Far East
Far East. The Far East includes 1. Afghanistan; 2. India (Bengal, Bombay, Madras, Punjab, United Provinces, etc.); 3. East Pakistan and West Pakistan (Baluchistan); 4. Nepal; 5. Ceylon; 6. Burma; 7. Malay and Straits Settlements; 8. Thailand; 9. French Indo-China (Cochin China); 10. China; 11. Korea; 12. Japan; 13. Siberia.
1. Afghanistan
Afghanistan, (comments removed) in 1919. In June, 1880, the United Grand Lodge of England warranted Seaforth Lodge No. 1866 in Kabul, but the lodge was closed forever in October 1881.
2. India
The first lodge warranted by the Grand Lodge of England outside of the British Isles was Lodge No. 72 at Bengal in 1728. In the following year, a Provincial G. M. for India was appointed. A second lodge soon followed which, in 1740, relinquished some members to form a third lodge. In 1752, No. 221 was formed at Chandernagore, but was erased in 1790. No. 272 at Calcutta was warranted in 1761 and is now Lodge of Industry and Perseverance No. 109. By 1775, 12 lodges had been formed in Bengal, three of which were in Calcutta as follows: Star in the East, which was the third lodge constituted in Bengal, became the oldest when the first lodge of 1730 was erased in 1770; Lodge of Industry and Perseverance of 1761, and Humanity and Fortitude of 1773. In addition, there were lodges at Patna, Chandernagore, Burdwan, Dacca, and Moorsheadabad (Moradabad), with some military lodges. The Grand Lodge of Holland chartered, in Bengal, Solomon Lodge in 1759, Perseverance in 1771, and Constancy in 1773. In 1781, f*ghting broke out which swept away every lodge, except Industry and Perseverance but, in 1785, the Provincial G. L. revived and, in 1794, had 10 lodges under it.
Freemasonry in Bengal exhibited some of the same tendency toward government by a clique as has long existed in England, the Provincial Grand Master of Bengal being elected only from one of the two oldest lodges. This was resented and, at the first opportunity, a warrant was sought and obtained from the Ancient Grand Lodge of England, Lodge No. 146 being established at Calcutta in 1767. Thirty years passed before any more sentiment for Ancient Masonry appeared in Bengal but, when it arrived, it swept everything before it. In 1797-98, the 4th and 5th oldest lodges in Bengal went over bodily to the Ancients, followed by Marine Lodge in 1801. The 1st and 2nd oldest lodges became practically dormant, and the 6th oldest took an Ancient warrant in 1801. The 3rd oldest lodge then expired or had previously become dormant. During the decade 1804-1813, Masonry in Bengal was practically all of the Ancient allegiance. Then, in 1813, came the Union of the Ancients and the Moderns at London, which was at once imitated in India, when 3 Ancient and 4 revived Modern lodges came together under the Provincial Grand Lodge. In the same year, the Earl of Moira, one of the most prominent and popular Masons of Great Britain, arrived in Calcutta to become Governor-General of India and, also, under the Grand Lodge of England, Acting Grand Master of India. During his presence, Masonry prospered, but he returned to England in 1822, bearing the title, Marquis of Hastings, bestowed for his services to the Empire. From 1826 to 1834, Bengal Masonry suffered from that almost complete indifference which the Grand Lodge at London often, and it may almost be said, customarily, exhibited toward its lodges overseas. The Fraternity in Bengal had no district or provincial representative and the Grand Lodge at London would neither provide it nor reply to the importunities of the lodges on the subject, and seemed intentionally to ignore them. This attitude was not reversed until 1840, when a District Grand Lodge, first in India, was constituted with Dr. John Grant as District G. M. In 1849, the first Scottish lodge in Bengal, Kilwinning in the East No. 353 (later 371) was warranted and, by 1885, Scotland had 11 lodges there.
In 1953, there were in Calcutta 32 English lodges, 8 Scotch, and 6 Irish; and in Bengal outside of Calcutta, 48 English lodges, and several Scottish. Among the English lodges still working are some of those earliest established, for examples; Star of the East No. 67 which dates from 1740 and was the third lodge established in Bengal; Industry and Perseverance No. 109 dating from 1761; Lodge of True Friendship No. 218 formed in 1775; Lodge of Humility and Fortitude No. 229 of 1773; and Anchor and Hope No. 234 established in 1773.
Bombay. The first lodge in Bombay was Bombay No. 234 in 1758 but there was no other for 40 years until Surat No. 569 was warranted in 1798. Both lodges had p*rished before the Union of 1813, when both were dropped from the roll of the United Grand Lodge of England. James Todd was appointed Provincial G. M. for Bombay in 1763, but his name disappeared from the roll before 1799. In 1801, the first warrant to be issued by the Ancient Grand Lodge for Bombay was for No. 322 in the 78th Foot Regiment, In 1822, the United G. L. of England warranted Benevolent Lodge No. 746 and, in the following year, a military lodge, Orion in the West. These were followed in 1825 by Lodge of Hope No. 802, and Lodge of Perseverance No. 181, three years later.
In 1836, Dr. James Burnes was appointed by the G. L. of Scotland Provincial G. M. for Western India and, in 1846, his jurisdiction was extended to all India, including Aden. Unconcern on the part of the United G. L. of England and neglect of the English Provincial G. M. caused the brethren to look more and more to the Scotch Provincial G. M. for guidance, and they soon began dropping out to join Scottish lodges. Lodge of Perseverance No. 818 went over bodily to Scotch allegiance. Practically all the English lodges became dormant. From Scotland, there were warranted in 1844, Rising Star No. 413 and St. Andrew of the East No. 414 and, in 1847, Hope No. 421 and Perseverance No. 422 all at Bombay. By 1885, Scotland had 19 lodges there. England seems to have remained unrepresented until 1848, when St. George No. 807 was constituted at Bombay, but it stood alone for 10 years until 1859, when Concord No. 1059 and Union No. 1069 were formed at Bombay and Kurracho (Karachi), respectively. The Provincial body was re-established and, by 1885, the United G. L. had 19 lodges in Western India.
In 1954, there were in the city of Bombay 26 English lodges, 19 Scottish, and 3 Irish and, in Western India outside of Bombay, there were 24 English lodges, and one Scottish lodge. On account of the lodge mortality during the period 1840-48, it is difficult to trace the original English lodges, especially, as some went over to the Scotch constitution. Apparently Perseverance No. 338 now on the Scotch roll is old Perseverance No. 818, first established by England in 1828, and St. George No. 549 and Concord No. 757 on the English roll are those established as Nos. 807 and 1059, respectively, in 1848 and 1859.
Madras. The earliest lodge in southern India was No. 222 at Madras in 1752. Three others were formed in 1765 and a Provincial G. M. was appointed in 1766, followed by a 5th lodge the following year. The first lodge of the Ancients was No. 152 at Ft. St. George in 1768 and, in 1773, the G. L. of Holland placed a lodge at Negapatam. By 1786, all the lodges under the Modern Grand Lodge of England had expired, but military lodge No. 488 arrived and Ancient Lodge No. 152 joined one of the military lodges. Four lodges were added in 1787 by the Moderns: Perfect Harmony No. 510; Social Friendship No. 511; Trichinopoly No. 512, and Social Friendship No. 513. Two other lodges, Steward’s and Perfect Unanimity were assigned Nos. 102 and 233, respectively, which had belonged to two earlier but expired lodges. The Grand Orient of France established two lodges in 1786 and 1790. But, in 1885, there were only English and Scottish lodges in India.
In 1953, there were in the city of Madras 9 English lodges and 11 Scotch, and, in Madras outside the city 27 English lodges.
Punjab is in the extreme north of India. A District G. L. was established there by the G. L. of England in 1868 and, in 1953, it had 19 lodges.
United Provinces containing the Capital at New Delhi resulted from the rev*lution in Indian affairs whereby it became a state in the British Commonwealth. A District Grand Lodge was established there in 1952, which had 16 lodges in 1953, of which 5 are in the city of New Delhi. There were at least two Scotch lodges there. Denslow reports that there are 217 English lodges and 80 Scotch lodges in India, but those figures include Burma and Ceylon, which are now separate states.
