Grand Lodge of China

Freemason

Travel back in time through the history of Grand Lodge of China: from Chin Dynasty era to Taiwan in 1949.

1972 韋郁琳Theodore
Past Grand Master Shi-Sein Yuan

About
1972-73 MW
Theodore L. Way

韋郁琳

1972-73GRAND MASTER OF GLOC

Theodore L. Way

The 19th Grand Master M.W. Brother Theodore L. Way (1972-1973)

Most Worshipful Brother Theodore L. Way was born on October 5th, 1917 in the beautiful city of Hangchow, China. He attended school in Shanghai and then entered the Cooper Union School of Engineering in New York City where he received a Degree in Electrical Engineering. From there he was admitted to the Graduate School of the Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute where he furthered his education in the electronics field.

During the Sino-Japanese War, Most Worshipful Brother Way worked as a member of the China National Aviation Corporation, CNAC, a joint venture of Pan American Airways and the Government of the Republic of China. He served as the manager of the Kunming Office of CNAC during which time he supervised the build-up of the India-China “Over-the-Hump” greatest airlift of the time involving hundreds of planes flying over the dangerous Himalaya Mountain range twenty-four hours a day. For his dedicated service Most Worshipful Brother Way was promoted and transferred to the Wartime Capital of China at Chungking where in 1944, not yet thirty years of age, became the head of the Personnel Department of CNAC. It was in Chungking that he first knocked on the door of Freemasonry. It was not by happenstance that he approached Freemasonry.

His inspiration came from his readings, in his youth, about the role the Freemasons of America and France had played in the founding of their Democratic countries. The impression he had received from a somewhat fictitious description of a Masonic Initiation written by Alexander Dumas and the confluence of discovering that one of his best friends, Worshipful Brother Doctor David Kiang, CNAC’s Company Physician, was a Free-mason further inspired him to seek and ask the right question; “I should like to be a Mason, how do I join?”

 


Our Most Worshipful Brother Way first saw Light of Masonry on July 13th, 1945 in Fortitude Lodge, under dispensation from the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of California. Two months after his Initiation, he was passed and was Raised to the Sublime Degree of a Master Mason on October 26th of the same year. It is interesting to note that, including Most Worshipful Brother Way, six members of Fortitude Lodge were later to be elected Grand Masters of the Grand Lodge of China. At the end of World War II and the ensuing Peace, former Lodges of other Constitutions were reopened. The Dispensation for Fortitude was therefore withdrawn by the Grand Lodge of California and all of it’s members were given regular Dimits and instructed to affiliate with the Lodges that had resumed their work.

 


Most Worshipful Brother Way returned to Shanghai, the city of his early education. There he chose to affiliate with Amity Lodge No. 106, then under the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of the Philippines, a daughter Grand Lodge of California. No sooner had he affiliated he was elected it’s Secretary both in 1947 and 1948.

 


As a result of his untiring work as Secretary of Amity Lodge, Most Worshipful Brother David W. K. Au ap-pointed Brother Way as a member of the Preparatory Committee that was to usher in the establishment of the Grand Lodge of China. Most Worshipful Brother Way was responsible for the preparation and distribution of the letters inviting all the Lodges in China to send dele-gates to a Convention of Lodges, the first of it’s kind in China that was held at Shanghai on January 15th, 1949. He was also a member of the Committee which drafted the Constitution of our Grand Lodge. The formation of the Grand Lodge of China was officially ratified by the participant lodges at the convention leading to its consecration on March 18, 1949. It can be said that our Most Worshipful Brother Way was involved in our Grand Lodge from the very beginning.

 


With the occupation of the China Mainland by communist, Most Worshipful Brother Way joined the Electrical Testing Laboratories Inc. of New York as the Supervising Engineer of their Electrical Department. In 1960 he became Chief Standards Engineer of the C.P. Claire Transistor Company, also of New York. In 1962 he became the Director of Quality Control of the Italian Subsidiary of the Raytheon Company. In the U.S.A. and Europe, he kept up his correspondence with his Masonic friends here where Masonry again was in full bloom, especially with Most Worshipful Brother David Au, whom he regarded as his Masonic Mentor. At long last his professional life granted him the opportunity to return to China (Taiwan). In 1965 he assumed the duties of the Far East Manager of Raytheon Company, and concurrently Vice President of Raytheon Overseas Ltd. In a month he was deep in the workings of China Freemasonry after a separation of seventeen years.

