Interested in joining?
Would you like to join Freemasonry?
Freemasonry is one of the world's oldest secular fraternal societies. Its members are taught its precepts by a series of ritual dramas - a progression of allegorical two-part plays which are learnt by heart and performed within each Lodge - which follow ancient forms, and use stonemasons' customs and tools as allegorical guides
North Wales Freemasons are proud of their Masonic traditions, and support the move by the United Grand Lodge of England to promote the many benefits of Freemasonry.
Freemasonry is an institution devoted to exhorting its members to live their lives according to the highest standards of integrity, probity and virtue, to practice charity to all, to act honourably on every occasion, and to enjoy the social fellowship of men of like mind.
Every Freemason has undertaken to do his best to live up to these Principles.
From its earliest days Freemasonry has been involved in charitable activities, and since its inception it has provided support for many widows and dependants of Freemasons, as well as members of the Craft who need either short or long-term financial assistance.
Funds have always been made available for other charitable purposes, especially when assistance is urgently required for events such as natural disasters including earthquakes, tsunamis and bushfires.
Freemasonry or "the Craft" has over 6 million worldwide members and teaches its members self-knowledge through participation in a progression of ceremonies.
Presentation by the R.M.T.G.B.
10th October, 2009
Response by RWPGM
Brethren, I am sure that we all found that presentation by V.W. Bro. Michael Woodcock and W.Bro. Leslie Hutchinson of the RMTGB to be of tremendous value in helping us understand what our Festival is about and realise what a worthy cause we are going to support. I thank both of you Brethren for your very ready and kind assistance.
This is a Charity that comes right into this Province, a Charity which directly assists the distressed and unfortunate amongst us. There is a booklet which you all will receive very soon. Read it, see how you can bring a smile to a child´s face, and hope to a sad family.
I have decided upon a target of £2.75 million. This figure was arrived at following advice from executive members of the NWMBA and very careful consideration of the current economic climate, especially in North Wales and of our decreasing membership. I am also very conscious of your generosity and am hopeful that you will sail to the target.
There
will be a Festival Honorific, which with a commitment now to donate £500 over
the Festival period you will immediately receive and be entitled to wear a Festival
Jewel as a Steward. For a commitment to donate £1,000 you will be entitled to
a Patronage. I was a Lawyer, not a mathematician but even I can work out that
£500 over the remaining period is less than £5 per month. You pay more for your
daily paper and I am sure that the benefit from this £5 will be far greater
than anything the Press has ever given you. Just double the figure for the Patron´s
Jewel.
I am pleased to inform you that the jewel has already been produced and is available once a commitment has been made. You can start today; the Standing Order and Gift Aid forms are available as are the Jewels. Many of you, I am sure, are already well on the way to the Target figure. If you already have a standing order in being the amount paid since the end of the last festival will be taken into account. To assist you all, the Provincial Charity Steward will arrange Forums and the Trust is also very willing to come around and preach to the unconverted as well as the converted. I will also make every effort to enable local donations to continue during the Festival period.
It is unlikely that I will be the PGM in 2017, so please ensure that my successor has a good start. But now let me give the Festival a kick off by donating on your behalf a cheque for £50,000 to the Trust.
Brethren go forth, collect and give
to bring that smile to faces. Thank you.
Interested in joining?
Would you like to join Freemasonry?
Famous Freemasons have played key roles in history and the list is long and illustrious. Statesmen like Sir Winston Churchill and George Washington who changed the course of history; scientists like, Sir Alexander Fleming, Joseph Lister and Dr Edward Jenner who made the world a safer place; and heroic explorers who extended the frontiers of the known world like Sir Richard Burton, Capt Robert Falcon Scott and Sir Ernest Shackleton and more recently Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin.
Famous military men like the 1st Duke of Wellington (Arthur Wellesley), Field Marshalls Kitchener, Haig, French and Alexander as well as sailors such as Admirals Earl Jellicoe and Lord Charles Beresford along with Marshal of the RAF, Lord Newall - all played a crucial role in defending our country.
Royalty also in the persons of King George IV, William IV, Edward VII & VIII, and George VI as well as the current Grand Master HRH The Duke of Kent, KG., were all Freemasons. Philanthropists like Henri Dunant founder of the Red Cross, Dr. T. J. Barnardo and Sir William 'Billy' Butlin whose charitable works helped the poor and needy were also Freemasons.
Also included are writers such as Edward Gibbon, Robert Burns, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Rudyard Kipling as well as sportsmen like William 'Jack' Dempsey, 'Sugar Ray' Robinson, Harold Abrahams, Arnold Palmer and Sir Donald Campbell along with some well known entertainers like John Wayne, Peter Sellers, Harry Houdini, Tommy Cooper and the Cornish comedian Jethro.
This seemingly endless list also includes Businessmen like Henry Ford and Andre Citroën. All of these men were proud to call themselves Freemasons.
