ANNE BROUWER
PM and WM of Honour, Lodge Concord No. 134, Grand East of Netherlands
Today, March 27th, it is 70 years ago that WBro Arnold Daane was initiated into Freemasonry through Lodge Deli in Medan, Sumatra, Indonesia. Brother Arnold returned in 1955 to the Netherlands, before Lodge Concord’s resuscitation in 1956, and naturally received his Master’s Degree through Lodge De Drie Kolommen. After a stay in Lodge La Flamboyante, Arnold became a member of Lodge Concord in 1964, and served it as its presiding Master in 1970. (There still exists some documentation of the Ladies’ Night of 1970.) He became Worshipful Master of Honour in 2004. Next to his work in the Lodge as Almoner and DC, Brother Arnold has been representing Lodge Concord for years in the Council of Presiding Masters where he emphasized during some decades the importance of Concord for Rotterdam. He received, just as WBrother Herman van Well later on, the Laurens Bokaal for his merit for all Rotterdam Lodges; this very Laurens Bokaal will be on display in the showcase in the Maaszaal when we will rotate some of its contents.
Brother Arnold has demonstrated the Dutch 1st Degree ritual in his English translation to the United Grand Lodge of England as leader of the United Demonstration Lodge, which was a team composed of Brethren from several Lodges in Rotterdam, Dordrecht and Tiel, of which team our present Grandmaster M.W. Bro Leonard Jonker was a member.
Lastly Brother Arnold is the highest ranking Officer in the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons, that Lodge Concord has known in its existence, after the late Grand Master, Bro. Davidson. He has founded “his own” Mark Lodge in Dordrecht, aptly called Thuredrecht Lodge, and received in 2017, he was then 90 years old, the 32nd Degree of the AASR.
The Master of the Lodge, WBro François Gaubert, has, assisted by the Immediate Past Master WBro Aldo do Carmo, attached a 70-years lapel pin to the shirt of Brother Arnold to mark this remarkable jubilee, and wished Brother Arnold on behalf of the Lodge many years to come in as good health as possible, in these new surroundings. Brother Aldo do Carmo shared with Arnold how it went on Saturday’s Ladies Night. Brother Arnold is still following with interest the welfare of Lodge Concord; was appreciative of the pin and the cake with his effigy, and greets all Brethren of the Lodge well.
On returning to the Ward Bro. Arnold received applause from his fellow inhabitants, who are to partake of the remnants of the cake, (the part above the hands), left by Arnold and his friends.
*****
Next day, Brother Fred and I saw Brother Arnold on the day itself. Brother Arnold must be very strong, he has not been suffering from the amounts of cake used yesterday. He was happy to see us and directed us firmly to the same table as yesterday. We have been indulging again, though less than yesterday.
Brother Arnold, Fred and I shared what we remembered of our respective initiations in 1953, 1987 and 1988. Both Arnold and Fred have been collected from home, and after the initiation brought home, after the festive board.
Arnold has been proposed by Brother Chris …. (?)… I forgot his exact surname, like Arnold said: he has passed away. In a way we know the pre-war Masters and the role of Brother Henri Lohman at Concord’s resuscitation because of Arnold, for Arnold recruited Cees Timmer from DDK, Cees Timmer met and befriended Henry Lohman at Fides Mutua Lodge in Zwolle, Henry Lohman left his Masonic papers to Cees Timmer, who left them to Anthony van Aartsen. Henry Lohman was commemorated in Concord in May 1979, Anthony van Aartsen was initiated one month later, in June 1979. Henri Lohman is gone, Kees Timmer is gone, Arnold is still with us.
It was a convivial afternoon, and there was sun.
For Arnold it is enough, he seems satisfied, we would like him to stay a little longer, and we wish him well.
*****
Brother Arnold cannot come anymore to Lodge Concord. On April 14th he became 96 years old. But the Lodge can come to him.
