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GRAND LODGE
of ANTIENT, FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS OF IRELAND
QUARTERLY COMMUNICATION ‑ THURSDAY, 5th JUNE, 2003
Present:‑
at FREEMASONS' HALL, DUBLIN
There were also present:‑ M.W. Brother Lord Donegall, Past Grand Master; R.W. Brother R. Eric Fenelon, Past Deputy Grand Master; the Provincial Grand Masters of Antrim, Armagh, North Connaught, South Connaught, Down, Londonderry & Donegal, Meath, the Midland Counties, North Munster, South Eastern, Tyrone & Fermanagh, Wicklow & Wexford, Nigeria, Ghana, Bermuda and Jamaica; the Provincial Deputy Grand Masters of Armagh, North Connaught, Meath, Midland Counties, North Munster, Tyrone & Fermanagh, Wicklow & Wexford and Bermuda; R.W. Brother Joe Chiara, Grand Inspector for Gibraltar; R.W. Brother Clarence E. James, Past Provincial Grand Master of Bermuda; R.W. Brother Selwyn Davies, Chairman of the Metropolitan Board; R.W. Brother Charles Hatch, Past Provincial Deputy Grand Master of Armagh; R.W. Brothers James E. Weir, Daniel B. Fincher and Kenneth G. Brislane, Past Senior Grand Wardens; R.W. Brother David McKee, Past Grand Director of Ceremonies; R.W. Brothers The Rev. Canon Richard H. Bertram, The Rev. Charles McCurdy, The Rev. Canon Kenneth W. Cochrane and The Rev. W. Warren Porter, Past Junior Grand Chaplains; V.W. Brothers Charles R. Knipe, Arnold J. Cooke, E. James Bate, R.A. Leadbeater, A.J. Darlison, D.C. Willson, S.A. Eid, G.O. Ogbetuo, B.A Edegbe, R.H. Amaewhule, Sas George, Honorary Past Grand Deacons; V.W. Brother Brian Sheridan, Past Grand Steward; V.W. Brothers Nana O. Nyampong, K.F. Cudjoe, R.L. Anderson, Honorary Past Grand Stewards; V.W. Brothers G.T. Jones and R.S. Morrow, Past Grand Sword Bearers; V.W. Brothers Arthur W. White and William J. Johnston, Past Grand Stewards of Charities; V.W. Brothers Bernard V.A. Woods and David A.R. Lovesy, Past Grand Almoners; V.W. Brothers Robert J. Hunter, Samuel A. Mackenzie, Donald H. Finlay and William J. Dixon, Past Grand Master's Standard Bearers; and V. W. Brother G.O. Omodu, Past Grand Inner Guard. SISTER CONSTITUTIONS REPRESENTED The following Grand Lodges were represented:‑ England, Scotland, Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania, Belgium (Regular), France (National), Germany (UGL), Greece (National), Iceland (National), Italy (Regular), the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal (Legal/Regular), Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Cuscatlan of El Salvador, Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Sao Paolo, Burkina Faso, the Ivory Coast, Mali, South Africa, China, Japan and the Dominican Republic; and the Prince Hall Grand Lodges of Colorado, Connecticut and Ohio. APOLOGIES FOR NON‑ATTENDANCE Apologies for non‑attendance were received from:‑ the Provincial Grand Masters of Munster and Ireland in India; R.W. Brothers Robert S. Hackett, W.J.E. Dukelow, R.S. Johnston, J. Greer, T. Noel Bownes and W.W. Hughes, Past Provincial Grand Masters; R.W. Brothers Robert Campbell and Nana Dr. Fredua Mensah, Past Senior Grand Wardens; R.W. Brother A.G. Megarry, Past Grand Director of Ceremonies; R.W. Brother the Rt. Rev. S.G. Poyntz, Past Senior Grand Chaplain; R.W. Brothers The Ven. R.C. Stevenson and The Rev. Walter Herron, Past Junior Grand Chaplains; V.W. Brothers L.J.T. West, G.V. Bradshaw, M.W. Morrison, A. Topping, G.B. Crooks, John McLean and J.S. Dunlop, Past Grand Deacons; V.W. Brothers J.A. Agnew, S.H. Boyle and R.H.B. Mills, Past Grand Stewards of Charities; V.W. Brother C.G. Oakes, Past Grand Almoner; V.W. Brothers T.A.D. Martin, D.M. Wright