What Freemasonry Offers
Would you like to join Freemasonry?
Freemasonry is a way of life where men can meet regularly in order to be active in the support of its own members, their ideals and of the community at large.
What you will get out of membership of Freemasonry will be reflected by the effort you make to integrate with the other members of the Lodge.
We are sure that you will gain far more from your membership than you expect, by becoming a Freemason and a more useful citizen in your community.
There are no mandates associated with your membership. After becoming a full member of the Lodge, you may be content to remain as a non-active member within the Lodge and just enjoy the fraternal gatherings.
We hope however that you will decide to progress through the various positions of responsibility within the ritual to become Master of this Lodge.
One of the benefits of becoming active in the ritual side of our ceremonies, which will assist you in everyday life, is that by increasing your mental capacity for memorising it will give you more self-confidence in speaking in front of your fellow men.
What Freemasonry Offers
And What Freemasonry expects of you!
Freemasonry is judged largely by the actions and lives of its individual members. When a man is known to be a Freemason, it is the standard by which the outside world judges our organisation. To ensure that our reputation remains impeccable we expect you to maintain the standards set out in the qualifications for membership.
Freemasonry demands and expects that every member will place the needs of his family first, his obligations to his vocation second, and after these his duties to Freemasonry.
There are certain financial responsibilities associated with your membership, just as there are costs in membership of any organisation. These however, are not too onerous. The fees payable are set by the Lodge in its by-laws which include:-
· An initiation fee payable prior to joining the Lodge.
This covers your registration with Grand Lodge, and the provision of a certificate which will be presented to you on becoming a full member of our organisation known as a Master Mason.
· An annual fee payable to the Lodge.
The Lodge uses this to maintain the facilities of the Lodge, either to cover the rent of premises, or the maintenance of owned buildings, social occasions and for all other matters of lodge administration.
North Wales Association For Masonic Study
All Lodges are affiliated to the Association on payment of an annual fee of £5.00 and can appoint a representative to serve on the Committee. The objects of the Association are to encourage the study of the history and symbolism of freemasonry, supporting the preparation of lectures and papers on Masonic subjects and supporting lecturers and lecture teams in the dissemination of Masonic knowledge.
In achieving these aims the Committee would: a) welcome any Brother willing to prepare and disseminate papers on any subject of Masonic import; b) kindly request lecturers to submit their papers to the Secretary prior to their delivery under the auspices of the Association.
Lodge Secretaries wishing for further information on lectures
available and/or Recorded Tapes of talks by members of the Quatuor Coronati
Correspondence Circle (QCCC) for hire should contact the Association´s Secretary.
Brief history of the Association.
The Association was the brainchild of a past Deputy Provincial Grand Master
of the North Wales Province, V.W. Bro. Col. James Ellis Evans, P.G.Swd.B. His
Annual Report delivered, in his unavoidable absence, by W. Bro. William Jones,
O.B.E., P.G.D., Assistant Provincial Grand Master, at the Provincial Annual
General Meeting in September 1962 suggested that more attention should be directed
towards the study of the history and development of Freemasonry throughout the
ages.
His Report indicated that the Deputy Provincial Grand Master would be taking steps during the forthcoming Masonic season to establish an organisation, which would realise those ambitions. Following that Meeting and in the bleak mid-winter of 1963, probably the worst winter of the second half of the century, a meeting was convened and chaired by V.W. Bro. Ellis Evans at Rhyl on the 12th January 1963.
It was resolved to appoint a Committee under V.W. Bro. Ellis Evans´ chairmanship, to examine how an organisation might be established "to encourage the wider dissemination of Masonic knowledge throughout the Province, particularly as regards its symbolism, history and esoteric meaning, especially amongst the more junior Brethren". W. Bro. C. S. Harrison, P.Pr.G.W. (West Lancs.) was appointed Secretary.
At the next meeting held on 16th February 1963, V.W. Bro. Ellis Evans informed the Committee that his busy schedule would not allow his regular attendance at every meeting. He therefore appointed W. Bro. Harrison as Chairman, and Bro. Kenneth Glyn Williams as Secretary.
The Minutes demonstrate that V.W. Bro. Ellis Evans did manage to attend the majority of the subsequent formation meetings. On 14th September 1963, W. Bro. the Rev. E. Harries Jones, P.A.G.Chap. was invited to become the Association´s Vice-Chairman; he replaced W. Bro. Harrison as Chairman in 1967 and remained so until 1st June 1985 when he and W. Bro. K G Williams relinquished their offices in favour of W. Bro. Ken Leighton-Jones, P.Pr.S.G.D. as Chairman and W. Bro. Arfon Rawling as Secretary.
