Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-05
MASONIC TEMPLES.

Magician KelIar, Thirty Second Degree
Man, Describes Oriental Lodges-Queer
Scenes in Asia md Acknowledgment
Temple at Cape Town.
WRITTEN FOE THE DISPATCH;
Next year I shall have been a Master
Mason for Is years, and during that time 1
have travelled every continent on the globe,
and have visited Masonic lodges in nearly
every civilized country. was made
Mason in May, 1875, in Pelotss, Brazil I took
my first three degrees in a lodgeroom that
had frequently been honored by the presence
of the deposed Emperor Dom Pedro, who
was at one time an active member of the
Scottish Rite body. The Masonic temple
was a plain, substantial building, erected
solely for thepurpose that it was used for, and
stood IN the very center Of the town. 1t was
plainly arranged and economically furnished
Il not only served as the meeting place of the
Blue lodge, but it likewise sheltered the Scot
tish Rite bodies. which are much stronger in
Brazil than any other Of the higher Masonic
bodies. Although for many years the Catholic
Church in Brazil has been bitterly opposed to
Masonry, think that IN proportion to the
number of her inhabitants, Brazil has more
Masons than any other country in the world.
After leaving Brazil and South America
turned my race toward the East. and for
eral years after that time lived in the Orient.
While was in Port Louis the Island of
Mauritius, on the South African coast 1 felt
the need of more light and accordingly l re-
ceived the degrees of Mark and Most Excel
lent Master, and the Royal Arch in Friendship
Lodge completed my chapter degrees by
taking the Past Masters in Keystone Lodge
Shanghal, Chlna This lodge is under obedi-
enee 70 the Grand Orient of the United States,
and it is composed of some of the
BRIGHTEST MEN IN CHINA.
While I was in Shanghai frequently at
tended native lodge with an unpronounce-
able name, the translation of which was 'The
Rising Sum-" This was presided over by a
Mandarin of one of the highest ranks The
senior deacon was prince and the way the
work was done would be revelation to a
western Mason. Of course the Chinese Ian
guage was spoken, but the work is almost |
identical the world over and had no difficulty |
In following it. 1 have seldom seen work that |
was any smoother or more imDressiye
In 1880 took my Scottish Rite degrees in the |
Triple Esperance Lodge, in Port Louis, Mauri- |
tius. This is one Of the largest and oldest |
lodges in the world. 1t celebrated ITS centen- |
NAL while was there. Its building is one of |
the finest temples in the fraternity IL is con-
structed OF white marble. only one story high, |
and stands IN the center of block. Its roof |
covers four acres of land and it contains rooms |
enough 10 allow every degree in Masonry to be |
conferred the same night and in a different /
room. The banqueting hall is as large as the |
dining room of the Fifth Avenue Hotel The
grounds surrounding the temple are beauti-
tully LAID out and are shut in from the public
gaze by stone wall ten feet high. The lodge
contains 500 active members and quite as many
en- congo.
In China the Masonic temples are particu-
larry imposing structures The one at Tentsin
was erected solely for Masonic uses The tenn
pies in Hong Kong and shanghai will compare
1avorably with the fremont street Masonic
Hall in Boston.
Masonry is prohibited in the Philippine
Islands, and therefore all lodges and meetings
are held in secret. once attended a meeting
OF the blue lodge in the dining room of Mr. Bar.
nard, wealthy carriage manufacturer whose
house is directly opposite the Hotel Bsla In
Manila, as well as in China, there are Inany ma
tive lodges, but the ones 1 have especially al
luoed to are English, although many natives
are enrolled as members
WONDERFUL TEMPLES.
The lodges in Singapore and Rangoon are reg
ular English organizations as are most of
those in the Indian empire The temple in Cal
cutta, where the True Friendship Lodge. No.
2ls Of which am member at the present
time, meets is one Of the handsomest Masonic
buildings know or This lodge was organized
by the members of the old East India Com
pany, and is one of the best conducted working
under the English constitution in the world.
nave visited Parsee lodges in Bombay Per |
Sian lodges in Malaga and Bagdad English |
lodges in Great Britain, French lodges in |
France, native lodges in Mexico Dutch lodges |
America have seen the work in Arabia. |
Egypt Australia and South Africa, and it Js |
needless to say that am acquainted with the
lodge rooms of the United States. l mention
the range of my experience to snow you 1 am
prepared TO speak authoritatively upon the sub
lect and when l say that the three finest
Masonic temples in the world according to nv '
IudgmenI, are in Philadelphia, Pa, Port Louis
Nautilus, and Cape Town. South Africa I ex,
pect this statement to have some weight
1 have already described to you the Port
LOUIS Temple. The one in Cape Town rivals il
ID beauty, and in certain particulars 1t eXcels :
e is the property of kap Lodge. 1t is situated
n the center of large grove of oak trees and :
Is various chambers are fitted out for their
work 10 the most elaborate manner Imaginable .
Forinstance. the Blue Lodge rooms have sub
erranean apartments, with vaults passages ]
md tunnels, and the work is given more i'm
lreSSlVely than have ever seen elsewhere in {
he world. The limitations arc conducted very {
nueh as imagine the ancient rites of the ]
egyptian priests TO have been. $
masonry Is essentially the same the world
'Ver but It's ceremonies are as varied in form |
e the flowers of the field. The work in
american aud English lodges is simple and | !
iepends more upon the fact for its impressive \
less, while the work in Latin lodges in the ! !
roplcS IN South America and in the Orient is | y
cry dramatic, and the poor searcher after q
lgnt may forget his own name, the name of his | /
hndfen and even the face of his wife's mother y
lnt his initiation never.
II. KELLAR, 800.