BOOKS OF INTEREST


NEWEDITIONS OF ROYAL ARCH RITUALS


C


ompanions will be interested to learn that


new editions of the major Royal Arch ritual books will shortly be available from the usual suppliers. It is important to note that there are NO changes in the ritual. What has changed is the reorganisation of the Permitted Alternative and traditional versions of the Exaltation ceremony. In both major rituals,


Aldersgate and Domatic, the Permitted Alternative version is shown as the main ritual and the traditional version is shown at the end of the books. Guidance is also given on sharing the ritual, for example between all three Sojourners and also sharing the Lectures. Sharing the ritual lessens the load on individual Companions and encourages more members to become involved, thus engendering more team spirit. To coincide with publication an information sheet on sharing the ritual will be placed on the Porchway website.


"IT IS FOUND"


book of interesting Royal Arch information, being produced on behalf of the Aldersgate Chapter of Improvement. It will contain the Royal Arch Lecture Sections adapted for use with both Aldersgate and Domatic rituals, as well as a number of other less well known and almost forgotten pieces


L 16


ater this year will see publication of a new


of Royal Arch ritual, including the Addresses to the Principals, Officers and Companions, the Explanation of the Banners, and the Lecture on Moses’ Rod. There will also be guidance and suggestions for Principals continuing in office, often a source of confusion, and a veritable cornucopia of other interesting items.


FREEMASONRY AND THE PRESS IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY


Freemasonry had acquired an unsavoury reputation as a secretive network of wealthy men looking out for each others’ interests. The popular view is of an organisation that, if not actually corrupt, is certainly viewed with deep mistrust by the press and wider society. Yet, as this book makes clear, this view contrasts sharply with the situation at the beginning of the century when the public’s perception of Freemasonry in Britain was much more benevolent, with numerous establishment figures (including monarchs, government ministers, archbishops and civic worthies) enthusiastically recommending Freemasonry as the key to model citizenship. Focusing particularly on


B


the role of the press, this book investigates the transformation of the image of Freemasonry in Britain from respectability to suspicion. It describes


y the end of the twentieth century,


how the media projected a positive message of the organisation for almost forty years, based on a mass of news emanating from the organisation itself, before a change in public regard occurred during the latter part of the twentieth-century. This change in the public mood, the book argues, was due primarily to Masonic withdrawal from the public sphere and disengagement with the press. Through an examination of the subject of Freemasonry and the British press, a number of related social trends are addressed, including the decline of deference, the erosion of privacy, greater competition in the media,


the emergence of more aggressive and investigative journalism, the consequences of media isolation and the rise of professional Public Relations. The study is illuminating not only for students of Freemasonry, but for those with an interest in the wider social history of modern Britain.


Regency Truffles


There is no better way to end a Festive Board than with a Regency Truffle. Made with the finest Spirits and Liqueurs or pure chocolates, our truffles are boxed singly or in pairs. The boxes are then labelled to commemorate your special occasion or event.


For information and a sample, call 07710 688207 or visit us at www.regencychocolates.co.uk.


Once Tasted  Never Forgotten! ISSUE 13


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