The Berkshire Mentoring Programme

A Guide for New Freemasons

Part 3

Published by

The Provincial of Berkshire

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Contents

Introduction 3

The Structure of 5

Grand Lodge 7

Provincial Grand Lodge 10

Other Orders in Masonry - 13 -

Visiting - 15 -

Learning - 17 -

Miscellaneous - 22 -

Where Now? 23

Notes 25

GF/M.Pt3.Iss 2 Sept/14 - - 2 - - Introduction Congratulations on your being Raised to the Sublime Degree of a Master Mason, which we sincerely hope you enjoyed. You will now have your own apron and will shortly be presented with your Grand Lodge Certificate, usually at the meeting following your being Raised. Having read the previous two booklets you will almost certainly have more questions as you become more deeply interested in Freemasonry.

This booklet should help to answer many of them or at least guide you towards seeking out the answers yourself. A daily advance in Masonic knowledge is easy to achieve as you learn a line of Ritual or find out some interesting new detail in the vast ocean of information. Your Mentor is there as always, and by now you will have made several new friends who will be only too pleased to help you to gain the maximum enjoyment of Freemasonry.

With around ninety Lodges in Berkshire and several thousand in the rest of the country, plus Lodges overseas, you could spend the rest of your life just trying to visit each Lodge once. Some have very different ceremonies, all based on those you have already experienced, nevertheless a delight to see.

Occasionally, there is a Lodge Banner Dedication, a ceremony at which non-Masons may be present. Even more rare is the Consecration of a new Lodge at which only Masons may be present.

GF/M.Pt3.Iss 2 Sept/14 - - 3 - - So you can see that many new experiences lie ahead you. You have already made a great deal of progress, but you are still in the early stages of the exciting journey on which you have embarked. In this booklet you will be introduced to some of those topics which will broaden your horizons, such as visiting other Lodges and the existence of other Orders in Freemasonry.

We hope that this booklet, together with the two you have already received, will have provided a firm base on which you can continue to build your knowledge and understanding of Freemasonry. You will find, like all those who have gone before you, that it is a never ending journey. It is, however, an enjoyable journey and that is what keeps us going.

Berkshire Masonic Education Committee

GF/M.Pt3.Iss 2 Sept/14 - - 4 - - The Structure of Freemasonry What is the governing body of Freemasonry? The United Grand Lodge of England, (UGLE), headquartered at Freemasons’ Hall, Great Queen Street, London, WC2B 5AZ. Where does my Lodge fit into the structure? As a private Lodge in the Masonic Province of Berkshire, your Lodge is administered on behalf of Grand Lodge, by the Provincial Grand Lodge of Berkshire. Are there other Grand Lodges? Yes. Other countries may or may not have Grand Lodges, some of which are recognised as “Regular” because they have constitutions which are compatible with that of UGLE. What are the relationships between Grand Lodges? In August 1938, the Grand Lodges of England, Ireland and Scotland each agreed upon and issued a statement identical in terms, except that the name of the issuing Grand Lodge appeared throughout. The statement was entitled “Aims and Relationships of the Craft” and is detailed in a booklet entitled “Information for the Guidance of Members of the Craft”, presented to you with the Book of Constitutions, (BoC), at your Initiation. Some other Grand Lodges are also recognised as being “regular”, often because they are governed under the Irish or Scottish constitutions. What about Grand Lodges which are not ‘Regular’? We have no contact with any Grand Lodge, or their individual Lodges, which are not recognised as being “Regular”. This may mean that they do not require a belief

GF/M.Pt3.Iss 2 Sept/14 - - 5 - - in a Supreme Being, have political affiliations, admit women or are at odds in some other way with the rulings of our own Grand Lodge. You must not attend such Lodges. You should not attend overseas Lodges without the Approval of the Grand Secretary’s Office. Your own Lodge Secretary can advise you on this matter. What is a District Grand Lodge? Grand Lodge administers English Freemasonry overseas through District Grand Lodges, in a similar manner to that of Provincial Grand Lodges in England and Wales What is the Metropolitan Grand Lodge? The Metropolitan Grand Lodge was formed in October 2003 to administer London Lodges.

