Brethren – I am delighted to welcome so many of you today to this, our Annual Meeting and Investiture of Provincial Grand Lodge Officers. I am also particularly happy to welcome our guests, whom I have already introduced to you individually. It gladdens my heart to see you all. The brethren whom, today, I have appointed to or promoted within Provincial Grand Lodge have certainly earned their preferment through the support, which they have given to their respective Lodges and to the Province at large.

 Provincial Honours are, of course, rewards, but they also come with expectations – and they are that Brethren will rise to the challenge of their new opportunities and, of course, the new responsibilities now presented to them to further the interests of the Craft in our Province. Hence I congratulate you all, and hope that today’s ceremony has been an enjoyable and memorable experience for you. After all, this is your meeting! I am just privileged to be presiding over it. I thank my Deputy and Assistant Provincial Grand Masters for their support and invaluable assistance, and I have been pleased to reappoint them today for a further year in office.

I extend once again my congratulations to W Bro Neil Mounter – my former Provincial Grand Treasurer who retired last year after five years in office – who received Grand Rank in April, when he was invested as a Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies. He now joins that band of mandating officers in the Province. My new Provincial Grand Treasurer, W Bro Robert Fowler, has settled very much into his new role. Congratulations too for V W Bro Ian Henderson, my predecessor as the Past Grand Superintendent, who was promoted to Past Grand Sword Bearer and to W Bro David Ieuan James, a long serving Provincial Education and Training Officer in the Province and who is, of course, the current Provincial Grand Master in the Degree of Mark Master Mason, who was promoted to Past Junior Grand Deacon. That was indeed another well deserved promotion for a fellow Masonic “shepherd”. Brethren, my executive provides invaluable support to the smooth running of this Province, but in line with recommendations, I believe that executive officers should be expected to serve no more than five years in such an official capacity and thus provide an opportunity for other talented and committed Masons to demonstrate their ability in furthering the work of the Province. My executive officers, collectively, I thank for their unstinting support and hard work. I offer special thanks to my Registrar – W Bro John Hicks, for ensuring that the new Masonic Directory was published on time, for its accuracy and for maintaining detailed Provincial records. I appreciate, too, that he was ably supported by my Provincial Grand Scribe Ezra, W Bro John Court. I thank them both for their great efforts on our behalf. I must now make special mention of my Provincial Grand Almoner – W Bro Roy Wigmore. I thank him especially for his care, consideration and dedication to his duties. So often he works beyond the call of duty. With the co-operation of W Bro Jim Wheeler, W Bro Roy was able to take a long-awaited excursion of three months duration to visit relatives in Australia. W Bro Jim Wheeler – I thank you for holding the reins so ably and efficiently.

Over the past year I, along with members of the executive and a full Provincial Team, have had the pleasure of making many official visits to Installations. I have also been accompanied by my Deputy Provincial Grand Master, V W Bro Anthony Williams along with my Assistant Provincial Grand Master, W Bro Robert Arundel. I thank the Worshipful Masters and brethren of all the Lodges in the Province for the courtesy and hospitality shown to my Provincial Team and me. I thoroughly enjoy all my visits and I am always grateful, because the occasions allow me to meet so many dedicated and committed Masons, and they also afford many opportunities to meet several of the newer and younger brethren.

I wish to turn my attention to the quality of the ceremonies and to say that I have witnessed a generally high standard of ritual in the Lodges, with one or two exceptions. I am more than satisfied with the overall performance and I look forward once again to receiving the annual reports from my mandated officers.

 Brethren – one of the highlights during the year was, of course, without doubt, the consecration of the new Blue Lamp Lodge in Chepstow, which I found to be a very special and emotional occasion indeed. I thank once again my Provincial Grand Secretary W Bro Bob Jones, the steering committee, all the founders and my Provincial Team for all their industry in making it happen and for giving us a “day to remember” in this Province.  I beg your indulgence if I make mention especially of my consecrating Senior and Junior Wardens – R W Bro Francis Wakem and R W Bro Adrian Davies, and I say a very special  “Evening All” to you both, thanking you also in your capacity as retired Police Officers.

Over recent years we have introduced and progressed many initiatives in Monmouthshire, in line United Grand Lodge recommendations.

 Last year I appointed a Provincial Grand Orator – W Bro Brian Medhurst who took to the role like a “duck to water” and this year, in line with UGLE recommendations, we now have the formal office of Provincial Grand Mentor, and I have, this day, appointed and invested W Bro David Powell, another very busy Mason to that post. He will be working under the direction of W Bro Dr Robert Fountain in developing further a full Provincial training scheme, designed to meet the needs of all brethren.  Brethren – if your Lodge has not implemented what I would describe quite simply as a “Caring for our Brethren” scheme, you are neither caring for the newer Brethren nor for the future of our beloved Craft.  I cannot over-emphasise the importance placed on mentoring by none other than the Grand Master himself and other High Rulers. Brethren – we must support them if we are to preserve the Craft.