W. Bro. Rawling served as Secretary until his passing in July 1994,when W.Bro. Hywel Wyn Jones, P.Prov.J.G.W., succeeded him to be followed by W.Bro. Philip A. James, P.Prov.G.Swd.B., in 2011. W. Bro. Ken Leighton-Jones continued as Chairman until his passing in June 2001. With his passing the Rules of the Association were revised to ensure that the office of Chairman was re-assumed by the Rulers in the Craft of the North Wales Province.
Under their guidance the Association continues with its work of nurturing and fostering Masonic research by supporting lecture teams and lecturers, and encouraging new lecturers to come forward to add to the dissemination of Masonic knowledge throughout the Province. A service review is currently being undertaken with a view to expanding the role of the Association to meet the future needs of the Province.
Further information about the Association and its work and/or details of lecturers and demonstrations, which may be available, can be obtained from the Secretary whose contact details are given below.
President
R.W.Bro. Ieuan Redvers Jones, Provincial Grand Master
Past President
R.W.Bro. I. L. Mackeson-Sandbach,
Past Provincial Grand Master
Vice-Presidents
V.W.Bro. Owen Wheldon Williams, G.Swd.B.,
Deputy Provincial Grand Master
W.Bro. John Tudor Morris, P.S.G.D.,
Assistant Provincial Grand Master
W.Bro. Gerald John Charles Edwards, P.S.G.D.,
Assistant Provincial Grand Master
E. Comp. Allan Edgar Powell, P.G.Swd.B.
Deputy Grand Superintendent.
Past Vice Presidents
VW. Bro. R. Hefin Davies MBE, O.St.J., D.L., P.G.Swd.B.,
Past Deputy Provincial Grand Master.
W. Bro. D. E. A. Jones, CBE, DL, P.S.G.D.,
Past Assistant Provincial Grand Master.
E. Comp. Bryan Lewis, P.G.Swd.B., P.Dep.G.Supt.,
(P.S.G.D., P.Asst.Pr.G.M.)
Chairman
W.Bro. Wynford Davies, P.A.G.D.C.
Vice-Chairman
W.Bro. Hywel Wyn Jones, P.Prov.J.G.W.
Treasurer
W. Bro. G. R. Thomas, P.Pr.J.G.W.
Glenydd, 15, Queen's Road, Old Colwyn, Colwyn Bay, LL29 9EB
Tel. 01492 515028
Secretary
W. Bro. P.A. James, P.Prov.G.Swd.B.
Fedw Arian, 4 Silverbirch Drive, Gresford, Wrexham. LL12 8YX
Tel. 01978 854471
E-Mail: james@marford.fsbusiness.co.uk
Auditor
W.Bro. D. M. Lewis-Jones,
P.Pr.J.G.W.
Interested in joining?
The Structure of North Wales Lodges
Within the international world of Freemasonry, the most important entity to you will be the Lodge that you join.
Worldwide there are Grand Lodges that govern specific geographical territories and each individual lodge relies on its own Grand Lodge for the setting of standards and for recognition with other Grand Lodges.
In our Lodges, the controlling body is the United Grand Lodge of England with over 300,000 members working in nearly 8,000 lodges in England and Wales.
Every single lodge in the country also comes under the jurisdiction of a Provincial Grand Lodge which, in our case, is the Provincial Grand Lodge of North Wales.
Every lodge is presided over by a Master, who normally holds office for a year, who will be pleased to meet and receive you at your first lodge meeting.
We are obliged by Grand Lodge rules, to ensure that all Candidates for joining Freemasonry are elected by secret ballot of the Lodge members.
Other decisions concerning financial and administrative affairs are democratically made in open lodge by all the Lodge members present.
Voting is usually by show of hands, but if the Master deems it necessary, decisions may be made by secret ballot, ensuring that at all times the will of the majority prevails.
As soon as you join the Lodge you will become eligible to vote on any matters concerning the Lodge.
Your proposer will have explained to you on which night the Lodge meets and in which months of the year.
It is expected that you will make every effort to attend the Lodge at each of its meetings, to receive maximum benefit from your membership and to assist those who rely on your attendance.
At Lodge meetings, ceremonies are usually conducted to bring new members, or Initiates, into Freemasonry or to take them to the next step towards becoming a Master Mason.
On other occasions there may be a guest speaker giving a talk on a subject of Masonic interest or there may simply be a discussion among the Lodge members.
Following the meetings, the members and their visitors usually gather in the dining room for a meal and to enjoy each other's company in a relaxed and informal environment.
Visiting other lodges, either in this Province or for that matter anywhere in the world, is always an enjoyable experience.
It will give you the opportunity to increase your circle of Masonic friends, learn how other lodges conduct ceremonies and generally to enjoy the wider Masonic life that membership brings.
