t is first my pleasant duty to welcome you all to our annual Provincial Grand Lodge meeting and to thank you for your magnificent support of this very important occasion in our calendar.
To those of you whom I have appointed to and promoted in Provincial Grand Rank this afternoon, my congratulations! You will all be well aware that your appointment not only rewards past service and achievement but also looks to you for additional enthusiasm and dedication to duty in the future. I trust that you will enjoy your new standing and use your enhanced position in the Province of Dorset to further the interests of your Lodge and of the Province whilst also - and importantly - offering guidance, instruction and encouragement to those in more junior positions.
At the Annual Investiture of Grand Lodge in April, it pleased the MW the Grand Master to make three new appointments to Grand Rank in respect of Dorset Brethren. WBro Stephen James - our Provincial Grand Secretary - was appointed Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies, whilst the rank of Past Grand Standard Bearer was conferred upon WBros. Paul Gamsa and Christopher Lill. In addition, there were three promotions for senior Brethren. The Deputy Provincial Grand Master to Past Grand Sword Bearer; the Most Excellent Grand Superintendent for The Royal Arch Province of Dorset, WBro. Derick Mayes, to Past Deputy Grand Sword Bearer and the Assistant Provincial Grand Master to Past Senior Grand Deacon. These appointments are clearly appropriate and well deserved, and I am sure that all of you will wish to join me in congratulating these six well known Brethren on their preferment.
You will have noted my re-appointment, this afternoon, of 12 senior Officers of the Province in addition to the Deputy and Assistant Provincial Grand Masters. These Brethren have all served the Province so well in their key positions during the last twelve months. I am grateful and reassured to have around me a strong, active and dedicated Executive Team. I thank them for their magnificent support thus far in my administration, and look forward to a continuance of our very productive relationship to the ongoing advantage of this Province.
Our Establishment Committee, under the direction of the Deputy Provincial Grand Master, has been highly active during its first twelve months, with spectacular success in areas of recruitment, education, information and retention. Many topics have been covered with great efficiency and you may be interested to follow the progress of this very powerful committee, updated regularly, on the Provincial Website.
The jewel in our crown, in terms of achievement, during the past twelve months has indeed been the launch of our new and completely re-designed Dorset Website. Our original site was arguably the very first Provincial Site to be mounted on the Net and served us well for many years. The new Site, however, is far larger, containing much more detail - for the Brethren, as well as for the public at large! Its very comprehensive pages cover many diverse aspects of Freemasonry and contain a wealth of information. Since its launch at the end of June, the Site has already received in excess of 100,000 “hits”. A very impressive start to a new era in Dorset information technology!
Such an achievement cannot have been secured without the skill and industry of some very able experts. I therefore record my thanks to all the members of the Establishment Committee but, especially, to our Provincial Grand Registrar (& Web-Master), WBro. Dr. Severin Cardy and to WBro. Dale McConnell and Heirographics Ltd of Wareham for their technical, graphic and production expertise. If you are not one of those who have already visited – give it a try on www.dorset-freemasonry.org.uk and tell your friends! – Brethren, this is your web-site! – and you cannot fail to be impressed!
Our new Handbook for Master Masons – “Onwards & Upwards” - a follow on to last year’s “Initiates’ Handbook” - is now published and copies are available today to be taken away to the various Lodges. These two volumes together contain much important information for the guidance of more junior Brethren and I hope that every member of the Province - (senior as well as junior) - will make an effort to secure their personal copies for ongoing reference.
Dorset is indebted to WBro. Nigel Leonard for his skill and industry in creating such clear and comprehensive works of reference in both volumes.
So enlightening is the information contained within the new 32-page volume for Master Masons that one Lodge, after asking to view the proofs, was so impressed that it deemed it prudent to order a copy for every one of its 70+ members. I hope that other Lodges will be of the same opinion, and encourage the widest possible circulation for the sake of our collective education in the principles and procedures of the Craft. This latest publication already - and so early - promises to be a tremendous success!
The principle of Mentoring gains momentum throughout the Province and early results are visible for all to see! I am pleased to acknowledge that all Lodges rose to my request of last year to appoint a suitable Lodge Mentor. You have all today witnessed the formal appointment and investiture of WBro. Dale McConnell as our first Provincial Mentor and he remains at the disposal of Lodge Mentors and their Brethren - always available for help and guidance as required. Provincial Seminars for Lodge Mentors have taken place with great success and those Brethren, having been instructed in their terms of reference, will be well aware of the importance of their task. Indeed, it would not be an overstatement to say that the future health of the Province of Dorset, as well as Freemasonry in general, very likely lies firmly in the hands of Lodge Mentors.
