My Brethren,

Much has been spoken and written about decline in Masonic standards, Masonic values and Membership in Masonic Lodges. Theories have been propounded on the possibilities of turning the clock back. At times there is a feeling of despair. I have witnessed the changes in Masonic standards, values and membership over the years, since I first saw light of Freemasonry. Is there no way to enlightenment?

Buddhists, contrary to popular Western opinion, are not athiests. It is merely that they go beyond name and form, beyond being the concept, and thus, in their desire to transcend reasons, appear to speak of the divine and the path to enlightenment in negative or apparently nihilistic terms. This is reflected well in a Zen story of Koan. Joshu asked the teacher Nanseen, ‘What is the true way?’ Nanseen answered ‘Every day way is the true way’.

Joshu asked ‘Can I study it?’

Nanseen answered ‘The more you study, the further from the way.

Joshu asked ‘If I don’t study it, how can I know it?’

Nanseen answered ‘The way does not belong to things seen; nor to things unseen : It does not belong to things known, nor to things unknown. Do not seek it, study it, or name it. To find yourself on it, open yourself as wide as the sky.’

I do sincerely believe that the answer to our state of diffidence and despair lies in this small story. The way will be found, but for this all of us open our hearts. The ego, nepotism, selfishness, clamour to seek, one upmanship and jealousy, narrow our thinking, close our hearts and shut our minds. We have all joined this great brotherhood to open our hearts, minds and our thoughts. There is no magical wand to get over the problems that Freemasonry is facing today. The only way forward is ‘no way’. as Nanseen said. Let us not catch at a straw, and make scape goats of small happenings. The real way forward is total openness. The way will be found. Do not look for it, do not ask for it, do not seek it. Keep all anxieties aside, and be open to your brethren. I see the bright light at the end of the tunnel.

Grand Master

Brethren,

We have crossed yet another milestone by way of restoring amity with the Grand Lodge of Ireland, our erstwhile parent Grand lodge, and definitely it is a laudable achievement. We may state that this is another glorious feather in the cap of Indian Freemasonry under the excellent stewardship of our M.W. The Grand Master, M.W. Bro. D.D. Udeshi, OSM. In this chain, let me share another information with you, and it is, that the amity between our Grand Lodge and Grand Lodge of Scotland is in the pipeline and any day it would be an accomplished fact.

Brethren, the rainy season in our country is a period when humidity and sultriness is at its peak. The continuous and nerve wrecking atmosphere saps ones’ energy though at times the intermittent showers accompanied by pleasant breeze give us some relief too. But Freemasonry is not at all deterred by the vagaries of nature and inspite of oppressive heat and killing sultriness and humidity it keeps on moving forward on its path. Naturally M.W. The Grand Master and his officers braved the oppressive conditions with lots of brethren in tow. The month of August, witnessed a surfeit of activities.

On 2nd August M.W. The Grand Master consecrated Lodge Engineers No. 340 at Chennai, and on 3rd August he consecrated Chapter Millennium No. 108 as M.E. The First Grand Principal, and the Mark Lodge Millennium No. 106, both at Chennai. All the three ceremonies were conducted in Masonic traditions with all solemnity and were attended by a large number of brethren to add still more grace to them.

On 9th August M.W. The Grand Master, paid an official visit to Lodge Central India No. 84 Indore and in a solemn and colourful ceremony presented 50 years LTS Jewel to W.Bro. Babu Lal Gupta, and also paid an official visit to Lodge Malwa No. 37 at Indore.

On 16th August, M.W. The Grand Master visited the meeting of Lodge Dr. Sarosh Bhacca No. 229, Surat to present 50 years LTS Jewels to R.W. Bro. Dr. S.S. Bhacca and V.W. Bro. H.F. Wadia at Lodge Dr. Sarosh Bhacca No. 229, Surat. It was emphasized that the brethren getting 50 years LTS Jewels will continue to serve the Freemasonry with the zeal and sincerity with which they have served it so far.

On 23rd August M.W. The Grand Master attended Half-Yearly meeting of Regional Grand Lodge of Southern Indian at Vijayawada. The meeting was a well attended affair, held with full decorum observing all Masonic norms in an impeccable way. The presence of the Regional Grand Masters of Northern, Eastern and Western regions added more splendour to it.

