From: "Tony Pope" <tonypope@riverland.net.au>

There may not have been any direct Masonic content in the posting which Bro
Feldman forwarded, but I'm sure we all share his concern and horror.

Part of the forwarded posting reads:

> Those in my parent's generation were dumbfounded. Who ever heard of
Gentiles caring about Jews?<

It affords me the opportunity to recount (yet again) a heartwarming story
about a Jewish synagogue and a Masonic lodge in Van Diemen's Land
(Tasmania) 155 years ago, which I encountered while researching for a book
about Freemasonry in that charming little offshore 1% of Australia.

Fraternally,
Tony Pope MPS
Global Masonic Publications <http://www.netlink.com.au/~kent/>


St John's Lodge and the Synagogue

The first lodge in the north of Tasmania was St John's Lodge, erected at
Launceston in January 1843 under a dispensation granted by Tasmanian
Operative Lodge (Irish Constitution) in Hobart. In the same month, the
Jewish community in Launceston decided that the time was right to build a
synagogue, and they addressed a petition to the Governor for a grant of
land for this purpose. Subsequent events led to an unusual demonstration of
brotherhood.

The census of 1842 shows that there was a Jewish population in Launceston
of 58 persons. The Jewish community petitioned Governor Sir John Franklin
for a grant of land on which to build a synagogue, and also for land as a
burial ground. Both applications were refused, although similar grants had
been made to several Christian denominations. This was interpreted by the
local newspapers and the general populace as religious bigotry, and when
the tiny Jewish community determined to raise the money to purchase land
and build the synagogue, they received generous and widespread support from
the local newspapers and the Christian community. By mid-1844 they had
sufficient funds and called for tenders.

It was decided to make the laying of the foundation stone a gala occasion.
On Tuesday, 1 October 1844 (the 18th day of Tishri, 5605, by the Jewish
calendar), a crowd assembled in pouring rain for the event. A procession
was formed outside the meeting place of St John's Lodge, led by the band of
the 96th of Foot, followed by the brethren of the lodge in full regalia,
with the members of the Jewish building committee in their midst and the
remainder of the Jewish congregation at the rear. The band played Masonic
airs, "Burns' Farewell" and "The Entered Apprentice", and led the way along
St John Street to the chosen land. The lodge minutes record:

"On arriving at the ground, suitable prayers were offered up to the Great
Architect of the Universe, and a Masonic Anthem, expressly compiled for the
occasion, was sung by the brethren, accompanied by the Military Band."

After the laying of the foundation stone and dedication by the President of
the congregation, Benjamin Francis, assisted by the Master of the lodge,
Samuel Fox, they all reassembled and marched back behind the band.

As Regimental Quartermaster and Worshipful Master, Samuel Fox provides an
obvious link between the regiment and the lodge, but personal links between
the lodge and the congregation are more difficult to establish. It is
possible, of course, that Samuel Fox was a Jew. There are no contemporary
Jewish records of the period, and Masonic records do not indicate religious
affiliation. Benjamin Francis may have been a Mason. Some of the phrases in
his address, as reported in the local press, had a decidedly Masonic
flavour:

"My Hebrew Brethren and Christian Friends--The unspeakable and deeply felt
pleasure this occasion affords me, can only be known by the great being for
whose worship and adoration we are met to found this temple. In the
outpouring of my heart at this time, I thank God we are assembled even in
the earth's furthest limits, I may almost say in the wilderness, to cement
by brotherly love the bonds which have before-time bound the Hebrew
community alike, amidst the fiercest political tyranny and the bitterest
religious persecution. The bright sun of modern intelligence, however, is
fast dissipating the noisome vapours of intolerance and bigotry, and
mankind now learn, that their social, moral and religious happiness depend,
not in religious dominancy, but rather in the exercise of love, benevolence
and good will from one to the other. The example my christian friends have
given this day of the absence of religious bigotry will be known in all
lands, and shall be remembered when the pulsation of these generous hearts
shall repose in their cold grave. May this day then join us in brotherly
love and good feeling, and may the Almighty bless us with a contrite heart,
health, happiness and prosperity."

Postscript

The synagogue still stands, as a building on the National Heritage List,
but is not used for worship, due to a decline in numbers of practising Jews
in Launceston. There was a period when the building was rented to Masons in
Launceston for meetings of a Lodge of Instruction. The lodge no longer
exists as a separate entity, having merged with two other lodges in the
past decade.


