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BACK NEXT Summer 2008 Issue 45 Letter from the Editor Grand Lodge News News and Views On The Level International News Beyond the Craft Perambulating the Lodge Masonic Dining and Celebration Interview: The Grand Chancellor The Orator Walking the Way of Saint James Abd el-Kader: Algerian Nationalist and Freemason Province of Cambridgeshire Library & Museum Brother Lightfoote's Journal Review: Committed to the Flames Review: The Mythology of Secret Societies Review: The Dawn of Astrology Letters to the Editor Internet Library & Museum of Freemasonry Grand Lodge Quarterly Communication Convocation of Supreme Grand Chapter RMBI Masonic Samaritan Fund Grand Charity RMTGB Canon Richard Tydeman: Looking unto the Rock Copyright 1997-2008 Grand Lodge Publications Ltd Designed and Maintained by: Cyberpoint Limited

FREEMASONRY TODAY England & Wales Masonic Dining and Celebration After several years of serious subjects and fine art the summer show for the Library and Museum at Freemasons’ Hall this year turns to the more social side of masonry by featuring three hundred years of Masonic dining and celebration. One of the earliest entries in the first minute book of the Ancients Grand Lodge alleges that masons are being made for the fee of a ‘leg of mutton’ and, as one of the reasons for forming Grand Lodge was to ... Mysteries of the Standing Stones For untold generations, prehistoric people venerated natural sites, but from around 6,000 B.C., when settled agriculture and animal husbandry began to supplant nomadic hunter-gatherer ways of life around the globe, many cultures started to build monuments of stone or earth. Key among these were standing stones. These were placed in groups, such as circles or rows, or erected as solitary pillars, ‘monoliths’ or ‘menhirs’. Some stones ... Secrecy and Suppression The closing years of the eighteenth century were enveloped in a climate of fear, with the Tory government of William Pitt the younger suffering the anxiety of revolution, rebellion and riot. The French Revolution in 1789, the subsequent Bloody Terror and the rise of Napoleon had cast a shadow of dread over Great Britain. This had been compounded by rebellion in Ireland in 1798 and frequent riots and protests by the working classes, with groups of ... 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 ... Bath and the 'Lost' Furniture It was at a chance encounter late last year with the Assistant Grand Master, David Williamson, that the extraordinary Masonic Hall – the converted Theatre Royal - in Old Orchard Street, Bath, was pointed out to me. Bath is a University City and David Williamson’s interest is in the contacts between University students throughout the country and local masonic authorities. The Masonic Hall at Bath will certainly make an exceptional venue ... Masonic Paintings in a Berkshire Church Charles Edward Keyser, 1853 - 1929, was a highly successful late Victorian businessman looking for a country seat when his sister, Agnes, drew his attention to Aldermaston Court which reminded her of Sandringham where she had been a guest. Offered for sale by auction at The Hind’s Head in the nearby village of Aldermaston, it comprised over 2500 acres of parkland, meadows and farms, and boasted a lake as well as a splendid mansion ... Temple Bar returns One of the architectural glories of London, and a seventeenth century masterpiece, Sir Christopher Wren’s Temple Bar was uprooted in 1878 and summarily dumped as a pile of stones in a vacant lot in Farringdon Road. It was subsequently removed to Hertfordshire and eventually became a forgotten ruin. Only recently has it been restored to the nation’s capital city ... 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 ... Band of Brothers I was privileged to be in Normandy for the sixtieth anniversary of the D-Day landings. I trust that the vast majority of readers will be well acquainted with what happened on 6 June 1944. The operation was, quite simply, the greatest feat of arms in history. The logistics are almost incomprehensible: an armada of five thousand ships, eleven thousand aircraft and, most importantly, a hundred and thirty-three thousand men delivered to ... The Masonic Rebellion in Liverpool On 22 December 1823 at the Shakespeare Tavern in Williamson Square, Liverpool, a gathering of masonic rebels took place. The door to the lodge room was closed and guarded by the Grand Tyler, the masons present settled and watched as Brother Michael Alexander Gage took the chair. The lodge was opened in the third degree, and the minutes of the previous meeting were read. That last meeting on 21 July had been adjourned, but now ... Home Away From Home In May 1938, on the eve of war, Winston Churchill urged Britons to do their part for Anglo-American relations. ‘It is in the homes, not the hotels, of a nation,’ he declared, ‘that we can learn the truth about our people.’ He addressed British businessmen in particular, imploring them to go beyond mere business contact with visiting Americans but instead ‘ask them to your homes and your clubs, so that they may see something of the real England ...' The First Masonic Flower Festival A Masonic Festival of Flowers; what would that be; where would it be held ? These were just a few of the questions raised when I ‘threw a pebble in a pond’ at a meeting with ladies, at the Rochdale Masonic Buildings, when representatives from the Province of East Lancashire area informed us about the fund-raising efforts for the ‘Grand Charity Festival 2004’ ... 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 ... Murder and Masonry In the sparse, hushed courtroom, the judge prepared to pronounce sentence of death. Looking straight at the prisoner, he said; ‘We both belong to the same Brotherhood,’ (he faltered here) ‘and though that can have no influence with me, this is painful beyond words for me to have to say what I am saying, but our Brotherhood does not encourage crime, it condemns it.’ This was the culmination of a sensational trial, sensational not only ... 