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News
Rochester Lodge Diary
Mon 1st March L.o.I 7.00Mon 8th March L.o.I 7.00
Mon 15th March L.o.I 7.00
Sat 20th March Installation Meeting 3.30
Provincial Grand Lodge Executive Appointments 2010
The Provincial Grand Master, R. W. Bro. Michael Robin Bailey, will be appointing new members of the Craft Provincial Executive at the forthcoming Provincial Meeting in April 2010.The Provincial Grand Master has invited W. Bro. Roger Odd PJGD PrGSec of the Old Ruymian Lodge No 8391 to accept the office of Deputy Provincial Grand Master.
The Provincial Grand Master has invited W. Bro. Roger Waltham PPrSGW of the Agricola Lodge No. 4501 and W. Bro. Nicholas Waller PPrJGW of the De Shurland Lodge No 1089 to accept the offices of Assistant Provincial Grand Masters. They will have respective roles in being responsible for the Masonic Library and Museum and the EKPCA.
The Provincial Grand Master has invited W. Bro. Christopher Saville PPrJGW of the Trinity Mariners’ Lodge No. 8406 to accept the office of Provincial Grand Secretary and for W. Bro. Richard Seath PPrGReg of the St. Augustine Lodge No. 972 to accept the office of Provincial Deputy Grand Secretary.
W. Bros. Roger Odd, Roger Waltham, Nicholas Waller, Christopher Saville and Richard Seath have accepted their respective appointments and will be invested at the Annual Meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge to be held in Margate on Friday 16 April 2010.
Provincial Grand Chapter Executive Appointments 2010
The ME Grand Superintendent, E. Comp. Michael Robin Bailey, will be appointing new members of the Chapter Provincial Executive at the forthcoming Provincial Convocation in May 2010.The ME Grand Superintendent has invited E. Comp. Brian Barden PAGSoj Third Provincial Grand Principal to take on the position of Second Provincial Grand Principal and for E. Comp. David Kershaw PPrGSoj of the Agricola Chapter No. 4501 to accept the office of Third Provincial Grand Principal.
E. Comp. Roger Odd is standing down as Provincial Grand Scribe Ezra after six years to take over as Provincial Deputy Grand Master and E. Comp. Christopher Saville of the Radnor Chapter No. 2587 has been invited by the ME Grand Superintendent to take over the position as Provincial Grand Scribe Ezra.
E. Comp. Neil Johnstone PGStB PrDGDC of the Norman Chapter No. 3502 has been invited to take over the position of Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies.
E. Comp. Ray Veness PPrGStB of the Military Jubilee Chapter No. 2195 has been invited to take over the position of Provincial Deputy Grand Scribe Ezra and E. Comp. Derry Clements PPrGSoj of the Agricola Chapter No. 4501 has been invited to take over the position of Provincial Grand Charity Steward.
E. Comps. Brian Barden, David Kershaw, Christopher Saville, Neil Johnstone, Ray Veness and Derry Clements have accepted these appointments and will be invested at the Annual Convocation in Margate on 20 May 2010.
What is "The Lodge"?
Masons often work to improve lodges by performing a number of tasks. Many actions have been taken or proposed in order to create better lodges and much debate has taken place about the proper way to improve Masonic lodges. However, in order to improve a lodge it is important that Masons take a step back and consider just what the term 'lodge' means.Mackey gives three definitions of the term 'lodge' in his Encyclopedia of Freemasonry. The first definition is "a place in which Freemasons meet." The second refers to the congregation of members which constitute the lodge. This definition compares the term 'lodge' to the term 'church' which refers to both the members of the organization and the building. The final definition that Mackey creates says that "the lodge, technically speaking, is a piece of furniture made in imitation of the Ark of the Covenant." Mackey states that as the Ark contained the law of the Hebrews, the lodge contains the Book of Constitutions and the lodge's warrant. (Mackey, Albert G. Encyclopedia of Freemasonry and its Kindred Sciences. p. 449-451)
Mackey's definitions are somewhat different than the definition given in Masonic ritual: "The lodge is composed of a constitutional number of Masons, duly assembled, with the VSL, square and compasses, and a charter or warrant empowering them to work." So perhaps the literal definition of the word 'lodge' may be: an assembly of Masons with a warrant to work by a recognized grand jurisdiction or a word which refers to the meeting place of a group of Masons.
However, the lodge also has a symbolic meaning. Carl H. Claudy says: "The lodge is a symbol of the world. Its shape, the "oblong square" is the ancient conception of the shape of the world. The Entered Apprentice is taught its dimensions, its covering, its furniture, its lights, its jewels, and will learn more of it as a symbol as he proceeds through the degrees. Although a symbol of the world, the lodge is a world unto itself; a world within a world, different in its customs, its laws, and its structure from the world without. In the world without are class distinctions, wealth, power, poverty, and misery. In the lodge all are on a level and peace and harmony prevail." (Claudy, Carl H. Introductory to Freemasonry-Entered Apprentice)
Considering Claudy's explanation of the lodge as a symbol, it is clear that the lodge has little to do with the brick and mortar of which the building is composed. The lodge is a peculiar society, a Brotherhood which is able to live by the Utopian ideals that the profane world can never realize.
Therefore, to improve the lodge is to improve the Brotherhood. It matters not where the lodge meets or the condition of its building. Filling the coffers of Masonic bodies or accumulating numbers will not necessarily improve the Brotherhood. Instead, the focus must be on improving the Brotherhood through the self-improvement of its members and the relief of its distressed.
A lodge is at least seven Masons with a warrant empowering them to meet and to practice Masonry. It is no more, it is no less. In order to improve the lodge, we must improve the Brothers which constitute that body. That is the only path to improving Masonic lodges.
Reprinted from - Freemasoninformation.com