ME Companion, William (Bill) Miller
Most Excellent Grand High Priest 2026-2028

Thank you for allowing me this opportunity.

Unlike many of my predecessors, I do not have decades of Masonic experience. I was raised in
2011 and became a Royal Arch Mason in May of 2013. I never intended to be in line.

As a curiosity, I attended the installation of officers. There, Past Grand High Priest Louis Bandell
asked me to take a small part to “get my feet wet”. Not knowing better, and having made eye
contact with PGHP Bandell, I said yes. Past Grand High Priest Richard Naegel then informed me
I was up to my neck. I was now the Captain of the Host in Phoenix Royal Arch Chapter #7. In
Phoenix, your role as an officer is also your role in degree work.

As Grand High Priest, I have few goals. To increase participation and membership in every
Chapter and to strengthen cooperation between the Chapters.

Each Chapter has members that pay their dues but do not attend Chapter functions. Reach out
to those companions and ask why they do not attend. Maybe you can address their issues,
maybe not, but just asking might be enough.

Unlike the other York Rite bodies, membership for the Chapters comes directly from the Blue
Lodges. Thus, your attendance at Blue Lodges to speak about why one should petition a
Chapter is imperative, and don’t limit this practice to simply your home lodge.

Once you receive a petition, you need to be prepared to offer degrees.

While I am not a strong supporter of festivals where all four degrees are conferred, I
understand several of our chapters are small and pulling a cast together can be challenging, but
it is not impossible. Working with another chapter, you should be able to confer both the Mark
and Past Master degrees.

Every High Priest should have proved proficient in one of these degrees. If the High Priest of
your Chapter has proved proficient in the Mark Master Degree and there is no one else in your
Chapter proficient in the Past Master Degree, work with another Chapter. If needed a Grand
Line Officer will help fill the Right Worshipful Master role, and you will only need to fill the
other roles and working with another chapter will facilitate this effort.

As stated, I am not a strong supporter of festivals, where all four Chapter degrees are conferred
on a single day. I do, however, I realize that space and the regalia necessary for the Most
Excellent Master degree and the Royal Arch add additional challenges.

Conferring these degrees regionally with involvement of the Chapters and the Grand Line may
be the answer, but we need the Chapters to be involved.

We are fortunate to have several Chapters who can confer all four degrees.

Asking them to include your candidates is understandable. However, in doing so ask how your
Chapter can help. Maybe it will be as simple as providing the refreshments. The candidates will
belong to your Chapter. Your Chapter needs to be involved.
Never should a candidate be referred to another Chapter for a courtesy degree unescorted.

Hopefully, your Chapter has companions desiring to become a High Priest. To help with their
proficiency, I have appointed a Grand Lecturer and four Deputy Grand Lecturers.

Their duty is to ensure an individual is proficient. They are not personal tutors. The individual
desiring to become High Priest must put in the work.

The Right Excellent Grand King, Right Excellent Grand Scribe, and all Past Grand High Priests
have the power to open in ample form. I ask they use this power only when a degree is to be
conferred, for installation or when time is of the essence. For Grand Visitations, I will close in
ample form if requested, but I do not plan on opening. I have no issue with you opening as
Past Masters and using the book needed, but every Chapter needs to be able to open.

You need only five Royal Arch Masons to conduct business, but you need to be open. With five,
you have a Right Worshipful Master, Senior and Junior Warden, Senior and Junior Deacon. The
Treasurer and Recorder’s positions are necessary only once you are open.

Most of us belong to a Council and Commandery. The best way to help them is by having a
strong Chapter. Chapters should not be seen as simply a temporary stop to becoming a Knight
Templar. They are the base, and we need to focus on making the base strong.

My hope is that every chapter is stronger when my term ends than it was at the beginning.
Now, how can I help?

Fraternally,
William (Bill) Miller
Most Excellent Grand High Priest 2026 – 2028

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