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.
Menu
Past Grand Master David WK Au
About
1949-50 MW
David WK Au
歐偉國
1949-50 GRAND MASTER OF GLOC
David W.K. Au
MW Bro. David W.K. Au was born on Oct.,6th, 1899 in Sydney Australia. Returning with his parents to China when he was only a few years old, he received his earlier studies in HK and his college education at St. John’s University, Shanghai, where he graduated in 1918. Thereafter until 1929 he was a member of Sincere Department Store, first as secretary in the HK office, then as Manager in London and again as Chief Secretary in Shanghai. Join the Shanghai Commercial and Saving Bank as Assistant Manager. MW Bro. Au was promoted Manager of the HK office in 1934. He has been connected since 1938 as Sub-Manager of the well known shipping firm of Butterfield & Swire.
Our Most Worshipful Grand Master first saw the light of Masonry on Feb 3rd 1930 when he was initiated in Amity Lodge No 106. He was passed on Mar 3rd raised on April 14th in the same year, elected Secretary of the lodge on 1932 and Junior Warden in 1933. On being transferred to HK, he immediately became active in the formation of Pearl River Lodge 109 in Canton and was one of the founders. In recognition of his services to the lodge, he was elected WM in 1935.
By that time the Grand lodge of the Philippines Islands had formed the China lodges into a District Grand Lodge and MW Bro. Au became its first Deputy District Grand Master with Rt. Wor. Bro. H.C. Mei as District Grand Master. When in the following year (1938) Rt. Wor. Bro. Mei had to vacate his station on departure from China, MW Bro Au assumed the District Grand Mastership and held that position until the lodges in the District surrendered their Charters to the Grand Lodge of F.&A.M. of China. During his term of office, MW. Bro. Au rendered yeoman service to Freemasonry in general and to Philippine Masonry in particular. He was the representative of the MW. GM. of Masons in the Philippine Islands on several important Masonic Missions including those of Constituting Yokosuka Naval Masonic Lodge No. 120 in Japan in July 1948 and Okinawa Lodge No 118 in the Rykyus in August of the same year. For such distinguished services rendered, the Grand Lodge at Annual Communication in Manila early this year awarded him the Order of Merit and also appointed him Grand Representative near the GL of F&A Masons of China.
In Jan 1949, with the formation of the Grand Lodge of China, MW Bro became its first GM. He is a member of Amity No 1 and Pearl River No 3 of the Grand Lodge of China; Royal Sussex Lodge 501 of the United Grand Lodge of England, and Lodge Luz Oceania No 85 of the Gran Lodge of Philippines Islands. Among the lodges in which he hold Honorary membership are the following, viz. Nanking No2, Szechwan No4, West Lake No 5 and Sun No 6 of the Grand Lodge of China; Batong Buhay No 27, Kasilawan No 77 and Mencius No 93 of the Grand Lodge of the Philippines Islands; Lodge Erin No 463 of the Grand Lodge of Ireland, and Shanghai Lodge of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts.
In Scottish Rite Freemasonry, MW Bro Au has been no less active. He has served as Venerable Master of Yangtsze Lodge of Perfection No 3, Wise Master of Shanghai Chapter Rose Croix No 3 and Master of Kadosh of Orient Consistory No 1 of the Shanghai Bodies, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. He was made a K.C.C.H. in 1941 and coronate Inspector General Honorary of the 33 degree by the Supreme Council,
- Bro. Au was exalted in Keystone Chapter No 1 Royal Arch Masons, Shanghai in 1939 and has since become a member of Royal Sussex Chapter No 501 in the English Constitution. In the Shriner, our MW GM is a member and representative in China of Nile Temple A.A.O.N.M.S. besides being President of Nomad Oasis, the Shrine Club of Shanghai. Other Masonic honors which have been conferred on him are: President of the International Square and Compass Club of Shanghai; Member of the Philalethes Society, Los Angeles, Cal., USA: Honorary member, Okinawa Masonic Club of Allied Armed Forces: Honorary Member of the High twelve Club of the Philippines.
