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Provincial
Notices
Provincial Video now with Group Secretaries
Most Excellent Grand
Superintendent’s
address at Provincial Grand Chapter on the proposed Royal Arch Changes
New Telephone System for the office of Provincial Grand Lodge
Got an Idea ?
Provincial Video now with Group Secretaries
The video of Provincial Grand Lodge, taken by Frank Wilkinson and Trevor
Dracott at the May 2002 meeting had now been sent to Group Secretaries.
Earlier this year the Provincial Grand Master gave permission for the filming
of parts of our annual investiture meeting at Blackpool in May.
Copies were on sale at Provincial
Grand Lodge and the remaining copies have been sent to Group Secretaries
for any brethren to purchase.
People outside Freemasonry have no idea of the size and pageantry of a Provincial
Grand Lodge Meeting and without exception those who have watched it have been
extremely impressed by the proceedings, as well as amused and delighted to
see themselves and their friends appearing on the small screen! It is ideal
for showing to family and friends.
The Pro Grand Master, Lord Northampton, has sent a warm letter to the Province.
He clearly greatly enjoyed watching the video and congratulates those involved
on its entirely professional production.
Current sales have already
covered the production costs and all proceeds are now going to The Community
Fund of West Lancashire Freemasons. If you would
like a copy please contact your Group Secretary. If your group secretary has
run out, they can be obtained by send a cheque for £10,
made out to The Community Fund, to Frank Wilkinson at 43 The Woodlands,
Lostock
Park,
Bolton, BL6
4JD.
No need for a letter: just put your name and address on the back of the cheque!
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PROPOSED ROYAL ARCH CHANGES
The Most Excellent Grand Superintendent has received a number of requests
following Provincial Grand Chapter for the contents of his address to be made
available with particular reference to the changes proposed by the Strategic
Working Party which took up most of his address.
Full copies of the address are available from Provincial
Grand Scribe Ezra’s
office but the major part dealing with the proposed changes is reproduced here
on this website. (as follows)
During the past months we have heard from Supreme Grand Chapter with the recommendations
of the Strategic Working Party which detail a number of proposed changes. First,
dealing with the position of the Royal Arch in relation to the whole of Freemasonry
and other administrative matters, and secondly dealing with proposed changes
to the ritual, some of which will be mandatory and some optional.
Concerns have been expressed that the Royal Arch is in may parts of the Country
disadvantaged in comparison to other Orders which are alleged to be flourishing
at what is perceived by some to be a greater extent than the Royal Arch. This
may be true in some places but I do not consider it as being true in this Province.
My accountancy friends will probably tell me it is pure ignorance on my part
but as a lawyer I am accustomed to treating statistics and figures with a certain
indifference, and percentage and growth charts, to simple legal minds like
mine, can be quite misleading.
Be that as it may it is clearly felt that the status
of the Royal Arch is not fully recognised at present and now has an anomalous
status, sometimes being called a ‘Supreme Order’ sometimes a ‘Supreme Degree’ and
sometimes merely ‘the Third Degree completed’. One could debate
and discuss these points for a very long time though certainly not today! What
I have to tell you is that it is proposed that reference in the ceremony of
exaltation to it being ‘the Third degree completed’ should be abolished
in all rituals on the grounds that such reference suggests that neither the
Third Degree nor the Royal Arch working is complete in itself, which is clearly
untrue.
There has been some misunderstanding of the statement
of the Pro First Grand Principal last November and fears expressed that the
Royal Arch is to become a totally separate Order. However, careful attention
to that statement and particularly to his statement in Grand Lodge last September
as Pro Grand Master, (when speaking of the addition to the Preliminary Declaration
which has, as you know, already been implemented) should reassure you, and
I quote him, “the
intention is not to change the wording appearing at the head of our Rules in
the Book of Constitutions since 1853 which many of us now consider sacrosanct
but to permit it to be interpreted in a way which will allow us the freedom
to recognise the Royal Arch as a sovereign and independent order whilst still
being indissolubly linked to the Craft”. The wording of that final phrase, “whilst
still being indissolubly linked to the Craft” was deliberately chosen
in order to emphasise the continuing bond between Craft and Royal Arch Masonry.
