At Douglas Field

14th May 1968

Sadness steals upon the heart, of all the Caledonians, as Scottish Rifles slope no more, Wi! the men of the Cameronians.

For they were born of Freedoms cause, and faith was their disciple, courageously on Field and Moor, they held aloft the Bible.

In wider Fields they pledged themselves, as calls to battle came, the world bore witness to the worth, of the Cameronians name.

Now this day at Douglas Field, the bugle sounds retreat, at legislation's cruel plan, this Regiment now deletes.

Their fame however will not die, let nor their faith be bartered, the Cameronians name will be preserved, and the spirit of the Martyrs.

Past Master Alex Reid

Lodge Douglas, East Kilbride.

What is a Lewis

A Lewis is the uninitiated son of a Mason. This means that any son of a Mason is a Lewis irrespective of whether he is born before or after his Father's initiation. if born previously, he becomes a Lewis immediately his Father is initiated and remains so unless he himself is initiated, though in everyday conversation he is usually referred to all his life as being a Lewis.

The Level and the Square

We meet upon the Level and we part upon the Square, what words of precious meaning these words Masonic are, come let us contemplate them; they are worthy of a thought, in the very Soul of Masonry these precious words are wrought.

We meet upon the Level though from every station brought; the Monarch from his Palace, the Labourer from his Cot, the King must drop his dignity when knocking at our door; the Labourer is his equal as they walk the Chequered Floor.

You act upon the Plumb !tis our Maker's great command, to walk upright in virtue's way and lean to neither hand, that all-seeing eye that reads our thoughts will bear us witness true, that we have tried to know our God, and give each man his due.

We part upon the Square, for the world must have its due, we mingle with the multitude, but keep our secrets true, the memory of our meetings in our hearts is evergreen, and we long upon the Level to renew the happy scene.

There's a world where all are equal; we are hurrying to it fast, we shall meet upon the Level there when the gates of death are past, we shall stand before the Orient, and our Master will be there, our work is to try our lives with God's unerring Square.

We shall meet upon the Level there and never thence depart, There's a Mansion bright and glorious set for the pure in heart, There's an everlasting welcome from the hosts rejoicing there, who have met upon the Level and have parted on the Square. 

Let us meet upon the Level then when labouring patient here, let us meet and let us labour though the labour be severe, already in the Western skies the signs bid us prepare, to gather up our Working Tools and part upon the Square.

Then hands around, Brother Masons, gather in the Golden Grain, we part upon the Square below to meet in Heaven again, all ties that have been broken shall be cemented there, none will be lost around God's Throne, who part upon the Square.

Some Sign, Some Don't

From a previous Standard article "Ancient Landmarks and Established Customs" there is apparently some unnecessary confusion when utilising the "Stand to Order Sign" given by the Brethren of the Lodge.

In Passing and Raising the Lodge the W.J.W. is instructed by the R.W.M. to prove the Brethren F.C. or M.M. as required. the Brethren of Douglas should prove themselves accordingly and thereafter "Stand to Order". The W.J.W. will then demonstrate the appropriate sign to the R.W.M., who will "acknowledge the correctness of the sign". The Brethren when hearing the phrase "I acknowledge the correctness of the sign" complete the sign and return to Fidelity.

As far as the Brethren of Lodge Douglas are concerned the only Brother who can acknowledge the sign is the Presiding Master ( of Douglas or any other Lodge) who has initiated the request.

This simple procedure should be adopted when visiting Sister Lodges within or outwith the Province and even applies when visiting other Constitutions.

Note: In some Lodges the W.S.W. is instructed to prove the Lodge.

David Alexander Reid P.M. 1557.

Footnote: The correct position of the feet is every bit as important as the hand movements.

The Forget-Me-Not

As early as the year 1934, soon after Hitler's rise to power, it became apparent that Freemasonry was in danger. In the same year the German Grand Lodge of the Sun of Bayreuth (one of the pre-war German Grand Lodges) realised the imminent problems facing them and elected to wear a Little Blue Flower, the Forget- Me- Not, in lieu of the traditional Square and Compasses, as a mark of identity for Masons. It was felt the new symbol would not attract attention from the Nazis, who were in the process of confiscating and appropriating Masonic Lodges and property. Masonry had gone underground and it was necessary that the Brethren have some readily recognisable means of identification.

Throughout the entire Gnats era a Little Blue Flower in a Lapel marked a Brother. In the Concentration Camps and in the Cities a Little Blue Forget-Me-Not distinguished the Lapels of those who refused to allow the Light of Freemasonry to be extinguished.

In 1947 when the Grand Lodge of the Sun was re-opened in Bayreuth by Past Grand Master Bayer, a Little Blue Pin in the shape of a Forget-Me-Not was proposed and accepted as the Official Emblem of the first Annual Convention of those who survived the bitter years of semi-darkness, bringing the Light of Masonry once again into the Temples.

At the Grand Masters Conference in the United States, Dr. Theoder Vogel, the Grand Master of the newly formed VGL.vD, Ancient Free & Accepted Masons, presented one of the pins to each of the representatives of the Grand Lodges with which the VGL.vD was in amity.

Thus did a simple flower blossom into a meaningful Emblem of the Fraternity and has become, perhaps, the most widely worn pin among Freemasons in Germany. In most of the German Lodges the Forget-Me-Not is presented to new Master masons, at which time its history is briefly explained.     Ashler Issue 7

Personal Note  Knowledge of these facts made the personal presentation of a pin by Hans Jurgen,of Zum Schwartzen Bar No.79 Hanover, all the more meaningful and treasured.              J.M.H.

Did You Know

• That Lodge Douglas started life as a "Dry" Lodge.
• That Lodge Douglas once had its own Choir.
• That the original name proposed by the Founder Members for the Lodge was Lodge East Kilbride. This was abandoned in deference to our Sponsor Lodge (Lodge St.Andrew), who, at that time, had been the only Lodge in East Kilbride for ninety years.
• That at an early meeting ( Pre-Consecration) of the Founder Members the Chairman had to remind the Brethren that some of them were failing to pay the levy (2/6d) to cover costs. At the close of that particular meeting the collection was still 2 short of the total attendance.