GF/M.Pt3.Iss 2 Sept/14 - - 6 - - Grand Lodge Who is the head of Grand Lodge? The at present is H.R.H. The Duke of Kent, KG. He has held this office since 1967 and is elected annually by Grand Lodge. What is a Pro Grand Master? If the Grand Master is of royal blood, he may appoint a Pro Grand Master to act on his behalf. ‘Pro’ is Latin, meaning ‘for’. It is not an abbreviation of Provincial. Similarly, a Provincial or District Grand Master of royal blood may appoint a Pro Provincial or a Pro District Grand Master to act on his behalf. Who are members of Grand Lodge? Every Master, Warden and Past Master in accordance with Rule 9 BoC is a member of Grand Lodge. See the Rule 9 and Rule 105 BoC for full details. Who administers Grand Lodge? The Board of General Purposes administers and controls the property of the Grand Lodge according to Rules 223 to 238 BoC What does the Grand Secretary do? His duties are defined in Rule 32 BoC. What is the Rulers Forum? The Rulers Forum replaced the General Council in 2006. The Rulers Forum considers such matters as the Grand Master or the Board of Grand Lodge may refer to it and consists of all the members of the Board of General Purposes plus various Presidents of Masonic charities and

GF/M.Pt3.Iss 2 Sept/14 - - 7 - - not more than 32 additional members. (See Rules 216 to 222 BoC). What are Grand Lodge Honours? The Grand Master upon his annual installation, shall appoint the Grand Officers according to Rule 18 BoC. The honour of Past Grand Rank can also be conferred in accordance with Rule 19 BoC. What are Quarterly Communications? They are the meetings of Grand Lodge held four times a year. At these meetings each Lodge is entitled to be represented. The meetings of Grand Lodge follow exactly the same basic process as those of a private Lodge, with the exception that no ceremonies are undertaken. The proceedings of the Quarterly Communication are sent to the secretary of each Lodge and are available to any Brother who wishes to see them.

Quarterly Communications should not to be confused with Quator Coronati and Q.C. Correspondence Circle. (See Miscellaneous). Am I allowed to attend? Any Brother who is a Warden, Master or a subscribing Past Master of a regular Lodge is entitled to attend the Quarterly Communications of Grand Lodge, to ensure that their Lodge is represented.

Can I visit Freemason’s Hall? Yes, it is a public building open to visitors throughout the Year. There is a Museum and exhibition open to the public showing Freemasonry, and displaying historical documents, regalia etc., dating back to the earliest days of modern GF/M.Pt3.Iss 2 Sept/14 - - 8 - - Freemasonry. Tours of the library, and parts of the building, including the Grand Temple (assuming no Masonic meeting is taking place in there) take place Monday to Friday. Further information can be found on the Grand Lodge Web site, or by telephoning the Library at Great Queen Street. What is a ‘London Lodge’ Lodges that meet within a five mile radius of Great Queen Street in London are classified as London Lodges, and are managed by the Metropolitan Grand Lodge. Lodges which meet between five and ten miles from Great Queen Street have the option of being managed by Metropolitan Grand Lodge, or coming under the jurisdiction of the local Provincial Grand Master. This position will be subject to review in the future.

GF/M.Pt3.Iss 2 Sept/14 - - 9 - - Provincial Grand Lodge What is Provincial Grand Lodge? Each Province has a Provincial Grand Lodge, presided over by its Provincial Grand Master, appointed by the Grand Master. Berkshire Provincial Grand Lodge has its headquarters at the Berkshire Masonic Centre, Mole Road, Sindlesham, and is responsible for the administration of over ninety Lodges meeting at eight Masonic Centres and a handful of other venues in Berkshire. What does the Provincial Grand Secretary do? The Provincial Grand Secretary is the ‘business manager’ of the Province, responsible for running the administrative functions of the Province on behalf of the Provincial Grand Master (PGM).

