UP
GRAND LODGE of
ANTIENT, FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS
OF IRELAND

 QUARTERLY COMMUNICATION
SATURDAY 1st OCTOBER 2005
at
The Provincial Masonic Hall, Rosemary Street, Belfast

Present:‑

M.W. Grand Master Eric N. Waller on The Throne
R.W. Deputy Grand Master George Dunlop
R.W. Assistant Grand Master William Mawhinney
As R.W. Senior Grand Warden Robert Campbell
R.W. Junior Grand Warden T. Noel Bownes
R.W. Grand Treasurer Charles W. Olden
R.W. Grand Secretary D. Barry Lyons
R.W. Director of Ceremonies Cecil D. Buns
R.W. Senior Grand Chaplain

Rev. Canon George N. Little
R.W. Junior Grand Chaplains Rev. Selwood Graham
As V.W. Senior Grand Deacon Richard H. Gray
V.W. Junior Grand Deacon Gordon Morrison
V.W. Grand Superintendent of Works David T. Young
V.W. Assistant Director of Ceremonies William J. Dyer
V.W. Grand Steward Kenneth Abernethy
V.W. Grand Sword Bearer Robert J. Robinson
V.W. Grand Almoner Richard Ensor
. William T. H. Balmer
V.W. Grand Organist John N. Rowden
V.W. Grand Lodge Standard Bearer Frank R. L. Arnold
V.W. Grand Master's Standard Bearer R. Brian Kearon
V.W. Grand Inner Guard John L. Frazer
V.W. Grand Secretary for Instruction Michael J. Ward
V.W. Asst. Grand Secretary for Instruction Robert J. Armstrong

There were also present:‑ the Provincial Grand Masters of Antrim, Armagh, North Connaught, South Connaught, Down, Londonderry & Donegal, the Midland Counties, North Munster, South Eastern, Tyrone & Fermanagh and Wicklow & Wexford, and the Chairman of the Metropolitan Board; the Provincial Deputy Grand Masters of Antrim, North Connaught, Down, the Midland Counties and North Munster, R.W. Brothers William J.E. Dukelow and Robert S. Hackett, Past Provincial Grand Masters; R.W. Brother Robert Thomson, Past Senior Grand Warden; R.W. Bro. Michael R. Bicknell, Past Grand Director of Ceremonies; R.W. Brothers the Rev. Canon Richard H. Bertram, the Rev. Charles McCurdy and the Rev. W. Warren Porter, Past Junior Grand Chaplains; R.W. Brother Charles Hatch, Past Provincial Deputy Grand Master; V.W. Brothers Albert Topping, Leslie V. Johnston, J. Noel Millar and George B. Crooks, Past Grand Deacons; V.W. Brother Mervyn W. Morrison, Honorary Past Grand Deacon; V.W. Brother Ralph B. McGuckin, Past Grand Superintendent of Works; V.W. Brother Michael R. McWilliam, Past Assistant Grand Secretary; V.W. Brothers Ivor A. Moloney, Trevor Monteith, William J. Johnston and Charles A. McCullough, Past Grand Stewards of Charities; V.W. Brothers David A.R. Lovesy, Victor Whyte, Maurice Lee and Alan R.G.R. Patterson, Past Grand Almoners; and V.W. Brothers Norman Jackson, Samuel S. Mackenzie and William J. Dixon, Past Grand Master's Standard Bearers.

SISTER CONSTITUTIONS REPRESENTED

The following Grand Lodges were represented:‑ Alberta, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, Victoria, Western Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden, Turkey, Arkansas, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Argentina, Grand Orient of Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Mato Grosso, Sao Paulo, Venezuela, Benin, Burkina Faso, Gabon, Guinea, the Ivory Coast, Madagascar, South Africa, Togo, China, India, the Philippines, the State of Israel, the Dominican Republic and the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Ohio.

