GRAND IMPERIAL CONCLAVE BIRMINGHAM 2008
This year Grand Imperial Conclave met for
the second time at Stirling Road, Birmingham on Tuesday
1st July, and for the first time the The Right Illustrious
Intendant General announced at the Divisional Meeting
last November that it was his hope that following last
years successful at the same location, that the Division
would take the opportunity of using the increased accessibility
to take a coach as a Divisional event.
Accordingly a 46 seat luxury vehicle was
booked and a group of 24 Worthy Knights of the Division
departed from Sleaford and Grantham, arriving in Birmingham
in good time for refreshment before the meeting.
The day was made special in two ways, firstly
we saw 7 of our members honoured by promotion and appointment
in Grand Imperial Conclave as follows:
V. Ill. Kt. D. A. Dickinson promoted to
Past Grand High Chancellor
Ill. Kt. P. D. Mawer promoted to Past Grand Chamberlain
Ill. Kt. P. Pearson promoted to Past Grand Chamberlain
Ill. Kt. K. Slater promoted to Past Grand Standard Bearer
(C)
P. Kt. T. G. Kelsey appointed Past Grand Prefect
P. Kt. A. W. Pascoe appointed Past Grand Warden of Regalia
P. Kt. A. Jackson appointed Past Grand Herald
Following this we witnessed the installation
of the new Grand Sovereign, Right Illustrious Knight Richard
Victor Wallis, and the new Deputy Grand Sovereign, Right
Illustrious Knight Alexander Michael Jones.
To complete the day we all stayed for a
fine festive board and were chauffeured back to Lincolnshire.
LADIES NIGHT 
The Lincolnshire Division Annual Ladies
Evening was held at the Petwood Hotel, Woodhall Spa.,
on Saturday 2nd June 2007, when 83 members of the Order
and ladies were present.
Following an informal Reception, Ill. Kt.
A. Birkett, called the Knights and Ladies to Dining Room,
where they enjoyed a fine dinner after which P. Kt. Steve
Roberts proposed the toast to the Ladies and Mrs Pam Clements
duly responded.
There followed a Raffle which played a large
part in making a profit on the evening of £273.72
for the Divisional Charities.
The evening was concluded with entertainment
from Cantacarus, a group of singers from Spalding who
sang a variety of music and recited a couple of humorous
monologues.
Next year’s Ladies Night will again be at
the Petwood Hotel, Woodhall Spa., on Saturday 6th June
2008. The event is open to all members of the Order and
their ladies.
FORTHCOMING EVENT
The Annual Divisional Meeting will be held
at 11.00am on Saturday 21st November 2008 at the Masonic
Hall, Chambers Street, Grantham. Summonses will be circulated
to all members of the Order in the Autumn.
ABOUT THE ORDER
The Order is a Degree of Christian Knighthood
and Candidates must be both Master Masons and Companions
of the Royal Arch.
The Order of the Red Cross of Constantine
belongs to the 'East and West' class of Initiatory Rites
and consists of three degrees: Knight; Priest; and Sovereign
Prince - titles which represent grades in the scale of Initiation.
These are supplemented by two additional Knightly grades
of the Appendant Orders, and collectively they form the
complete rite as follows:
Knight of the Red Cross
of Constantine
Appendant Orders
Knight of the Holy Sepulchre
Knight of Saint John the Evangelist
Eminent Viceroy
(Venerable Eusebius)
Puissant Sovereign
Constantine)
The First Degree of the Rite, leads from the
Pagan Dispensation to the Christian, using the Legend of
Constantine the Great as a symbol of the transition. The
candidate enters as a Royal Arch Mason on a mystical journey
in quest of divine knowledge, his labours being finally
rewarded when he undertakes to follow in the inspired footsteps
of the Great Emperor Constantine.
The second and third degrees of Knight of
the Holy Sepulchre and Knight of Saint John the Evangelist
constitute the Appendant Orders, and are conferred in a
Sanctuary and Commandery respectively. It is a compulsory
provision of the statutes that all members be in possession
of these Degrees when seeking advancement within a Conclave.
The fourth degree is that of Venerable Eusebius
and is one of the symbolic Priesthoods. A Knight who has
attained this status is eligible for the office of Viceroy
in a Conclave, providing that he fulfils the relevant qualifications
and has been regularly elected to that office. The functions
of Eusebius and Viceroy are distinct; and, when a Viceroy
ceases to act in that capacity, his status as Eusebius is
unaffected.
The fifth and final degree is confined to
that of Most Puissant Sovereign who represents Constantine,
Sovereign-Prince of the East and West. The Statutes provide
that a Sovereign shall have served a full year in the office
of Viceroy in a regular Conclave. This beautiful Christian
Degree is the culmination of this outstanding Masonic Rite.
Note:
The Appendant Orders were attached to the Red Cross of Constantine
at a very early date; it embodies its own Ritual (No.2),
and issues a separate Certificate of Membership.
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