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GRAND LODGE QUARTERLY COMMUNICATION ‑ SATURDAY 2nd OCTOBER, 2010 Present:‑
There were also present:‑ the Provincial Grand Masters of Antrim, Down, Londonderry & Donegal, Meath, North Munster and Tyrone & Fermanagh; and the Chairman of the Metropolitan Board; the Provincial Deputy Grand Masters of Antrim, Armagh, North Connaught, South Connaught, Londonderry & Donegal, Meath, the Midland Counties and Wicklow & Wexford; R.W. Bros. Robert J. Armstrong and William J.E. Dukelow, Past Provincial Grand Masters; R.W. Bro. Charles R. Knipe, Past Senior Grand Warden; R.W. Bros. Allen G. Megarry and William J. Dyer, Past Grand Directors of Ceremonies; R.W. Bros. the Rev. Charles McCurdy and the Rev. W. Warren Porter, Past Junior Grand Chaplains; V.W. Bros. Robert J. Robinson, George B. Crooks, Gordon Morrison and John O. Dunlop, Past Grand Deacons; V.W. Bros. Samuel H. Boyle, Cyril F.A. Quigley and Mervyn W. Morrison, Hon. Past Grand Deacons; V.W. Bro. Samuel Scott, Past Grand Steward; V.W. Bros. Ivor Moloney, William J. Johnston, Andrew McFetridge, Samuel J. Patience and Roger Matthews, Past Grand Stewards of Charities; V.W. Bros. David Lovesy and William TH. Balmer, Past Grand Almoners; V.W. Bros. S. SISTER CONSTITUTIONS REPRESENTED The following Grand Lodges were represented:‑ Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, New Zealand, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Spain, Turkey, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Delaware, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Costa Rica, Chile, Ecuador, Mato Grosso, Burkina Faso, Gabon, Mali, the Philippines and the Prince Hall Grand Lodges of Colorado, Massachusetts, North Carolina and Ohio. APOLOGIES FOR NON‑ATTENDANCE Apologies for non‑attendance were received from:‑ the R.W. Assistant Grand Master; the R.W. Junior Grand Chaplain, the Rev. Richard W. Moore; the V.W. Grand Secretary for Instruction; the V.W. Grand Inner Guard; the Provincial Grand Masters of Armagh, North Connaught, South Connaught, Midland Counties, Munster, South Eastern and Wicklow & Wexford; the Provincial Deputy Grand Masters of Down, Munster, North Munster and South Eastern; R.W. Bros. George Miskimmins, William T. Shortland, Stanley Johnston, Geoffrey Ashton and Noel Develin, Past Provincial Grand Masters; R.W. Bro. Michael W. Walker, Past Grand Secretary; R.W. Bros. the Rt. Rev. Samuel G. Poyntz and the Rev. Canon George Little, Past Senior Grand Chaplains; R.W. Bro. the Very Rev. Philip J. Knowles, Past Junior Grand Chaplain; V.W. Bros. Kenneth Abernethy, Frank Arnold and John L. Frazer, Honorary Past Grand Deacons; V.W. Bro. Gordon Bradshaw, Honorary Past Grand Deacon; V.W. Bro. Ralph McGuckin, Past Grand Superintendent of Works; V.W. Bro. Cecil Taylor, Past Assistant Grand Treasurer; V.W. Bros. Bernard V.A. Woods, Victor Whyte and Maurice W. Lee, Past Grand Almoners; V.W. Bro. John Torley, Honorary Past Grand Steward; V.W. Bro. Donald Finlay, Past Grand Master's Standard Bearer; and the Representatives of the Grand Lodges of Alberta, Canada in Ontario, Western Australia, Tasmania, Croatia, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Switzerland Alpina, Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Nebraska, Montana, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Mato Grosse do Sul, Sao Paulo, Venezuela, Guinea, Dominican Republic and the Prince Hall Grand Lodges of the Caribbean and Ontario and Jurisdiction; and R.W. Bros. Douglas Wakefield, Nigel Tyney and John Whittaker, Past Grand Representatives. OBITUARIES Grand Lodge being opened, the Grand Master referred to the recent deaths of R.W. Bro. William G.G. Gough, Provincial Deputy Grand Master of New Zealand; V.W. Bro. Archie Van Reenan, Honorary Past Grand Deacon (S.A.N.); V.W. Bro. James A. McCallum, Honorary Past Grand Deacon (S.A.N.); V.W. Bro. Edward J. Beveridge, Honorary Past Grand Deacon (Natal); V.W. Bro. Shridhar S. Phadke, Honorary Past Grand Deacon (India); V.W. Bro. Godrej