 APOLOGIES FOR NON‑ATTENDANCE

Apologies for non‑attendance were received from:‑ the R.W. Senior Grand Warden; the R.W. Grand Registrar; the R.W. Junior Grand Chaplain, the Ven. John G. Murray; the V.W. Senior Grand Deacon; the V.W. Grand Stewards of Charities, Roger Matthews, Robert Bankhead and Robert T. McCaffrey; R.W. Brother Daniel B. Fincher, Past Senior Grand Warden; the Provincial Grand Masters of Meath and Munster; R.W. Brother William W. Hughes, Past Provincial Grand Master; the Provincial Deputy Grand Masters of South Connaught, Tyrone & Fermanagh and Wicklow & Wexford; R.W. Brother Thomas G. Anderson, Past Provincial Deputy Grand Master; 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. Canon Philip J. Knowles, Past Junior Grand Chaplain; V.W., Brother Derek L. Robinson, Past Grand Deacon; V.W. Brothers Arnold J. Cooke and Gordon V. Bradshaw, Honorary Past Grand Deacons; V.W. Brother Cecil Taylor, Past Assistant Grand Treasurer, V.W. Brother M. Ossie Steenson, Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies; V.W. Brothers Robert H.B. Mills, Arthur W. White and Herbert A. Walsh, Past Grand Stewards of Charities; V.W. Brother Bernard V.A. Woods, Past Grand Almoner, the Representatives of the Grand Lodges of British Columbia, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, New South Wales, Tasmania, Lithuania, Switzerland, Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, New Jersey, South Dakota, Washington, Costa Rica, Brazil (GO), Peru and R.W. Brothers Clarence Bamford, Harold Ross and Douglas Wakefield, Past Grand Representatives.

 OBITUARY

Grand Lodge being opened, the Grand Master referred to the recent deaths of R.W. Bro. R. Eric Fenelon, Past Deputy Grand Master and Foreign Representative of the Grand Lodge of China; V.W. Bro. George I. Frazer, Hon. Past Grand Deacon; V.W. Bro. Ian Hugh Gibbs, Hon. Past Grand Deacon; V.W. Bro. Ronald D. Holmes, Hon. Past Grand Steward; V.W. Bro. Padamsi D. Khona, Hon. Past Grand Deacon; R.W. Bro. Robert G. Simpson, Foreign Representative of the Grand Lodge of Estonia and R.W. Bro. Chief Dr. Friday 0.1. Yowika, Hon. Past Grand Deacon. The memory of our departed distinguished Brethren was saluted in accordance with ancient custom.

 WELCOME BY THE PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER OF ANTRIM

R.W. Brother Adam J. McKinley, Provincial Grand Master of Antrim welcomed the Grand Master, Grand Officers and Members of Grand Lodge to the Province of Antrim on his own behalf and on behalf of the Province of Down. The Grand Master in reply, thanked R.W. Brother McKinley for his warm welcome and looked forward to a productive meeting.

 MINUTES

It was proposed by the R.W. Senior Grand Warden, seconded by the R.W. Junior Grand Warden and passed unanimously that the Minutes of the Quarterly Stated Communication of Grand Lodge held on June 2nd, 2005, as circulated, be taken as read, confirmed and signed.

INVESTITURE OF FOREIGN GRAND REPRESENTATIVES

R.W. Brothers Douglas T. Grey, John Crozier, William H. Hicks, Percival H. Carmichael, William G. Cairns, Canon T. Henry Trimble, John W. Patching and John Dickson, 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 and formal presentation of their Patents of Appointment as Representatives of the Grand Lodges of Italy, Delaware, Manitoba, National Grand Lodge of Greece, Turkey, Latvia, China and The Philippines, respectively. The newly invested Grand Representatives were conducted to their seats and were saluted.

 GRAND OFFICERS FOR 2006

The Grand Officers for 2006, as nominated by the Grand Lodge Board of General Purposes at the June Communication of Grand Lodge, were elected, along with the Auditor of Grand Lodge accounts for the year 2005:‑

M.W. Grand Master Eric N. Waller
R.W. Senior Grand Warden T. Noel Bownes
R.W. Junior Grand Warden Charles R. Knipe
R.W. Grand Treasurer Charles W. Olden
R.W. Grand Registrar Arthur D.S. Moron
R.W. Grand Director of Ceremonies William J. Dyer
R.W. Senior Grand Chaplain The Rev. Canon George N. Little
R.W. Junior Grand Chaplains The Ven. John G. Murray
  The Rev. Selwoode Graham
V.W. Senior Grand Deacon Kenneth Abernethy
V.W. Junior Grand Deacon Robert J. Robinson
V.W. Grand Superintendent of Works David T. Young
V.W. Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies Ivan A. Meldrum Past Provincial Senior Grand Warden, Tyrone & Fermanagh
V.W. Grand Steward Frank Arnold
V.W. Grand Sword Bearer John L. Frazer
V.W. Grand Stewards of Charities Peter H. Mullock
  Dennis R. Millen
V.W. Grand Almoners Richard Ensor
  William T.H. Balmer
V.W. Grand Organist John N. Rowden
V.W. Grand Lodge Standard Bearer Noel A. Drain Provincial Grand Secretary, Londonderry & Donegal
V.W. Grand Inner Guard Rodney L. McCurley Provincial Grand Secretary, Down

 W. Brother Peter H. Mullock, F.C.A. Past Master of Lodge No. 395, Dublin, was elected Auditor of the Grand Lodge Accounts for the year 2005.

