TESSELLATED TALES Periodical of the District Grand Lodge of North Island New Zealand
June 2022
In this issue A Message from our District Grand Master W.Bro Steven Elliot continues his interviews with Masters and First Principals W.Bro John Walworth & W.Bro Mike Lea
A letter of thanks from Camp Quality What do you know about your Lodge? An insight into the history of Rodney Lodge from W.Bro Ron Pemberton
ANZAC Day Celebrations The history behind the celebration
From Craft to Holy Royal Arch An article published in the London Freemasons Arena magazine
The Freemasonry They Don’t Know Two of the most common misconceptions about Freemasonry
A Royal Life by HRH The Duke of Kent A publication available from the shop at Freemasons Hall
Installation and Regular Meetings Members Pathway May Communications Teddies for Loving Care Introducing THE DGLNINZ Lodge Companion
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DISTRICT GRAND LODGE of NORTH ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND UNDER THE UNITED GRAND LODGE OF ANTIENT, FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS OF ENGLAND
Dear Brethren, It was so good to be able to meet with you face-to-face at the District Communications at Ellerslie. To hear the EMC full of laughter and chatter while brethren caught up was a real delight. The feedback from those attending showed that everyone had a good time and found the meeting worthwhile. What gave me a great deal of pleasure was being able to acknowledge the work and efforts a number of brethren have made both for their lodges and for the District. I am very aware that we have so many brethren serving in all manner of Offices and Trusts that are not acknowledged by the District often enough. Their efforts and commitment are demonstrated by the work done by W.Bro Murray Macdonald in his 10yrs of dedicated leadership as Chairman of the Charitable Trust. Equally the commitment of brethren who have taken on charitable projects and then energetically pursued them cannot be better demonstrated than the efforts of W.Bro Ron Pemberton, W.Bro Barry Holland, Bro. Garth Hollows together with their teams. Their efforts resulted in considerable amounts of money being raised for some great charitable causes. With commitment and focus we, as Masons, can and do make a difference to our society and I absolutely applaud the efforts of these brethren and their teams. They are an example of what lodges motivated by our Masonic principles can achieve in real social outcomes that make a difference. Motivated brethren can be a real influence for good in local communities by putting into practice those words of Charity we are taught inside the Lodge room. Let’s see what we can do in the next twelve months as Masons at a time when New Zealand society faces some tough economic changes. Kind Regards Warren Weir District Grand Master
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W.Bro Steven Elliot of Aorangi Lodge No 2300, continues the interviews of the new Masters, on behalf of the District. If you are going into the chair soon, your turn will come
W.Bro John Walworth Q. Where you were born. A. I was born in Whakatane in 1950. Q. Can you tell us a bit about your family? A. My father was a farmer in the Whakatane and Opotiki districts. In 1941 during WWII, he served as a private in the New Zealand army in Egypt and Greece where he became a POW, and he spent the rest of the war in POW camps in Austria. During this time, he was forced to work building hydroelectricity dams, etc. After he returned to New Zealand at the end of WWII, he bought a farm near Whakatane. In 1958 he sold the farm and purchased another one near Opotiki, where he lived into his late fifties when he died. I have an older sister who lives in Tauranga and a younger sister who is now no longer with us. My sisters have had five children between them and there are now eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, and I am their very proud uncle, great uncle and great, great uncle. Q. Where did you spend most of your younger years? A. I spent most of my early days in Opotiki, I went to the Waingarara school on Stanley Road near my father’s farm in Wainui, near Ohope. After we moved to Opotiki in 1958 I attended the Opotiki Primary School for a year, then attended the new Ashbrook School in Opotiki. I then went to Opotiki College in 1963 and finished my schooling in 1967. In January 1968 I became a farm cadet and started my first job working on a dairy farm in Papamoa, near Te Puke. Q. What sports did you enjoy? A. I played soccer and made the First-11 team during my time at the Opotiki College, I usually played as full-back or goalkeeper. I really enjoyed playing soccer, it was my main sport. I did play some cricket and some running, but these were not as enjoyable for me as soccer. Q: What kind of work do you do? A. To start with, I wanted to be a dairy farmer and I worked on dairy farms until 1972 when I got sick, so I decided to take a break and do something different. In January 1973 I successfully applied for a general-hand position at the Opotiki Dairy Factory. From then until May 2017, I have been employed at the Opotiki and Edgecumbe Dairy factories. I retired from work when I was 67 years old. In 1991 I purchased my home in Edgecumbe in order to be closer to the factory and work, and I have lived on my own here ever since. Q. What was life like for you back then? A. In April 2017 Edgecumbe was flooded after a flood protection wall failed and I had to evacuate my home. I went to live with my sister in Kawerau for about ten months while my place was being repaired and restored. Edgecumbe is a small village with friendly residents, the countryside is very close, which I love. Q. What do you do with yourself these days? A. I spend a good part of my spare time reviewing and learning Masonic rituals. Q. What are the good days like John? A. My best times are spent with my sister and her children. I am very interested in keeping up with my young nieces and nephews. They have always included me in their lives, and it is great to be a part of that. I enjoy the time that I spend with them, we have a close family. I like to go down to the South Island for holidays, but due to the pandemic challenges we have faced lately, I have not traveled so much.
