Knights Templars

[j.sabourn]

A mans religion is immaterial in a Masonic Lodge, even the one that comes up as 7 asteriks. The one you mention wouldn’t even know about. Freemasonry is the brotherhood of man, not religion. JS

[robpage]

I had a friend who was Roman Catholic and when he joined the lodge he had to provide a letter and don't forget this is 30 years ago from the bishop of his Catholic parish to say that there was no objection to him joining now I don't know what the reason was behind this I know the bishop suggested he join the Knights of St columba instead but he was adamant that he wasn't and I don't believe there was any problem with the letter is the only time you ever heard of it whether it still applies to day I honestly don't know but I've always accepted the fundamental principle as long as you believe in a supreme being regardless of who he or she is that was enough of the prerequisite

[Fouro]

A mans religion is immaterial in a Masonic Lodge, even the one that comes up as 7 asteriks. The one you mention wouldn’t even know about. Freemasonry is the brotherhood of man, not religion. JS

Three dedicated Freemasons founded the Orange Order on 21st September 1795.!

[Louis the fly]

I don't see this event as one to celebrate or even remember.
It does not fit with John Sabourn's post #141.

[Chris Allman]

The Battle of the Diamond was a planned confrontation between the Catholic Defenders and the Protestant Peep o' Day Boys that took place on 21 September 1795 near Loughgall, County Armagh, Ireland. After the battle had ended, the Peep o' Days marched into Loughgall, and in the house of James Sloan they founded the Orange Order. Three well-known local men of the area, James Wilson, Dan Winter, and James Sloan, formed the Orange institution. History reveals that all three men were dedicated Freemasons and two of the three were local pub owners. The Orange Institution was to be a Protestant defence association made up of lodges. It led to the onset of "the Armagh outrages".

[robpage]

I had actually never heard of the Orange Order until I started sailing on clan line ships in a mid 1960s and I think a few of the older Scottish engineers were both Masons and Orange Order so I assume that they are not mutually exclusive like the Masons are with some of the other groups

[happy daze john in oz]

Any one who is of Irish background will tell you all you need to know about the Orange men.

Interesting bit there by Rob about the Buffalos.

When we took our first pub in 1975 in Strood Kent, I found in the roof space some memorabilia of the Buffalos.
There was a sash and a few other bits of the order along with some old tickets.
At about the time of the Boer war there had been organized by the local Buffalos a smoking contest to raise funds to support those who had gone to fight.
These were the tickets for that contest.


I put all I could find into a glass case and on display in the pub. Not sure if it is still there!

[j.sabourn]

#145.. sorry so late in answering this late about the so called lodge of the Orange variety. I have enquired of a higher authority of the subject. The orange lodge is not freemasonry. It is not accepted by the Grand
Lodge of England , Scotland or anywhere else as far as I am aware. If any argument on the subject the only two Orders that are accepted by Grand Lodge are the Craft and the Royal Arch. The orange peel lodge is purely a political activity. And not associated with freemasonry as people think. JS

[Fouro]

Dan Winter was the owner of an inn in a place called Diamond in Loughall which was used as a meeting place for the local 'Peep O Day Boys'. The inn was attacked by a group of 'Defenders' (Roman Catholics) and burnt to the ground. Winter was a Freemason as we're a number of his associates, including James Wilson and James Sloan.
Wilson was regarded as a particularly ardent member of the Craft. Wilson had approached his local Masonic Lodge seeking assistance in combating such attacks. However, the plea fell on deaf ears and an angry Wilson withdrew from his local Lodge. In view of this, Wilson, Winter and Sloane resorted to form another Society of men, this one exclusively for Protestants who would be prepared to defend Protestant families from attacks by Roman Catholic 'Defenders'.
This new organisation was called the Orange Society, and because the men who created it were well-informed and active Freemasons, the organisation was formed into Lodges on the Masonic model.
I agree with JSW that people of all religions etc are welcome to join Masonic Lodges, therefore it would have been wrong for the local Masonic Lodge to take sides at the Diamond skirmish.

Regards from,
Fouro.

[j.sabourn]

The terminology You are using such as active Freemason could mean he was an actual worker in stone. Freemasons today are not actual workers in stone and could be of any trade or profession. They are symbolic only. The tools of a mason are taken as symbols representing various things , such as truth and honesty. The buildings of your huge edifices in the UK were built by stonemasons who lived in Lodges for years , while the likes of St. Paul’s and other cathedrals were being built and these are taking as role models. As said every Freemasons lodge has to have a charter granted by Grand Lodge ,there are many phoney ones that real masons steer clear of. JS