A Brotherhood without Borders

It’s a family affair.

When Brother Robert Miller, P.M., Lehighton Lodge No. 621, conferred the Entered Apprentice degree in April on his two grandsons, Brothers Zachery and Luke Miller, they took their obligations on the Masonic Bible that once belonged to his father, their great-grandfather, Brother Woodrow M. Miller, P.M. Decades prior, Robert had raised his sons, Brother Arden Miller, Zachery’s and Luke’s father, and Brother Mark Miller.

The April ceremony not only marked a milestone for a family with four generations of Masons, but offered a fitting example of how Freemasonry connects members across borders. Mark, a member of Lehighton Lodge who resides in Switzerland, wasn’t about to let an ocean stand in the way of witnessing the special occasion.

A Past Master of Masonry Universal Lodge No. 40 in Geneva, Mark traveled to Pennsylvania to serve as Zachery’s guide, while Arden served as Luke’s guide.

“Freemasonry has a long history in our family, and it was an important day for my nephews,” Mark said. “I would not miss the opportunity to assist with the process. I have attended a ceremony in Pennsylvania probably only 10 times over my 40 years in Masonry.”

Mark was raised in Lehighton Lodge in the late 1980s, and after graduating from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1987, he requested a traveling certificate from the then-Grand Master, allowing him to visit MIT’s lodge. A former U.S. Army officer, Mark later became a member of the Massachusetts Chapter of National Sojourners.

In 1994, Mark moved to Switzerland to pursue his MBA. After graduation, he accepted a position with a Swiss multinational company, managing its operations in East Africa. While there, he joined Haven of Peace Lodge No. 4385, under the United Grand Lodge of England’s District of East Africa, where he gained valuable experience serving in a variety of key officer roles.

When Mark returned to Switzerland, assistance from the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania helped him connect with Masonry Universal Lodge No. 40, the only lodge in Geneva that meets in English. He later served as its Worshipful Master.

Switzerland has four national languages—German, French, Italian and Romansh—and each lodge conducts its meetings in the language of its choice (normally the language of the region). Only meetings of the Grand Lodge of Switzerland are translated into multiple languages. For Mark, Masonry Universal Lodge provides an opportunity to continue participating in the fraternity in English while living and working in an international community.

While in Switzerland, Mark also joined the Royal Arch Masons and became a Mark Master Mason. He was a founding member of St. George’s Lodge No. 85 in Morges, under the Grand Lodge of Swiss Alpina, the oldest and only recognized Grand Lodge in Switzerland.

Freemasonry has existed in Switzerland for more than 200 years, and today, more than 80 lodges provide visiting Masons with opportunities to experience the fraternity’s traditions. For English-speaking Masons, there are four lodges working in English under the Grand Lodge of Swiss Alpina: St. George’s Lodge in Morges, Masonry Universal Lodge in Geneva, Cosmopolitan Lodge in Zurich and St. Andrew’s Lodge in Basel. Three of the four use the English version of the Emulation Ritual from the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE).

“All the overseas lodges I’ve visited and which I am now a member of are based upon the English version of Freemasonry,” Mark said.

Although the traditions and rituals may share common roots, Mark has found that the experience of Freemasonry can vary considerably from one country—and even one lodge—to another.

“There are so many variations of how lodges work in Switzerland and even how the lodge ‘furniture’ is placed, it is impossible to draw too many comparisons,” Mark said.

Even something as recognizable as a Masonic apron can look different abroad. Swiss aprons tend to be larger and more ornate in some lodges, while others feature smaller aprons with rounded corners and different colors. Mark’s English-speaking lodges use aprons based on those of the UGLE, which they purchase in England.

In Swiss Freemasonry, the Volume of Sacred Law (VSL) is a central ritual object placed open on the altar during lodge meetings. It symbolizes the moral and ethical guidance of divine or revealed principles. The VSL is typically positioned on a pedestal in the East, where the Worshipful Master stands during the ceremony, Mark said.

In Swiss lodges with mixed memberships, it’s common to display multiple sacred texts on the pedestal, each representing a different space, including the Bible for Christians, the Koran for Muslims and the Bhagavad Gita or Vedas for Hindus, he said.

For Mark, it’s these differences that are part of what makes traveling to lodges around the world so interesting. His experiences have given him a unique perspective on Freemasonry and its ability to connect men who may live thousands of miles apart but share common traditions, values and brotherhood.

The English influence extends beyond Switzerland. The lodges Mark belonged to in East Africa were English lodges operating under the UGLE’s District of East Africa. His Swiss lodge shares those same English roots, creating a common Masonic experience despite the thousands of miles between them. There are some differences, too.

“In Africa, we wear tuxedos with black ties, whereas in Europe, we wear a dark suit with a dark tie or a lodge tie. In my case, I actually wear a black Indian Jodhpuri suit (high Chinese collar), which is the equivalent of a tuxedo in India.”

The Indian connection is particularly personal for Mark. His wife’s family has its origins in Goa, India, and the couple spends six to eight weeks there during the holidays. Despite that connection, Mark admits he has never visited a lodge in Asia.

While his travels have taken him through several countries and exposed him to different Masonic traditions, his connection to Lehighton Lodge remains strong. He has only been able to visit the lodge a handful of times over the years, most notably for family milestones — occasions that are especially important to him. Mark returned to Pennsylvania in September for his nephews’ Master Mason degrees and his father’s 90th birthday.

“My grandfather, father, brother, uncles and cousins — everyone in my family has been part of this fraternity,” Mark said. “It means everything to me to be able to travel the world and be welcomed as a Pennsylvania Freemason in Europe, Africa, Asia and, of course, the United States.”

“It just made it more meaningful that [Mark] would come to town and be a part of the ceremony,” Arden said. “The experiences he has with unique lodges all over the world is so cool to hear about.”

Robert has visited Mark several times in Switzerland, including when he was installed as Master. He said that despite any differences, the true meaning of the Craft remains the same.

“It’s really a universal thing.”