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Q. What are your main interests? A. Freemasonry is my main interest. I have played outdoor bowls in the past, but I have not done that for a while. Q. How did you get into the Craft? A. I have some friends in Opotiki who saw that I was a ‘likely lad’, so they proposed me to join the Opotiki Lodge. You need to keep a perspective on the Craft, otherwise, it can really take over. I found that some prospective members did not have the support of their wives and families which may have prevented them from joining the lodge. Q. Can you tell us about your life in the Craft A. I was proposed to join the Opotiki Lodge by W.Bro Ted Gibson and seconded by W.Bro Brian Wilson. I was Initiated in February 1979, Passed in August 1979, and Raised in November 1979. I was installed as Master of the Lodge in 1989, 1997, 2013, and 2021. I got involved in Masonic ritual learning right from the start and I have enjoyed the friendliness and relaxed attitudes I found in attending the lodges in the Bay of Plenty area. I particularly like the way the stories are related in the various degrees. It is that interesting! Keeping members active in the Opotiki Lodge and encouraging them to come to the meetings as they get older can be a challenge, especially under the effects of the COVID 19 pandemic. Also, many of the members of the Lodge reside outside the Opotiki district and therefore must travel to attend meetings. The Installation meeting is a highlight of our Lodge year with the meeting usually being well-attended by visiting brethren and their ladies. The Christmas meeting is also another big social event with the ladies and visiting brethren also being invited to attend. A delicious meal is provided during Christmas celebrations, so an enjoyable time is had by all. Q. Tell us a bit more about your participation in the Craft. A. Our longest-serving member, W.Bro Gordon Gault, is our Lodge Mentor and is looked upon by the members as someone who best knows the Lodge’s traditions and customs. My sister’s father-in-law was a Past Master of the Lodge when I joined, and my brother-in-law was also a member. We used to travel together to attend the meetings. To my knowledge, there are no other Masonic ancestors in my family. Q. What other Masonic affiliations do you enjoy? A. I am a member of the Bay of Plenty Royal Arch Chapter in Whakatane and the Whakatane Rose Croix Chapter, and unfortunately, I am finding that learning new ritual has become a little bit harder.
W.Bro Mike Lea Q: Where were you born? A: England in 1941 in the Midlands in Hollington, near Derby. Q: Can you tell us a bit about your dad? Dad was a regular soldier in the army before WWII. He served in France, came out at Dunkirk, and went to Burma until 1946-47 after which was the first time I saw him. After the war, my father was given an opportunity to train as a plasterer and practiced it until he retired Q: Do you have any siblings? A. Two sisters, one younger and one in England who is now 91 years old.
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Q: Where did you grow up and go to school? A. I left Hollington when I was nine years old in about 1950, and I was privileged to attend Uttoxeter, Alleynes Grammar School founded back in 1558. Q. Are you married? A. I was married in 1961 and we have one child. Q. How did you come about living in New Zealand? A. In the 1980s our daughter’s husband got a job in England with Fisher and Paykel as a toolmaker. The company sent them to New Zealand to work for them here, so my wife and I joined her in New Zealand. Q: In what career have you worked? A: When I left school, I worked as a warehouseman in a factory that made Royal Albert China. In 1960, when I was eighteen years old, I decided to join the Metropolitan Police. I served from 1959 until about 1999 and then retired as a Chief Inspector. I arrived in New Zealand as a retired person at the ripe old age of 49 years old, although I’ve actually retired three or four times. I tried selling insurance, and real estate and found that I simply cannot sell. Then, in the early 1990s, I was offered a job managing a golf club, so I became the full-time manager at the South Head Golf Head in the Kaipara area west of Helensville. Q: Mike, how do you describe yourself? A. I’m a people person, I get along with people, so wherever I worked I got a good reputation because of that. Despite that quality, I wasn’t much of a salesman. Q: What’s the best book you ever read? A. Best book I ever read was Catch 22. Fascinating reality! Q: What about holidays? Where do you like to go? A. We don’t do holidays that often, but when we do, we go back to England, but one of us always has to stay behind to mind the animals, so we can only visit one at a time. Q: What sort of hobby or interests do you enjoy? A. I’m a musician and play guitar, ukulele, all sorts of strings, etc., and I sing bass in the choir. I started playing folk music back at the time of the folk music revolution in England. Q: How did you come to Freemasonry? A. When I came to New Zealand in 1990 so I met up with W.Bro Chas Holst. I asked him how I would become a Freemason and, as you can imagine, the rest was history. I joined the Craft partly because I wanted to connect with people locally. I enjoy the Craft for the same reasons, the good men in whose company we keep and enjoy. I realise that the English Craft in New Zealand is a home-away-from-home for many from England and that many joined for the camaraderie at the end of WWII. I’ve seen that the emphasis on ritual is sadly decreasing, I pride myself on ritual - it’s important to understand it. Q: To you, what constitutes a happy life? A. My happy life is just to live life itself. For me, music is a major part of that, and I love being in front of people. Just do the things you enjoy. Making a ‘future’ is key to that, and a happy wife is a big part of that.