3. Pakistan, West (Baluchistan) and East
Among the most notable results of the Indian Rev*lution in the 1940’s was the creation of a new nation, Pakistan, (comments Removed). But those religions had not spread according to geography, so that East and West Pakistan are separated by about 1500 miles of Indian territory. In 1951, it appears that there were at least one English and one Scotch lodge in Hyderabad and 4 English and 3 Scotch lodges at Karachi, all in West Pakistan, and 2 English and one Scotch lodge in Decca, West Pakistan.
4. Nepal
Nepal in northeast India appears to have no lodge.
5. Ceylon
The Grand Lodge of Holland formed lodges at Colombo as follows: Fidelity in 1771, Union in 1794, and Sincerity at Point de Galle in 1773. Scotland warranted Orange Lodge No. 274 (94) in the 51st Regiment at Colombo, in 1801. The Ancient Grand Lodge warranted No. 329 (419) in the 6th Battalion Royal Artillery in 1802 (erased in 1830) and No. 340 in the 34th Foot in 1807, but neither of these may have seen service in Ceylon. The first stationary English lodge in Ceylon was probably St. John’s No. 665 (454) warranted in 1838, but some say it did not go to Ceylon until 1858. Irish Lodge No. 62 at Colombo was warranted in 1821, and may have been the first stationary lodge actually to meet in Ceylon. The G. O. of France formed or revived Union Lodge in 1882. By 1885, the Dutch and the French lodges had expired, and there remained 4 Irish lodges, Nos. 107, 112, 115, 298, dating from 1861, 1863, 1868, and 1874, respectively; one Scotch lodge No. 611, dating from 1877 and one English lodge, St. John’s No. 454 (formerly 665). In 1953, St. John’s Lodge No. 454 was at Kandy, Ceylon and there were 9 other English and much younger lodges, 4 of which were in Colombo. There was also a Scotch lodge, Bonnie Doon No. 611 at Colombo, mentioned above as warranted in 1877. Ireland had 2 lodges in Colombo and one outside that city.
6. Burma
Burma was formerly a part of India, being under the military government of Madras and the civil government of Bengal but, after 1936 became a separate state in the British Commonwealth. The first lodge in Burma was placed about 1860 under the jurisdiction of Madras. This may have been Star of Burma No. 614, which was still working at Rangoon in 1954. The next was Victoria in Burma No. 832. The oldest Scotch lodge is Peace and Harmony No. 834 at Rangoon. In 1954, there were 16 English lodges at Rangoon, 2 at Mandalay, 1 at Bassein, and 1 at Toungoo. There were at least 2 Scotch lodges at Rangoon. Burma lodges are extremely mixed as to religions, one lodge having a membership of 13 Buddhists, 13 European Christians, 5 Parsees, 4 Jews, 2 Islams (Moslems), 2 Anglo-Indians, 2 Hindus, and 1 Indian Christian.
7. Malay and Straits Settlements
Malay and Straits Settlements comprise the tip of the Malay Peninsula and the so-called Straits Settlements along the coast of the Strait of Malacca. The first lodge was established by the Ancient Grand Lodge of England in 1809, being Neptune No. 344 (441, 293), dormant in 1846. A military lodge, Humanity with Courage No. 826, was warranted in 1822 for Bengal, which then included Burma; that lodge being erased in 1862. In 1850, a second Neptune Lodge as No. 846 was warranted in Burma but expired in 1862. The oldest English lodge in Bengal which was still working in 1954 is Royal Prince of Wales No. 1555, established at Penang in 1875. In 1954, there were 4 lodges warranted from England and 2 from Scotland working in Singapore, and 6 from England and 2 from Scotland working outside that city.
8. Thailand
Thailand (formerly called Siam). The first lodge was St. John’s No. 1072 at Bangkok, warranted from Scotland in 1910, which now seems to have the field to itself. There is a Royal Arch Chapter No. 357, a Royal Ark Mariner’s Lodge, and a body working the Red Cross degree.
