We often hear the phrase “Freemasonry is universal,” but it’s not every day you see that universality come to life in one lodge, at one meeting!
On 26th November, at Harrow Temple in Unity Lodge No. 1310, the WM, Adam Helman, and IPM, Malcolm Gwyn, delighted members and visitors alike with a stellar 3rd-degree ceremony for Bro. Sandeep Chotai. But what truly made this evening remarkable was the attendance of brethren who had journeyed from far and wide to be part of the occasion.
First, we had W. Bro Malcolm Gwyn, a dedicated member who regularly makes the trek from Leeds to Harrow—not just for lodge meetings but also for many LOIs and officers’ nights. His frequent travels have cemented his reputation as a loyal and dependable brother, and he’s often the one who’s journeyed the furthest.
That is, until Bro Landry Ngoma joined us. A Master Mason from Jehan de Chelles No. 411 under the Grande Loge Nationale Française, Bro Landry lives just outside Paris. On this visit to Wembley to see his fiancée, he attended our lodge for the first time. Although he had previously visited Freemasons’ Hall in London, he’d only been able to see the Library and Museum—this time, he experienced true English Masonic hospitality. We even learned that his French lodge sports some rather impressive headgear!
And then there was W. Bro Graham Davies, a Past Master of St. George’s and Cornerstone Lodge No. 5 and a Past Grand Steward, who truly raised the bar for “travelling brethren.” Living in Israel, he regularly flies back to London to attend his lodge meetings, and we were fortunate to welcome him at ours.
While the ceremony and camaraderie made the night unforgettable, it left us with one lingering thought: if Freemasonry really is universal, when will someone pop in from the International Space Station? Now that would take a rocket-powered commitment to the Craft!
