OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE DISTRICT GRAND LODGE OF JAMAICA AND THE CAYMAN ISLANDS
VOLUME XXII
JANUARY 2014
NO.1
A Masonic Grave in Maroon Town
Who was Charles Ross?
R
By RW Bro Afeef A. Lazarus PDistGM
ecent posts to the email address of
the District Grand Mentor have revealed that there is a grave in the
rural village Maroon Town in the Parish of
Saint James bearing a depiction of the
square and compasses which suggests that
a Freemason lies decently interred therein
and he is identified as Charles Ross who
died in 1840.
The question naturally arises as to who
was Charles Ross and what was he doing
in Maroon Town in 1840. This puzzle attracted me and I began to pursue the ghost
of Charles Ross.
The overriding clue is the further inscription on the tomb which suggests that he
was a member of the 68th (Durham) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry) which was
an infantry regiment of the British Army.
The 68th Regiment of Foot was formed in
1758 and was stationed on the Isle of
Wight where it saw action in the Seven
Years’ War. It was stationed there at the request of Britain’s ally Frederick the Great
of Prussia (familiar to Rose Croix Masons
as the one who promulgated the Grand
Constitutions of 1786) for the purpose of
disturbing privateers in the area, distracting the French army and generally relieving pressure on Prussia during that war. It
was converted to Light Infantry in 1808.
The regiment went on to fight with valour
and distinction in the Crimean War between 1854 and 1856.
On 22 June 1810, the Atholl Grand Lodge
Inscription on the Tomb of Charles
Ross, Maroon Town.
(“the Antients”) granted a Travelling Warrant to the 68th Light Infantry, which was
then stationed in Gibraltar, and given the
number 348. After the formation of the
United Grand Lodge in 1813, the Lodge
was re-numbered in 1814 as 446. After the
further re-numbering exercise in 1832, the
Lodge was re-numbered as 297; and 1835
it adopted the name “Durham Faithful
Lodge No 297”.
Possessing a Travelling Warrant, the
Lodge was able to follow the Regiment
wherever it was stationed and the records
of the meeting places of the Lodge in the
Library and Museum of Grand Lodge reflect those of the Regiment. These records,
including correspondence, disclose the
meeting places and some other interesting
information as follows:
January 1811 Arundel Barracks, Cross-
bush, Lyminster, Sussex;
December 1813 Dukes Head, Hythe,
Sussex;
July 1814 Castlebar Barracks, Co Mayo,
Ireland;
September 1819 Quarterly Communication sent to Quebec, Lower Canada, returned “refused” by officers in the 68th
Regiment;
1830 Femroy, Ireland;
21 August, 1832 Letter from Clare, Ireland, from George Lyons, Sergeant Armourer, 68th Light Infantry Regiment and
WM of the Lodge explaining that the commanding officer had refused the Lodge
permission to meet at risk of court martial,
as the Lodge must be ‘a party connexion’
and general orders had been issued against
Orangemen;
1833 Dublin, Ireland;
1834 Barrack rooms, Edinburgh Castle,
Midlothian, Scotland;
May 1834 to 1838 Meeting in Gibraltar;
18 January 1838
Letter
from
Amyas Richard Griffith, WM, explaining
that the Regiment was departing to Jamaica but he was remaining in Gibraltar.
The last members [of the Lodge] joined in
1837;
1844 Lodge erased – the Lodge was not
re-established after the Regiment moved
to Jamaica.
Lane’s Masonic Records indicates that the
last meeting place of the Lodge was ‘At
68th Regiment’ in 1814, which further
confirms that wherever the regiment was
situated was where the Lodge met.
Cont’d on Page
NEWLY INSTALLED MASTERS
July 2013 – January 2014
NAME
LODGE
W Bro Sterling Soares
W.Bro Andrew Wynter
W Bro Barrington Miller
W.Bro Godfrey Boyd
W Bro Alvin Montcrieffe
W Bro Roger Allen
W.Bro Dr.Krishna Mani
W.Bro Colin Leslie
W Bro Wayne Cameron
W.Bro Horace Morrison
W.Bro Robert Hill
District Grand Stewards 9795
Moore Keys 2519
Kingston College 9469
Fran Haddon Bowen 9238
Arawak 6902
Hope 2813
Cayman 8153
Installed Masters 7420
St.Thomas 4338
Friendly 383
Sussex 354
WELCOME! - NEW MASTER MASONS
July 2013 – January 2014
NAME
Bro Aubrey Grizzle
Bro Altimont Williams
Bro Fritz Francia
Bro Trevor Jackson
Bro Kenrick Peters
Bro Orrin Watson
Bro Ryan Reid
Bro Zachary Banbury*
Bro Craig Nixon
CRAFT LODGE
Hamilton 1440
Hope Lodge 2813
Hope Lodge 2813
Hope Lodge 2813
Ewing 3258
St Thomas 4338
Arawak 6902
University 7128
Cayman Lodge 8153
*First Brother Raised under the University Scheme
in Jamaica
OBITUARIES
INSTALLATION DATE
Royal Lodge
Kings House
Breakfast
September 14th 2013
September 19th 2013
September 20th 2013
September 21st 2013
October 4th 2013
November 2nd 2013
November 15th 2013
November 25th 2013
December 14th 2013
January 11th 2014
January 15th 2014
On Saturday 7th December 2013 Royal lodge hosted the tenth renewal of our King’s House Breakfast.
