October 2007

GRAND LODGE of ANTIENT, FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS OF IRELAND QUARTERLY COMMUNICATION ‑ SATURDAY 6^th OCTOBER, 2007 at THE PROVINCIAL MASONIC HALL, ROSEMARY STREET, BELFAST Present:

M.W. Grand Master R.W. Deputy Grand Master R.W. Assistant Grand Master R.W. Senior Grand Warden R.W. Junior Grand Warden As R.W. Grand Secretary R.W. Grand Director of Ceremonies R.W. Senior Grand Chaplain R.W. Junior Grand Chaplain V.W. Senior Grand Deacon As V.W. Junior Grand Deacon V.W. Grand Supt. of Works V.W. Assistant Grand Treasurer V.W. Assistant Grand Dir. of Cerem. V.W. Grand Steward V.W. Grand Sword Bearer V.W. Grand Stewards of Charities V.W. Grand Almoner V.W. Grand Organist V.W. Grand Lodge StandardBearer V.W. Grand Master's StandardBearer As V.W. Grand Inner Guard V.W. Grand Secty. for Instruction		George Dunlop, on the Throne Douglas T. Grey Leslie V. Johnston Charles R. Knipe Adam J. McKinley Morgan J. McCreadie William J. Dyer The Rev. Canon George Little The Rev. Selwoode Graham Frank Arnold Noel Simpson David T. Young Arnold J. Smith Ivan A Meldrum Noel A. Drain Rodney L. McCurley Dennis R. Millen Diarmuid McNulty Richard Ensor John N. Rowden Douglas Thompson Brian Kershaw Richard Gray Michael J. Ward
There were also present:‑ the Provincial Grand Masters of Antrim, Armagh, North Connaught, South Connaught, Down, Londonderry & Donegal. North Munster, South Eastern and 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 North Munster; R.W. Brothers William J. E. Dukelow and Arthur Keppel, Past Provincial Grand Masters; R.W. Brothers Robert Thomson and Robert Campbell, Past Senior Grand Wardens; R.W. Brothers Allen G. Megarry and Cecil D. Burns, Past Grand Directors of Ceremonies; R.W. Brothers the Rev. Charles McCurdy and the Rev. W. Warren Porter, Past Junior Grand Chaplains; V.W. Brothers J. Noel Millar, George B. Crooks, Norman Humes and Gordon Morrison, Past Grand Deacons; V.W. Brothers Arnold J. Cooke, Gordon V. Bradshaw, Mervyn W. Morrison, Samuel H. Boyle, Trevor Hanna and Cyril Quigley, Honorary Past Grand Deacons; VW. Brother Ralph B. McGuckin, Past Grand Superintendent of Works; V.W. Brother Kwesi O‑P Ackah, Hon. Past Grand Superintendent of Works; V.W. Brothers Trevor Monteith, Arthur W. White, William J. Johnston and Roger Matthews, Past Grand Stewards of Charities; V.W. Brothers Bernard V. A. Woods, R. Victor Whyte and Alan R. G. R. Patterson, Past Grand Almoners; V.W. Brothers Norman Jackson and S. Gordon Leathern, Past Grand Master's Standard Bearers; and R.W. Brothers D. Jack Long and Andrew W. Coid, Past Foreign Grand Representatives. SISTER CONSTITUTIONS REPRESENTED The following Grand Lodges were represented:‑ Alberta, Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia, Victoria, Western Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, Yugoslavia, Alaska, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Costa Rica, Argentina, Chile, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Venezuela, Benin, Burkina