Recruitment into the Order in certain areas of our Province appears to be showing an indication of a healthy increase. Following on in principle from best practice of the past regime, I am available to Lodges to attend meetings where non-members and likely candidates are invited to learn more about us and what we do. Nothing new in this of course, but the style and content of my address is significantly different to previous presentations. I tend to encourage, provided the Lodge is at ease with the situation, the attendance of wives or partners of prospective candidates - these to be accompanied by the wives of the Members, so that they remain at ease in what is likely, to them, to be an unusual environment.
This policy is often the subject of discussion, since certain Brethren retain personal reservations on the subject of ladies being invited into our assemblies. Whilst I certainly respect this view, I do however make no apology for my position in the matter! I am convinced that, if the wife or partner of a prospective new recruit can become interested, satisfied that we have little to hide, and assured that there is nothing sinister or to be feared, her agreement and encouragement can very often assist in the positive decision of a potential Candidate to become a happy and enthusiastic Member among us. The last such presentation I so conducted in Dorset, in fact produced no less that seven applications for membership from the one evening’s industry! The end, I therefore submit, must be admitted to justify the means.
Our new Dorset Provincial Magazine is available here today to be transported back to your Lodges. I trust that a responsible Brother from every Lodge has collected, or will collect, his allocation and see that they are duly passed on to all Members. It is important that every Member of our Province receives his personal copy of this very professional Magazine. It contains so much valuable and interesting information of which every Brother has the right to be in possession. I must record my grateful thanks to the Editor, WBro. Alan Hughes, and his editorial committee for their sterling work in having produced this year’s edition to time, together with - again - WBro. Dale McConnell and his staff for their expertise in the very highly skilled technical and production side of the publication.
In an effort to ensure wider and more efficient distribution of our Annual Magazine in the future, steps are being taken for the next issue to be posted individually, and direct to the home address, of every Member of this Province. This action will prevent so many copies remaining unused in Lodge Buildings whilst, at the same time, relieving those of us with multiple memberships from being in receipt of an un-necessary duplication of copies.
You cannot fail to have noticed the change in format of the Agenda for this year’s meeting here at Sherborne. The change is a preamble to the plan, next year and onward, to include a copy inside every Magazine sent to each Member of the Province in the manner I have just described. My aim in this respect is that, in addition to securely receiving his Magazine, every Brother will be kept fully informed of the date, purpose, detail and proceedings of Provincial Grand Lodge in future years. I count this as an important step forward in the principle of keeping all Brethren, especially those in more junior positions, informed and aware of Provincial matters.
Earlier this year, we celebrated the Centenary of Dorset Masters’ Lodge and now look forward to joining with United Service Lodge at Portland to mark their similar achievement in 2010.
Talking of Centenaries, let us dwell for a moment on St. Mary The Virgin Church at Dorchester. You will have heard me introduce Rev. Canon Harold Stephens as our special guest at Lunch today. Canon Stephens, who also joined us in the Chapel, is the Rector of this very beautiful Church in our County Town.
On 21st April 1910, my predecessor Provincial Grand Master, RWBro. the Hon. the Earl of Shaftesbury laid the foundation stone of St. Mary’s with full Masonic pageantry and ceremonial. A large procession made its way through the town, in full regalia, to the site and Lord Shaftesbury, assisted by his Officers, carried out the formal ceremony in public and in the presence of many invited Civic and local dignitaries.
It is my intention to replicate that occasion to mark the significant anniversary of the Church with an identical procedure which will take place in Dorchester on Sat 10th April 2010. We shall process through the streets in like fashion, conduct the reprise and re-dedication of the Stone, then adjourn into the Church for a service of thanksgiving, followed by pleasant afternoon refreshments to complete a very unusual day. This will be a unique occasion in most of our lifetimes - certainly one unlikely to be repeated in the foreseeable future - and I trust that you will wish to make a suitable diary note and to do your best to attend, with your families and friends, as witnesses to Freemasonry being seen, proudly and openly, in the heart of the Community. Fuller details will be published shortly but, in particular, Lodges 417 (Faith & Unanimty); 3366 (Dorset Masters); 8726 (Durnovarian) & 9546 (Dorset Fairway), plus 9508 (The Kenneth Cross Lodge of Dorset Provincial Grand Stewards) will be wise to record that they will all be invited to take a major role in this historic occasion and I am in hope that the Most Excellent Grand Superintendent and the Provincial Grand Mark Master, (although they are not yet aware), will be, kind enough, and able, to assist me on the day.
At this meeting last year, I was pleased to launch our Campaign for the 2014 Dorset Festival in support of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution and I have already been privileged to welcome to our assembly today, WBro. Peter Williams, Director of External Affairs for the Charity.
Our Campaign progresses steadily and successfully under the direction of our Provincial Charity Steward, WBro. David Dunford, who will without doubt lead us to success and honour in this important task for which we are certainly well on target at this early stage.