The guest speaker was Rt. W. Bro Afeef Lazarus, who reflected
on the changes in the craft and it adapting to our contemporary
circumstances. Also attending were The District Grand Master,
The Past Deputy District Grand Master, The District Grand Master of Mark Master Masons, along with twenty seven members
of the lodge and seven gentlemen interested in the craft.
This event heralds the festive season for the Lodge and serves as
introducing especially invited gentlemen to the craft.
Submitted by Capt. André Smith, Senior Warden, Royal Lodge
Credits
Photographs:
W.Bro. W.Bro. Captn. Andre Smith,
W.Bro. Dr. Wade Morgan, Bro. Kirmani Peterkin,
Mr. Alwyn Miller.
Administration:
W.Bro. Robert Forbes PGStB, DistGSec.
Proof Reading:
W.Bro. S. LeRoi Lorde PDist SGW
Typing:
Ms. Sandy Hewitt & Ms. Danique Anikey
Printing:
Phoenix Printery
Editorial Committee: W.Bro. Dr. Winston ‘Freddie” Clarke, Pres Dist. BGP
W.Bro. Robert Forbes PGStB, DistGSec.
W.Bro. Winston G. Wright PDistJGW
July 2013 – January 2014
NAME
W Bro Maurice Lazarus
W Bro Anthony Allison
CRAFT LODGE
Adair 8146
Hope 2813
Edited by: W.Bro. Winston G. Wright PDistJGW
Published by:
The District Grand Lodge of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands
45-47 Barbados Avenue, Kingston 5, Jamaica, W.I.
Phone: (876) 926-6018 Fax: (876) 960-7776
E-mail: [email protected]
2
T
Hamilton Holy Royal Chapter
Paints Cathedral Chapel
he Companions of Hamilton Holy
Royal Arch Chapter of Hamilton
Lodge No. 1440 in Spanish Town
undertook a project of painting a chapel
in the Anglican Cathedral in Spanish
Town under the leadership of First Principal Christopher P. Burgess, JP.
Institute of Jamaica removing the Resurrection
Painting by Thomas Ender from the Cathedral
for shipment to York, England for restoration.
The painting was done in order to freshen
up the appearance of a wall in the Resurrection Chapel where a museum quality religious painting was removed and sent to
York England for restoration. The ecclesiastical painting being restored is by
Thomas Ender an Austrian painter who
lived in 1793 to 1875. The painting depicts
Mary Magdala, mother of James and Salome visiting the tomb early on Sunday
morning to anoint Jesus’ body and encountered a youth wearing a white robe. (The
story is in the 16th Chapter of St. Mark).
The Spanish Town Cathedral is named
after St. James the patron saint of Spain.
“The Cathedral of St Jago de la Vega” is
Spanish which in English means the
“Cathedral of St. James of the Plains.” The
Cathedral expects the restored painting to
return sometime in the first quarter of
2014.
Another reason for painting the Resurrection Chapel was to help the Cathedral prepare for a “Cathedral Sunday” celebration
on November 24, 2013 which marked a
Left to Right: Hamilton Holy Royal Arch Chapter Companions, Michael Williams,
William (Bill) Poinsett, Christopher Burgess, First Principal Bro. Rev. Daren Evans,
Companion John Lopez and Bro. Phillip Keane-Dawes discuss the recently completed
painting of the Resurrection Chapel at the Spanish Town Cathedral.
year-long 300th Anniversary celebration
of the construction of the Cathedral’s
Nave and Transept after its destruction by
a hurricane in 1714.
The Spanish Town Anglican Cathedral
houses a monument to Thomas Howard,
3rd Earl of Effingham who was Governor
of Jamaica in 1790. In the mid 1770’s Effingham became a very prominent
Freemason. In fact he was one of only
two men to hold the office of Acting
Grand Master in England. At that time
The Duke of Cumberland, a grandson of
George II was appointed Grand Master
and he proceeded to appoint Effingham to
the title Acting Grand Master.
As Acting Grand Master, of the Masonic
movement in England, Effingham was instrumental in granting a charter to the first
African American Lodge No. 459, following a request from Prince Hall, who
was founder of the African American
Freemasons.
3
The John Bacon monument in the Spanish Town Cathedral to Thomas Howard,
the 3rd. Earl of Effingham, Governor of
Jamaica in 1790 and Acting Grand
Master of England in the mid 1770's.
Fathers and Sons in Freemasonry in Jamaica
The ‘Thompson’s in Freemason’
by W. Bro. Dayton Wood
L-R: - W. Bro. Dayton Wood, W. Bro. Percival Wood, W. Bro. Cannon A.N. Thomson, W. Bro. Neville Thomson.
I
t is my distinct honour to be asked to
provide a brief history of the Thomson
Family in Freemasonry in Jamaica.
