Grand Secretary's Column

Since the last issue of the magazine it has been a very busy period, including the preparations for and running of the Craft and Royal Arch Investitures. The day before the Craft Investitures the Pro Grand Master holds his annual business meeting with the Metropolitan and Provincial Grand Masters and Grand Superintendents and any from the Districts who are here for the Investitures. The next morning the Grand Secretary holds a meeting for all Grand Secretaries and Scribes E.
     I take every opportunity to attend annual meetings and Installations. One of the main purposes is to meet as many people as possible, to find out how you are and to get to discuss any issues. This will continue to be my policy. The Rulers’ Forum held in June and December each year is another way for our leaders to get ideas from ‘grass root’ masons. This June’s meeting, chaired by the Pro Grand Master, was again successful.
     I take this opportunity to mention two points that concern me: humility and recruitment. Interestingly, the Grand Master talked about the importance of humility in his Investiture speech. Rank, whether Grand, Metropolitan or Provincial, should never be actively sought and, if attained, never accompanied by arrogance, but rather by a renewed sense of duty and fraternal affection. Talking about the importance of humility leads me onto the second point, about recruitment.
     As Grand Secretary I am privileged to meet many tremendous people who have a common bond in our love and enjoyment of masonry. They understand the true meaning of charity. I also get to deal with a very small minority who have neither humility nor fraternal affection.
     This prompts me to ask two questions. Is the selection process always thorough enough? Do secretaries always follow out Rule 158 for a joining member? Candidate selection is a very real responsibility that falls on us all. It is a responsibility that is to be taken seriously now and forever. A proposer and seconder and the selection committee have all to be happy that the candidate is of the highest possible standard in both private and public life – a future ambassador for all Freemasons.
     Never let the numbers game cloud your good sense. So I ask you to select candidates convinced that they will be an ambassador for all we truly believe in. I found a piece of unattributable masonic writing the other day which combines rather well humility, fraternal affection and being an ambassador for Freemasonry: I would not give much for your masonry unless it can be seen. Lamps do not talk, but they shine. A lighthouse sounds no drum, it beats no gong, and yet far over the water its friendly spark is seen by the mariner. So let your actions shine out your masonry. Let the main sermon of your life be illustrated by your conduct, and it shall not fail to be illustrious.
     At the June Quarterly Communication the Pro Grand Master reminded us that on 19 July 2008, Freemasons Hall in Great Queen Street will be seventy five years old. Looking back to 1933, it was inspiring to hear the Pro Grand Master say that Freemasonry was in a stronger position today than it has been for many years.
     This achievement is primarily due to the leadership of the Rulers and the work of the members of the Board of General Purposes and the Committee of General Purposes. In acknowledging their contribution, it is timely for me to remind you that they give their time free.
     I have had the chance to view the new exhibition in the Library and Museum called Women and Freemasonry: The Centenary.
     This is the first comprehensive display on the development of Freemasonry for women. In July, the Library and Museum is opening its summer exhibition: Square Meals: 300 Years of Masonic Dining – an equally fascinating subject!

Nigel Brown, Grand Secretary

Pro Grand Master's speech to Grand Lodge

The Pro Grand Master, Lord Northampton, said that on 19 July, Freemasons’ Hall – created as a Masonic Peace Memorial – would be 75 years old.

At the June Quarterly Communication in 1933, held at the Central Hall, Westminster, Lord Ampthill, the then Pro Grand Master, thanked lodges for their generous response to the appeal for the erection of this building.
     The building remains today as a fitting memorial for the Brethren who fell in the Great War, and a fitting fulfillment of the duty the planners and builders owed to those of us who came after them. I am confident that that fulfillment will continue for many generations of future masons.
     Shortly afterwards, the Grand Master, HRH the Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, held an especial meeting in connection with the dedication of this Masonic Peace Memorial at the Royal Albert Hall, followed the next day – 19 July 1933 – by the dedication itself at Great Queen Street.
     So, the first Quarterly Communication was held here on 6 September 1933. To commemorate that, at our next Quarterly Communication in September, John Hamill, Director of Communications, will talk about the history of the building.
     Towards the end of last year I launched a survey of Lodge and Chapter records. This survey will be an important building block for the book on masonic history which we are planning to publish in 2017 as part of the Tercentenary celebrations of the formation of the first Grand Lodge. Undertaking this survey within an organisation of this size and age is ambitious, but I am confident that, with your help, it will be successful and that the results will also be important in encouraging further research into our history. I have been following the results very closely and I am pleased that the project has been enthusiastically supported.
     All Provinces have now appointed a volunteer co-ordinator to organise the survey. Most of them attended a briefing meeting at Freemasons’ Hall, and have already started the survey in their Provinces. We hope to complete the survey by the summer of 2009.
     At the end of May, the Deputy Grand Master opened the Women and Freemasonry Exhibition in the Library and Museum. We maintain our independence from the women’s organisations and they are happy to maintain their independence from us.
     Apart from the historical interest, the exhibition has a valuable public relations benefit. It will help to dispel the commonly held myth, among non-masons, that there are no women in Freemasonry!