All correspondence for the Provincial Grand Secretary should be directed to, The Provincial Grand Secretary, Berkshire Masonic Centre, Mole Road, Sindlesham, Wokingham, RG41 5DB. Tel: 0118 9787625

His duties also include issuing Summonses for Provincial Grand Lodge meetings and taking Minutes at such meetings. All the returns of Lodge memberships, applications for Joining and Initiation have to be recorded by the Provincial Grand Secretary and passed on to the Grand Secretary. All Lodge summonses have to be checked by the Provincial Grand Secretary or his assistant for compliance with the BoC and individual Lodge By-Laws.

All communications and administration between the various Provincial Grand Lodges are handled on behalf of the

GF/M.Pt3.Iss 2 Sept/14 - - 10 - - Provincial Grand Master by the Provincial Grand Secretary, together with communications between the Province and Grand Lodge.

Our Provincial Grand Secretary produces an information memorandum every six weeks or so to keep Lodge Secretaries informed of changes as they occur, including changes of Lodge Secretaries, addresses and contact details, and announcements of forthcoming events. Is ‘Province’ another name for County? In general the answer to this question is yes, being based on the old county boundaries. For example Wantage is now in Oxfordshire administratively but in Berkshire Masonically. In a few areas, due to historical or geographic considerations, a Province may contain several counties, or a county may be split into several Provinces. For example, Northamptonshire and Huntingdonshire is one Masonic Province, while the county of Kent has two separate Masonic Provinces.

What are Provincial Grand Honours? The PGM will annually appoint a number of Brethren to the various Provincial offices. These acting officers will have differing duties in the Province as required by the PGM. The PGM also has within his power the right to appoint a number of ‘Past’ officers as recognition of the work that they have done in their own Lodge, and their contribution to Freemasonry in general. These appointments are made at the annual investiture for Provincial Grand Lodge. The number of appointments to each office is dependant on the size of the Province as detailed in Rule 68 BoC, which

GF/M.Pt3.Iss 2 Sept/14 - - 11 - - also contains a list of the hierarchy of Provincial, London and Grand Ranks.

How does a Brother earn Provincial Honours? It is normally a minimum of 6 years following a Brother’s term as Master before he would be considered for honours, which are given according to merit and potential for further service after receiving the honour. However, in certain circumstances a Brother who has not been Master of a Lodge may be honoured for his services to Freemasonry. What is meant by Craft Masonry? The term Craft Masonry is used to indicate the first three degrees in Freemasonry, i.e. EA, FC and MM.

GF/M.Pt3.Iss 2 Sept/14 - - 12 - - Other Orders in Masonry What are the other Orders in Masonry? There are numerous other Orders associated with Freemasonry. Some of these have a requirement that candidates have reached a particular point in Freemasonry, such as Master Mason, or Past Master, while others may impose additional requirements above and beyond these. The most closely linked with Craft Masonry is or . Royal Arch Four weeks after his Raising, a Master Mason becomes eligible to be ‘Exalted’ into this Order. This Order deals with the recovery of the genuine secrets of a Master Mason, following the destruction of the Temple at Jerusalem. Mark Masonry Any Master Mason is able to be ‘Advanced’ into this Order. Consisting of two stages (Mark Man and Mark Master Mason), which follows on from the FC Degree in Craft Masonry, and deals with the period to the death of . Royal Ark Mariners ‘Moored’ to a Mark Master Masons Lodge, membership is restricted to Mark Master Masons. Candidates are ‘Elevated’ to the Order which examines the Deluge of the Earth, and commemorates the Providence and Mercy of God.

GF/M.Pt3.Iss 2 Sept/14 - - 13 - - Rose Croix The full title for this Order is ‘The Ancient and Accepted Rite for England and Wales’ and consists of thirty-three Degrees. Membership is open to Master Masons of at least one year who profess the Trinitarian Christian Faith. Templar This is the first of the Masonic Orders of Chivalry. The regalia is based on the costume of Medieval Templars. Candidates, who must be Master Masons and a member of the Royal Arch, are ‘Installed’ in a Preceptory. Order of the Secret Monitor Open to all Master Masons, the Order of the Secret Monitor comprises several degrees, namely Secret Monitor, Prince and Supreme Ruler. Assemblies are referred to as Conclaves. Royal and Select Masters Candidates for this membership must be Mark Master Masons as well as Members of the Royal Arch. There are four Degrees; Select Master, Royal Master, Most Excellent Master and Super-Excellent Master.

