The Ancient and Honourable Fraternity of Royal Ark Mariner, more commonly known as RAM, has been under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons since 1871 and governed by the Grand Master's Royal Ark Council. However, its early history is obscure. Statutes refer to Grand Lodge being reconstituted in 1772. It is recorded that the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons took possession of the rights to the Grand Lodge of Royal Ark Mariner on 10 June 1884 for just £25.
2017 Address of the Pro Grand Master
Address of the Pro Grand Master
M.W.Bro. Raymond J. Smith
Annual Assembly of Royal Ark Mariner
Tuesday, 12 December 2017
Brethren, it is a great pleasure to welcome you all to this Annual Assembly of Royal Ark Mariner. To have so many members present today indicates that support for this delightful Order in our Masonry is as strong as ever.
My first duty, however, must be to bring you fraternal good wishes from our Most Worshipful Grand Master. His duties keep him as busy as ever but he is always aware of our proceedings, indeed his interest remains unabated and during next year he has agreed to be with us on several important occasions. We are indeed most fortunate to have him as our Most Worshipful Grand Master.
This annual meeting of our Order is important, but to those 159 Brethren who have received appointments to Royal Ark Mariner Grand Rank, most of whom have been invested today, it marks a most significant milestone in their Masonic life. They have shown their dedication to Masonry in general, and to this Royal Ark Mariner degree in particular, having succeeded in extending their Masonic knowledge so successfully to have warranted their appointment to Grand Rank in this Order. Congratulations to all of you and it has indeed been my great pleasure and privilege to have invested you today.
All of you who have received preferment should rightly be proud of your achievement and both here, in this Grand Assembly, and in your Provinces and Lodges, your appointment to this high office will rightly be recognised. I hope, however, that having achieved such high office your dedication will not diminish but that you will continue with your commitment to this Order and will encourage others to follow in your footsteps.
Annual Assembly