My Brothers, I am truly humbled by the honor you have bestowed upon me to serve as your 170^th Grand Master, and the 6^th Grand Master from Washington Lodge No 3. It is truly an honor to follow so many great men, from Christopher Champlin in 1791 to Thomas Smith Webb in 1813 to the many Past Grand Masters who sit to my left. I particularly want to point out Most Worshipful Charles Cutler from Washington Lodge No 3 who served in 1877. Like many men of his day, he was a trained Ship’s Captain, which Washington No 3 was noted for, who eventually became an industrialist of his time founding Cutler Manufacturing. He served for many years as the Warren Town Council President, eventually being elected Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island in 1872. It is the quality of the brothers of this great fraternity of ours that binds us together.