We enjoyed a great night of Friendship and Fellowship last night at the Installation Ceremony of Moyarget Masonic Lodge No 280 I.C. Our meeting began promptly at 3.00pm in the Hall at Moyarget with some 75 Brethren and Guests in attendance including Rt Wor Bro John S. McLernon Provincial Grand Master of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Antrim, three Foreign Grand Lodge Representatives from Bosnia & Herzegovnia, Peru and Connecticut, a number of past and present Provincial Grand Lodges and Bros Gordon Dewar and Stephen Frank from St Servanus Lodge No 771 S.C.
Our incoming Master, Bro Stanley Stewart was efficiently installed by our Lodge Secretary Wor Bro Harold Kerr and then went on to install his officers with equal apolomb. Our outgoing Treasurer, Wor Bro John McAllister was presented with a watch to mark his 15 years of service, as Treasurer in the Lodge.
The formal part of the Installation came to a close just after 5.00pm and we all set off to The Hedges Hotel for an excellent three course dinner and speeches. During the course of the evening we all learned that our incoming Treasurer, Wor Bro Gordon Johnston had just got engaged over the Christmas holiday, which brought him a round of applause from all present, to mark this special day for him. The Masonic Charity collection lifted on the night, raised £ 1,285.00 nett, which of course, will be increased once we get the various 20% tax refunds.
Our incoming Master has made it known that he intends taking the Lodge out and about, during his year of Office. One can only hope that he is not going to take us all over to The Isle of Man in June to watch the racing.
Robert Bashford