Noticeably quiet on the Western front but some odd bits and pieces to report.
A warm welcome to the Association for Tyrian Lodge No 1110 situated in the Sussex Province, consecrated in 1866 at the Lamb Hotel, Eastbourne, East Sussex and since 1945 currently meet at Eastbourne Masonic Centre.
You can visit there page here >>
In addition, a new member for Kibbelstone Lodge. Bro Richard Stimpson was good enough to send through a photo of their latest recruit known localy as ‘Kibblestone Ken’. We will have to introduce him to Dobbie at some time in the future so they can compare notes.
I now present to you the working tools of an E-Mason. They are the Mouse, the Keyboard, and the Router. The mouse is to move within the desktop, the keyboard to input the data and the router to publish the data to cyberspace. But as we are not all assembled as Computer Nerds, but rather as Operative or E-Masons, we apply these tools to our current quarantined lives. In this sense, the mouse teaches us to stay within the bounds of the screen – the square in which we all must meet. The keyboard shows us that communication will lead us to better understand each other and the rest of mankind. The router teaches us that even when we are alone in the most remote part of the globe, we may meet again and gain friendship and moral sustenance from each other.
A big Thank you to Ernie Horton for these photo’s following a visit to the National Memorial Arboretum this summer.
The KLA at the 2020 (virtual) Gilwell Reunion
The KLA at the 2020 (virtual) Gilwell Reunion This year the Gilwell Reunion was a virtual event with a range of online workshops, videos, and discussions. The KLA took the opportunity to run a workshop and attracted around 70 people on the day, despite coinciding with other worthy events.
The workshop was chaired by W Bro. Paul Wong, the Chairman of the KLA, after which W Bro. Tony Harvey presented a 20-minute talk followed by a question and answer session. The talk gave an outline of Freemasonry, touched on some of the obvious parallels with Scouting, introduced the KLA and the relationship today between The Scout Association and UGLE, and covered how local Scouting can collaborate with local Freemasonry. The Q&A session featured M. W Bro. Christine Chapman, Grand Master of Freemasonry for Women (The Honourable Fraternity of Ancient Freemasons) and V.W Bro. Sylvia Major, Grand Secretary of the Order of Women Freemasons, as well as our own W Bro. Steve Richards (Be Prepared Lodge), Bro. Mark Smith (Rudyard Kipling Lodge) and W Bro. Tony Harvey. The questions were quite broad and demonstrated genuine interest in Freemasonry. The event gave us an opportunity to get a clear message across to a goodsized audience. It was the first time we have had representatives from the two Orders of Women Freemasons, a collaboration which we intend to repeat in future years when hopefully we can return to face-to-face attendance.
A recording of this workshop can be seen on W Bro. Tony Harvey’s YouTube channel here. Plus other talks, including his Prestonian Lecture.
News from Down Under
The campfire circle at Brookfields Scout Park, where Baden- Powell Lodge in Wellington, New Zealand, conducted their recent Installation.
Photo courtesy RW Bro Charles Reich
The Old Masters Wages
I met a dear old man today who wore a Masonic pin, It was old and faded like the man, It’s edges were worn quite thin. I approached the park bench where he sat, To give the old brother his due, I said, “I see you’ve travelled east,” He said, “I have, have you?” I said, “I have, and in my day Before the all-seeing sun, I played in the rubble, with Jubala Jubalo and Jubalum.”
He shouted, “Don’t laugh at the work my son, it’s good and sweet and true, And if you’ve travelled as you said, You should give these things their due.”
The word, the sign the token, the sweet Masonic prayer, the vow that all have taken, Who’ve climbed the inner stair. The wages of a Mason are never paid in gold, but the gain comes from contentment, when you are weak and growing old.
You see, I’ve carried my obligations, for almost fifty years, It has helped me through the hardships and the failures full of tears. Now I’m losing my mind and body, Death is near, but I don’t despair, I’ve lived my life upon the level,
And I’m dying upon the square.
Sometimes the greatest lessons Are those that are learned anew, And the old man in the park today has changed my point of view. To all Masonic brothers, the only secret is to care, May you live your life upon that level, May you part upon the square.
Merchandise
KLA Knecker and Woggle £10
KLA Polo Shirt Black £18.50
KLA Sweatshirt Black £25
See all and order the KLA branded merchandise here >>
2020 Survey of numbers
My sincere gratitude to the 31 Craft and Non Craft Lodges who responded to the survey, sadly 13 others chose not to respond but this gives a fairly good idea as to health of the Association, accepted before Covid 19. It does not include our latest member lodge who were accepted at end of August this year.
Please note that a full list of member lodges both here in the UK and across the world, is available from the UK Secretary for the KLA and can be contacted at Secretary@KLA.org.uk.
In addition, if you have any items, pictures, or words of interest, please let me have them for the next newsletter.