Page 93 - Amo Amass A-muse is some of the fruit of a lifetimes love of Freemasonry - the Lodge of Nine Muses No. 235

Amo Amass A-Muse - Lodge of the Nine Muses 93

Lodge is called ‘The United Grand Lodge of England’.
I should mention the Military Lodges, their Warrants moving with the Regiments
and Ships concerned. Tales can be told of Freemasonry in War. A captured Lodge Box was
honourably returned under a flag of truce by the Americans in the War of Independence.
In Napoleon’s time, French prisoners of war formed Lodges in England, and there were
meetings of internal prisoners in both world wars. On the N.W. Frontier of India a Lodge
once met regularly in a village far from civilisation during a frontier campaign.
Another ambition that you should have is to qualify to wear the Charity Jewel. The
Lodge Charity Steward can explain all about our Masonic Charities and how to do this.
Almost from the beginning there has been a Charity Committee of our Grand Lodge,
but it was not until 1788 that our founder the Chevalier Bartholomew Ruspini, an Italian
and the King’s Dentist, instituted the first of our great Masonic Charities, the Cumberland
School for Girls, now the R.M.I.G.
In 1798, William Burwood of the Antients founded their Charity for Boys which
was duplicated in 1809 by Columbine Daniel for the Moderns. At the Union they were
amalgamated into the R.M.I.B. In 1831 the Charity Jewel was granted. The Benevolent
Institution for old people came in 1841. It was claimed not to be entirely a Charity having
an element of Insurance about it. However, after argument, it was accepted as the third
Masonic Charity. Finally the Hospital was born, which remained separate from the others.
Recently they have all been reorganised, so that the schools form one group, the Hospital
and Old People another and finally there is a General Charity fund.
There are other ways in which you can obtain light upon the beauty and true spirit
of our Craft. Rudyard Kipling was a keen Freemason; “In the interests of the Brethren”,
contained in “Credits and Debits”. Also his Masonic Poem, “My Mother Lodge out there.”
I must not leave out the famous Scots Bard, Bobbie Burns, who loved his Masonry.
Then there is Music. There were hundreds of simple songs that used to be sung on
Masonic occasions. Even today, at their festive board many Lodges will sing ‘The Initiates
Song’ and ‘The Masters Song’ on appropriate occasions.
Mozart was a keen Freemason and his Opera “The Magic Flute” is often known as the
Freemasons’ Opera. He and Sibelius of Finland both composed special music for Masonic
Lodges, in fact Sibelius’s famous “Finlandia” was later arranged by him as a Masonic
thanksgiving to be sung as a part song.