The Simpsons Parody of Freemasonry...

Many have seen the rather funny parody of Freemasonry in an episode called "Homer the Great".

Here is the Promo!! This song features as well The Stonecutters Song... And many will recognise it straight away

If you've not seen the episode, Homer joins a Lodge of "Stone cutters", Where he is told by the lodges master (voiced rather well by the rather urbane vocals of Patrick Stewart ) for centuries Stonecutters have split the rocks of ignorance that hide and obscure truth... now let's get drunk and play ping pong!"

Many non masons understand that it is a send up of Freemasonry; yet Canoblas Lewis wants everyone to know that it is a very inaccurate send up.
For example, take Patrick Stewart's very humorous introduction to the Lodge of Stonecutters; even though it is a comedic opener, this sentiment adequately sums up Freemasonry. For Centuries we have sought to make good men better through our ceremonies & practices; then we head to the south to eat, Drink & Be Merry!

Next thing that we work about; Those of us in the craft get a huge laugh at the stupidity of Homer's initiation ( thankfully Homer's initiation bears no resemblance to the Masonic ceremony). It is nothing like a Masonic Initiation, which is full of symbolism & intent... Not the Frat house of the Stone Cuters

You can sum up the accuracy of Homer the Great by comparison to the Simpsons visits to Australia, France & Japan , so accuracy is missing but then the humour is the point of the Simpsons after all.

So, if you'd like to see how inaccurate this Simpsons episode is, please come along to a Canoblas Lewis Masonic Awareness Night!

So Mote it Be!

Behind the Doors...

So, What does happen behind this door?

Shh! It's a Secret!

These doors close off the Lodge Proper, allowing the work of the evening to be undertaken in private.

Normally, non-masons are not allowed to see behind these doors; thus the majority of the population has no idea what happens behind these doors...

Well, If you come to Canoblas Lewis 's Masonic Awareness Night you will get a guided tour!

Sounds just a wee bit too intriguing doesn't it?

Well Dear Reader, that is the Point of Masonic Awareness Night.

Quite frankly, Freemasonry happens behind these doors; in a degree of secrecy...
Freemasonry is interesting
Freemasonry keeps your grey-matter working
Freemasonry gets you out of the house (on a Monday night...)
Freemasonry happens behind doors like these all over the place
But, most of all, Freemasonry is fun.

It is a Win-Win interest. And one that all good men benefit from participating in!

So, If you are interested in seeing what is behind these doors, Please feel free to come along on November 30 & find out for your self!

Feel Free to contact Brad (0402 009 700) or Leigh (0400 981 763) if you have any Questions!

So Mote It Be!

Inter-generational!

I suppose that this post should actually be called: The Benefits of being "Intergenerational", But our erstwhile editor thought that 1 well placed word is better than 5!

So, Often I find my self wondering: "What Would I have been like if..."

Typically, I think of what if I had been in my 20s in the 1960... OR, if I had have been born 10 years earlier...

Or If I had been employed by the Railways in the 1950"s, What were those huge twin engine Garrett locomotives like to work on?

As a younger mason; I have seen some of the recent changes to Australia & I wonder what was it like before these changes.

I frequently get those questions answered at lodge!

At one level; talking to the retired welder/sheet-metal worker whose start out supervisor wore a suit underneath a white dustcoat; to the stories of the war veterans & the life of the now retired farmer.

These are truly interesting conversations & I am privileged to have had them.

Similarly, many of the older brethren like to "stay up to date" with their former professions by chatting with the younger members of the Lodge about the current state of play... or even just getting that quick bit of advice on how to get the most out of their new smart phone app or optimising the latest bit of technology!

This is the great joy of the intergenerational nature of Freemasonry.

The ability to enjoy the company of your fellow masons & be inspired by the differing & wonderful life experiences that we all (as fellow human beings) have.

So Mote It Be!

Masonic Awarness Night - Advanced Warning... Hold the date!

Canoblas Lewis will again be holding a Masonic Awareness Night 2015

Date: Monday November 30

Time: 7:30PM

Dress: Neat Casual

Invited: Any good men who are genuinely Interested. YOUR Partners are welcome as well - we are not hiding anything tonight...!

