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ME The First Grand Principal, ME Comp. Capt.Dr.Balaram Biswakumar,ME The P.I GPrs. ME Comp. Varnasi Narasimham , my predecessor, ME Comp.Rajeev R.Khandelwal ME The Grand Superintendant of the Western region, ME Comp. K.K.Gautam ME The Grand Superintendent of the Northern Region,E.Comp. Raja Mookerjee, ME The Grand Superintendant of the Eastern region, E.Comp K.K.Varma representative of the Grand Superintendant of the District Grand Chapter of Madras, P Grand Superintendants, M E Comps. E.Comps & Comps.
I wish you all a very pleasant morning and thank you for being here after the festivities of last evening. My sincere thanks and gratitude to ME the First Gr.Pr. for installing me in this high office. I pledge my loyalty and support to you, Sir.
I congratulate ME. Comp. Varnasi Narasimham for steering the RGCSI successfully for the past three years and look forward to his constant support, assistance and guidance throughout my sojourn as the head of our Region.
Comps. Last evening we enjoyed the bright side of masonry in our region and as it has always been, Sunday mornings are never encouraging, though in comparison we may be doing very well. Out of the approx. 7500 brethren in the Craft degree, we have hardly 2200 comps in Chapter. (both are net figures ). This is a mere 29 %. Though we have been trying hard, the results have always been slow. If the enthusiasm seen in the growth of the Craft is not extended to the higher degrees, we have but ourselves to blame. The importance of the Holy Royal Arch as the culmination of the third degree in Craft Masonry is not well communicated to the relatively new freemasons. To presume to know Freemasonry from the first three degrees would be to stand on the seashore, take three steps, and presume to know the world. The degrees of Masonry are intended, not to impart, but to ignite a desire for more Light.
In Holy Royal Arch Chapter the candidate is again in a state of darkness. But the reason for this darkness differs entirely from that which prevailed at the Entered Apprentice stage. Then he was but an ignorant beginner, making his first irregular benighted effort towards light, much like a new born babe who has just exited his mother’s womb. Now, he has long passed beyond that stage; he comes with all the qualifications and equipment of a Master Mason. Long ago he found the light he first sought, and for long has been directing his steps and nourishing his growth, by its rays. And more; after all this intimacy with it he has known, it recedes from him and disappears in the great ordeal of dereliction of the Third Degree, when, in the "dark night of the soul" and utter helplessness of all his powers, he learns how strength could be perfected out of weakness, by the potent efficacy of the Vital and Immortal Principle within him, in whose presence the darkness and the light are both alike. His present initial deprivation of light is the darkness of the Third Degree carried over into this further experience. It betokens rather a momentary failure to adjust his perception to the new quality of life he is now entering upon, just as a new-born child is unable at first to coordinate its sight to objects before it. For a while, but only for a brief while, the candidate feels himself in darkness; but he is really blinded rather by excess of light than by lack of it.
Many of our Chapters themselves are in darkness. In many Masonic centres , the higher degrees have their meetings on the same day as the Craft, usually preceding the Craft meeting. Hence the attendance is very thin and there are not enough officers to conduct ceremonies. Comps. We all know this fact and we have not taken any measures to circumvent problems, like this.
As a measure to remedy this ill, I plan to have meetings of members of all the higher degrees of an area, on the lines of an area meet, to motivate these Chapters, where awards for increase in membership, number of meetings conducted , and other criteria for the improvement of these degrees will be considered. Master masons of the Lodges will be special invitees and they will be properly briefed on the importance of becoming members in these degrees. The Senior Brethren in Charge will have the responsibility of organising these. Companions I am making a sincere effort to improve the condition of the Higher degrees and I need your wholehearted support and cooperation.
I thank all the Grand Superintendants for their presence and also the representative of the DG Superintendant. Special thanks to the P IGPrs for being with us this morning.
Thank you companions
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