and S.G. Leathern, Past Grand Master's Standard Bearers; the Representatives of the Grand Lodges of British Columbia, New South Wales, New Zealand, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Hungary, Luxembourg, Montana, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, Benin, Guinea, Madagascar, the Philippines, the State of Israel; and R.W. Brothers T.G. Anderson, J. McDermott, H. Ross and D. Wakefield, Past Grand Representatives. Prior to the opening of Grand Lodge, the Grand Director of Ceremonies escorted delegations from visiting Sister Grand Lodges into Grand Lodge. The Regular Grand Lodge of Italy was represented by M.W. Brother Fabio Venzi, Grand Master; the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia was represented by M.W. Brother Jules S. Tepper, Grand Master; the Grand Lodge of Scotland was represented by Brother Walter Sneddon, R.W. Senior Grand Warden and Brother Robin D.H. Jackson, R.W. Junior Grand Warden; and the United Grand Lodge of England was represented by R.W. Brother the Rev. Canon Neil Collings, PJGD and V.W. Brother John M. Hamill, PSGD. VISITING DELEGATIONS WELCOMED BY THE GRAND MASTER Grand Lodge being opened, the Grand Master formally welcomed our distinguished visitors and the Senior Member of each delegation suitably replied. OBITUARY The Grand Master referred to the recent deaths of R.W. Brother Trevor E. Winckworth, Past Provincial Grand Master of Meath; V.W. Brother Nana Albert K. Agyeman, Honorary Past Grand Deacon, Ghana; V.W. Brother William Stringer, Honorary Past Grand Steward; and R.W. Brother Norman J. Black, Representative of the National Grand Lodge of Togo. The memory of our departed distinguished Brethren was saluted in accordance with ancient custom. MINUTES On the proposal of the R.W. Deputy Grand Master, seconded by the R.W. Assistant Grand Master, the Minutes of the Stated Communication of Grand Lodge held on Thursday, March 6th, 2003, which had been circulated, were taken as read, confirmed and signed. INVESTITURE OF THE PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER OF BERMUDA R.W. Brother St.Clair Brinkworth Tucker, Honorary Past Grand Steward and Provincial Grand Master Designate of Bermuda, being in attendance, the Grand Director of Ceremonies formed a procession and presented him to the Grand Master for Obligation, Investiture and Installation as Provincial Grand Master of Bermuda. R.W. Brother Tucker's sponsors were R.W. Brother Ralph D. Seligman and R.W. Brother Clarence E. James, Past Provincial Grand Masters. On placing him in his seat, the Grand Master proclaimed R.W. Brother Tucker as follows: "Brethren, I hereby proclaim that, this day, R.W. Brother St. Clair Brinkworth Tucker, an Honorary Past Grand Steward of this Grand Lodge, Provincial Deputy Grand Master, has been duly obligated, invested and installed as R.W. Provincial Grand Master of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Bermuda. Brethren, assist me to salute our newly installed Provincial Grand Master". R.W. Brother Tucker was saluted. NEW GRAND REPRESENTATIVE R.W. Brother John Fryday, Representative of the Grand Lodge of Saskatchewan, being in attendance and having produced his Patent of Appointment, the Grand Director of Ceremonies formed a procession and presented him to the Grand Master for investiture and formal presentation of his Patent of Appointment as Representative of the Grand Lodge of Saskatchewan. R.W. Brother Fryday was conducted to his seat and was saluted.
W. Brother Peter H. Mullock
FCA, Past Master of Lodge No. 395, Dublin, was nominated as the Auditor of Grand
Lodge Accounts for the year 2003.
