Grand Orator, Provincial or District Grand Orators
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 qualified Brethren and those to be promoted, two qualified Brethren. A few seats will remain and written application for these seats may be made to the Grand Secretary between 1 March and 31 March by Brethren qualified to attend Grand Lodge.

Metropolitan, Provincial, District and Overseas Grand Ranks
In giving notice of motion at the Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge in September to amend the Book of Constitutions to vary the basis on which appointments to Metropolitan, Provincial, District and Overseas Grand Ranks would be made from 1 January 2008, the President of the Board made it plain that one or more amendments were likely to be moved when the matter came before Grand Lodge for decision.
     As he predicted, amendments have been necessary to take account of the final recommendations of the committee under the chairmanship of the Deputy Grand Master, in the light of the comments that have been received.
     In essence, while the overall number of first appointments to acting and past ranks will be calculated on the basis of the number of Lodges, as envisaged in the original notice of motion, the current table of acting Provincial or District Grand Officers, based on the number of Freemasons, will be retained.
     The amendments were approved.

Prestonian Lectures 2008
The Board has considered applications for the delivery of the official Prestonian Lectures in 2008 and has decided that these should be given under the auspices of the following:
     Christ’s Hospital Lodge, No. 2650 (London); Warwickshire Masters’ Lodge, No. 4538 (Warwickshire); Torbay Masters Lodge, No. 8227 (Devonshire) and the District Grand Lodge of East Africa.
     The Lecturer is R.D.T. Sillett and his lecture is entitled The Language of the Ritual.

European Grand Masters’ Meeting
A special meeting of representatives of European Grand Lodges was held in London on 5 and 6 November 2007 to discuss regularity, recognition, sovereignty and communications.
     There were 44 Grand Lodges represented, 41 of them by their Grand Masters. The delegates were welcomed by the The Grand Master, HRH The Duke of Kent, at a reception and dinner.
     The formal meeting was chaired by the Deputy Grand Master, Peter Lowndes.

Amalgamations
Seven lodges had surrendered their Warrants in order to amalgamate with other lodges.

Erasures
Thirty-one lodges had surrendered their Warrants and had been erased from the Register.

Expulsion
One member had been expelled from the Craft.

New Lodges
Three new lodges have been granted Warrants.

Pro Grand Masters Speech
The Pro Grand Master, Lord Northampton, told Grand Lodge that the European Grand Masters’ meeting had been an historic occasion. Grand Lodge had been under pressure, for some time, to give guidance and a clear stance on our position.
     Lord Northampton said: “I set out our position on regularity, and make the important point that it is not Freemasonry but the individual mason, imbued with the principles and tenets of the Craft, who has a positive influence on society.
     “From the feedback we have received the meeting was considered a success and there is now a determination to continue the contacts which were made and to strengthen the lines of communications between European Grand Lodges.”
     Lord Northampton referred to the meeting of Supreme Grand Chapter in which he announced that the working group set up last year had now published its report into the recruitment and retention of Royal Arch Masons.
     He added: “We should all seek to describe the Royal Arch as the next step in Freemasonry after the Craft degrees and the final step in pure ancient masonry. It is both an integral part of Craft masonry as well as being its completion.”
     The other important conclusion of the report was that a Royal Arch representative should be appointed in each Craft Lodge. He said: “Where this role has already been implemented in some Lodges, it has had a dramatic effect on the levels of recruitment and retention. Representatives need to be carefully chosen and the report gives advice and guidance on this matter.”
     Lord Northampton referred to his visit to India, and said that at the request of the District Grand Master of Bombay and Northern India “we are reforming the District back into two Districts. The District has been a happy one and the split is purely based on the enormous distances between some of the Lodges.”