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GRAND LODGE QUARTERLY COMMUNICATION ‑ SATURDAY 5th MARCH, 2011
There were also present:‑ (along with the Provincial Grand Masters of Antrim and Down, in the Grand Officers list, above) the Provincial Grand Masters of Armagh; North Connaught, South Connaught, Meath, Midland Counties, North Munster, South Eastern, Wicklow & Wexford and the Chairman of the Metropolitan Board; R.W.Brothers Geoffrey G. Ashton and Arthur Keppel, Past Provincial Grand Masters; the Provincial Deputy Grand Masters of Antrim, South Connaught, Midland Counties, Munster, South Eastern, Tyrone & Fermanagh and Wicklow & Wexford and the Deputy Chairman of the Metropolitan Board; R.W.Brother Cyril R. Foster, Past Provincial Deputy Grand Master; R.W.Brother Allen Megarry, Past Grand Director of Ceremonies; V.W.Brothers Canon Richard H. Bertram and the Rev. Philip Knowles, Past Junior Grand Chaplains; V.W.Brothers Gordon Morrison, Robert J. Robinson, Frank R.L. Arnold and T. Robert McDowell, Past Grand Deacons; V.W.Brother William J. Johnston, Past Grand Steward of Charities; and V.W.Brother Brian Kearon, Past Grand Master's Standard Bearer. SISTER CONSTITUTIONS REPRESENTED The following Grand Lodges were represented:‑ Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, New South Wales, Austria, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Switzerland, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Kentucky, Maine, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, West Virginia, Argentina, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Mali, China, the Philippines, and the Prince Hall Grand Lodges of the Caribbean, Massachusetts, Ohio and Ontario & Jurisdiction. APOLOGIES FOR NON‑ATTENDANCE Apologies for non‑attendance were received from:‑ the R.W. Junior Grand Warden; the R.W. Grand Registrar; the R.W. Grand Director of Ceremonies; the R.W. Senior Grand Chaplain; the V.W. Grand Sword Bearer; and the V.W. Assistant Grand Secretaries for Instruction; the Provincial Grand Masters of Londonderry & Donegal, Munster and Tyrone & Fermanagh; the Provincial Deputy Grand Masters of Londonderry & Donegal and Meath; R.W.Brothers Robert J. Thomson, Robert Armstrong, Charles W. Olden and William W.T. Shortland, Past Provincial Grand Masters; R.W. Brother Michael W. Walker, Past Grand Secretary; R.W.Bro. William Dyer, Past Grand Director of Ceremonies; R.W.Brother Rev. Samuel G. Poyntz, Past Senior Grand Chaplain; R.W.Brothers the Rev. Charles McCurdy and the Rev. W. Warren Porter, Past Junior Grand Chaplains; V.W.Brothers Kenneth Abernethy, John O. Dunlop, Past Grand Deacons; Gordon V. Bradshaw and Samuel H. Boyle, Hon. Past Grand Deacons; V.W.Brother Ralph McGuckin, Past Grand Superintendent of Works; V.W.Brother Kwesi O‑P Ackah, Hon. Past Grand Superintendent of Works; V.W.Brother Cecil Taylor, Past Assistant Grand Treasurer; V.W.Brother Samuel Scott, Hon. Past Grand Steward; V.W.Brothers Arthur W. White, Trevor Monteith and Andrew McFetridge, Past Grand Stewards of Charities; V.W.Brothers Bernard V.A. Woods, R. Victor Whyte, Maurice W. Lee and William T.H. Balmer, Past Grand Almoners; V.W.Brothers S. Gordon Leathern and Samuel A. Mackenzie, Past Grand Master's Standard Bearers; and The Representatives of the Grand Lodges of Alberta, Western Australia, Andorra, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Poland, Turkey, Arkansas, Columbia (District of), Georgia, Indiana, Massachusetts, Montana, New York, Ohio, Texas, Costa Rica, South Africa, Brazil (G.O.), Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Japan, Venezuela, Gabon and the Dominican Republic; and R.W.Brothers Douglas Wakefield, Henry M. Robinson, Geoffrey K. Hughes, Leslie K. Dawson and William McKelvey, Past Grand Representatives. WELCOME BY THE PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER The Grand Master, Grand Officers and members of Grand Lodge were welcomed to the Province of South Eastern, in general and to Carlow, in particular, by R.W.Brother Thomas C.B. McBain, Provincial Grand Master. OBITUARIES The Grand Master referred to the recent deaths of R.W.Bro. Victor Chambers, Foreign Representative of the Grand Lodge of Peru; R.W.Bro. Herbert Meeke, R.W.Bro. John H.L. Stuart and R.W.Bro. William C. McAllister, Past Foreign Representatives. 