Indeed, in practical terms I remind you that the Grand Master is also the First
Grand Principal, the Provincial Grand Master is also the Provincial First Grand
Principal and that there is no proposal in mind to change that situation. The
fact that it has been decided that the Deputy Grand Master is not now automatically
to be the Second Grand Principal is merely a reflection of what we do in our
Provinces, particularly the larger Provinces such as ours, where the Deputy
Provincial Grand Master is not also the Deputy Grand Superintendent, and this
decision should not be taken as any indication of further separation. The proposals
relating to the attachment of Chapters to Craft Lodges should be welcomed and
the greater flexibility will benefit Chapters and Craft Lodges which are considering
Amalgamation.
Following on from this there is a proposal that it would be possible for a
Companion to pass through the Chairs of his Chapter without the necessity of
qualifying by attaining the Chair of his Craft Lodge. The thinking behind this
is that the Royal Arch is unlike most other Orders in having this restriction
and it would enable keen men who have a long time to wait to be able to make
progression, and it is suggested that this will be an encouragement for more
Freemasons to join the Royal Arch. The reasonableness of this argument I might
be able to accept if conditions were different. It may be true in some parts
of England and Wales but such a situation is different from what we have in
this Province and I am conscious that Brethren are attaining the Chairs of
their Lodges very quickly indeed by comparison with the period it used to take,
and in some cases they find the pace a little too much. I see absolutely no
practical benefit for this Province in such a change. For those who are keen
and wish to participate in the life of their Chapter, as I hope all do, we
have, as I have said a little earlier this afternoon, the wonderful opportunity
we have encouraged to share the work so that nobody can say they are bored
or unable to make a contribution to their Chapter. It would be a great shame
if through well intentioned but misguided actions of others, Companions found
themselves under too great a pressure resulting in a loss to the Royal Arch
by their early withdrawal and possibly a loss to their Craft Lodges and Freemasonry
generally.
My own view is that the Royal Arch is enhanced by the
fact that at present we have to qualify to attain the Principals’ Chairs
by having been installed unto the Chair of our Craft Lodge and it in no way
demeans the Royal Arch to have this qualification.
I believe that whilst there are always some Brethren who for personal reasons
do not aspire to the Chair of their Lodge bur serve in other ways, the principal
aim of every Brother should be to attain the Chair of his Lodge and it is the
Chair of his Lodge which should be his first Chair in Freemasonry and not the
Chair of his Chapter or any other order. I have made my views known to Supreme
Grand Chapter and I have the unanimous backing of the Royal Arch Cabinet.
I am very grateful to the many Companions who have written to Province on
this subject and the other proposed changes.
As to the changes to the ritual, optional and mandatory, I think we have to
welcome warmly anything which enhances the Royal Arch and makes it more readily
understood and more enjoyable for those participating. Naturally, like many
others, I have a few reservations about some of the proposals but this is not
the time or place to debate them. I hope all Chapters, now that their Scribes
E have copies of the changes, will look at this very seriously and in next
season I hope we will have a few occasions when we can discuss and debate these
changes with open minds and constructive thinking. After the proposals have
been finally resolved in November the Province will be able to give guidance
on the options available and if appropriate we will set up some special meetings
or workshops for this purpose.
My final remark on this subject is that no one should be under any misapprehension
that the Royal Arch is going to be hived off from main stream Craft Masonry.
In this large Province the strength of the Royal Arch is already good, it is
an integrated part of all that we do. Our Group System embraces both Royal
Arch and Craft benefit from the input of each other and we work together as
a team and as a Province of Craft Lodges and Royal Arch Chapters and this will
remain so. I value very greatly indeed the privilege of being both your Provincial
Grand Master and your Grand Superintendent.
So Companions we have much to consider and much to look forward to in the
coming season. It is inevitable that opinions will be divided on various aspects
of these changes but we must look at the whole, and we must do so with open
minds. Remember that those who have brought theses proposals to us have done
so after very considerable hard work and thought and with the sole aim of improving
and strengthening Royal Arch Masonry.
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New Telephone System for the Office of Provincial Grand Lodge
A new "menu system" has been installed on the telephone system for the office of Provincial Grand Lodge for first time visitors. It is not necessary to listen to the message if you already know the department you require. Simply press the appropriate button as follows:-
Masonic Charity - press 1
Lodge or Chapter Business Enquiries - press 2
General Enquiries - press 3
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Got an Idea ?
The Ideas Group is an informal ‘think-tank’, independent of the Province but established with its blessing. Any ideas for improving Masonry? If so, we want to hear from you. They can be to do with membership recruitment and retention, lodge practice or any other substantial idea which you believe may help in the future development of the Craft. click here to see further information
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