M.E. Comp. Arun Chintopanth, represented M.E. The First Grand Principal at Half-Yearly Convocation of Regional Grand Chapter of Southern India, and also represented M.W. The Grand Master in Half-Yearly Convocation of Regional Grand Mark Lodge of Southern India at Vijaywada. These meetings held on 24th August, 2003 bore the true stamp of Masonic grace, dignity and solemnity.

On 30th August, 2003 M.W. The Grand Master attended the Half-Yearly meeting of the Regional Grand Lodge of Eastern India at Faizabad, close to famous Ayodhya - the birth place of Lord Rama. The meeting was conducted with all the decorum. It was also attended by the Regional Grand Masters of North, south and West along with the members of their deputation. Their presence added further grace and colour to the meeting. The brethren were also provided with the opportunity to visit Ram Janam Bhoomi at Ayodhya and it was availed of, by many. On 31st August, M.E. Comp. Dilip Basu represented M.E. The First Grand Principal at Half-Yearly Convocation of Regional Grand Chapter of Eastern India. He also represented M.W. The Grand Master at the Half-Yearly Convocation of the Regional Grand Mark Lodge of Eastern India at Faizabad. These meetings were well attended and conducted very gracefully and impressively.

Brethren, it will be quite appropriate and in the fitness of things to remind you about the Grand Festival to be held at Bangalore – the city of gardens, on 15th and 16th November 2003. It is a spectacle which even gods would crave to see, for here, there would be the customary transfer of gavel in the most benign and amiable Masonic spirit of brotherhood, permeating the entire ambience with love affection and joy, accompanied by the well known and peerless hospitality of the Banglorians. Needless to say that for progress sky is the limit and R.W. Bro. Arun Chintopanth OSM, Grand Master elect will keep the torch of progress ablaze and under his leadership we are sure to scale greater heights. Brethren, I appeal to you to attend this mega event with your spouses, and be a proud witness as well as participant of this breath-taking event. So come one, and come all.

Dr. Harish Gupta

Registration :-

Registration fee is only Rs. 900/- per Mason. You need to pay an additional sum of Rs. 200/- if your spouse is accompaying you.

Payment in the form of Demand Draft made in favour of “Grand Lodge of India-Annual Convocation-2003” payable at Bangalore is to be sent along with the Registration form to :

M/s. Girimaji & Sons,
No. 46, Tumkur Road, P.B. No. 2217, Bangalore-560 022

M.E. the First Grand Principal and Companions, when the call came to me to prepare an oration to explain the nature and purpose of this degree at this morning’s consecration of a new Royal arch Chapter, it left me wondering whether there was any new dimension that could be ascribed to this degree which could be presented to this discerning gathering of R.A. Masons.

It then occured to me that lately there has been an addition to our ritual in the inclusion of the decree of Cyrus. The temptation to refer to this new aspect and touch upon it with my own interpretation has resulted in the following oration.
Originally in the ceremony of exaltation, when the MEZ questioned the three sojourners about their antecedents, he was simply informed that they were nobly born and descended from a race of patriarchs and Kings; in fact brethren of his own tribes and families.

The extended ritual is inteded to delve a little deeper into the antecedents of the sojourners and thus, in my view, open up a new angle, a new dimension to the nature and purpose of this order.

The MEZ in the amended ritual provokes the sojourners into describing their detailed lineage. The sojourners thus describe their ancestors, who, they mention, for their sins and the sins of the people, were led into captivity with Johoiachin their King, by Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, there to remain for seventy years, as was foretold by the prophet Jeremiah. The period of captivity expired in the first year of the reign of Cyrus, King of Persia, when it pleased the Almighty to inspire that noble prince to issue the proclamation, that is now a part of our own ritual.

Companions, who was Cyrus and where does he fit into the scheme of RA Masonry?

History records the fact that Cyrus was a just, wise and a great ruler. After Cyrus had conquered Babylon, he restored to the Jews the looted treasures of the great temple at Jerusalem, freed them from their captivity, and helped them to complete the temple that was destroyed. Cyrus was called the “Annointed of the Lord” in the Jewish Testament. Henri Berr says in his introduction to Clement Huart’s book on the “Civilisation of Persia” that Cyrus and his successor Darius were different from the other cruel and heartless monarchs of Babylon and Assyria. They were so because of their Persian culture which had at its back the teachings of Zoroaster. Cyrus considered himself the representative of the divine quality of “Khashthra” and accordingly used the powers he commanded for the good of others as the Great Father in Heaven Himself would do.

