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Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Alberta

Most Excellent Companion

James Carswell

Grand 1st Principal

Royal Arch Masons of Alberta

2023- 2024

May 13/2023
Most Excellent Companions, Grand Chapter Officers, Distinguished Guests,
Companions All,

I feel very humbled honoured and proud to stand before you as your Grand 1 st
Principal of Royal Arch Masons of Alberta. I am very grateful to all of you for
putting your trust in me and I will carry out the duties of a Grand 1 st Principal to
the best of my abilities and ever remembering the solemn obligation I took earlier
today.
I would like to start off by giving special thanks to M Ex Comp. Don Gillies for
installing me today and for assembling the installing team of Past Grand 1 st
Principals who performed the installation and investiture of the Grand Chapter
officers, thank you all for making this day special, your dedication to this Grand
Chapter is very much appreciated.
To our immediate Past Grand 1 st Principal M Ex Comp. Jeff Knight, it has been an
absolute pleasure to have accompanied you on your official visits and events in
Alberta and other Jurisdictions. You have led this Grand chapter this past year
with great leadership skills and a focus on getting the job done, thank you for
your work on the Royal arch introductory lectures and the chapter walkabout
ceremony, these are great tools for the chapters to have at hand.
On behalf of the Grand Chapter of RAM of Alberta, thank you for your hard work
and dedication, I wish you well in all your future endeavors.
I would like to thank our Grand H, R Ex Comp. Jaime Wong for the great work he
did on the memorial service, it has been great working with you and travelling
with you this past year and I am looking forward to a great year ahead, thank you
for you dedication to this Grand chapter.
Congratulations to our Grand J R Ex Comp. Kurtis Fredricks, congratulations to our
new Grand scribe E, R Ex Comp. Bob Cantwell, and Congratulations to our new
Grand Scribe N, R Ex Comp.——— I am looking forward to working with all of you
in the year ahead, thank you for stepping up and running for these positions.
To our retiring Grand Scribe E M Ex Comp. Jerry Kopp, on behalf of the Grand
Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Alberta, we thank you for your years of service

and we wish you well in your new position as Grand Master of Cryptic Rite
Masons of Western Canada, your unfaltering dedication to this Grand Chapter is
very much appreciated, thank you.
To all the incoming Grand chapter officers elected and appointed, to all the
committee members and Grand Executive members, I am looking forward to
working with you in the year ahead, on behalf of the Grand Chapter of RAM of
Alberta, thank you all for stepping up and accepting these positions.
Companions, this year I would like to see all the chapters focus on recruitment
and retention through education in the chapters, coaching and mentoring new
candidates, getting them involved and participating in the chapter work.
We need to get out and visit the lodges in your area, and with the permission of
the WM of the lodge put on some Royal Arch education which will give any
potential candidates the information they need to make a decision to join your
chapter.
Chapters should have education at each meeting when they are not doing degree
work, the education should be interesting.
I would like to see the chapters that don’t have an education committee form
one, plan the education as far ahead as possible, put the education topic in the
chapter notice, and the Grand chapter web site, this will give the companions a
chance to have a look at the education topic, this will create discussion and make
the education more interesting.
We have two Grand Lecturers, one in the North, R Ex Comp. Bob Lemmens and
one in the South M Ex Comp. Jerry Kopp, these two companions are a wealth of
knowledge and are ready and willing to come in person to your chapter and put
on the education for you, please make good use of them.
In chapters we must do the work well, do the degrees well and do the festive
boards well, this will not only help with retention it will bring in new members
and attract visitors.
One of the greatest threats to Capitular Masonry is the shrinking number of
companions, most of the loses are due to demits and suspensions, we cannot

stand by and do nothing about it, with some hard work in the chapters we can
turn this around and in time we will see the benefits of our labours.
Companions, during my term I plan to visit all the chapters in this jurisdiction at
least once, I am looking forward to visiting each chapter and I thank you in
advance.

Thank you all for being Royal Arch Masons.

M Ex Comp. James Carswell.

 

Biography

William Jeffrey (Jeff) Knight

MEC Jeff Knight was born in Chatham, Ontario, April 6, 1958.  He graduated from Blenheim District High School in 1976 and joined the Canadian Army in September 1977 as a Weapons Technician (Land) in the Corps of Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.  In 1992 Jeff was commissioned from the ranks as an Electrical Mechanical Engineering Officer, and completed his last years of service in uniform as the Officer Commanding RCEME Squadron at 4 Wing Cold Lake; retiring in 2005 after 28 years’ service.  Jeff then accepted a position at 4 Wing Cold Lake under contract to the military.  He provided training to Canada’s fighter force through instruction and operation of the CF-18 flight simulator.  In August 2020 Jeff retired for the second time after 43 years of continuous service to the Department of National Defence.

 

MEC Knight is a third generation Mason.  His decision to commit to the Masonic lifestyle began when he was initiated in Astra lodge No. 179 in October 2003.  He was passed to a Fellowcraft and then Raised as a Master Mason in May 2004 with his father coming from Ontario to participate in the degree.  Jeff progressed through the various chairs of the Lodge and has sat in the East as Worshipful Master during the 2008-09 and 2014-15 Masonic years.  He was elected and installed as the Lakeland District Deputy Grand Master in 2018 and has sat on the Board of General Purposes, and the Jurisprudence Committee, of the Grand Lodge of Alberta.  Jeff is currently the Secretary-Treasurer of Astra Lodge and has filled that position for a total of 8 years.