9. French Indo-China
French Indo-China, (also known as Cochin China). The Grand Orient of France placed a lodge at Saigon in 1868 under the name, Le Revil de l’Orient (Awakening of the East); another at Hanoi in 1886 called La Fraternite Tonkinoise (Tonking Brotherhood); a third at Haiphong in 1892, L’Etoile du Tonking (The Star of Tonking); and a fourth at Pnoni-Penh in 1906, L’Avenir Khmer (The Coming Cambodia). The Grand Lodge of France warranted a lodge at Saigon in 1898 named La Ruche de l’Orient (The beehive of the East). The occupation of the northern part of the Colony in 1954-55 by Chinese C*mmunists eliminated all lodges there, but possibly some in the southern part of the Colony and in Cambodia are still working.
10. China
The first lodge in China was Amity No. 407 at Canton, warranted in 1767 by the Grand Lodge of England, but it expired in 1813. Next was Elizabeth Lodge under a similar warrant in 1788, which expired in 1812. After the lapse of some years, the following were established: Royal Sussex No. 735 at Victoria in 1844, which moved to Canton in 1848 and to Shanghai in 1863; Zetland No. 768 at Hong Kong in 1846; Northern Lodge of China No. 570 at Shanghai in 1849; and by the Grand Lodge of Scotland in 1864, Cosmopolitan Lodge No. 428 at Shanghai. Up to 1885, Freemasonry had not penetrated China beyond those sea ports, but there were then in those limited areas 13 lodges warranted from England, 4 from Scotland, and one from America. By 1951 the English lodges had increased to 20, of which half were in Hong Kong, a British possession, 5 in Shanghai, 3 in Tientsin, and one each at Foochow and Hangkow. Among these were Royal Sussex No. 501 at Shanghai; Zetland No. 525 at Hong Kong; and Northern Lodge of China No. 570. In the same year, there were 6 lodges warranted from Scotland, including 3 at Shanghai of which one was Cosmopolitan No. 428, 2 at Hong Kong and one at Kowloon. The Grand Lodge of Massachusetts maintained Hykes Memorial Lodge at Tientsin, International Lodge at Peking, and 3 lodges, known as Ancient Landmark, Shanghai, and Sinim in Shanghai. The Grand Lodge of Ireland had Lodge No. 463 at Shanghai and Lodge No. 712 at Hong Kong.
On January 15-16, 1949, the Grand Lodge Free & Accepted Masons of China was organized by 6 lodges in China which had been warranted by the Grand Lodge of the Philippines, with a combined membership of 602. David W. K. Au was elected Grand Master; Luther M. Jee, Deputy Grand Master; T. F. Wei, Senior Grand Warden; Ralph A. W. Ward, Junior Grand Warden; T. T. Zee, Grand Treasurer; and Alfred S. Lee, Grand Secretary. Upon seizure of control of China by the C*mmunists, the Grand Lodge of China and all of its lodges suspended. Before closing, however, the Grand Lodge issued a dispensation for a lodge at Taipei, Taiwan (Formosa). That possibly became Amity Lodge No. 1, which was originally No. 106 organized March 18, 1949 under the Grand Lodge of the Philippines, and which was reactivated at Taipei and was working as late as mid-1958. A similar lodge is Pearl River No. 13 at Tainan, Taiwan, which was heard from in mid-1957. Also in 1958, Ali Shan Shrine Club was active at Taipei.
The Grand Lodge of China followed the Nationalist Government to Formosa (Taiwan) where it was, of course, allowed to operate openly and was in existence as late as September, 1957, with Bishop Ralph Ward of the Methodist Church as Grand Master and Past Grand Master David W. K. Au as Grand Secretary. Its lodges are Amity No. 1, Pearl River No. 3, Sun Lodge and possibly others.
11. Korea
In 1908, a number of American, British, and Canadian merchants, miners, and missionaries formed Han Yang Lodge No. 1048 at Seoul under warrant issued Nov. 5, 1908 by the Grand Lodge of Scotland. By 1910, the lodge had some 30 members and was carried on the roll of the Grand Lodge in 1939 but it closed in 1941, because of the outbreak of w*r between Japan, which then controlled Korea, and the United States. Following that w*r, the lodge revived in July, 1946 but, on June 25, 1950, came the C*mmunist inv*sion from the North, and again the lodge closed. At that time, the lodge appears to have had 247 members, only about 150 of whom could be located. In July, 1952, pursuant to special dispensation, the lodge held an emergency meeting in Washington, D. C., at which some 30 members were present, though it had already been restored to good standing and appeared on the roll of the Grand Lodge for 1951. Han Yang is the ancient name for the capital city of Seoul. On account of the military support being given Korea by the United States, that little country being virtually a bastion in the Far East, many Freemasons in military service and economic missions will probably continue for some years to pass in and out of Korea and there is reason to believe that the lodge will remain at work.