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Correspondence from Camp Quality For many of you, you will be aware that for over 25 years Freemasons throughout New Zealand have been involved with Camp Quality, through donations, Camp participation support and some have been committed to their various Camp Quality Management structure even Directorships. So it is with much pleasure that I forward this Camp Quality newsletter to all, and which will highlight that although the five Camps in 2021 were not held, alternative support was given in various ways which resulted in many children who have cancer related illnesses a great deal of pleasure. Your Lodge’s and individual’s support of this worthy Organisation is well and worthily recommended. Yours fraternally, Roger Carson R.W.Bro Roger Carson PGW To Freemasons and Lodges As you know we were, unfortunately, unable to hold our yearly Summer Camp this past January for the first time in 35 years due to COVID and the medical risks involved. This also meant we didn’t get to see our amazing and wonderful Freemason and lodge volunteers who have been a huge part of Camp Quality Auckland Northland. While sad, we decided to put our heads together to think of a way to still deliver to our special children and their families and this was how ‘Camp in a Box’ was born. Since the end of November last year our team has been working hard chasing down goods to go into the box. After New Year we scrambled to pack the boxes and then deliver to each camper from Bombay right up to the top of the North Island. In the box, it had our CQ teddy bear buddy, Uno cards, frisbee, board games, activity and colouring books, marbles, water balloons, popcorn and lollies, recipes with a jar that had ingredients to make chocolate chip cookies as well as vouchers for mini golf for the whole family. Although we couldn’t have camp, in a small way we could bring camp to them.
The families have been very thankful for ‘Camp in a Box’, and all of this would not have happened if not for our amazing supporters like the Freemasons and lodges. We will continue to need your support in the upcoming year. We have upcoming events and fundraisers we would love to share with you. Please let Stuart know and we can book a visit or Zoom meeting.
Kind regards Kevin Williams CQAN - Regional Manager Camp Quality Auckland/Northland
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What do you know about your Lodge? W.Bro Ron Pemberton Two years ago, I became a member of the Rodney Lodge No.1711, in Warkworth. I’ve been a Freemason for over 23 years, joining the Prince of Wales Lodge No.1338 in 1999. However, at the urging of a friend, whom I’d known for nearly 45 years, long before I became a Mason or even thought about joining Freemasonry, I joined the Rodney Lodge to help them out. A year later, in 2021 I was Installed as their Master. Like all small country lodges, they have been pressed to find new members and many had already been in the chair a few times already. Over the years I’d attended their Installations, but I didn’t really know the Lodge or, for that matter, how it got started. Just after I took over as Master, the Secretary/Treasurer died. For the following year, it was a struggle, to find what went where. However, with the valuable assistance of those in the Lodge, we have survived the last year of COVID and are getting stronger. Life has its ups and downs and while we, as a Lodge have struggled through the year with one thing and another there have been other times in its history when it has also gone through hard and difficult times. As we get closer to our 150-year celebrations in 2027, which I might add is only five years away, we should look back and read what our founding brethren went through to establish themselves as Lodge in the colony. Warkworth, previously known as Browns Mill, was founded in 1853 by John Anderson Brown (born Newcastle upon Tyne), who named it after the village of Warkworth, Northumberland. So, here was a small village accessed mainly by sail from Auckland and growing to establish a Masonic Lodge. Here is their story. Almost one hundred and fifty years ago on the 8th day of March 1877, seven Master Masons met in a room in the Warkworth Hotel to discuss the possibilities of forming a Masonic Lodge in the Warkworth area. This is the first record of a Masonic meeting in this district and the outcome of this meeting was the formation of the Rodney Lodge. These seven brethren decided to approach the Prince of Wales Lodge No.1338 to sponsor the formation of a Lodge by petitioning the Deputy District Grand Master of the North Island of New Zealand for his approval. They were very sure that this would be forthcoming for at the self-same meeting they elected the Principal Officers and the Secretary for their proposed lodge.
GS Graham – Rodney Lodge 1887-1909, DGM 1877-1896
Their faith was well-founded and on Thursday 3rd May 1877 the consecration and the first regular monthly meeting of the Rodney Lodge was held in the Warkworth Hotel. Ten District Officers of the District Grand Lodge of the North Island and sixteen other visitors attended and these together with the eight Founder Members opened the Lodge with W.Bro M.S. Leers, Assistant Deputy District Grand Master in the chair at 12 noon.
After W.Bro Leers had Consecrated the Lodge, he invited the first Master, W.Bro Moat, who then appointed his Wardens, Secretary, Senior Deacon, and Treasurer. There were no other officers appointed at this time but as the year progressed the regular officers were appointed. Immediately the Lodge began its Masonic duties, at this Consecration meeting, two candidates who had been proposed and seconded during the preliminary meetings were balloted for and then Initiated, two more were proposed and seconded as candidates for Initiation and eight further brothers became joining members.
