Torence
2010-07-21 14:56:24 UTC
Most Masons assume that Masonry flung open its doors to religions
other than Christianity as it expanded with the Empire. However,
Masonry came to India in 1728 with the appointment of Provincial Grand
Master Pomfret whose job it was to form a Lodge of Masons at Fort
William in Bengal in the East Indies. (Calcutta). The first local
initiated was Omdat-ul-Omrah Nawab Carnatic, though a Christian, the
Craft did not allow him in until 1775. It was not until 1872 that Bro.
P.C. Dutt, the first Indian Masonic Hindu became a member of our Craft
and that happened only after nine years of objection from the
Provincial Grand Master, Hugh Sanderman. Bengal had invoked a specific
by-law, No. 55 that denied the right to native Indians to become
members of the lodge. Brother Dutt then became a member of Anchor and
Hope No. 234. Twenty-three years later, he was Deputy District Grand
Master.
However, it is equally important to note that in 1752, Lodge No. 222
was formed in Madras. (Chennnai) Chennaipattinam was named after
Chennaiappa Naicker, Raja of Kalahasthi and Vandavasi from whom the
British acquired the town in 1639 by sale. The deed, dated August
1639, was issued to Francis Day of the British East India Company.
Chennapattinam also alludes to the Chenna Kesava Perumal Temple. The
word chenni in Tamil means face, and the temple was regarded as the
face of the city. Fort George was located there and the city was not
considered part of India proper until later.
Madras (Chennai) can boast of having two Masonic firsts. It was the
first place where two lodges merged of both persuasions, Ancient and
Modern in 1785, twenty-eight years before unification. It was the
lodge at Madras, in 1857, that the worlds first Hindu Mason was
received into this world. Bro. Ranganath Sastry became a Mason in the
Lodge Perfect Unanimity No. 233, the same peaceful lodge that resolved
the differences created artificially between the personalities of the
Athol and Premier Grand Lodges.
India can boast, however, of the worlds first Sikh Mason. Bro.
Duleep Singh became the worlds first Sikh Mason in Lodge Star in the
East in 1861.
So it can be safely said from the record that Masonry often waits
130 years or so before new kinds of men can be admitted into service
in Masonic Lodges. I suppose that if aliens were to land on earth; and
we were to number them among our residents, that a similar span of
time will occur before they can be accepted into our mysteries. We
teach that Patience is a necessary quality for our membership; but do
we need to practice it in such extreme?
Fraternally,
Torence Evans Ake
Secretary Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 Crete, Illinois
PM Arcadia Lodge No. 1138 Lansing, Illinois
other than Christianity as it expanded with the Empire. However,
Masonry came to India in 1728 with the appointment of Provincial Grand
Master Pomfret whose job it was to form a Lodge of Masons at Fort
William in Bengal in the East Indies. (Calcutta). The first local
initiated was Omdat-ul-Omrah Nawab Carnatic, though a Christian, the
Craft did not allow him in until 1775. It was not until 1872 that Bro.
P.C. Dutt, the first Indian Masonic Hindu became a member of our Craft
and that happened only after nine years of objection from the
Provincial Grand Master, Hugh Sanderman. Bengal had invoked a specific
by-law, No. 55 that denied the right to native Indians to become
members of the lodge. Brother Dutt then became a member of Anchor and
Hope No. 234. Twenty-three years later, he was Deputy District Grand
Master.
However, it is equally important to note that in 1752, Lodge No. 222
was formed in Madras. (Chennnai) Chennaipattinam was named after
Chennaiappa Naicker, Raja of Kalahasthi and Vandavasi from whom the
British acquired the town in 1639 by sale. The deed, dated August
1639, was issued to Francis Day of the British East India Company.
Chennapattinam also alludes to the Chenna Kesava Perumal Temple. The
word chenni in Tamil means face, and the temple was regarded as the
face of the city. Fort George was located there and the city was not
considered part of India proper until later.
Madras (Chennai) can boast of having two Masonic firsts. It was the
first place where two lodges merged of both persuasions, Ancient and
Modern in 1785, twenty-eight years before unification. It was the
lodge at Madras, in 1857, that the worlds first Hindu Mason was
received into this world. Bro. Ranganath Sastry became a Mason in the
Lodge Perfect Unanimity No. 233, the same peaceful lodge that resolved
the differences created artificially between the personalities of the
Athol and Premier Grand Lodges.
India can boast, however, of the worlds first Sikh Mason. Bro.
Duleep Singh became the worlds first Sikh Mason in Lodge Star in the
East in 1861.
So it can be safely said from the record that Masonry often waits
130 years or so before new kinds of men can be admitted into service
in Masonic Lodges. I suppose that if aliens were to land on earth; and
we were to number them among our residents, that a similar span of
time will occur before they can be accepted into our mysteries. We
teach that Patience is a necessary quality for our membership; but do
we need to practice it in such extreme?
Fraternally,
Torence Evans Ake
Secretary Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 Crete, Illinois
PM Arcadia Lodge No. 1138 Lansing, Illinois