Page 17 - MML - Journal - Centenary Edition - Vol. 01 / 2023

Journal, titled as ‘Know your Freemasonry’ to benefit junior brethren belonging to the circle.
On 27-04-1972 the lodge convened an emergency joint meeting along with Lodge
Justitia. W Bro. G. M. Alagarsamy, Master of Lodge Justitia occupied the Eastern Chair and opened the lodge. The Grand Master came in procession and the pro term Master handed over the proceedings to him. The Grand Master occupied the Eastern Chair and presented The Order of Service To Masonry and a citation to R W Bro. K. Veeraswami.
1973 was the Golden Jubilee Year for the lodge. One day prior to the Golden Jubilee meeting, on 20-01-1973 the lodge was the banner lodge for the meeting of the Regional Grand Lodge of Southern India. On 21-01-1973 election for the Master was held and R W Bro. C.A. Ramakrishnan was reelected as the Master for the Golden Jubilee Year. He reappointed all the other officers. After installation, the customary addresses for the Master, Wardens and brethren were dispensed with due to lack of time. This was the first and only occasion the addresses were dispensed with. In the 50 years history of the lodge, opening was held at 8-30 AM and after regular business it was called off. Again, the lodge was called on at 10-30 AM. The calling off and calling on was also done for the first time in 50 years. The deputations from District Grand Lodge of Eastern India (Scottish), District Grand Lodge of Madras, Regional Grand Lodge of Eastern India, Regional Grand Lodge of Western India, Regional Grand Lodge of Southern India and finally Grand Lodge of India were received. After the inaugural address of the Master, the Grand Master inaugurated the Golden Jubilee celebrations. On that day a record gathering of 109 members and 81 visitors were present. On the Golden Jubilee year
233 members were on the roles of the Lodge and 228 members of the correspondence circle. This was a great leap from the membership in 1940 which was 63. Hon’ble Justice K. Veeraswami released the Golden Jubilee special edition of the Madras Masonic Journal, and one copy of this special edition was distributed to all the
lodges in the country.
In the Golden Jubilee year with a view to systematically encourage the brethren of all daughter lodges to improve the standard of ritual working, the Lodge had instituted a Rolling Trophy to be awarded annually to that lodge which was adjudged as the best in the region in a Ritual Working Competition. The scheme was approved and administered by the Regional Grand Lodge. A board of 5 judges, two of whom nominated by the Madras Masters Lodge and three by the Regional Grand Lodge of Southern India would decide the performance of the competing lodges. The trophy was originally presented at the Annual Installation meeting of the Madras Masters Lodge and usually the lodge which won in the competition would demonstrate the ritual in the Madras Masters Lodge. Now the trophy is being presented at the meetings of the Regional Grand Lodge. The Lodge had also instituted an Essay competition separately for Master Masons and Past Masters. The subject for the competition for Master Masons was “How Masonry had influenced my life” and for Past Masters being “The apathetic mason and how to enthuse him”. Several essays were received under both the categories and prizes for the best essays were distributed at the Golden Jubilee meeting. All the essays were later published in the Madras Masonic Journal.
The results of the first ritual working competition were announced on 07-02-1974 during the installation meeting of the Lodge
Madras Masonic Journal Vol. 01 / 2023 - Centenary Year Edition
A Publication of Madras Masters Lodge No. 103, GLI 16