By the happy accident of birth, I am the
Fourth Generation of this family to be a
member of this great fraternity. My regret
is that I did not have the privilege of sitting
in Lodge with any of my distinguished
forebears. However, I sense their presence
each time I sit in the Hamilton Lodge, the
St. Thomas Lodge, Moore Keys Lodge and
Friendly Lodge No. 383 in Montego Bay.
The chronicle below is excerpted from the
book "Jacob's Ladder" by Rt. Wor. Bro. Dr.
Aubrey Shervington Jacobs.
Hamilton Lodge No. 1440 E.C.
My Great Grandfather, Cannon Andrew
Nathaniel Thomson (1868 - 1957), was a
member of the Anglican Clergy. He was
initiated in the Hamilton Lodge on 7th December 1893. He served as secretary for
many years and as Senior Warden. He was
a Founder of the St. Thomas Lodge No.
4338 E.C. and was installed as the first
Master of that lodge in 1921. Hamilton
Lodge is recorded as one of the sponsoring
lodges of St. Thomas Lodge. Anecdotally,
it is reported that Hamilton Lodge donated
the lamps for the Master, Senior and Junior
Wardens' pedestals.
In September 1922, his son Lloyd Victor
Lauristan Thomson (1897 - 1966) was initiated in the Hamilton Lodge. Uncle Lloyd
migrated to the USA and died in January
1966.
In February 1923, another son, Rev'd
Guildford Andrew Palmerston Thomson
(1899 - 1966), was initiated in the Hamilton
Lodge. He migrated to the England, where
he served as a member of the Anglican
Clergy. There he joined the Paragon Lodge
No. 5815 E.C., Manchester, England. He
was Master of that lodge in 1955. He was
promoted to Provincial Grand Chaplain,
East Lancashire in 1956.
St. Thomas Lodge No. 4338 E.C.
A third son, Neville Ethelbert Chandler
Thomson (1903 - 1999 (circa)), was initiated in the St. Thomas Lodge No. 4338
E.C. on October 19, 1937 and the Master
of the lodge in 1940. He was affiliated in
the Friendly Lodge No. 383 in 1944.
Among his many achievements he was appointed Assistant District Grand Master in
1972 and served thru 1975, when he migrated to Canada.
My father, W. Bro. Percival Lloyd Thomson
Wood (1918 - 1960), was initiated in the St.
Thomas Lodge in September 1939. He
served as Master in 1941. He was affiliated
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in the Moore Keys Lodge No. 2519 and
served as its Master in 1954. He was the Director of Ceremonies for both the Moore
Keys Lodge and the St. Thomas Lodge.
I was initiated in the Hamilton Lodge in
June 1989 and served as its Master in 1998.
My sincere thanks to my Proposer, W. Bro.
Cecil B.M. Lopez and Seconder, W. Bro.
Edward Bailey. W. Bro. Lopez is now in his
70th Year as a Mason.
Editor's Note.
" In his book "Jacob's Ladder: One Man's
Journey in Freemasonry"; , the late
R.W.Bro. Dr. Aubry Jacobs, a Past District
Grand Master of the District Grand Lodge
of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands,(pages
71-73) pays great tribute to generations of
"Thompsons", their lineage, their contribution and legacy to Freemasonry in Jamaica. He saye: "W.Bro Canon
Thompson, founder of St. Thomas Lodge
, had a distinguished career in Masonry.
His love of the Craft was passed on to his
sons; Neville, Guildford and Lloyd, and to
his grandson, Percival Thompson Wood,
all of whom were leading Freemasons"
And now we have W.Bro.Dayton Wood,
who was initiated into the St. Thomas
Lodge and became a joining member of
the St. Thomas Lodge.
District Grand Lodge Website
by Brother G. Michael Fisher, Webmaster
T
steady growth in visitors and page views.
For 2013 we will have visitors from sixtynine (68.9%) percent of the two hundred and
six countries around the world! Japan continues to be a frequent visitor, ranked number twelve with four hundred and eighty
(480) page views! Visitors “travelled” from
Macedonia, Liechtenstein, Gambia and
Benin to join with us at our little piece of Jamaican Freemasonry on the Internet. Almost
a quarter of our visitors now are viewing the
site using a mobile device!
he website of the District Grand
Lodge of Jamaica and the Cayman
Islands forms an important pillar
upon which the success of the Districts’
Strategic Plan rests. It serves as an important communication and public relations
tool to disseminate information to both our
members and the wider public. The Strategic Plan Implementation Committee wishes
to share its’ successes accomplished to date.
With twelve hundred (1,263) Freemasons in
our District, our website will engage in
2013 alone, almost twelve thousand
(11,490) unique visitors from one hundred
and forty two (142) countries, collectively
generating over two hundred thousand hits!
Our District has actually had a website since
2005. This coincided with, and was partially
in celebration of, the visit of the Pro Grand
Master to Jamaica in that year. The content
grew slowly, numbering twelve (12) pages
by the end of 2008. These included a list of
the Lodges and their meeting dates, links to
other sites and a copy of a paper by RW Bro
Lazarus, PDistGM entitled “Experiences in
Caribbean Freemasonry – the Jamaican Perspective”. This article is still available on
the current site for you to read at any time!
