The Lodge Le Véritable Zèle exists in its current form since 1980 but was founded once before in The Hague in 1735. The meeting place then was the building of the Nieuwe Doelen on the corner of the Tournooiveld and the Korte Vijverberg; not only did shooters gather here, but there was also room to rent. The lodge settled there, and a description of the interior is known; sketches have also been handed down.
Image: Print of The New or St. Sebastian's Doelen (own collection LVZ; photo HK).eigen collectie LVZ; foto HK). The Hague Historical Museum is now housed in the building (own collection LVZ; photo HK March 2019)
Quote from The Practice of the Royal Art (publication Stichting Ritus en Tempelbouw, 1971): On 5 December 1735, one of the members of the lodge showed some of the lodge's equipment to a number of interested outsiders; he showed them a number of pieces of furniture and the aprons and gloves, as they were stored in a side room in "De Nieuwe Doelen". Following this visit, one of the interested parties made a particularly interesting drawing, which he provided with annotations and in which he gives an account of what he was told.
[Image: Description of the lodge]
This provides a concrete picture of the lodge's furnishings at that time; unfortunately, the government was not convinced of the good purpose of the lodge's activities and closed the lodge almost immediately. See in the menu the choice for more information about:
