Grand Masters Speech – Annual Investiture Mark – Grand Festival 2014
On Sunday 23rd November At New Delhi

Welcome Dear Mark Master Masons and Royal Ark Mariners to the concluding session of the Grand Festival 2014. The number is much greater than the Chapter Meeting. The hangover of the Grand celebrations yesterday is not easy to overcome.

The essence of the beautiful and dramatic Mark degree lies in the very words repeated by Jesus Christ himself, “Lapis Reprobatus Caput Anguli” meaning “The stone which the builders rejected became the head of the corner”.  This is mentioned in the Gospel of St. Luke Psalm 118.This inscription we find at the head of the tracing board in Mark Degree.

King Hieron asked Archimedes to invent new weapons when the Romans were threatening to invade his native city, Syracuse. On discovering that a Roman fleet had set sail under Marcellus, the feared Roman Commander, Archimedes turned to the King and said, “I believe I can destroy the fleet.” By what means asked the King. “By means of a burning mirror replied Archimedes?

Archimedes turned a battery of specially constructed concave mirrors, that reflected the blazing rays of the sun directly onto the ships, and lo and behold, the fleet was destroyed.

The legendary Marcellus on seeing the devastation wrought upon his fleet is said to have exclaimed, “Let us stop fighting this geometrical monster who uses our ships like cups to ladle water from the sea. “Mark degree also reinforces the importance of that great luminary of nature which rising in the east defuses light and luster to all within its circle of influence.

We Mark Masons are aware that for the selection of Successors to Hiram Abif as the chief architect was “he who first sees the rays of the rising son will be declared as the successor to the Hiram Abif”.  Adoniram chose to look in a direction opposite to that of his peers and saw the sunbeam strike the roof of the temple & was declared successor to Hiram Abiff.

At the time of building of the temple, it was believed that the earth was flat. It was only many centuries later at the time of Copernicus and Galileo in the 16th Century that it was universally accepted that the earth was round. All the candidates except Adoniram looked to the east believing that the earth being flat, the sun’s rays will rise parallel to the surface. Only Adoniram realized that the Earth was not flat but round in which case the sun’s rays would come up at an angle and the highest object would be first illuminated. Adoniram was truly ahead of his times.

The famous philosopher Ken Willber said, “Humans are unique in that we can see with the eyes of the flesh, eyes of the mind and the eyes of the soul. Science accepts the first two but not the third. We will never know the secret of life until we see through the eyes of the soul as do visionaries, artistes and saints. Their experience is just as valid as that obtained through a particle accelerator. We have to only look in the right direction”

During the year in the Southern Region 3 new Mark Lodges were consecrated, 1 in Bangalore, 1 in Vizianagaram on the eve of the installation of the New Regional Grand Mark Master and 1 in Selam. In the Northern Region, 2 new Mark Lodges were consecrated, both in New Delhi. The Eastern Region consecrated a New Mark Lodge in Bhubaneshwar in September 2014. The Southern Region shall be hosting the celebrations of the Golden Jubilee of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of India in March 2015 simultaneously celebrating also the Golden Jubilee of Regional Grand Mark Lodge of Southern India in Chennai. The Southern Region consecrated 3 RAM Lodges 1 in Chitoor, 1 in Bangalore and 1 in Selam. Northern Region consecrated 2 RAM Lodges both in New Delhi. Overall a healthy growth in the Mark Master Masonry and Royal Ark Masonry in India.

I thank my Deputy Grand Master R.W. Bro. Major Dr. Raja and the Asst. Grand Master R.W. Bro. Adi Vakil for their continued support during the year. A word of appreciation particularly for the Grand Chaplin V.W. Bro.Thirugnanamurthy for his interesting and thought provoking orations during the consecrations of 5 Mark and 5 RAM Lodges during the year.

I thank each and every Active officer of Grand Lodge of India during the year and especially those who travelled long distances as part of the Grand Lodge deputation on numerous occasions at their own cost and giving their valuable and precious time.  My profound appreciation for the quality time spent with you my dear active officers of the Grand Lodge of India.

Let us all be real brothers once again and start a fresh and glorious chapter in the history of Freemasonry under the Grand Lodge of India. My dear brethren let us all be together again united in the grand design of being happy and communicating happiness.

There is a mathematical equation for eternal happiness
H= R/N
R is resources and N is needs. Lesser the needs more the happiness. When needs are zero, H reaches infinity.

I am sure you will join me in extending our grateful thanks to each and every member of Regional Grand Lodge of Northern India steering Committee for the Grand Festival 2014 without whose untiring effort and determination and tenacity the success of this Grand Festival could not have been possible. May the Great overseer of the Universe bestow his choicest blessings on you and your families and strengthen our great institution.

Amen

Vasudev Masurekar