Early Grand Masters.

EARLY GRAND MASTERS .

OCCASIONAL PAPERS . —No . VII .

Read in the Confidence Lodge of Instruction

in 1876 . ( Continued from page 84 ) . THE Earl of Loudon was elected Lord Weymouth ' s successor , on the 24 th December 1735 , and was installed in office at Fishmongers'Hall in April 1736 . He

constituted sundry Lodges , and granted three Provincial Deputations for New England , South Carolina , and Cape Coast Castle . On 6 th April , on the motion of Deputy Grand Master Ward , a series of new regulations for the better government of the Society were passed . These were

subsequently incorporated in the Book of Constitntions , and were also adjudged to be so worthy that Dermott accepted them with his code of regulations , which he drew up for the seceding section of the Craft , known as the Ancients . But though the events that occurred in

England during the year 1736 were few in number , there occurred in it one event of the greatest importance in Scotland . The activity of Freemasonry in England had naturally enough created a great Btir north of the Tweed , and on the 30 th November ( St . Andrew ' s Day ) , in the presence

of representatives of thirty-two Lodges , William Sinclair of Roslin , hereditary patron of Masons , resigned for himself , his heirs and successors , the patronage so long enjoyed by his family . A Grand Lodge was then constituted , William Sinclair being unanimously chosen to fill the

office of Grand Master , Captain John Toung being appointed Deputy Grand Master , and John Macdougall Grand Secretary . Thus by the end of the year we find that Freemasonry was firmly established in the three Kingdoms , constituting the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland .

The Earl of Darnley was installed Grand Master at Fishmongers' Hall on 26 th April 1737 , and was extremely active and energetic in the performances of his duties . ^ Preston says that over sixty Lodges were represented at each of the Communications held during his tenure of

office , while the number of Deputations issued by him greatl y exceeded those issued by his predecessor . According to Thory , George Hamilton was appointed Provincial Grand Master for Geneva , James Watson for Montserrat , Prince Henry William of Prussia for the circle

° * Upper Saxony , and Captain Richard Rigg for New , JCork and other countries . Two of these Deputations are mentioned by Findel , while Preston enumerates the whole our . But , after all , the principal event which marks the of this is the

^ ministration Grand Master initiation of Frederick Prince of Wales . This took place at an occasional Lodge , held at the Palace of Kew , and presided vet" by Dr . Desaguliers—to whose influence we are very possibl y indepted for this honour ; Lord Baltimore , p ! onel Lnmley , and other brethren being present . The nnce was passed to tbe second degree in the same Lodge , ana was raised at another occasional Lodge , held at the

same place for the purpose . An event so remarkable , of course , drew public attention towards Freemasonry to even a greater extent than before , though in some parts of Europe the notice bestowed upon the Craft was not always

favourable . In Tuscany , for instance , where , under the benign influence of Francis of Lorraine , it subsequently , except for a brief interval , fared well , John Gaston , the last Grand Duke of the House of Medicis , published an edict agaiust Freemasonry . His death , however , occurred shortly afterwards , and his successor , the aforesaid Francis , accorded his protection to it .

At the Quarterly Communication held in January 1738 , the new Book of Constitutions was submitted and approved , and orders were given for its being printed . Meanwhile , however , a new Grand Master , the Marquis of Carnarvon , afterwards Duke of Chandos , had been elected

and installed at Fishmongers' Hall , 27 th April 1738 . The new chief displayed great assiduity in the performance of his various functions , and , in token of his esteem , presented to Grand Lodge a gold jewel for the use of the Grand Secretary , the device being two cross pens and a knot , the knot and points of the pens being curiously enamelled . He also issued two Provincial Deputations for the Caribbee

Islands , and the West Riding of Yorkshire , the latter step , according to Preston , still further widening the supposed breach between the Lodges at York and in London . To

this , however , I shall have occasion to refer in detail another time . The event which most distinguishes the Marquis's Grand Mastership is , the publication , in June of this year , of Dr . Anderson's New Edition of the Book of Constitutions . The work was dedicated to Frederick

Prince of Wales , while there is a guarantee in the names of Anderson , Desaguliers , and Payne that the alterations made from the ancient traditions and charges were of a very trifling character . Indeed , of the latter , only Charges I ., II . and IV ., Section 2 , were slightly altered , as will be

seen by referring to the passage in Findel s history , which refers to it , or better still by comparing together the different versions . We must note , however , that while the events we have recorded show that Masonry was every year obtaining a stronger hold on the community , there

were grounds for dissatisfaction existing within the Craft itself , which very shortly led to something more serious still . The picture which Preston draws of Masonry in this country is not comforting . He says in reference to a later period : " Irregularities continued to prevail , and lCbl / Cl UC 1 IUU . ll . \/ gUll « , n ., vw w « v * " ««« vv . f .. .. « .., MUVI

several worthy brethren , still adverse to the encroachments on the established system of the Institution , seemed to be highly disgusted at the proceedings of the regular Lodges . Complaints were preferred at every succeeding Committee , and the Communications were fully employed in adjusting

differences and reconciling animosities . More secessions took place , and more stringent measures were taken against them , so that these violent feelings became more and more embittereduntil at length they broke out into open

war-, fare . For a time , however , throngh the influence of Bro . John , afterwards Lord , Ward , these bitternesses were temporally softened down , but the reconciliation was only temporary , and , very speedily , as shown by the passage I have just quoted from Preston , the opposing sections became more antagonistic still .

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