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GRAND LODGE ST. JOHN'S DAY COMMUNICATION ‑ THURSDAY 27th DECEMBER, 2007 Present:
There were also present:‑ the Provincial Grand Masters of Antrim, Armagh, North Connaught, Down, Londonderry & Donegal, Meath, Midland Counties, North Munster and South Eastern; the Provincial Deputy Grand Masters of Armagh, North Connaught, South Connaught, Meath, Midland Counties, Tyrone & Fermanagh and Wicklow & Wexford; R.W. Bros. Geoffrey Ashton and Arthur Keppel, Past Provincial Grand Masters; R.W. Bro. Selwyn S. Davies, Past Chairman, Metropolitan Board; R.W. Brother Allen Megarry, Past Grand Director of Ceremonies; R.W. Brothers the Rev. Canon Richard H. Bertram and the Rev. Charles McCurdy, Past Junior Grand Chaplains; R.W. Brother Cyril R. Foster, Past Provincial Deputy Grand Master; VW. Brothers J. Noel Millar, Norman Humes, Gordon Morrison and Kenneth Abernethy, Past Grand Deacons; VW. Bros. Ralph McGuckin and Kwesi O‑P Ackah, Past Grand Superintendents of Works; VW. Brothers William J. Johnston, Samuel J. Patience and Roger Matthews, Past Grand Stewards of Charities; VW. Brother Samuel Scott, Honorary Past Grand Steward; V.W. Brothers Bernard V. A. Woods, David A.R. Lovesy, Victor Whyte, Maurice Lee and Alan R.G.R. Patterson, Past Grand Almoners; VW. Brothers Norman Jackson, S. Gordon Leathern, Robert T. Bashford and Brian Kearon, Past Grand Master's Standard Bearers; and R.W. Brothers A.W. Coid, D.J. Long and Hugh Hamilton, Past Grand Representatives. SISTER CONSTITUTIONS REPRESENTED The following Grand Lodges were represented:‑ Alberta, Manitoba, Newfoundland & Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Belgium (Regular), Estonia, France, Iceland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Turkey, California, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Brazil (G.O.), Chile, Ecuador, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Sao Paolo, Venezuela, Gabon, Madagascar, Mali, Senegal, Japan; and the Prince Hall Grand Lodges of the Caribbean and Jurisdiction, Colorado, Massachusetts and Ohio. APOLOGIES FOR NON‑ATTENDANCE Apologies for non‑attendance were received from:‑ The Immediate Past Grand Master; the Deputy Grand Master; the R.W. Senior Grand Warden; the R.W. Junior Grand Warden; the R.W. Grand Treasurer; the VW. Junior Grand Chaplain, Selwoode Graham; the VW. Assistant Grand Treasurer; the Provincial Grand Masters of South Connaught, Munster and Tyrone & Fermanagh; the Past Provincial Grand Master of North Connaught; R.W. Brothers Daniel B. Fincher, Robert J. Thomson, and Noel Bownes, Past Senior Grand Wardens; R.W. Brother Michael W. Walker, Past Grand Secretary; R.W. Brother the Rt. Rev. Samuel G. Poyntz, Past Senior Grand Chaplain; R.W. Brother the Rev. W. Warren Porter, Past Junior Grand Chaplain; V.W. Brothers Terence O. Read and Mervyn W. Morrison, Past Grand Deacons; VW. Brother Cecil Taylor, Past Assistant Grand Treasurer; V.W. Brother Michael R. McWilliam, Past Assistant Grand Secretary; V.W. Bro. William W. T. Shortland, Past Grand Almoner; V.W. Bro. Samuel A. McKenzie, Past Grand Master's Standard Bearer; the Representatives of the Grand Lodges of Scotland, British Columbia, Croatia, Greece, Latvia, Malta, Sweden, Switzerland, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Guinea, Ivory Coast, and R.W. Brothers Douglas Wakefield and Edwin Hunter, Past Grand Representatives. OBITUARY Grand Lodge being opened, the Grand Master referred to the recent deaths of R.W. Bro. Emmanuel Ukueje, Provincial Deputy Grand Master, Nigeria; V.W. Bro. E. James Bate, Hon. Past Grand Deacon; V.W. Bro. Derrick E. W. Chivers, Hon. Past Grand Deacon (Botswana); V.W. Bro. Geoffrey