프리메이슨 한양롯지...홈페이지에 나오는 선교사(펌)

One Hundred Years of Freemasonry in Korea
A Brief History of Lodge Han Yang No. 1048 in Seoul
composed by
Bro. Donald LaVergne
An Affiliate Member of
Lodge Han Yang No. 1048
July 2007
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Table of Contents
Acknowledgements 3
Foreword & Introduction 4
Chapter one: A Brief Historical Sketch 5
Chapter Two: A Conversation with Brother C.S. Lee, P.M. 16
Chapter Three: Summaries of Interesting Correspondence 18
& Documents
Epilogue 21
Appendix A: Seoul Foreigners' Cemetery 22
Appendix B: Distinguished Service Brethren 24
Appendix C: Past Masters 25
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Acknowledgements
The compiler of this brief history wishes to thank Brother David
DeForest (Right Worshipful Master for the year 2006) for the confidence he
reposed in me in asking me to compose a history of Lodge Han Yang No. 1048
and which is being entitled one Hundred Years of Freemasonry in Korea.
Numerous brethren have assisted me in this assignment; from the fear of
leaving anyone out should I attempt to name those who have so helped me, I
shall name no one in particular, knowing that everyone will understand how
much I have appreciated their support.
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Foreword & Introduction
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The first known account of the history of Lodge Han Yang No. 1048 was
published in the 1953 Grand Lodge of Scotland Year Book. Authored by
Brother W. Lloyd Heath, who served the Lodge as Junior Deacon in 1947- 1948
and as Secretary/Treasurer from 1950-1954, this early history was entitled
“Masonry in Korea: The History of Han Yang Lodge No. 1048.”
Several subsequent histories have been prepared, each building on the
cornerstone laid by Brother Heath, to whom the Lodge is greatly indebted.
Notable among these is an updated history celebrating the 60th anniversary of
Masonry in Korea, and further updates prepared in 1995 and 2005.
Although a complete and thorough history has always been desired,
much of the information required is missing. Many of these missing records
were lost during tumultuous periods in Korea’s modern history, including the
Japanese occupation, WWII, and the Korean War . Other records were lost in
fire and flood. As time passes, it is increasingly doubtful that the Lodge records
can ever be recovered as completely as the Brethren would wish.
Despite the gaps in available information, or perhaps because of them, it
seems appropriate-in the words of Brother Heath-“To remind the Brethren of
the labor and sacrifices of those who have gone before to realize what we have
today.”
This current history - as incomplete as it is, yet as complete as is
physically possible due to the reasons outlined above - was prepared for the
Centenary of the Lodge.
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Chapter one
A Brief Historical Sketch of Lodge Han Yang No. 1048
In the early years of the 20th century the non-official foreign
population of Korea was, for the most part, limited to three general groups: the
merchants, the miners, and the missionaries. Among this foreign population
were a number of members of the Masonic Order.
It is not definitely known who were the originators of the movement to
establish an independent Masonic Lodge in Korea, but we do know that several
meetings were held in Seoul during late 1907 and early 1908 at which steps
were taken to prepare a petition to the Grand Lodge of Scotland.
At one of those meetings, held in the home of Dr. William B. Scranton, a
medical missionary, it was suggested that the petition be given to Brother
Walter H. Aldridge, who was connected with one of the large mining firms, so
that he might take it to the mines on his next trip and there secure signatures
from Brethren employed by his company. How well Brother Aldridge
succeeded is shown by the fact that over one third of the signers of the petition
were mining men.
The petition as finally prepared carried the signatures of twenty-four
Master Masons. Brother Frank E.C. Williams, a missionary, had attained
several of the preliminary meetings and had planned to be one of the signers,
but duties and travel intervened, much to his regret.
The signed petition was forwarded to Hiogo and Osaka Lodge in Kobe,
Japan where it received the support and endorsement of six Past Masters and the
Senior and Junior Wardens of that Lodge. The favourable endorsement and
recommendation of the Right Worshipful Brother George W. Whymark,
District Deputy Grand Master, E. C. (Japan) was also affixed and the Petition
was forwarded to the Grand Lodge of Scotland with the request that a Charter
be granted to the Seoul Brethren.
The Grand Lodge considered the petition with favour and on
November 5, 1908, issued a Charter for the new Lodge. The name, which
had been recommended for the new Lodge, was Han Yang, one of the ancient
Korean names for the capital city now known as Seoul. The Grand Lodge
assigned the number 1048 to the new Lodge.
It was not until May 29, 1909, that the new Lodge was opened and
consecrated. At this meeting the Founding Members signed the Charter.
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The Installing Officer was Brother John Thomas Griffin, widely known
as "The Father of Masonry in Japan." Brother Griffin was a raw silk merchant in
Yokohama, Japan, who made frequent trips to Korea and had taken an active
interest in the new lodge from the first. He was a 33rd Degree Mason and held
many high Masonic honours. on the opening evening of Han Yang Lodge,
Brother Griffin applied for membership in the new body.
