# A Warm Hello All the Way from Indonesia



## Irsan (Oct 22, 2013)

Greetings, Brothers-to-be.

My name is Irsan and I'm from Indonesia. I've been reading up on Masonry for over a year now and seriously plan to join. Alas, there are no Lodges in Indonesia as Freemasonry was once banned in the 1950s. Although the ban has been lifted at the turn of the century (around the year 2002, 2003), no Lodges have been formed or reformed yet. The closest Lodges to Jakarta, where I live, are in Singapore and Malaysia where the English, Scottish and Irish Constitution Lodges still flourish. Although it's only a few hours flight to either country, I'm a recent university graduate and still have some ways to go before being economically independent (to pay dues and airfares).

It's sad that Freemasonry died out and has been left "in the dark" for so long in Indonesia. During the Colonial Era, Dutch and British Lodges were plentiful here and included a good number of local Indonesians (including the celebrated 19th century painter, Raden Saleh). Sir Thomas Raffles, the founder of Singapore, initiated, raised and perfected three different Lodges on Java during the British occupation of the East Indies.

With such a rich historical ties, Freemasonry in Indonesia shouldn't simply fade away into obscurity. Which is one of the reasons why I want to study the Craft and become a Mason. (Other than taking part in world domination of course. Nudge nudge. Wink wink.)


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## Brother JC (Oct 22, 2013)

Welcome to the forum. I wish you luck on your Journey, and perhaps the internet will help you find like-minded people in your area, as well as Freemasons who are a long way from a Lodge.


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## Irsan (Oct 22, 2013)

Thanks for the warm welcome, trysquare. I hope so too. My Journey will inevitably be a long one, but this is a first step.


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## dfreybur (Oct 23, 2013)

If Masonry is no longer banned there, it is possible now.  Becoming a Mason is much easier where Masonry is active; much harder where it is not.  It appears you have figured out the path.  Travel to a place we are active, establish enough residency, petition, work through your degrees, travel home, work at getting enough others to do so you can get a lodge chartered.  That path works but is a vast amount of work.

In a few of the larger cities in your countries there are probably numerous brothers who are there long term for work.  If you can locate enough it should now be possible for them to form a "Square and Compasses club" and when in business long enough with enough members they could request a charter.  With a charter they could start accepting natives.  This would be less work on your part but it is possible to act as a local facilitator to find the brothers and step them through the sequence.  That path works but it takes organization.  Let's call it leverage rather than labor.  There's a line in the Tao Te Ching that says something like - The evolved man does not appear to do much work but he gets a lot accomplished.  I think the line is about the type of influence or leverage that would be needed.


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## Bro. Stewart P.M. (Oct 26, 2013)

Welcome Aboard!


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## KSigMason (Oct 30, 2013)

Welcome aboard.


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