More details of the above and many other Orders are available in a book called ‘Beyond the Craft’ available from the Library at Sindlesham or from Masonic bookshops.

GF/M.Pt3.Iss 2 Sept/14 - - 14 - - Visiting What should I do if invited to visit another Lodge? If you are able to make the meeting – accept! One of the most enjoyable parts of Masonry is visiting other Lodges, and making new friends.

Note: If you are in any doubt about the “Regularity” of the Lodge you have been invited to, ask your Secretary to confirm that it is recognised. This is obligatory if it is overseas. What should I sign in the book? The signature book will contain an area for Visitors to sign. You should print your name, rank plus the name and number of your own Lodge. Your rank is MM now you have been Raised to the Third Degree. A Master in his year in the Chair would use WM, and PM thereafter. Provincial and Grand Lodge officers would put their rank accordingly. You should write the name of your host where indicated. If not being hosted but visiting on your own initiative, it is usual to put “LODGE” in the space for host. How do I prove myself to be a Freemason? When you were Initiated, Passed and then Raised to the rank of a Master Mason, you were given the information required. Usually at the meeting following your Raising, you will have been presented with your Grand Lodge Certificate, which you should keep with your regalia and produce if asked by an appropriate member of the Lodge you are visiting. In some Lodges you will be asked to ‘prove’ yourself before being admitted, even if you are a guest of a member of that Lodge. Ask your Mentor what ‘Proving’

GF/M.Pt3.Iss 2 Sept/14 - - 15 - - might entail, and remember to use the signs you were taught in your mother Lodge. How can I find out when and where a Lodge meets? The Berkshire Masonic Year Book is published annually by Provincial Grand Lodge of Berkshire and lists all Berkshire Masonic Lodges etc. with names and addresses of Secretaries, with dates and venues for Lodge meetings. It also contains a host of other significant Provincial information. The Year Book is usually available from your Lodge secretary. For Lodges outside the Province of Berkshire, your Lodge Secretary will have a book published by Grand Lodge which lists all Lodges with their meeting dates and places. I don’t have my own apron – what do I do? If you are an Entered Apprentice or a Fellowcraft and have been invited, your host with arrange an apron for you with the Tyler of the Lodge, otherwise ask the Tyler direct. When you were Raised to the rank of a Master Mason, you were invested with your own Apron, which you should take with you to any meeting you attend. If you do not have it for some reason, you may be able to borrow one from the Tyler.

GF/M.Pt3.Iss 2 Sept/14 - - 16 - - Learning What is Loi? Loi stands for Lodge of Instruction, sometimes called Class of Instruction. This is where the ceremonies or Ritual are practised and rehearsed. Not all Lodges have their own Loi, some share an Loi with another Lodge, others have a District Loi open to all. The Loi is presided over by a Preceptor, who is in charge of the work. Meetings follow a very similar format to a normal Lodge meeting, and allow members to practice any work that they have learnt in a friendly environment. Most Loi’s allow anyone to try any piece of work, even from the Masters Chair. Any mistakes can be corrected in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere before the regular Lodge meeting. Is Loi only for practice and rehearsal of Ritual? Sadly that has been the case in the recent past although there is a revival in Berkshire of the practice of devoting more time to delving more deeply into the significance of the Ritual and the layout of the Lodge room. Why don’t people read the Ritual from a book? Historically, by not reading the Ritual, all were enabled to take part, even those of low standards of literacy. The ceremony has far more impact on the candidate when delivered from memory.

