On March 7, 1911, MW Teodoro M. Kalaw, Sr. passed the Fellowcraft Degree . Ha muerto el Grande! Kalaw, Sr. was a Grande because he was, among other thing, an author, a scholar, an orator, and a statesman of the highest order. How he came to be such aGrande and a Grand Master may be seen through a review of his eventful life. He was born in Lipa, Batangas on March 31,1884. He grew up to become the “great interpreter and defender of Filipino liberty and nationalism,” becoming the editor ofEl Renacimiento in 1907. As editor, be fearlessly defended Filipino rights and uncompromisingly advocated the Filipino cause: absolute independence. The editorial in his newspaper, entitled “Aves de Rapina,” catapulted him to national figurehood. One of the Philippine-Commission members sued the paper for libel and damages. Shortly thereafter, the paper folded up. Here is a summary of Kalaw’s Masonic career: Initiation, Nilad Lodge No.12 – April 8, 1907 Passing, Fellowcraft Degree – March 7,1911 Raising, Master Mason – July 3,1914 Grand Master, Gran Logia Junior Grand Warden, Grand Lodge Grand Orator -1924-28 Grand Master -1928-29 Grand Orator -1931-32 Grand Secretary -1935-39 Grand Secretary Emeritus -1940 He was, likewise, very active in the Scottish Rite Bodies. In fact, he was one of the few who had the distinction of having been coroneted a 33° Mason before the Second World War. Kalaw was a consummate believer in what Masonry could do to men. Thus, on January 22, 1929, he wrote: And if I were asked now what I consider that phase of our external Masonry that we should study and promote in the near future for the maintenance of our Institution, I should frankly say to you: Let us Spread Masonry in the Far East among its various peoples. Let us have the natives of these isles and regions of Asia and Oceania mingle with other people in centers of fraternity, equality, and democracy, such as Freemasonry, in order that they may not only become better acquainted with each other that they may love each other and do good and practice charity together; but that they may love each other and teach the rest the benefits of that love. The coming years will be a time of intense activity and, perhaps, of unrest among the peoples of Asia and Oceania who have hitherto been sleeping. The West is flooding us with its men, its trade, its ideas, its principles, its methods, its institutions. The East is awakening and that awakening brings with it the consciousness of its own worth and responsibility. The final readjustment of the struggle of interests and civilization that is drawing near will inevitably be preceded by serious conflicts that it is our duty to prevent, or the bad effects of which we must at least endeavor to palliate. Let us organize Lodges in every important city of the Orient and have natives and foreigners fraternize in them daily. This will show that they are Brethren who can live together without any necessity for hating each other; and it will introduce into the future relations an element of love and unity that will be indispensable for the progress and harmonious living together of these races. Source : The Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the Philippines
Posted on: Thu, 06 Mar 2014 06:23:36 +0000
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