BREAKING NEWS

SILVER JUBILEE JEWEL PINS PRESENTED

TO BROTHEREN WHO COMPLETED 25 YEARS OF MASONIC CAREER

At the regular meeting held on February 5, Bro. Shaji Jacob has been elected the W. Master of the Lodge for the ensuing year. He has forthwith announced the members of his team, which will take over at his installation on March 5, 2005. Bro. Shaji Jacob extends a hearty welcome to all brethren to the installation meeting. Bro. Shaji was  initiated on 7-12-1985 and has completed 19 years of masonic age.

For the first time in the history of the District of Madras, perhaps the whole of India,  Lodge Minchin honoured its members who completed twenty five years of uninterrupted Masonic Service. At the regular meeting of the Lodge held on February 5, 2005 twenty six brethren were presented with a 'Twenty Five Year' Masonic Jewel Lapel Pin. The recipients of the honour are listed in thebox  indicating the number of years they have completed. The '+' sign indicates that the brethren concerned have joined from other lodges, English, Indian and Scottish constitutions and that the number of years served in those constitutions when added to the periods indicated will entitle them to higher counts.

Two of the senior most brethren who had completed more than fifty years ( Wor. Bro. A.I. Abraham, 56 years and Bro. C. Thomas, 54 years) and two bretheren who have completed 40 years each (W. Bro. V.K. Chacko, 46 years and W. Bro. N. Vijayakrishnan Nair, 41 years) were honoured at earlier occasions.

It is worth noting that about 30 % of the membership of the lodge is veterans! Yet another interesting thing is that, with the exception of W. Bro. J.M.I. Sait who will be completing 25 years shortly, no other brother will be reaching that position before 2009.

Presenting the honours the Worshipful Master, W. Bro. Dr. P. George Thomas, said that this was a positive step towards encouraging junior brethren to stay on with the movement. Delegation of ritual work as well as other administrative and organization matters to junior brethren is a land mark policy of the Lodge. Though the membership of Lodge Minchin has been on the rise and the number of seekers of membership is evergrowing, inspite of other avenues being available to them, retention of the existing members and ensuring their participation in the activities of the lodge had always received the top priority of the Masters and Past Masters of the Lodge.The membership has hovers around 105, making it the largest Lodge in the District , accounting for 10 % of the total district brotherhood (1,086 as per the Masonic Calendar and Directory for 2004) and 30 % of the Kerala masonry. The attendance is steady around 40 %, remarkable from any standard. Apart from the long years of service these sustained factors make the brethren of Lodge Minchin more worthy of the recognition.

The length of membership of the brethren is tentatively analysed as shown (subject to possible minor corrections in rspect of the joining members). 70 % of members have less than 20 years of standing, of which more than half are below 10 years, which indicates growing interest in Masonry in recent years. (Age analysis will be presented in a future study)

We intend to publish a short biography of the brethren who have completed 25 years shortly, to be followed by masonic life sketches of the other brethren. We request brethren to return the proforma, which will be sent to them shortly, duly filled in as soon as they receive them. They may also use the attached one. PROFORMA