Contact:
Brad (0402 009 700) or Leigh (0400 981 763)

This is a low key event no obligation event, we will assure you that you will not be "spam-ed" as a result of your attendance (as a rule, we respect a members wishes to not be identified directly as a freemason should he choose so)

The Word of the Day

A Word of the Day

A member of Lodge Canoblas Lewis recently received a word of the day on their smart phone app "Dictionary"...

As with many words of the day from this app, It is an uncommon old-style word...

"Shibboleth"... Particularly Masonic...

Many masons will get a smile about this word as it has a definite use in certain masonic ceremonies.. .
 

This word, like so many others, are words that have differing and Significant meaning within Freemasonry.

Let us explain by way of example, such as the "Lewis" suffix is one of them. In masonic tradition a Lewis is the Son of a Mason.
 

Therefore a Lewis Lodge is the son of another Lodge - in our case Canoblas Lewis was started out of the old lodge Canoblas having too many members, therefore a core of these brothers decided to start a new lodge... and here we are 50 years later!

So, if you are interested in the double meanings that Freemasonry has with the English language, please come along to a practice night or give us a call and discuss what Freemasonry is all about. We reckon that you will enjoy Freemasonry as much as we do!
 

So Mote it Be

West Wyalong

It must have been the month for the brethren to visit; the lovely Masonic Hall at West Wyalong was recently attended by another of the members, who's business took them to the lovely town of West Wyalong. The report was of a rural town that is doing it's utmost to be a great place for a person to live; with some nice restaurants & parks in the town being added to by some fun events for all, such as this years "Athens in the West"!

The report was also of the truly impressive architecture of the houses around the centre of town & the Very impressive 2 story Masonic Hall!

We don't make 'en like we used to!

It certainly is a testament to the importance of Freemasonry to the men of the West Wyalong Area that they have such a grand hall to use; we wish the Lodge all the best!

So Mote It Be

Lodge Condo

A couple of the brethren were recently out at Condobolin & they reported that Lodge Condobolin is going well; with a very lovely Lodge building that is nicely landscaped as well

We Love the Sign: "Membership is Open to All Good Men" we couldn't think of a better way to sum up Freemasonry! 

Keep up the good work Lodge Condo!

So Mote it Be!

July's Meeting

So the July Regular meeting was a quick affair; largely just the investment of the lodge officers that missed the installation... AND discussion of some "other" business that will make exciting news when it materialises! (You will have to watch this space for that stuff)

The South was equaly as good; with a Lecture by Ivan McMaster of Bentley Zeus Pty Ltd - an Orange based retirement planning company; & the subject was the Aged Care Facilities. It was a very informative session, with Ivan answering some of the common questions as well as outlining some of the confronting issues associated with aged care.

A quick summary of his lecture is as follows:

Freemasons in NSW play an integral part in the aged care sector of Australia through the Royal Freemasons Benevolent Institution (RFBI) & the Whiddon Group (who used to be called Frank Whiddon Masonic Homes).

As our lodge supports the RFBI & Whiddon Group, we were very happy to see that Both these suppliers are regarded as top level providers in this sector.

As for what he does, Ivan recommended (loosely) that you follow these 6 steps:

1. Planning
2. Assessing Options
3. Service Search
4. Understanding Costs
5. AND how to cover the Costs
6. Estate Planning

Ivan closed up saying that with good preparation & doing the work properly removes some much of the guilt that is associated with placing a loved one into care.

It was a really great information session & many of the Brethren left with a better understanding of these issues - even for those of us that will not be needing Ivan's services for some time!

So Mote it Be!

Bentley Zeus Pty Ltd are contactable on 02 6369 1578

Disclaimer: The advice above is general in nature & should not be taken as personal advice; please see a practitioner about your own circumstances!

The Contacts for Canoblas Lewis

We recently made a small change on the Profile & the Blog page; we have changed the Lodge's contact phone number.

Unfortunately, the old landline phone number was OK -  on the Mondays that we were there AT the Masonic Hall, BUT, not much use if someone wanted to make an enquiry to us on the 6 other days of the week!

So, in line with the god ol'Can Do Canoblas Lewis attitude, we changed the contact phone number to 0402 009 700.

This will be answered by Brad (Our Membership Officer...)