4,915 HITS
In 2009, just prior to the installation of our
current District Grand Master, the website
was re-designed and moved to a commercial host, thus removing the strange and
colourful advertisements that adorned the
previous version. With a cautious initiation
on April 16 and the same twelve pages of
content, it ended the first month with thirtytwo (32) visitors and just under five thousand (4,915) hits. By the end of 2009
however, the website had attracted over one
thousand (1,042) visitors, generating approximately fifty-three thousand (52,694)
hits from over fifty countries; as far away
as Japan and the Slovak Republic!
With the consistent support and wisdom of
the District Grand Master, along with his
Administration, the website has grown in
beauty and strength. After two more redesigns, it now numbers one hundred and
thirteen (113) pages of content, including
just about all of the Half Yearly Newsletters
Brother G. Michael Fisher
Webmaster
published since 2010 and a copy of every
address to the Half Yearly Communications
and Convocations since 2009. It boasts the
calendar of meetings for all Craft Lodges
and Royal Arch Chapters in our District and
provides a home for the current By-Laws of
the District, links to the the Constitution and
the full list of each Administration since
2009. Even Directions in matters of Ceremony, as delineated by our beloved W Bro
K.O.E. Barrow, live on to guide the next
generations of Directors of Ceremony.
With this wealth of current history available
online, all the time, it is no surprise to see
How do visitors from so far discover our
bright light on the Web? By the use of careful optimisation and relevant content and
links, our website ranks in the top seven
search results on Google for terms like
“Freemasonry in Jamaica”, “District Grand
Lodge”, and is the number one web site
search result for terms like “Jamaican
Freemasons” and “Lodges in Jamaica”.
Our next step must be for each individual
Lodge in the District to carve, engrave, indite or otherwise them delineate their own
space on the Web, adding to the information
and history available on the Internet regarding Jamaican Freemasonry of yesterday,
today and tomorrow. Royal 207, Friendly
239, Adair 8146 and Francis Haddon Bowen
9238 have already made that first step.
Moore Keys 2519 had a presence in 2005
that no doubt will be raised and renewed.
Please ensure you contact the District office
early to that your expert work, designs and
content are in alignment with the District
and Grand Lodge guidelines. The Office
will also have details on very low cost web
hosting available to the Lodges within our
District.
DISTRICT URL LINKS
http://www.dgljamaica.com/
http://www.royallodge207.com/
http://www.friendlylodge.com/
http://www.adairlodge.com/
http://www.fhbowen.com/
theYear
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
Unique Visitors Page Views
11,490
64,564
9,382
29,372
7,442
26,428
4,858
30,694
1,042
11,705
5
Hits
196,164
131,131
136,359
151,338
52,694
% Mobile Visitors
22.8%
13.2%
5.6%
3.0%
2.2%
“A Walk Around the Lodge -Part 2”
B
By W. Bro. Harvey Lovewell
y the second half of the nineteenth
century circumambulation was no
longer regarded as a purely religious or mystical practice, having acquired
a new and more general usage, simply
meaning to walk around or about. During
the same period perambulation had also
lost its specific meaning, because it was
being used more and more frequently
when circumambulation previously would
have been used to describe the movement
more accurately.
of changing rough to smooth. However
let’s look a bit deeper. All rough ashlars
must have within them the potential to be
made into a perfect stone for building. The
stone must be made of sound material and
have a minimum of character flaws which
may cause it to weaken the structure. It
must be capable of being worked into a
perfect stone. This is why candidates for
the degrees are asked many questions as to
their qualifications and character about
why they wish to become Freemasons.
Over-enthusiastic ritualists then introduced the squaring of the lodge room for
all movements on the floor, so that the
original purpose of circumambulation
ceased to be understood, or at the very
least it was subjugated to the extent of becoming a mere routine, seriously detracting from the symbolism of the
ceremonials.
The candidate must have the potential to
both serve and support the Fraternity. He
must be carefully inspected, just as each
Rough Ashlar is inspected for quality in
order to be able to "fit" him into Freemasonry's tenets and goals, which are compatible with God's laws. An imperfect
stone may be made perfect, however major
flaws are difficult to overcome and when
assembled into a structure, the entire structure can be weakened from its improper
use. This is as true of men as it is of stones.
We now travel around the lodge to the SW
here is placed the Doric column. It is the
first of the Greek Columns and represents
Strength, the Pillar of the Senior Warden
in the Lodge, one of Support for the Master in the opening and closing of his
Lodge. He is the keeper of the wages of
the craft and is to pay them out on the orders of the Master of the Lodge.
Do you know that our ritual shows that the
1st degree perambulation is 3 times the
2nd degree 4 times and the third 5 times.
The Pythagorean triangle!
In here we have the skull and crossbones.
This was a common fraternal motif as a
symbol of mortality and warning in the
late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It has been adopted by sporting
teams, American university fraternities
and don’t forget the pirates.
