DISTRICT GRAND BANQUET 2015 - W Bro. Brian Kretzschmar

On Saturday the 30th May 2015, the District Grand Banquet was held in the Rainbow Room at the Johannesburg

Country Club. It was a prestigious occasion. Welcome drinks, a superb three course dinner with wines followed by

coffee.

It was a glittering occasion made more splendid by our ladies in their flowing formal dress. What a proud moment to

be a Freemason. The highlights of the evening were the presentations of our Major Annual Donations to non-

Masonic charities – on behalf of ALL the Freemasons of our District.

(L to R): W Bro. Richard Woodward, Mr Frank Enslin,

Chairman of The Gateway, RW Bro. Guy Charlesworth

and W Bro. Mike Edy.

(L to R): W Bro. Mike Edy, Mrs Jacqui Kaye (CEO of

Hospice), Joy Kuwodo (Marketing Manager of Hos-

pice), RW Bro. Guy Charlesworth and W Bro. Brian

Kretzschmar

Above; The Rainbow room at the Johannesburg

Country Club

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DISTRICT SENIOR GRAND WARDEN - W BRO. DAVE GURNEY

My Masonic journey thus far has many

fond memories. Firstly my Initiation on

Wednesday 26th June 1985 into Boks-

burg St John Lodge No. 8642 is still clear

in my mind. I was privileged to serve this,

my Mother Lodge, as Master in 1995 and

again in 2002.

Once Passed and Raised, I joined the

Cinderella Mark Lodge No. 621 on 11th

April 1994, followed by the Boksburg

Royal Arch Chapter No. 2480 on the 25th

May 1987, and Boksburg Cinderella

Lodge of Royal Ark Mariners No. 621 on

16th May 1988. Since then I have joined

numerous other orders, some only more

recently.

As my Masonic journey expanded in the

last 15 years I have often visited County

Mark Lodges over weekends, an experi-

ence I soon started to enjoy as it provided

the opportunity to really get to know other

Brethren in the District.

My wife Janet has always been totally

supportive and as my Masonic circle ex-

panded, so did her understanding of the

people with whom I was associating.

I was honoured to be appointed District Senior Grand Warden. This was not an Office I had ever

anticipated achieving during my journey, dreamt of yes, but never expected to achieve.

The privilege of addressing the Brethren of those Lodges I visited is an experience never to be

forgotten, as is the sense of camaraderie that I felt.

I now look forward to the opportunity of being called upon by the new district team in my capacity

as PDSGW on occasions when my successors are unable to find that specific meeting to be

within the length of their cable-tow.

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DISTRICT JUNIOR GRAND WARDEN - W BRO. DRIES KRAUSE

Dries was initiated into Verona Lodge

No.8187 in 1993 by James Anderson a

PM of Verona Lodge, who now lives in

Ramsgate. He served as the Millennium

Master of Verona Lodge in 1999/2000.

Dries was also Master of The Lodge of

Goodwill No.711 in Port Elizabeth in

2009/10 and 2010/11 and is still a Coun-

try member.

Dries received his first Craft District ap-

pointment as District Grand Standard

Bearer in 2003 and was again given the

same Active Rank in 2005. In 2008, he

was appointed as District Grand Standard

Bearer and District Junior Grand Warden

in 2010 in Port Elizabeth.

After his return to Johannesburg, he was

promoted to District Senior Grand Deacon

in 2012 and District Junior Grand Warden

in 2014.

In Royal Arch, Dries is a PZ of Kosmos

Chapter No.2768 and also a member of

the Port Elizabeth Royal Arch Chapter

No.711. He received his first District ap-

pointment as District Grand Steward in

2009 and DG2nd

Asst Soj in 2010 in the

Eastern Division, as well as DGSoj in 2013 in the District of South Africa North.

Dries, has attained the 30th degree and is a Past MWS of Corona Rose Croix Chapter. He is al-

so a Past Preceptor of Johannesburg Knights Templar, Past High Priest of Kosmos KTP and a

Past MPS in The Red Cross of Constantine.

