Post by offramp on Jan 28, 2018 7:16:17 GMT
On January 18th 2018 Surrey Mark Masons held an open evening at Sutton. There were two Mark Lodges meeting that night, and when they had both finished their business all Mark Masons went into one Temple. There were 5 visiting officers, or possibly 6.
6 Masons had expressed an interest and paid for the Festive Board, but only 4 turned up in to the Temple. Remember this is a recruitment drive to try and boost numbers in Surrey Mark and RAM.
First of all the 4 guys were given a vague disquisition on how the Mark is a fun degree, by a Grand Orator. But then he paused and said,
"How many of you 4 are in the Royal Arch?"
It turned out that only 1 of the 4 had been exalted.
The Grand Orator was slightly aghast at this. He went on a long diatribe on how one's Masonic journey was not complete without the Royal Arch degree, the history of the degree, its variations in Europe and America.
He did mention that Mark bears a relation to Royal Arch.
Eventually he returned to talking about Mark, and told the prospective advancers that Mark would cost about £70 a year without dining, and that joining the Royal Ark Mariners would cost about the same... But these guys were probably still wondering how much Royal Arch was going to cost. After all, there are fees for joining these orders and separate regalia to be bought for each. Then there's those dining fees.
There were a few more speeches at the Festive Board, which was truncated so as not to give up our firing secrets. The dinner was bloody awful again. It cost £25 but really should have cost about six or seven. As usual, piles and piles and piles of carrots.
I know for a fact that at least one of the four is going to join Mark, but he had told me so before the evening started. So I think he is joining despite the Introductory Evening rather than because of it.
It was an evening that was worth the effort, it just wasn't very well done. I learned a bit about the Royal Arch, though, even though I am already in that.
6 Masons had expressed an interest and paid for the Festive Board, but only 4 turned up in to the Temple. Remember this is a recruitment drive to try and boost numbers in Surrey Mark and RAM.
First of all the 4 guys were given a vague disquisition on how the Mark is a fun degree, by a Grand Orator. But then he paused and said,
"How many of you 4 are in the Royal Arch?"
It turned out that only 1 of the 4 had been exalted.
The Grand Orator was slightly aghast at this. He went on a long diatribe on how one's Masonic journey was not complete without the Royal Arch degree, the history of the degree, its variations in Europe and America.
He did mention that Mark bears a relation to Royal Arch.
Eventually he returned to talking about Mark, and told the prospective advancers that Mark would cost about £70 a year without dining, and that joining the Royal Ark Mariners would cost about the same... But these guys were probably still wondering how much Royal Arch was going to cost. After all, there are fees for joining these orders and separate regalia to be bought for each. Then there's those dining fees.
There were a few more speeches at the Festive Board, which was truncated so as not to give up our firing secrets. The dinner was bloody awful again. It cost £25 but really should have cost about six or seven. As usual, piles and piles and piles of carrots.
I know for a fact that at least one of the four is going to join Mark, but he had told me so before the evening started. So I think he is joining despite the Introductory Evening rather than because of it.
It was an evening that was worth the effort, it just wasn't very well done. I learned a bit about the Royal Arch, though, even though I am already in that.