Scarlet Cord Programme.Indd
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
The Ancient and Masonic Order of the Scarlet Cord Inauguration Wednesday 21st July 2010 Freemasons’ Hall Great Queen Street London WC2B 5AZ Conferral of First Grade of the Scarlet Cord : 12 noon Inauguration : 3:00pm Dinner : 6:30pm Inauguration of The Ancient and Masonic Order of the Scarlet Cord 1 Contents page 4-5 : A Message from Most Distinguished Companion Michael Guest, Grand Summus page 6 : Most Distinguished Companion Peter Glyn Williams page 7-12 : A History of the Order by Most Distinguished Companion Peter Glyn Williams page 14-15 : Judge Augustus Adolphus Philbrick QC, Notable Scarlet Cord Mason - a Biography page 16-19 : Most Distinguished Companion Michael Guest - a Biography page 20-21 : Grand Officers of the Ancient and Masonic Order of the Scarlet Cord - Acting Rank page 22-25 : Grand Rank Appointments to Past Rank page 26-35 : Founders Roll of Honour page 36 : Precedence of Provinces page 37 : Qualifications for Membership page 37 : The Scarlet Cord Website page 38-39 : The Tzaddikim page 40-45 : Inauguration Agenda page 46 : The Festive Board Menu page 47 : Toasts page 48-51 : The Principal Officers page 52 : The Six Grades of the Order page 53-57 : Regalia page 58-59 : List of Scarlet Cord Conclaves page 60-61 : List of Scarlet Cord Consistories page 62-63 : Charity - The Alzheimers Society page 64-65 : Charity - Rainbow Trust page 66-71 : The Way Forward Comittee page 72-73 : The Work of the Inaguration Sub-Committees page 74-76 : Appendices Inauguration of The Ancient and Masonic Order of the Scarlet Cord 3 A Message from M.Dist.Comp. Michael Guest Very Dear Brethren and Companions, Firstly, may I welcome you all to this historic and unique Masonic occasion. The Inauguration of any Masonic Order is by its nature very special and I trust that the warm recollection of today’s events will remain with you for many years to come. From a personal perspective, I feel immensely I would also like to place on record my proud to have been designated Grand Summus grateful thanks to the Grand Recorder and his and you may be sure that during my time in that team at Mark Masons’ Hall who have worked office I shall do everything possible to maximise tirelessly and patiently in the months leading the enjoyment and satisfaction of every one of up to today’s Inauguration and of course our our Scarlet Cord Companions. thanks to Freemasons’ Hall for providing a As you may imagine, today’s Inauguration is superb venue for such an historic Masonic the result of many months of preparation and occasion. hard work by a large number of people, building Finally, my special thanks to all of you for your on the previous initiative and inspiration of my wonderful support in making today possible. As predecessor as Grand Supreme Ruler, Most we begin this new Masonic journey together, it Worthy Brother Peter Glyn Williams, to whom is my most earnest hope that the Scarlet Cord we will always be indebted. will continue to be synonymous with fraternal I am most grateful to Brian Wareham and union and Masonic excellence. Andrew Sweeney, who are to be my Deputy and Assistant for their support and encouragement and to all those on the various committees and sub-committees whose industry and dedication has been instrumental in bringing this Michael W. Guest Inauguration to fruition. Their work is detailed July 2010 later in the brochure as a record for the future. Thanks are due to the Provincial and District Grand Supreme Rulers both at home and abroad and their teams for their efforts in setting up Scarlet Cord Conclaves throughout the Constitution. You may be interested to know that at the time of printing this brochure the number of Scarlet Cord Conclaves stood at 64 Most Distinguished Companion with a membership in excess of 2,500. Michael William Guest Grand Summus 4 Inauguration of The Ancient and Masonic Order of the Scarlet Cord Inauguration of The Ancient and Masonic Order of the Scarlet Cord 5 Most Distinguished Brother A History of the Ancient and Masonic Order of the Peter Glyn Williams Scarlet Cord Peter Glyn Williams has, over a period of many Address to the Supreme Rulers’ Conclave No.123 at Mark Masons’ Hall on Friday, 8th June, 2001: A History of the years, made an immense contribution to almost Royal Order of Masonic Knights of the Scarlet Cord delivered by Most Worthy Brother P. G. Williams, PGSR every order of Masonry and in particular those administered from Mark Masons’ Hall. In response to the interest shown by Brethren, in their questions when visiting Conclaves in the He is particularly remembered for his nine Provinces, I am going to talk to you about an Order developed in the British Isles in 1889 which years as Grand Secretary at Mark Masons’ was founded upon ancient 18th Century documents from the Amsterdam Masonic archives. Hall from 1987 to 1996 and subsequently as The rituals and ceremonies were rewritten and enriched by one of the authors of the three Grand Supreme Ruler of the Order of the Secret rituals currently used in our Secret Monitor ceremonies. I refer, of course, to His Honour Judge Monitor from 1997 to 2009. Frederick Adolphus Philbrick, K.C., and the Royal Order of Knights of the Scarlet Cord. Under Peter Glyn Williams’ guidance and Actively involved with Philbrick in the embryo stages of this appendant rite were several other due in no small measure to his astute and founders of our Grand Conclave, Dr Issachar Zacharie Colonel Shadwell Clerke, Grand Secretary of charismatic leadership, the Order of the Secret the Craft, General Charles Randolph, PGW, Colonel Sir Francis Burdett, Charles Fitzgerald Matier, Monitor enjoyed significant growth both at Grand Secretary of the Mark, Richard Ede, W G Lemon, James Lewis Thomas and William Joseph home and abroad during his term as Grand Spratling; also Japheth Tickle, the D.R. of the Order, the Earl of Warwick, the Earl of Londesborough, Supreme Ruler. the Earl of Halsbury, Lord Methuen, Charles Edward Keyser, The Maharajah of Cooch Behar, H H The Inauguration of the Scarlet Cord has only Nawab Waheed-ud-deen Khan Bahadur, H H Nawab Najib-ud-deen, J Waldie Pearson, Chancellor of been made possible by virtue of Peter’s original the Diocese of Pretoria; C J Higgs, Madras; Frank Chatterton, Kerala; and many other distinguished inspired vision of bringing the Order back into Secret Monitors from Bangalore, Calcutta, Hyderabad, Natal, Transvaal, Burma, and the British mainstream Freemasonry and every member Isles of both the Order of the Secret Monitor and Candidates for membership of The Royal Order of Knights of the Scarlet Cord were required the Scarlet Cord owes him an immense debt to be Princes of the Order, and holders of a special Badge showing membership of the Fund of of gratitude for all that he has done for both Benevolence of the Order of the Secret Monitor, a requirement I shall enlarge upon in due course. Orders. Further than this there was no bar to admission, except the usual ballot. Members were of six It is therefore with the very greatest pleasure classes or Grades. that we have printed the following History of the Order of the Scarlet Cord, written and delivered (1) The “Elected” (Companions) called Ostiarii, or Doorkeepers C.S.C. by Most Worthy Brother Peter Glyn Williams (2) The “Chosen” (Readers) called Lectores or Readers R.S.C. at the meeting of Supreme Rulers’ Conclave (3) The “Promoted” (Fellows) called Exorcists or Healers F.S.C. No.123 at Mark Masons’ Hall on Friday 8th (4) The “Preferred” (Court of Assistants) called Courtly Companion C.C.S.C. June 2001 (5) The “Dedicated” (Revered Companions) called High Priests H.P.S.C. (6) The “Installed” (Knightly Companions) called Knights K.C.S.C. The Knights of the Royal Order, the High Priests, and the Court of Assistants together formed the “Court of the Confedarati”, and when attended by the officers appointed, the assembly was denominated the “Senatus”. Presiding over all these Grades was the “Summus” in his office of Chief 6 Inauguration of The Ancient and Masonic Order of the Scarlet Cord Inauguration of The Ancient and Masonic Order of the Scarlet Cord 7 of the “Senatus” in the Court of the “Confedarati”. It was to this body that all regulations were submitted, or “Diaconus” was filled. (when approved by the Court of Assistants), and if there sanctioned, the “Ordinances” of the “Court of All the other Officers were selected from the “Court of Assistants” but there were Junior Officers the Confedarati” became “Statutes of the Order”, and, thus, binding upon the whole body of “Prince who were generally chosen from the Consistories. The High Officers all had to be within easy access of Masons”. Each “Prince Mason” was styled a Companion, but he may become entitled to the appellation London, and it was the same with the other working Officers, but it was the custom to appoint as Deputy “Courtly”. “Revered” or “Knightly” according to his Office or seniority. Officers five Companions who were domiciled overseas. All offices were yearly appointments, and for Members of the Court of Assistants were either “Acolytes” of High Priests, or “Aides de Camp” of so long as it pleased the “Summus” to re-appoint the same Companion. It was clearly understood, Knights, and if the latter, they were appointed to a command, when qualified, and then wore the red however, that any Officer who was absent from two consecutive meetings, and had not attended the epaulettes.