Fred's Five Minute Talks |
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| Fred Lomax is well Known amongst Mark Masons in both Lancashire Provinces and is the Lector in the West Lancashire Mark Province.
His informative five minute papers have been delivered in many Lodges both by Fred himself and by Lodge members with Fred's permission. This has led to many more requests to Fred from lodges not only in West Lancashire, East Lancashire, North Wales, Cheshire, North & East Yorkshire, Warwickshire, Bedfordshire but as far away as Essex and Northumberland. What started as a Provincial initiative has turned into a national resource for the Mark Degree. West Lancashire leads the way once again. When I was made aware of Fred's book being published I had no doubt at all that we had to assist in telling the Masonic World about it and below is an independent review in the book along with the ISBN details etc. My Thanks to Martin Roche and 'The Square', Mike Beesley, webmaster www.westlancsmark.co.uk |
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| Book Reviews by Martin Roche | Taken from The Square 65 March 2013 |
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| Your Masonic Questions Answered | ||
By Fred Lomax |
Publisher: Lewis Masonic |
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| £10.99 | ISBN: 9780853184379 |
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| I feel that I must immediately and unreservedly endorse the foreword to this book from that highly regarded Masonic writer, John Acaster. He captures the essence of the author and his objectives in writing it and to anybody looking to purchase it. Do not be fooled into glossing over John's foreword. This book is much more than the title implies and John sets the scene beautifully in respect of the content and also the character behind the book and, I can guarantee, it whets the appetite! | ||
| The title indicates the primary approach of the book: brief passages of Masonic knowledge
written in a warm, engaging manner providing appetising chunks of information which I can see
being easily digested both formally and informally, be that individually in a Mentoring environment or
collectively to a lodge. To place it in context, I see this book very nicely complementing the series by
Revd Neville Barker Cryer 'Let me tell you more/What do you know about ... ' and many others of their ilk by the likes of Julian Rees, Duncan Moore et al. It is also worth pointing out that this is not just another book covering the same issues addressed in many other similar volumes. |
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| Fred Lomax comes at it in a way that would address the thought process of the majority of Masons in a sequence that I guess they would appreciate. I think one of its successes is Fred's ability to make a point and engage the reader (listener) in so few words. | ||
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In addition, it is a volume that would sit in any Brother's collection; an essential item in the event of emergencies! To fill the gaps in an evening - planned or otherwise that we know regularly occurs - or as a planned item to stimulate conversation in a formal or informal setting. I can imagine many a Secretary and DC considering the book a godsend for those meetings where that little something extra is needed - particularly the dreaded business meetings where the highlight of the summons is conducting a ballot for the officers of the ensuing year! If we are honest, we all know that the plethora of materials out there means NO Brethren should experience the despair of enduring the meagre pickings of an un-stimulating summons. This book puts the ball firmly back onto your Masonic pavement (and Fred tells you about that too!). And there are some intriguing titles: 'A Fit and Proper Person to be Made a Mason', 'Heart Hand, Badge Sign', 'To Keep Off All I intruders and Cowans to Masonry' and my favourite, 'Must we Follow the Ritual to the Book' ... guaranteed to stimulate a healthy conversation! and Fred even gives space to 'Would You Like to Write a Short Talk?' Something we desperately need to engage our brethren to take up. |
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| In summary: it does what it says on the label and more besides and is in my humble opinion a valuable addition, not just to your library, but to your regalia case. A book that most definitely needs to be given legs and an invitation to visit! | ||
| Article and Photograph Courtesy and with permission of: 'The Square' and Martin Roche | ||
