Provincial Grand Lodge of East Lancashire><br /> <h1 class=The Provincial Grand Master

ADDRESS TO PROVINCIAL GRAND CHAPTER

18 MAY 2005

Most Excellent Companion Past Second Grand Principal, Honoured Guests and Companions of East Lancashire.

First and foremost this morning I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Most Excellent Companion Peter Lowndes and his team for making the journey to Blackburn to install me as Grand Superintendent in and over the Province of East Lancashire. We had the pleasure of dining out the London team last night and my predecessor, who was present, insisted on seeing out his tenure which finished at midnight, accompanied by liberal amounts of Ardbeg. Then the Grand Director of Ceremonies and his team were here this morning at 8 o'clock working on today's ceremony. Sir, it is much appreciated and you are all most welcome.

May I speak on my own behalf but also for every Companion in this Province of ours when I assure you, and in turn the Most Excellent First Grand Principal, of our absolute loyalty and support and I would be grateful if you would convey those sentiments to him when you next meet in London.

You have been assisted this morning by Companion Tim Richards from the South of our borders and Companion John Hale from the North of our borders, two men who I have grown to know well in my time as a member of the East Lancashire team and how rewarding it is for me personally that I have such good friends actively involved in my Installation. In fact, my craft Lodge is having a summer outing with our ladies to Gawsworth Hall the home of Companion Richards and I have been asked to negotiate some special rates with Tim during our time together today.

So, two guests from neighbouring Provinces and in thanking them most sincerely could I also say how welcome they are, as are all our other distinguished guests both from other Provinces and our own Province of East Lancashire. I do apologise that we had to restrict the number of guests from other Provinces but this is because of dining limitations and I am sure you will understand my wish to reserve as many places as possible for East Lancashire Freemasons.

And whilst on the subject of welcome could I, on a personal note, also welcome my colleagues from Social Chapter No.62. My predecessor, Peter Walthall, is also a member of this Chapter and was my seconder into the Royal Arch. Over the last 30 years, I have made some wonderful friends through my membership of the Chapter. Many of them are here today and I would like to thank each one of them for their support and encouragement as I take on this new Office.

It was very kind of my predecessor to consult with me about changes in the Senior Team on the retirement of several Companions. I was delighted when Excellent Companion Jack Price accepted the invitation to become Deputy Grand Superintendent. As you all know, in a Province of this size, the Deputy Grand Superintendent all but runs the Royal Arch. I will, of course, attend some meetings, but the bulk of the work will be done by Companion Price and his team, to allow me to concentrate on the Craft whose success is pivotal to all other Masonic orders.

He is a Freemason of great experience having held senior roles in both Craft and the Royal Arch and I am indeed fortunate to have such a good friend and solid citizen as my Deputy.

Excellent Companion Allan Bennion as Second Provincial Grand Principal took office just over a year ago and I am delighted he has agreed to continue, again a Freemason of great experience.

And then my predecessor appointed Excellent Companion The Reverend Donald Pryce as Third Provincial Grand Principal in March to succeed Excellent Companion Jack Thompson and I was delighted to reappoint him. Donald, in his capacity as Provincial Grand Chaplain in the Craft, has accompanied me to a number of Craft amalgamations and has done wonderfully well in each case with thoughtful orations. We can now look forward to the same in the Royal Arch.

To the Assistants to the Provincial Grand Principals, three of whom were appointed only two months ago, I thank each of you for accepting my invitation to continue and I greatly look forward to working with you. My Deputy Grand Superintendent has a super team to lead and I have every confidence that together and supported by the District Officers Royal Arch, they will take the necessary steps to strengthen the Royal Arch in this Province of ours.

Which leads me to the subject of restructuring in the Royal Arch. Companions. I will be saying something about Craft restructure this afternoon but I do believe we need to address this issue also in the Royal Arch. At our Provincial Meeting in March I was sitting next to the Deputy Grand Superintendent of West Yorkshire who have a similar number of Royal Arch masons, as do we in East Lancashire. The difference, Companions, is that they have approximately 80 Chapters we still have 140. I will be asking the Assistants to encourage Chapters to think about their future in the same way as has been done in the Craft. The final decision, of course, will be with each Chapter but the issue does need to be addressed.

Companions, we have heard over the recent past by way of debate, rumour and suggestion about the future of the Royal Arch and we - because we are keen Royal Arch masons - awaited with interest the pronouncements and conclusions of the Strategic Working Party and the subsequent revisions of the Royal Arch ritual which were adopted in Supreme Grand Chapter on the 10 th November 2004.

My own reaction to the changes was one of relief. The mandatory changes make good sense. On the one hand in an uncomplicated way they help to clarify the message and seem to me to help the ritual flow in a user friendly manner. On the other hand the optional changes recognise that Chapters may, within the limits permitted, use their own judgement to adopt change where they feel it would benefit the Chapter and its workings. I think this is all eminently sensible and is a reflection of the trust held by our High Rulers for the Royal Arch.

It is a reaffirmation that joining the Royal Arch is the way towards completion of the Masonic journey and quest for knowledge, which is started by every entered apprentice Freemason as he passes through his initiation in his Craft lodge - and that a perfect understanding can only be gained by passing through the three Principals' Chairs clearly illustrates and underlines the indissoluble attachment between Craft masonry and the Royal Arch - something that you and I are proud to proclaim.

Could I perhaps put it another way? To me the most important aspect, the inner core of freemasonry, is its moral code. Through the ritual teaching it raises in our minds the whole question of how we should try and lead our lives - the type of human being to which a Freemason should aspire. In that vein, Companions, the Craft teaches about our relationship with our fellow human beings. The Royal Arch teaches us about our relationship with our God - and, Companions, it just seems to me that on the basis that every Freemason has a belief in a Supreme Being then it should follow that a Freemason might wish to be exposed to any experience which would allow him to think about and improve his relationship with his God - Companions, that is the Royal Arch.

We face a future filled with change and challenges, these we can and must face together. The Royal Arch is a beautiful, special, colourful and enlightening order, where friendships and knowledge can blossom. I am so proud to be a Royal Arch Mason and I ask you to join my team and I on an exciting journey - to build a bright and confident future for the Royal Arch Province of East Lancashire.

Thank you for being here this morning, your presence has helped so much to make this meeting very special, enjoy your lunch and I trust we shall see you all this afternoon at the Craft Meeting.

Thank you very much.

EComp Paul JE Rink, OBE
ME Grand Superintendent
18 May 2005