We’ve always been preoccupied with the intimate knowledge of international Freemasonry, the specificities of GLs from the world and understanding why people of various races, ages and backgrounds were and are motivated to join the Craft. This issue of the magazine will capture some of the diverse and complex actions and preoccupations of our Brethren.
This October I went on a special trip to London, under Dutch flag. My Lodge in Rotterdam visited the Royal Kent Lodge No. 15 within the United Grand Lodge of England. Eleven Dutch Masons took part in a superb initiation ceremony, followed by a festive board, right in the headquarters of UGLE. I asked David Simpson, who was newly initiated in the Royal Kent Lodge, to send us a short article describing what he felt during the ritual, which we will publish right after the photo board.
At the event we’ve had the pleasure of meeting the Assistant Grand Chancellor of UGLE, WBro. David Roberts-Jones, PJGD, who acted as organist. He was impressed by the fact that my Dutch Lodge is – probably – the only English-speaking Lodge in the world wearing the Emulation Regalia, specific to UGLE. Many GLs have English-speaking Lodges in their jurisdiction, but each one of them wears the Regalia of the respective country. Another esteemed guest at the meeting was W. Bro. Nick Simpson, Grand Inspector of the Metropolitan GL of London.
The WM of the Royal Kent Lodge, W. Bro. Huw Shooter, was our guide during the first day of our visit, taking us into the fantastic atmosphere of the Museum of Freemasonry, which I’ve visited for the first time over twenty years ago.
The next morning we went to the famous Temple Church, next to the Royal Court of Justice. An ample photo report, 4-pages long, shows you this memorable visit to London.
Another exceptional event led by Lodge Concord is the organization of a joint meeting of the Rotterdam Lodges in order to mark the opening of the Masonic Year 2024-2025. Of course, the meeting was held in English, which is the specific language of Lodge Concord. The event took place on September 7th, in the Arminius Church. The positions of Senior and Junior Warden, Master of Ceremonies, Immediate Past Master etc. were held by Worshipful Brethren from the other Rotterdam Lodges. A fantastic atmosphere! The Grand East of the Netherlands was represented by VW. Bro. Cees van Os, Grand Inquisitor. Over 100 Brethren were in attendance.
My Scottish Lodge was inspected by the Provincial Grand Lodge in November, when Philip Harris took the opportunity and delivered an excellent paper, The Sun and Freemasonry, which we’ve published in this issue.
The Masonic Forum magazine offers you a special interview with the Grand Master of Spain, MW Bro. Txema Oleaga.
Another exceptional interview in this issue is the one with Bro. John Belton, a Masonic author whom I first met in Edinburgh in 2007, at the first edition of the International Conference on History of Freemasonry. We talk now about his latest book, Exploring the Vault – Masonic Higher Degrees 1730-1800, co-authored with Professor Roger Dachez, a Masonic scholar, chairman of the Institut Maçonnique de France since its founding in 2002.
The two interviews are also available on the Masonic Forum YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/masonicforum/videos
An interesting essay about AI, written by a Romanian friend and Brother of mine, an expert in this controversial field, shows that the world is going through a serios paradigm shift.
Another notable article in this issue of the Forum is about Pythagoras, the music of the planets and the Golden Ratio, written by a Romanian Brother, a conductor with a PhD in music.
We are continuing to publish fragments from Thomas Jackson’s book, Freemasonry – Idealism and Realism, because Tom was the one who opened my mind to understanding Freemasonry beyond what an untrained eye and mind can perceive.
The annexed photo was taken this spring in The Hague, in the office of RW Bro. Cok de Zwart, the Grand Secretary of the Grand East of the Netherlands.
Have a great read!