In otherwords, the Character of Cyrus, King of Persia represents the Zoroastrian concept of “Khasthra”, in fact a universal concept, certainly a Masonic concept, which a effect means a selfless use of all our powers and influence within us for the good of others as the Great Father in Heaven would Himself do.

This is the lesson contained in the new portion of our Ritual. That we need to use our powers for the good of others and not for our own selfish reasons.

A very simple sounding lesson, but I dare say a very, difficult one to practice. As St. Augustine says: “whatsoever good I know - and I always think to do it - but whenever the opportunity to do it comes, I always do whatsover is wrong”. This is the human dilemma.

Just consider Companions, how much of peace and prosperity will envelop the World when the power and influence of each one of us is used only for the good and welfare of others. Will not a sense of universal brotherhood be cultivated - And is this not the very objective of Freemasonry?

How does one develop or build this goodness to others? - It is, as all scriptures and our own rituals tell us, by filling our hearts with love, with tolerance, with affection and adoration to the Creator and all his creation.

Now, why should we help others? Swami Vivekananda answers by saying : “Apparently to help the world, but really to help ourselves. Do not stand on a high pedestal and take five cents in your hand and say, ‘Here my poor man’, but be greatful that the poor man is there, so that by making a gift to him, you are able to help yourself. It is not the receiver that is blessed, but it is the giver. Be thankful that you are allowed to exercise your power of benelvolence and mercy in the world and thus become pure and perfect”.

In the Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna tells Arjuna, “Those gods shall bestow on you all the gratifications you desire; one who eats what is given by them without giving in turn to them - he is a thief indeed”. (3-12).

In modern times, when there is much stress and strain everywhere, these teachings assume great importance. It becomes imperative that we serve people around with love and concern, having the firm faith that we are serving God only.
Ordinarily when we act in this world we act from the background of likes and dislikes. It assumes selfish motives. But actions become a Karma Yoga when we act from a background that we are offering all actions to the Lord; Karma Yoga is not just action. It is our approach towards action.

“Sarvani Karmani Brahmani Adaya” says the Lord in the Gita.

Companions, the size of our body is of little account. The size of our brain is of much account. But the size of our heart is the most of all accounts.

Unfortunately today in normal life we display empty hearts. Hearts devoid of love, of affection, of tolerance, of goodness. Hence we suffer.

It is said that when the sparrow builds its nest it occupies but a single branch. When the deer slakes its thirst at the river it drinks no more than its belly can hold. We collect things becuase our hearts are often empty.

One may be endowed with enormous wealth, great prowess of extraordinary intellect. These endowments of wealth and pelf are impermanent. They may vanish as quickly as they were earned and hence they should be utilised to do good to others.
Such a process would make us “Selfless”. Problems would thus vanish if we turned selfless and got rid of the feelings of “I” and “Mine”. English language is a funny language. Very often selflessness becomes selfishness.

Selfishness robs man of his wisdom and makes him blind, thus his understanding getting clouded, he fails to come to the right judgement. That understanding alone which is not, clouded by selfishness reveals the divine wisdom. - That is selflessness.
When we are in a state of selflessness, our lives become like a river in spate; not only are we full ourselves but we wish to give to others since we have so much. Within us should be a magnificence, a fragrance. The more of it we spread, the more it grows.

Exactly opposite to this is selfishness. A wealthy man was returning home after a long sea voyage. A heavy storm overtook them and the ship was in danger of overturning at any moment. Everyone began to pray, including the rich man. When it became a question of life and death he called aloud to God and said, “If you save us today Lord, I shall sell my castle and distribute the proceeds to the poor. As it happened the storm abated and the ship reached shore safely.

Everyone on the boat had heard the rich man’s prayer, and as soon as the ship landed the news spread like wildfire. Now he regretted this prayer. He thought and thought. Many buyers came. The richman however imposed a strange condition. He tied a cat before the house and said he would sell the cat for a million rupees and the house for one rupee. Whoever buys must make both offers together.

