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Correspondence.
of that Chapter , he is designated as Companion McLean , 0 / the Caledonian Chapter . ( This was told to me by tho brother in the Grand Secretary ' s Office . ) Pntting together tho above facts , 1 must come to the conclusion that the Moderns derived the secrets of the Roya' Arch , either direct or indirect , from the Caledonian Chapter . Bat to show further that Dunckerloy was not the father of R . A .
Masonry among the Moderns , I herewith give a minute from the record oftho Chapter at its first anniversary , 8 th January 1766 , viz .: " Bro . Dunckerley was proposed by Bro . Galloway , to become a member of this Chapter . Approved nem con . " This is the first mention of Dunckerley in the Chapter record . Whether Dunckerley got the R . A . from a peddler , or from the
Caledonian Chapter , I know not ; but holding a position under the Moderns , as Dunckerley did , he would not havo risked the loss of his repntation by visiting Lodges denounced by his Grand Lodge as clandestine ; and , on the other hand . I cannot believe that the Ancients would have admitted a Grand Officer of the Moderns into their Lodges or Chapters . Dunckerley was not , therefore , the father of
Chap ter Masonry among the Modems . On the 2 nd of July 1766 , the Grand Master , Lord Blaney , was exalted in the Chapter . As a rule , when a Lord patronises anything in England , it is bound to be a snecess . Snch was the case here . Other Lords and Grand Lodge dignitaries soon rushed into the Chnpter . On the 22 nd July 1767 , onr Chapter transformed itself into
a Gra 'd Chapter . A MS . compact of that event was recently brought to light , which has been framed by order of the Right Worshipfnl Grand Secretary , Bro . Clerke , and may be seen in the Hall where the Chapter meets . A copy of this MS . is in my possession . The Caledonian Chapter seems to have held aloof from giving its adhesion to the self-constitnted Grand Chapter for some years . The
Companions , however , finally yielded ; for iu two printed lists of Chapters of the Moderns , of abont 1788 and 1790 , I found the " Restoration Chapter" as No . 1 , aud tbe " Caledonian Chapter" as " So . 2 . In connection with this , I mnst mention that on the 13 th of January 1769 , three Chapter "Warrants were granted , and on the 14 th July following , four other Warrants wore granted t , y tlio new
Grand Chapter . These were the first Warrants the Grand Chapter grunted j whether all the above Warrants were successful in establishing permanent •Chapters I know not . One of these Warrants , however , I mnst particularly mention , viz . 14 th July : " To our M . E . Comp . Brooks , empowering him to hold a Chapter in his own house , by the Title of ' Restoration Lodge , or the Chapter of the Rock and
fountain Philo . '" This Chapter seems to be the No . 1 , "Restoration Chapter" of 1790 ( or thereabout ) , and as already stated , Caledonian Chapter was No . 2 . Having proved that the Caledonian Chapter first introduced the R . A . among the Moderns ; the question then comes , where , and how , did the Caledonians get the Royal Arch degree ? To explain this I
mnst inform yon that a petition was presented to the Grand Lodge of Scotland in February 1763 , from William Leslie and other Scotch brethren residing in London , for a Lodge charter to be held in Lon . don . This , of course , was declined by the Scotch G . L , bnt it declared its willingness to recommend them to the Grand Lodge of England . William Leslie , however , obtained a Dispensation from
the Ancients , dated 20 th April 1763 . They met at the White Hart in tbe Strand ; and William Preston was the second person initiated in that Lodge on the above date . This Lodge , through Preston's infhence , afterwards went over to the Moderns , and was reconstituted 15 th November 1764 . at the Half Moon , Cheapside , by Lord Blaney , when it assumed the name of " ye Caledonian Lodge . " Bro . Stephen
Jones , an intimate friend of Preston , who wrote Preston's Memoir for the Freemason ' s Magazine in 1795 , states , that all the officers of the Grand Lodge were present at the consecration of the Caledonian bodge . In short , all enjoyed themselves , and had a good time upon that occasion . It might have been the first Lodge of Accents that went over to the Moderns , and a new acquaintance wns formed . Now ,
Home of these Caledonianites were doubtless Royal Archers . While they were subordinate to the Ancients , they did as the Ancients did , *» iz . worked the R . A . in the Lodge . But when the Lodge became a Modern , the Chapter breth ^ n had to set up an independent concern ; and what with being Scotchmen ( McLean is certainly Scotch ) , aud what with their Lodge having assumed the name of " Caledonian
¦ ^ odge , it was natural to name their Chapter " ye Caledonian ^ hapter . " I admit that this is but a theory of my own , bnt whether mure investi gation will confirm or npset this theory , remains to be seen .