Difference of opinion exists as to the exact place the first meeting was
held. Some remember it to have been in a room on the second floor of a building
owned by Brother James Henry Morris; others think it may have been in a room
in the Sontag Hotel. These buildings were located almost directly opposite each
other on Legation Street, now called by the Korean name "Chung Dong."
It is definitely known that the Lodge did meet in the room in Brother
Morris' building from soon after its inception untill 1922. The Lodge finally
moved to the building of the Seoul Club, originally called the "Diplomatic and
Consular Club," located but a few hundred feet along Legation Street in a
compound adjacent to the U.S. Consulate compound. Here it occupied a small
room on the second floor.
Brother Morris came to Korea around 1900 to work on the first streetcar
system installed by the Denver, Colorado firm of Coloran and Bostwick. When
the Japanese took over the utilities in 1905, he elected to remain in Seoul where
he established a commission, real estate and insurance firm and became a much
respected businessman. The Lodge was allowed the exclusive use of the second
floor of his office building, and he became the first candidate initiated into Han
Yang Lodge on December 11, 1909. Brother Morris took a very active part in
the work of the Lodge and served for many years as Secretary-Treasurer.
Prominent among the Charter members of the Lodge were Brothers
Ernest Thomas Bethell, who will always be honored in Korean journalistic
circles for the leadership he provided in Korea's resistance movement to Japan,
and O.R. Avison, the founder of Severance Hospital. Brother Bethell came to
Korea in 1904 as a correspondent for the London Daily News and established a
daily newspaper, which resulted in his arrest and imprisonment by the Japanese
authorities.
The Office-bearers installed at the opening of the new Lodge were
Alexander S. Hamilton, Right Worshipful Master; Ernest T. Bethell, Deputy
Master; David W. Deshler, Substitute Master; George R. Frampton, Senior
Warden and David E. Hahn as Junior Warden. Dr. W.B. Scranton was the first
Secretary and Albert Goshalk was named Treasurer.
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After the first meeting the Lodge recessed for the summer. Records
indicate some meetings were held during the fall of 1909, and at a meeting held
on December 4, we find records showing that Brother Frank E.G. Williams and
Brother William R. Harvey were accepted as members by affiliation.
Especially in the mining camps of North Korea, there were many
prospective candidates for initiation into Masonry and some for higher Degrees
who were unable to take the time off from work to attend Lodge in Seoul.
Brother Griffin solved this difficulty in 1911 by securing a Special Dispensation
from the Grand Lodge to hold a series of meetings at Unsan.
Brother Harry J. Evans, who was employed at the mine, relates how the
dining hall at the mining camp was transformed into a temporary Lodge room
on the evenings when meetings were held. Several Brethren located at the mine
assisted Brother Griffin and Brother Scranton who accompanied him from
Seoul in conferring the Degrees on around ten candidates. Brothers Griffin and
Scranton remained at the mine camp for over a month so that the proper time
might elapse between the various Degrees. This was the only time meetings of
the Lodge were held outside of Seoul.
Although the Lodge now had a membership of over thirty, great
difficulties were experienced at times in having sufficient Brethren present to
properly open the Communications. Many of the members were located at
points far removed from Seoul. Tales are told of the opening of meetings being
delayed until messengers could locate some of the resident members and get
them to the Lodge room. Meetings were held on the third Friday of
every month.
Brothers Frampton and Morris share so much of the credit for sustaining
the operation of the Lodge over these several years, but the hardships endured
by other brothers to keep the Craft thriving are also noteworthy. For example, in
1912, Brother Frank Chase rode a small Chinese pony eighty miles from
Taracol in Sinanju to catch a train for a twelve-hour ride to Seoul to be initiated
into Masonry.
In the early spring of 1925 a disastrous fire practically destroyed the
Seoul Club building. The Lodge lost heavily in properties but the worst loss was
that of the original Charter and many records. A cable was dispatched to the
Grand Lodge explaining the situation and a reply was received reading in part
"You are authorized to hold meetings with this cable as your Charter."
During the time required to rebuild the Seoul Club building, the Lodge
met in a room in a "go-down" (warehouse) belonging to Brother A.W. Taylor.
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The exact location of this building is not known. Worshipful Brother Charles
E.H. Druitt, who was then Master, tells how the cable reposed on his desk as the
authority for the meeting, until the duplicate Charter which the Grand Lodge
issued, could be received.
While the Seoul Club was being rebuilt, the Lodge entered into an
agreement with the Club whereby the Lodge advanced certain sums of money
and in return changes were made in the rebuilding plans. A new meeting room,
about forty by eighty feet, was constructed across the entire front of the second
floor. Preparation and retiring rooms as well as a washroom and a complete
kitchen were provided for the use of the Lodge. The Lodge was also promised
the use of the entire second floor of the building in perpetuity.
