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Brethren who have heard of Internet
Lodge are often surprised to learn there are
real meetings, and assume everything takes
place on the Internet. For the majority of
Lodge members that is indeed the case,
since the brethren are scattered all around
the globe and travel is not practical
or affordable for all.
To compensate, Internet Lodge makes
full use of everything the World Wide Web
has to offer. There is a large and growing
web site continually under development,
an active mailing list, and a community
area with forums and personal blogs for
every brother.
Topics that come up for discussion are
very wide-ranging and benefit from the
perspectives of brethren from so many
different countries and constitutions. You
can learn as much about Masonry in a week
at Internet Lodge as it would take in a year
in a traditional Lodge.
That expertise is being fully exploited by
launching a Short Papers Competition
under the patronage of Lord Northampton,
the Pro Grand Master. Winning entries will
be made available on the Lodge web site for
downloading and delivering as short
lectures in any Lodge in order to advance
Masonic knowledge. This competition will
be widely advertised in Masonic circles.
The Lodge web site also serves Masonry
in the wider sense. There is a steady stream
of enquiries from non-Masons worldwide
asking for help in becoming Freemasons.
With their extensive network of contacts
within the Lodge, they are always able
to put them in touch with someone who
can help.
A recent case is that of a candidate being
proposed into a Russian-speaking Lodge
in Tel Aviv, but it might just as easily be
a father and son being initiated into a
Geordie-speaking Lodge on Tyneside,
both of which have happened.
The private side of the web site enables
brethren to book into meetings or log
their apologies, select options for the menu
for the Festive Board, and even make
a contribution to the charity box for
that meeting.
Members can download copies of
summonses and the minutes, there is a long
list of Skype names so members can talk to
each other for free over the Internet, and
there is a photo gallery so they all know
what each other looks like.
On the public side, there is an ‘Internet
Help Centre’ with information about
viruses, email scams and all the other perils
of surfing the Net, together with advice on
how to protect yourself with links to
appropriate resources. There is also some
general Masonic information, a library of
interesting articles and essays to download,
and information and forms for anyone
wishing to join the Lodge.
Joining members must be Master
Masons, and if they are from overseas,
they must belong to a Grand Lodge that
is in amity with the United Grand Lodge
of England.
They must also have an email address as
all Lodge communications, including the
sending of summonses, is via email. Full
details can be found on the Lodge web site,
www.internet.lodge.org.uk.
MW BRO CHARLES LEWIS
MW Bro Lewis, 69, was initiated into Port
Washington Lodge No. 1010 in the
Grand Lodge of New York in 1961.
He joined Homer Lodge No. 352 in the
Grand Lodge of New York in 1974 and
became its Master in 1979. During a
long and distinguished Masonic career,
MW Bro Lewis has become a member
of many other bodies including the York
Rite, the Ancient and Accepted Rite,
and numerous other Masonic
organisations. In many of these his
diligence and commitment has been
rewarded with very high office,
and the ultimate recognition of his
Masonic endeavour was his installation
as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of
North Carolina in December 2003.
He is currently on a number of
Masonic Boards in the USA concerned
with the needs of the young, the elderly
and the disadvantaged.
He said “I am honoured and
delighted to be the first Past Grand
Master of an overseas Constitution
to be invited to serve Internet Lodge
as their Master.
“In the nine years since it was
founded, Internet Lodge has
strengthened Freemasonry across the
world. With members in 19 countries
around the globe, Internet Lodge
can truly be said to be practising
Masonry universal.
‘I am also honoured to follow other
distinguished Masters of Internet
Lodge from England, the USA and the
Netherlands. I look forward to following
Internet Lodge custom and presenting
my Address to the Lodge at my
Installation meeting, which will then
be available on the Lodge web site.
“Modern technology strongly
influenced the founding of Internet
Lodge and, using modern technology,
I will guide the Lodge in extending
the principles of Masonry to its
membership throughout the world,
whilst also seeking to increase that
membership even further”.
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Copyright 2002-2007
MQ Magazine
Web site created by Mark Griffin
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