Immediately following his election, the Grand Master announced that he was re‑appointing R.W. Brother George Dunlop as his Deputy Grand Master; R.W. Brother William Mawhinney as his Assistant Grand Master; and W. Brother Brian Kershaw, Provincial Grand Treasurer of Londonderry & Donegal, as his Standard Bearer for 2006. The Grand Master's announcement was greeted with acclamation.

REPORT OF THE GRAND LODGE BROAD OF GENERAL PURPOSES

Read Memorial for the issue of a new Warrant to establish a Past Masters Lodge in Munster (Cork) to be called the Munster Past Masters Lodge, No. 1011. The Memorial being in order and the fee having been paid the Board recommended the issuing of a new Warrant. Confirmed.

The Board noted, with regret, for reporting to Grand Lodge, the decision of the Brethren to return the Warrant of Victory Lodge No. 681, The Mount, Park Avenue, Belfast.

Vacancies having arisen in the Representation of the Grand Lodges of North Carolina, New Hampshire, Senegal and Massachusetts, the Board recommended the names of V.W. Brother Alan R.G. Patterson, Past Grand Almoner and member of Lodge 353; V.W. Brother Victor Bownes, Past Master of Lodge 127; V.W. Brother William James Scott, Past Master of Lodge 496 and V.W. Brother Walter Barnett, Past Master of Lodge 640, be sent forward to the above mentioned Grand Lodges, respectively, for consideration as suitable Brethren to act as their Grand Representatives here. Confirmed.

Read letter from the Grand Lodge of Andorra, submitting the name of R.W. Brother Andre Bassou, Honorary Assistant Grand Master, as a suitable Brother to act as our Grand Representative there. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed.

Read letter from the United Grand Lodge of Victoria submitting the name of M.W. Brother John R. Evans, Past Grand Master, as a suitable Brother to act as our Grand Representative there. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed.

Read letter from the Grand Lodge of Maine submitting the name of R.W. Brother Bradford D. Blake, Past District Deputy Grand Master, as a suitable Brother to act as our Grand Representative there. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed.

Read a letter from the Grand Lodge of Tennessee submitting the name of W. Brother Robert W. Waldron, as a suitable Brother to act as our Grand Representative there. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed.

The Board considered a request for a dispensation under the terms of Grand Lodge Law No. 118 for a Brother to serve as a Principal Officer in two Lodges concurrently, for a period in the year 2006 in the Province of the Far East. On the consideration of this request the Board recommended that Grand Lodge grant the dispensation. Confirmed.

The Board approved the recommendation coming forward from the Grand Master's Council concerning the E.A. Degree Obligation word format. Noted and confirmed.

ELECTION OF THE BOARDS OF MANAGEMENT OF THE BENEVOLENT INSTITUTIONS

Grand Lodge approved the election of the Brethren, as nominated by the Grand Lodge Board of General Purposes, to form the Boards of Management of the following Masonic Benevolent Institutions:

The Management Committee of the Masonic Girls Benefit Fund in accordance with paragraph 4(d) of the Scheme for the Regulation of the Charity.

B. Bradshaw              S.T. Mahon                  J.W. Patching

W.T. Brown                R. Mark                       K. Spring

D. McNulty                  I. Miller                        N. Sufferin

The Management Committee of the Masonic Boys Benefit Fund in accordance with paragraph 4(d) of the Scheme for the Regulation of the Charity.

T.H. Beattie                  L.G. Evans                   D. Lyness A.L. Reed

J. Bell                           G.F. Ginnelly               T.A.Wilson
D. J. McIntyre  

G. Bratten                    E.G. Hodgett                T. McNeill    L.N. Woods

R. Ensor                       Rev. E. Hunter            
T. Monteith

The Board of Governors of the Victoria Jubilee Masonic Benevolent Fund in accordance with Rule 3(b).

W.T.H. Balmer                         I. Gawley                     D.R. Millen        R.W.J. Robertson

B.R. Brewster                          R. Gordon                   L. Sibbald
J.R.P. Mitchell          

W. Dickson                              R. Hackett                   J.W. Nicholson J. Stanley

N. Fenton                                 J. Kelly                         L.J. Nixon   R.V. Whyte

J. Finkel N.                              McElwee                      R.J. Patterson D. Williams

The Board of the Masonic Welfare Fund.