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 and commented on the very large attendance. He especially welcomed the presence of the Assistant Grand Master, R.W.Bro. Leslie Johnston, recently recovered from a serious illness, and his remarks were acclaimed. R.W.Bro. Johnston replied, thanking the fraternity as a whole, for its total support of himself and Florence ‑ support and encouragement he found both uplifting and humbling. The Brethren rose in acclaim. MINUTES On the proposal of R.W.Brother Robert S. Hackett, Senior Grand Warden, seconded by R.W.Brother J. Kenneth Dunne, Acting Junior Grand Warden, the Minutes of the December 27th 2010, Communication of Grand Lodge, subject to the addition of an omitted paragraph concerning the Investiture of four Foreign Representatives, which had been circulated, were taken as read, confirmed and signed. REPORT OF THE GRAND LODGE BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES It was proposed, seconded and passed unanimously that Brothers David T. Young, Rodney L. McCurley and Alan Stewart be elected as the three Grand Lodge Board Representatives on the Grievance Committee for 2011. It was proposed, seconded and passed unanimously that Brothers David T. Young, Brian Kershaw, Rodney L. McCurley, William T.H. Balmer, Ivan Connor, Ian Kirkpatrick and John E.V. Smith be elected members of the Finance Committee for 2011. It was agreed that the By‑Laws Committee and the Library Committee would comprise the Deputy Grand Master, R.W.Brother D. Barry Lyons and W.Bro. Morgan McCreadie, with Ms. Rebecca Hayes being a member of the latter. A vacancy having arisen in the representation of the Grand Lodge of Mississippi, the Board recommended that the name of W.Bro. H. Stanley Whittle, Past Master of Lodge No. 396, Cookstown, be sent forward for consideration to act as their Grand Representative here. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. A vacancy having arisen in the representation of the Grand Lodge of Guinea, the Board recommended that the name of W.Bro. Derek D. McCrudden, Past Master of Lodge No. 994, Gortin, be sent forward for consideration to act as their Grand Representative here. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. A vacancy having arisen in the representation of the Grand Lodge of Russia, the Board recommended that the name of W.Bro. Samuel J. Porter, Past Master of Lodge No. 366, Limavady, be sent forward for consideration to act as their Grand Representative here. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. A vacancy having arisen in the representation of the Grand Lodge of Bulgaria, the Board noted that, by direction of the Grand Master, the name of W.Bro. Thomas Bill, Past Master of Lodge No. 160, Templepatrick, will be sent forward for consideration to act as their Grand Representative here. A vacancy having arisen in the representation of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Illinois & Jurisdiction, the Board noted that, by direction of the Grand Master, the name of W.Bro. Maurice McCollam, Past Master of Lodge No. 160, Templepatrick, will be sent forward for consideration at act as their Grand Representative here. The Board noted a charge of unmasonic conduct against two Brethren of Dimbula Lodge No. 298, Sri Lanka, one also being a member of Leinster Lodge No. 115. The Board approved the memorial for the issue of a new Warrant to establish a Lodge in Dundalk, in the Province of Armagh to be called Castletown Lodge and to be numbered 949. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. The Board considered a request for permission from the Provincial Grand Master of Southern Cape to appoint an extra Provincial Assistant Grand Master. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. The Board considered and approved a request from Lodge No. 14, Galway to relocate the Warrant within the city, the Lodge having acquired a larger premises. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. The Grand Secretary informed the Board that the Rehearing involving 3 Brethren from the Province of Antrim, whose suspensions have elapsed, will take place without further delay, now that the new panel has been assembled and has reviewed the substantial material. He also reminded the Brethren that while the aforesaid Brethren were now in good masonic standing, they were not subscribing members and as such could not yet attend any Masonic meetings whatsoever, at any level. INSTALLATION OF THE PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER OF SOUTH EASTERN V.W.Bro. John N. Fryday, Provincial Deputy Grand Master, South Eastern and Past Master of Lodge No. 44, 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 South Eastern. R.W.Bro. Fryday's sponsors were R.W.Bro. Thomas C.B. McBain, Provincial Grand Master and R.W.Bro. Arthur Keppel, Past Provincial Grand Master and his Chain Bearer was V.W.Bro. Thomas