REPORT OF THE GRAND LODGE BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES Read Memorial for the issue of a new Warrant to establish a Lodge at Nassau, in the Bahamas, to be called Providence Lodge No. 928. The Memorial having been checked and found to be correct, and the Memorial being recommended by Lodges Nos. 390, 899, and 921, Jamaica, the Board recommended the issue of a new Warrant. Confirmed. Read Memorial for the issue of a new Warrant to establish a Lodge in the Metropolitan Area of Dublin to be called Oracle Lodge No. 1003. The Memorial having been checked and found to be correct and the fee having been paid, the Board recommended the issue of a new Warrant. Confirmed. Read Memorial for the issue of a new Warrant to establish a Lodge of Installed Masters at Doagh, in the Province of Antrim, to be called Fisherwick Lodge No. 505. The Memorial having been checked and found to be correct and being recommended by Lodges Nos. 317, 467 and 637, and by the Provincial Grand Master and Provincial Deputy Grand Master of Antrim; and the fee having been paid, the Board recommended the issue of a new Warrant. The Grand Secretary confirmed that Lord Fisherwick had given permission for his name to be used in the title of the Lodge and for the use of the family Coat of Arms. Confirmed. Read Memorial for the issue of a new Warrant to establish a Lodge of Installed Masters at Newtownards, in the Province of Down, to be called Cuan Lodge of Installed Masters No. 930. The Memorial having been checked and found to be correct, and recommended by Lodges Nos. 354, 714, and 724, as well as the Provincial Grand Master and Provincial Deputy Grand Master of Down, and the fee having been paid, the Board recommended the issue of a new Warrant. Confirmed. Vacancies having arisen in the Representation of a number of Sister Grand Lodges, the Board recommended the following nominations to Grand Lodge, for approval, which was confirmed, before their being forwarded to the Grand Lodges concerned for final ratification:
Read letters from the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, the Grand Lodge of Minnesota and the State Grand. Lodge of Mato Grosso, submitting the names of M.W. Brother Arthur E. Johnson, Past Grand Master, Grand Secretary; W. Brother Thomas G. McCarthy; and Brother Jorge Budib, respectively, as suitable Brethren to act as our Grand Representatives there. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. The Board considered a request for dispensation under the terms of Grand Lodge Law No. 118, submitted by Lodge No. 758, Natal, for a Brother to serve a third consecutive year as Wor. Master. Having considered the circumstances of the request, the Board recommended that Grand Lodge grant the dispensation, as requested. Confirmed. The Board considered a request for permission to appeal to Lodges under the terns of Decision No. 15 of the Grand Lodge Board of General Purposes and, noting that the appeal comprised of a request for sponsorship in support of the Masonic Charities for a member of Lodge No. 203, Magherally, to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, recommended that Grand Lodge 0‑ant approval. Confirmed. At the conclusion of the Stated Meeting of the Board, a Special Meeting was held in accordance with Grand Lodge Law No. 66, at which were submitted the Accounts of Grand Lodge for the year 2002. The Accounts were considered and very full explanations given by the Grand Treasurer. Following his presentation, the Board agreed unanimously that the Accounts, as presented, be recommended to Grand Lodge for adoption. The Grand Treasurer, R.W. Brother Charles W. Olden, being in attendance, indicated, at this point, that as copies of the Accounts were available for many within Grand Lodge, he did not propose to go through them in detail, outlining the fact that he planned, in future and as necessary, to increase Grand Lodge dues on a regular but minimal basis and not at lengthy intervals by large amounts. The Grand Treasurer then proposed the adoption of the Accounts. The proposal was seconded by the Deputy Grand Master and passed unanimously. GRAND LODGE OF INSTRUCTION
PRESENTATION TO THE PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER OF BERMUDA
GRAND LODGE CHARITY
NOTICE OF MOTION
CONFERRAL OF HONORARY GRAND RANK
REPORT BY THE GRAND MASTER
WELCOME TO OVERSEAS BRETHREN
CHARITY COLLECTION
Grand Lodge closed, following which over 140 Brethren and their partners, including our Distinguished Visitors from Sister Constitutions, attended a most enjoyable buffet supper in Freemasons' Hall later that evening. |
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