Back in December, I blogged about my somewhat fast-tracked promotion within the Royal Arch.
After a few months, the evening has come, and now gone - I was invested as Principal Sojourner of my Royal Arch Chapter this evening.
In English Royal Arch Chapters, there are several positions leading up to the 3rd Principal's chair, and most Companions start off as a Steward, before progressing to 2nd Assistant Sojourner, 1st Assistant Sojourner, and then finally Principal Sojourner.
So, why, after a mere nine months in the Royal Arch, have I gained such a fast promotion? Well, my Chapter has been, unfortunately, suffering. At the moment, we only have twelve members, and all but two of us are either Past Principals, or current Principals of the Chapter. The other Companion who hasn't been in a Principal's chair rarely shows up, as he is so busy within his career. Last December, I was approached and asked if I would take on the office - I was not pressured into the role, and I agreed to do it, of my own volition.
It is my opinion that the work of the Principal Sojourner is one of the nicest pieces of ritual within Freemasonry, and with a potential five candidates in the works for the Chapter, I look forward to the challenges and the rewards of the coming year, as well as to contributing to the recovery of the Chapter.
3 comments:
My Chapter's COI is on Sunday mornings, so I can never get to it (church commitments). I have thus refused preferment. However, last month I got a letter from MEZ-Elect appointing me Assistant Scribe E. I was taken aback and said so. MEZ-Elect called me and we decided I should stay as a Steward. The only duty of the Asst. Scribe E is to arrange the dinners, and the food at the centre at which we meet is so dire that I would hesitate to be associated with it.
I may try to find a chapter which does not have a COI on Sundays and become active in that after I've been through the chairs in my mother lodge.
Congratulations on your advancement and I would guess that in four years we will be calling you "Most Excellent".
It happens.
I was made Senior Steward of my lodge the month after I was raised. Elected as Senior Warden 9 months later. Elected Worshipful Master just two years after being initiated.
Look at it this way. You haven't been around long enough to be taught bad habits.
Interesting, this. I have only missed out on Junior Deacon--I've filled all the other chairs. I truly believe that to be a good Master, it is helpful to have been around a lodge well enough to know your brethren and also have participated in enough Lodge meetings so that you are comfortable with the order of proceedings. Here in England, Lodges normally meet only 4 times a year, and unless you only visit Lodges that use the same ritual that your mother lodge does, you will see a multitude of rituals, and hear many small variations on the words.
I was initiated in February 2005, raised in February 2006, so to date I have attended 17 meetings of my mother lodge. The meeting at which I am installed as Master of the Lodge (TGAOTU willing) will be my 22nd. I hope that this will be enough.
Older Brethren of my Lodge tell stories of so many men being initiated that it took 10 years to get into the line. In fact, our Lodge was formed by men from another Lodge who were concerned that they would never be able to get into the line because there were so many initiates (this was 1936).
Going to so many meeting does indeed help, in my opinion. In the US, of course, Brother Chris, there are usually 10 meetings a year so, if one has been faithful in attendance, after 5 years one has been to 50 meetings. My Massachusetts lodge, Philanthropic Lodge in Marblehead (where I come from) has not only 10 meetings a year but probably 4 or 5 special meetings, as they have so many initiates coming through.
It is only now that I am about to take up the office of Senior Warden that I feel somewhat confident about the ritual and the "feeling" of the Lodge. My Brethren have also known me for 4 years now and can have confidence in me as well.
Sorry this is so long; I suppose I should have put it in my blog and pointed to it here.
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