Please call this number if you wish to chat about Canoblas Lewis activities!

The land line to the Masonic Hall is still active should you need to use it!

So Mote It Be!

The Canoblas Lewis Bow Tie

The Canoblas Lewis Custom Bow tie made it's debut at the 2015 Lodge installation.

They were a huge hit on the night; with all the members proudly wearing their new ties.

Here it is!

The younger & newer masons that came up with the idea wanted a tie that stated "I am a Mason & I am a member of Lodge Canoblas Lewis # 806" & we think that this bowtie does just that!

We will take a minute to explain the tie; as with all things Masonic, there is a bit of Symbolism involved in our choices of the Tie

Black Tie: As evening lodges are generally "Formal Occasions" we wanted to stick to a black tie as it would fit in with our evening lodge ethos. Thus we stuck with a formal black tie as the basis of our new Tie; the fact that it will have embroidery on it does not diminish the formality of the tie, but it does allow it to fit into a more casual day lodge setting if needed by any member who visits a daylight lodge.

Square & Compass: These are the most common symbol associated with Freemasonry & they have deep importance to all lodges, so we decided to have this rendered in the Masonic Blue as we are a blue craft lodge!
(To find out more on the Square & Compass, Why not come along to a Canoblas Lewis Meeting?)

The Lewis: As Canoblas Lewis was formed out of Lodge Canoblas; we felt that it was appropriate to show that we are a Lewis Lodge & include this masonic symbol in white. The white signifies the purity of our practice our Masonic rituals, And, It highlighted the Lewis on the bowtie!
It also looks good like that!
(To find out more about the Lewis, why not come along to a Canoblas Lewis Meeting?)

The ties were supplied by Trend Corporate in Sydney (HERE!); thanks to Jenny in the Trend office for organising them and a very big thanks to Kosta Ahladiotis who designed the ties (also at Trend).

So Mote It Be!

The Installation

Normally, Canoblas Lewis would only have 2 practice nights a month.
This changes for the month of June

This is the day our Installation of the Lodge Office Bearers for the next 12 months

We call it "The Installation"

For this event, the pomp & ceremony goes up a notch from the regular lodge night formalities and thus, Canoblas Lewis, has 3 Monday night practices, & the Installation Meeting (regular meeting) on the 3rd Saturday in June, at 4:30 (PM!)

It is something of a tradition in Lodge Canoblas Lewis, that the Master Masons who are removed from the Lodge meeting for the installation ceremony have a glass of port or two... although last weekends installation saw a little bit too much socialising rather than listening for the prompts to return on time!

Oh well; We have always prided ourselves on being a Social & enjoyable lodge! AND, in the master masons defence, the dignity of the ceremony was still respected!

The Catering was a very enjoyable sit down meeting; a big positive was the range of meal options available this year; as food goes, variety IS important so as to be as inclusive of as many differing tastes as possible.

So Mote it Be!

Freemasonry & other Interests

Many people think that upon joining a Masonic Lodge, that their lives will be "over run" by "Masonic Duties"; that they will be required to attend meetings all over the place & that they will have no time for any other Interests at all.

Nothing could be further from the truth! Masonry is a good way to add to a mans life & to help him relate better to the other interests that he already has, or will develop. This is one of the great aspects of Lodge Canoblas Lewis, that we are very accepting of our members preferences in their masonic life & we can easily accommodate all aspects of the brothers life into our lodge.

Indeed, many members will often give short speeches in the South about an aspect of one of their bobbies that they have had success in; such as winning the 1st place for Dahlias at the Royal Sydney Show - Yes, Canoblas Lewis is the Lodge of Champion horticulturalists!

So, The Members of Canoblas Lewis ARE involved in other groups, AND this is a good thing, as we are strongly of the Opinion that the worst thing in the world for a man, is to sit at home & have his brain rot by watching TV in absence of anything else to do...

This "general busy life" is what a man needs to be a man... And, we think that a man needs to be busy.