Having been in the insurance industry for 44 years, he holds am Insurance Diploma and is an

Honorary Member of the IISA. Having retired, Dries lives in Randpark with his wife, Jossie and

they have two daughters and a son. Dries, an ardent photographer, is also a member of the Roo-

sevelt Park Bowls Club.

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DISTRICT GRAND SCRIBE NEHEMIAH - E. COMP. JOHN STEPHENS

I was exalted into Doornfontein Royal Arch Chapter in January 1988 and joined Goldfield’s Chapter in 1999. I am pres-ently Scribe Ezra of both these Chapters. I have passed through the First Princi-pal’s chair on more than one occasion and am a founder member of the First Principal’s Chapter. I was initiated into Coronation Lodge in June 1983, which means I have been associated with Craft and Royal Arch for thirty two years and twenty seven years respectively. I have served as Master of Coronation Lodge on four different occa-sions, I joined Witwatersrand Lodge in 1986 and served as Master in 1997. I hold the rank of PDSGW and a Grand Officer in both the Mark and Royal Ark Mariner. I hold the 31

st Degree in the

Rose Croix. I have found this year to be very fulfilling and rewarding. I believe it is very important that all Free-masons complete pure and Antient Free-masonry which consists of the Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft and Master Ma-son including the Royal Arch.

I have benefited from what Freemasonry has taught me and made it part of my way of life, lis-tening to the piece of ritual related to the square and compass, the way it reflects on your ma-sonic progress and development in life. Likewise in your progress through the various orders you are instructed in and deem to have graduated in the whole Masonic system from the foun-dation stone of initiation to the keystone of the Holy Royal Arch and to have raised a super structure, perfect in its part and honourable to the builder.

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GRAND LODGE AND SUPREME GRAND CHAPTER APPOINTMENTS 2015

- W Bro. David Pickard

The Right Worshipful District Grand Master Prof E Guy Charlesworth wishes to inform all the Brethren of the District of South Africa, North and offer congratulations on their behalf, to the fol-lowing Brethren who have received Grand Rank Promotions and 1st Appointments this year.

Grand Lodge Appointments:

1st Appointments:

W Bro. Frank Bender PAGDC, Kensington Lodge No. 4893

W Bro. Richard Fahrenheim PAGDC, Kosmos Lodge No. 2768

W Bro. David Gamble PAGDC, Roodepoort Lodge No. 2539

Promotions:

W Bro. Gordon Martin PJGD, Prosperity Lodge No. 2607

W Bro. Ivor Sander PJGD, Corona Lodge No. 2731

Supreme Grand Chapter Appointments:

1st Appointments:

E. Comp. Dennis Hammond PGStB, St Michael’s Chapter No. 8643

E. Comp. Markus Zbinden PAGDC, Swaziland Chapter No. 7035

Promotions:

E Comp. Ernie’ Kleingeld PGStB, Liberty Chapter No. 2485

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SETTING THE SCENE IN THE HOLY ROYAL ARCH - E. Comp Tim Smith

As the Deputy Grand Superintendent, I have the success of every Chapter in the District at heart. However, I am very concerned that many members leave the Royal Arch or don’t attend their Chapter meetings because they don’t understand the exaltation ceremony. The ceremony undergoes various location changes; from a building site in Jerusalem, to a hidden subterranean vault, to the Grand Sanhedrim (the council which sat together to govern the temple and the religious life of the Jews), but these take place without any physical change to the equip-ment or layout of the Chapter room itself. In an attempt to overcome this problem, our Grand Superintendent has given permission for the issuing of a script which I hope will be of assistance in “setting the scene” during the exaltation ceremony. This will form part of the ritual and will be read to the members, during the natural in-tervals when the sojourners and candidates have retired from the room. We cannot afford to lose any of our members and must do all we can to help them appreciate what is happening during the ceremony, so that they can enjoy and participate in it. I believe the introduction of a Janitors card will be invaluable to the candidate in understanding where they are when the blindfold is removed. In this instance, the candidate is in fact no longer a “candidate”, but represents one of those exiles returning to Jerusalem as a sojourner or journeyman builder who discovers that the Temple and Holy City are in ruins. Together with his colleagues, he offers assistance in building a new temple which leads to the discovery of great importance. My goal is to ensure that all of our candidates leave their exaltation ceremony satisfied that they have joined something rather special and are given as much information as possible about the order. I believe that “setting the scene” will achieve this.