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This gave the Lodge, directly after its Consecration, a numerical strength of sixteen members and it appears that one of the main aims of the Lodge in these early days was to build a Lodge with a high membership. In this area, they were only partially successful. The numerical strength of the Lodge grew to twenty-eight by May 1886 but by May 1887 it had reached only thirty-seven. There had been fifty-five candidates Initiated, Passed, and Raised in the ten years and twenty-five, as near as I can ascertain, admitted as joining members, but a very great number were struck off mainly through the non-payment of dues. The second Master was Brother Munro and his two years in the chair showed that the planning and the preparation for the Temple must have been stormy at times. Brother Thompson was next as Master and, in his year, the final plan for the building of the Temple was approved. Twelve months later Brother Southgate saw the building completed. The Rodney Lodge always seems to tie the important events in its life with its Installation ceremonies, for on the afternoon of 17th May 1883 Brother Richard was made Master in the new Hall, and it became his job to settle the Lodge into its new home. This was not too easy a job for at the first meeting after the Installation the Immediate Past Master tendered his resignation as a Trustee, the Lodge was informed that £131 was still owing to the building contractor, and an argument developed over whether it was better to hold a ball or a concert to celebrate the Hall opening. Brother Clements was elected and Installed as Master in 1885. His year was spent trying to put the Lodge, whose finances must have been shaky, back into a credit position. Improvements to the Lodge building were proposed and a committee was appointed to generally supervise the letting of the Hall. It appears the Hall may have been let on a haphazard basis but in September the Lodge decided to run the Hall as a commercial venture. The Lodge also appears to have begun taking a strong line, with those who were in arrears and a great number were struck off. Brother Clements’ efforts must have been successful for the Lodge paid $150 off the Hall mortgage that year and the members of the Lodge elected him Master for the following year as well. He continued a similar policy on finance during his second year and had the by-laws extensively amended as well. His second year of office finished with the Installation of Brother G. Thompson in January 1887. The Hall was realised very early on as a necessity in furthering Masonry in the district. The hotel room was not available at all times and was not altogether private. However, as is often the case the pockets of the brethren were not as big as their wishes and although the Hall was in use by 1873 at the end of this ten-year period there still appears to have been money owing on it. In November 1881 the Lodge Initiated one candidate, Passed another then Raised two more all in the one evening. Frequently the Past Masters played a version of Masonic musical chairs. One Past Master would work one Degree and then hand the gavel to another Past Master who would work a different Degree. The sitting Master only opened and closed the Lodge. It was not uncommon to have three different Past Masters in the Chair in the one evening. This tied in with the ordinary business of the Lodge very often meant late meetings. Up until 1886 a meeting that finished before 10pm was a rarity; in fact, June 1883 saw a 12.30am finish and January 1878 a 12.35am finish. In 1886 however, very few meetings finished later than 10:00pm: a reflection perhaps of Brother Clements’ tight rein holding policy. About twelve Brethren was the usual attendance and visitors, or more correctly visitor about twice a year. Thus, the Rodney Lodge was founded by a team of dedicated and devoted brethren who, although not always agreeing with each other, did manage to get Masonry underway in this area.
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ANZAC Day Celebrations Few ordinary soldiers won little recognition for their gallant efforts in any conflict until the Crimean War of 1854-56. The ordinary ‘Tommy’ was not looked on with much affection. During the Peninsula War of 1807-1814, the Duke of Wellington said of the ordinary soldier: ‘We have in the service the scum of the earth as common soldiers.’ A terrible epithet to valiant men who stood shoulder to shoulder under withering fire. The Crimean War was the first war witnessed by ‘instant newspaper reporting from the Front.’ The stories filtering back to London, contained, not just the bravery of officers but also of the ordinary rank and file. These stories captured the imagination of the Nation. The ordinary man in the street came to support the common soldiery. To recognise the gallant efforts of those serving in the forces the Army introduced a Distinguished Conduct Medal for Acts of Gallantry for Sergeants and lower ranks. The Navy followed suit with the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal for similar ranks. While these awards were welcomed by the general population, it was felt by the public at large that a supreme award should be given for all ranks and all Arms. In December of 1854, a petition was addressed to her Majesty, Queen Victoria to institute an ‘Order of Merit’ to be bestowed on any persons serving in the armed forces for distinguished and prominent gallantry. The petition was received with strong approval. The Prince Consort writing on behalf of the Queen, suggested a small cross of merit for personal deeds of valour, open to all ranks, and also awarded a pension of £5.00 a year. It took another year between the concept and the drafting of the first statue. In December of 1855, the final Warrant initiating the Victoria Cross was signed at Buckingham Palace. The Warrant stated: ‘The Nation’s supreme and most coveted gallantry award would honour officers and men who, in the presence of the enemy, shall have performed some single act of valour or devotion to their country’. The design of the cross took many forms before the final model was submitted. Her Majesty thought the motto ‘For the Brave’, which had been included in the original design would imply that ‘non-recipients were not brave’. Her Majesty changed the phase ‘For the Brave’ to ‘For Valour’. It has been said that the metal for the crosses has been cast from the cannons captured from the Russian cannons captured at the siege of Sevastopol, however, from chemical analysis of recent times it has been established the metal is from guns captured during the Opium Wars of 1839-1842 – 1858-1860. Awarded to: – Persons of any rank in the Navy, Military and Air Forces of the United Kingdom, its colonies or territories, and Commonwealth countries that award UK honours. Awarded for: – "most conspicuous bravery, or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice, or extreme devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy.” Established: – 29th January 1856 Designer: – Queen Victoria Suspender: – Straight Total Awarded – 1,358 Clasps – One Description of the medal: – The decoration is a bronze cross pattée, 41mm high, 36mm wide, the obverse bearing the crown of Saint Edward surmounted by a lion, and the inscription “FOR VALOUR” on a semi-circular scroll. The decoration, suspension bar and link weigh about 0.87 troy ounces (27g).