So, to prove that we are not "one dimensional" freemasons & that Lodge is not all consuming, here is a list of "Other Groups" that our members are involved in (that is actually do something with, not just attending)

• Rotary
• Orange District Brass Band
• Camp Quality
• Orange Vintage Motorcycle Club
• Orange Horticultural Society
• Orange District Field Archery Club
• Orange Eight Day Games
• Orange Male Voice Choir
• The Australasian Institute of Mining & Metallurgy
• Engineers Australia
• RENWELD
• The Orange Men's Shed
• The Orange Caravan Club
• Cancer Care West

So many will say, great, you just jump on commitees... what else do you do? Well my good friend, some of the Hobbies that our members have are:

• Gardening
• Fishing
• Fossicking
• Camping
• Home Brewing
• Motorcycling
• Cooking
• Carpentry
• Woodturning
• Band Membership
• Target Archery

This list excludes the groups that our Children, Wives & partners are involved in, that we usually assist with as well - you know the standard stuff: kids soccer/ footy/ cricket, & the wives at Roller Derby ...

So, given the wide variety of interests that The Masons of Lodge Canoblas Lewis are active in, surely YOU would enjoy the fraternity of our Lodge?

Feel free to come along & make some new friends!

So Mote it Be

Post Script: The Keen eyed out there will notice that we have not mentioned Work; largely because the Work that is Esteemed in a Masonic Lodge, is the work that is conducted in the lodge room itself. Whist our employment is important, we feel, that the couple of hours that a Brother can "forget" about the rest of the world in lodge, is key to the importance of Freemasonry to men!

Why Join Canoblas Lewis?

As a Craft Lodge in New South Wales, Canoblas Lewis is subject to the rules & regulations imposed upon us by The United Grand Lodge of NSW & ACT. That being said, all Masonic Lodges are slightly different; displaying a character that is unique to the lodge in question.

Canoblas Lewis has it's own flavour & what distinguishes Canoblas Lewis from the Other Masonic Craft Lodges in the Central West area is very subtle in many ways; but, we think that any man will get a very positive experience from attending Lodge with us.

Primarily, We are Fun!

Further We like to give a Man a reason to get out of the House on a Monday Night, that isn't specifically Drinking, Sporting Or Carousing based! We have found that our Wives & Partners like the fact that we are off for a couple of Hours in a structured night out that is specifically NOT at the Pub!

In fact, like most lodges, we offer a man a chance to socialise amongst other men, but, with out singing "Kumbaya" or being Misogynistic.

We are Progressive in our practice, yet we do like the Masonic Traditions. When working in the Lodge, we very much like to have a Sincere Lodge experience for all & we hope that visitors also experience the earnest manner in which we conduct lodge.

Additional our general good will, we offer our members the chance to grow their Masonic Career in a manner that suits them personally; thus we do not force the newly raised brother into positions in the Lodge, we do not force the "Elder Statesmen" of our lodge "back into the Chair" just because no-one else wants to; We do offer our members the chance to participate & grow the craft in a manner that the members themselves are comfortable with. To this end, we include the Brother Outer guard in the activities of Lodge Canoblas Lewis - In the same way that we appreciate all the efforts of our members.

Most importantly, We Let Bygones be Bygones & just get on with making lodge as enjoyable as possible for all our members!

If you think that You'd like to join Lodge Canoblas Lewis, please e-mail Brother Secretary or contact us through this blog, the Google+ or Facebook page.

So Mote it Be

Despite the "Tongue in Cheek tone" of this post, Canoblas Lewis is not denigrating other bodies & groups. If Freemasonry isn't for you there are many other positive groups in our city that you may care to join

How do I Join a Masonic Lodge?

So, How do you Join Lodge Canoblas Lewis?

The Simple rule is: That you must first Ask to join!

That is all!

You must make an application to the Lodge; the members will then vote on your application.

It gets slightly more complicated in the details, but the process is not that bad, we (Lodge Canblas Lewis) will start the ball rolling with the applications & such

In order to assist the process, There is a simple question that you have to answer: Are you a Mason already?

If Yes:
Come along & Apply to join our Lodge; However, you will need to contact your Mother Lodge to "Call Off" your membership if you do not want to pay both Lodges membership fees.

If you are an Unattached Mason (that is having a Lapsed Membership, or, not currently belonging to a lodge) you should come to a regular meeting & then make it Known that you wish to join Lodge Canoblas Lewis. You will need to have finalised your financials with your former Lodge (or Lodges)

If No:
Is Your Father a Mason? If Yes, please have them sponsor you; as the Son of a Mason you have the privilege of being made a Mason before all others!