During these years, the Lodge was generally long on cash but still short
on resident members. Worshipful Brother Mark Owens recalls drafting a
visiting Past Master from Kobe to fill one of the chairs so a meeting could be
held. However, the Lodge was fortunate in having a faithful handful of
members, including Brother Thomas Hobbs who rarely missed a meeting, to
compromise a cohesive nucleus for its growth and development. Meanwhile,
the free use of the Lodge room in consideration of past donations allowed a
buildup of cash reserves. Some of the excess funds went into Seoul Foreign
School bonds.
The Lodge membership was exclusively foreign as Japanese
Subjects - which included Koreans - were forbidden to become Masons.
However, it was believed that a few Koreans had become Masons during their
sojourns abroad.
Japanese laws prohibited any form of secret society. To overcome this
difficulty, the Lodge operated as a club. Under the law, the secret police were
empowered to demand admittance to any meetings but no record shows that
they ever enforced this power. There was evidence, however, that the Lodge
rooms had been searched on several occasions. on one visit the police tried to
force the lock on a closet containing regalia, tools, etc., but were not able to do
so. They tried a second time by placing a ladder outside the building and trying
to force a window entering the closet, also unsuccessfully. The Lodge officers
were often questioned about their activities.
This hostility, and a definite threat by the Japanese gendarmes to break
into any meetings, caused the Lodge to recess a few months earlier than usual in
the spring of 1940. Discussions were held as to the best manner in which to
protect the Lodge properties and the matter was left to the Master, Senior
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Warden, Secretary, Treasurer and Brother D.H. Crowe. Brother Thomas Hobbs,
then Secretary, kept the Charter, records and other valuable papers in a safe in
his office. It was finally decided that the safe would be taken to the home of
Brother Crowe, a retired miner, who had made up his mind to remain in Seoul
with his Korean wife, rather than leave the country as most of the foreign
population was doing. Another retired miner, Brother A. McFarlane, who lived
with his Japanese wife in Sosa, a village between Seoul and Inchon, also
decided to remain. As he was Treasurer of the Lodge, he took all the financial
records to his home.
A large box was prepared containing the office bearers' regalia, working
tools, certain small books and articles’ belonging to the Lodge and this was
taken to the U.S. Consulate, the Senior Warden, Brother Gaylord Marsh, being
the U.S. Consul General at the time. Some of the larger items of furniture, etc.,
were stored in the attic of the home of Brother Anders Kristen Jensen, the
Master.
In May 1941, Worshipful Brother Hobbs left Seoul for Shanghai where,
after the Pearl Harbour attack, he was interned until October 1945. Brother
Marsh left shortly thereafter, and only Brothers Crowe and McFarlane remained
in Korea. The Lodge was closed.
Under the terms of the Armistice with the Japanese of August 15, 1945,
troops of the U.S. Army occupied that part of Korea south of the thirty-eighth
parallel. The first troops reached Seoul on September 12, 1945, and before
October was over, a Masonic Club—soon to be known as the Han Yang
Masonic Club—had been formed among members of the Craft serving with the
troops. Meetings were held at various places, for example, the Throne Room at
the Chosun Hotel. At times, the attendance at these meetings reached over 200
brethren, and they were closely tiled as groups of members would often
demonstrate the various Degrees as conducted in their home jurisdictions.
In November 1945, Brother Frank E.C. Williams returned to Korea and
soon was in contact with the members of the Masonic Club. They expressed
great interest in Han Yang Lodge and wished that it could be re-opened. Brother
Williams communicated with the Grand Lodge in Edinburgh, asking under
what conditions it would be possible to re-open and received a cable through the
British Consulate advising him that if three members of Han Yang Lodge were
present, they might accept five other Master Masons from the Masonic Club
and reopen the Lodge.
Worshipful Brother Jensen, who had been Master at the time the Lodge
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was obliged to close in 1940, returned soon after Brother Williams received the
reply, but it was not until several months later that Brother Vernon A. Gulick
returned, making the three members necessary under the Grand Lodge
instructions.
Late in June 1946, permission was obtained from the Military
Government, which had requisitioned the Seoul Club building for military use,
to use the Han Yang Lodge room for a meeting. At the July meeting Brothers
Gulick, Jensen, and Williams, all Past Masters, accepted the required members
as directed by the Grand Lodge, and Han Yang Lodge was again opened in full
form.
Prior to the meeting, Brother Williams had secured the box, which had
been stored at the U.S. Consulate and also obtained the safe from the home of
Brother Crowe. Brother Lt. Col. King and Brother Gulick went to Brother
McFarlane's home in Sosa and obtained the records stored there. Both of these
Brothers had died during the war years, but their widows were faithful to the
trust which had been imposed on them and safely cared for the Lodge property.
Some of the furniture, which had been stored in Brother Jensen's home, had
been stolen or lost, but fortunately some very important pieces necessary for use
in the Lodge were still there.
