When I first started writing this piece for the newsletter the information I had to impart was new. But by the time you get to read this some of this will be old news . I apologise for this but as our newsletter is bi-monthly this is unavoidable and therefore I crave your
indulgence:- Brethren what an exciting month this has been. I had the pleasure of attending the installation of our brother Warren Baffsky along with V.W.Br Bennie Rossen, W.Br Raymond Leonzini and Br Peter Ryner into the chair of King Solomon of the Mount Scopus and Collegians Lodge. Due to time restraints I could only fly down on the Tuesday, the day of the installation, and fly home on the Wednesday. Peter and Ray drove down on the Saturday before and I’m not sure when Ben arrived but it was before me.
Ray stayed with Warren, Peter stayed in a hotel and Ben and I were handsomely feted in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Baffsky. What a warm and friendly couple they are! I think Mrs. Baffsky is the happiest when she is entertaining people. A big surprise to us and to Warren in particular was the presence of Peter Herman from Harold Herman Unity. Apparently two days before he phoned the secretary of Warren’s Lodge and told him he was coming but asked him not to tell anyone. When he came in Warren was truly shocked but genuinely pleased that Peter had come.
We expected some differences in the ceremony and we were not disappointed. Warren told us of some of them and being forewarned it helped me to enjoy them more. The perambulation and the preciseness of it are very important to the Victorians. Ritual work is also extremely important and no one even thinks about not attending rehearsal. At the investiture of officers where in NSW the master says to the wardens ‘you will endeavour to be regular in your attendance at all Grand Lodge communications’, in Victoria he says," you will attend Grand lodge communications". Significant?!
But no one could prepare us for the difference of the Board of Installed Masters. I felt almost as if I had not gone through it before. Though some parts were the same, the signs were different, as was the grip.
On Wednesday 27th of August I along with W.Bro.Raymond Leonzini,V.W.Bro. Ben Rossen, Bro's. Peter Ryner and Rudi Friedman attended the installation of Bro. Marc Arenson into the chair of King Solomon. The ceremony was very pleasant (and one that I was more used to) with a large delegation of Grand Officers. I think a good time was had by all.
W.Bro. Ray and I also attended the Re-Installation of W.Bro. Steve Sokialis of The Lodge of Australia.
Our last meeting went off quite well I think. Bro. Richard Rosebery was passed to the 2nd degree without a hitch and I am sure he is looking forward to the next step, which will be at our November meeting. I urge all the brethren to mark their diaries NOW and be there on the 12th of November to lend a hand support to our brother Richard.
Also at that meeting our V.W.Bro. Ben Rossen made a lovely presentation to W.Bro. Keith Aird of his 60 year certificate. There have been a few masons to receive their 60 year certificate in The Lodge of Tranquillity but Keith is the only one who was actually initiated into this Lodge and stayed with it. Well done Keith! I believe Keith is not a young man but from the way he delivered a charge on the night you wouldn’t know it.
I also had the pleasure of officially welcoming my Father-in-law W.Bro. Albert Solomon into our Lodge.
As I write this part of the newsletter I find myself unexpectedly at work. I usually wangle Wednesday off but my receptionist has come down with the dreaded flu that seems to be affecting everyone in Sydney and so here I am. If any brother has this bug you have my sympathy and I hope that you get over it very soon.
Tonight I am looking forward to visiting Lodge Mark Owen along with a number of our brethren. Hopefully we will be able to attend as a fraternal. Tonight they are passing one of the "Owen" clan to the second degree.
Well there’s not much else to add except that I hope you all are healthy and happy and I look forward to seeing you at the October meeting.
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Visiting
Visiting was again high on the agenda for our Worshipful Master with visits to Lodge Harold Herman Unity for the Installation of W.Bro. Marc Arenson with a fraternal, the Re-Installation of W.Bro. Marc Arenson with a fraternal, the Re-Installation ofW.Bro. Stephen Sokialis and a fraternal to Lodge Mark Owen for the passing of Bro. Matt Owen.
Thanks to those brethren who supported these fraternal visits.
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Items of Interest
60 Years in Tranquillity,
1937 to1997!
Congratulations W.Bro. Keith Aird.
At our September meeting, our highly esteemed brother, W.Bro. Keith Aird, was presented with his 60 Year Grand Lodge Certificate, a 60 Year Clasp and a personally signed letter from the M.W.Grand Master, on the occasion of his 60 continuous years in Freemasonry and the Lodge of Tranquillity no. 42.
Keith was initiated into Tranquillity at the August meeting 1937.
He was Worshipful Master 1947 to 1948 and is a most active mason attending lodge regularly and delivering charges in all three degrees. A first class Lawn Bowler, Keith still enjoys a game at a rink near his Belrose home.
Keith was 90 years young in May 1997 and was married for over 65 years to his beloved wife Sadie (sadly, Sadie passed away earlier this year). V.W.Bro. Bennie Rossen made the presentations to Keith in the lodge room and V.W.Bro. Neville Milston proposed the toast in the south. Keith, may you enjoy many more happy years in Tranquillity.
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Sick & Absent Brethren
To our sick and absent brethren and especially to our W.M. W..Bro. Michael Guray who was not well on our visit to Lodge Mark Owen didn't stay for the south and discovered the next day that he had the Chicken Pox. Hope you are feeling better & don't lay any eggs !
Bro. George Mero seems to have gotten over his turn in hospital and was back in lodge last meeting.
Our newly passed brother Bro. Richard Rosebery is down with the flu again, hope you get rid of it this time.
W.Bro. Maurice Finklestein, our D.C., came down with a very nasty stomach bug but is back at work and seems to be recovering O.K.
A special cheerio to Bro. Lionel Alexander who has not been able to attend lodge. Your company is missed and we hope the warmer weather will allow you to attend.
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Yours fraternally,
Ed