. I mnst only add , that the " Caledonian Lodge , " above referred to , is now No . 134 on the English Lodge List , and it meets in Leaden , nail Street , London , at the Ship and Turtle , but the Caledonian ^'' "apter , of 1764 , became extinct about two or three years after the Union . So my friend ( to whom I am under great obligation for the ""formation herein given ) told me . Yours fraternally , p „„ , „ JACOB NORTON . Boston , U . S . 18 th April 1882 .
DISTRIBUTION OF HONOURS
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . seem " * ® 'f AND BROTHER , — " JUNIOR P . M ., " in yonr last issue , in tho r .. r P * " about at the passing over of older brethren r > f L , . S'ving out of Provincial hononrs and offices . These sort
ie > lik " ppen in a " Orders and Societies ; bnt no donbt app , r " any others , reflects ou tbe oft-repeated remarks and ^ Sect " - ^ ears am ° ng Masons as to merit ; bnt he should Preindir . ° that JIa 8 ons are bnt men , and are governed by B 'der th (•u fHV 0 Ur a 8 muoh ns other people . He should also conoat the R-W . P . G . M , cannot know the merits of every one of
Correspondence.
tho Past Masters of his Province ; hence it is necessary for some ono in a Lodge to influence some one higher , and that one some one higher still , until it gets to R . W . P . G . M . " JUNIOR P . M . " will find , in Masonry ns in other Societies , that a brother may work assiduously for seven years , and go through every office in his Lodge , and may do the same in Arch Masonry , ancl , for ten or twelve years more than that
after act as a Secretary , doing all the work of a Lodge free of charge , mid never bo thonght of cither by tho brethren of his Lodgo , or the Officers of P . G . L ., with whom be has been in regular correspondence as worthy of any honour iu P . G . L . Iu bestowing honours of this sort , position must be looked at , and as to whether any substantia ] benefits can be expected from tho brother who is honoured , and also
whether it may not be a burden to him . It wonld be rather costly to some brother who was only in moderate circumstances to bo made a P . G . Officer , as to clothing , & o ., and he ought to be able , or to be thought able , to do some good to the Charities when the occasions come about , so that a junior P . M . need not expect to see any brother honoured , whatever his merits as a Mason , if he is only in moderate
or poor circumstances . Again , a Junior P . M . should look upon these appointments as an honour to his Lodge , and not altogether to the individual . If he will do this , he will see that merit is out of the question . All cannot have hononrs , bnt it is trne they might be divided more equally among Lodges ; and if it conld be so , that if Lodges were allowed to send a kind of recommendation , and the
R . W . P . G . M . were to select from such lists , having regard to what Lodges had previously been honoured , the distribution might be more equal , and sometimes a deserving , though poor , brother might be honoured . I remain , yours fraternally , A SENIOR P . M .
"A LITTLE HELP . "
To tlie Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAK SIB AND BROTHER , —I have been asked by a well-known London Brother to help Brother Thomas Sewell , whose ca «> e is a very pitiful one . Indeed , any individual afflicted with the complete loss of one of his senses—especially 1 hat of sight—deserves the sympathy of all . I was shown the circular , with the names of those charitable
brethren who are supporting the case , and I could scarcely believe my eyes , on referring to the Subscribers' Lists , when I found that out of the thirteen or fourteen names appended—Grand aud Past Grand Officers among them—there were only five recorded as having con . tributed towards either one of our Charities . Do you remember iEsop's fables ? •One runs something like this : —A wagoner on his
journey got suddenly stuck fast iu a ditch . Whereupon , instead of putting his shoulder to the wheel , and trying to help himself out-, he flops down on his knees , and cries on Jupiter to help hiui . This , of course , Jupiter does not . Now , " a little help is worth a deal of pity , " and I would recommend those brethren whe are supporting
this case to pnt their hands into their pockets , and urge Brother Sewell ' s friends to do the samo , whether they are Masons or not , Remember , for every five shillings that is subscribed one vote is given ; while four votes are given in exchange for a sovereign . Let those who wish to see Brother Sewell successful do something , or , like the wagon , he will surely be left in tbe ditch . Yours fraternally , P . M . 458 , I . G . 609 .