In general freemasonry, it is an emblem of
our limited opportunity to do good. It is
also a symbol of the Knights Templar in
exile who used the symbol as a mode of
recognition, it represents the bones of
Jacques De Molay, the last 10
grand master of the KT who was tortured
and then burned at the stake by the King
of France and the Catholic Pope in March
1314.
The KT were the originators of a system
of banking and it said that King Philip IV
of France was deep in debt to the KT and
that he colluded with the Pope Clement V
to get rid of the Templars. There is much
to the history of this event and it would
take too much time to go further.
W. Bro. Harvey Lovewell
Here we have the JW’s column Behold, a
thing of Beauty, this Corinthian Column,
fluted, with a spray of God's creation of
beauty, flowers. It is thought to have been
invented by Callimachus, a Greek sculptor
who lived in 5th century BC. The fern,
flowers and scrolls that grace the chapiters
of these columns gives the beauty of Ancient Greece, from Corinth which give it
its name. It is representative of the Junior
Warden in the Lodge, an observer of Time
in the form of the Sun, watching it as it
rises from the East, superintends it as it
travels in a Southern direction towards the
West.
The Junior Warden represents Hiram Abif,
the Widow's Son, sitting in the South. He
also observes the craft when they are at refreshments. Seeing that they do not fall
prey to the wiles of the evil one, one that
may devour their soul, for he comes to kill,
steal and destroy. The Pillar of Beauty is
the final result when Wisdom and Strength
work together. It is the summation of what
to expect when you have Wisdom to contrive and Strength to support, then you will
have Beauty to adorn. Strength cannot
support and build without the planning of
Wisdom, and Beauty cannot paint, carve
or beautify if there is nothing. The miniature column here on the desk represents
Boaz and is down during work.
Here we have the rough ashlar and over
there with the SW is a perfect ashlar. From
your ritual you understand the significance
6
This pillar is emblematical of the West in
direct contact with and for the Worshipful
Master, both representing the sun as it travels from East to the West. It is a journey of
life, rising and setting, doing so on the just
as well as the unjust. This miniature column
is up at work and represents Jachin.
But what of this? (pointing to the tessellated pavement) We walk around it. What
do we know of its significance? What is
missing?
Yes the Tessellated pavement this Checkered floor of black and white, symbolic of
the triumphs and the despairs throughout
life, symbolic of good and evil.
Cont’d on Page 9
THE WORKING TOOLS OF LIFE
A tribute to the life and work of an outstanding Freemason
The Albert J. (Bunny) Lewis Memorial Lecture
by WBro Dennis Capleton SDGM (SC), PM, FHBL #9238
T
hrough you, RWM, let me thank
Lodge Middlesex for the honour and
privilege of presenting this reflection in memory of an outstanding human
being and Freemason, who served his God,
his family, his Lodge, and the human race,
with distinction, and whose footsteps indeed pressed into our hearts; but in a way
that uplifted, rather than depressed. Those
of us who were privileged to have known
Brother Albert Joseph “Bunny” Lewis will
agree that he could easily have found his
way into that old Reader’s Digest feature
entitled “My Most Unforgettable Character”. My mission this evening, however, is
not to eulogise Bro. Lewis, but to bring him
to life, allegorically, by highlighting a few
of the many noble characteristics he embodied, and which would be to our undeniable benefit to adopt and to emulate.
Among these, in no particular order of
precedence, are:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Value of Education
Love of Family
Brotherly Love
Ease of Address
Dedication to his Calling
Love of Life (Joie de Vivre)
All of these qualities may be encapsulated
within the ritual of the First Degree, which
is perhaps why Bro. Lewis had such wide
appeal among Masons – from Entered Apprentice to District Grand Master, and beyond. His ease of address endeared him
especially to those young Masons with
whom he became acquainted; his consistent
attitude towards others was one of natural
equality and mutual dependence, and this
was never lost on the young Initiate, as he
struggled to find his place in this, for him,
new, impressively awesome and often challenging milieu.
If we reflect deeply on the Working Tools
of the First Degree, and on the Charge after
Initiation, we will observe in the former,
Bunny’s embodiment of the lessons of the
Chisel, the Mallet and the Twenty-Four-
Inch Gauge; and in the latter, his devotion
to the duties he owed to God, to his neighbour and to himself, dedicating himself to
such pursuits as rendered him respected in
life, useful to mankind, and the ornament
he was to become, of the Lodge in which
he was initiated. Bro. Lewis was, in many
respects, a simple man; but that outward
simplicity belied the depth and breadth of
the human being and Freemason.
“If only I could let the
footsteps of men not
press so heavily into
the softness I have
fashioned for a heart …
but then, perhaps, I
would not be a man.”
