Freemasonry in Asia
This is a general survey on the historical and modern presence of Freemasonry in countries located in Asia (including Armenia and Turkey).
[15] Freemasonry in Japan first began with the opening of trade with foreign countries occasioned by Commodore Perry's Black Ships in 1866.
[19] In late 1907 and early 1908 a number of Freemasons then residing in Korea undertook to establish the first Masonic Lodge on the Peninsula.
The members were initially merchants, miners, and missionaries from Lodge Hyogo and Osaka 498 in Japan;[16] occupations that represented most of the foreign population in what was then known as Chosun.
MacArthur Lodge currently holds meetings on the United States military base located within Seoul.
Furthermore, numerous Prince Hall Freemasonry Lodges from the MWPHGL of Washington and Jurisdiction (and other PHA Grand Lodges) meet on various United States military bases throughout the country, including II Corinthians #96 at USAG Yongsan in Seoul, Sprig of Acacia #93 at Camp Casey, and Billy G. Miller #43 (MWPHGL Oklahoma) at Camp Humphreys.
Currently there are three different major jurisdictions existing in the Philippines, and LE DROIT HUMAIN representing gender inclusive Freemasonry, to wit: (1) Gran Logia Soberana del Archipielago Filipino (GLSdAF) Website: https://granlogiasoberanaph.com/ Address: RIZAL MASONIC TEMPLE 1316 Cavite St. Tondo, Manila, Philippines Brief History of Gran Logia Soberana del Archipielago Filipino On January 12, 1889, the Hispanico-Filipino Association was inaugurated in Madrid.
The association was headed by the illustrious Grand Master Miguel Morayta and was composed of distinguished Spanish and Filipino Masons.
The primary objective of the association was to fight for reforms in the Philippines, inspired by the Masonic principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity.
According to pages 215-216 of the Master Mason's ritual, 1906 Edition, of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Ohras Masonicas Oficiales, Volume III, the Grande Oriente Español established several lodges in the Philippines in 1889.
In 1892, the Nilad Lodge in Manila was issued a charter by the Grande Oriente Español and several other workshops were established shortly thereafter.
Unfortunately, the revolution that began in 1896 and ended with the United States taking control of the islands led to the dissolution of nearly all the lodges due to persecution and suffering.
https://glnf.ph/historia/ The latter is solely practicing the original landmarks of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rites (AASR); comprising with a none-ladderized 33 degrees.
[16] The Filipino Masons Gran Logia Nacional de Filipinas (National Grand Lodge of the Philippines) under the Supremo Consejo del Grado 33° para Filipinas is a member of International Confederation of United Grand Lodges (https://www.acaciamagazine.org/html/icucgl) founded by Timoteo Paez.
The Supremo Consejo del Grado 33 para Filipinas (first in the far east) was incorporated on July 4, 1924, and proclaimed on December 30 with Timoteo Paez as Soverano Gran Commendador.
Masonically, Filipino Masons whether belonging to Gran Logia Nacional de Filipinas or to the Grand Lodge of Philippines have common aspirations; ideal and spiritual love for their country not found nor may be expected from any alien who camr to the Philippines for fortune's sake.
As gender-inclusive, international Order that works the Ancient and Accepted Rite, LE DROIT HUMAIN offers an initiatory continuity from the 1°-33° to all Filipinas and Filipinos who meet membership requirements. LE DROIT HUMAIN works independently of other Masonic organisations, but equally seeks to manifest the greatest expressions of LIBERTY-EQUALITY-FRATERNITY. [citation needed] After several rocky starts, Lodge St John (Scottish Constitution) was founded in Bangkok on January 24, 1911. In Turkey Freemasonry was introduced by foreign merchants in the eighteenth century (1721) and was outlawed by Mahmud I in 1748, although it slowly came back and Freemasons were exiled as part of a crackdown on the Bektashis in 1826.
