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BACK NEXT Winter 2009 Issue 51 Letter from the Editor Grand Secretary's Column Grand Lodge News News and Views On The Level International News Royal Arch Masonic Education Embracing Change Templars at Newark Dramatic Masonry Freemasonry and Fascism in Italy Support is the Keyword A Brother in Arms Drawing on the Floor The Origins of Freemasonry Happy 275th A Grand Lodge in York Review: The Genesis of Freemasonry Review: Freemasonry in Ulster Review: Tracing Boards of the Three Degrees Review: The Royal Arch Journey Letters to the Editor Library & Museum of Freemasonry Grand Lodge: Board of General Purposes Grand Temple Charity Concert Grand Charity Masonic Samaritan Fund RMBI RMTGB Reflection Copyright 1997-2010 Grand Lodge Publications Ltd Designed and Maintained by: Cyberpoint

FREEMASONRY TODAY Winter 2009 - Issue 51 - Index Letter from the Editor Freemasonry is a journey. It is an initiation into a way of comprehending matters greater than the superficial or the obvious; its symbols are signposts for the route. As we take our first steps by moving from darkness into light, we are initiated into the first of the secrets and mysteries of our Craft. We end by symbolically entering a vaulted chamber to discover that mysterious word which hitherto has been hidden behind a substitute. This journey, however symbolic and allegorical it might be, is nonetheless real: it can change a man, it can instil morality, compassion and understanding. And this is its aim. However, it is easy to take this masonic journey simply as an intellectual ... Grand Lodge: Grand Secretary's Column Grand Lodge News: Pro Grand Master Outlines the Craft's Progress — Public School Lodges' Council Festival Masonic News and Views: Surrey Lodge in Croydon Twinning Ceremony with Italians — Floating the Cause at Lord Mayor's Show — Freemasons' Hall Sets Out Its Stall — Asia Pacific Disaster Emergency Relief is Provided by the Grand Charity — Diverse Groups are Rewarded — Gloucester Lodge Sponsors Cathedral Medallion for RMTGB Chorister — Provinces Support Air Ambulance — A Clean Sweep from Yorkshire for Troops in Afghanistan — Surrey Aids 'Help for Heroes' On The Level: London Members Attend Swedish Anniversary — In Good Voice at Bath Concert — Cathedral Event for Festival — Durham Remembers — Harrow School Fishing Day — Bikers Riding to Support the Fallen — Normandy Marathon for Injured Soldiers — Alf, 94, Takes the Chair — Mark Backing for Deafness Research — Three Brothers Join Together International News: The Tortuous History of Spanish Freemasonry Comes Under the Spotlight at Almeira Conference Royal Arch: Supreme Grand Chapter - Report of the Committee of General Purposes — You're Never Too Old - Leslie in the Chair at 93 Masonic Education: Research Must Face the Internet Challenge Warns Quatuor Coronati's New Master — History Prize for Mark Research 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 ... Templars at Newark At the west gate to Newark-on-Trent stands the 12th Century remains of a castle built on an earlier Saxon settlement by Alexander, Bishop of Lincoln. As his primary residence it was a testament to his wealth and power. This stately edifice had remained intact until the mid-seventeenth century when, following the end of the civil war and after managing to survive three sieges, Parliament ordered it made indefensible and much ... 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 ... Freemasonry and Fascism in Italy The destruction of Freemasonry in Italy by the Fascist regime began between the end of December 1923 and January 1924. When the reasons for this are analyzed, the usual conclusion reached is that it was a political action – that Freemasonry was seen as one of many ‘internal enemies’ with whom Fascism had to battle in order to rise to power. Certainly, this is a valid interpretation but there is an additional reason for the persecution, one arising ... 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 ... A Brother in Arms On Saturday 11 October 2008, the inhabitants of a small village lying 20 km west of Berlin, unveiled a monument to a soldier who fell on nearby soil some two-hundred-and-fifty years ago. The soldier, one of the finest warriors of the eighteenth century and a Field Marshal of Frederick the Great of Prussia, was fatally wounded on 14 October 1758 while fighting Austrian forces in the environs of the Saxony village of Hochkirch in a major engagement of the Seven Years’War (1756-63). But the soldier in question was not a native German as one might expect; he was in fact ... 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 ... A Grand Lodge in York The beautiful Roman city of York for many centuries was capital of the north of England and it prospered as the hub of an industrial and commercial centre outside of London. Masonic legends also centred on York, the best known being the founding of The Most Ancient Grand Lodge of All England by Prince Edwin in 926 AD. There was, however, a real and live York Grand Lodge. Evidence reveals a lodge active in York in 1705, twelve years before ... Review: The Genesis of Freemasonry Review: Freemasonry in Ulster, 1733-1813 Review: Tracing Boards of the Three Degrees Review: The Royal Arch Journey Letters to the Editor Political Correctness — National Memorial Arboretum — Grand Lodge Fees — Women in United Grand Lodge — Rank and Regalia — Who Receives Charity? — The Lonely Entered Apprentice — Worshipful Secretary? — Augustin Barrios Mangore: Request for Information Library & Museum of Freemasonry The Library and Museum’s first exhibition of 2010 marks the 350th anniversary of the foundation of the Royal Society in 1660. Today, the Royal Society is the UK’s national academy for natural science. Election as a member or “Fellow” is one of the most prestigious awards available to British scientists (and a small number of scientists from overseas). Two of the original members of the Royal Society – Sir Robert Moray and Elias Ashmole – were already Freemasons by the time the Royal Society was formed, although Freemasonry was not then organised under a Grand Lodge system (which was to be introduced in 1717). The first President was Sir Christopher Wren. As membership ... Grand Lodge Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge, 9 December 2009, Report of the Board of General Purposes Grand Temple Charity Concert 22nd April 2010 Masonic Charities: Grand Charity Masonic Charities: Masonic Samaritan Fund Masonic Charities: RMBI Masonic Charities: RMTGB Reflection One of the most admirable features of our kind of Freemasonry is the fact that it not only permits, but actively encourages, those who profess different religious beliefs to enter its ranks. Indeed, it provides one of the few instances in today’s world where those of very varied spiritual backgrounds can meet and share in a common task. When Jews, Muslims, Parsees and Christians come together willingly in a lodge in Israel it is, and ought to be, a cause for real rejoicing. The basis on which such gatherings can take place is due, of course, to a very longstanding agreement. It is that when masons come together in a lodge they promise that they will not discuss any point of theological ...   Issue 51, Winter 2009 © Grand Lodge Publications Ltd 1997-2010