Lodge of Expatiation No.9290

Lodge of Expatiation No.9290

Date of Warrant : 18th June 1988

Meets Second Tuesday October, December, February, April and June

at Christchurch Masonic Hall

Lodge Profile.

The Lodge of Expatiation was formed and consecrated in 1988 with the specific intention of improving the understanding of the Brethren of the deeper meanings of what was then the usual rituals being practised in Lodges at that time. The Founders recognised that there were many hidden things to contemplate within our Order; that the allegories and symbolisms offer much wider insights into rituals that had become, perhaps, too familiar. They saw that this called for a tolerance of alternative and, perhaps, unfamiliar interpretations and presentations of rituals in order to enlarge on the, sometimes hidden, meanings within them. Historical or antiquarian research was not purpose of this Lodge as the existing specialist Lodges were much better placed to do this. Rather, it was the intention to provide a relaxed atmosphere for the Brethren where acceptance of new ideas was a requisite, leading to a much wider understanding and appreciation of the rituals.

Candidates are essential to these aims as the degrees through which they pass are the building blocks which provide the starting points for their exploration of the wider meanings of Masonry. And, of course, the Lodge welcomes the membership of senior Masons and Past Masters as their ideas and experience only adds to the store of knowledge within the Lodge.

A particular Masonic lecture states that” a Lodge of Freemasons is an assemblage of Brethren met to expatiate (discuss or debate freely) on the mysteries of the Craft”. Hence is derived the name of our Lodge. Its motto is “Know Thyself”, an aspiration that the members of the Lodge of Expatiation hope that all will aachieve.