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The cross is suspended by a ring from a seriffed "V" to a bar ornamented with laurel leaves, through which the ribbon passes. The reverse of the suspension bar is engraved with the recipient's name, rank, number, and unit. On the reverse of the medal is a circular panel on which the date of the act for which it was awarded is engraved in the centre. A total of three people have won the Victoria Cross twice. This is shown by the term "VC and Bar". The recipient does not wear two Victoria Cross medals but wears a small bar across the VC medal's ribbon. VC and Bar: In the history of the VC, only three men have been awarded the Victoria Cross twice. Surgeon Captain Arthur-Leake, Captain Noel Chavasse, and Captain Charles Hazlitt Upham. Surgeon Captain Arthur-Leake won his during the Boer War, Captain Noel Chavasse during the First World War, and Captain Charles Hazlitt Upham during the Second World War. It was reported by his commanding officer that Captain Upham should have received the award more than twice for his acts of courage in the face of the enemy.
Many Commonwealth Countries have since moved away from the honour of the Victoria Cross being awarded by Britain to awarding their own Victoria Cross for bravery.
In New Zealand the Victoria Cross has been awarded to: The Māori Wars The Boer Wars The First World War Charles Heaphy William Hardham Leslie Andrew Lloyd Trigg Donald Brown James Crichton Willie Apiata (2007) Samuel Frickleton John Grant Reginald Judson Henry John Laurent Henry Nicholson Richard Travis
Second World War Keith Elliot John Hinton Alfred Hulme Moana-nui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu Leonard Trent Charles Upham (VC & Bar) James Ward
Afghanistan Samuel Forsyth
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Major Charles Heaphy, was a member of the Auckland Volunteers, NZ Militia
Charles Heaphy The action occurred on the 11th of February 1864 in the Waikato. He was awarded the VC on the 8th February 1867. He was recommended for the award after rescuing a soldier under fire at Waiari near Te Awamutu. This was the only VC awarded to a member of the New Zealand colonial forces, who were supposed to be ineligible for it. Charles Heaphy was also a member of Ara Lodge 348 IC and a founding member of the Prince of Wales Lodge 1338. For those wishing to visit the Prince of Wales Lodge and want to see Charles Heaphy’s handiwork, look at the Prince of Wales Charter in the Lodge rooms at the Ellerslie Masonic Centre. During the voyage out from England, the Charter was chewed on by rats. The centre being eaten away. Rather than apply back to London for another one, Charles Heaphy was also an accomplished calligrapher. He undertook to repair the Charter, which you can see in the Lodge rooms today. The latest recipient of the Victoria Cross in the British Army was Sergeant Joshua Mark Leakey for action in Afghanistan in 2015. Ron Pemberton 2021
Below are members of Eden Lodge and their visitors at their unique ANZAC day meeting on 26th April 2022
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From Craft to Holy Royal Arch An article published in the London Freemasons Arena magazine E.Comp Olu Shonubi reflects on his experiences in joining his Royal Arch Chapter. To all those who are thinking about joining a Chapter, let me tell you my story as a Companion of this supreme degree. My journey started just after my raising in Craft when I was approached by my masonic father and godfather who mentioned Royal Arch as the next step for me, but without adding any pressure to obtain my signature. A few months passed. Craft is Comfortable, I thought to myself, why take on another order?
My Craft Mentor was also our Lodge’s Royal Arch representative and made a few attempts as well but to no avail. I was fully aware that they wouldn’t stop in their pursuit, and when I became the Junior Warden in the Lodge, something suddenly clicked. Somehow, it all fell into place.
