WELCOME MESSAGE FROM THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL DISTRICT GRAND MASTER TO THE GRAND MASTER MASON & SECRETARY

Brethren all, I bring you hearty and fraternal greetings.

It is my singular and distinguished honour to heartily welcome the M W Grand Master Mason Brother Ramsay McGhee, OSt.J, DL, and Right Worshipful Grand Secretary Brother William M. S. Semple to this historical and loyal Province of Freedom, City of Freetown and in particular to the Georgacland Masonic Temple, Home of Scottish freemasonry, for over a hundred years.

The last time the District was opportuned to welcome such esteemed visitors from the Grand Lodge was in 1991, over thirty years ago. We are highly honoured to have you both in our midst and on behalf of the brethren, my office bearers and myself, I extend to you our most profound welcome and greetings. We are particularly happy to have you with us, during your brief stay and trust you will enjoy yourselves as we go through the activities lined up for your visit.

I am also quite pleased to extend a hearty welcome to our visiting delegations, Worshipful Brother Claudius I. J. Warburton, Deputy District Grand Master-in-charge, representing Right Worshipful Brother Emile Charles Carr,DistrictGrandMaster ofSierraLeoneandGambia(EC)andsuite,andRightWorshipfulBrotherHussain Fawaz – Grand Inspector of the Irish Inspectorate and suite. It gives me great pleasure to welcome you all here this afternoon

We are excited and quite elated to have our esteemed rulers of the craft from the Grand Lodge of Scotland with us at this time. What fortuitous coincidence for the rededication by our Grand Master Mason and distinguished visitors, of this historical edifice, which was first consecrated and dedicated precisely fifty years ago, in January 1973, after an arduous reconstruction work which commenced three years previously after the original historical structure was destroyed in a disastrous fire incident.

Brethrenall, youwillagreewithmethatfromtheashesofthatdestructionourforefathersandourgeneration have emerged as successful builders of a great structure for generations to come.

I must emphasise with a high sense of pride and pleasure that the District recognise the contribution of each and every brother towards the renovation works. Yet again, benevolence and charity, one of the pillars of our fraternity have been amply demonstrated by you, Brethren. I thank you sincerely with a high sense of gratitude for your financial and moral support given to this project.

The elaborate plans and impeccable arrangements for this visit with whiff of success in the air have been made possible, only by the untiring over committed efforts of the dynamic Planning Committee under the Chairmanship of Bro.Centus O. P. K. Macauley, PM.

The Planning Committee has worked assiduously in putting together the various programmes in honour of our most distinguished guests from the Grand Lodge of Scotland and our honoured visitors.

I thank the committee for the countless hours that have been put into such meticulous planning with activities puttogethertoprovide somethingforeveryone.Freemasonryistobeenjoyed.

Itismyhopethattheconfluenceoftheseseveralactivities,cappedoffbythepresence ofourdistinguished guests, will further deepen our research into the tenets of freemasonry, reinforce the universality of our fraternity and continue to foster brotherly love and relief

Chrispin Bishop Deigh,PM, JP

PSDGM, Hon JGD Fifs (England) MBA (Leicester) RIGHT WORSHIPFUL DISTRICT GRAND MASTER