 

MEC Knight sought more light in masonry by being advanced as a Mark Master Mason, received as a Most Excellent Master and in April 2005 was exalted as a Royal Arch Mason in Cold Lake Chapter No. 39.  He again progressed through the various offices and sat as the 1st Principle in the years 2011, 2012, 2014, and 2019.  In 2012 Jeff was appointed as the Grand Sword Bearer of the Grand Lodge of Alberta and in May 2015 he was installed as the Grand District Superintendent of District No. 2.  In 2017 he was appointed by the Grand 1st Principal to the Executive Committee of Grand Chapter, and in May 2019 he was elected and installed as the Grand 3rd Principal, a position he performed for two years.  In 2021 Jeff was the Grand 2nd Principal and in 2022 was elected as the Grand 1st Principal of the Grand Chapter of the Royal Arch Masons of Alberta

Jeff has received the Past Masters (Virtual) Degree and has been anointed, consecrated and set apart in the Holy Order of the High Priesthood. 

 

MEC Knight completed the Chivalric Degrees in April 2008, being solemnly received and proclaimed a Knight of the Order of the Temple in Edmonton Preceptory No.46, Knights Templar.

 

MEC Knight completed the Cryptic Rite Degrees at Zohar Council No.4 in Edmonton and has received the Royal Arc Mariner Degree under the direction of Edmonton Chapter No. 2.

 

 Grand First Principal’s Tentative Schedule 2019 -2020
   DatesDaysLocationChapter / Event                                      #Dist.       Meeting Location
May8-9Wed-Thu.CamroseGr Council Cryptic Rite  W CA   Norsman Inn Camrose
May10-11Fri.-Sun.CamroseGrand Chapter Alberta, RAM   Norsman Inn Camrose
 15WednesdayGrand PrairieWapiti34O.V.1Grand Prairie Masonic Hall
 16ThursdayFt. McMurrayHanging Stone40O.V.2Ft McMurray Seniors’ Centre
 23ThursdayDidsburyMountain View42O.V.3Didsbury Masonic Hall
 24FridayFrankHillview15O.V.4Frank Masonic Hall
       “    “Shekinah4O.V.4    ”              ”            “
June5WednesdayHigh RiverGolden West5O.V.4High River Masonic Hall
 10MondayCalgaryAlberta1O.V.4Bowmont Masonic Hall
 13ThursdayIrricanaStrathmore21O.V.3Irricana Masonic Hall
 14-15Fri.-Sat.CalgaryGrand Lodge of Alberta    Calgary
 17MondayCalgaryCrescent24O.V.4Bowmont Masonic Hall
 19WednesdayCamroseMount Olivet17BBQ2Camrose Masonic Temple
 20ThursdayEdmontonNorth Star Mtg.1Highlands Hall
 24MondayCold LakeCold Lake39O.V.2Astra Lodge Hall
 27ThursdayEdmontonCapital City13BBQ1Highlands Hall
July11ThursdayCold LakeMemorial PG1P A Edstrom   Cold Lake
Aug9-12Sun.-ThurMontrealGrand Imperial Conclave of CA   Montreal
 13-15Fri.-Sun.MontrealSovereign Great Priory of CA   Montreal
 23-24Fri..-Sat.EdmontonAllied Masonic Degrees of CA   Edmonton
 27ThursdayCalgaryOtuskwan9O.V.3Bowmont Masonic Hall
Sept5ThursdayDrumhellerEheyeh27O.V.3Drumheller Masonic Hall
 6-7SaturdayDrumheller    Outdoor Field Day
 14SaturdayLacombeLebanon38O.V.2Lacombe Masonic Temple
 16MondayEdsonEdson30O.V.1Edson Masonic Hall
 18-22Thur.-Sun.KelownaGrand Chapter B. C. & YT, RAM   Kelowna
 23MondayEdmontonNorwood18O.V.1General Hospital
 26ThursdayEdmontonCapital City13O.V.1Highlands Hall
 28SaturdayStony PlainDistrict 1 Meeting 1 
Oct7MondayBrooks/M. HatAssiniboia3O.V.3Brooks Masonic Hall 
         
 16WednesdayCamroseMount Olivet17O.V.2Camrose Masonic Temple
 19Saturday District 4 Meeting 4 
 21MondayRed DeerKeystone12O.V.3Red Deer Masonic Hall
 24ThursdayWainwrightParklands31O.V.2Wainwright Masonic Temple
 26SaturdayCamroseDistrict 2 Meeting  2Camrose Masonic Temple
Nov9Saturday District 3 Meeting 3 
 20WednesdayStony PlainStoney41O.V.1Meridian Lodge Masonic Hall
 21ThursdayEdmontonNorth Star2O.V.1Highlands Hall
Dec8SundayCalgaryCrescent  100th Anniv. Shrine Centre Calgary
 12ThursdayEdmontonTri- Chapter Christmas Social   Highlands Hall
 15SundayEdmontonEdmonton Preceptory Christmas Observance    
 19ThursdayEdmontonNorth Star Inst.1Highlands Hall
2020        
Jan1WednesdayEdmontonGrand Master’s Levy – G L AB   Freemasons’ Hall Edmonton
Feb8SaturdayLacombeGrand Chapter Executive Meet   Lacombe Masonic Hall
 13-16Thur.-Sun.Great FallsGrand Chapter Montana RAM (Gr 2 Prin.)   Great Falls
April12SundayEdmontonA.A.S.R. Sunrise Breakfast -Speaker “Easter Message”    
 23-26Thur.-Sun.Winnipeg Grand Chapter Manitoba, RAM   Portage La Prairie
May7-10Thur.-Sun. Red DeerGrand Chapter Alberta, RAM    Cambridge Hotel