Released today, for the first time, is our 2014 Festival Jewel which you will see me wearing. David has instructed all Lodges in the criteria necessary for every Brother to qualify to receive and wear this Jewel. I hope that every Lodge Charity Steward will give of his best to ensure that as many as possible of his Brethren support the Festival Campaign and duly obtain their Jewels. A Festival jewel is a proven and very effective promotional tool during such a major Campaign, inviting attention, interest and enquiry when on display.
In order to prevent embarrassment to any Brother, and contrary to widely held belief, there will be no honorific ranks in the Festival to publicly parade the level of individual donations. Lodges, however, are to be encouraged to look to their corporate and collective generosity and support. At the same time, it is hoped that individual Brethren will give of their best - subject always of course to the limits of their personal circumstances. Please Remember! - we have all been placed at the NE part of the Lodge and, during the Charity Charge, have unconditionally, and in front of witnesses, agreed to support Charitable pursuits when called upon so to do!
By now every Lodge in this Province should have committed to the Festival, be sensible to its importance and to a duty to fully support the Province in the Campaign. All Worshipful Masters should look upon the Festival as their first priority in matters of Charity during their periods of Office and, using the strength of their Charity Stewards, guide their Brethren towards this prime duty. The Festival will undoubtedly be a financial success, but Dorset must rely on the unqualified support of its Lodges and Membership to achieve that necessary aim.
Before I close, I must express my thanks to the Provincial Grand Secretary and his department for the enormous volume of administrative work undertaken to make this annual meeting a success. To the Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies and his team of Officers for their dedication to duty in achieving such a well oiled machine. To all those Brethren from diverse parts of the Province who have given of their time and energy as Stewards in assisting with the needs of the day - together with our First Aider, WBro. David May; the Chapel Organist, VWBro. Andrew Pearmain; and WBro. Brian Wannell in charge of audio equipment. Thank you all so much for your valuable contributions without which this meeting would not have been possible. Also, our gratitude to Miss Eve Lloyd and the management of Sherborne School together with the Members of the Lodge of Benevolence for their hospitality and support during this week of intense activity.
Finally:- Let us dwell for a moment on fiction - and a fanciful portrayal of Freemasonry! - Many of you will be familiar with, and indeed may have already read, Dan Brown’s new novel “The Lost Symbol” which uses a rather advanced but strange interpretation of Freemasonry as its central theme.
This latest book, however, is not as damaging to us as may originally have been feared. It may well indeed, lead to a surge of interest in our Order and a likely rise in applications for membership. So be prepared! Be prepared, as you would normally in other circumstances, to answer questions and address criticisms. If you own a copy of the novel personally, refer to pages 30-32 and to the top of page 99. Here, Dan Brown vindicates Freemasonry in some detail and indeed offers us a sterling testimonial amongst the fairy story of the main theme of the book. For an author - and non-Mason - to present such words in support of our Order is, to say the least, unusual. It is, however, there for all to see clearly, so let us make use of it!
Arising out of the contents of his novel, Dan Brown was invited, earlier this month, to address the annual gathering in Washington of the Southern Masonic Jurisdiction of the Scottish Rite (which we would recognise here as “The Ancient & Accepted Rite” - or “Rose Croix”) but, owing to his wide travel arrangements in the promotion of the publication, he was unable to attend. He did, however, convey his apologies in a letter - which included these words:
“In the past weeks, as you might imagine, I have been repeatedly asked what attracted me to the Masons so strongly as to make it a central point of my new book. My reply is always the same:
--- In a world where men do battle over whose definition of God is most accurate, I cannot adequately express the deep respect and admiration I feel toward an organisation in which men of differing faiths are able to “break bread together” in a bond of brotherhood, friendship and camaraderie…….
…. Please accept my humble thanks for the notable example you set for humankind.”
These sentiments have a certain affinity with a statement made, almost 80 years ago, by HM. King George V1 when, as the Duke of York and Provincial Grand Master for Middlesex, he said:
“The world today does require spiritual and moral regeneration. I have no doubt, after many years as a member of our Order, that Freemasonry can play a most important part in this vital need.”
Those words were spoken in the early 1930s. The same need remains today - possibly to an even higher degree - in the light of developments in society and the throughout the world over past years. Let us therefore be grateful to and admire Dan Brown for his demonstration of support, but also be aware of the importance and implication of that more historical message by the former Sovereign of our Country. Let them both remind us of our duties to live and work together in harmony - and to freely demonstrate the benefits and advantages of our Order to the world at large, that it may take note of our principles and, perhaps, absorb their message into society for the common good.
In conclusion:- To all our Distinguished Guests! Thank you for adding to the success of our annual meeting by your generous support. To you, and to all the Brethren present here today, I hope your trip has been both worthwhile and enjoyable and that you will all arrive back safely among your loved ones without mishap or delay.
I wish for each of you what you would in turn wish for yourselves, now; during the forthcoming Festive Season; and of course throughout 2010 - until we meet here again!
Thank you Brethren! ………
Richard Merritt,
Provincial Grand Master for Dorset |
Thursday 29th October 2009 |