I am pleased to see that the Orations are becoming a very accepted part of Lodge business. There are now some 49 approved Orations which W Bro Brian Medhurst is ready and most eager to deliver with great enthusiasm.

Remember Brethren that Orations are not there just to be heard, but they are there to provoke and stimulate fruitful discussion, and so assist us in making our daily progress in Masonic knowledge.

 I ask you all to ensure that your Lodge embraces all these opportunities which are afforded by the Training and Education initiatives. Brethren – Mentoring and Orations are vital elements in a Brother’s understanding of, and progression in, the Craft.

The Provincial Officers, in delivering all these initiatives, work as a team under the chairmanship of W Bro Dr Robert Hugh Fountain. The three new booklets recently launched are very informative and form the basis of what every member in the craft should know and understand about our treasured organisation.

These booklets are not just of value to the new Brother, but are useful “working tools” for us all.

The Rulers Forum: The Province continues to be well represented at the High Rulers Forum and at the Rulers Forum Group 4. I can tell you, as one of the current representatives on that Forum, that it fulfils an important function in the development of the Craft, being a direct link between Brethren and the Rulers. Last year I spoke about the survey which Grand Lodge has been carrying out of our most important historic records and that detailed survey and examination of all Lodge records in the Province has been carried out by W Bro David Powell, assisted by Bro David Phelps. It has been a considerable task and I am delighted to report that this exercise has been completed for the benefit of UGLE and to my great satisfaction. Well done to the two brethren whom I have just mentioned.

The history of Freemasonry is an important and integral part of the social history of our nation.  It behoves us all to support this initiative, particularly as it should provide valuable source material for the major history of the Craft, which is being prepared as part of the celebration of the tercentenary of Grand Lodge in 2017.

I turn my attention now to matters of The Supreme Degree – The Holy Royal Arch - to say that I have been pleased to support the Most Excellent Grand Superintendent in the appointment of Royal Arch Representatives to all Craft Lodges, as a means of enlightening those Brethren who are suitably qualified that the Supreme Degree of the Holy Royal Arch is the completion of a Brother’s journey through the Degrees of Craft Masonry. I ask that every Worshipful Master allows the Royal Arch Representative to address the Lodge once a year and that the Representative’s details (along with those of the Lodge Mentor) should be on all Lodge Summonses.

Brethren – In matters of Royal Arch, we were all saddened in the summer to learn of the untimely death of W Bro Brian Cull - a Grand Officer, Past PGM in the degree of Mark Master Mason and my Second Provincial Grand Principal. He was, indeed, a close colleague and I miss not only his great sense of justice and fair mindedness, but his propriety and his great attention to detail in his ritual. We have all mourned his passing, but we have to eventually move on with fond memories.

I am therefore delighted to report that The Grand Superintendent has been please to appoint W Bro John Butterworth, a very experienced and well respected Mason and a Grand Officer, to the office of Second Provincial Grand Principal, in succession to the late W Bro Brian Cull.

Brethren, last year the Provincial News Service in Monmouthshire was established and is currently managed by my Information Officer W Bro Eddie Barrell. I thank him for his dedication to his duties as the Provincial Grand Information Officer. The purpose of this new service is to communicate all matters (other than those considered confidential to the Provincial Executive) that can be conveyed to as many brethren as possible. The main topics covered are charitable communications from London, bereavements, social events etc. In addition, it is available as an interactive system for members who have chosen to ‘sign up’ for it. I urge Brethren to consider joining this worthwhile News Service.

And now Brethren, I now turn my attention to matters of Charity. Last November the Province “hosted” a Charity Evening, here in Newport, where grants totalling almost £30,000 were distributed to many local charitable enterprises. I pay tribute to the work of the 1997 Monmouthshire Charitable Trust for its work, under the Chairmanship of W Bro Richard Davies and secretary W Bro Richard Beavan, for organising this event, which, by any standards, was a most enjoyable and successful event. I received most favourable responses from all the charities represented.  I thank all the Brethren involved in the organisation and presentation of the evening and the many members of our Province who attended to support the distribution of the grants. This year’s  occasion promises to be another great event.