At first people were surprised at such madness. Had anyone ever heard such a fantastic price for one cat - a million rupees? But buyers came all the same. So the deal was struck. The rich man pocketed his million rupees and distributed one rupee among the poor that being the price of his castle.

Just to tell you how selfishness can blind us thus clouding our understanding and judgement.

The character of Cyrus should be a reminder to us to be selfless, faithful and generous. That generosity should not be an attribute of the mind but that of the heart.

Companions, the beauty of our order of Freemasonry is the opportunities, the vast possibilities it opens up in the kind of meaning, the message, the thoughts, the interpretation we could gather.

But then the spirit of quest must be there. A craving to enquire to fit the symbolism into our daily lives. Our thoughts, our attitudes must be to discover profundity and lessons for ourselves. If, instead, we desire to obtain other gains such as titles, Ranks, importance and ego satisfaction then the whole exercise will be in vain.

My Companions, you have a new Royal Arch Chapter. Desire it not just to make the circle of the “Milleneium” complete with all the degrees thrown in; but desire it to enable you to reach a greater goal - infact the ultimate goal - the ultimate pupose and nature of life itself must be goal. And that in indeed the nature and purpose of this order.

Mulla Nasruddin’s wife sick with a sore throat. For three days she had a cold and was coughing. Mulla couldn’t sleep all night. In the morning he said, “Don’t worry. Today I’II bring you something for your throat”. She said, “How wonderful! Bring the jeweled necklace we saw at the shop”.

We see only what we desire. Desire is the door to our perception. Hence desire the right thing, the dharmic objective and realise such an objective.

As the poet says :-
mB tkx eqlkfQj Hkksj HkbZ] vc jSu dgk¡ tks lksor gSA
tks lksor gS oks [kksor gS tks tkxr gS oks ikor gSA

“Awake, Arise, O traveller. It is morning already. Where is the night that you are still asleep! One who continues to sleep, loses, one who is awake, attains”.

Most of us waste our lives without waking up to realise the true purpose of our lives. Dr. Victor Frankel writes : “Every man has a purpose in his life. It is waiting to be discovered. It is when we have discovered the real purpose of our life, it can be said that we have really woken. It is only after waking up that our journey begins in true sense and we become travellers on the path of progress. Such travellers do not follow a well trodden path. They make their path to their ultimate goal”.

This my Companions is the nature and purpose of our order.

I am happy that such a serious Mason as Comp. Sukumar has taken the reins of this infant RA Chapter. ‘Sukumar’ means very tender, very delicate. May the combination of the tender mind soaked in the wisdom of this order mature into a delicious fruit of salvation for generations to come.

I am thankful to M.W. Grand Master for giving me this opportunity. Assembled here are many Senior and eminent Masons, I am only trying to brush up our thoughts regarding the significance and purpose of Freemasonry. We have many hidden significances of the Ritual we conduct in every Masonic meeting. Masonry has to be lived before it can be fully understood. The deeper meaning of the dramatic ceremonial must be applied to the daily life of each of us. There is a hidden significance underlying our ritual. It is not all the surface. Some brethren have not ascended to as high as intellectual level as others. Some almost deny that there is a hidden significance. To them Freemasonry meant that they should be happy and communicate happiness to others and little or nothing more than that.

What is the hidden side of Masonry? What is the true purpose of the craft system? Masonry is a quest of the individual Mason’s soul for the Divinity resident with his own heart. That is the general principle on which our whole system is based. All our ceremonies, symbols etc. come together and explain and elaborate this formula. Let us begin from basic principles of Freemasonry. All details will exptain themselves in the light of basic principles.

In my earlier orations I have covered the basic principles, enuniciated in the First and Second degrees. Let me dwell upon certain interpretation of the Ritual of Master Mason degree. You have now been raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason. It is indeed a ‘sublime’ Degree one to which a man might devote his whole time in study for years to come without exhausting it. Undoubtedly you realized that yourself as you participated in its mysteries, so that you may now appreciate a hint as to its meaning. In the Third Degree you found yourself in a different order of symbolism, one cast in the language of the soul, its life, its tragedy and its triumph. To recognize this fact is the first step in the interpretation.