At the first meeting no business was transacted except to get the Lodge
reorganized, nominate office bearers, etc., and then the re-opened Lodge
recessed until fall. In the fall, regular meetings were held. The newly-elected
office-bearers were installed, Worshipful Brother Jensen acting as Installing
Officer; Brother Vernon A. Gulick was installed as Master, Lt. Col. John P.
King as Senior Warden, and Brother Harold E. Dagley was Junior Warden. The
other office-bearers were all members of the Armed Forces.
Starting with the first meeting of the Lodge, the desk of Secretary was
piled high with applications for both affiliation and initiation. Attendance at the
meetings was very large, at times beyond the seating capacity of the room, some
Brethren having to stand during the entire evening. Work was carried on in full
form and classes were given their Degrees at practically every meeting. At one
time, candidates were advised that their names could not be reached for at least
a year, although meetings were held weekly.
By midsummer 1947 the Military Government released the Seoul Club
building and starting that fall the Lodge again re-occupied its regular rooms in
that building. The Lodge had been meeting temporarily in the ballroom of the
Chosun Hotel, which presented quite a problem to keep properly tiled. The
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weather during the winter of 1947-1948 was very severe. The only means of
heating the Lodge rooms was one small open fireplace at the west end of the
room. It was not uncommon to see to see the Brethren present wearing heavy
overcoats or parkas with theirs hands deep in their pockets. The electric power
supply was also very uncertain due to breakdowns in transmission equipment
and not infrequently the lights would fade out, usually at some important
moment during the ceremonies, and the Master would request the Brethren on
the sidelines to illuminate the room by means of their pocket flashlights. In spite
of all these adverse conditions, the lodge continued to carry on regularly.
Meetings still were held weekly.
During 1947, the complexion of the Lodge started to change. Many
civilians were arriving in Korea to take places with the Government and many
of the armed forces were returning home. These civilians made their presence
felt not alone in the applications for initiation but also in those desiring to
affiliate with the Lodge. By 1948, all offices of the Lodge were filled with
civilians with two exceptions. Full classes continued to receive their Degrees
and attendance remained high.
During the summer of 1949 the Lodge was redecorated throughout. The
meeting room was repainted, floors scraped and new electrical fixtures installed.
Among these was a light placed over the altar which was controlled by a
rheostat allowing it to be dimmed or give a very bright light as required during
the Degree work. New blue silk drapes, with inner light-coloured curtains, were
placed on all Lodge room windows. The outer blue curtains had a valance on
which was embroidered the Square and Compass. Over $2,000 US and several
million Won (local currency) were expended and when completed the rooms
compared favourably with many homeland Lodge rooms.
In 1950 the Lodge was again closed, and remained in darkness for the
duration of the Korean War.
As was the case in 1945, just as soon as the United Nations Armed
Forces entered Korea, Masonic Clubs sprang up in Seoul, Pusan, Taegu, and at
Kimpo Airport. The Pusan Masonic Club, of which the Deputy Master of Han
Yang Lodge, Brother Lt. Col. Joseph C. Matthews, Jr., was an active member,
was very active, assuming the sponsorship of a hospital for children and an
orphanage. In keeping with the practice of past years the Lodge made
contributions to assist in their work. A shipment of whole powdered milk was
arranged, and many Brethren also sent individual contributions.
The R.W.M., Brother Charles K. Bernheisel, returned to Korea in
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January 1954. Upon arriving in Seoul, he found Masonry an active force among
the military personnel stationed in Seoul and its vicinity. A well organized
Square and Compass Club (JAU SUCCON) was meeting each Monday evening
with many Brethren in attendance. This Club, originally organized by the
personnel of the 5th Air Force Headquarters some two years previously, had
been passed over to the hands of 8th Army personnel who were carrying on the
good work initiated by their Brethren in blue. The Wolmido Camp, Heroes of
'76, Inchon Sojourners Chapter No. 351 was also an active organization.
The Grand Lodge of Scotland granted a second duplicate Charter to
Han Yong Lodge No. 1048, and this treasured certificate was received in Korea
in mid-March. Steps were taken to enlist the support of many members of the
Square and Compass Club. In this group were a number of Brethren stationed at
a nearby Air Force Base, all of whom gave much of their time and effort in
helping to reorganize the Lodge.
Meanwhile, it was discovered that, in addition to the R.W.M., there were
several regular members of the Lodge in or near Seoul. Insofar as they were
able, they too ably assisted the R.W.M. in preparing for the first stated
communication held on the evening of June 30, 1954, just two years, lacking
one day, since a special meeting held in Washington on July 1, 1952. This was
the first regular meeting of the Lodge Han Yang to be held in Seoul since May
1950.
The evening of June 30, 1954 will long be remembered, for within the
narrow confines of a Quonset Hut (borrowed for the occasion), there were
seated and standing 139 visiting Brethren and 7 regular members making a total
of 146 Brethren who had come from far and near to be present at this reopening
meeting.