- Anonymous
There has always been a direct relationship
between effort and grace. As we watch an
acrobat in a circus, a gymnast at the
Olympics, a gifted ballerina in performance, or a virtuoso pianist in concert, we
admire the grace they display and the apparent ease with which they are able to
quench our thirst for perfection; what we
do not see is the ten thousand or more,
hours of practice, errors, pain, frustration
and determination to which they had to
subject themselves in order to make their
performances seem so effortless. This lesson applies also to us as Masons, whether
we have a piece of ritual work to study, understand and deliver, or whether we are
trying to improve the inner man; and I
have no doubt that many hours were spent
by the Brother whom we honour tonight,
in honing the skill which he wielded so effortlessly, in making everyone around him
feel not only comfortable, but special.
Never a nerd, Bro. Lewis nevertheless applied the principles of the Chisel, and paid
sufficient attention to his studies to qualify
himself in the field of his chosen calling,
Agriculture, at which he persevered
throughout his all-too-short life – short, at
least by our reckoning; because Bunny
was a man who believed, and lived his belief, that the life in one’s years was far
more important that the years in one’s life.
Neither was his perseverance limited to
matters educational; the philosophy embraced by our operative Brethren of old
was fully alive and well in the heart of Bro.
Lewis, as he engaged himself fully in the
first of the three grand principles of our
order – Brotherly Love, which he dared to
expand beyond the precincts of this Lodge,
of the town of Spalding, the parish of
Clarendon, the county of Middlesex; indeed, the island of Jamaica – as a citizen
of the world, he pioneered, almost singlehandedly, the now-commonly accepted
practice of establishing fraternal ties with
Lodges; out with our insular confines. The
close relationship between Lodges Middlesex and St. Michael in the Bahamas is
an outstanding example of the legacy left
to us by this great visionary.
We saw the lessons of the Mallet played
out in Bunny’s life as he applied himself
with energy to build and sustain a decent
livelihood for the benefit of himself, his
family and his Brethren; he related to his
work, not as a toil, but as a pleasure; and
throughout it all, we would see the lessons
of the Twenty-four-inch Gauge played out
before our eyes as we watched our Brother
divide his time and with consummate ease,
between work, rest, play, prayer and, of
course, Freemasonry. From the beginning
of his Masonic sojourn, he became so fully
integrated into Freemasonry that he never
had to choose between his family and his
Masonry – he incorporated his Brethren
into his family, and vice versa, to such an
extent that for years after his transition to
Cont’d on Page 10
7
Charles Ross Grave-Maroon Town Cont’d from Page
So now we know the details of the Lodge to
which Charles Ross belonged, But who was
he? The records of the Lodge, such as they
are, have, happily, been preserved and reveal him as being:
tombstone which I hope will be achieved on
the upcoming trip to Maroon Town.
Sergeant 68th Regiment of Light Infantry,
aged 24; He was the Treasurer of the
Lodge having been Initiated on 7 April,
1836; Passed on 4 May, 1836 and Raised
on 11 June 1836.
In the circumstances, it is unlikely that Bro
Ross joined another Lodge while in Jamaica, but to be absolutely certain one
would have to further research the records
of Grand Lodge.
Now why did the Regiment come to Jamaica at that time? It was a time of peace.
The Maroon Wars had ended many years
ago and the Morant Bay Rebellion had not
yet taken place. The records will show that
military garrisons were established and
maintained in various parts of the island at
that time and that there was a permanent
barracks established on 400 acres of land in
what came to be known as Maroon Town.
The reason for this location was twofold.
Firstly, it was a strategic location, but more
importantly, it was an area chosen because
of its altitude and climate which was more
conducive to the health and welfare of the
European soldier. In fact, it became the most
healthy of the outposts on the island and the
records of the British and Foreign Medicochirurgical Review (BFMR) show that the
mortality rate in Maroon Town was substantially lower than at the other stations such
as Port Royal, Fort Augusta, Up Park Camp,
Spanish Town and Stony Hill. It was here
that the 68th Regiment had the good fortune
to be stationed.
Because of its hospitable climate, Maroon
Town provided the perfect location to provide medical care for those stricken by the
various ailments and we are told that a substantial medical station was established
there. The United Service Magazine, Volume 52 (1846), at page 489, indicates that a
medical officer “writing upon Jamaica as a
military quarter” had this to say, “We owe
to accident (the Maroon War) a discovery of
The Regiment in the Crimea
one of the most healthy posts probably in
the West Indies, and, in the opinion of military men, a situation which, with a sufficient force, will enable us in time of peace
to protect a large proportion of the western
extremity of the island against international
enemies, without requiring a soldier in any
of the towns on the sea coast, which we
have already observed, is a constant source
of sickness to the British troops.”
Frank Cundall in his book entitled ‘Historic
Jamaica’ written in 1915, corroborates this.
On page 334, Cundall states, “In 1839 Maroon Town was made the site of a sanatorium for European troops, and huts were
erected there for the purpose, and the 68th
Regiment was stationed there”. Interestingly enough, on page 335, Cundall reports
the existence of “a few tombs – one recalling the death in 1840 of a coloured [emphasis mine] sergeant of the 68th (or Durham)
Regiment..”
Although it was not uncommon for the
British Army and Navy to recruit men of
colour, I strongly suspect that Cundall misread the inscription on the tombstone (or the
printer’s devil was at work) and that our
Brother Ross was a COLOUR sergeant. The
rank of colour sergeant was given to those
who distinguished themselves on the field
of battle and they were given the task of
protecting those junior officers who were
responsible for carrying their battalions’
flags or insignias to rally the troops in battle.
