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GRAND LODGE QUARTERLY COMMUNICATION ‑ THURSDAY 4th OCTOBER, 2012 Present –
There were also present:‑ the Provincial Grand Masters of Antrim, Armagh, North Connaught, Down, Londonderry & Donegal, North Munster, Tyrone & Fermanagh, Wicklow & Wexford; and the Chairman of the Metropolitan Board; the Provincial Deputy Grand Masters of Antrim, Armagh, North Connaught, South Connaught, Down, Londonderry & Donegal, Meath, the Midland Counties and Wicklow & Wexford; R.W.Bro. Robert J. Armstrong, Past Provincial Grand Master; R.W.Bro. Charles R. Knipe, Past Senior Grand Warden; R.W.Bros. Allen G. Megarry, William J. Dyer and Ivan A. Meldrum, Past Grand Directors of Ceremonies; R.W.Bro. George N. Little, Past Senior Grand Chaplain; V.W.Bros. John O. Dunlop and Basil Elliott, Past Grand Deacons; V.W.Bro. Samuel Scott, Hon. Past Grand Steward; V.W.Bros. William J. Johnston and Samuel J.Patience, Past Grand Stewards of Charities; V.W.Bros. Bernard V.A. Woods and William T.H. Balmer, Past Grand Almoners; V.W.Bros. W. James Copes, David Penpraze and John J. Ramsay, Past Grand Master's Standard Bearers; and R.W.Bros William Colhoun and W. J. Kissack, Past Grand Representatives; and other Senior Brethren not listed. SISTER CONSTITUTIONS REPRESENTED APOLOGIES FOR NON‑ATTENDANCE OBITUARIES WELCOME MINUTES ELECTION OF THE GRAND LODGE OFFICERS FOR 2013 The Grand Officers for 2013, 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 2012. Immediately following his election, the Grand Master announced that he was reappointing R.W.Brother Douglas T. Grey as the Deputy Grand Master and R.W.Brother Rodney L. McCurley as the Assistant Grand Master and was appointing W.Bro. Noel R. Gault, P.M. of Lodge No. 69, Londonderry, as his Standard Bearer for 2013. REPORT OF THE GRAND LODGE BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES The Board considered and approved a request for recognition from the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Texas. A vacancy having arisen in the representation of the Grand Lodge of Finland, the Board recommended that the name of W.Bro. Norman McElwee, Past Master of Lodge No. 783, Lisburn, 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 Norwegian Order of Freemasons ‑ Grand Lodge of Norway, the Board recommended that the name of W.Bro. George A. Woolsey, Past Master of Lodge No. 506, Castledawson, 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 the District of Columbia, the Board recommended that the name of W.Bro. J. Alan Campbell, Past Master of Lodge No. 30, Killyeagh, 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 Connecticut, the Board recommended that the name of W.Bro. William R. Prescott, Past Master of Lodge No. 697, Warrenpoint, 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 Senegal, the Board recommended that the name of W.Bro. Kenneth W. McClure, Past Master of Lodge No. 127, Coleraine, be sent forward for consideration to act as their Representative here. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. The Board considered a charge of unmasonic conduct against two Brethren of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Southern Cape. Read report thereon from the Board of the Provincial Grand Lodge, Southern Cape, recommending that the Brethren be expelled. The Grand Lodge Board so recommends to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. The Board considered and recommended a request for dispensation under Grand Lodge Law No. 118 for a Brother to hold the Office of Secretary in two Lodges in the same year ‑ Lodge No. 199 and Lodge No. 610, Southern Cape Province; and Lodge No. 56 and Lodge No. 218, Province of Antrim. Confirmed. The Board agreed that the Laws and Constitutions could be displayed on the Grand Lodge Website. The Assistant Grand Master recommended, and it was agreed, that the full version of his ‘Guidance on Procedures at the hearing of a charge of unmasonic conduct, or at an appeal, or rehearing’ should be distributed to all members of the Grand Master's Council, and also Provincial Grand Secretaries. NOTICE OF MOTION ‑ DUES INVESTITURE OF FOREIGN GRAND REPRESENTATIVES V.W.Bro. Cecil E. Riddall, Past Master of Lodge No. 738 (old), Greystones, 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 Mali. The newly invested Grand Representatives were conducted to their seats and saluted. ELECTION OF THE BOARDS OF MANAGEMENT OF THE BENEVOLENT INSTITUTIONS
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:
To elect the Board of Governors of the Victoria Jubilee Masonic Benevolent Fund in accordance with Rule 3(b). The following Brethren are recommended by the Grand Lodge Board: L. Clark B. Brewster C.J.W. Moore L.J. Nixon To elect the Board of the Masonic Welfare Fund. The following Brethren are recommended by the Grand Lodge Board:
NOTICE OF MOTION REPORTS ON THE MASONIC CHARITIES V.W.Brother Leslie Nixon reported on the work of the Victoria Jubilee Masonic Benevolent Fund. V.W.Brother Eddie 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 John S. Haynes 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 2012.) The Grand Master thanked the Chairmen and their respective Committees for their diligent work over the previous twelve months. CONFERRAL OF HONORARY RANKS