And now to the Festival itself . . I re-emphasise my appeal to the Brethren to continue supporting the 2013 Festival and to say that, to date, I am very encouraged by its reported success. There is still, however, much to be done.  The Trust is extremely grateful for the generosity and support of individual Brethren, Lodges and other Orders within our Province. I know that Brethren’s generosity to other charities continues unabated during this difficult economic time. My Provincial Grand Charity Steward is there to support Lodges, and over the next couple of years will be visiting Lodges on a more regular basis. He will be reporting directly to me, my deputy and my assistant on a monthly basis, so that I am able to assess the overall performance of the Lodges and thus be in a position to suggest any remedial help which may be required. I also direct your attention to the work of the Festival committee chaired by the Assistant Provincial Grand Master on my behalf of and that of my deputy, V W Bro Anthony. We continue to look seriously at the balance between donations to Masonic and non-Masonic Charities alike, and that is why the Monmouthshire Masonic Trust exists to support the applications from individual Lodges for charitable assistance for Non-Masonic Charities in their communities.

Nevertheless Brethren, the 2013 Festival for the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys draws ever closer and in these difficult times the Trust is receiving more demands upon its resources. I am delighted to see my fellow Council member of the Trust, W Bro Mike Codd (Asst PGM Hampshire and Isle of Wight) the Chairman of the PR and Fundraising Committee here today. W Bro Mike – two years ago I challenged the Brethren and their Lodges to begin planning their strategy and in most cases the response has been very pleasing indeed.

The Donations from the Province to the RMTGB have already been credited to the Festival and Festival Jewels are becoming more evident day by day.

I say to the Brethren once again: This is your charity, which deserves your fullest support and to that end, the alms collection today will be for the benefit of RMTGB.  Please use and complete the Gift Aid Envelopes, ever remembering that the envelopes are easier to write on if they contain folded paper although, of course, all donations will be thankfully received – for the Lord doth love a cheerful giver!!

I cannot overemphasise a personal commitment to giving, preferably via gift aid, which is absolutely crucial to our success. The regular alms collections, the Lodge and Ladies’ Nights raffles, the odd wager and the loose change collections all play an important part undoubtedly, but each lodge, to achieve its requirement, really needs to devise some extra fund-raising activities in each of the remaining three years to boost the total.

I take the opportunity in writing to every Master Elect to remind him about this expectation. The Family day at the Maes Manor was a wonderful experience and it was such a good experience for the whole family, followed by a very entertaining evening. This was planned by the Charity Committee and masterminded by W Bro Julian Todd and Co of the St John’s Lodge and W Bro Les Evans and Co of the Islwyn Lodge with many, many other brethren helping and supporting with their families. It was an outstanding success, with a net profit of £5,000 and we were also graced with the presence of W Bro Les Hutchinson, Chief Executive of the Trust. On the evening, I was delighted to present a cheque for £50,000. Brethren – It was a wonderful time.

I know that we are living in a time of troubles and uncertainties, and we realise that Freemasonry cannot provide the solutions to the world’s economic downturn, conflicts between nations or problems nearer to home. I know that as a result we have been faced with resignations and that these resignations from our order need to be stemmed.

I am hopeful, however, that the work of the Lodge Mentoring scheme, which has now been ‘rolled out’, for example, will provide the facility to turn the tide. I am always disappointed when I learn of resignations, especially in the first few years after initiation, and that reveals, all too often, that candidates may not be as well chosen or well informed as they should have been.

 Freemasons, on the other hand, by ordering their lives in accordance with the Precepts of the Craft, have the opportunity to afford a good example to the society of which they are part and so create a better foundation for the future. We frequently hear the Charge after Initiation in our Lodges, but how often do we thereafter read and consider it afresh?  I ask you to take this message from our meeting today – we should all strive to aspire to and uphold the principles that the Charge sets out for us in a society which, day by day, appears to sink lower into a moral decline.

It is often said that, “Freemasonry is held together by shared values, shared beliefs and shared attitudes. That is what enables Brethren to maintain a cohesive society despite the frustrations and tensions of daily life. And let’s face it – that is what enables them to rise above the inevitable conflicts and divisions that plague any society. That is what gives the Craft its tone, its fibre, its integrity, its moral style, its capacity to endure.”

Brethren, before I conclude my sermon, sorry. . .  I mean my address to you. I would like to take this opportunity of thanking all those brethren who have made today’s meeting possible: My Provincial Grand Secretary, W Bro Robert Jones and his team, who have worked tirelessly in preparation, My Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies, W Bro Christopher Evans and his Deputy W Bro Chris Gabica, and the team of Assistants, The Stewards and W Bro Ken Dixon and all his ‘Meeters and Greeters’ today.

 Thanks also to the staff here at St Julian’s School and to you brethren for attending in such large numbers.

Brethren – as I begin my fourth year as your Provincial Grand Master, I thank you for your continued support and wish you and your families the blessing of the Great architect of the Universe.

 

RW.Bro.  The Reverend Malcolm C G Lane JP