METROPOLITAN DISTRICT GRAND LODGES .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I have for many years thought that a time was fast approaching when tho Metropolitan members of the Craft would be compelled to adopt some large and liberal measure to provide for their proper representation in the Councils of the Order , and at the same time secure for those who merit acknowledg .
ment that recognition of earnest service which it is , in my opinion , more laudable to seek for than to disregard . The original idea I bad entertained , as to the means which might be adopted , became strengthened and matured during the preparation of the map of Lodges I have lately published ; and the statistics I was enabled to compile therefrom will materially help such of your
readers as may incline to give consideration to the proposal I desire to put before the Grand Lodge at an early date , and to correspond with me thereon . It is no less than the sub-division of the Metropolitan area , wbiob extends over a radius of twelve miles from Freemasons' Hall , into four Metropolitan District Grand Lodges , each representing exactly
one-fourth of the circle , and each taking one-fourth of the Lodges which at present meet at tbe Hall ( " the point within the circle" ) the Grand Stewards' Lodge to be excepted . This sub-division would provide in the North West Metropolitan District Grand Lodge , twenty-nine Lodges ; in the North East Metropolitan District Grand Lodge , ninety-one ; in the South West
Metropolitan District G . Lodge , sixty-three ; and in the South East Metropolitan District Grand Lodge , 123 Lodges . The Grand total of Metropolitan Lodges to tho several thonsamls of members of which the " purple " is practically unattainable , was , on the 1 st January 1881 , no less than 306 . In a futnre letter , or article , a detailed list of these Lodges , and their
places of meeting , shall be given . For the moment I am more concerned in letting the intended proposal be generally known , than in offering incontrovertible reasons in fuvonr of its adoption . These are not only numerous , and easily forthcoming , but , to the minds of a majority of those interested , will present themselves without hesitation . One question , however , I may at once fairly ask : Why should eight Lodges only constitute a Province in the South West of Bug .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Correspondence.
of that Chapter , he is designated as Companion McLean , 0 / the Caledonian Chapter . ( This was told to me by tho brother in the Grand Secretary ' s Office . ) Pntting together tho above facts , 1 must come to the conclusion that the Moderns derived the secrets of the Roya' Arch , either direct or indirect , from the Caledonian Chapter . Bat to show further that Dunckerloy was not the father of R . A .
Masonry among the Moderns , I herewith give a minute from the record oftho Chapter at its first anniversary , 8 th January 1766 , viz .: " Bro . Dunckerley was proposed by Bro . Galloway , to become a member of this Chapter . Approved nem con . " This is the first mention of Dunckerley in the Chapter record . Whether Dunckerley got the R . A . from a peddler , or from the
Caledonian Chapter , I know not ; but holding a position under the Moderns , as Dunckerley did , he would not havo risked the loss of his repntation by visiting Lodges denounced by his Grand Lodge as clandestine ; and , on the other hand . I cannot believe that the Ancients would have admitted a Grand Officer of the Moderns into their Lodges or Chapters . Dunckerley was not , therefore , the father of
Chap ter Masonry among the Modems . On the 2 nd of July 1766 , the Grand Master , Lord Blaney , was exalted in the Chapter . As a rule , when a Lord patronises anything in England , it is bound to be a snecess . Snch was the case here . Other Lords and Grand Lodge dignitaries soon rushed into the Chnpter . On the 22 nd July 1767 , onr Chapter transformed itself into
a Gra 'd Chapter . A MS . compact of that event was recently brought to light , which has been framed by order of the Right Worshipfnl Grand Secretary , Bro . Clerke , and may be seen in the Hall where the Chapter meets . A copy of this MS . is in my possession . The Caledonian Chapter seems to have held aloof from giving its adhesion to the self-constitnted Grand Chapter for some years . The