A few months later, I joined the Royal Arch Chapter attached to my Lodge, Clarence, and Avondale Chapter No 6790. The exaltation ceremony was something I will never forget. It was breathtaking, smooth, enjoyable, and very fascinating. I am trying hard not to spoil it for those who are yet to take the steps. My bearings came later when I was Principal Sojourner. As we had no Exaltees, I was able to practice the office duties. From that day, there was no looking back. The storytelling is fantastic, and I believe I speak for every Companion who has been through the office and delivered the work when I say that it was the turning point in my masonic journey. So many beautiful experiences have been shared, and so much knowledge gained.
If any brother has an interest to progress in their masonic journey, then please do not hesitate to contact your Lodge Secretary, who will be only too pleased to assist you in your pathway into Royal Arch Masonry
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The Freemasonry They Don’t Know Two of the most common misconceptions I hear about Freemasonry are (a) that it’s a secret society, and (b) that they are running some new world order. While it is true that some Freemasons might like to consider those things, and argue about current issues as well, those are just a few misconceptions of the beautiful jigsaw puzzle that is English Freemasonry. People unfamiliar with Freemasonry rarely see the depth and breadth of our organization: They don’t know about our amazing spirit of charity, volunteerism, and service. Freemasons are always looking for ways to make the community a better place, starting with themselves. They don’t see our leadership development opportunities and for people young and old, to develop personal management and negotiation skills. They don’t realise the fantastic opportunities to establish life-long friendships with like-minded individuals of good moral integrity worldwide. They don’t understand the deeply personal and important bonds formed when you find people who share your ideas and philosophies. Freemasonry is something like a second family. I genuinely believe if everybody understood what it feels like to be an active member of Freemasonry, our membership numbers would quadruple overnight. There are millions of people in the world who would be thrilled to connect with an organization like ours. My life changed when I realised I could serve a bigger purpose in the community, one that fitted my own moral principles as a man in the world. We need to help non-members understand what it truly means to be a Freemason. We need them to know that we are so much more than rituals and secrets. Let people know that English Freemasonry isn’t a code word used by some elite group but, instead, a regular part of our own lives. It isn’t hard to do. Keep that Masonic lapel pin, Masonic ring, or other Masonic symbols in a place where people can see it. Most of the time I do that, and 99 percent of the time people don’t seem to consciously notice, but I can happily share what it means to me when they ask. They DO ask! It isn’t about what you say – it’s about how you say it. English Freemasonry is a comfortable part of our world. W. Bro Steven Elliott, DG Reg
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A Royal Life by HRH The Duke of Kent HRH The Duke of Kent has been at the heart of the British Royal Family throughout his life. As a working member of the Royal Family, he has supported his cousin, The Queen, representing her at home and abroad. His royal duties began when, in 1952, at the age of 16, he walked in the procession behind King George VI's coffin, later paying homage to The Queen at her Coronation in 1953. Since then he has witnessed and participated in key Royal occasions. He represented The Queen at independence ceremonies from the age of twenty-five, he was riding with her when blanks were fired at Trooping the Colour in 1981, he was the oldest soldier on parade at Remembrance Sunday at the Cenotaph in November 2020 and he was alongside The Queen at her official birthday celebrations in June 2021 as Colonel of the Scots Guards. No member of the Royal Family has spoken extensively of the modern reign and their part in it before. A Royal Life is a unique account based on a series of conversations between the Duke and acclaimed Royal historian Hugo Vickers. It covers some of the most important moments and experiences of the Duke's life, from his upbringing at his family home Coppins in Buckinghamshire, his twenty-one years of army life, his royal tours, and events, through to his work for over 140 different organisations, including presenting the trophies at Wimbledon for more than 50 years. Here too are recollections of family members including his mother, Princess Marina, his grandmother, Queen Mary, his cousin, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, and his uncle, King George VI. The Duke is a keen photographer and the book contains never before seen photographs from his private collection. Other members of the Royal Family contribute their memories, including his wife, the Duchess of Kent, the Duke's siblings, Princess Alexandra and Prince Michael of Kent, his son, the Earl of St Andrews, his daughter, Lady Helen Taylor as well as his cousins, Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia, Archduchess Helen of Austria and her brother, Hans Veit Touring. A Royal Life is an unprecedented, insightful, and remarkable slice of Royal history.
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Page 15 Periodical of the District Grand Lodge of North Island, New Zealand
Installation and Regular Meetings The District has been open for about a month now and it is great to see lodges back open, catching up on ceremonies, and welcoming new Candidates. A number are Proclaiming their Masters for a further year and continuing officers in place, so the lodge has continuity, and everyone gets the opportunity to understand the work within their roles. On Saturday 14th May the District oversaw the Installations of The Lodge Franklin No.2138 and Star of the North Lodge No.1647 – that’s right two Installations held the same day in the same lodge rooms! For Franklin, W. Bro Des Stuck did an amazing job Installing his successor, Bro Stephen Arundel-Fagge who in turn, ably invested his officers. Some brethren were not present, but District stepped up to fill the gaps by giving the Addresses not only to the WM but also to the Wardens and the Brethren in both ceremonies, with a special mention to W. Bro Glenn Forber who assisted by standing in for the Lodge DC at the last moment. This Installation was rounded off by a heart-warming Presentation of a PM’s Jewel to W. Bro Len Field. After a coffee break with homemade scones and open sandwiches, we were back at it with Star of the North. Another Installation with quality ritual, this time from W. Bro Dennis Turner (literally) juggling the role of Installing Master and that of Musical Director. It was wonderful to see Bro Bill Rossiter finally going into the Chair after being Initiated some 38 years ago! The PM Jewel was presented to well-deserving W.Bro Ralph Correa, made even more special since the jewel is one of the few remaining gold jewels in the Lodge’s keeping. Seeing two Master Masons being Installed was then topped off by a magnificent roast dinner, the usual toasts, and rousing speeches, underpinning the enjoyment of fellowship within our lodges and District. The leftover food was later given to charity. If this is repeated again next year, it will certainly be on the District Calendar as a ‘must attend’ and I am sure many more visitors will look to make the trip to see two lodges Install Masters and celebrate a good year of work.
