Letter of the month: July 2000

Message-Id: <003401bfecbe$2e20b4e0$088854d2@q2m5v4>
From: "Smith" <fgsmith@ozemail.com.au>
To: <dryfoo@MIT.EDU>
Subject: South Africa
Date: Thu, 13 Jul 2000 21:33:31 +1000

While surfing the net, I came across the links to various Masonic Lodges in different countries. The only country not listed was South Africa.

Question: Is there a lodge or lodges in South Africa? if yes, how does that fit in with the Brotherhood when there's is no equality there!! In short how can you call someone brother inside the lodge and cannot help him outside the lodge because it is frowned upon or against the law.....

To: "Smith" <fgsmith@ozemail.com.au>
Subject: Re: South Africa 
In-Reply-To: Your message of "Thu, 13 Jul 2000 21:33:31 +1000."
             <003401bfecbe$2e20b4e0$088854d2@q2m5v4> 
--------

Dear Mr. Smith,

There is a Grand Lodge of South Africa, founded in 1961. The grand secretary's office is located in Johannesburg, and there are nearly 100 lodges located in all parts of the country.

As to the argumentative part of your question/statement, where have you been for the last 10 years? South Africa is now a democracy that has just voted in their second black president, in elections that were internationally monitored as fair and free, and has removed or repealed its apartheid laws and regulations. Things aren't perfect, but that is a far better record than other countries where Masonry has flourished for generations.

Further, as you may not know, Masonry as an organization does not concern itself with politics, but with allowing each man to improve himself and act more in accordance with the dictates of conscience and reason. Perhaps the presence of Masonry in South Africa helped strengthen the spirit of some of the men who worked to bring about that country's transition. I don't know, and I suspect that you have no first-hand knowledge either. On that basis, I cannot judge that Masonry does or does not "fit in".

Thanks for writing.

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