The Washington herald., 1907-03-31
AMEER'S INITIATION, AND ROLE OF
THE CRAFT IN ASIA AND AFRICA.

thors OF the Anglo-Japanese. alliance. not
only Joined the craft while in England as
ambassador. Sut likewise became one OF
the principal digaltaries Of British Ma
sonry. In fact. nearly all Japaus states
men and diplomats who have served, or
who are serving abroad, are Freemasons.
The objection which the japanese gov
eminent formerly entertained 70 the ex-
istence OF lodges within its borders, vas
its dissemination that no society should
De established whose deliberations and
proceedings were withheld from the au-
th0riues- But l understand that this at
titude has now been modified. and that
FreemasOnry is no longer subject 10 any
restrictions, and is extending with giant
strides throughout the land of the Miksdo.
It would be interesting 20 know whether
the japanese still display the same in
terest as formerly In the Masonic lodges
OF the Philippines. and whether they are
as active and influential among the Fiji
pino brethren. At any rate, the matter Is
worthy OF the attention or the American
authorities ia the Philippines, who would
do well TO endeaVOT 10 substitute their
influence for that Of the japanese among
the Freemasons Of the archipelago. Lest
yitation TO misuse the pfIilanthropic doc
trines Of Masonry for purposes Of political
intrigue. let me point out that anything
that can tend to diminish the prejudice
OF the Orient against the Occident Is cal
culated 10 prove OF benefit 20 mankind
That the prejudice exists IN a more or less
acute form throughout the Orient 10 one
in his senses can deny u Is prejudice
that has Led to bloodshed. 10 wars and
massacres, 10 the loss Of bOundIess treas
ure. and 10 the arrest Of progress and OF
civilization Everything, therefore, that
can tend TO allay this race hatred. ana TO
promote a fraternai spirit between the
dusky nations and ourselves, must bs re-
garded as fulfilling the loftiest aim OF
Masonry. namely. the Institution Of the
universal brotherhood.
That the Ameer should have delayed be
coming a Mason until he visited India.
must not be taken as indicating that Ma
sonry is unknown in Afghanistan. There,
as elsewhere. # has many adopts ana SIS
far back as thirty years ago there we're
lodges in Kabul and in other Of the At
CHAN cities and towns IN fact. al the
time Of the deposition Of Khedive Ismau
an Afghan Mason played so important a
political role in Egypt. making use Of the
lodges FOR purposes OF propaganda in
favor OF Ismail against the foreign pow
ers, that at the request Of the French,
English, and German ENJOYS at Cairo he
was expelled from the Land Of the Nile
His name was Djemal Khan. He held
high rank in Masonry, sfterward got him
self expelled from France when Gambetta
was premier. sought refuge in Russia,
where he associated -hiFaself with the late
Maharajah Dhuleep Singh. and was
largely responsible for the trouble given
by the latter TO the English government,
and finally wound up his days ar Con
stantin0ple at the Yildiz Kiosque, where
he spent his declining years in the en-
tourage OF the present Sultan. There is
considerable reason TO believe that he was
a prisoner rather than a guest OF Abdul
Hamed.
/ For the latter entertains very serious
dread OF the craft, in which his elder
/ brother and predecessor on the throne.
Sultan Murad. was very prominent.
Murad. it may be remembered, was de-
/ posed after six months reign, according
/ 10 some. because his brain had become
anected by drink; according to others.
/ because. with his ideas OF progress and
enlightenment, which included the eman-
cipatiOn and enfranchisement Of women.
J he was regarded as a danger by the all
powerful Moslem Uiema or clergy. The
so-called young Turkey CT reform party
/ in the Ottoman empire, which includes
many princes of the imperial house, are
i Masons 10 a man, and periodically during
/ the lifetime Of Murad they would appeal
I 10 those foreign sovereigns identified
with the craft. demanding Of them, IN
/ its name. to intervene in behalf Of their
Masonic brother. ex-Sultan Murad. with
the object Of securing his liberation from
/ captivity, and his restoration TO his
/ throne. The last appeal Of this kind was
/ addressed to King Edward about a year
( after his accession to the crown. One Of
the reasons. too, why the late Prince
Hahn, of Egypt, far and away the most
/ brilliant and accomplished member OF the
/ Khediveal family, was kept by the
Sultan in quasi imprisonment, and under
the closest kind of surveillance In Con-
stantinople for the last fifteen or twenty
years of his life was because Of the fact
! that he held extremely high rank as a
I Mason. and was suspected by the Padi-
shah of making use Of his influence anu
power as such for political purposes.
I Ex-Sultal. Murad and Prince Hahn have
both been gathered TO their fathers,
whether by natural causes or through
violence, no one knows 70 this day siut
Sultan Abdul Hamed remains as appre-
hensive as ever of Freemasonry. con-
vinced that as far as his empire is con
cerned its activity is directed toward
political emancipation and reform, which,
Of course. means the overthrow Of his
rule.
Masonry. in a word fiOurishes through
out the Orient. where. as I have stated
above, it appeals TO the love Of the na-
tives for secret societies That this
should be the case is after all not as
tonishing For if the traditions OF the
craft are TO be believed, Il came 10 Us
originally from the East. and 10 this day
/ the Supreme Council IN most European
countries is known az the Grand Orient
EX-ATTACHE.
SALVATION ARMY FINANCES.
Full Report from an Auditing Conn
.g