I also suspect that this will become clear
when we decipher the full writings on the
8
I regret that I am unable to definitively determine the cause of Bro Ross’ demise, but,
the BFMR provides us with a clue. Notwithstanding the healthy climate of Maroon
Town, it is a fact that certain diseases had
cycles or epochs which spread throughout
the garrisons at various intervals. The
BFMR states that in the year 1840, coincidentally the year of Bro Ross’ untimely demise, “an epidemic period commenced,
which continued with variable intensity to
the beginning of 1842. It commenced at
Maroon Town and twelve deaths occurred
from fever originating there…..”. It is therefore a plausible theory that Bro Ross succumbed to the fever and became one of the
first victims of this epidemic period.
Of interest, but substantially irrelevant to
the search for Bro Ross, is a Cundall’s comment about a nameless tomb in the graveyard. Cundall informs us that, “..the oldest
inhabitant [of Maroon Town] told us that
[the tomb] belonged to a Colonel Skeate,
who, being ill when his regiment left, was
buried by the incoming regiment.”
I wish to extend my thanks to Susan Snell,
Archivist and Records Manager of the
United Grand Lodge of England who has
been so kind and helpful to me in researching the records of Durham Faithful Lodge
No. 297 at Great Queen Street.
FLASH BACK - How it all began
"Buried in the pages of a Jamaica Tourist
Board publication of the 1980's is a photograph which the attention of a DGL
Mentee in June 2013. This sparked in interesting discussion on the website of the
District Grand Mentor. After the photograph was identified a trip was organized
by the mentorship group to go to Maroon
Town on August 10 2013 to get more details on the Freemason who was said to
be buried on the fringes of the Cockpit
Country in 1840.
The research was undertaken by R W
Bro Afeef Lazarus PDist.GM.
W.Bro. Laurie Ventour,
Dist. Grand Mentor.
“A Walk Around the Lodge -Part 2”
In the instructions of 1735, it is detailed as
a part of the furniture of a Lodge, with the
explanation that the “Mosaic Pavement is
the Ground Floor of the Lodge, the Blazing Star, the Centre, and the Indented
Tarsel, the Border round about it!”
“The Blazing Star, or glory in the centre,
refers us to the sun, which enlightens the
earth with its Shinning rays, dispensing its
blessings to mankind at large and giving
light and life to all things here below.”
However I find that at various times the
Masonic Blazing Star also depicted in old
writings as the Dog Star or Sirius, has been
declared to be a symbol of 1. Divine Providence 2. The Star of Bethlehem 3. Prudence 4. Beauty 5. The Sun.
The point is it belongs in the centre of the
pavement. I have observed that there are
Lodges in our district which do not have
this. Millaa does. Why this is so I do not
know.
From ancient civilizations to modern man,
our Masonic Blazing Star is a symbol of
Divine Providence...the symbol of Deity
which represents:
Omnipresence (the belief that the Creator
is always present in our lives).
Omniscience (the belief that the Creator
both sees and knows everything about us,
including our thoughts and the secrets of
our hearts).
And throughout history, the Masonic Blazing Star is an ancient emblem of faith
which shines for each of us, no matter
which specific religion we embrace.
Here we have the Inner Guard masonically
speaking the office of Inner Guard is of
comparatively recent origin - 1816 being
the first recorded mention of that office.
For nearly a hundred years preceding this
date the visitors would have been admitted
and the candidates received in due form by
the youngest entered apprentice or a
brother appointed by the Junior Warden.
It is interesting to note that the rank of
Inner Guard is unknown in most American
Lodges, where the Junior Deacon, under
the command of the Junior Warden admits
Cont’d from Page 6
the visitors and receives the candidate.
The name guard or guardian is evolved
from the same origin as the word Warden
the word Wardian and Guardian were one
and the same, and a scholar noted in 1605
that the French, Italians and others whose
language comes from the Latin turned the
“W” of such words as wardian into a single “U”. because their alphabet had no W
at all, but then to mend the matter - they
put before the U a G, and so warden or
wardian went to guardian, and ward to,
guard Thus it was explained that the Wardian, Warden and Guardian are all one, ‘
so a definition could be a keeper or attender to the safety of that which he hath in
charge’. The word ward is to do with the
internal workings of a lock which needed
a key to operate so there is the origin of
warden where a ward was an obstruction
meaning you had to have the correct key
to bypass the obstruction or ward .
ED: Discussion after this talk asked why
some Lodges did not have the Blazing Star
present on their Checkered pavement I
was not able to answer this question satisfactory below is from Albert Mackey’s Encyclopaedia of Freemasonry.
The Blazing Star, which is not, however,
to be confounded with the Five-Pointed
Star, is one of the most important symbols
of Freemasonry, and makes its appearance
in several of the Degrees. Hutchinson says
"It is the first and most exalted object that
demands our attention in the Lodge." It undoubtedly derives this importance, first,
from the repeated use that is made of it as
a Masonic emblem; and secondly, from its
great antiquity as a symbol derived from
older systems.
