United Grand Lodge
of Antient, Free and Accepted Masons
of England


 
Province of
South Wales Eastern Division

News

 


A warm welcome at
The Cardiff Sikh Gurdwara
Dateline 11 August 2007

A sunny Saturday Morning saw a party of around a hundred Masons, their wives and families attending a Special Service at Cardiff's Sikh Gurdwara in the city's Roath district.

This was the first organised visit to a Sikh service by Masons in this Province. The party was led by Provincial Grand Master Hywel Davies accompanied by Mrs Davies.

Every effort had been made by the organisers at Gurdwara to ensure that the visitors were kept informed of the meanings of the Prayers and Hymns from the Sri Guru Granth Sahib. A laptop and projector were kept very busy and the information displayed was welcome indeed as far as the first timers were concerned.

One recurring passage; "No one is my enemy. No one is a stranger. I will get along with everyone", an expression of universal goodwill, surely struck a chord with every Mason.

The President of the Gurdwara warmly welcomed all to the service, pointing out that visitors are always welcome at Sikh services and that while in the Gurdwara all are Sikhs! Balwant Singh Bhogal then added to the welcome and drew attention of some of the ways that the Sikh faith and Freemasonry were particularly compatible.

Provincial Grand Chaplain Rev Alistair Swinford then quoted from Chapter 13 of St Paul's Letters to the Corinthians as the basis for a sermon on the subject of Love.

Provincial Grand Master Hywel Davies thanked the Gurdwara for agreeing to the visit and all those who had organised it and provided such a warm welcome. He was presented with a copy of the Adi Granth (or Sri Guru Granth Sahib) the Sikh Holy Book which is considered to be the living ruler of Sikhism.

The service concluded with Smapti of Diwan and was then followed by Langar, a vegetarian meal provided for all at the end of every meeting.

More information on the Sikh faith and way of life may be found here.