Quarterly Communication

The Pro Grand Master Peter Lowndes encourages members to take the time to make new candidates comfortable

Swelling the membership

In his March message, Pro Grand Master Peter Lowndes talks about the importance of welcoming new candidates to Freemasonry

PORTRAIT JOONEY WOODWARD

Brethren, over the past several months I have been trying to put a positive spin on where we are in Freemasonry. I have genuinely felt this to be the case, but I probably didn’t have any concrete evidence. I believe we have been given that evidence today in the talk we have received earlier. I have heard time and time again around the country about how many candidates there have been waiting in the wings – and this was most certainly not imaginary. However, what I did not know were the numbers we were losing for whatever reason. Today’s figures are rather more than comforting.

This situation has, clearly, got much to do with the way the members of the Craft conduct themselves both in private and public. Our public image has improved immeasurably, and rightly so when you see the fantastic work that has been done in our Provinces and Districts.

This is, of course, not a new phenomenon. We have always done so much, but over this dire period we have achieved even more and, importantly, we have been able to get the general public to see all the good work and appreciate it. The rather improved attitude of the media towards us is an enormous advantage in all of this.

Of course, it does no harm to our public image when we are able to do what we did yesterday. The Grand Master hosted HRH the Earl of Wessex to the Masonic Charitable Fund meeting, where we donated £300,000 from our Duke of Edinburgh Memorial Fund Relief Chest to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Many of the recipient charities were represented and it was a convivial occasion showing Freemasonry at its best.

When I used the word ‘private’ earlier I was referring to our behaviour in our own Lodges and other gatherings. It is no good having a mass of candidates if we don’t process them properly and look after them on the initial stages of their journey, so that they can get fully involved in all the workings of their Lodge and the Craft.

When we, as individuals, introduce someone to our Lodge, it is relatively easy to keep an eye on the ongoing process and ensure that all is well. However, so many of our new members now come to us through websites and the like and we must ensure that they are as well looked after as those we introduce ourselves. This must happen from the day they make contact.

The responsibility for this lies largely with the Province or District with which the contact is made. They must ensure that the person concerned is worthy of our confidence and direct them towards what they consider to be the best Lodge for the individual. They then need to make certain that the journey continues in the right direction. It would seem from the reports we are getting that this process is working pretty well in most places and we should be appreciative of all those spending their time overseeing this aspect.

The Lodge itself must be responsible for organising when the ceremonies will take place and how they are conducted. I think we all know what a good impression a well-conducted ceremony has on a candidate, just as the reverse is true. I have said on several occasions in the past that the ‘time out’ that we have all had to experience over the past two years should negate the oft-used excuse for poor ritual: ‘I didn’t have time to learn it’.

I have been receiving reports that members are having difficulty getting back into the habit of learning the ritual and that standards are slipping. Brethren, please don’t let this happen. Surely, looking the candidate in the eye when delivering the ritual has a so much greater effect on him than never looking at him at all while reading from the book or looking for your place in some hastily written notes. Let me assure you that the satisfaction of a candidate thanking you for such a good experience makes it all so worthwhile. I do know that, brethren, as, believe it or not, it has occasionally happened to me.

Brethren, over the past 13 years you have had to listen for far too long to my end-ofmeeting speeches. You will be glad to know you will be saved from this from September. At that Quarterly Communication, the Most Worshipful Grand Master will install Right Worshipful Brother Jonathan Spence as his new Pro Grand Master. This change will also apply to the Royal Arch. I have had a wonderful time as Pro Grand Master and will say more about that at my last hoorah in June. Thank you brethren.

‘Our public image has improved immeasurably, and rightly so when you see the fantastic work that has been done’