How do you become Master of a Lodge? The Master of the Lodge is elected once a year, from any Brother who has served for a year as a Warden in a regular Lodge or is a Past Master. Most Lodges maintain a tradition that the Senior Warden, if he so desires, progresses to the Master’s chair if duly elected. All GF/M.Pt3.Iss 2 Sept/14 - - 17 - - members of the Lodge, except Honorary Members, are entitled to vote for the Master Elect. When should I start learning the Ritual? If you want to, you can start learning the First Degree Ritual the day after you are Initiated, however, this probably isn’t recommended. Spend some time getting to know the members of the lodge and how the Lodge works. For Ritual, the working tools are a good place to start. Depending on the number of members in the Lodge, it may take a number of years before you are invited to start on the ‘ladder’, or it may be within a year or so of completing your Third Degree. There are Ritual books (Emulation working) available containing just the First or Second Degrees, and a third containing all three Degrees.

When you enter an office, you should know the work for that office, and be learning the work for the next office during your year. When approaching the Master’s Chair, you ought to learn parts of the Master’s work earlier than a year ahead, given the extent of the additional duties of the Chair. What’s the best way to learn Ritual? There is no best way to learn that applies to everyone. Some learn their Ritual lying in the bath, others when walking the dog, and still others on the train commuting into work. You should use whichever method works for you. For some, learning Ritual is not easy but you have several years in which to learn a little each day by hard work and effort. There are always members of the Lodge who will help you.

GF/M.Pt3.Iss 2 Sept/14 - - 18 - - One practice that has been found to be of use, is whenever possible, to practice the Ritual by saying the words aloud (always remembering your obligation not to divulge certain aspects of the ceremonies). This is how you will be delivering the work in the Lodge, and gives you the chance to hear yourself saying the words, rather than just in your own head. Discuss with your mentor on ways of learning if in difficulty. Why is the Ritual different in some Lodges? Originally, none of the Ritual was ever written down so regional variations developed over the years and eventually some of the more popular versions were documented.

The most common Ritual in Berkshire is Emulation although there are a handful of Lodges which practice Taylor’s or Universal. Even though the Lodge may use Emulation, it is often found that minor variations are practiced.

In the Province of East Kent, for example, each Lodge listed in their yearbook practices any one of the following forms of Ritual; Emulation, Emulation Revised, Emulation (Nigerian), Based on Emulation, Emulation (with variations), Emulation (with other influences), Sympathy, Taylor’s, Muggeridge, Taylor/Muggeridge, Gundulph, Complete (amended), West End, Universal, St Peter’s, Antiquity, Freedom, Belvedere, West Country Common Sense, Stability, Old Ruymian, Nigerian, Logic, and several have their own (each being unique to the individual Lodge).

When you visit, look out for and enjoy the differences whilst always practicing what you were taught in your own Lodge (including Signs).

GF/M.Pt3.Iss 2 Sept/14 - - 19 - - What are the prefixes used by various Brethren? Most Worshipful (M.W.) is accorded to and used by The Grand Master and Pro Grand Master, and Past Grand Masters and Past Pro Grand Masters.

Right Worshipful (R.W.) applies to Present and Past Deputy Grand Masters, Assistant Grand Masters, Metropolitan, Provincial and District Grand Masters, Pro Provincial and District Grand Masters and Grand Wardens.

Very Worshipful (V.W.) applies to Present and Past Grand Chaplains, Presidents of the Board of General Purposes, Grand Registrars, Grand Secretaries, Presidents of the Grand Charity, Presidents of the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys, Presidents of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution, Presidents of the New Masonic Samaritan Fund, Grand Directors of Ceremonies, Grand Sword Bearers, Grand Superintendents of Works, and Grand Inspectors.

Worshipful (W) applies to other Grand Officers, present and past, and Masters of Lodges, present and past.

Brother (Bro) applies to all other Brethren. If you are unsure of the correct prefix, just say or write ‘Brother’. We all answer to that. How many salutes should be given ? M.W. Brethren receive eleven; the Deputy and Assistant Grand Masters, present and past receive nine; other R.W. Brethren receive seven; V.W. Brethren receive five; other Grand Officers present and past receive three.