Do you Know Any Masons? If Yes, please have them Sponsor you on your application - they will be glad to see a friend join the craft.

If Not; No Worries! A few years ago, Grand Lodge came up with the Masonic Assistance Scheme (MAS). This allows good men to join a lodge without knowing any Masons.
Lodge Canoblas Lewis has frequently used the MAS where appropriate for its membership applications; to be honest, most of the members that have joined Lodge Canoblas Lewis through the MAS have really been glad they did!

If you are interested in this application to Join us Using The Masonic Assistance Scheme, please contact the Lodge Secretary by e-mail or use the links through Google+ or Facebook or through this Blog.

Here is the United Grand Lodge Link on How to Become a Freemason: Click Here! It will give you some additional information about Freemasonry in general.

We look forward to meeting you at a meeting

So Mote it Be!

Why the Dinner Suit?

We are often asked: Why do Freemasons attend meetings in a Dinner Suit?

Lodge is a formal occasion; thus Masons everywhere dress in a respectful manner when attending their lodges, the most realistic respectful manner is the Dinner suit.

Black Tie.
Rather than Goth & Emo total black, jeans Tee Shirt & boots, we like the look of the Black tie and the dinner suit, in single OR double breasted cut (we don't mind which style of dinner jacket is worn to lodge...)
 
Meaning: A Tux if you are North American. Being Black Tie (bow tie), Black Jacket, Black Waistcoat, Black Pants, White Shirt

Otherwise known as: A Bag o' Fruit, Monkey Suit, or (my Favourite) The Penguin Suit

Black Tie... on a contrasting yellow background to show the blackness of the tie!

A piccie can be stolen from here if you need to see a Dinner Suit...

But, Specifically, we (Canoblas Lewis) are asked; How come you have a Dinner Suit requirement, when others do not? If you look at the internet, many lodges have differing dress standards, some lodges are in the "Business Casual" dress category, others are in Near Bikie level of dress...

BUT not Canoblas Lewis!

We are kind of formal; meaning we wear a black dinner suit. Which leads us to the original question about why do we wear a dinner suit to a meeting?

Well, I am glad you asked:

Because it makes life easy!
That is you have a uniform. on a lodge night, put on your Dinner Suit, grab your apron & go! In the past, a dinner suit was the one piece of formal clothing that everyone had; thus a Dinner Suit was a formal piece of attire, but it was an inclusive piece of attire. Today, the dinner suit is relegated to school formals & such, but, by having a nice suit, Lodge is still recognized as a formal occasion.

Because it looks good!
How many times have you heard the ladies say: "Gee, you look nice in that suit"? How good does it feel to wear a suit, in a room full of blokes that are wearing the same style

And , Importantly, because James Bond wears one!
Hey, No matter which James Bond actor you prefer, they all looked great in a dinner suit & therefore we think we do too. No matter how badly it fits, not matter how expensive or cheap it was, we all are James Bond Cool in ours! Just we don't have the Martini's to match.

Mainly Because it is traditional!
As many lodges were formed in a time when things were far more formal times, Lodge Canoblas Lewis likes the way that we are upholding a tradition that would otherwise be fading away.

So that is the flippant reply; but, as with all good stories, their is a bit more to it.

The Grand Lodge of NSW & ACT's guidelines, suggest that evening lodges wear dinner suits, whereas day lodges should wear Lounge suits. As Canoblas Lewis is an Evening Lodge, the Dinner Suit guideline applies; but be aware, we take the guideline as just that, a guideline!

There are other rules that apply, but let's not go there at the moment, as it is just a little too boring for us to re-print!

So Mote It Be!

Book review - Dan Brown's "The Lost Symbol"

A recent talk in the South was a book review by one of the newer members of Lodge Canoblas Lewis.

The Book in Question...

 

Brother Meagher had recently picked up a copy of the Hit Novel "the Lost Symbol" at the Orange Public School Book Fair; this is a fund raising event for the Orange Public School, where various second hand & donated books are offered up for sale to the general public, with all funds raised going to the school. It is a really good value event with books sold @ $1/2.5 cm of spine width. It is a good event as it supports reading & the pleasure of holding a book.

