Consecration of John McDouall Stuart Sovereign Council No. 69

16 May 2017 - 10:36am

L to R: M\Ill\Bro. Andrew Henry Charlton 33°, Grand Registrar,

Regional Commander, Em\Bro. Leslie Walter Moody 32° CoM, Foundation Grand Commander and V\P\Bro. Prof. Em. William Thompson 33°, Lieutenant Grand Commander.

On Friday 24th March 2017 Brethren of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite for Australia (Rose Croix) from the Top End and Central Northern Territory, Queensland and Adelaide gathered in Darwin.

Darwin Trinity Sovereign Chapter No. 880, led by Most Wise Sovereign Ill\Bro. Rev. Lindsay Parkhill 30°, met to perfect in the 18° Bro. Prof. Dr Martin Willaim Bernard Jarvis OAM in the presence of V\P\Bro. Prof. Em. William Thompson 33°, Lieutenant Grand Commander, M\Ill\Bro. Andrew Henry Charlton 33°, Grand Registrar, the Regional Commander and V\Ill\Bro. Dr Neil Jensen 33°, the District Commander.

At the First Rising the Lieutenant Grand Commander presented an 18° Certificate from Supreme Council to E&P Bro. Very Rev. Dr Keith Joseph 18°[the Anglican Dean of Darwin]. The Regional Commander extended greetings from the Supreme Council including the Sovereign Grand Commander and the Grand Secretary General who were unable to be present as they were in Perth on other duties. The District Commander gave greetings at the Second Rising.

The Sovereign Grand Commander, M\P\Bro. Ian Tilbury 33°, visited Darwin on 6th August last year to attend when Adelaide Western Sovereign Council met in Darwin by Dispensation to elevate to the 30° E&P Bro. Hon. Keith John Austin Asche AC QC 18°, a PGM of both UGLVic and GLSA&NT.   

On Saturday 25th March John McDouall Stuart Sovereign Council was consecrated with V\P\Bro. Prof. Em. William Thompson 33°, Lieutenant Grand Commander as Senior Consecrating Officer, M\Ill\Bro. Andrew Henry Charlton 33°, Grand Registrar, the Regional Commander as Consecrating Grand Prior/Grand Orator, V\Ill\Bro. Dr Neil Jensen 33°, the District Commander as Consecrating Grand Director of Ceremonies and Installing Officer, Em\Bro. Robert Edward Clyne OAM 32° OoM as Consecrating Grand Senior Warden, Em\Bro. Christoph  Wilhelm Tollner 32° CoM as Consecrating Grand Junior Warden [from Norman Gardens Qld], Ill\Bro. Leslie John Pilton 31° as Consecrating Grand Inner Guard [from Barrow Creek NT] and Em\Bro. Jack Wolstencroft 32°CoM the District Recorder as Grand Master of Ceremonies for the Installation of the Foundation Grand Commander, Em\Bro. Leslie Walter Moody 32° CoM.

L to R: 

Ill\Bro. Jack Wolstencroft 32°, District Recorder, M\Ill\Bro. Andrew Henry Charlton 33°, Grand Registrar, Regional Commander, V\P\Bro. Prof. Em. William Thompson 33°,

Lieutenant Grand Commander, Em\Bro. Leslie Walter Moody 32° CoM, Foundation Grand Commander, V\Ill\Bro. Dr Neil Jensen 33°, District Commander,

Em\Bro Tim Hallen OoM 30° Deputy Grand Commander and Ill\Bro. Richard Barnes 31° Grand Orator.

The 24 petitioners for the new Council included Brethren from the Top End and Central Northern Territory, Queensland and Adelaide. The Charter of the new Council authorises it to meet at Darwin and Alice Springs and other places in South Australia and the Northern Territory approved by the Regional Commander.

During the Consecration Ceremony M\Ill\Bro. Andrew Henry Charlton 33° delivered an Occasional Address about our masonic journey linking the teachings of the Craft, the Royal Arch and the Mark to those of the 18° and the 30° of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. At the conclusion of the Ceremony the Lieutenant Grand Commander presented Em\Bro. Murray Richard Maynard 30° OoM with his 30° Certificate from Supreme Council.

Kay Moody had spent many hours at her sewing machine preparing the Altar Frontal and Banners required by the Council and she and the other helpers and the caterers were the subject of one of the toasts at the mixed banquet that followed the Consecration of the new Council and the Installation of the Grand Commander and the investiture of his Officers. The Banquet was a three-course meal with plenty of liquid refreshment as you would expect in the Territory. Some Brethren continued the celebrations until the early hours of the morning.