HOME Current Issue Index by Issue Search the Site Translate On-Line Printer Friendly Internet Help Centre Regulars Specials Humour Book Reviews Links Affinity Lodges Subscriptions About FMT ADVERTISING Contact Us

BACK NEXT Issue 53 Letter from the Editor Grand Secretary's Column Grand Lodge News Grand Lodge Speeches Grand Chapter Speeches Grand Chapter Convocation Grand Chapter News News and Views On The Level Masonic Education International News Freemasonry's Dream The Beautiful Game Honourable to the Builder Singapore and Freemasonry An Argonaut - A Journeyman Hermes 'The Philosopher' Celebrating Wives and Friends A Frog in a Beer Mug Review: Researching British Freemasonry Review: The Portfolio of Villard De Honnecourt Review: Nightfighter Navigator Review: Belief and Brotherhood Letters to the Editor Library & Museum of Freemasonry Grand Lodge: Board of General Purposes Grand Charity Masonic Samaritan Fund RMBI RMTGB Revealing Our Craft Copyright 1997-2010 Grand Lodge Publications Ltd Designed and Maintained by: Cyberpoint

FREEMASONRY TODAY Craft Masonry Masonic Harmony Looking back over the last thirty-one years of my masonic career I have realised that my early years in the lodge gave me a sanctuary, an oasis of peace and tranquillity from the busy and hectic life as a construction director of a national company. The lodge room is where one can put aside the strife of life and enter an atmosphere where all is quiet and orderly, where each officer has his prescribed duty and each brother works together with perfect ease and confidence. In the lodge our members meet and get to know one another and to share common hopes and ideals. It is this philosophy of life that Freemasonry has given me and others that has governed our attitudes and actions in life ... Drawing on the Floor Every lodge in the English Constitution has a tracing board for each of the three degrees. What is their point? Do they actually add anything to our study of masonic symbols and allegories? Would the lessons imparted by each of the three degree ceremonies be any less complete without the tracing boards? This is a complex question; on one level, it is true that we can learn all that the ritual book teaches without such visual aids. On another level ... The Origins of Freemasonry ‘There is no one fixed origin for Freemasonry.’ Professor Andrew Prescott, University of Wales, Lampeter, certainly gained delegates’ attention. ‘There are no unchanging landmarks in Freemasonry. Like all historical phenomena, it has no origin.’ The eleventh international conference of the Canonbury Masonic Research Centre (CMRC), organised by Matthew Scanlan, was held in the elegant surroundings of the Canonbury Academy in Islington; its subject concerned masonic origins. This is a sensitive topic for many Freemasons. It is useful ... Happy 275th The United Grand Lodge of England can be justifiably proud that it will celebrate its tercentenary in 2017, just eight years from now and plans are afoot to mark such an auspicious occasion. But what of celebrating significant lodge anniversaries before then? Lodges consecrated within a few years of the establishment of Grand Lodge are about to mark their 275th anniversaries and they too can be equally proud of such a great achievement. The first of such ‘antiquarian’ lodges to reach the grand old age of 275 was Anchor & Hope Lodge No. 37 which has met continuously ... Support is the Keyword Each year about nine thousand men are initiated into our lodges and hopefully each one will be introduced to the meaning, teachings and traditions of our Craft. Those who do this introduction, whether formally appointed or not, will be mentoring the new Freemason. These mentors require support – depending on their knowledge and experience. How is this maintained? It is no exaggeration to say that the idea of mentoring, since its formal introduction in 2008, has been enthusiastically embraced by a large number of Freemasons and there has been a great deal of activity ... Dramatic Masonry The mandate was clear from the start: in May 2008, Derek Young, then Deputy Provincial Grand Master of Northamptonshire and Huntingdonshire, asked me to set up a Provincial Demonstration Group, requesting that I, ‘Research for material that can be presented in dramatic form to inform, inspire and entertain Brethren regarding the history, origins and meaning of Craft Freemasonry and the Royal Arch’. The first few months were busy gathering information, researching old material, recruiting members and visiting other demonstration teams. They were all ... Embracing Change During my forty year career in telecommunications, I was often struck by the rate of change not only in the technology we were producing but also our business processes and methods. When you are in the middle of all this change it is at times frustrating and annoying. However, on looking back it is very much apparent that we had to evolve or the world would have passed us by. In a similar vein I often reflect on the day to day work and processes in the Provincial Secretary’s office here in Leicester. For the past six and a half years I have been involved; first as a volunteer, then Assistant Secretary for four years and now Secretary for two. There have been some remarkable ... Who Cares? The office of Lodge Almoner is completely different from any other office within the lodge. His duty is to look after the welfare of the members and their wives or partners during times of distress which can arrive in any shape or form. And he must also be able to lend a sympathetic ear as those in trouble may have difficulty discussing it with