Companions , however , finally yielded ; for iu two printed lists of Chapters of the Moderns , of abont 1788 and 1790 , I found the " Restoration Chapter" as No . 1 , aud tbe " Caledonian Chapter" as " So . 2 . In connection with this , I mnst mention that on the 13 th of January 1769 , three Chapter "Warrants were granted , and on the 14 th July following , four other Warrants wore granted t , y tlio new
Grand Chapter . These were the first Warrants the Grand Chapter grunted j whether all the above Warrants were successful in establishing permanent •Chapters I know not . One of these Warrants , however , I mnst particularly mention , viz . 14 th July : " To our M . E . Comp . Brooks , empowering him to hold a Chapter in his own house , by the Title of ' Restoration Lodge , or the Chapter of the Rock and
fountain Philo . '" This Chapter seems to be the No . 1 , "Restoration Chapter" of 1790 ( or thereabout ) , and as already stated , Caledonian Chapter was No . 2 . Having proved that the Caledonian Chapter first introduced the R . A . among the Moderns ; the question then comes , where , and how , did the Caledonians get the Royal Arch degree ? To explain this I
mnst inform yon that a petition was presented to the Grand Lodge of Scotland in February 1763 , from William Leslie and other Scotch brethren residing in London , for a Lodge charter to be held in Lon . don . This , of course , was declined by the Scotch G . L , bnt it declared its willingness to recommend them to the Grand Lodge of England . William Leslie , however , obtained a Dispensation from
the Ancients , dated 20 th April 1763 . They met at the White Hart in tbe Strand ; and William Preston was the second person initiated in that Lodge on the above date . This Lodge , through Preston's infhence , afterwards went over to the Moderns , and was reconstituted 15 th November 1764 . at the Half Moon , Cheapside , by Lord Blaney , when it assumed the name of " ye Caledonian Lodge . " Bro . Stephen
Jones , an intimate friend of Preston , who wrote Preston's Memoir for the Freemason ' s Magazine in 1795 , states , that all the officers of the Grand Lodge were present at the consecration of the Caledonian bodge . In short , all enjoyed themselves , and had a good time upon that occasion . It might have been the first Lodge of Accents that went over to the Moderns , and a new acquaintance wns formed . Now ,
Home of these Caledonianites were doubtless Royal Archers . While they were subordinate to the Ancients , they did as the Ancients did , *» iz . worked the R . A . in the Lodge . But when the Lodge became a Modern , the Chapter breth ^ n had to set up an independent concern ; and what with being Scotchmen ( McLean is certainly Scotch ) , aud what with their Lodge having assumed the name of " Caledonian
¦ ^ odge , it was natural to name their Chapter " ye Caledonian ^ hapter . " I admit that this is but a theory of my own , bnt whether mure investi gation will confirm or npset this theory , remains to be seen .
. I mnst only add , that the " Caledonian Lodge , " above referred to , is now No . 134 on the English Lodge List , and it meets in Leaden , nail Street , London , at the Ship and Turtle , but the Caledonian ^'' "apter , of 1764 , became extinct about two or three years after the Union . So my friend ( to whom I am under great obligation for the ""formation herein given ) told me . Yours fraternally , p „„ , „ JACOB NORTON . Boston , U . S . 18 th April 1882 .
DISTRIBUTION OF HONOURS
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . seem " * ® 'f AND BROTHER , — " JUNIOR P . M ., " in yonr last issue , in tho r .. r P * " about at the passing over of older brethren r > f L , . S'ving out of Provincial hononrs and offices . These sort
ie > lik " ppen in a " Orders and Societies ; bnt no donbt app , r " any others , reflects ou tbe oft-repeated remarks and ^ Sect " - ^ ears am ° ng Masons as to merit ; bnt he should Preindir . ° that JIa 8 ons are bnt men , and are governed by B 'der th (•u fHV 0 Ur a 8 muoh ns other people . He should also conoat the R-W . P . G . M , cannot know the merits of every one of
Correspondence.
