“the principles of the Ancient Landmarks, customs and usages of the Craft which the English Grand Lodge deems essential for Freemasonry...” be adhered to, “although allowances can be made for the differences in predisposition, in character, and in the historical development of the different peoples.” Behind the presence of the Netherlandic Constitution lay English Freemasonry which in 1731 encouraged Dutch Freemasonry and in 1756 supported the establishment of its own Grand Lodge in the Netherlands. Amongst the early sailors, settlers and troops in the Cape colony were Freemasons of both the Dutch and English Constitutions though memberships were confined to the Lodge de Goede Hoop and Lodge de Goede Trouw under the Grand East of the Netherlands. Cultural and language issues combined to persuade the English-speaking brethren to submit a petition to the Grand Lodge of England to establish an English-speaking Lodge in Cape Town under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of England. This was granted in 1811 and the British Lodge No 619 was consecrated in 1812. The Deputy Grand Master National of the Dutch Lodges officiated and installed the Worshipful Master. Officers of Lodge de Goede Hoop and Lodge de Goede Trouw were present together with the Lodge assembly of “other respectable Brethren”. Thus began the first formal Masonic Brotherhood of these two constitutions in the Cape Colony, and it continued, albeit with political, language and similar schisms from time to time as the Dutch and English Constitutions moved into the hinterland. It is noteworthy that Sir Johannes Andries Truter, Deputy Grand Master National for the Netherlandic Constitution in the Colony, was requested by England to assume authority over the English Lodges in South Africa and he duly established an English Provincial Grand Lodge in Cape Town in 1828. In the second half of the nineteenth century considerable rivalry over the establishment of new Lodges was encountered between English, Dutch, and Scottish Freemasons, certain instances having been already experienced earlier in the century. Confrontation between the English, Scottish, and the Dutch arose as a consequence of rivalry between the constitutions, accentuated by the expansionist moves of the Dutch and English in particular. Several English and Scottish Masons claimed that the Dutch Constitution had no right to establish new Lodges in South Africa and had done so in violation of the Convention of 1770. The Grand Lodges of England and Holland had in that year agreed that if the Grand Lodge of England would not constitute any new Lodges within its jurisdiction, the Grand Lodge of Holland would observe the same restrictions in respect of all parts of the world where Lodges were already established under the patronage of England. This had been tacitly ignored in South Africa for over 100 years. Holland dismissed the objection, pointing out that the Dutch Constitution had established itself in the Cape in 1772, and its Lodges had been ruled since then by the Deputy Grand Master National appointed by Holland. It also pointed out that it had in fact been the first Masonic constitution in the Cape. The matter was submitted to the UGLE in 1867 and the latter responded saying that, following the ceding of the Cape to Britain in 1814, Dutch Lodges had welcomed the newly-formed English Lodges and, when the English Provincial Grand Lodge in South Africa was
formed in 1828, the head of the Dutch Lodges had been chosen to lead the English Lodges as well. By this double appointment the Grand Master of English Freemasonry thus recognized the Dutch Lodges, and it was therefore felt that the 1770 Convention had never applied to the Cape, which was considered neutral ground where the two constitutions had existed side by side since 1812. The UGLE thus affirmed that the 1770 Convention, outlining the territories of Masonic constitutions in the world, did not apply to South Africa and the ruling remains in force to this day. Over the last 300 years Freemasonry has developed and expanded in ways it could not have imagined. What English Freemasonry has demonstrated over the last 300 years is that it is a living organisation capable of changing its outward forms and adapting itself to the society in which it currently exists. It has had a wonderful knack of making those changes without in any way changing those fundamental and inalienable principles and tenets on which Freemasonry was founded and which would certainly be recognised by those who met in 1717.
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UGLE’s Tercentenary Charity Initiative By RW Bro Jim Duggan The United Grand Lodge of England is celebrating its tercentenary (300 years) this year, and to commemorate this event the District Grand Lodge of South Africa Western Division, decided to raise R1 000 000 to support a community based project that could also enhance the general public’s view of Freemasonry in general. To this end they chose the Western Cape Society for the Blind, who train youths who have completed school but are sight impaired, to enable them to qualify for full time employment and independence. As a result of the fundraising efforts, two vehicles were presented to Lizelle van Wyk (CEO of CTSB) by VW Bro Sir David H Wotton (Assistant Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England). Both vehicles have the Tercentenary logo with the words Donated by Freemasons in the Western Cape.