Squares & Compasses: Freemasonry in New Zealand

Fantastic response to Freemasons exhibition.

Russell Museum’s newest exhibition is receiving lots of positive feedback, in fact, the response has been fantastic. Squares and Compasses: Freemasonry in New Zealand, curated by Thérèse Angelo, Director of The New Zealand Air Force Museum and sponsored by the Freemasons of New Zealand opened Saturday 9 April, 2011. Curator Marsha Davis says, “This wonderfully presented travelling exhibition of Freemason regalia and history, including a short movie by its members, is designed to demystify Freemasonry”. “No-one should miss this fascinating exhibition; it’s a unique and rare learning opportunity.”

In the past, secret handshakes, passwords and terms used by the Freemasons resulted in erroneous conclusions about the Freemasons. Today, “the only secrets of Freemasonry are modes of recognition, such as passwords”. Revealing the workings of the organisation through the exhibition Squares and Compasses is paying off. For one visitor the exhibition prompted childhood memories of discovering his father’s apron, cuffs and collar hanging in the wardrobe and filled his need for information about his father’s membership in the Freemasons. Another visitor was astonished and delighted to see the exhibition saying, “I thought this was kept secret” and an enthusiastic couple wished the exhibition could travel overseas saying, “in England it is still very “hush hush”.

The Masonic aims of promoting unity, tolerance and charity toward fellow men have always been applied through the Freemasons' significant philanthropic work. Recently, in 2010 a $125,000 project undertaken by The Freemasons Charity saw “GPS navigation units placed within 193 operating St John Ambulance Stations”. Two areas Freemasons continue to substantially support are medical research and educational scholarships. Here in Russell, Lodge Kororareka continues that support by providing education grants and donations to local community organisations.

For a history of Lodge Kororareka please see Russell Lights, Volume 14, Issue 8 and Russell Museum’s Heritage Corner # 105, on the back page.

Event listed by Shelley Arlidge

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