7

FEEDBACK - THE CORNERSTONE IS READ INTERNATIONALLY

This is a letter received in response to W Bro. Dr Ron Poole’s article “A Masonic Journey” pub-lished in the 8th edition of the Cornerstone. W Bro. Williams, Having been rooting about the internet, I discovered the SA North's website and read with inter-est Ron Poole's account of his visit to London last April for the Grand Investiture and the subse-quent Grand Festival. He mentions that to be invested with Grand Rank "[he was] carefully collected by Grand Stew-ards who walked [us] with great decorum to the Grand Master himself." There are 19 Lodges in England who, each year, each have the right to put up a brother to be appointed a Grand Steward, the so-called "Red Apron Lodges". (The reason for these lodges' privilege is a very old story, dating back to 1728, and which is told here: http://grandstewards.org/History.aspx). Suffice to say that, last year during Ron's visit, I was a Grand Steward, and so there's a 5.2% chance that it was I who escorted Ron up to be invested by the MW the GM, HRH the Duke of Kent. In the evening, the Grand Festival takes place. This is the responsibility of the Grand Stew-ards. Ron notes that "The Stewards cherish their positions and incur much expense for the privilege, including having to sojourn through France to seek out and buy suitable wines for the following banquet." But I'm afraid that he's not entirely correct. The primary responsibility of the 19 Grand Stewards is to arrange the Grand Festival each year, at which some 500 brethren from around the world are fed and watered. This does take a lot of organising and, focussing on one of my core skills, I had the privilege of being chairman of the Wine Committee. As you may imagine, we, the Wine Committee, laboured hard - very hard - to discharge our duties: tasting, re-tasting, and tasting again and again! But where Ron is in-correct is his assertion that we had to sojourn through France to seek out the good stuff. If on-ly! The truth is that we chose an excellent local wine merchant (Majestic Wine Warehouse) who did us proud, I very much hope. Having grown up in Jo'burg, and gone to school in the KZN Midlands, I would have very much liked to have served Waterford Chardy 2008, followed perhaps by Rustenberg Peter Barlow 2000, with Vin de Constance 1998 to provide stuff with which to propose the toasts! But it was not to be: we kicked off with Heidsieck's delicious Monopole Brut, then at the table had Nicolas Potel's excellent Bourgogne Blanc 2011, followed by Chateau Peyrabon 2003, a fantastic, fully mature cru bourgeois that punched well above its weight (or cost, to be more accurate!). It's Grand Festival time again in a few weeks' time, and I look forward to seeing how my suc-cessors have got on! I will try to locate any SA North brethren to say hello! With all good wishes, Guy Leadbeater Grand Master's Lodge No.1 Past Grand Steward Metropolitan Grand Sword Bearer

8

THE ORDER OF ST JOHN - W Bro. Brian Kretzschmar

Most of us only know the Order of St John’s Ambulance, as first aid at sports matches. Not so. I was surprised to learn from W Bros. Glanmore and Spiller, that their work encompasses much more. Over and above their sports connections, St John’s offers First Aid and Home Care training to commerce and industry, the military, schools and government departments. They also give courses to the general public so that they can assist in times of emergency at home and work. Their range of courses is designed to cater for the advanced first aider down to young school children. St John’s also has a programme for those individuals with limited reading and writing skills. During the year ending March 2013, they had trained 23 326 South Africans. In recognition of their admirable work, the District donated an 8.4m x 2.8m gazebo – their most urgent need.