The second step is to recognize that the ritual of the Third degree is by its nature of purpose and deliberately to have many meanings, it is not intended to be lesson written complete, finished, closed up; but rather to be a pointing out of paths, a new departure, a series of inspiration, an awakening of all the faculties like a great drama, picture or symphony to which one may ever more return to find new meaning as in an inexhaustible fountain head of truth.

What does this raising signify? If you have the answer to this question you can afterwards find your own way into all the meanings of the Degree.

The life is full of experiences. These experiences which are incidental to our passage through time, from childhood through man hood, to old age. These are incidental to the life of the body, cluster about the home and the family, those which have to do with religion, worship, God, the meaning and purpose of life. There are those which have to do with a man’s work, occupation, social activities etc. Unless one is adequate to live in and to deal with each and all of these groups of facts circumstances, realities and experiences he cannot be happy. Now it is probable that the most difficult of all these things to deal with - one not mentioned before - is that group made up of the evils of life, in this are such hard experience as sin, defeat, suffering disease, pain, loss of friends or fortune, enmity, treachery crime wickedness, sorrow and death. If we can find wisdom to deal with these if we can triumph over these and solve their problems, our characters will be made secure and our happiness will be assured. These are traditionally reported and explained in the Master Masons degree. Thus raising by eminence we will live respected and die regretted.

Have you heard of the A-B-C method of managing your attitude? It’simple and effective.

“A” stands for the “Activating Event”. Let’s say you get stuck in traffic. The traffic jam is the activating event.

“B” stands for your “Belief System”. You believe that traffic is only getting worse and you’ll have more and more days like this ahead.

“C” stands for the “Consequence of the Event”. You become angry. You want to honk your horn. Your stomach is tied in knots and you bang the dashboard with your fist.

The problem is ... most people jump directly from “A” to “C”. They get stuck in traffic and become angry. They think the traffic jam made them upset. They don’t realize that they didn’t have to get angry. They skipped an important step!

Let’s try it again :

“A” - you get stuck in traffic.

“B” - you believe that you were given some unexpected and extra time to spend in solitude, to listen to a great tape or to plan your day.

“C” - the consequence is that you feel gratitude for the gift of time.

I have a friend who is fond of saying, “A traffic jam has no power to make us angry. It just stops our car”. He is aware that between the activating event and the consequence is something that we control : our beliefs about what is happening.

The next time you have a problem - at home or at work, big or small - decide to manage your attitude toward it.

Let’s practice the A-B-C method. You probably can’t change “A”, the activating event. But try changing “B”, your beliefs about the problem. When you change your beliefs, you also change “C”, the consequences of the situation.

It’s as simple as A-B-C.

Manage your beliefs, and you’II manage to be a lot happier!

The Lodge where you are a member is your home lodge. This should be the most familiar of all places for the relief of the day to day stress that one faces in the world.

The attendance and participation of each member shows the new and uninformed member how important it is to be a faithful and worthy brother. To be faithful, you must attend, and to be worthy, you must practice what you have learned in the lodge. The burden of teaching is on every member, and not the sole duty of the Lodge Education Officer.

To learn the history of the lodge, so you can pass it on to visiting brothers, is not only a matter of pride but one honor. If you encourage a visiting brother to tell you of the history of his lodge, you will give him a chance to make a connection with all the brothers of both lodges. As you want to know them, they want to know you.

Practicing what you learn in the lodge is important. Through the practice of the principles of Masonry you become a better person. You also show the world that masonry works for the good of all and not just for its members.

When you visit another lodge, the usual questions are :

What Lodge are you from?

How old is your lodge?

Who is the Worshipful Master?

New Lodge meets in Airplane Hanger!

On December 22, Nevada chartered and consecrated its newest Lodge, Sandy Valley Lodge number 57 – its third new Lodge in four years.

For those who aren’t familiar with Nevada geography, Sandy Valley is about 45 miles southwest of Las Vegas, west of the town of Jean on I-15, and south of the town of Pahrump. Sandy Valley is a growing new community of about 3500 residents, and one of the major features of the town is its landing strip.

One of the members of the Lodge lives at the side of that landing strip, and has made his airplane hangar available for Lodge meetings, which are held on the first Saturday of each month at 9:00 AM.