So, onto the review:

The Lost Symbol is quite simply a rollicking read. It is in the tradition of the early pulp paperbacks of old, or the block buster reads of the current generations (or, is very similar in style to Brown’s other Block Buster “the Da Vinci Code”), in that the fast paced story in fact takes place in a single 24 hour period with the protagonists Good v Evil, performing tasks & stunts that would push the ordinary man to the outer limits; as well as having plots twists & turns that defy the reader to lose attention! It has it all, love interests, family issues, world issues, trauma, devotion beyond the ordinary persons understandings... you name it, it is there.

One of the very Masonic themes is on the gaining of wisdom by practice & the consequences of power without the wisdom to manage it's responsibility; A young man that has it all, but has a hollow life & should have looked at his Masonic oaths as a mantra to live by, rather than a means to gain power ... Just like Spiderman said: Great Power requires great responsibility. Maybe Spiderman is a Freemason too? 

In a lot of ways, the Masons look a bit like Ye Olde Tyme Jedi Knights... Except we ware rather spiffy dinner suits in Lodge Canoblas Lewis & the rules of the fraternity specify that you do not bring weapons into a Lodge!

Whilst the story is great & exciting,  we found the ending rather anticlimactic & a bit of a let down really... to be honest the ending was weird & in the opinion of those that read it, it didn't fit with the rest of the book. Despite this, as a whole, Canoblas Lewis is of the opinion that the ending did endorse the masonic practice of acceptance of differing religions in lodge... we would have preferred the secret to be really cool, like, Captain America  and Spiderman actually got their super powers through Freemasonry or, that a Masonic Temple can take you to Mars (the planet,  not the confectionery).

We think it would have sounded far cooler! I suppose it is just as well that Canoblas Lewis didn't write the book; who knows where we would have taken the plot!

From a Masonic perspective a lot of the masonic images mentioned in the book are very true. It shows that he has certainly done his homework; however, he does have a few misleading pieces in the book that to us were out-dated; although, in his defence, this could be the difference in practice of the Washington DC lodges when compared against NSW lodge practices; this is one of the cool aspects of freemasonry - being that different areas all have different "takes" on what Masonry is.

 

The fun aspect of a lodge is very present in the book. The importance of guarding tradition is present too. The feel of the rituals (being ancient) is present as well; this gives the reader the sense that Freemasonry is Fun & Rewarding - which is very true.

At this point, despite Dan's depiction of masons in overall positive ways, we should point out that Masons can not levitate.  Or talk telepathically.  Or start fires by mind power. Nor can we breath under water. Well at least not in a Lodge of Master Masons... Maybe the 33° degree Brethren of the Scottish Rite lodges can!

As Canoblas Lewis is a craft lodge for Apprentices, Fellow-crafts & Master Masons, the mysteries of the  33° Scottish Rite are not known to us, however our resident 33° member said they were "kind of" accurate in "some parts" of the Book - He DID have a twinkle in his eye when he said this...

It may surprise the lay person but, there are many different varieties of Freemasonry. Thus, even though the higher degrees meet at the Orange Masonic Center, Canoblas Lewis is none the wiser to what happens in those meetings than any layperson AND long may it stay that way!

Anyway, we (The Brethren of Lodge Canoblas Lewis # 806) heartily recommend this book as a good read to anyone; BUT, to those out there that wish to see what actually goes on in a lodge, feel free to Come Along & perhaps Join Lodge Canoblas Lewis # 806 to see the realities

We are sure that you would love it as much as we do

So Mote It Be!

 

The Religion thing...

So lets put the Religion thing to bed (as so many seem to use it as a reason to not to join Canoblas Lewis & other Masonic Lodges)

OK, Many people say that Masons can not be Catholic. Wrong
Some say that Masonry is for Protestants only. Wrong, again.
You may hear other say that If you are married to a Catholic, you cannot join a masonic lodge. Wrong yet again!
Others say that You must Spill Catholic blood to join. Wrong again. Very Wrong. Ask yourself; Who would want to hangout with any men that earned the right to join a group by assaulting others? This is just plain Wrong on just so many levels.

