This excerpt, from an article by Bro. Krishnaraj Iyrapatham, Past Master of Lodge Angus 1529, was first published in the 2021 Commemorative Book for the installation of Bro. Abel Wesley Kirubairaj Arumugam as District Grand Master. It is reprinted here with his gracious permission.
Introduction
The District Grand Lodge of the Middle East (DGLME), at one time, was spread over the whole of South East Asia. However, after the Second World War, due to diminishing membership and unfavourable political environment, the lodges in Brunei, Indonesia and Laos went into darkness and returned their Charter to Grand Lodge of Scotland. Lodges in Thailand only came in the purview of the District after the Second World War, prior to which it was under the direct supervision of Grand Lodge. The DGLME now comprises of lodges in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.
Currently, with 24 lodges under the roll of the DGLME and with a membership of over one thousand freemasons, the DGLME qualifies as one of the fastest growing districts. It embodies the true meaning of freemasonry and universal brotherhood as it is surely the most multinational, multiracial and multicultural district within the Grand Lodge of Scotland. The different languages and culture are so diverse yet Scottish Freemasonry has created a common bond within the members in the District where Bagpipes and Haggis are a regular staple at certain special occasions.
Quoting from Brother Robert L. D. Cooper, Curator, the Grand Lodge of Scotland Museum and Library,
“Scottish Lodges, in all parts of the world, always had some amount of independence before Grand Lodge, entirely in accordance with the Scottish mentality of non-standardisation - a peculiar concept in this world of ever-increasing conformity and standardisation. Scottish Lodges revel in their differences, one from another, and this is manifested visually by their regalia, ritual and colours.”
The brethren of this district are probably the most travelled freemasons in the world, visiting lodges and making their presence felt from New Zealand to the Caribbean.
British Freemasonry in South East Asia began in Sumatra in 1765 with the founding of Lodge No. 1 at Fort Marlborough, Bencoolen (Bengkulu). Following the founding of Penang or ‘Prince of Wales Island’ (as it was then known) by Captain Francis Light of the East India Company in 1786, British Craft Freemasonry came to Malaya with the establishment of Lodge Neptune in 1809. Years later in 1845, Zetland-in-the-East Lodge (508 EC) was consecrated in Singapore.
However, it took nearly another sixty years before the first Scottish Constitution lodge was formed in Malaya. With the arrival of the Great Rubber Boom in the early 1900s and that with the strength of the tin industry, resulted in a considerable increase in the number of European and British staff working in Malaya. The British were civil servants, planters or those working for the East India Company. Many of these were Freemasons of Scottish descent so the time was ripe for the formation of a Scottish Lodge.
It was during this period that Lodge Scotia No. 1003 was erected and consecrated in 1906 and Scottish Freemasonry may be said to have firmly established itself in Malaya.
Great changes were taking place in the peninsula, and due to the growing prosperity of the Federated Malay States (F.M.S.), including the boom year of 1910, there was further influx of a large number of brethren into the Colony. Kuala Lumpur, the capital of the Federated Malay States continued to transform itself with impetus so as to warrant the constitution of another lodge, and Lodge Tullibardine-in-the-East No. 1118 was erected at Kuala Lumpur in 1913, followed by the erection of Lodge Malaya No. 1146, at Klang in 1915 (which unfortunately went into darkness in 1938).
Read Masonic Hall, 1908
With this growing strength and enthusiasm in the F.M.S. and Penang, it became imperative to have a local representative governing body and steps were taken to form a District Grand Lodge under the Grand Lodge of Scotland, in Kuala Lumpur. In 1916 Lodge Tullibardine-in-the-East No. 1118, together with Lodge Scotia No. 1003 and Lodge Malaya No. 1146 moved for the formation of the District Grand Lodge of the Middle East. The District Grand Lodge of the Middle East was erected by Grand Lodge on the 20th day of October 1916, to supervise, guide and control, on behalf of Grand Lodge, all Scottish Freemasonry in Singapore, Malaya, Indonesia, Sarawak, British North Borneo, State of Brunei, Thailand and such other territory or territories as Grand Lodge may determine.