W Bro. Dick Glanville makes the

presentation from the District

WOODLANDS “ALL SAINTS” LODGE 3668 - W Bro. Richard Fahrenheim

The Brethren of the Woodlands Lodge No. 3668EC have decided to update the vision and nature of the Lodge and to align its membership on the basis of alumni, parents and teachers of “Johannesburg Saints’ Schools”. This means that they are looking to provide a Masonic home to past pupils, par-ents of past or current pupils and past or present teachers at any of the “Saints” schools in the greater Johannesburg area. This would include, amongst others, the likes of St. Benedicts, St. Davids, St. Johns, St. Peters and St. Stithians.

Woodlands Lodge is a relatively old Lodge in the District. It was founded in 1913 and named the Sachsenwald Lodge after the forest of the same name which covered the townships of Parktown North and Rosebank. In 1915, it changed its name to Woodlands Lodge, which to-day, appropriately represents Johannesburg’s urban forest.

As the only “Old Boys” Lodge in the District, we are keen to maintain contact with the Saints Schools and would, wherever possible, conduct one working a year at each school. Regular meetings will continue to take place at Freemasons’ Hall.

In terms of charity, we would like to focus on education and will be looking at offering bursaries to students in need of financial assistance.

For more information, please contact me at richard@fahrenheim.org.

9

DepDistGM VW.Bro. David B Whitfield

ADistGM W.Bro. Bernie Bernard Krone

ADistGM W.Bro. Brian F McDermott

ADistGM W.Bro. Chris van Gaalen

ADistGM W.Bro. Graeme N Mackenzie

DistSGW W.Bro. Richard N Fahrenheim

DistJGW W.Bro. Richard J Lipnicki

DistGChap W.Bro. Vernon H van Wyk

DistGTreas W.Bro. Charles N Burn

DistGReg W.Bro. Gordon M Martin

PresDistBoardGP W.Bro. Mike S Edy

DistGSec W.Bro. David I Pickard

PresDistBoard-Ben

W.Bro. Brian J Kretzschmar

DistGDC W.Bro. Simon C Knutton

DistGSwdB W.Bro. Alan R Clothier

DistGSuptWks W.Bro. Christopher C Reynolds

DistGAlm W.Bro. Mike E Armour

DistDepGDC W.Bro. Andre' Ferreira

DistDepGDC W.Bro. Richard W Hawthorne

DistDepGDC W.Bro. Sean Heathcote

DistGOrator W.Bro. Dick R Glanville

DistGMentor W.Bro. Philip Heydenrych

DistSGD W.Bro. Lance A Epstein

DistSGD W.Bro. Rory J Jones

DistSGD W.Bro. Woody J Woodward

DistJGD W.Bro. Ajay S Nunkoo

DistJGD W.Bro. Mike D Smith

DistJGD W.Bro. Serge Obradovich

DistAGSec W.Bro. Davey W Faul

DistAGDC W.Bro. Bill J Hynds

DistAGDC W.Bro. O Martin M Smit

DistAGDC W.Bro. Paul A Spencer

DistAGDC W.Bro. Peter W Veal

DistGOrg W.Bro. Pieter J Wessels

DistGStB W.Bro. Jean F de Coriolis

DistGStB W.Bro. Thys J Snyman

DistGPurs W.Bro. Gerrit H J du Plooy

DistGStwd W.Bro. Andries D Butzbach

DistGStwd W.Bro. Carl P de Montille

DistGStwd W.Bro. John M M Mehliss

DistGStwd W.Bro. Patrick B Shortt

DistGStwd W.Bro. Roland Dunstan

DistGStwd W.Bro. Steve A Stratford

DistGTyler W.Bro. Frans J J Visagie

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DepGSupt E. Comp. Tim J Smith