12. Siberia
So far as known, there never was a Masonic lodge in Siberia.
(Comments Removed. Of course, comments removed (which is a short name for innumerable social, economic, religious, linguistic, ideological, political, educational, and physiological differences, ideals, opinions) has formed (comments removed) of Western Europe and America on the one hand and those of Asia, including both Near East and Far East, on the other. These have become more and more emphasized as the English-speaking people in particular have gained footholds looking (comments removed arose in Freemasonry as soon as lodges were taken into those areas, but they were largely personal and social distinctions rather than political, religious, or governmental. Turkey is about the only country in Asia or Africa where there was opposition from the ruling power, and even the sharp issues that can be drawn over matters of religious faith seem not to have caused any disturbance in the lodges. Such terms as Chinese lodges, Japanese lodges, Indian lodges, and the like, caused some misunderstanding over many years, the assumption of (comments removed) being that such bodies were composed largely of Chinese, Japanese, Hindus. But Masonic lodges were never established anywhere in the world, except at places containing a considerable (comments removed) and on the petition of those in sufficient number to maintain a lodge. The charter members were Freemasons living in foreign lands by reason of their occupations or adventures as seamen, traders, miners, soldiers, or governmental officials. They took many of their home institutions and customs with them and Freemasonry was one of these. Though lodges were generally intended to be permanent in a locality, nevertheless, if the members for any reason departed the lodge charter either went with them or was recalled. The lodge did not remain as a ”Chinese” or a ”Malay” lodge.
(Paragraph removed)
India stands out as a country where Eastern and Western civilizations were in close contact over a period of some two centuries. Although Masonic lodges were disseminated throughout India over much of that period, (comments removed). The Parsees of western India, comprising a small surviving remnant of the Persian Zoroastrians who migrated into the southern country and are today often called (possibly erroneously comments removed were the first to be attracted to Freemasonry. One of them, named Manockje Cursetji, became somewhat noted for his long and earnest effort to become a Freemason. Having been rejected in both India and England, he was finally admitted to Loge de l’Universe at Paris, but even then was refused affiliation with a lodge in India. The case attracted the attention of Dr. Burnes, Provincial Grand Master under the Grand Lodge of Scotland, who, in 1843, formed Star of Western India No. 343 especially for Parsees and Muslims, and this was followed in 1876 by Islam Lodge No. 587, both under the Grand Lodge of Scotland. In 1886, a member of the Parsee sect became Grand Treasurer of the Grand Lodge of England. It has been claimed that the son of the Nabob of Arcot, a Mohammedan, was admitted to a lodge in India in 1776, but that has not been confirmed. In 1842 and 1850, two Hindu princes, respectively, were made Masons in Lodge of True Friendship (now No. 218) at Calcutta. In 1861, the Maharajahs Dunleep and Rundeer Sing were initiated, respectively, in Star of the East Lodge and Lodge of Hope and Perseverance. In most of India, there was a strong majority of Freemasons who were (comments removed), and until 1871, the Provincial Grand Lodge of Bengal maintained a by-law which comments removed) without permission of the Grand Master.
At the middle of the 20th century, some lodges in India are exclusively European in membership, some are entirely Indian, and some are mixed. It is the mixed lodges that are most often spoken of and wondered about, for interest is always aroused by the statement to the effect that some lodges use 4 Volumes of Sacred Law at the same time, namely, the Bible, the Koran, the Hindu Bhagavad-Gita, and the Parsee Zend Avesta.
During its short administration in China and in Japan, the Grand Lodge of the Philippines followed a non-racial policy and did more than anything else to spread Freemasonry among the all people of the East.
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