Freemasonry in Action

Freemasonry in Action

It was the telephone call I had been dreading. I stumbled out of bed at 3am in Singapore, hardly believing what my mother in Johannesburg had told me: my elder brother had been involved in a serious head-on car crash in Cape Town, South Africa, and had been operated on for the past 6 hours and it would be touch-and-go if he would survive the next day.

She was going to take a flight from Johannesburg as soon as she could arrange it but it may be a few days. She was resigned that he may pass away on his own and that sometime fate deals us a heavy blow.

After consoling her as best I could, I called Singapore Airlines and managed to explain the situation I was facing to a very understanding manager. They put me on a flight at 5pm the next day.

While waiting I wracked my brains as to which of my brother’s friends that he may have mentioned whom I could contact – without success. Then I thought of the way the world-wide Masonic connection works. Being a freemason of the Scottish Constitution, I looked up the Yearbook for the list of Lodges in Cape Town.

Luckily I managed to get a number of the secretary of one of the Lodges there and immediately contacted him. He understood my frantic rambling and said he would send a Brother to the Hospital immediately, to see what could be done. I thanked him and told him that it might take a few days for me to reach there but I would be in touch as soon as I could. I was reassured that he would be in good hands.

I headed to the airport and after a sleepless flight arrived in Cape Town. I headed straight to the Hospital and managed to find my brother in intensive care, but out of danger. Also present was the Secretary of the Lodge whom I had spoken to half-way around the world. We shook hands and I recognized him as a fellow mason.

As my brother progressed over the next few weeks I managed to have the honour of attending the workings of the oldest lodge in Cape Town, which was connected to the Parliament via an underground tunnel. I gave greetings from Singapore and specifically thanked all who had assisted me in a time of need.

I was presented with a fine bottle of South African wine, signed on the label by all the brethren. It is the best memento I have of a horrendous situation, which showed me the power of the Brotherhood worldwide.

WBro Colin Macdonald

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