another. His low-profile report in the lodge during the meeting is often the only glimpse lodge members get into his world. I should like to give you some insight into the world of Lodge Almoners, the reports I will give ... Thinking of Joining Freemasonry? It has often been said that Freemasons are quite good at recruiting, not so good at retaining, newly-made masons. And it is a fact that most people join Freemasonry without knowing what they are getting into. Should they know more? Could this be part of the reason for any later loss of enthusiasm? Certainly up to now there has not been a comprehensive guide to Freemasonry for the non-Freemason, despite the many good publications which deal with the detail of masonic custom and practice. The scarcity of books written for the non-mason has been due partly ... True to the Data As part of the celebrations marking the tercentenary of Grand Lodge a major study of masonic history is planned, one which looks at the broad impact of Freemasonry on society in England and Wales over the last three hundred years. John Hamill, former Director of the Communications Department at Freemasons’ Hall, London, has been appointed to head the team tasked with making this ambition a reality. This challenge is formidable but, as John Hamill explains, such a project is ‘a researcher’s dream.’ He is realistic, only too aware that it is going to involve a huge amount ... Graduates into Freemasonry Travelling with David Williamson, the Assistant Grand Master, to Singapore for the celebrations of the District Grand Lodge of Eastern Archipelago’s 150th anniversary provided a good opportunity to reflect on the Universities Scheme. The Assistant Grand Master is the President of the Universities Scheme, while Eastern Archipelago is the first District in the United Grand Lodge of England to discuss involvement. Although still in its early years, the Universities Scheme has grown and expanded, not so much like a balloon ... The Business of Freemasonry There was a time, not so long ago, when Freemasonry was run discreetly, like a private gentleman’s club and the Grand Secretary seemed a distant, even aloof, figure gazing down from privileged heights. But no longer: Freemasonry is now run as a modern business and the Grand Secretary is a hands-on chief executive but accountable, not to shareholders, but to a large and diverse membership. It is a job needing skill, business acumen and ... Masonic Mentoring Masonic mentoring has been with us for many years in various guises and yet Grand Lodge records show that we are still losing one in four of our initiates within the first five years of membership. Somewhere something has failed. A brother who was questioned why he had put in his resignation within just two years of joining gave this reply: ‘I didn’t really know what I was joining, but I knew that my Proposer was a decent and honourable man and he always spoke so highly of Freemasonry. My first night was overwhelming and I’m still not sure what ... Working With the Centre What is a centre?’ The centre of what you may ask? Let me explain, the centre is ‘a point within a circle from which every part of the circumference is equidistant.’ When I first heard this explanation in the ritual I thought it curiously selfevident, there was more to it and I began thinking, ‘what and where is this centre?’ Before I joined Freemasonry I was teaching and practicing the martial art Aikido. In this you are taught to work from your centre which is defined as a point around two inches below your navel, depending on your stature. By working from your centre you can achieve balance and a connection to the universal energy we called Chi. After I joined the Craft I began to look ... Lord Northampton's Legacy Lord Northampton has been a much admired ruler and charismatic leader of English Freemasonry for fourteen years, first as Assistant Grand Master from 1995 and since 2001 as Pro Grand Master. He has worked tirelessly and travelled extensively throughout the Provinces and our Districts and lodges overseas as well as to other Grand Lodges on behalf of the Craft. He has been a great ambassador for English Freemasonry all over the world ... Orations Piloted in Dorset For some time the Pro Grand Master had been considering how the experience of Freemasonry may be deepened and intensified for Brethren. He recognised that there was no formal method within the Lodge for communicating or raising awareness of the richness and depth of our traditions, with the result that the art of reading symbolism and allegory seemed to have been forgotten. The then Provincial Grand Master for Dorset, Harry Barnes, had been assisting the Pro Grand Master with a project designed to further education and awareness amongst ... The Orator The future wellbeing of the Craft critically depends on its ability to recruit new members and, even more importantly, to retain them. Freemasonry should both challenge and inspire the Candidate from the moment of his initiation. Experience shows, however, that he often remains in the darkness of ignorance simply because nobody has taken the trouble to explain what it all means as he passes through the degrees. This lack of encouragement in the early days may result in our newly made brother leaving the Order following a short period of bewilderment ... The Grand Chancellor: Alan John Englefield Those of us who study the Communications of the Grand Lodge may have noticed that, from last September, we have had a new Grand Chancellor – new in every sense, for Alan Englefield is the first man to hold that office. We may wonder why another Senior Grand Officer