tho Past Masters of his Province ; hence it is necessary for some ono in a Lodge to influence some one higher , and that one some one higher still , until it gets to R . W . P . G . M . " JUNIOR P . M . " will find , in Masonry ns in other Societies , that a brother may work assiduously for seven years , and go through every office in his Lodge , and may do the same in Arch Masonry , ancl , for ten or twelve years more than that
after act as a Secretary , doing all the work of a Lodge free of charge , mid never bo thonght of cither by tho brethren of his Lodgo , or the Officers of P . G . L ., with whom be has been in regular correspondence as worthy of any honour iu P . G . L . Iu bestowing honours of this sort , position must be looked at , and as to whether any substantia ] benefits can be expected from tho brother who is honoured , and also
whether it may not be a burden to him . It wonld be rather costly to some brother who was only in moderate circumstances to bo made a P . G . Officer , as to clothing , & o ., and he ought to be able , or to be thought able , to do some good to the Charities when the occasions come about , so that a junior P . M . need not expect to see any brother honoured , whatever his merits as a Mason , if he is only in moderate
or poor circumstances . Again , a Junior P . M . should look upon these appointments as an honour to his Lodge , and not altogether to the individual . If he will do this , he will see that merit is out of the question . All cannot have hononrs , bnt it is trne they might be divided more equally among Lodges ; and if it conld be so , that if Lodges were allowed to send a kind of recommendation , and the
R . W . P . G . M . were to select from such lists , having regard to what Lodges had previously been honoured , the distribution might be more equal , and sometimes a deserving , though poor , brother might be honoured . I remain , yours fraternally , A SENIOR P . M .
"A LITTLE HELP . "
To tlie Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAK SIB AND BROTHER , —I have been asked by a well-known London Brother to help Brother Thomas Sewell , whose ca «> e is a very pitiful one . Indeed , any individual afflicted with the complete loss of one of his senses—especially 1 hat of sight—deserves the sympathy of all . I was shown the circular , with the names of those charitable
brethren who are supporting the case , and I could scarcely believe my eyes , on referring to the Subscribers' Lists , when I found that out of the thirteen or fourteen names appended—Grand aud Past Grand Officers among them—there were only five recorded as having con . tributed towards either one of our Charities . Do you remember iEsop's fables ? •One runs something like this : —A wagoner on his
journey got suddenly stuck fast iu a ditch . Whereupon , instead of putting his shoulder to the wheel , and trying to help himself out-, he flops down on his knees , and cries on Jupiter to help hiui . This , of course , Jupiter does not . Now , " a little help is worth a deal of pity , " and I would recommend those brethren whe are supporting
this case to pnt their hands into their pockets , and urge Brother Sewell ' s friends to do the samo , whether they are Masons or not , Remember , for every five shillings that is subscribed one vote is given ; while four votes are given in exchange for a sovereign . Let those who wish to see Brother Sewell successful do something , or , like the wagon , he will surely be left in tbe ditch . Yours fraternally , P . M . 458 , I . G . 609 .
METROPOLITAN DISTRICT GRAND LODGES .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I have for many years thought that a time was fast approaching when tho Metropolitan members of the Craft would be compelled to adopt some large and liberal measure to provide for their proper representation in the Councils of the Order , and at the same time secure for those who merit acknowledg .
ment that recognition of earnest service which it is , in my opinion , more laudable to seek for than to disregard . The original idea I bad entertained , as to the means which might be adopted , became strengthened and matured during the preparation of the map of Lodges I have lately published ; and the statistics I was enabled to compile therefrom will materially help such of your
readers as may incline to give consideration to the proposal I desire to put before the Grand Lodge at an early date , and to correspond with me thereon . It is no less than the sub-division of the Metropolitan area , wbiob extends over a radius of twelve miles from Freemasons' Hall , into four Metropolitan District Grand Lodges , each representing exactly
one-fourth of the circle , and each taking one-fourth of the Lodges which at present meet at tbe Hall ( " the point within the circle" ) the Grand Stewards' Lodge to be excepted . This sub-division would provide in the North West Metropolitan District Grand Lodge , twenty-nine Lodges ; in the North East Metropolitan District Grand Lodge , ninety-one ; in the South West
Metropolitan District G . Lodge , sixty-three ; and in the South East Metropolitan District Grand Lodge , 123 Lodges . The Grand total of Metropolitan Lodges to tho several thonsamls of members of which the " purple " is practically unattainable , was , on the 1 st January 1881 , no less than 306 . In a futnre letter , or article , a detailed list of these Lodges , and their
places of meeting , shall be given . For the moment I am more concerned in letting the intended proposal be generally known , than in offering incontrovertible reasons in fuvonr of its adoption . These are not only numerous , and easily forthcoming , but , to the minds of a majority of those interested , will present themselves without hesitation . One question , however , I may at once fairly ask : Why should eight Lodges only constitute a Province in the South West of Bug .