Papyrus Magazine February 2018

February 2018
Volume 39 Number 1

POTENTATE’S MESSAGE

Illustrious Sir Thomas W. Woodrow
Potentate

I thank you all for allowing me to be your Potentate for 2018. I will do my very best to make myself available to hear your comments, concerns and suggestions.

But first, I must congratulate Illustrious Sir Dave Rawn and Lady Edith on a very successful year. Both Lady Linda and I have been working with Dave and Edith for the last 6 years. I know that they will be there for us, going forward. All the best to each of you.

I would also like to congratulate both Noble Don Campbell and Noble Joe Johnson for each running very good campaigns. Unfortunately there can only be one winner. It is important to recognize the efforts of Joe Johnson, who campaigned and also tended to our Papyrus.

In my speech, I said that leadership is not about getting Nobles to follow you, but rather to get Nobles to join you. It is said that we are stronger when we are united, than divided.

It’s true our membership has been declining over the years. I looked back 100 years ago. In 1918 we had 259,113 members. Over those years we blossomed to 900,000 at one point. Today we are less than 250,000. In 1918 we had no hospitals and we didn’t help kids. Today we operate 22 hospitals and have helped over 1.2 million children and counting. Wow, that is some kind of legacy. It all happened through the leadership and support of Nobles like you.

Lately, some of our Nobles have been bantering, rather than working for our children. In 2017, we had 4 Presidents resign from Clubs. This must cease. When you are sworn in as President, there is an obligation that you take. I fear some Nobles have forgotten this. In the 1st degree you are told, that “you are never to put on that badge should you be about to visit a Lodge where there is a Brother with whom you are at variance or towards whom you entertain feelings of animosity”.

Come together, you have in the past and you will again in the future.

At Rameses, there is much to be proud of; we are the largest Shrine Centre in Canada. Of all 196 Temples in Shrines International, we are the 15th largest. At one time, on a per capita, we contributed more money to our hospitals than any other Temple.

In 2018, all your Divan asks is to have each Club and Unit try to bring in at least 1 or 2 new Nobles. In the past we used to say “to be one, ask one.” In the 21st century we must say “ask one to be one.”