Grand Master: Consolidation Lies Ahead

Address to the Annual Investiture of Grand Lodge by the Grand Master, the Duke of Kent on 30 April

As Grand Officers you have an important leadership part to play in the future of Freemasonry. By leadership I mean setting consistently high standards in your own masonic life as well as demonstrating your understanding of the meaning of the ritual and the principles and tenets of the Craft.
     This understanding will help you to guide others at all stages of their masonic journey, remembering to encourage them all to talk openly about their Freemasonry to potential candidates, family and acquaintances.
     There is a caveat, though. Although you will naturally feel some personal satisfaction at achieving such offices, I know you will all remember the words we hear each year at our Lodge installations, that humility in each is an essential qualification. And I have no doubt that that injunction should apply at least as much to those who are Grand Officers as to more junior brethren.
     Last November I hosted a reception and dinner on the eve of the European Grand Masters’ meeting. This was the first such gathering and was thus an historic occasion for representatives of 44 European Grand Lodges, which included no less than 41 Grand Masters.
     It was the most representative gathering of the leaders of regular Freemasonry in Europe that has ever been held. The Pro Grand Master planned it as a one-off meeting so that we, as the mother Grand Lodge, could make clear our views on regularity, recognition and sovereignty.
     The Pro Grand Master set out our position on regularity, emphasising that it is not Freemasonry, but the individual mason, instilled with the principles and tenets of the Craft, who has a positive influence on society. My view is that communication between us all is essential to the future well-being of regular Freemasonry, and I can see no reason why such gatherings should not occur from time to time in the future.
     I spoke last year about the Rulers’ Forum, and said that I would be happy if it achieved a focus for grass roots masons to debate issues which concern you all with the Rulers and other senior members of the Craft, and to act as a conduit for disseminating the results through their groups to lodges.
     I was therefore happy to hear that during year three of the Rulers’ Forum, Groups were given the task of identifying and collating best practice from Mentoring Schemes across the country. The project team has seen masons from eight different Provinces working together, sharing ideas and, importantly, learning from each other. They have now presented their ideas to both the Rulers’ Forum and at the last Quarterly Communication.
     Their ideas support the aim of recruiting and then retaining men of quality. The successful retention of these men will involve the careful selection of mentors at lodge level so that, once initiated, each member is fully supported throughout his masonic journey.
     The Brethren selected as Mentors will be those who can provide the time and knowledge required to care for the candidate, and then to develop his understanding of our Order and how it translates into his everyday life.
     There have been a number of advances since this time last year which I believe will bring substantial benefits. For example, the new magazine Freemasonry Today has been successfully launched, and I am confident it will become a major channel for our open communications.
     In addition, the four masonic charities have all now congregated in this building, a move which will result in cost savings as well, I hope, to a better understanding by the Brethren in London and the Provinces of the roles of each of the charities. With so many successful initiatives launched since I last addressed Grand Lodge, I see this coming year as one of consolidation.

Pro Grand Master: Royal Arch Understanding

Speech of the Pro First Grand Principal, Lord Northampton, to the Convocation of Supreme Grand Chapter, 1 May

As Grand Officers you have responsibilities to Supreme Grand Chapter. Not least is the responsibility for recruiting and helping to retain new Companions. I impress on you the importance of being able to explain the Royal Arch to potential exaltees as well as demonstrating a clear understanding of the ritual.
     Your support and encouragement to Companions in your own Chapters, at whatever stage of their progress, will be a key factor in retaining them.
     Members of the Craft, who are not members of the Royal Arch, still need a greater awareness of the indissoluble link between the Craft and the Royal Arch.
     Last year I set up a working party under the chairmanship of the Second Grand Principal to look into the questions of recruitment and retention.
     One of the recommendations was the appointment of a formal Royal Arch representative in each lodge. I am pleased to hear that where this has been implemented positive results are being achieved.
     Any published figures are a snapshot at the time, but I was delighted to see that there has been an increase in Grand Chapter Certificates presented in 2007.
     It is encouraging also to see that, on this occasion, there were more exaltations during the year than the number of Chapters on the Roll.
     The Committee of General Purposes is proposing to publish a booklet on the Royal Arch for new members to explain what the Royal Arch is, a little of its history, how it is organised, how it forms part of “pure antient Masonry” and how it fits into the masonic system as practised in England and Wales. This was planned originally as part of the changes to the ritual and will soon be finalised. The Committee is also looking at designs for a Royal Arch tie.
     The immediate Past Second Grand Principal has just attended the inauguration of the Supreme Grand Chapter of Estonia. We are delighted to have played a part in introducing Royal Arch Masonry into Estonia. This developed when a London Chapter, in difficulties, was approached to be a host chapter to enable a number of Estonian Brethren, including their Grand Master, to experience the Royal Arch.
     The influx of Estonians saved the Chapter, warm friendships developed and they were delighted to be included as one of the founding Chapters of the Estonian Grand Chapter. So much so that some of them are going to continue their membership in Estonia.
     The Duke of Kent was installed as First Grand Principal in November 1967, just over 40 years ago. Our heartfelt thanks go to him for his contribution throughout those 40 years to enhancing the dignity of this beautiful and impressive Order.
     I take this opportunity to remind you that all our Companions are entitled to attend Grand Chapter and I hope to see as many as possible at our November meeting.