District Grand Lodge of the Eastern Province of the Cape of Good Hope
Welcome to the Eastern Cape Scottish Freemasonry District
Discover the rich tradition and values of Scottish Freemasonry in the Eastern Cape
The Freemason does not seek glory, he seeks truth. He does not walk this path for recognition, nor for wealth. He walks it because it must be walked. He builds, not for himself, but for the generations that come after him.
If there is darkness, he will bring light. If there is ignorance, he will spread wisdom. If there is hardship, he will endure. He will take the lessons of those before him and carve a legacy upon the stone of time itself.
And when tested, when the weight of doubt, fear, and pain press upon him, he will take his steps. One by one. Twelve if necessary. Fifty if required. As many as it takes.
Because a Mason does not yield. He does not falter. He does not fall.
He rises.
And in rising, he builds something greater than himself. An unbroken chain, forged by the hands of every brother who ever stood where he stands now.
A Mason is not simply a man. He is a pillar. And when the storm comes, he does not break, he holds the world upon his shoulders.
The history of Scottish Freemasonry in South Africa dates back to 1860, with the first Scottish Constitution lodge established in Cape Town. The growth of Freemasonry in the region led to the formation of the District Grand Lodge of the Eastern Province of the Cape of Good Hope in 1920, to meet the expanding needs of the fraternity. The District has seen a succession of dedicated District Grand Masters, with Bro Craig Jessop currently serving in this esteemed role since 8th March 2023.
“Yesterday it was stone, today it’s stories — our work continues.”
Memento Mori: To Remember Death Is to Begin to Live ☠️✨ Memento mori "remember that you must die", is not a call to despair. In the Masonic tradition, it is a summons to awakening 👁️ Freemasonry teaches that the awareness of mortality is not meant to darken life, but to illuminate it. The symbols of the Craft quietly remind us that time is limited, the hourglass always flowing, the scythe ever present, not as threats, but as teachers. To remember death is to strip away illusion. Titles fade, wealth loosens its grip and vanity loses its voice. What remains is the essential question: How am I living the time entrusted to me? In that question lies the beginning of wisdom! Memento mori urges us to live deliberately, to speak truth while we still have breath, to act justly while our hands still move, to love deeply while our hearts still beat. It reminds us that character outlives the body, that legacy is built in choices made daily, often quietly, often unseen. Multiply that by infinity and divide it by the depts of forever. In the Lodge and beyond it, this principle calls us to labour on the rough ashlar of the self. Knowing that our time is finite gives urgency to virtue and meaning to service. Death, then, is not the enemy of life, it is its measure ⚖️ Only when we remember that life ends do we finally understand how to live. Memento mori ☠️. Memento vivere ✨
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- Installations
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5 Reasons to consider joining
- Make new friends with people who care
- Involve yourself with acts of charity
- Join a brotherhood with members Worldwide
- Learn how to be a better person
- Learn ancient rituals and be part of something 'different'