GRAND MASTER'S ADDRESS The Grand Master gave the following address to Grand Lodge: Following our Grand Lodge Communication in June my first visit was to Ramelton No. 407 on the occasion of their 200th Anniversary. I enjoyed every minute when I met many old friends and enjoyed the celebrations. I was privileged to receive a copy of their history which I will treasure. On the 13thJune I attended the Annual Celebration Communication of the Provincial Grand Lodge of North Connaught to which all Provincial Grand Masters in Ireland are invited. It was a nice occasion when we could swap our pleasant experiences and share our difficulties. Every compliment to R.W.Bro. Norman Reid the Provincial Grand Master who, with his senior officers treated us well. My next visit was with my Grand Secretary to the Grand East of the Netherlands where we were treated exceptionally well by the Grand Master Willem Meijer. I am the Representative of the Grand East and have fully enjoyed his friendship. On Saturday 23rd June I visited Old Portora Lodge No. 859 in Enniskillen and thoroughly enjoyed the get together of both Lodges. The Master of Lodge 859 very kindly presented me with the history of the 'Royal' Schools in Ulster, which I greatly appreciate. Our next seven days were spent in Jamaica where I installed the new Provincial Grand Master, R.W.Bro. Peter Stuart, who succeeded R.W.Bro. Derrick McKoy following his very successful 10 years on the throne. Bro. McKoy and his Brethren looked after us royally and we had a most enjoyable time in the Caribbean, despite the spectacular heat. The 9th and 10th of July was the Annual Tripartite Meeting with the English and Scots, held in Dublin this year, which is always an important meeting for information exchange, and from which solid decisions emerge. On the 21st July, the Grand Secretary and I set off to South Africa and visited our three Provincial Grand Lodges ‑ namely Southern Cape Province, Natal and last but not least, South Africa Northern. I believe that we have sorted out the problems which existed heretofore and may peace now prevail. Our connections with the South African Brethren are very good and I was delighted to install R.W.Bro. Gordon Bergh as P.G.M. in the Southern Cape and appoint R.W.Bro. Tommy Adlem as the new P.G.M. for South Africa Northern, who was installed after our departure. From South Africa, we travelled to Mauritius, where we returned the visit made by their group to Ireland last year and enjoyed their excellent friendship. Trinity Lodge No. 925 is a wonderfully active Lodge in a beautiful country and we also had a productive meeting there with the Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Mauritius. On 24th August we held our Annual Grand Master's Golf competition and while the numbers were down from the previous year we managed to support our contribution to Masonic charities in spite of the economic circumstances. My congratulations and thanks go to V. W.Bro Noel Simpson and his wife Pauline. On Thursday 13th September I chaired the Board of General Purposes in Belfast, ably supported by my Assistant Grand Master and the Grand Secretary. I read the lesson in St. John's Church, Newtownhamilton, at a service held by Silver Jubilee Lodge No.655. The church was generally well filled and the service was impressive. On 21st September I visited the P.G.L. of North Munster where a visitation took place by Brethren from the Belgian Constitution who had the Grand Lodge Orator in their group and who delivered a short speech. During the communication an actual conferment of the 3rd Degree was conducted in a masterful fashion by R W.Bro. Cyril Foster. On 26th September, I attended a Communication of the P.G.L. of Tyrone & Fermanagh in Dungannon to honour Our final activity was to visit Hamburg on an invitation from the United Grand Lodges of Germany for their Convention, which takes place only every three years, and which this time also celebrated two hundred and seventy five years of Freemasonry in Germany. My Grand Secretary and I thoroughly enjoyed the event. We now move into the busy season. The 'Irish Freemasons Young Musician of the year 2012' will be in full swing at Freemasons' Hall a week from today, when the Semi‑Finals are adjudged in the afternoon and evening of Thursday 11th October and the Final on Saturday October 13th. This year is the third year of the Competition and it is gaining status year by year. There are fourteen semi‑finalists this year playing 12 different instruments, from piano to pan flute. A very prestigious Jury has been appointed from Ireland, Scotland, England, Austria and France and I am pleased to tell you that apart from me and the Deputy and Assistant Grand Master, the Final will be attended by the Deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin, the Minister for Arts, the Pro‑Chancellor of Trinity College, various Ambassadors and many other distinguished guests. Our aim to raise our social standing and level of respect in the community, I am pleased to see, is being achieved. Harmony Harmony, my brethren is only a simple word of seven letters; but it implies so much, for if we do not have this noble quality or try our utmost to practice it, dissension, discord, and turmoil invade our homes, our institutions, our governments and the nations of he world In olden times, people were ruled and governed by the dictates of those who were self‑ambitious, tyrannical and domineering, who used force and cruelty to attain their own ends. As time went on, people rebelled against this type of man and gave vent to the principles of democracy which we know today. Let us all uphold the fight for these democratic principles for which our fore fathers have fought and died, and by our doctrines spread harmony not only to the brethren in our institution, but also to the rest of the world. Through pleasantness and happiness, let us join the people of this world in bringing about peace, brotherly love, liberty, equality and brotherhood. Certainly, we can accomplish these common objectives through the practice of Harmony. Brethren all, I wish you well. WELCOME AND THANKS The Grand Master also made a special welcome to senior members of other Masonic Orders within Ireland and thanked the Brethren of Tyrone & Fermanagh and in particular W.Bro. Frank Arnold, for the excellent arrangements for the lunch and the meeting.
CHARITY COLLECTION
GRAND LODGE CLOSED |
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