DGM R. W.Bro Warren Weir with the two new Masters W. Bro Arundel-Fagge and W.Bro Rossitter
Page 16 Periodical of the District Grand Lodge of North Island, New Zealand
I Te Awamutu Chapter No 2221 members and visitors at their installation meeting on 19th May 2022 at Ellerslie Masonic Centre, Auckland. E.Comp Mark Crawford, Second District Grand Principal was in attendance for the proclamation of E.Comp D. Ironside as Z, E.Comp M. Hunter as H, and E.Comp V.R.C. Warren as J.
Photo of Bro Ronan Shun of Prince of Wales Lodge No 1338 and the officers who took part in his long-awaited Third Degree, 1 year 2 months and a day after his Second Degree. Great to be back in the lodge room 😊.
Page 17 Periodical of the District Grand Lodge of North Island, New Zealand
Members Pathway Masters and Lodges now have the ability to appoint a Membership Officer. This is a new Office recently authorised by Grand Lodge, specifically to recruit and retain new members. They have identified the various steps to achieve this in the Pathways document.
If you require and assistance, or need support to develop you Membership Plan, please reach out to me and we will work out how to assist you. John Robinson, District Membership Officer: john.robinson@mikepero.co.nz or 027 546 1852
Page 18 Periodical of the District Grand Lodge of North Island, New Zealand
May Communications District communications took place on Saturday 28th May at the Ellerslie Masonic centre in Auckland. All Chapters and Lodges were represented with approximately 65 people attending. In summary, each meeting was addressed by the District Presidents of the Craft Board and Chapter Committee and District Grand Master/Grand Superintendent Warren P Weir E.Comp Walworth was invested as PAGSoj, E.Comp Hammerton as PGStdB, W. Bro Mike Jensen as PJGD, W.Bro Johnstone as PAGSwdB. 50-year Certificates and pins were presented to W.Bros Leach, Ackerley, and Boyask.
District Grand Chapter Officers for the 2022 year
Certificates of Service were presented to W.Bro Murray Macdonald (for many years working with and as Chairman for the District Charitable Trust), W.Bro Clynton Hardy (for many years on the board of the Freemasons Foundation), W.Bro Ron Pemberton (for his work with Kids First and fundraising for Sleep Apnoea monitors), W.Bro Barry Holland (for his DGChStw role and the recent Pub Quiz charity event), and Bro Gareth Hollows for spearheading the Pub Quiz charity event.
District Grand Officers for the 2022 year
Page 19 Periodical of the District Grand Lodge of North Island, New Zealand
Five years on ….. It is now five years since the Teddy Bear Appeal was launched in New Zealand, a joint effort of all four Constitutions.
50,000 That’s right – over 50,000 teddy bears have now been given to children across New Zealand. And that is also over 50,000 positive advertisements for Freemasonry out in the community. We couldn’t have done it without you so thank you for the support.
With these results and such feedback, we are determined to keep the programme going as long as possible. If you would like to help, please go to our give a little page:
https://givealittle.co.nz/org/teddies-for-loving-care For more information, visit our website: https://www.tlcappeal.org.nz/
Page 20 Periodical of the District Grand Lodge of North Island, New Zealand
Introducing the DGLNINZ Lodge Companion MOBILE APP FOR ANDFROID AND IPHONE
THE CENTRE DGLNINZ’s own social media space. Upload images, comment on posts or send messages to other brethren. DISTRICT NEWS This is District’s space. Come here to see the latest news from the DGM or the DGLNINZ Executive. FIND LODGES Visiting an unfamiliar town or Lodge and need information or directions? Everything you need, including a map and a turn-by-turn guide to the Lodge can be found here. CONTACTS A list of current App users, Lodge friends and send them private messages. RITUAL Practice ritual at any time with the aid of your mobile phone. At the moment only the First Degree ritual is there – for obvious reasons.... NOTIFICATIONS Check this repository for a history of notifications sent by the District to all users. REALTIME CHAT Join a Lodge chat room (visible to all users) or create a private chat room where you can send text messages and images to others in these rooms. DGM MEDIA Our District Grand Master is keen to broadcast regular video messages to the Brethren. This is where you will find them. LODGE NOTICES Your Lodge Secretary can post notices, summonses, and meeting minutes into your Lodge storage area. No more digging through emails. EVENTS Reserved for a special event that District may wish to advertise to the Brethren. CALENDARS This space is reserved for the various DGLNINZ meeting calendars and other representation information. A work in progress.... LISTEN We will publish interesting audio content or perhaps Masonic lectures here. The possibilities are endless.... MORE... Here you will find a place to remember Brethren who have recently passed to The Grand Lodge Above or visit a buy and sell marketplace. Perhaps you have a particular skill that may assist a Brother and wish to advertise it. OTHER ORDERS Need information about another Order? We have you covered. BOOK Intending to visit a Lodge and need to book a meal? Select the Lodge and the date you intend to visit, and Lodge Companion takes care of it for you. Still under test until we have contact information. YOUR ACCOUNT Register here as a Lodge Companion user. Your information is securely held on a private server located in Wellington.