2ndDistGPrin E. Comp. Dave J Gamble

3rdDistGPrin E. Comp. Howard Freeman

Asst to DistGPrins

E. Comp. Colin J Robinson

PresDist-ComGP

E. Comp. Brad B Gillies

DistGSE E. Comp. David I Pickard

DistGSN E. Comp. G Barry Winter

DistGTreas E. Comp. Hilly Rosin

DistGReg E. Comp. Gordon M Martin

DistGDC E. Comp. Vaughn P Williams

DistGSwdB E. Comp. Dave W Jones

DistDepGDC E. Comp. Ian Fraser

DistDepGDC E. Comp. Mike E Armour

DistGSoj E. Comp. Bill William J Parish

Dist1stAGSoj E. Comp. Clive R Fagan

Dist2ndAGSoj E. Comp. Dieter K Dreyer

DistAGSE E. Comp. Dick P Hammond

DistGStB E. Comp. Bryan C Price

DistGStB E. Comp. Neil Broughton-Johnson

DistAGDC E. Comp. Leighton B Shaw

DistAGDC E. Comp. Vic R Pugh

DistGStwd E. Comp. Dale S M McLean

DistGStwd E. Comp. Ross S V Cole

DistGStwd E. Comp. Roy J Menyennett

DistGStwd E. Comp. Tom J Korff

DistGJan E. Comp. Frans J J Visagie

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SCHOOL REBUILD – VANUATU - W Bro. Brian Kretzschmar

Charity certainly is the distinguishing characteristic of a Freemason’s heart and this is being amply illustrated by W Bro. Russel Chilton and the members of Lodge of Discovery in Vanuatu, as they rebuild a school ripped apart by a tropical cyclone.

12

SO MOTE IT BE

At every meeting we say it, we chant it, if there is music in the lodge, we sing it, over and again – and yet very surprisingly I’ve only ever been asked once, what is “So Mote it Be”, what does it mean and from whence does it originate? So here goes … The oldest Masonic expression is “So Mote it Be.” It is used in and outside the Lodge as a gen-eral response to Masonic prayer. It derives from the famous Regius Poem, sometimes called the Halliwell Manuscript and is said by experts to have been written circa 1390 by a monk who had access to Operative Masonic documents. This document was discovered by a citizen of London, a non-mason, Mr J.O. Halliwell Phillips, in about 1839 in the British Museum where it was catalogued under the title “a poem of moral duties.” The poem, written in Chaucerian English, is the oldest Masonic document in existence, the un-known monk who composed it showed remarkable clarity of understanding about the fraternity of Freemasons of the times, who were of course operative workmen. He lists the rules which govern the Craft, the relationships between Masters and workmen, the moral will, occupational and religious duties of the Craftsmen. Nearly all the articles in this an-cient document, over 600 years old, are as applicable today (in substance) as they were when they were written so long ago. The final words of the poem are – “Amen and Amen! So mote it be! May we all live in charity.” “Mote” is an Anglo-Saxon word originally derived from the Saxon word “motan” meaning “may”. The phrase “so mote it be” literally means “so be it” and was used in the middle ages in Eng-land as a pious finale to blessings. It should be noted that the medieval formula began with the Hebrew word “Amen” nowadays more often than not omitted from Masonic usage. The word “Amen” has a range of meanings and related to fidelity, constancy, sureness, trust, and when used at the end of prayers and blessings, it was a formula of acquiescence and confirmation as though to say “Truly, we believe that is [or will be] so.” Thus, though the “Amen” and the “so mote it be” did not originally have the same meanings, they have acquired the same meaning in the course of time of centuries, and that possibly ex-plains the modern Masonic omission of the word “Amen.” So, “So Mote it Be” is the ancient “Amen” of the Freemason! So Mote it Be !!

13

ULTRA DISTANCE RUNNING UNDER THE BANNER OF FREEMASONRY CARES

- W Bro. Brian Kretzschmar

Phil Waudby started running 8 years ago when he raised R40 000 in aid of the Red Cross Children’s Hospital in Cape Town. The event was the 250km Kalahari Augrabies Ex-treme Marathon (KAEM), which is run over 7 days with daily distances ranging from 28km to 80km (day/night sections). Following on from his first success, Phil conquered the Comrades Marathon, raising R60 000 for the Starfish Foun-dation. In 2011, Phil took on his greatest challenge by running to the start of the KAEM Marathon from Benoni. He covering a distance of 933km in 12 days. After just one rest day, he then completed the 250km race and raised R130 000 for the Sunflower Fund. Phil was signed up to run for CHOC (Children’s Haematolo-gy Oncology Clinics) last year, but was unable to complete the race due to medical reasons. The District Grand Lodge of South Africa North still fully supported Phil’s effort and presented CHOC with a cheque for R30 000. Phil’s next project will be running for OSCAP – Outraged SA Citizens Against Poaching – in 2016.

