Royal Ark Mariner

Pro Grand Master's Address 2018

Address of the Pro Grand Master
M.W.Bro. Raymond J. Smith
Annual Assembly of Royal Ark Mariner
Tuesday, 11 December 2018

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Brethren, it is a great privilege, delight and pleasure to have the honour to preside at today's meeting, to welcome so many to this Grand Assembly of Royal Ark Mariners. The Grand Secretary tells me this is one of the best attended Grand Assembly meetings and that indicates that support for this delightful order in our Masonry is stronger than ever.

Before proceeding further it is my duty to bring you fraternal good wishes from our Most Worshipful Grand Master. His busy schedule prevents him from being with us today but he is always aware of our proceedings and his interest is as strong as ever. He has been with us on several important occasions during this year and we are indeed most fortunate to have him as our Most Worshipful Grand Master.

This annual meeting of our Order is important, but to more than 150 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 and have succeeded in extending their Masonic knowledge so successfully to have warranted their appointment to Grand Rank. 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 here in this Grand Assembly, in your Provinces and in your 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.