K. Chichgar, Honorary Past Grand Deacon (India); V.W. Bro. Joseph I. Mbaezue, Honorary Past Grand Steward of Charities (Nigeria) and V.W. Bro. Bernard M. Wong, Honorary Past Grand Sword Bearer (Jamaica & Bahamas). The memory of our departed distinguished Brethren was saluted in accordance with ancient custom. WELCOME BY THE PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF ANTRIM R.W. Brother John Dickson, Provincial Grand Master of Antrim, welcomed the Grand Master, Grand Officers and Members of Grand Lodge to the Province. The Grand Master in reply, thanked R.W. Brother Dickson for his warm welcome and looked forward to a productive and informative 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 3rd, 2010, as circulated, be taken as read, confirmed and signed. ELECTION OF THE GRAND OFFICERS FOR 2011 The Grand Officers for 2011, as nominated by the Grand Lodge Board of General Purposes at the June Communication of Grand Lodge, were elected:
W. Brother Peter H. Mullock FCA, Past Master of Lodge No. 395, Dublin, was elected as the Auditor of Grand Lodge Accounts for the year 2010. Immediately following his election, the Grand Master reappointed R.W. Brother Douglas T. Grey as the Deputy Grand Master and R.W. Brother Leslie V. Johnston as the Assistant Grand Master. He also announced the appointment of V.W. Bro. John J. Ramsay, Past Master of Lodge No. 796, Bailieborough and Foreign Representative of the Grand Lodge of South Dakota, as his Standard Bearer for the forthcoming year. INVESTITURE OF FOREIGN GRAND REPRESENTATIVES W. Bro. Andrew I McDermott, Past Master of Lodge No. 334, Omagh; V.W. Bro. David Hamilton, Provincial Grand Secretary, Armagh and W. Bro. Sidney Conn, Past Master of Lodge No. 231, Portadown 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 National Grand Lodge of Romania; the Grand Loge Nationale Francaise and the Grand Lodge of the Gabon, respectively. REPORT OF THE GRAND LODGE BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES The Board considered and granted a request for recognition from, and agreed an exchange of Representatives with, the Grand Lodge of Moldova. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. The Grand Secretary reported the return of the Warrant of Lodge No. 62, currently under suspension. The Board noted for reporting to Grand Lodge the return of the Warrant of Killeen Temperance Lodge No. 705, Belfast. The Board approved requests to relocate the Warrant of Ardglass Lodge No. 172 to Downpatrick and the Warrant of Sephar Lodge No. 810 from Park Avenue to Ballylesson Hall. The Board approved the amalgamation of Lodge No. 540 and Lodge No. 497; to become McCammon Crozier Lodge No. 497. Societas Rosicruciana in Hibernia: the Grand Secretary explained that recruitment for this illegal Masonic organisation (under Grand Lodge Law No. 32) was still being undertaken by a Brother despite he having been written to and warned to desist. The Brother was also, according to himself, about to constitute a Lodge of Le Droit Humain in Ireland, a co‑masonic body, which Irish Freemasons were not permitted to join. On this basis, the Grand Secretary sought, and was granted, permission to bring a charge of unmasonic conduct against this Brother. A vacancy having arisen in the representation of the Grand Lodge of Germany, the Board recommended that the name of W. Bro. Charles E. Ruttle, Past Master of Lodge No. 564 Bangor, be sent forward for consideration to act as their Representative here. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. A vacancy having arisen in the representation of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, the Board recommended that the name of W. Bro. Barnett R. Brewster, Past Master of Lodge No. 403 Holywood, be sent forward for consideration to act as their Representative here. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. A vacancy having arisen in the representation of the Grand Lodge of West Virginia, the Board recommended that the name of W. Bro. Noel W. Sufferin, Past Master of Lodge No. 703 Ballynahinch, be sent forward for consideration to act as their Representative here. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. A vacancy having arisen in the representation of the Grand Lodge of Nevada, the Board recommended that the name of V.W. Bro. Derek R. Poyntz, Past Master of Lodge No. 310 Killeshrandra, be sent forward for consideration to act as their Representative here. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. A vacancy having arisen in the representation of the Grand Lodge of South Dakota, the Board recommended that the name of V.W. Bro. David W. Douglas, Past Master of Lodge No. 244 Athboy, be sent forward for consideration to act as their Representative here. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. Read letter from the United Grand Lodge of Queensland, submitting the name of V.W. Bro. R.L. Grimshaw, as a suitable Brother to act as our Representative there. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. Read letter from the Grand Lodge of Michigan, submitting the name of W. Bro. Robert V. Wilson II, as a suitable Brother to act as our Representative there. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. The Grand Secretary reported on a breach of Grand Lodge Law No. 80 by a Lodge in Enniskillen; the initial error of omission has since been rectified and the Board awaited a concluding report from the Province. It was pointed out that the new amendment on Trustees in the Laws and Constitutions could not be enforced in certain instances, due to ‘open trust’ agreements being made for some Halls, at the outset. Although the Provincial Grand Registrar of Down did not think this was the case, the Grand Secretary would inform the Grand Registrar about this potential glitch. 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:- To elect the Management Committee of the Masonic Girls Benefit Fund in of the Scheme for the Regulation of the Charity. The following Brethren are recommended by the Grand Lodge Board:- To elect the Management Committee of the Masonic Boys Benefit Fund in accordance with paragraph 4(d) of the Scheme for the Regulation of the Charity. The following Brethren are recommended by the Grand Lodge Board:-
NOTICE OF MOTION The Grand Treasurer handed in a 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 V.W. Brother J. Edward Brownell reported on the work of the Masonic Welfare Fund. V.W. Brother T. Albert Wilson reported on the work of the Masonic Girls Benefit Fund and the Masonic Boys Benefit Fund. V.W. Brother David T. Young reported on the work of Masonic Havens Limited. (All the Charity Reports will be printed in the Annual Report of Grand Lodge for the year 2010.) The Deputy Grand Master, in the unavoidable absence of the Assistant Grand Master, praised and thanked the Chairmen and their respective Committees for their diligent work during the previous twelve months.
CONFERRAL OF HONORARY RANKS The Grand Master with the concurrence of Grand Lodge conferred the following Honorary Ranks:
THE GRAND MASTER'S QUARTERLY ADDRESS The Grand Master, in a short address to Grand Lodge, also thanked the aforementioned Brethren who had just reported on the activities of the Masonic Benevolent Institutions and Masonic Havens, and their respective Committees, for all their hard work, on behalf of the Charities in the last year. He reported on a number of visits he had made since the Communication in June and reminded Brethren of the forthcoming Irish Freemasons Young Musician of the Year 2010 Competition, to be held at Freemasons' Hall on 14th and 16th October. THANKS The Grand Master made a special welcome to senior members of other Masonic Orders within Ireland and thanked the Brethren of Antrim who assisted and in particular V.W. Bro. Ivan Gillespie who helped with the arrangements for the reception, the lunch and the meeting. CHARITY COLLECTION The Charity Collection amounted to €1,376.41. GRAND LODGE CLOSED |
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