is required, the Craft has managed to get by without a Grand Chancellor for over two hundred and fifty years, so why do we need one now? Given that the title of Chancellor is ... A Fresh Eye I am an old, young, Mason. I was initiated in 2002, past retirement age, although still at work as an architect. I was initiated by my son Andrew, who at the time claimed that this was the first time since Mozart, but that claim was authoritatively dismissed on the evening. However, although thus quite recently initiated, one of the older members of my lodge (older than I am, that is) remarked to me that he thought I must have been born a Mason! I am at present ascending the ladder of my lodge, to the Chair this year. I bring to Masonry many years of study and experience of the wisdom traditions of the world. It all started from an impulse in childhood to get at what is beneath the surface of things ... Grand Lodge It is proposed to permit the appointment of a Grand Orator, to be mirrored at Metropolitan, Provincial and District level, who will have the responsibility of managing and organising talks, lectures and orations. In addition to the administrative functions of the office he may also write and deliver talks, lectures and orations himself, though it is not essential that he should do. Notice to amend the Book of Constitutions was given. Annual Investiture. So that sufficient accommodation can be reserved for those Brethren who are to be invested and their friends, admission to the Annual Investiture is by ticket only. Brethren to be invested for the first time may invite to be present with them three ... Reviewing the Charities: the Story of Iain Ross Bryce Iain Ross Bryce, one of the most instantly recognisable figures in English Freemasonry, retired last year after fifteen years as Deputy Grand Master. It is probably fair to say that most Freemasons in England have either met him or heard him speak, but without doubt his lasting legacy to the United Grand Lodge is the way in which he has re-modelled and vitalised the charity system, turning it into a far sleeker, more productive organism ... Our Future's Debt to the Past When you enter the office of the Grand Secretary of the United Grand Lodge of England, you feel the palpable weight of the history of Freemasonry over nearly three hundred years, and the way in which Grand Secretaries have influenced affairs in that time. Yet Robert Morrow, in the first few words we exchanged, proved himself to be the most approachable of Grand Secretaries. ‘Where does that easy contact with people stem from?’ ... A New Mason's Impressions There are some points I was aware of before making enquiries into Freemasonry about five years ago. It was a peculiar system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols. It was ‘a most happy association of friends which provides interest, a discipline of life, many social activities and has a long history of charitable support’. It was not a secret society, nor a religion, although its members are required to have a belief in God and its principles are common to many of the world’s great religions. It was fun and provided a wonderfully happy social life ... Light of Siam Lodge No. 9791 The overwhelming awfulness was that we knew nothing. You could have been 500 yards from people consumed by the water and see and hear nothing. Forget the image of a cresting wave. The tide just went out and came in. Just very far and very fast. The wave was maybe six inches high, but 100 miles long – that’s a lot of water. The strange thing is the water was black with debris. Most damage was caused by the third wave ... Brothers in Arms in Iraq During the past year English and Scottish Freemasons have found themselves serving together in Iraq. Vern Littley, of Dormer Lodge, No. 7294, in Worcestershire, a Staff Sergeant with the Royal Artillery, based in Basra, has teamed up with Stuart (‘Connie’) Taggart and John McGlen, Scottish Freemasons, both of the Royal Artillery and Terry Wing, a Captain of the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment and a Master Mason of Lyndhurst Lodge, No. 8012, in Hampshire. Vern Littley is in charge of a 12-man detachment responsible for talking to the local population about their concerns and warn them about the dangers of unexploded ordnance and the importance of reporting ... A New Era for London Freemasonry The streams of Freemasons converging on Kensington for this most momentous of days for English Freemasonry, left leaden-grey skies outside for the glare of the bright lights in the Royal Albert Hall. This historic building last hosted a Grand Lodge gathering in 1967, when the Duke of Kent was first installed as Grand Master. This occasion established another landmark for English Freemasonry – the inauguration of the Metropolitan Grand Lodge and Metropolitan Grand Chapter of London ... Sir Alfred Robbins's Greatest Defeat The inauguration on 1 October 2003 of a Metropolitan Grand Lodge will mark the end of over 200 years of debate about the organisation of London Freemasonry. It will also, after nearly 90 years, bring to fruition a project close to the heart of Sir Alfred Robbins (1856-1931), who as President of the Board of General Purposes from 1913 until his death, was described as ‘the Prime Minister of English Freemasonry’, and who suffered one of the few reverses of his Masonic career in his attempt to reorganise London Freemasonry ... The Metropolitan Grand Lodge of London At a convocation of Grand Chapter on Wednesday 13th November, a notice of motion was given for changes to the Royal Arch Regulations in order to allow for the formation of a