The conferral of Degrees began in September, and the Secretary's desk
was again piled high with applications for Degrees and for affiliation. New
Jewels, Tools, and Insignia were ordered from Scotland.
When the U.S. Army relinquished the Seoul Club in early 1955, six Club
members, including R.W. Brother Bernheisel, immediately took informal
possession. The Korean Army, as official custodian of the property, challenged
this occupancy but, fortunately, future Brother Harold Lady was able to
forestall any action on the part of the Army in his capacity as advisor to
Sygnman Rhee. Brother Lady was able to ascertain at that time that a document
dated shortly after the turn of the century was on file in the Imperial Household
records. stating that the Emperor's Library Building and Grounds were to be
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made available at no charge "to make life more pleasant and convenient for our
occidental friends sojourning in Seoul."
The club immediately commenced the rehabilitation of the exterior and
first floor of the building, while Han Yang Lodge commenced restoration of the
second floor. In addition, the Lodge gave the club $1,000 to assist in making the
needed repairs.
The first meeting in the restored Lodge Room of the Seoul Club was
held August 10, 1955, and Han Yang again had a permanent meeting place after
moving eight times in little more than a year. The Lodge furniture was rapidly
replaced and the room redecorated.
Another highlight in the history of Han Yang Lodge was recorded April
24 , 1957 when Brother Yun In-sik became the first Korean national to attain the
Degree of Master Mason in the Lodge. This was considered especially
appropriate in view of Brother Yun's long period of faithful service with the U.S.
Consulate and the fact that he held the Lodge's aprons, jewels and other items
through World War II and returned them in tact when the Lodge was reactivated
under the military occupation. Shortly after he was raised, Brother Yun left for
the United States and became an American citizen. Brother George Paik,
President of Yonsei University and former Minister of Education, and Brother
Walter Jhung, advisor to the Prime Minister, followed Brother Yun into
Masonry in 1958. Brother Jhung became the first Korean 32nd Degree Mason
and Shriner in the fall of 1959. Another interesting initiate in 1959 was Brother
Idil Kamil, the Turkish Ambassador to Korea.
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the founding of Han Yang
Lodge, the McFarlane tartan was selected as the official Lodge color, and new
aprons were ordered for the anniversary meeting in November 1958. At the end
of 1958, a Distinguished Service Membership was awarded to Worshipful
Brother Bernheisel in recognition of his several years of untiring effort in
re-establishing and rebuilding Han Yang Lodge after the Korean War.
1967 was a big year for Masonry in Korea with visitations by two Grand
Masters. The first occasion was the arrival of Most Worshipful Grand Master
Mason, Sir Ronald Orr Ewing on March 9th . He and Mrs. Ewing along with
R.W. Grand Secretary Alexander Fairly Buchan enjoyed a full itinerary of
meetings, receptions, banquets and tours until their departure on March 11th.
The second occasion was the visit of the Most Worshipful Grand Master
of the Philippines on the occasion of the consecration of Korea's second Lodge,
Macarthur No. 138, under the Grand Lodge of the Philippines, in June.
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Masonry in Korea grew rapidly in the ensuing years. The Grand Lodge
of Scotland chartered Lodge Pusan No. 1675 in 1973 and Lodge Harry S.
Truman No. 1727 in 1979. In 1980, The Grand Lodge of The Philippines
chartered Lodge Morning Calm.
In the early 1960s, plans were made to acquire a permanent building for
Lodge use. To this end a building fund was established and 500 Pyong of land
was purchased in Hannam-dong in 1964. Unfortunately, the laws of Korea did
not readily permit the operation of non-profit corporations, and acquiring a
building proved impractical. The land in Hannam-dong was eventually sold, the
proceeds of which form a building fund which continues to be held in trust for
the day when forming a building corporation becomes practical.
Han Yang remained in the Seoul Club Building in Chung Dong until
1968, at which time it moved with the Seoul Club to the Sam Il Building in
Seoul. After two moves away from the Seoul Club, Han Yang returned to the
Club at its present location on the southeast slopes of Namsan, the mountain
around which Seoul is built.
Until the 1980s, Freemasonry in Korea was predominantly a ‘foreign’
activity, met with curiosity by Korean nationals. As political stability and
internationalization increased, the Lodge began to initiate Korean Freemasons,
a number of whom went on to serve as Master of the Lodge. A major milestone
was achieved on November 15, 1987, when Brother Lee Choon Sung was
appointed as the Substitute District Grand Master for Korea for the District
Grand Lodge of the Far East and served in that capacity from 1987 to 2001. In
2001, he was appointed as the Honorary Depute District Grand Master of the
District Grand Lodge of the Far East. Thus Brother Lee was the first Korean to
hold honorary offices under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Scotland.