Extensive as has been the application of
this symbol in the Masonic ceremonies, it
is not surprising that there has been a great
difference of opinion in relation to its true
signification. But this difference of opinion has been almost entirely confined to its
use in the First Degree. In the higher Degrees, where there has been less opportunity of innovation, the uniformity of
meaning attached to the Star has been
carefully preserved.
9
In the Twenty-eighth Degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, the explanation given of the Blazing Star, is, that
it is symbolic of a the Freemason, who, by
perfecting himself in the way of truth, that
is to say, by advancing in knowledge, becomes like a blazing star, shining with brilliancy in the midst of darkness. The star is,
therefore, in this degree, a symbol of truth.
In the Fourth Degree of the same Rite, the
star is again said to be a symbol of the light
of Divine Providence pointing out the way
of truth.
In the Ninth Degree this symbol is called
the star of direction; and while it primitively alludes to an especia1 guidance
given for a particular purpose expressed in
the degree, it still retains, in a remoter
sense, its usual signification as an emblem
of Divine Providence guiding and directing the pilgrim in his journey through life.
When, however, we refer to Ancient Craft
Freemasonry, we shall find a considerable
diversity in the application of this symbol.
In the earliest monitors, immediately after
the revival of 1717, the Blazing Star is not
mentioned, but it was not long before it
was introduced. In the instructions of 1735
it is detailed as a part of the furniture of a
Lodge, with the explanation that the "Mosaic Pavement is the Ground Floor of the
Lodge, the Blazing Star, the Center, and
the Indented Tarsal, the Border round
about it!''
In a primitive Tracing Board of the Entered Apprentice, copied by Oliver, in his
Historical Landmark (I, 133), without
other date than that it was published early
in the last century," the Blazing Star occupies a prominent position in the center of
the Tracing Board. Oliver says that it represented BEAUTY, and was called the
glory in the center. In the lectures credited
to Dunckerley, and adopted by the Grand
Lodge, the Blazing Star was mid to represent "the star which led the wise men to
Bethlehem, proclaiming to mankind the
nativity of the Son of God, and here conducting our spiritua1 progress to the Author of our redemption. "
Article to be cont’d in next Edition
THE WORKING TOOLS OF LIFE Cont’d from Page 7
to the Grand Lodge above, his family, especially his mother and his sister, Ruby, remained umbilically attached to this Lodge.
How many of us today, see Masonry as a
once-a-month activity, sprinkled with the
occasional committee meeting or rehearsal,
leaving our rituals to gather dust in the interim, without realising that within that little
book, as there is to an even greater extent in
the Volume of the Sacred Law, a magnificent blueprint for the building up of our
lives and character. The directions, I am
sure, will be easier to follow for some than
for others; and I daresay, our late Brother
probably found it easier to absorb than
many of us. But that can only be a discouragement to us if we entertain doubt regarding the efficacy of the techniques and the
veracity of their claims - and doubting the
wisdom and goodness of the Creator has no
place in the heart of a true Mason. I would
therefore exhort every Brother in general;
but the Initiate in particular, to make every
effort to merge himself in Freemasonry as
did Bro. Lewis, to immerse himself in the
lessons imparted by the tenets of the Craft,
and to follow the example of those few Apprentices and Fellowcrafts now walking
among us, whose enthusiasm and assiduity
continue to impress and to inspire – even
shame – their more senior Brethren, by their
inexperienced but enthusiastic example,
into a recollection of the zeal we all felt in
our early days in the Craft, and trigger a renewal of their commitment to a greater appreciation of, and participation in, the
activities of their Lodges and of our noble
science. As that great artist and sculptor, ar-
chitect and poet, Michelangelo Buonarroti,
is quoted as saying:
"The greater danger for most of us lies not
in setting our aim too high and falling
short;
but in setting our aim too low,
and achieving our mark."
In conclusion, Brethren, I would posit that
the spirit of Bro. Albert Joseph Lewis, who
physically left us so suddenly twenty-four
years ago, is alive, well, dwelling within the
fabric of our beloved Craft, and waiting patiently to inspire us through the morality of
the Working Tools of Life.
“Each is given a bag of tools, a shapeless
mass, and a Book of Rules.”
- The Heptones, 1973
2013, October 17
EWING LODGE REPAIRS ROOF
OF MANDEVILLE HOSPITAL
The Ewing Lodge, was on December 12,
2013 made a benefactor of the Mandeville Regional Hospital. This means that
for posterity, the Ewing Lodge name will
be displayed at the entrance of the hospital on a plaque for every one to see.
This arose from a repair job done by the
lodge on the roof of the Maternity ward
operating theater. The unit had been
closed for months with issues of rain
water disturbing the operation of the unit.
On the request of the CEO Mr. Alwyn
Miller, a very dedicated and honourable
public servant, the repair was done at a
cost of $379,000.00 dollars.
Submitted Dr. Patrick E. Adizua
Hospital Maternity Roof in Mandeville
10