , and signed by 27 Past Masters , then in Johannesburg . ' As Bro . Edward Jones had now made bis home in London another whose

estimable character and truly Masonic bearing were well known to us , was named in his stead as a Warden , Brother Thomas Sheffield moving up to the S . W ., and Brother Simon Sacke to the J . W . ' s chair .

Brothers Crowe and Keith , on receipt of the new petition , presented it in due course ; and after long waiting , thanks to them and the representations made by other eminent Brethren in South Africa and at home , we this

day have the high privilege of at last meeting , and of exhibiting , as we do , the warrant under which , outside of British Dominion , we are authorised to assemble , dated , as yon see , London , 24 th May 1889 .

This is a consummation of which we may be not only proud , but for which we must also be deeply grateful . It has been a something won for which the Craft here , and throughout tbe world , working under the Constitution of the United Grand Lodge of England , maybe congratulated .

For it is perfectly clear that , in the beginning , there must have been most grave reasons of polity present in the mind of His Royal Highness overriding even the great exigencies of the vast number of Brethren in the different foreign countries when , as the Grand Master of a

non-political body , he felt bound to inform us that he had resolved to grant no more warrants for Lodges in parts not under British jurisdiction . This was , in effect , to define what had never before been intended to be defined , namely the Territorial limits

beyond which British Freemasons should not exercise their functions as an Order ; to deny to them the right to organize for the sustaining of those virtues and duties which , in the lives of Freemasons , weld with reverence all that is useful and sacred to the Craft and to

Societyloyalty to the Ruling powers under which their lot is cast . Had the decision been maintained it would , practically , have told us , that instead of being , as the Craft has ever been held by our country , its Parliament and its Sovereigns , free from the taint even of suspicion of mixing

politics with our meetings , we in this Republic could not be quite confided in , and there might therefore be fears that our existence , as a corporate body , would involve umbrage to the State , and unpleasant relations with our Mother Country ; that , instead of being the only Order

in the United Kingdom , even in the most troublesome times of her history , exempt from the pains and penalties of Secret Socities , when all others there were suppressed by Act of Parliament , British Freemasons , in these parts , were not to be trusted to assemble as we would

there , and in the Colonies ; that the great number of British Freemasons here and in other parts of the Globe , outside the pale of the Empire , instead of concentrating and growing strong and yet stronger , must be disintegrated ,

scattered , weakened ; that , instead of increasing m knowledge and in virtue , they must become ignorant , effete , useless , —or enter under the Constitutions of other Grand Lodges , and be thus involuntarily alienated from their parent atock , the United Grand Lodge of England , if they