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From Damien of Lodge Devotion
The Lodge of the Golden Fleece No 300 formed on the 13th of June 1922 specifically to be a fine dining lodge and to have as a major feature, an orchestra, which has performed regularly at dinners over the history of the lodge.
One of the wonderful things about Freemasonry in Victoria is the diversity of lodges.
Day Lodges and evening Lodges.
Lodges that meet on weekdays and others on weekends.
Lodges where there are sandwiches and sausage rolls on paper plates, and others where there is music and fine dining. I am sure some of our readers will be interested in hearing something about one of our “dining lodges".
Devotion member, Bro Craig, is a member of the Lodge of the Golden Fleece. Meetings of that lodge generally commence at 6:15 pm. For it’s Festive Board, the lodge works on the premise that there are Freemasons willing to pay for a fine dining experience.. I recently went to pay a visit. After Lodge, finger food including prawns and veal sausage encasing pine nuts were served by waiting staff as pre-dinner finger food (there was possibly more, but I was socializing). Entrée was beautiful thinly sliced beef served on a light salad and mains consisted of high quality chicken or fish. Dessert (pictured) was also excellent.
The meal was accompanied with an array of good white and red wines, and Chivers Regal was the scotch. Port and other fortified wines were also served. The table cloths are linen, and silver cutlery and candelabras sit on the table.
The Fleece certainly lives up to its reputation as a dining lodge and I recommend it to those looking for a different kind of Masonic experience when visiting.
The Golden Fleece’s Visitors Song
The Golden Fleece’s Visitors Song
Most lodges in Victoria, including Devotion, have a “visitor’s song”.
Themes are generally Masonic, but some are occasionally simply amusing ditties like that sung at Vietnam Veterans Memorial No 912 UGLV.
They are generally sung to the tune of existent and (previously) well known songs. Both Devotions and the Golden Fleece’s songs begin to the tune of the “Stein Song”.
The Golden Fleece’s song is characteristic of our visitor’s songs, although many are shorter. Drinking “to the bonds of masonry/friendship” is common as are the celebration of fraternity and the values of Freemasonry. These songs are used in our “Souths” (Festive Boards) and generally sung after the toast to the visitors, and before the visitors respond. The Lodge will be upstanding while visitors are seated, often lodges will move around the room and clink glasses with as many visitors as they can while the song is being sung. American readers might be surprised to see a reference to the Queen. This of course is the Queen of England who is our head of state – Australia.
The words to some other lodge's visitors songs can be found here. But the Fleece's song can be seen below.
No prize for figuring out the name “Jason’s Toast’ is a reference to “Jason and the Argonauts” and the Golden Fleece which gets a mention in the First Degree during investiture of the badge.
The orchestra is currently comprised of Freemasons, and their partners and friends. Instruments include oboe, clarinet, violin, piano and organ, flute, viola, cello, double bass, and horns like trumpet and trombone.
“Jason’s Toast”
Fill your glasses up and drink
Drink to the bonds of Masonry
Stand and give our Masters a "CHEER"
And drink to all that he holds dear
So drink to all the happy hours
Spent at the Golden Fleece
Drink to all the good times spent together
Let each and everyone here drink.
To our Lodge! To our Lodge!
To our Lodge in it's glorious happiness!
To the Chair! To the Chair!
To the man that is leading and guiding us!
To the Queen! To the Queen!
To the rulers of men and their destinies!
To the Craft! To the Craft!
To the good work it's doing today!
Fill your glasses up and drink
Drink to the bonds of friendship
Stand and give your glasses a "CLINK
To everything that we hold dear.
So drink to all the happy hours
Shout till the rafters ring;
Drink to all the good times spent together
Let each and everyone here sing.
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