By authority from the United Grand Lodge of England, and at the request of the Grand Lodge of Scotland, the Right Worshipful Bro. F. M. Elliot, District Grand Master of the District Grand Lodge of the Eastern Archipelago conducted the consecrating ceremony, and duly installed Bro. Eric Macfadyen as the 1st Right Worshipful District Grand Master of the District Grand Lodge of the Middle East. The District Grand Lodge of the Middle East was consecrated in the Masonic Hall, Damansara Road, Kuala Lumpur, on Friday 20th October 1916.
Since then, the District Grand Lodge of the Middle East, the District Grand Lodge of the Eastern Archipelago and the Provincial Grand Lodge of Ireland have lodges in the same geographical area and enjoy close and cordial relations with each other, communicating ‘Happiness’. There has also a close rapport with the United Grand Lodge of Victoria, Australia, Grand Lodge of Western Australia, District Grand Lodge of the Far East, District Grand Lodge of India, Grand Lodge of China, Taiwan and recently Grand Lodge of India
One may wonder why our District was given the name ‘Middle East’, as the Middle East in present day connotation, refers geographically to regions surrounding Palestine, Israel, Jordan, Arabia and Syria. However, in the early part of the 20th century, that area was referred to as the Near East and the areas around China and Japan was termed as the Far East. Our part of the world, being in between, was referred to as the Middle East . The name Middle East was accepted by all until in 1951, when Bro. John Henry Mason Summers gave notice that the name be changed to the District Grand Lodge of Malaya. However, Bro. Jimmy Laing expressed his opposition to the proposed change stating:
“Masonically, the Middle East is a clearly defined geographical area created to care for the Brethren who were outside the scope of the Near East and the Far East, both of which Districts were created earlier. The use of the words Middle East to describe North African territory sprang up during World War II after the whole of the East had been lost. The word Malaya has not even the merit of common usage. Tradition merits the retention of the present Middle East.”
Various definitions of Malaya and South East Asia were produced from various authorities to support the original proposition and various amendments, but the daughter Lodges were not in favour of change and the original title has remained to date.
Malaysia was formed in September 1963 and the Lodges within the District namely, Lodge Ailsa 1172 and Lodge St. Andrew 1437 in Singapore, Lodge Sarawak in Sarawak and Lodge Scotia 1003, Lodge Tullibardine-in-the-East 1118, Lodge Angus 1529 and Lodge Royal Pahang 1589 in Malaya came under the jurisdiction of Malaysia, while Lodge Brunei 1545 in Brunei and Lodge St. John 1072 in Bangkok, Thailand continued to remain in their respective countries. Singapore then became independent in 1965. This period of our history illustrated the uniqueness of our Craft which transcends national or political boundaries, and our Lodges were able to remain in the District as a unit in spite of these changes
Map from the early 1900s
The District Grand Lodge of the Middle East was consecrated and dedicated in 1916. Those dedications have served their time and purpose but after 100 years there is a need to renew them. It is here that the need for rededication comes. It is that as we grow and mature we need greater goals and larger purposes. We must carry forward with courage and devotion, the great task that remains before us, of carrying this district forward, eventually coming up stronger, bigger and better.
The Straits Times, 23 October 1916
The year 2016 was indeed a significant milestone in the incredible journey of the District Grand Lodge of the Middle East when it celebrated its centenary at the Bayview Beach Resort in Penang. The MWGMM of Scotland, Bro. Iain Robert Wolrige Gordon of Esslemont headed the delegation from Grand Lodge to partake in the ceremonies and festivities culminating with the Rededication Ceremony and the Grand Banquet on the 27th of February 2016. The Grand Lodge team accompanying the MWGMM was probably the largest deputation of active Grand Lodge Office Bearers ever, to travel outside Scotland for any masonic event.
The DGLME was honoured with the presence of no less than 21 Deputations from Grand Lodges and District Grand Lodges throughout the world from British Columbia to Australia. The MWGMM conducted the ceremony of Rededication, ably assisted by the Grand Director of Ceremonies and the Grand Lodge team with utmost dignity and solemnity in a unique and memorable ceremony befitting the occasion. This was followed by the rededication ceremony of the ‘District Regalia’ by the Depute Grand Master Bro. Ramsey McGhee and an oration of the history of the DGLME by Bro. Abel Arumugam. In conjunction with the Centenary Celebrations the DGLME hosted the 2016 International Scottish Masonic Conference from the 24 – 26 February which proved a tremendous success.