Page 21 Periodical of the District Grand Lodge of North Island, New Zealand
IT’S ABOUT STAYING IN TOUCH... What methods do we currently use to communicate with other Brethren? When we are not at our various Lodge meetings most of us remain in touch to some extent with members of our own lodges, or with DGLNINZ officers and friends in other lodges using the following methods: • Email • Facebook • WhatsApp Email is by far the most common means of communicating these days, but unless one is superorganised the information or attachment that an email may contain soon becomes very difficult to find. Also, many of us prefer not to use a mobile phone for sending or receiving email. Facebook has become ubiquitous as a means of sharing information (social media). The way most of us use Facebook however is limited to posting the occasional image or comment to a Facebook group representing our own lodge. How many of us search out or are members of more than a few DGLNINZ Lodge groups? Facebook users should be aware of its intrusive ability to monitor a user’s online activities for targeted advertising and other commercial purposes. WhatsApp is great as a mobile communications or chat tool BUT be aware that a user’s private information is held overseas, and is vulnerable to misuse. It is not really a multi-functional tool in the true sense. What about our Lodge websites or the District website, are they not also a means of communication? Of course, but how many of us regularly visit our own lodge websites? Many sites have content that is months out of date and often they contain incorrect information. Our District website has had a recent update, and now we need to ask ourselves who the target audience is for our various sites. In many cases, a visitor to a website is a prospective member checking you out. Isn’t Tessellated Tales also an efficient means of communicating with DGLNINZ Brethren? It sure is, and it is an important part of our overall strategy of ensuring that communications are targeted correctly. Tessellated Tales provides a creative outlet for DGLNINZ members who wish to share items of interest with other District Brethren.
INFORMATION IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND So where does the District App fit into the strategy? Provided you carry a mobile phone, Lodge Companion is always in your hand. It will alert you to new messages or important notifications. It will allow you to chat with friends, upload photos, refer to documents, listen to Masonic Audio content, navigate to lodges, and refer to a wealth of user-generated material. Is Lodge Companion safe? Lodge Companion is probably safer in a cyber-security sense than other social media applications we use. We built it and we have full control of the server it runs on. The App server is SSL protected and runs on dedicated hardware in a residential situation in Wellington, i.e. it is not running in a leased, virtualised environment like most Lodge websites. Of course, this means if the power goes off then the server will go down. Access to any information or documents on the server, including a user’s private details, e.g. telephone number etc. is password protected. Yes, it is theoretically possible that the server could be hacked, but if that were to happen it would not be the end of the world. How do I get Lodge Companion, and then what do I do? It’s easy (and free), but you will need to be familiar with navigating the ‘App store’ on an iPhone, or the ‘Play store’ on an Android phone: Search for Lodge Companion – DGLNINZ • Install the App (it may not work on really old phones) • Swipe up to ‘MY ACCOUNT’ create an account. As it is our App you can be as truthful as you wish - just as long as we recognise you. Send an email to the District Grand Communications Officer (email address below) if you wish to use a pseudonym. • Click ‘Yes’ to the enable notifications message. Please forward any bugs or questions regarding the App or suggestions for content to:
dgco@freemasons.org.nz (W.Bro Andrew Vincent) IMPORTANT: You will not have access to some App features until your registration and your membership has been verified on the backend server.
Page 22 Periodical of the District Grand Lodge of North Island, New Zealand
Looking for Regalia Contact the District Grand Secretary first, as there may be some second-hand regalia that will meet your needs from the store at Ellerslie Masonic Centre secretary@freemasons.org.nz
If you would like to contribute to the next issue of Tessellated tales, please email your article or photos to steveglew@xtra.co.nz before 30th September 2022
W.Bro Euan Allan from Prince of Wales Lodge (amongst others) asks for support for his son, James, who is going to shave his head for Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand. If you would like to donate, just head to: https://shaveforacure.co.nz/james-allan and follow the directions.
Page 23 Periodical of the District Grand Lodge of North Island, New Zealand