TAMWORTH

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seem to initiate new young Masons and if they do happen to initiate them, for some reason they don’t stay very
long. I think that half the problem with youngish folk of today, that there are a lot of things in our modern world
that they get involved in, and Lodge always comes second. As most Lodges have oldish Masons, some younger
Masons don’t seem to blend in so to speak.
This big problem isn’t only in Australia, I keep in touch with dozens of countries all over the world and I hear
all the time of Lodges handing in their Charters, or simply amalgamation with another Lodge.
How old is Freemasonry?
No one seems to have the answer; however, I was given a book by the Grand Master of Warwickshire some
time ago, which I can’t fine, it goes to prove, and that one shouldn’t borrow books like this, because they don’t
come back. This book had a write-up about early Freemasonry, it stated that a group of builders from France
journeyed to England in around 900 AD, it went on to say that these builders held the Officers names in
Freemasonry, except one as the Worshipful Master, I can’t remember what he was called
I have heard it said, that Jesus Christ was a Mason;
If Jesus Christ was a Freemason he kept to Masonic beliefs, in secret. The Oldest record of any Masonic Lodge,
Chapter, or Templar was in 1390 in a poem. That is the OLDEST and TRUEST record that speaks of
Freemasonry. There is no record of Jesus Christ ever being a Freemason. Yet, with a little non-Catholic research
you may find that Jesus Christ was not his real name; neither is Jesus of Nazareth.
Some historians, however, have attributed the origin of the Freemasons to the construction of the Temple at
Jerusalem or to such famous historical minds as Euclid, Pythagoras, Baron Verulam, Oliver Cromwell, Sir
Christopher Wren, Noah, Lord Francis Bacon, Viscount St. Alban, or Moses. Other historians think that the
traditions of Freemasonry can be traced back to the Essences, the Coldies, the Rosicrucians, the Druids, or even
the Gypsies. Some think that Freemasonry owes its origins to the ancient mystery schools or even to the Knights
Templar. Some believe that Freemasons are the descendants of other popular groups, such as the Priory of Zion,
the Roman Collegial, the Comacine masters, the German Steinmetzen, or the French Compagnonage.
There are a lot of myths about Freemasonry, I haven’t come across anyone that knows fully when Freemasonry
first started, there are the knockers that put Freemasonry down, but, you only have to look up all those famous
people from all over the world, no matter whether they are inventers, early explorers, film stars, makers of
machinery, such as motor vehicles, artists, Presidents, Prime Ministers, Royals, the list goes on and on.
If Masonry is so bad, as some weird people say, then why are there so many of these famous people Masons.
I rest my case
1993
The very forgetful Secretaries are starting very early with this book, it looks like Masons in the Masonic Lodges
in NSW are like most other countries around the world, they just simply can’t find a few minutes to write a
letter back to me, with their Lodge information. Lodge St. Andrews No. 281 is the first Lodge not to write back,
there were around 9 Lodges overall that didn’t write back with their Lodge information in New South Wales,
and Masons often say, what’s going wrong with Freemasonry of today!! I rest my case. Quite some years ago, I
mentioned this business of Lodges around the world to a Grand Secretary, I can’t remember where, that don’t
write back about these Travelling Gavels, he stated to me, that we shouldn’t put them down, because that would
non Masonic, we should pity them.
I am fully aware that Masons are mealy men who sometimes have to work at all hours of the day, writing letters
just don’t fit into the days’ chores, but when it all boils down, they carry the Title of Secretary, and that means
writing letters.
This Travelling Gavel which was presented into Masonic Lodges throughout the northern sector of New South
Wales for visited 13 Lodges in around four years. As it was very close to the Queensland border, it then
ventured into Lodges in Queensland. The first Lodge that it was presented into was;
McIntyre Lodge No. 294 into the town of St. George, on the 4 th September 2997
This Travelling Gavel project started its journey 9 th November 1993 in Tamworth Lodge No.652 New South
Wales, it was presented into 13 Lodges through-out the top of the State with the last lodge to receive it was
Warialda Lodge No.257 in 1997. From New South Wales it travelled to many countries through-out the world.