J. Bolton,Smith, Hon. Past Grand Steward (Zimbabwe); V.W. Bro. Dant C. Anath, Hon. Past Grand Steward (Mauritius); R.W. Bro. James Laguea, Hon. Past Grand Lodge Standard Bearer (Gibraltar) and R.W. Bro. Charles Meban, Past Foreign Representative. The memory of our departed distinguished Brethren was saluted in accordance with ancient custom. WELCOME BY THE GRAND MASTER The Grand Master welcomed all Brethren attending Grand Lodge, including three Scottish visitors from Lanarkshire, indicating he was aware that there were a number of Senior Brethren unable to attend due to illness and he wished them a speedy recovery. MINUTES On the proposal of the acting R.W. Senior Grand Warden, seconded by the acting R.W. Junior Grand Warden, the Minutes of the October 6`" Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge, which had been circulated, were taken as read, approved and signed. INSTALLATION OF THE GRAND OFFICERS FOR 2008 The Grand Master, M.W. Brother George Dunlop, was proclaimed and saluted. The Assistant Grand Master, R.W. Brother Leslie V. Johnston, was proclaimed and saluted. APPOINTMENT OF PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTERS AND INSPECTORS The Grand Master announced that he was re‑appointing all Provincial Grand Masters, with the exception of R.W. Bro. Robert Armstrong who was retiring, and Grand Inspectors overseas, with the exception of Kenneth Fergusson, also retiring. He announced, therefore, the appointment of R.W. Bro. Richard H. Gray as the new Provincial Grand Master of Down, to be Installed by him in March, and the appointment of VW. Bro. A. A. Von Brunn Tuboku‑Metzger as the new Grand Inspector of Sierra Leone. The Provincial Grand Masters and Grand Inspectors were saluted. INSTALLATION OF THE JUNIOR GRAND WARDEN The Grand Director of Ceremonies formed a procession and presented R.W. Brother William J. E. (Sam) Dukelow to the Grand Master for investiture as Junior Grand Warden. R.W. Brother Dukelow was installed and was saluted. INVESTITURE OF THE GRAND OFFICERS The following were then invested or proclaimed, and saluted, as the Grand Officers for 2008:
INVESTITURE OF FOREIGN GRAND REPRESENTATIVES R.W. Bros. Raymond Robinson and William J. Scott being in attendance and having produced their Patents of Appointment, the Grand Director of Ceremonies formed a procession and presented them to the Grand Master for investiture as Representatives of The Grand Lodge of Alberta and The Grand Lodge of Senegal, respectively. The newly invested Grand Representatives were conducted to their seats and were saluted, along with the Representatives of all Foreign Grand Lodges with which the Grand Lodge of Ireland is in amity. CERTIFICATES OF PAST GRAND RANK PRESENTED The following Brethren were then presented to the Grand Master for presentation with their Certificates of Past Grand Rank: V.W. Brother Frank Arnold ‑ Past Senior Grand Deacon VW. Brother John L. Frazer ‑ Past Junior Grand Deacon VW. Brother Dennis R. Millen ‑ Past Grand Steward of Charities VW. Brother William T. H. Balmer ‑ Past Grand Almoner VW. Brother Brian Kershaw ‑ Past Grand Master's Standard Bearer V. W. Brother Robert J. Armstrong ‑ Past Assistant Grand Secretary for Instruction GRAND LODGE CHARITY MOTION The Grand Secretary proposed a Motion that Grand Lodge make a donation of €3000 to the Masonic Benevolent Institutions. The Motion was passed unanimously. MOTION TO AMEND GRAND LODGE LAW NO. 147 The Grand Secretary proposed a Motion to amend Grand Lodge Law No. 147, substituting, in line two, the figure of twenty‑five euro with that of thirty euro, and to amend the sundry other Laws dealing with Dues and Fees. The Motion was seconded by