Temperance Mark September 2019
 
t was a bright autumn evening at Woolton Golf Club for Temperance Mark Lodge No774 September meeting. There was not quite the turn out that it had hoped for, but those who were there made the best of things. For the last couple of years the September meeting has fallen on the same day as the Royal Arc Mariner Provincial Meeting, with many members attending this meeting; with others being on holiday; illness and on OMB, (other Masonic business).
I  Back in April Temperance Mark Lodge had hosted the Liverpool Mark Festival and form that meeting had picked up several candidates one of them was Brother Steve Williams and it was his advancement that was the main item of business of the September meeting. WBro Steve Lyon, GStwd the lodge’s ADC who was acting as the DC for the meeting had arranged at very short notice an impressive array of visiting brethren to fill in the for some of the missing officers. Visitors taking officers chairs for the night were; as Senior Warden, WBro David Rigby Prov GSW; Junior Warden, VWBro Eric Hughes, PGJO and WBro Alan Foster, AGDC; as master overseer.
Bro Rob James, (lodge member), took on the role of the Senior Deacon for the night and two other lodges members took overseers chairs at very short notice on the night, Bro Steve Cornwell as Junior Overseer and Bro Bill Pinto as the Senior Overseer. With his quickly assembled team the Worshipful Master, WBro Mike Cunliffe opened the lodge and carried out the lodge business which included after a successful ballot for the new candidate Bro Steve Williams. 
Then it was time for the ceremony, which was WBro Cunliffe’s first.   The Master had split ceremony so that he did the first part and his IPM; WBro Derek Gaskell did the second part.  It all seemed to work out fine, considering the number of subs used to get through the ceremony. Most importantly the candidate enjoyed the night. WBro Mike Winterbottom, PGSD, who is the PGM’s special rep for the Liverpool Mark Lodges presented Bro Williams with a letter of welcome to the Mark Degree in West Lancs from the Provincial Grand Master.
During the first rising the members and visitors gave congratulations with acclamation to WBro’s; Alan Foster and Steve Lyon on receiving their Grand honours.  In the second rising it was WBro David Anderton, PGJD turn to receive acclamation on receiving Royal Arc Mariner Provincial Grand Rank, at the RAM assembly meeting earlier in the day. 
'The engine room' Fred and David
Then it was all done and time for a fine festive board.   We wish Bro Steve Williams many happy years in the Mark Degree and from the response he got at the festive board I am sure he will fit right in.
Words and pictures by Derek Gaskell