A devout Christian, MW Bro Au is called upon to serve on many business civic, educational and philanthropic institutions. These include: Chairman, Court of Deacons of the Cantonese Union Church of Shanghai; Member of the Board of Custody, Church of Christ in China; Member if the Executive Board, National Young Men’s Christian Associations of China and the Shanghai Y.M.C.A.; Chairman of the Board of St. John’s University, St. Mary’s Girls High School, Yuet Tng High School, Zion Light Primary School; Member of the Executive Board of Kwandtung Provincial Association and Cantonese Communal Guild; President , China Trust Co., Ltd., Director, Sincere Department Store and the Sincere Insurance and Investment Co., Lte.; Managing Director, Lee Tai Ching Navigation Co., Ltd., etc
David W.K. Au
1949-50 PGM, GLOC
關於
第一屆總會長 歐偉國尊兄
歐偉國尊兄於1899年10月6日出生於澳大利亞雪梨市，年僅幾歲便隨父母回國，早年在香港深造，並於1918年畢業於上海聖約翰大學。此後一直到1929年，他一直在上海開設的第一家華人百貨公司先施百貨的一員。他先是在香港辦公室擔任秘書，然後在倫敦擔任經理，再在上海擔任主任秘書。然後他加入上海商業儲蓄銀行擔任助理經理，1934 年晉升為香港辦事處經理，1938 年起擔任著名航運公司 Butterfield & Swire 的副經理。
歐偉國尊兄於 1930年2月3日在第 106 號誼廬加入美生會，3月3日轉化為工員美生，4月14日提昇為工師美生，於 1932 年當選為誼廬司書，於1933年當選為副會監。調往香港後，立即積極在廣州創辦第 109 號恆廬，是創辦人之一。為了表彰他對會廬的服務，他於 1935 年當選為會長。
當時，菲律賓群島美生總會已將該總會位於中國的會廬組織成中國區總會，梅華銓(Mei Hua-Chuen)尚兄成為第一任區總會長，歐偉國尊兄成為第一任區副總會長。次（1938）年梅華銓尚兄離開中國時不得不離開他的職位，歐偉國尊兄擔任區總會長一職，直到該區的會廬將他們的組會證繳交給後來成立的中國美生總會。歐偉國尊兄在他的任期內為美生會提供了長期忠誠的支持與服務，特別是為菲律賓美生會提供服務。他曾在多次美生重要活動中擔任菲律賓美生總會總會長代表，包括 1948 年 7 月在日本第 120 號橫須賀海軍美生會廬成立大會，和同年 8 月在琉球群島的沖繩第 118 號會廬成立大會。由於提供如此傑出的服務，次年初在馬尼拉舉行的菲律賓美生總會年度大會上，授予歐偉國尊兄功績勳章，並任命他為菲律賓美生總會駐中國美生總會的代表。
1949 年 1 月，隨著中國美生總會成立，歐偉國尊兄成為第一任總會長，他成為中國美生總會第1號分會誼廬和第3號分會珠江廬的成員；同時也是英格蘭聯合總會的第501號皇家蘇塞克斯分會和菲律賓美生總會第85號盧斯大洋洲分會的會員。他也擁有以下美生會廬的榮譽會員資格：中國美生總會第2號南京廬、第4號四川廬、第5號西湖廬、第6號申廬；菲律賓美生總會第27號Batong Buhay 分會、第77號Kasilawan 分會和第93號Mencius 分會；愛爾蘭美生總會第463號 Erin 分會和美生總會上海廬。
歐偉國尊兄在慈修會的各項活動也同樣活躍，他曾擔任慈修會上海分會轄下：揚子江第三完美會廬的會長、上海玫瑰十字架騎士團分會的會長和的第一東方樞密主教會議的會長。 1941 年他被冊封為法制榮譽騎士長(Knight Commander Court of Honor; K.C.C.H.)，1949 年被美南慈修總會加冕為 33 級榮譽督察長。
歐偉國尊兄於 1939 年加入上海皇家拱門美生第1號基石分會，此後成為英格蘭聯合總會第 501 號皇家蘇塞克斯章分會的成員。 歐偉國尊兄是尼羅河慈壇社A.A.O.N.M.S.在中國的成員和代表。除了擔任上海游牧綠洲慈德會的會長。 他獲得的其他美生會榮譽還有：上海國際方圓會主席； 美國加利福尼亞州洛杉磯愛真理協會(Philalethes Society)會員：盟軍沖繩美生會俱樂部榮譽會員：菲律賓日正當中俱樂部榮譽會員。
* Philalethes Society愛真理協會是位於北美的美生會研究協會。該協會由Cyrus Field Willard領導的一組美生會作家於1928年10月1日成立。威拉德曾是《波士頓環球報》的記者，也是普吉特海灣（Puget Sound）烏托邦公社的創始人。The Review of Masonic Research and Letters長期以來一直是北美美生會事實上的雜誌。該雜誌以新老美生會作家的原創研究、美生會教育文章、書評、藝術和詩歌為特色。目前，該雜誌每季度出版一次。最初，愛真理協會僅由美生會作者組成，在任何特定時間限制為 40 名研究員。
作為一名虔誠的基督徒，歐偉國尊兄被要求為許多商業、公民、教育和慈善機構服務。 其中包括：上海粵語聯合教會執事會主席；中國基督教會監護委員會成員；中國全國基督教青年會執行委員會；上海基督教青年會執行委員會；聖約翰大學董事會主席；聖瑪麗女中董事會主席；悅騰中學董事會主席；錫安光小學董事會主席；關東省同鄉會、廣東公會常務理事； 中國信託有限責任公司總裁、先施百貨、先施保險投資有限公司董事； 李大慶航海有限公司董事總經理等。
譯者補述：
歐偉國尊兄尊翁大名歐彬為上海先施公司總經理，為我國早期大實業家。歐彬先生有四子五女，次子歐偉國。歐偉國先修業於香港聖保羅書院，又攻讀於聖士提反學校。20歲隨父去上海，考入聖約翰大學，1918年自上海聖約翰大學畢業後回港，任香港先施公司秘書，1921年升先施公司倫敦分公司司理，其間考察英國商業與財政。1925年返滬，充任上海先施公司首席秘書。1929年獲我國金融界巨子上海商業儲蓄銀行總經理陳光甫賞識，聘任該行襄理。1934年升任上海商業儲蓄銀行香港分行經理。1936年香港廣東銀行復業，該行董事長宋子文又聘其為司理。工餘曾任香港青年會和中國美生總會會長及上海聖約翰大學校董，在香港於1951年與何明華會督及李應林校長創立崇基書院，即今香港中文大學崇基學院，並為首任董事會主席。1952年負責美國「援助中國知識人士協會」香港分會行政事務。1954年香港崇基學院校長，開辦歷史地理學系及數學系。