THE Freemason Lodge of Fiji has a rich history since its establishment in the 1800s.
They have continued to support and assist members of the community in whatever way possible.
This week, we look at the history of the Freemasonry in Fiji and how it enriched and changed the lives of many with its support.
According to the information written in the book titled The Lodge of Fiji 1882-1982 and written by Leonard. G. Usher, Freemasonry in Fiji began in 1871 when at noon on December 27, a Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons in Polynesia was opened at Levuka, then seat of a government headed by Ratu Seru Cakobau.
“Ratu Cakobau, on whom the title of King of Fiji had been conferred by the European settlers responsible for forming his government, had been advised that Freemasonry was a dangerous secret society, but enquiry among some of his ministers, already members of overseas lodges, convinced him otherwise,” the book said.
“He therefore signed a document authorising Lodge Polynesia to meet ‘Under Royal Patronage and by Permission’.
“That settled matters so far as State authority was concerned, but for reasons which Lodge Polynesia historians have not so far been able to fully explain, Masonic authority for the lodge’s foundation was far less soundly based.
“It appears that the founding brethren, men of high integrity and some of them with considerable Masonic experience, were under the impression that a particular lodge in Sydney, Australia, had some sort of District Grand Lodge authority to grant a charter for a new lodge.
“It took a little time before the realisation of irregularity dawned on the brethren concerned, and before an exchange of letters, taking months to travel to and from halfway around the world by sailing ship, resulting in the granting of a charter to Lodge Polynesia, No. 562 in the register of the Grand Lodge of Scotland.
“The date of the charter was February 1, 1875.
The book said Suva was proclaimed the capital in 1877 and work began on the construction of roads and government buildings in preparation for the official move from Levuka in 1882.
“By this time, the new capital already had a Masonic Lodge in the making.
“On July 12, 1881, the United Grand Lodge of England had issued a warrant for the establishment of the Lodge of Fiji, No. 1931 at “Suva Na Viti Levu in the Colony of Fiji”.
The book stated the founding members were Charles Devenport Cuthbert, Thomas Golding Kennan, Charles Stephen Thomas, Philip Samuel Solomon, Thomas Brock and Joseph Hoskins.
“The warrant was signed and sealed by the Grand Master, M.W.Bro. Prince Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII,” the book stated.
“The new lodge met for the first time on May 2, 1882 and a ship chartered from James McEwen and Company Ltd, brought a party of Lodge Polynesia brethren from Levuka for the occasion.
“When proceedings began, W. Bro. George Smith of Lodge Polynesia was in the chair and the sitting Master of Polynesia , W.Bro.F.H Dufty, read the warrant of the new lodge.
“Two more Past Masters of Lodge Polynesia, W. Bros George Moore and P.S. Solomon, and W.Bro.J.C Doull, of Lodge 421 I.C then assisted in the installation of W.Bro. C.D. Cuthbert, of Lodge 439 I.C. as the first Master of the Lodge of Fiji.
“Bro. T.G. Kennan of Lodge 428 E.C was invested as Senior Warden, Bro. C.S. Thomas, of Lodge 517 E.C as Junior Warden, Bro. George Leslie, of Lodge 32 E.C as Senior Deacon and Bro. G. Stevenson as Junior Deacon. W. Bro. J.C. Doull was appointed Tyler, with an allowance of a pound a month.
“The attendance register records the names of six other brethren of Lodge Polynesia, including that of Thomas Bonynge, first headmaster of then two years old Levuka Public School.
“In all, twenty brethren attended that first meeting, representing eleven different lodges of the English, Scottish and Irish constitutions.”
The book highlighted that at the initial meeting in addition to the warrant from Grand Lodge, two dispensations, now framed and hanging in a lodge ante-room, were read.
“One reduced to seven days. The obligatory lapse of time between the conferment of successive degrees on a candidate.
“The second permitted the wearing of Masonic clothing at Divine Service, at the funeral of a brother, who had expressed a wish for Masonic burial and at the laying of the foundation stone of a public building erected for pious or charitable purposes.
“The brethren interpreted this dispensation somewhat liberally and that night appeared in full regalia at a ball to celebrate the birth of a new lodge.
“The first dispensation was obviously designed to help the lodge to build up its numerical strength. At the inaugural meeting on May 2, 1882, five names of candidates for initiation were mentioned and nine joining members were proposed.
“In the next few months, emergency meetings were held frequently for the degree working only. There were three initiations on May 15, and on July 10, three brethren were raised as Master Masons. On this occasion, the lodge was opened at 8pm and closed at 11.45pm.
“Initiates and joining members increased the membership of the lodge by 16 in the first four months. In 1883, the number grew by 14 and in 1884 by 15. In the first three years of its existence, the lodge conferred 113 degrees.
“At regular meetings in the first year, a good deal of time was spent on discussing the by laws of the lodge, but urgency was reduced by a decision at the first meeting to adopt for the time being the by laws of Lodge St John 1030 E.C, these were gradually modified to suit the needs of the Lodge of Fiji.
According to the book, the initiation fee was fixed at ten guineas ($21.00 in decimal currency). Resident members paid six shillings a month and country members nine shillings a quarter. From these subscriptions, one shilling a month for each member went to Grand Lodge in London.
“The balloting requirement in the by-laws aroused considerable discussion. At first, three objections were required for exclusion, but in November 1882, this was reduced to two. It later became one,” the book stated.
“In the early years of the lodge, the question of whether St John’s Day should be celebrated by a Masonic Ball came up for annual discussion , the main point of debate being whether or not the lodge should contribute to the cost of such a ball.
“In 1886, by a majority, a contribution of 35 pounds was approved but the authorising resolution made it clear to the organisers that the lodge disclaimed responsibility for any expenditure beyond this amount .
“In 1888, the St John’s Day Ball was merged with the celebration, on July 21, of the inauguration of Rewa Lodge of Viti 2238 E.C.”
- In next week’s edition, we will look at how the lodge had its first home and their experiences during the war.