Metropolitan Grand Chapter. On December 11th a similar motion was put forward at the Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge in order to make it possible to form a Metropolitan Grand Lodge. These are radical moves: even though the first Grand Lodge was formed by four London Lodges, London has never before had a Grand Lodge or its own Ruler as have the Provinces since ... The Seven Liberal Arts Liberal Arts was a term coined in the Middle Ages: ‘liberal’ from the Latin liber, meaning ‘free’. The name is apt; these arts are intended to bring freedom to the mind. We need to be reminded of the source of freedom now, with the world threatened by the grossest forms of mental oppression and spiritual intolerance. The Liberal Arts go back over 2,500 years, to classical times. They were practised over Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, being disseminated through the empires of Alexander and Rome; they are part of our heritage ... Freemasonry in the Community "Week of Action" The masonic "Week of Action" next summer which will highlight the benefits Freemasonry brings to the community, is drawing ever closer. Provincial organising committees have been formed, ideas for events are being compiled, masonic websites around the country are flagging local events, and a central "Command Centre" at Freemasons’ Hall in London has been set up to coordinate efforts, answer queries, send out information, compile a database, and deal with the Press. Remember the date: 26th June to 2nd July 2002 ... "A Catastrophe has Occurred" At Grand Lodge, in March 1878, Lord Carnarvon, the Pro Grand Master, rose to make an announcement. Describing the event as "a catastrophe", he reported that the banking house of Willis Percival & Co, which held the funds of Grand Lodge, Grand Chapter and the Masonic Charities, had failed. The Grand Lodge balance of £3,543 was at risk. The City of London, in the 1870s, was taking on the face of the modern City. Its residential population had declined as it had become easier to live outside the metropolis and travel in by train and road. Old town houses were demolished ... The Heart of Freemasonry The Pro Grand Master in conversation with Michael Baigent: "Freemasonry is a system of becoming; becoming something better than you are now". Lord Northampton spoke with great enthusiasm. "And above all, Freemasonry is a system which teaches us to be openhearted..." The Journey of the Initiate Freemasonry is a journey of initiation and that remains the basic reason for its being. But what inspires anyone to seek initiation? The answer is put by the Sufi poet, Rumi: "Jars of spring-water are not enough anymore. Take us down to the river". And we must swim in this river. To be initiated, we need to be part of the process itself, for initiatory ritual needs our involvement. The ancients knew this path very well, Seneca wrote of: "…initiatory rites, by means of which are revealed, not the mysteries of a municipal temple, but of the world itself, the vast temple of all the gods ..." David Williamson, Assistant Grand Master Our new Assistant Grand Master, RW Bro. David Williamson, cares deeply about Freemasonry and one of his major tasks is to help plan its role in 21st century society: it cannot simply roll into the future without change. But that change must emerge from Freemasonry itself, for many of the challenges facing the Craft today derive from within: the lack of commitment, for example, demonstrated by many modern masons. It is important, he believes, for Freemasonry to be so revitalised in the future that it again plays a significant part in every mason’s life. But how might this sense ... A Consecration in Bristol We have the privilege this morning to participate in the consecration of a new lodge, The Matthew Lodge No 9688. Consecration of a new lodge within the illustrious Province of Bristol is an occasion for the Founders to rejoice and reflect. Rejoice in your success in bringing together a body of like-minded brethren desirous of exchanging masonic fellowship at a common venue. Secondly, rejoice in your collective conviction that there are in your community at large men receptive to the ideals of Freemasonry. Thirdly, rejoice in your successful petition ... The Importance of Recognition In September, the United Grand Lodge of England adopted the resolution to recognise the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Indiana, bringing the total now recognised to 136. This may sound just like high-level masonic diplomacy, but in fact it can make a very real difference to our members if they travel abroad. When another Grand Lodge is recognised it means that United Grand Lodge of England members can visit its lodges and their members can visit ours. Freemasonry over the centuries has had plenty of imitators and splinter groups which have established their own ... Shakespeare and Freemasonry In July 1929, Lord Ampthill, pro Grand Master of the UGLE, accompanied by 600 masons in full regalia, laid the foundationstone of Stratford's Shakespeare Memorial Theatre. United Grand Lodge perceived a link between the craft and the bard. Why? "For charity itself fulfills the law, and who can sever love from charity?" (Love's Labour's Lost, IV.iii). This speech expresses the essence of a Freemason's purpose: to be a builder of love. Shakespeare was an ethical teacher. Could he also have been a mason? Look at the Dedication in the first Shakespeare Folio, addressed "To the Most Noble and Incomparable Pair of Brethren, William, Earle of Pembroke... and Philip, Earle of ..."   The Gentle Craft © Grand Lodge Publications Ltd 1997-2010