Faso, Gabon, Guinea, Madagascar, South Africa, China, the Philippines, the State of Israel, the Dominican Republic and the Prince Hall Grand Lodges of the Caribbean and Jurisdiction, Connecticut and Massachusetts. APOLOGIES FOR NON‑ATTENDANCE Apologies for non‑attendance were received from:‑ the M.W. Brother Eric N. Waller, Immediate Past Grand Master, the R.W. Grand Treasurer, the R.W. Grand Secretary, the R.W. Junior Grand Chaplain, the Ven. John Murray and the V.W. Grand Almoner, William T.H. Balmer; R.W. Brothers Daniel B. Fincher and T. Noel Bownes, Past Senior Grand Wardens; the Provincial Grand Masters of Meath, the Midland Counties, Munster and Tyrone & Fermanagh; R.W. Brothers Geoffrey G. Ashton and William W.T. Shortland, Past Provincial Grand Masters; the Provincial Deputy Grand Masters of Tyrone & Fermanagh, Wicklow & Wexford and Zimbabwe; R.W. Brother Michael W. Walker, Past Grand Secretary; R.W. Brother the Rt. Rev. Samuel G. Poyntz, Past Senior Grand Chaplain; R.W. Brothers the Ven. R. Clayton Stevenson, the Rev. Canon Richard H. Bertram and the Rev. Canon Kenneth Cochrane, Past Junior Grand Chaplains; V.W. Brothers Derek L. Robinson and John McLean, Past Grand Deacons; VW. Brother Cecil Taylor, Past Assistant Grand Treasurer; V.W. Brother Michael R. McWilliam, Past Assistant Grand Secretary; VW. Brother Samuel Scott, Hon. Past Grand Steward; V.W. Brother Robert H.B. Mills, Past Grand Steward of Charities; V.W. Brothers Samuel McKenzie and Donald H. Finlay, Past Grand Master's Standard Bearers; and the Representatives of the Grand Lodges of Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, Andorra, France, Germany, Poland, Switzerland, Arkansas, Florida, Kansas, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Washington, Wisconsin, Brazil G.O. and Senegal; and R.W. Brothers Herbert Meeke, Clarence Bamford, John F. McDermott and Edwin Hunter, Past Grand Representatives. OBITUARY Grand Lodge being opened, the Grand Master referred to the recent deaths of E. Ewusi‑Mensah, Hon. Past Grand Supt. of Works, Ghana; Ian R. Souster, Past Provincial Grand Chaplain, N.Z.; Edward B. Edet, Hon. Past Grand Steward of Charities, Nigeria; S. Dalai, Hon. Past Grand Deacon, India; S.J. Mahimkar, Hon. Past Grand Sword Bearer, India; Robert E. Green, Hon. Past Grand Supt. of Works, Southern Cape; Johan G. van Schoor, Hon. Past Grand Deacon, Southern Cape; Peter D. Yeo, Hon. Past Grand Deacon, Southern Cape; Justice K. Amua‑Sekyi, Hon. Past Grand Supt. of Works, Ghana; George C. Hagan, Hon. Past Grand Steward, Ghana; Oscar B. Nunekpeku, Hon. Past Grand Supt. of Works, Ghana; Samuel A.J. Pratt, Hon. Past Grand Inner Guard, Sierra Leone; Sigismond O.B. Fewry, Hon. Past Grand Supt. of Works, Sierra Leone; Samuel O. Beccles‑Davies, Hon. Past Grand Deacon, Sierra Leone; Dr. W.M. K. Wijetunga, Hon. Past Grand Supt. of Works, Sri Lanka and Gilbert A. Eke, Hon. Past Grand Deacon, Nigeria. The memory of our departed distinguished Brethren was saluted in accordance with ancient custom.
