XII Talk substitute

Brethren

Having listened to the sales pitch from Bros Allan Glen and Iain Gordon whilst dining at the Princes Lodge, I have switched from PC to MacBook Pro. 
However, I am still getting to grips with the new machine.  As a result this is a wee substitute XII Talk and I shall be back in form in a fortnight.

Tuesday sees our first meeting for 2013-14 at No XII.  It is an entering and we have 3 candidates.  Yes 3!!!!  Hope to see you there.

Also, there is a wee message from RWM Bro Alan Beck below ...

Since our last regular meeting I have made 42 visitations to sister lodges within and without the Province of Renfrewshire West and have exchanged
fraternal greetings on your behalf.  On these visits I have been afforded the company of several members of NoXII and I would like to take this opportunity of thanking each and every one of those members for their support.  These visitations have taken my total number of visitations to 97 and I intend to reach the magic hundred mark when we confer a Passing at Lodge Montgomery Kilwinning Skelmorlie 624 on Wednesday September 11th.  I would be delighted to have as many of you as possible accompany me on that occasion.

It would normally be wrong to single out any visitation in particular but one really sticks out as being most memorable.  On May 9th I was honoured to be invited to reply on behalf of the visitors at the harmony following the 50th Anniversary Rededication meeting of Lodge Shalom.  The evening was memorable for several reasons but two in particular stand out.  Firstly, the impeccable rededication ceremony by the RWPGM Bro Alistair Henderson and his Office Bearers and secondly the heartfelt toast to the visitors by Bro Shabir, PM of Lodge Shalom 1600 who spoke of how, in this turbulent world, Freemasonry was constantly restoring his faith in humanity everytime he, as a practising Muslim, sat in harmony with Jewish Brethren.  I don't mind telling you that a few of us present felt a lump in the throat that night.  Each meeting I have attended has been special for its own particular reasons and it's safe to say I have enjoyed every single one.

NoXII has a very lively syllabus over the next few months with visitations planned from Lodges Greenock St John's 175, Glasgow and Bridgeton Shamrock and Thistle 275, The Gael 609 (to confer Passings) and The Anchor Lodge of Research (Lecture).  Added to this, we will confer Passings at the aforementioned Lodge Montgomery Kilwinning Skelmorlie 624 and Lodge Crawfordsburn Greenock 1121 and we have been honoured by 1121 by being invited to lead the deputation in to their 100th Anniversary Rededication meeting.

All in all it promises to be an exciting few months ahead for NoXII and that's without even mentioning our five new Candidates and two new Affiliates.  Brethren I hope to see you at as many meetings and visitations as you can
manage - your support is most gratefully appreciated.

RWM Bro Alan

PS Test Fees are now due as are Capitation Donations from Life Members

Kind fraternal regards

Iain