Orator Scheme

I would like to introduce a new Provincial initiative inspired by Grand Lodge and implemented by our R.W Provincial Grand Master. This will take the form of a new Provincial rank to be known as the Provincial Grand Orator. This new office will be launched throughout all Provinces and a pilot scheme in Dorset and Hampshire has met with great success.

What does the Provincial Grand Orator do, I hear you ask. To explain this, I would like to quote some of the words used by Michael Baigent, from the Cornerstone Society, who is responsible for the first seven orations authorised for use by the Orator.

“As Freemasons, we are heirs and custodians of a rich, deeply spiritual and moral tradition, one which involves a journey to the very heart of each man’s life. As we have received it, we want to be able to pass it, in good health, to those who come after us.

There is no formal occasion within the Lodge for exploring the richness and depth of this tradition which is expressed in the symbols which we are surrounded by and in the text and actions of our rituals, much of which can be found in rituals from three hundred years ago.

But in this modern world we need to be taught how to read our symbols, for we have fallen out of practice. We need to be taught how to enter the symbols, so to speak and to seek out what they are trying to teach us, show us, reveal to us. We need help on our progress towards that still point at the centre of the circle. It is for this task that the Orations and the Orator is important. His role is to point out specific aspects of our Craft and seek to draw us into them and to draw the meaning out.”

How will this fit into our Province? I would like to explain the general feeling behind the introduction of these first Orations. They could be used in conjunction with a ceremony within a Lodge, as they try to unveil and explain the hidden truths and symbolism within that ceremony, not only to the candidate, but also to the Brethren in general. Each one is designed and written to blend with one of the three degrees in Craft Freemasonry along with one covering the origins.

They are not time consuming, taking only five to ten minutes to deliver, and are then followed by a general discussion on their content and suggestion. However, the contents of the Orations make their use very flexible and they could be used in various Masonic situations extending to training seminars, Lodges of Instruction, North East Corner Clubs etc.

They are not lectures, nor are they designed to be so. They are to encourage the Brethren to see the endless levels of meaning within our symbols and understand that each member will decipher them in his own way.

Eventually, the Provincial Grand Orator will require assistance, as the Orations will be expanded to cover numerous subjects and will become an important part of our meetings on a regular basis. It is hoped that each Masonic meeting place will have its own Orator working with the Provincial Grand Orator to deliver official Orations cleared and produced by the Cornerstone Society. Also, it is hoped that our own Province can produce some Orations, however these will have to be cleared by the same method as explained above. I will be launching this scheme over the coming months and, hopefully, I will receive your full support. I will require your assistance to make this a success in Buckinghamshire and put us at the forefront of the Provincial Orator scheme.

Gordon Robertson