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 ... Celebrating the Jubilee "Equal in glory to King Solomon" was the comparison made by an enthusiastic Victorian Freemason of Queen Victoria, then celebrating her Golden Jubilee. Charles Meiter of Mizpah Lodge, No. 1671, speaking at the meeting of Grand Lodge in March 1887, proposed to perpetuate the memory of the 1887 Golden Jubilee by rebuilding Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem as a "House of Prayer for all Nations". He added, optimistically seeking to allay an important difficulty, that the expense to Grand Lodge would be about £25, "the cost of the Foundation Stone" ... Freemasonry in the Community Week of Action Begins with St Paul's Cathedral Service — Photographic Exhibition at Freemasons' Hall — East Lancashire — Devonshire — Suffolk — Yorkshire West Riding — Dorset — Bristol — Hertfordshire — Durham — London — Northamptonshire and Huntingdonshire ... Families and Freemasonry Essex Freemasons provided a magnificent spectacle on Saturday 29th June with their twin "Fun Day" and Evening Concert in the grounds and gardens of Ingatestone Hall, the home of the non-masonic, but accommodating, Lord Petre, descendant of an eighteenth century masonic Grand Master. It was the hub event for Essex and it surpassed all expectations both in the enjoyment it provided and the large sums it raised ... Polished Cornerstones If, “Freemasonry is a system of becoming… something better than you are now1”, then how much truer is this of a school? And if that school also has Masonic connections, then it is doubly apt. The Royal Masonic School for Girls, instituted in 1788 by the Freemason, Chevalier Bartholomew Ruspini, began on what is now the Euston Road with fifteen pupils. It moved first to St George’s Fields (1795) and then to Clapham (1852) ... Covent Garden and Freemasonry Covent Garden is said to be a corruption of Convent Garden, an enclosure belonging to the Abbots of Westminster in the thirteenth century and used for "burying their dead out of sight". This was confirmed in 1829 when builders digging the foundations of a new market exhumed human bones on the north side of the area. In addition, the Benedictine monks of St Peter at Westminster appear to have used it partly as their kitchen garden, supplying the needs ... 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 Art of Regalia Opposite Freemason’s Hall in Great Queen street, London, are the shops of two masonic regalia manufacturers and retailers: Toye, Kenning & Spencer, run by the Toye family for over 300 years, and Central Regalia, a newcomer, having been founded by Freemasons Chris Beach and Clive Kingsley-Smith just five years ago. Both directors though know the business, having worked for twenty-five years or more with other regalia companies. They report that personal service is important in the regalia business because many customers need help with their requirements. Even those who have been in Freemasonry for many years often need advice when promoted to higher rank ... 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 ... Occupation, Terror and Revival On 9th May this year, Channel Islanders will celebrate the 56th anniversary of the most joyous day in their history - their liberation from five years of enemy occupation. But for members of the Craft who had remained in the Islands, while sharing the joy and relief experienced by all Channel Islanders on that day in 1945 ... Strength in Unity In September Grand Lodge approved an amendment to the Book of Constitutions giving power to the Grand Master to grant a Certificate of Amalgamation when two Lodges desire to amalgamate into a single Lodge. Throughout the history of organised Freemasonry, Lodges have come and Lodges have gone; that is the nature of life and things in general. Sometimes a Lodge has simply died, its Warrant has been returned to the Grand Master (whose property every Lodge Warrant is) and has been erased from the register of Grand Lodge ... Capital Developments in London London is the largest single masonic group within the international family of Freemasons. With more than 55,000 Craft members and some 2,300 Lodges and Chapters, it has been difficult to steer. Its biggest boost was when the Assistant Grand Master, RW Bro the Marquess of Northampton, now Pro Grand Master-designate, became chairman of London Management, the new structure for the capital’s Freemasons. The need for structural change was glaringly obvious, particular as London, because of its size, did not have the local feel about it ... 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 ... Protecting the Family Jewels Those old stone masons could not have imagined what they were starting four or more centuries ago; they met in rude and dusty huts close to the college, cathedral or cloister at which their particular skills were needed. The ‘lodges’, precursors to the portacabin, were probably despatched to the bonfire once the masons had earned honest maintenance; but within them were established codes of conduct and a sign language that were the foundation stones of the ethical movement that was to become Freemasonry. The aprons and tools of their trade had not yet ... Some Personal Thoughts on Freemasonry The move towards openness in Freemasonry which began in the eighties and continues to this day is to be welcomed. There are, however, some members who feel apprehension about this new direction and whether it is desirable or not. Openness may seem to be a recent trend in Freemasonry, but openness of the heart is now, and always has been, the goal of a master mason. We need to be more open because our reticence to answer questions about ourselves has led to a difficult situation where the public’s perception of us, fuelled by media speculation ... Diana, Princess of Wales The public life of Diana, Princess of Wales, was a fairy tale. She entered as a Royal Princess; she ended, England’s Rose, as Lady of the Lake. Fairy–tale is an expression of underlying myth. All Freemasons know the power of myth, borne upon the shoulders of symbol and allegory. In our rituals we act out our myth; for the duration of the ritual, we are moved by the myth, we become part of it. And it is this participation which brings changes within us all, for our myth conveys a moral message. However, it is not often that we can participate openly in an emerging mythology and feel ourselves moved by its power ...   England & Wales © Grand Lodge Publications Ltd 1997-2008