the Assistant Grand Master and passed unanimously. ANNUAL RETURNS OF OFFICERS OF SUBORDINATE LODGES The Grand Secretary submitted the Returns of Officers of subordinate Lodges and the names of Representatives on the Grand Lodge and Metropolitan Boards of General Purposes, for approval. Grand Lodge approved the Returns, all of which had been submitted, checked and found to be correct. REPORT OF THE GRAND LODGE BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES The Board noted with regret, for reporting to Grand Lodge, the return of the Warrants of Enfield Temperance Lodge No. 264, Belfast; Templemore Temperance Lodge No. 306, Belfast; Lodge of Unity No. 383, Belfast; Cliftonville Lodge No. The Board considered a report of unmasonic conduct brought against a Brother, a former member of Lodge No. 430 in that he had been convicted on three counts of rape of a female child, contrary to Article 18 (1) of the Criminal Justice (NI) Order 2003. Read report thereon from the Province of Down recommending that the Brother be expelled from the Order. Grand Lodge Board concurred and recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. The Board noted the appeal of a decision on a charge of unmasonic conduct against a Brother in the Province of Londonderry & Donegal. Read memorial for the issue of a new Warrant to establish a Lodge under the Inspectorate of South East Asia to be called Lion of Erin and to be numbered 934. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. The Board considered requests for dispensations, under the terms of Grand Lodge Law No. 118, for a Brother to serve the office of Secretary in two Lodges in 2008: Lodges Nos. 124 & 296; 188 & 432; 222 & 249; 683 & 2000; 688 & 917; 6 & 1003 and recommended same to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. The Board considered requests for dispensations, under the terms of Grand Lodge Law No. 118, for a Brother to serve as a Principal Officer in two Lodges in 2008: Lodges Nos. 92 & 349; 223 & 623; 100 & 203; and recommended same to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. The Board considered and approved a request for dispensation under the terms of Grand Lodge Law No. 118, for a Brother to serve as W.M. for a third year in succession in Lodge 101. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. Read letter from the Grand Lodge of Spain submitting the name of R.W. Bro. William McGolpin to act as a suitable Representative there. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. THE GRAND MASTER'S ANNUAL REPORT The Grand Master delivered his quarterly address, details of which will appear in the Grand Lodge Annual Report for 2007. CONFERRAL OF HONORARY RANKS The Grand Master, with the concurrence of Grand Lodge, conferred the following Honorary Ranks: Past Grand Steward W. Bro. Michael Campbell ‑ On promotion from O.D.G.R. Past Grand Lodge Standard Bearer W. Bro. Eric Sanchez ‑ On promotion from O.D.G.R. W. Bro. Wilfred Francis ‑ On promotion from O.D.G.R. W. Bro. Gerard Laguea ‑ On promotion from O.D.G.R. Overseas District Grand Rank W. Bro. David L. Dunsmore ‑ P.M. of Lodge No. 945, Bangkok W. Bro. Herbert M. Knuettel ‑ P.M. of Lodge No. 918, Botswana W. Bro. Eric J. Levett ‑ P.M. of Lodge No. 918, Botswana CHARITY COLLECTION The Grand Master announced that he was donating the Charity Collection to Action Cancer (Northern Ireland) and Cancer Research Ireland (Republic). The Collection amounted to €1,708.24. GRAND LODGE CLOSED Grand Lodge Closed, following which some 85 Brethren lunched in Freemasons' Hall, where the Assistant Grand Master proposed a toast to the health of the Grand Master. |
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