 


Since 1965 Most Worshipful Brother has been Master of Amity Lodge No. 1. of his original and continuous affiliation. Also twice Master of Szechwan Lodge No. 4,and more recently served as first Master of Han Lodge No. 8, which is the only Lodge in China to con-duct their business and rituals in the Chinese language. Prior to being elected as the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of China he had been elected in progressive order, Junior Grand Warden, Senior Grand Warden, and of course, the Deputy Grand Master. Paralleling his Ma-sonic History with the Grand Lodge of China,and those of California and the Philippines, Most Worshipful Brother Way became a 32° Mason in the Shanghai Bodies of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry at Shanghai in 1948. Later he transferred his membership when he returned to China (Taiwan) in 1965 to the Taipei Bodies. He served four terms as Master of different bodies of Taipei Scottish Rite Bodies, was invested with the Rank and Decoration of Knight Commander of the Court of Honor in 1967 and coronated in 1971 a 33° Inspector General Honorary of the Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A.

 


Most Worshipful Brother Way is also a York Rite Mason and was exalted a Royal Arch Mason in 1949 in the Royal Sussex Royal Arch Chapter No. 501, of the English Constitution. He is presently a member of the Luzon Royal Arch Chapter No. 1; Oriental Council of Royal and Selected Masters No. 1; and Far East Commandary No. 1, Knight Templars. He was elected a member of Asoka Conclave of the Red Cross of Constantine. He is also a member of the High Twelve Lodge No. 82, and an Honorary member of Kasilwan Lodge No.77, of the Philippine Constitution. All these York Rite Bodies are located in Manila, Philippines. In America, he is a member of the Missouri Lodge of Research under the M. W. Grand Lodge A. F. & A. M. of Missouri.

 


Most Worshipful Brother Way was instrumental in the establishment of the Taipei Chapter of the Order of Demolay and the Yangmingshan Assembly No. 8, Inter-national Order of Rainbow for Girls. He has received the appointments of Deputy of the International Supreme Council and Executive Officer for China and Thailand of the Order of Demolay. In addition to being a member of the Grand Executive Committee for Japan and China of the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls, he is the recipient of the Grand Cross of Color of that International Order.

 


Most Worshipful Brother Way has also served two terms as the Worthy Patron of the Yangmingshan Chapter No.5, Order of Eastern Star(Taipei).

 


In addition to all above; Most Worshipful Brother Way is a Member of the Royal Order of Scotland, Provincial Grand Lodge, United States of America; the Afifi Temple of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine; and the Taipei Chapter No. 428 of the National Sojourners.

 


In his professional life, Most Worshipful Brother Way is a member of the American Society of Military Engineers, and of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers of the USA. He also holds membership in the Taipei American Chamber of Commerce, the Taipei International Businessmen’s Club, and the Rotary Club of Taipei.

Most Worshipful Brother is married to Shirley Liang and is the father of three children. His eldest son is a Senior Demolay and his eldest daughter a Worthy Ad-visor in the Rainbow for Girls. Mrs. Way not to be out done by her busy Masonic family is a Past Worthy Matron of the Yangmingshan Chapter No. 5 Order of Eastern Star (Taipei) and has been serving as a member of the Advisory Board of the Rainbow Assembly since 1971.

1972 韋郁琳Theodore

Theodore L. Way

1972-73 PGM, GLOC

關於

第十九屆總會長韋郁琳尊兄

韋郁琳尊兄於1917年10月5日出生於中國美麗的城市杭州。 他在上海上學,然後進入紐約市庫珀聯盟工程學院,並獲得了電氣工程學位。 從那裡,他被布魯克林理工學院研究生院錄取,在那裡他繼續接受電子領域的教育。

 

抗日戰爭期間,韋郁琳尊兄在泛美航空與中華民國政府合資的中國航空集團公司工作。 他擔任中航集團昆明辦事處經理,期間負責監督中印“駝峰航線”當時最大規模的空運,每天24個小時,數百架飛機飛越危險的喜馬拉雅山脈。由於他的奉獻精神,最受尊敬的韋兄弟被提拔並調到中國戰時首都重慶,並於1944年,不到三十歲的他成為中國航空工業公司人事部部長。在重慶,他第一次敲開了美生會的大門,他接觸美生會並非偶然。

 

他的靈感來自於他年輕時閱讀的有關美國和法國美生會在建立民主國家過程中所發揮的作用的讀物。 他從亞歷山大·杜馬斯(Alexander Dumas)所寫的對美生會入會的有點虛構的描述中得到的印象,以及發現他最好的朋友之一、CNAC公司的醫生、大衛·江(David Kiang)誼兄是一名美生會會員,進一步激發了他尋求美生會會員的機會。並提出正確的問題; “我想成為美生會會員,如何加入?”

