Thirty six East Lancs Royal Arch Masons attended Supreme Grand Chapter on April 25th. They included the MEGS, the Second and Third Provincial Grand Principals and all five APGPs.
The Chapter was presided over by the First Grand Principal, His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent, and was a lavish and beautifully conducted convocation. As you would expect the ritual was excellent.
The chapter room was full to witness the “main event” of the meeting, the appointment and promotion of Grand Officers. We had four companions being honoured in this way: Bill Waite, promoted to Past Assistant Grand Sojourner and Gerry Hodson, Ashley Hayman and Tony Freemont being appointed as Past Grand Standard Bearers.
There were many other appointments/promotions of note, but two that stand out were:
- The appointment of a new Grand Director of Ceremonies, Oliver Lodge standing down after 10 years. The Duke asked the Chapter to express their thanks to EComp Lodge and the length and volume of the applause fairly represented the work he had done during that time.
- The promotion of Peter Mason, DGS of Cumberland and Westmorland, to Past Grand Scribe Nehemiah. This is a great accolade for a Royal Arch Mason (there was only one such promotion on the 25th) and reflects everything EComp Mason has done to promote the Royal Arch within his own Province and Nationally. I would particularly draw your attention to the wealth of instructional and educational material he has assembled on the Cumberland and Westmorland website which is freely available for all masons to access. Highlights also appear on our own website, and we are grateful to Peter for making this possible. This is a fantastic resource and always worth a “dip” if you want to gain further insight into Royal Arch history and ritual or are looking for a lecture to deliver on an evening when there is no ritual to perform.
The First Grand Principal reminded us in his address about the importance of promoting the Royal Arch in our Lodges as it allows all masons to complete their entry into Antient Freemasonry.
Of course, no trip to London is complete without an evening of revelry and companionship and all thirty-six of us had a very jolly time. Just listening to the conversation was an advancement in Masonic knowledge.
The whole trip was a great Masonic treat filled with superb spectacle, mutual support, and fun, and one all Royal Arch Masons are encouraged to enjoy at least once.