ALL the guff you have heard probably heard or read on the internet along the above issue 100% WRONG.

Therefore, TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT:
All Christian denominations are Welcome to join Lodge Canoblas Lewis. Catholics from St Marie's are welcome, as are Anglicans from St Barnabas's & Methodists & the uniting Church Adherents and all the others...
Coptic Christians are fine to join
Orthodox Christians are most welcome too
All Jews are welcome too.
As Are the Buddhists of the Central West...
Just like the Hindus, Sikhs, Zoroastrians, Jains are all welcome to come & join a lodge
AND Muslims of the Orange District are welcome as well.

All are Welcome...

The Above picture was stolen from HERE but it shows the acceptance of all Faiths

Further, nothing that happens in Lodge is Offensive to ANY religion; indeed, such behaviour would earn censure.

The requirement to have a religion (of some description) is needed to Join Canoblas Lewis (and all other Masonic Lodges for that fact) BUT, apart from that WE NEVER TALK ABOUT IT!
Are you kidding; we go to Lodge to get away from the arguments & strife & bickering; why on earth would we want to introduce something that will cause arguments, strife & bickering talk about Religion or Politics???

It is a great Irony of Freemasonry; You have to have a religion, but we don't want to know anything about it once you are in lodge!

Freemasonry: Open to all good men; 18 years or older, With a Religion.

Despite the fact that many Google search "Lodge in Orange NSW" find references to the very secular Orange Order, please do not think that Canoblas Lewis (or any other Masonic Lodge for that matter) is affiliated with any group that is not aimed at uniting Men in an egalitarian fraternity.

Harmony & Peace Brother. We've been saying that for a lot longer than the Hippies of the 1960's!

So Mote it Be!

I have Found some masonic paraphernalia; Can you tell me about it?

Frequently, a member of the public will find some Masonic Apparel when they are at a family members house; the answer is usually "... oh yes, your grandfather was a freemason; that is his apron"; this usually gets them wondering about this Paraphernalia & their relative/friend who owned it.
Then, after a time, They then ask "what the Heck does all this mean?"

Unfortunately, unless you have friends who are Masons, you will not get an answer...

So What the Heck does all this Masonic stuff mean?
Masonic paraphernalia is deeply symbolical; the fact that your family member/friend was a mason shows that he was a good man & he valued the company of other good men. The differing pieces of Paraphernalia signify differing aspects of his Masonic Career.

There were some Masons at my Grand fathers Funeral; What was that about?
In the past, being a Member of a Masonic Lodge (like so many things) was a highly guarded secret; in some cases, children didn't know that their father was a member of a lodge; thus, some people get a shock when a group of Masons mourn together at a funeral - many of whom are unknown to the family at the time. As a member of a Masonic Lodge, we remember our fellow Freemasons in a dignified Masonic ceremony (referred to as a Lodge of Sorrow/Mourning). You would have seen some of his fellow masons paying their respects to a dear friend, be assured that they will miss him deeply also.

I have Found some masonic paraphernalia; Can you tell me about it?
Yes. Quite frequently, members of a family find out that their Father/Grandfather/Uncle/Close Friend was a Mason when they see the Familiar Square & Compass symbol, or the light blue apron.

What Does all this Masonic Stuff mean?

If you would like a Mason to take a look at your items & tell you what they meant, please come along to our Lodge with your Item (preferably on a practice night) & we will happily assist you where we can

Be assured; these Items are the personal property of your loved one & are now yours. We will not take them from you when we appraise them & you will take them away with you as a memento of your loved one.

Be aware that in the past, there were many other non-masonic Lodges operating around the Central West of NSW; including the Oddfellows, The Buffalos, The Foresters to name but a few. Many of these orders have paraphernalia that is similar to a Freemasons, but we must point out that they are different bodies with different governing rules; that being said, we may be able to point you in the right direction.

My Grandfather/Uncle/Father was a Mason; Can you tell me more about his Masonic Career?
Possibly, In this case if he was not a member of Lodge Canoblas Lewis, we may not know all that much about him. We can assist by pointing you to the enquiries area of the United Grand Lodge of NSW & ACT - UGL NSW ACT.