GF/M.Pt3.Iss 2 Sept/14 - - 20 - - Within their own Provinces Deputy and Assistant Provincial Grand Masters receive five, other Provincial and District Grand Officers receive three.

The DC will tell you the correct number of salutes to be given.

GF/M.Pt3.Iss 2 Sept/14 - - 21 - - Miscellaneous Where can I find more information? First point of reference is your Lodge Mentor. He will know if there is a Library at your Masonic Centre. If you prefer to borrow books, try the Berkshire Provincial Library at Sindlesham. It’s the second largest Masonic library in England. There are numerous books available covering a wide range of Masonic and related subjects.

‘Freemasonry Today’ is a magazine published by Grand Lodge. Another is The Masonic Square, published by the Ian Allan group. Most Provinces publish a yearbook and newsletter or magazine. The Berkshire Masonic Year Book, contains a wealth of information particularly useful to Berkshire Masons. Highly recommended to all members of the Province and all orders.

For serious research Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076 and the Q.C. Correspondence Circle Ltd. are excellent places to look. Membership of the Correspondence Circle is open to all Master Masons. Details are available in the Berkshire Masonic Year Book.

This booklet is one of several useful booklets available under the umbrella of the Berkshire Mentoring Scheme. They have been produced to assist the newer mason to understand and appreciate the workings of freemasonry. Your mentor will be able to advise you of how to obtain them and to explain their contents if required.

GF/M.Pt3.Iss 2 Sept/14 - - 22 - - Where Now? What should I do now? Having been Raised to the Degree of Master Mason, you will no doubt be enjoying the experience of watching or taking part in ceremonies, visiting other Lodges and other Masonic Centres, meeting new friends and renewing old friendships.

Perhaps you will be spending a few minutes every day learning Ritual in preparation for eventually becoming Master of your Lodge.

Your Lodge Mentor should be able to help you whenever you have a question you can’t easily resolve.

Hopefully you and your family will be enjoying the social activities associated with your Lodge and some of the Lodges you visit. Ladies’ Festivals, Quizzes, Barbecues, Race Days and Summer Fetes are just some social events regularly happening in the Province of Berkshire. The notice board at Sindlesham is nearly always advertising at least one function. Can I join another Lodge? Any Mason who is in good standing, having paid his Lodge dues up to date, can become a Joining member of another Craft Lodge by being Proposed, Seconded and Balloted successfully.

You could also become a member of another Order subject to satisfying the entry criteria.

GF/M.Pt3.Iss 2 Sept/14 - - 23 - - Should I encourage others to join? You may know others who would be good Freemasons, but rather than ask them to join, why not invite them to a social function or to an Open Day at Sindlesham? There are many who attend Ladies’ Festivals year after year, without ever wanting to become Freemasons, but 30% of Freemasons asked how to join as a result of a favourable impression gained from attending Ladies’ Festivals. What should I look for in potential Freemasons? The main characteristics are the kind of man who is charitable, kind to others, a good man to have as a neighbour, respected and respectable in his local community and having a fundamental belief in a Supreme Being, no matter what religious path he has chosen to follow. If you know of a good potential candidate who is interested in becoming a Freemason, check discretely that he can afford the financial outlay, including charitable giving without detriment to himself or his family or dependents and that he has no other commitments on the nights that your Lodge and its LoI meet. If there is a clash with his commitments outside Masonry, it would be better that he becomes a member of a different Lodge that meets on evenings more convenient to him.

Should I get involved in my local community charities? If you have time and inclination, you could help in your local community by various charitable works, not necessarily Masonic charities, showing that as a Freemason, you are a good citizen who cares for his family and community. Above all enjoy your Masonry without detriment to your family and connections.

GF/M.Pt3.Iss 2 Sept/14 - - 24 - - Notes

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Copies of this publication are available from the:

The Provincial Grand Secretary's office at Sindlesham Masonic Centre, Mole Road, Sindlesham, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG41 5DB. Tel: 0118 9787625

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