1945 年 7 月 13 日,韋郁琳尊兄在加利福尼亞州美生總會的特許分會堅廬加入美生會,首次看到了美生會之光。 入會兩個月後,他獲得晉級工員,並於同年 10 月 26 日提升為工師美生。 有趣的是,包括韋郁琳尊兄在內,堅廬的六位成員後來都被選為中國美生總會的總會長。 在第二次世界大戰結束和隨後的和平時期,其他憲章的前會廬重新開放。 因此,加利福尼亞州美生總會撤銷了堅廬的特許權,其所有成員都獲得了正規的退會證明,並指示加入已恢復工作的會廬。

韋郁琳尊兄回到了他早年受教育的城市上海。 在那裡,他選擇加入誼廬第106號分會,當時隸屬於菲律賓美生總會,是加利福尼亞州美生總會的女兒。1947年和1948年,他兩次被選為誼廬的司書。

由於他作為誼廬司書的不懈努力,當時的歐偉國尚兄任命韋郁琳兄弟為中國美生總會籌備委員會的成員。 韋郁琳尊兄負責準備和分發邀請所有中國境內的美生會廬派代表參加1949年1月15日在上海舉行的中國美生總會籌備大會的信函,這是中國境內的美生會廬的第一次分會大會。韋郁琳尊兄同時也是起草中國美生總會憲章程委員會的成員。 中國美生總會在1949年3月18日舉行的成立大會上,得到中國境內的各美生會廬的正式批准。可以說,韋郁琳尊兄從一開始就參與了我們的總會。

隨著中國大陸被共產黨佔領,韋郁琳尊兄加入了電氣測試實驗室公司,紐約的電氣部門的監理工程師。 1960年,他成為也位於紐約克萊爾晶體管公司,C.P.的首席標準工程師。 1962年,他成為雷神公司意大利子公司的質量控制總監。 在美國和歐洲,他與這裡的美生會朋友保持著通信,這裡的美生會再次盛行,特別是與他視為美生會導師的歐偉國尊兄。 終於,他的職業生涯給了他返回中國(台灣)的機會。 1965年任雷神公司遠東經理,兼任雷神海外有限公司副總裁。 在一個月的時間裡,他在分離十七年之後就深入到了中國美生會的運作中。

自1965年以來,韋郁琳尊兄一直擔任誼廬第1分會的會長。他聯集川廬,2次擔任川廬第4分會的會長。 聯集漢廬,最近擔任漢廬第8分會的會長。在被選為中國美生總會總會長之前,他是按照遞進的順序被選為副總會監、總會監,當然還有副總會長。 在韋郁琳尊兄的美生會歷史中除了與中國美生總會、加利福尼亞美生總會和菲律賓美生總會相關聯的歷史外,他於 1948 年成為上海慈修會上海分會的 32°級會員。 1965年回到中國(台灣)台北慈修會。 他曾四任台北慈修會不同會廬的會長,並於 1967 年被授予美南慈修總會榮譽勳章 (KCCH-Knight Commander of Court of Honor),並於 1971 年被授予美南慈修總會第 33 級古代與最高理事會榮譽監察長稱號。

韋郁琳尊兄也是慈德會會員,並於 1949 年在英格蘭聯合總會皇家蘇塞克斯皇家拱門第501分會中被授予皇家拱門美生。他目前是呂宋皇家拱門第 1分會的成員,東方委員會皇家和精選大師第 1分會的成員,遠東郡聖殿騎士第 分會的成員,他當選為君士坦丁紅十字會阿育王商會成員。 他也是菲律賓美生總會第 82 分會日正當中廬和第 77 分會卡西爾萬廬的榮譽會員。 所有這些慈德會機構都位於菲律賓馬尼拉。 在美國,他是密蘇里州美生總會下的密蘇里研究會的成員。

韋郁琳尊兄對蒂夢雷台北分會和國際彩虹姑娘陽明山第8分會的成立發揮了重要作用。 他曾被任命為國際蒂夢雷最高委員會副主席和蒂夢雷中國和泰國執行官。 他除了是國際彩虹姑娘日本和中國大執行委員會的成員外,他還是國際女童彩虹會大十字勳章的獲得者。

韋郁琳尊兄還曾兩屆擔任台北東方之星陽明山第五分會贊助人。

除了以上所有美生資歷外,韋郁琳尊兄是蘇格蘭皇家組織美國省級總會的成員,阿菲菲慈壇社的成員,以及美軍旅居者美生會台北廬第428分會的成員。

在他的職業生涯中,韋郁琳尊兄是美國軍事工程師學會以及美國電氣和電子工程師協會的會員。 他還是台北美國商會、台北國際商人俱樂部和台北扶輪社的會員。

韋郁琳尊兄與Shirley Liang結婚,是三個孩子的父親。 他的長子是高級蒂夢雷 (Senior Demolay),長女是國際彩虹姑娘(Rainbow for Girls) 的傑出顧問。韋夫人在美生會大家庭中也非常忙碌,他是東方之星台北陽明山第5分會的前會長,自 1971 年以來一直擔任國際彩虹姑娘大會顧問委員會成員。