D. Atkinson J.R. Hadden E. Mackarel C. Ruttle
E. Brownell J. Hobson D.R. Millen W.W.T. Shortland
J. Crowley S. Holt B. O'Byrne J. Strong
J.I.A. Davison W.J. Johnston A.R.G.R. Patterson D.C. Webster
B. Eve I. McCullagh J. Ramsay  

NOTICE OF MOTION

The Grand Treasurer, handed in Notice of Motion under the Provisions of Grand Lodge Law No. 29 to make an appropriate donation from Grand Lodge funds to the Benevolent Institutions.

 REPORTS ON THE MASONIC CHARITIES

R.W. Brother William T. Shortland reported on the work of the Victoria Jubilee Masonic Benevolent Fund.

 R.W. Brother Dennis R. Millen reported on the work of the Masonic Welfare Fund.

 R.W. Brother Richard Ensor reported on the work of the Masonic Girls Benefit Fund and the Masonic Boys Benefit Fund.

 R.W. Brother Douglas T. Grey reported on the work of Masonic Havens Limited.

 These reports will be printed in the Annual Report of Grand Lodge for the year 2005.

 CONFERRAL OF HONORARY RANKS

The Grand Master with the concurrence of Grand Lodge conferred the following Honorary Ranks:

Past Junior Grand Warden R.W. Bro. Nana Herman Auguste Mould   Past Provincial Grand Master, Ghana
Past Junior Grand Chaplain R.W. Bro. the Rev. Raymond E. Thorpe   Past Senior Provincial Grand Chaplain, S.A.N.
Past Grand Deacon  
V.W. Bro. Gert B. Opperman - On promotion.
V.W. Bro. Reginald G. Chapman - On promotion.
Past Grand Steward  
V.W. Bro. Frederick J. Nel Past Provincial Senior Grand Warden, S.A.N.
V.W. Bro. Edgar W. Botha Past Provincial Grand Deacon, S.A.N.
V.W. Bro. Malcolm J. Clegg Provincial Senior Grand Warden, Zimbabwe
V.W. Bro. Ian C. Spackman Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies, Zimbabwe
V.W. Bro. Wilkie C.H. Tam Provincial Grand Treasurer, Far East
V.W. Bro. Allan Cox Past Provincial Senior Grand Warden, Far East

REPORT BY THE GRAND MASTER

The Grand Master, in his personal report to Grand Lodge, thanked those Brethren who had just reported on the Masonic Benevolent Institutions and Masonic Havens thus bringing Grand Lodge up‑to‑date on their respective operations and achievements.

The Grand Master went on to outline and report on various happenings since the June Communication of Grand Lodge including the holding of the Annual Tripartite Meeting between the three Home Grand Lodges in London in late August and he made reference to the forthcoming European Grand Secretaries Conference to be held in Geneva at which the Grand Secretary and the Past Grand Secretary would be in attendance.

He also referred to a number of Lodge Anniversary meetings that he himself or the Deputy Grand Master or the Assistant Grand Master had recently attended or would be attending in the near future.

The Grand Master reported on the very successful Placido Domingo Concert held at the Point Depot Theatre in Dublin in March, run by Events GLI Limited. Whilst the concert had incurred a financial loss Grand Lodge had, as promised, made donations to ten charities in both the North and South of Ireland. Events GLI would pay back this shortfall to Grand Lodge over the next five years.

In this context, and to tie in with the 250th Anniversary celebrations of Mozart's birth, there will be a series of three concerts held in the Grand Lodge Room, Freemasons' Hall, Dublin in November 2006 organised by Events GLI and sponsored by the Austrian Embassy.

The Grand Master wished to place on record his thanks to the very hardworking and immensely efficient organising committee of Events GLI led by Brother John Keeley.

Lastly he mentioned the recent official opening of the St. John's Masonic Centre in the city of Limerick, at which he had been present as a guest of honour. The complete project was a tremendous testament to the dedication of the Limerick Brethren involved.

WELCOME TO VISITING BRETHREN

The Grand Master made a special welcome to three of our overseas Brethren present: Brothers Duleep, Ahammed and Ramakrishnan of Saxena Lodge No. 815, Calicut, had travelled from India and he was delighted to see them at Grand Lodge.

 THANKS TO ORGANISING BRETHREN

The Grand Master thanked V.W. Brother Alan Askin and the many Brethren involved in helping with the arrangements for the reception, the excellent lunch and the meeting.

 CHARITY COLLECTION

The Charity Collection amounted to €1,625.

Grand Lodge Closed