WELCOME BY THE PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER OF ANTRIM R.W. Brother John S. Dunlop, Provincial Grand Master of Antrim welcomed the Grand Master, Grand Officers and Members of Grand Lodge to the Province of Antrim on his own behalf and on behalf of the Province of Down. The Grand Master in reply, thanked R.W. Brother Dunlop 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 7^th 2007, as circulated, be taken as read, confirmed and signed. GRAND OFFICERS FOR 2008 The Grand Officers for 2008, as nominated by the Grand Lodge Board of General Purposes at the June Communication of Grand Lodge, were elected, along with the Auditor of Grand Lodge accounts for the year 2007:‑
	Grand Master Senior Grand Warden Junior Grand Warden Grand Treasurer Grand Registrar Grand Director of Ceremonies Senior Grand Chaplain Junior Grand Chaplains Senior Grand Deacon Junior Grand Deacon Grand Superintendent of Works Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies Grand Steward Grand Sword Bearer Grand Stewards of Charities Grand Almoners Grand Organist Grand Lodge Standard Bearer Grand Inner Guard		George Dunlop Adam J. McKinley William J. E. Dukelow, Past Provincial Grand Master, Tyrone & Fermanagh Charles W. Olden Arthur D.S. Moran William J. Dyer The Rev. Canon George N. Little The Ven. Archdeacon John G. Murray The Rev. Selwoode Graham Noel A. Drain Rodney L. McCurley David T. Young Ivan A Meldrum Douglas Thompson John O. Dunlop, Provincial Assistant Grand Master, Antrim. Diarmuid McNulty James C. Stanley, Deputy Chairman UJMBF Richard Ensor J. Edward Brownell, Deputy Chairman Masonic Welfare Fund John N. Rowden Thomas R. McDowell, Provincial Grand Steward of Charities, Armagh Basil Elliott, Past Master of Lodge Nos. 859 & 473,Enniskillen
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 2007. 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. INVESTITURE OF FOREIGN GRAND REPRESENTATIVES V.W. Brother James H. McClurg, Provincial Grand Chaplain, Antrim and W. Brother John McCullough, Past Master of Lodge No. 45, Glenarm 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 Grand Lodge of New Zealand and the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Connecticut, respectively. The newly invested Grand Representatives were conducted to their seats and were saluted. INVESTITURE OF ASSISTANT GRAND SECRETARY FOR INSTRUCTION V.W.Brother James McFarland, Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies, Antrim, being in attendance was presented to the Grand Master and Invested as Assistant Grand Secretary for Instruction. REPORT OF THE GRAND LODGE BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES Read Memorial for the issue of a new Warrant to establish a Lodge under the Inspectorate of South East Asia to be called Shamrock in Penang and numbered 938. The Memorial was supported by Lodges Nos. 830 and 936 and by the Grand Inspector Lau Kee Siong. The Memorial being in order the Board recommended the issue of a new Warrant. Confirmed. The Board noted, with regret, for reporting to Grand Lodge, the return of the Warrants of Lodges Nos. 401, Boksburg South, S.A.N.; 572, Belfast; 694, Ballymacarrett and 699, Ballymacarrett and notice of the placing of the Warrants of Lodges 617, Zimbabwe, 806, Zimbabwe and 818, Zimbabwe, in temporary recess. The Board considered a letter on the proposed Constitution of a Grand Lodge of Ghana by our Brethren in the P.G.L. of Ghana and their Scottish counterparts. This matter to be referred to the next meeting of the Grand Master's Council. Confirmed. The Board considered a proposal from the Provincial Grand Master of Nigeria to Constitute a Grand Lodge of Nigeria by our Brethren in the P.G.L. of Nigeria. This matter also to be referred to the next meeting of the Grand Master's Council. Confirmed. A vacancy having arisen in the Representation of the Grand Lodge of Alberta, the Board recommended that the name of V.W. Brother Raymond Robinson, Provincial Grand Secretary of Londonderry & Donegal be sent forward for consideration by the Grand Lodge of Alberta as a suitable Brother to act as their Grand Representative here. Confirmed. Read letter from the Grand Lodge of Mauritius, submitting the name of R.W. Brother Dr. Yussuf Khadaroo, as a suitable Brother to act as our Grand Representative there. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. The Board considered letters received from the Provincial Grand Master of our Province of New Zealand and the Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of New Zealand regarding a sign being used in public and televised. It was agreed that this matter should be resolved at local level among the various Masonic Jurisdictions. The Board noted correspondence from the Assistant Chief Constable PSNI on the matter of Registration of Notifiable Memberships ‑ a new list is being prepared which could again feature Freemasonry, as did the previous one and the Grand Secretary will report further. Read letter from the Grand Lodge of Instruction advising of the election to membership of the Grand Lodge of Instruction of the following Brethren, R.W. Brother William J. Dyer, Grand Director of Ceremonies and V.W. Brother Samuel H. Letters, Past Master of Clough Lodge No. 574. Confirmed.
