Deputy Grand Superintendent's Thoughts On Mentoring

All organisations such as ours in the Holy Royal Arch need to have a well-structured Mentoring or Recruitment policy.

Herewith is a brief outline of the model used in Northamptonshire & Huntingdonshire. The policy in use currently in our Province has been evolved over six or seven years now and thanks to the hard work of those involved over that time has proved to be successful in gently pointing newly raised Master Masons towards the completion of their journey through Pure Antient Freemasonry.

In Northamptonshire & Huntingdonshire, we have identified six main Masonic Centres as the hubs of our operation, where a small group of appointed Grand Officers and/or Senior Provincial Officers are informed by the Royal Arch Provincial Office of forthcoming Raisings that are due to take place in Craft Lodges within their locality. The policy requires that one of the team in that Centre will, if possible, attend the Raising ceremony and introduce himself to the newly raised Master Mason, pass over to him the pamphlet entitled “The Next Regular Step for the Master Mason” (which is currently being revised) and invite him to progress to the last important phase in his Masonic journey when he feels that the time is right for him to do so. If our Grand Officer or Senior Provincial Officer is not able to attend “on the night”, then contact can be made by telephone. The pamphlet is a low key introduction to the Holy Royal Arch and gives information and detail to stimulate the interest of the newly raised Master Mason. The Companion making the presentation of the pamphlet somewhat informally after the ceremony will then arrange to contact the Master Mason from time to time to gently nurse him along and to constantly remind him that, as yet, his journey from “Initiation to Exaltation” is incomplete.

The newly raised Master Mason also receives in due course a cordial and personal joint letter of invitation to join the Holy Royal Arch from the Provincial Grand Master and Most Excellent Grand Superintendent, sometimes presented in Lodge or sent direct by post to his home.

Frequently, there is mention of the importance of progressing to the Holy Royal Arch when the Master Mason receives his Grand Lodge Certificate from a member of the Craft Executive or Grand Lodge Officer, all of whom are invariably enthusiastic Royal Arch Companions.

All this is to provide information and is to support and enhance the traditional stream of recruits which has “survived the wreck of mighty empires” where Royal Arch Companions reach out to their Brethren and friends within their Lodges and tell them what they are missing by not taking that final and “last step” into the happy and colourful ending which is the Holy Royal Arch.

Once recruited, the most important part is to make sure that the new Companion is settled, happy and has a clear understanding of the ceremony and its meaning. The Proposer in particular and possibly, the Seconder have an important role here to make sure that the new member attends regularly and is invited to take a small part in the ceremonial but only as and when he wishes.

A mention should be made here of the importance of the Almoner of the Chapter. His role is to monitor attendances “Like a Watchman on a Tower” and be alert to absentees and to find out the reasons for this, which may not always be due to illness. He can then make enquiries himself or prompt the Proposer and possibly the Seconder to do so.

If there is a perceived need in a particular part of the Province, the Executive organise combined Information Evenings in that area where Master Masons and newly Exalted Royal Arch Companions can meet together and explore and discover more about the Holy Royal Arch over a light finger buffet.

As with all good management strategies, the policy is reviewed regularly by the Executive and revised or “tweaked” as necessary as we strive to bring the enjoyment of our Order to as many as we can. Thus far?............it seems to be working!

E Comp Mike Coleman
Deputy Grand Superintendent