I have My Fathers Masonic Apron; What do I do with it?
Keep it! I have seen some framed on the walls of "the Man-Cave", Whilst others have just been a keepsake. It is yours after all.

However, this is not all you can do; If you are a man, may I suggest that you contemplate joining our lodge? Hopefully you would enjoy freemasonry as much as He did & having his apron would certainly be a nice part of your masonic journey. If you let us know in advance that you are interested in joining, we can give you information on joining on the night.

If you are the daughter of a Mason; do you have a Husband, a Son, a Nephew, or a dear Friend that would benefit by joining our Lodge? If so bring them along with the apparel to meet us; for many men, having deeply personal masonic Apparel adds to the meaning of Masonic ceremonies

The Final Unashamed Plug:
If the hitherto undiscovered presence of a Freemason in your Family has sparked your interest in the Craft; why not come along, see what your family member was up to & join in?
We are sure that you will find it as fun & rewarding as your family member did.

So Mote it Be!

Regular Meetings

Lodge Canoblas Lewis # 806 Meets on the Second Monday of the month.

The Members will be at the Hall from around 7:00 PM; with the Lodge Tyling at 7:30

We welcome all fellow Freemasons to our meetings.

Dress Standards
As an Evening Lodge, The Brethren  generally wear a Dinner Suit, however, Visiting brothers should wear the attire of their own lodge; Thus, Daylight lodge Members are welcome to wear a Lounge suit, Members of other types of Lodges may wear the standard uniform of their lodge (for example, Motorcycling Lodges may wear their lodges Vests, or Leather Jackets when appropriate). Unattached or Called Off Masons may wear Lounge Suit or Dinner Suit.

The Apron: an Essential piece of a Freemasons Uniform

The Evening:
We like the Masonic Traditions, as these centuries old rituals unite Masonry & give a real purpose to the Evening

Lodge Canoblas Lewis takes pride in the Standard of our Masonic Work & we do our work properly & with all due reverence; however, Our prime Focus within the Lodge is in the Sincerity of the Work

As a Lodge, we accept that we are all on our own Masonic journey , thus we do not interrupt or compromise the work of others of the evening as we like to see that work is completed in a timely manner!

Our Lodge is formally closed with the Singing of Advance Australia Fair.

The South
With the formal part of the evening over, we retire to the buildings South for a light supper.

During Supper, there will usually be short speech, typically by a Lodge Member (for 5 or so minutes) on a topic that the Brethren will find interesting, however, we frequently have guest speakers doing more in-depth talks.

The Junior Warden will hold a Raffle for the evening, the price of the tickets is $5, proceeds go to the Lodges Charity Account

Food is predominately Finger Food (this varies from month to month).

In addition to Beer & Wine, Tea & Coffee are served, as are a selection of soft drinks; which include diet soft drinks.

We try to link the Supper & the Work of the evening to ensure that the entire evening is a positive one.

Closing:
We Close the evening formally by the singing of the Junior Wardens Toast, Followed Immediately by Auld Lang Sine (as we like the Scotch language of Robbie Burns!).

After the formal closing, members & visitors can stay on & enjoy each others company whilst the South is cleaned up by the Stewards.

So Mote it Be!

Practice Nights

Lodge Canoblas Lewis has 2 practice nights each month

These nights are optional attendances for members, & they are aimed at social interaction as well as practicing the Masonic Rituals of the formal lodge. We also plan future Lodge events, Visits Social gatherings & Lodge Management at these nights

We hold the Practice nights on the two Mondays prior to a regular meeting; meaning the last Monday of the month & the First Monday of the Month

Practice starts at 7:30

Dress for the evening is casual (please be clean!)

We usually finish the night with a casual conversation & a Port in the South

So Mote it Be!

Orange Masonic Centre

The Orange Masonic Centre is the name that the Hall that Lodge Canoblas Lewis meets in.

It is located at 25 Moad St Orange.

The Hall is in the Same street as the Orange Hockey Complex

There building is a modern one & has secure off street parking; Handicapped parking is directly in front of the main door.

The Masonic Lodges in Orange all relocated to this building after the Sale St building was sold

Phone Number: (02) 6362 2002 (it is best to call when a Lodge is being held)

So Mote it Be!