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: Masonic Girls Benefit Fund R.G. Beamish S.T. Mahon J.W. Patching W.T. Brown R. Mark K. Spring D. McNulty I. Miller N. Sufferin Masonic Boys Benefit Fund J. Bell G.F. Ginnelly D. McIntyre A.L. Reed G. Bratten E.G. Hodgett J. McKinstry T.A. Wilson R. Ensor Rev. E. Hunter T. McNeill L.N. Woods L.G. Evans D. Lyness T. Monteith Victoria Jubilee Masonic Benevolent Fund L. Clarke B. Brewster D. Williams L. J. Nixon N. McElwee J.W. Oakley J. Stanley N. Fenton J. McGookin I. Gawley R. Gordon L. Sibbald W. Dickson R. Hackett J.R.P. Mitchell R.W.J. Robertson J. Kilpatrick R.V. Whyte J.W. Nicholson J.E.V. Smith Masonic Welfare Fund J.E. Brownell B. Eve W.J. Johnston I. McCullagh D. Atkinson C. Ruttle D. Douglas J.D. Nesbitt M. Kidd J.I.A. Davison S. Holt J. Hobson A.R.G.R. Patterson J. Strong J. Crowley S. Davies E. Mackarel B. Corcoran D.C. Webster NOTICE OF MOTION The Secretary handed in Notice of Motions, on behalf of the Grand Treasurer, under the provisions of Grand Lodge Law No. 29 to make an appropriate donation from Grand Lodge funds to the Benevolent Institutions; and to increase Grand Lodge Dues from January 1^st 2008, under the provisions of Grand Lodge Law No. 147, from €25.00 to €30.00 ‑ four years having elapsed since the previous increase. REPORTS ON THE MASONIC CHARITIES R.W. Brother R. Victor Whyte reported on the work of the Victoria Jubilee Masonic Benevolent Fund. R.W. Brother Dennis R. Millen reported on the work of the Masonic Welfare Fund. R.W. Brother Richard Ensor 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; subsequently he proposed that the charity now come under, as have the other charities, the aegis of Grand Lodge seconded by the Deputy Grand Master and passed. (All the Charity Reports will be printed in the Annual Report of Grand Lodge for the year 2007.) CONFERRAL OF HONORARY RANKS The Grand Master, with the concurrence of Grand Lodge, conferred the following Honorary Ranks: Past Grand Registrar V.W. Bro. William A. Ramsden ‑ On promotion from Honorary Past Grand Deacon Past Grand Deacon R.W. Bro. Neoh Ho Keat ‑ Past District Grand Master of the Middle East (S.C.) V.W. Bro. John E. Wright ‑ On promotion from Honorary Past Grand Steward Past Grand Superintendent of Works VW. Bro. John A. Hove ‑ Past Provincial Grand Superintendent of Works, Natal Past Grand Steward W. Bro. Thomas Cummin ‑ Past Master of Lodge No. 765, Singapore W. Bro. Teoh Chye Keat ‑ On promotion from O.D.G.R. V.W. Bro. David R. Higginson ‑ Provincial Grand Secretary, Zimbabwe Past Grand Organist V.W. Bro. Mathys J.J. Greyvenstein ‑ Past Grand Senior Warden, Natal Overseas District Grand Rank W. Bro. Francis Liew Yan Sin ‑ Past Master of Lodge No. 830, Kuala Lumpar W. Bro. Michael Mayappen ‑ Past Master of Lodge No. 830, Kuala Lumpar V.W. Brother Kwesi O.P. Ackah being in attendance was presented to the Grand Master for the awarding of his Certificate as Honorary Past Grand Superintendent of Works. THE GRAND MASTER'S ADDRESS The Grand Master, in a brief address to Grand Lodge, 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 also reported on a number of visits he had made since the Communication in June. The Grand Master's full address will be printed in the master copy of the Minutes and in the the Annual Report. WELCOME TO OVERSEAS BRETHREN The Grand Master made a special welcome to two Brethren from the Grand Lodge Saskatchewan and W. Brother Lawrence Read, Past Provincial Grand Master's Standard Bearer, South Africa Northern, who were in attendance and in conclusion he thanked V.W. Brother John Frazer and the many Brethren involved in helping with the arrangements for the reception, the excellent lunch and the meeting. CHARITY COLLECTION The Charity Collection amounted to € 1437.21. GRAND LODGE CLOSED
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