ENERGY SAVING & GREEN IDEAS PROJECT FOR SCHOOLS

- W Bro. Brian Kretzschmar

Schools in Cosmo City, Diepkloof, Diepsloot and the East Rand have been challenged to write essays on: renewable energy, tidy homes, streets, cleaning rivers and any lateral thinking green earth ideas. Grades 5, 6 and 7 compete to win one of 10 soccer board games per school. In association with Green Beings, 10 schools have already participated, with over 500 children entering the competition. A further sponsor supported this initiative by donating a stationary pack to each competing student.

Left: Current DJGW, W Bro. Dries Krause; Centre: Alex Front of Green Being donating soccer board games; Right:

Students with their prizes

14

BIENNIAL VIELERIAN LECTURE - W Bro. Dick Glanville

Lyceum Lodge of Research recently hosted W Bro. Michel Jaccard, 33 degree PhD member of the Grand Lodge Alpina of Switzerland, who presented a lecture entitled “The Biennial Vielerian Lecture”. The event was a resounding success with approximately 130 brethren from both the English and Sister constitutions in attendance. It was an especially memorable occasion for the 17 Entered Apprentices who attended.

15

DEATH NOTICES - Mrs Fern Rowles

It is with regret that we record the calling of the following Brethren to the Grand Lodge above:

Bro. P Z Barnard Letaba 18/01/2015 W.Bro. K M Clark PDistSGW St Michael's 29/07/2015 W.Bro. N P Coetzer PDistSGD Ionic 05/11/2014 W.Bro. J Cowell PAGDC Phoenix 20/04/2015 W.Bro. H A Davis PDistDepGDC Melrose 11/07/2015 W.Bro. E A Dewar PDistSGW Astrea 29/07/2015 W.Bro. W J Dolan PDistSGW Golden West 21/01/2015 W.Bro. F D Evans PDistSGW Barberton 07/12/2014 W.Bro. L Harding PDistJGW Golden Harvest 06/02/2015 W.Bro. G Harrop-Allin (Jnr) PDistSGW Transvaal 06/07/2015 W.Bro. A J Hyde PDistSGW Golden Harvest 04/12/2014 W.Bro. E L Murray PDistJGW Vereeniging Peace 12/04/2015 W.Bro. S H J Naude PDistJGW Kensington 21/04/2015 W.Bro. C Oosthuizen PDistSGW Vereeniging Peace 06/07/2015 Bro. M P Povey Rose & Thistle 19/05/2015 W.Bro. G R Rupping PDistSGW Rose & Thistle 16/02/2015 W.Bro. J S Saunders Royal Edward 09/04/2015 Bro. J S W Simkins Doornfontein 26/01/2015 Bro. J Smith St. George's 15/05/2015 Bro. D Strange Universal Friendship 07/05/2015 W.Bro. P W Wells PDistJGW Bryanston 12/06/2015 W.Bro. M R Wills PDistSGW Phalaborwa 10/01/2015 VW.Bro. D L de Beer PGSwdB Golden Harvest 30/03/2015 W.Bro. J H A van Heerden Astrea 07/03/2015 W.Bro. J F van der Linden PDistSGW Ionic 15/05/2015

16

THE CORNERSTONE TEAM

Project leader: VW Bro. Iain Fraser pandifraser@gmail.com 082 377 2396

Editor: W Bro. Vaughn Williams vaughnw@iafrica.com 082 899 5100

Proof reader: Mrs Helen Charlesworth

Repro and layout: Michelle Segalla marketingservices@mweb.co.za

Contributors: W Bro. Brian Kretzschmar

W Bro. Dave Gurney

W Bro. Dries Krause

E. Comp. John Stephens

W Bro. David Pickard

E. Comp. Tim Smith

W Bro. Richard Fahrenheim

W Bro. Dick Glanville

W Bro. Lance Epstein

Mrs Fern Rowles