During the late 1990s the Lodge experienced a period of instability due
to members repatriating overseas. Long-term members, such as Brother Don
Kidney, PM, and Brother C.S. Lee, PM, continued to have a strong impact on
the Lodge, providing support and leadership to the Brethren during these trying
times. Membership during this period was largely drawn from the Yongsan
Garrison, with some notable figures from the civilian community, such as
Brother Robert Gilbert, a successful lawyer from Kim-and-Chang.
The formation of Korea’s first Royal Arch Chapter, the Rose of Sharon
No. 878 SC, also occurred during this period, with a number of Han Yang
Brethren involved.
Beginning in 2000 the Lodge experienced an injection of new members
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and regular visitors helping the Lodge return to its more Cosmopolitan roots.
Brothers hailing from Australia, Canada, France, the US, Finland, the UK,
Spain, Bulgaria, Germany, the Philippines, Nigeria, and of course Korea, added
their own unique flair, interpretation and pronunciation to the mix, providing a
wonderful environment where harmony truly ruled.
The new Brethren, acknowledging the transient nature of the expatriate
membership, began to formulate a long-term strategy for the Lodge. The longterm
vision saw the need to strengthen Korean participation in Han Yang and
the hope that eventually a Lodge could be formed that would work in Korean
utilizing a Korean translation of the Scottish ritual developed by the Brethren in
Pusan. The Lodge finances were reorganized during this period, and an escrow
account to hold the Building Fund was established.
In 2004 Han Yang reaffirmed its relationship with The Seoul Club by
signing a memorandum of understanding entitling the Lodge to meet on the
Club premises in perpetuity. Along with this agreement the Lodge was provided
with cabinets and space on the walls within the Cheesman room to display Han
Yang Regalia, a brief history of Han Yang’s relationship with the Seoul Club,
and a tribute to Brother Gifford Cheesman.
Having weathered repeated trials, Lodge Han Yang No. 1048 is
preparing to celebrate its Centenary in the year 2008, and in doing so, one
hundred years of Freemasonry in Korea.
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Chapter Two
A Conversation with Brother C.S. Lee, P.M.
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This chapter may be viewed as an addendum to the preceding one and
owes greatly to a conversation that the composer of this brief history had with
Brother C.S. Lee, P.M.
? Although the vast majority of the brethren at Han Yang Lodge No. 1048
are non-Koreans, there are now-as there have been in the past-many Korean
brethren who have contributed much to Han Yang Lodge in particular and
Freemasonry in general. It is therefore fit and proper to mention several Korean
brethren who have so contributed. Moreover, many of these Korean brethren
have been quite illustrious as well in their contributions to society at large.
Let us begin with Brother Byung Jik Lim (fondly nicknamed by the
Brethren ‘Colonel Benjamin’). He was Korean Foreign Minister when the war
began in 1951, and in 1956 he represented the South Korean government in
New York at a United Nations Special Committee Meeting.
Brother Won Soon Lee, born in Korea, immigrated to Hawaii as a young man
and was the first Korean to own and operate a large pineapple farm there. He
was the first chairman of the Korean-American Association and served in that
capacity from 1963-1977. Brother Lee was a member of the Korean Olympic
Committee as well as the Korean Chamber of Commerce. His wife, Mary, was a
member of the Korean National Assembly and was also President of the Korean
Red Cross. Needless to say, he was an active member of Han Yang Lodge No.
1048. Brother Lee died in 1993 at the age of one hundred three and is buried at
the Seoul National Cemetery.
Another notable Korean member of Han Yang Lodge No. 1048 was Dr.
George (Rak Joon) Baek who was President and Chancellor of Yonsei
University.
It has been written that members of the nobility and royalty have never
seen it beneath their dignity to exchange the scepter for the trowel. So it was
with Crown Prince Euimin of Korea (a posthumous title), son of Korean
Emperor Gojong and the 28th Head of the Korean Imperial House. He was the
last Crown Prince of Korea. The tragedy of the Japanese occupation makes his
history unique. Suffice it to say that-although he was not a member of Han Yang
Lodge No. 1048-Brother Euimin was made a Freemason in Japan and actually
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served as Grand Master of the Lodge of Japan. He and his wife returned to
Korea in 1963. The Crown Prince died in 1970 and is buried at Hongyureung in
Namyangju near Seoul.
The second son of Crown Prince Euimin, Brother Yi Gu (1931-2005),
was indeed a member of Han Yang Lodge No. 1048. He was associated with
Brother W.G. Cheeseman at the Trans-Asia Engineering Company. Brother
Cheeseman came to Korea from England. His father was a mining engineer at a
gold mine in North Korea, and the son (our Brother Cheeseman) also worked at
the gold mine there as a sampler.
There are four living Korean Past Masters of Han Yang Lodge No. 1048:
Brother Y.B. Kwon, Brother N.P. Lee, Brother Y.S. Lee, and Brother C.S. Lee.?