J. Kidd, Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies. INVESTITURE OF FOREIGN GRAND REPRESENTATIVES W.Bro. John Dunlop, Past Master of Lodge No. 382, Bangor, 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 as the Representative of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Virginia. The newly invested Grand Representative was conducted to his seat and was saluted. V.W.Bro. Samuel M. Oliver, Past Secretary of Lodge No. 1008, Portrush, 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 as the Representative of the Grand Lodge of Bosnia & Herzegovina. The newly invested Grand Representative was conducted to his seat and was saluted. W.Bro. Norman Carmichael, Past Master of Lodge No. 501, Larne, 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 as the Representative of the Grand Lodge of Rhode Island. The newly invested Grand Representative was conducted to his seat and was saluted. V.W.Bro. Derek R. Poyntz, Provincial Grand Secretary of Meath and Past Master of Lodge No. 310, Killeshandra, being in attendance and having produced his Patent of Appointment, the Grand Director of Ceremonies formed a procession and presented him to the Grad Master for Investiture as the Representative of the Grand Lodge of Nevada. The newly invested Grand Representative was conducted to his seat and was saluted. PRESENTATION OF PAST GRAND RANK CERTIFICATE V.W.Bro. T. Robert McDowell, being in attendance, was presented with his Past Grand Deacon's Certificate. CONFERRAL OF HONORARY RANKS The Grand Master, with the concurrence of Grand Lodge conferred the following Honorary Ranks: Past Grand Deacon
GRAND MASTER'S ADDRESS I would thank you for the opportunity and privilege of addressing you at this first Communication of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Ireland in Carlow. A red letter day indeed with the installation of a new Provincial Grand Master and sadly, the retirement of R.W. Bro. Tom McBain. I wish them both every good fortune and good health in the years to come. Brethren, as most of us are aware, Freemasonry is undergoing a gradual unmasking as a society of the highest ideals, in the process of which we can all play a part. I trust that the future traditions and welfare of Irish Freemasonry are safe in my hands and I hope that I am adequately fitted to the task. Under my leadership, Freemasonry in Ireland must maintain as well as raise its standards, in the process of which, we should all be committed advocates. If our Order is to achieve credence in Society, then we must strive to meet the following objectives, viz; ‑ Increase our Membership by consolidation and growth. ‑ Improve our image and public acceptability ‑As benefactors, practise effective outreach & in‑reach to those in need. ‑ Identify problems rather than throw solutions ‑ Become more proactive rather than reactive. At Tripartite meetings, i.e. United Grand Lodge of England, G.L. of Scotland and G.L of Ireland, we share problems and seek solutions. Harmonious working is vital for the well‑being and future of our order worldwide. Freemasons must never compromise their family or job responsibilities but strive to establish an acceptable balance between both ‑ preserving moderation in all things ‑ and giving priority to their public and private duties. Freemasonry represents all that is good in life and Society generally could learn a good deal from us. One of my main priorities is to foster a better public image, dispelling the myths and misconceptions about Freemasonry that have gained credence over the years and to reassure the public that we are not a sinister, secretive organisation and that Freemasons are good, caring and responsible citizens, i.e. they have nothing to fear from Freemasonry. If we can all work together in a positive manner, totally committed, I am confident that Irish Freemasonry has a great future and that everyone has a part to play; there is no room for apathy. I leave you with the writings of an anonymous poet: Brethren of the Provincial Grand Lodge South Eastern, I extend my especial thanks on behalf of all for your excellent and most generous hospitality and may this fine Province bring you and your principal Grand Officers much success and satisfaction; and I therefore extend my personal thanks to V.W.Bro. Eric Good, Provincial Grand Secretary, and his band of helpers for looking after us all so well. ANNUAL REPORTS The Grand Secretary reminded Provincial Grand Masters to compile and send in their annual reports for publication. CHARITY COLLECTION The Charity Collection amounted to €I,684.03. GRAND LODGE CLOSED |
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