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Chapter Three
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Summaries of Interesting Correspondence & Documents
There are boxes and boxes of documents and correspondence in the
Archives, the majority of which are rather mundane in nature and can be
classified as general correspondence, principally with the Grand Lodge of
Scotland, but also with other Lodges here in Korea and sometimes with Lodges
in other parts of the world.
In going through the Archives-document by document-the composer of
this work choose only a handful of letters to include in this History. They were
chosen because they in some way stood out from the vast majority of which
were rather routine and would not greatly contribute to the task at hand.
Some letters from during the Korean War. Because of the dark and trying
nature of the times, this author is reproducing below some representative
samples.
Here is a letter from Brother Lloyd Heath, dated 14 April 1951:
“As you know, the Reds crossed the 38th Line in the morning of 25 June
1950, Sunday. That same morning our Secretary, Brother George Hopkinson,
was taken to the hospital with what was soon found to be a case
of Polio. By Sunday night it was determined to evacuate all female dependents
and children, so Mrs. Hopkinson had to hurriedly get ready. She and the
children left very early Monday morning from Inchon on a Norwegian freighter
which carried 662 dependents and three men (two letter cases).
Monday afternoon one of the other members of Han Yang and myself
went to Brother Hopkinson’s house, but by the time we had reached there
(losing our way going), the place had been thoroughly looted, and we did not
find a single Masonic article.
We then went to the home of our Master, Brother Capt. Charles K.
Bernheise, who was back Stateside on leave. We found the servants all there,
but we could not break down the door of the closet which had the Lodge Charter,
other Lodge books, and also all Scottish Rite Records (since he was Secretary
of the Seoul Consistory). He lived in one of the Mission houses, and the
woodwork was solid teak or some other tough wood. We couldn’t even dent it
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with our trench knives. The result is that Han Yang Lodge has no records to fall
back on.”
A letter from Brother D.E. Kelpe, dated 21 July 1951:
“Yes, I knew about Brother Hopkinson; I loaded his wife and child for
evacuation at Inchon and then, when I met the ship in Japan, General Dean gave
me the job of breaking the news to her regarding Brother George’s [her
husband] death.”
A letter from Brother Thomas Hobbs, dated 22 September 1951.
“You might add that meetings were held regularly every third Friday of
the month. There was always a large [number of] absentees, and at that time we
barely had sufficient Brethren present to fill the chairs. Even with the better
transportation it was difficult for Brethren from the mines to get to Seoul for the
meetings, and quite impossible without losing time from their work. But even
so, our fellowship was rich and satisfying.
One Brother, W. Russell Frampton, ought to be mentioned. He was one
of the charter members of the Lodge and throughout the years until his death in
the early [1950s] never missed a meeting, although he had very poor health. He
was really the driving force in the Lodge. He was an English Mason and knew
more about Masonry than any one in the Lodge.
When I left Korea, I turned over the Charter and Records to two
Brethren, retired miners, whose wives were Japanese subjects (one Korean and
one Japanese) and who planned to stay in Korea. Unfortunately both of these
Brethren died during the war.
Some furniture, working tools, etc. had been taken to the W.M.’s house
and the American Consulate. Brother Jensen, one of the three who re-opened
the Lodge [in 1946], was captured by the Communists in June 1950, and
nothing has been heard of him since.”
Yes, indeed, those were dark and troubled times.
The last letter, above, from Brother Hobbs, is especially interesting in
view of the fact that it mentions the capture and apparent death of Brother
Jensen, one of the three who was instrumental in the re-opening of Lodge Han
Yang in the year 1946. However, there is another letter from Brother Hobbs,
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written some years later, regarding the fate of Brother Jensen. In a letter dated 9
February 1962, Brother Hobbs recollects:
“At the request of the Mission Board, Mrs. Hobbs wrote to General Van
Fleet, her cousin, and asked him if he could obtain information about the six
Methodist Missionaries taken from Songdo, of which Dr. Jensen was one. He
[General Van Fleet] replied by cablegram through the Signal Corp saying five
of the six taken from Songdo … were on the list obtained from the communists
[and Brother Jensen’s name was on that list]. So Brother Jensen is safe, and they
will be released after the Armistice is signed. For this information we are most
grateful.”
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Epilogue
How have the years flown: one hundred years of Freemasonry in
Korea!
The times have been good; the times have been bad. Particularly, the
Japanese occupation of Korea and the subsequent war years have challenged
and tried the mettle of the Brethren, but their faith in and their dedication to this
the Universal Brotherhood of Men under the Fatherhood of God never faltered,
never wavered. The toil and the troubles of those Brethren during those dark
years which kept Freemasonry alive (if not well) and its torch burning shall ever
remain a Beacon of Thankfulness to those of us who have come after them and
be a Guiding Light to those who will come to us in the future.
Yes, through good times and bad times, Han Yang Lodge No. 1048 has
been steadfast in its duties and obligations toward the Brethren as well as to the
Society-at-large and has kept true to the sublime and noble principles of
Freemasonry.
As Han Yang Lodge No. 1048 looks toward the Centenary Celebrations—
as of the writing and printing of this Brief History those events have not
yet transpired—the Brethren can be proud of their accomplishments during the
past one hundred years; as the Lodge peers beyond those festivities, we the
members of Han Yang Lodge No. 1048 dedicate ourselves to assuring the
continued success of our Beloved Lodge during the next one hundred years.
The challenges of the next one hundred years of Freemasonry in Korea
might well be enormous, but of this we are for certain sure: We shall expend all
our energies and all our might in order to help assure that the Second Centenary
will be as successful as the First Centenary. We shall surmount those challenges
humbly, yet nobly, in a fit manner such that the Brethren who celebrate the
Second Centenary will look back with pride upon
the accomplishments of the Brethren who came to Freemasonry and Han Yang
Lodge No. 1048 during the second hundred years in the selfsame way that we
the current members look back with pride upon the accomplishments of the first
one hundred years.
So mote it be!
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Appendix A
Seoul Foreigners' Cemetery (1)
Below are listed the names of the Brethren who rest at the Seoul Foreigners’
Cemetery. The list is as complete as possible, but we cannot be for certain
sure that it is indeed complete. Biographical notes (whenever available) are
included.
Mark Owens, PM: No biographical information available.
Alexander McFarlane, PM and CM: 1872-1945. Canadian miner and
businessman.
Douglas B. Avison, CM: 1893-1952. Son of a Presbyterian medical missionary
and himself a Medical Doctor, he served as Vice-President of Severance Union
Medical College (now part of Yonsei University).
George R. Frampton, PM: 1870-1931. English teacher.
Arthur B. Gorman, PM: 1889-1929. A Canadian, he was a representative of the
Standard Oil Company in Seoul.
James Henry Morris, PM: No biographical information available.
Gifford W. Cheeseman, PM: 1908-1985. Born in Surrey, England, W. Gifford
Cheesman spent most of his adult life in Korea. Mr. Cheesman first came to
Korea, then known as Chosun, in 1931. Like many foreign nationals at the time,
he was employed as a miner in the northern part of the peninsula. After living
through the final days of the Japanese occupation, he went off to fight with the
Royal Air Force in World War II. At the end of the War he returned to Korea,
highly decorated, as a United Nations Advisor on mining. Mr. Cheesman
remained in Korea until his death in 1985, his lifelong commitment to
community service and charity contributing greatly to both the local and the
expatriate communities. Bro. Cheesman was initiated into Han Yang Masonic
Lodge in 1955. His service to the Lodge included the offices of Piper, Director
of Music, and Secretary. He was elected Master in 1974, and awarded life
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membership in 1976. Mr. Cheesman was also active in the Seoul Club, which
he joined in 1932. He went on to serve the Club as President, and was
instrumental in reestablishing the Club after the Korean War.
C.U. Pak, PM: No biographical information available.
Bolling J Reynolds: 1894-1970. Son of Southern Presbyterian missionaries.
G. William Browse: 1912-1964. Trans Asia Hood.
William H. Shaw: 1922-1950. Son of Methodist missionaries. Served in the
June 1944 Allied invasion of Europe. Killed by a sniper at Nokbon-ni, shortly
after the Landing at Incheon.
A. Kristian Jensen: 1897-1956. Methodist missionary. Held prisoner by the
North Koreans during the War.
Ernest T. Bethel: 1872-1909. British journalist who strenously supported
Korean independence. Judging by the date of his death, he must have been one
of the earliest members of Lodge Han Yang No. 1048 and must have died
shortly thereafter.
A.W.Taylor, CM: D.o.b. & d.o.d. not known. Ran an import/export company in
Seoul and was later a dealer for Chrysler and G.M. automobiles.
W.B.Scranton, CM: D.o.b. & d.o.d. not known. Brother Scranton was the son of
Mary Scranton, founder of Ewha Women's University.
Charles A. Sauer: No biographical information available.
Lincoln T.French: 1898-1923. Salvation Army missionary.
Hoon Sohn: 1939-1973. Korean employee of Fischer Engineering Maintenance
Co., U.S. Army.
Charles W. Taylor: 1914-1982. American.
Edward Stys: No biographical information available.
Benjamin B. Weems: D.o.b. & d.o.d. not known. Son of Southern Methodist
misssionaries. Served in the U.S. Civil Service as a Far Eastern specialist,
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Voice of America, and the United Nations Command as a Community
Relations Officer.
1) The biographical notes are taken form the book, Seoul Foreigners' Cemetery,
Korea: An Informal History, which was compiled by Donald N. Clark in 1984,
Yongsan RSOK Library.
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Appendix B
Distinguished Service Brethren
Brother C. K. Bernheisel, PM
Brother Hugh Bryson, PM, Hon SGW
Brother Don Leland, PM, Hon SGD
Brother C. S. Lee, PM, Hon JGD