Description Of Warrant Of Lodge No, 60.

which consist of jewels , mauls , aprons , & o . & c , and for these we have the receip t , dated 16 th May 1751 , for " ten Pounds in full for the above inventory , " signed " Fras . Eedes , " and a second receipt , dated 8 th May 1753 , for

eighteen Pounds and eighteen shillings , signed by " Jona . CloadR . W . M ., "" John Lumbley S . W ., " "Thos . Bankes J . W ., " and Wm . Rooke Secre . " On the same page is an enlarged inventory enumerating the additional utensils , and bearing date the 17 th March 1776 .

Such , in outline , are the Warrant and appendices of the Lodge of " Peace and Harmony , " No . 60 . A verbatim et literatim copy of the whole will be given shortly .

Sketch Of An Old Lodge Book, No. 6, Ancients.

SKETCH OF AN OLD LODGE BOOK , No . 6 , ANCIENTS .

THERE is no surer or more satisfactory way of learning the inner life of Freemasonry , as the Royal Art was practised in the days of our grandfathers and great grandfathers , than by consulting those Lodge records which have come down to us . Published histories of the Society contain valuable information as to the progress of Freemasonry ,

the inter-relations of Grand Lodges , and of Lodges in this or that country , but if we would know the class of men who composed our Order a century or , it may be , a century and a half ago , if we are desirous of some insight into the working of our Lodges—so far , of course , as such working

may properly be divulged—we must look to these same records of which we have just spoken . Latterly , we have been publishing a number of warrants of what are known as Ancient Lodges , that is , of that body of Freemasons which , about the middle of the eighteenth century , seceded

from the Grand Lodge of England as revived in 1717 and established for itself a separate Grand Lodge . Latterly also , by an unexpected piece of good fortune , we have had brought under our notice , by Bro . Constable , P . M . 185 , an old minute and account book and register of one of the

highest of these Ancient Lodges , one , be it added , which still remains on the Grand Roll of English Freemasonry , and still , at all times , plays its part to perfection among existing Lodges . This register of members , minutes , and accounts , regarded simply as such , contains nothing ,

perhaps , of very serious moment . It helps to elucidate no important problem in Freemasonry . But it throws much light on the interior working of an Ancient Lodge a hundred years ago , and this being so , we think a brief sketch of its most interesting features will bo not wholly unwelcome to our readers .

This old " Lodge Book " of No . 6 , Ancients , now No . 11 on the Roll of Grand Lodge , England , is in three parts . It includes the register of members , the minutes of Lodge meetings , and tbe Lodge accounts . The Register extends

from the very beginning of the year 1771 to the close of the half-year to June 1784 . There is , however , a gap in it , there being no register for the latter half of 1774 and the first half of 1775 . The first minute is dated 17 th

December 1770 , the last 23 rd April 1782 ; and there is no break in the continuity of the record . The statement of accounts opens on 17 th December 1770 , and goes on uninterruptedly to the latter half of the year 1798 . We shall deal with tbe minutes first , as being , of necessity , the most interesting .

The first minute under date , as stated , of 17 th December 1770 , announces that the W . M . occupied the chair ; that a lecture "in the first part" was given by Bro . Wm . Bayley , P . M . of No . 93 ; and that Mr . Robert Irwin proposed to become an " Entiant " Mason , he being a Modern ,

and Intitled to a certificate , was entered immediately and made a Fellow Craft . Paid ten shillings and sixpence for his dues . On the 7 th January 1771 , having approved , as joining members , of Bros . W . Bayley P . M . No . 93 , John Bexwell W . M . No . 93 , William Dagnia of St . Johns , Charles

Bearblock P . M . of No . 93 , Will . Finch J . W . of the same Lodge , and John McCormick of St . Johns , the Lodge proceeded to the election of officers for the ensuing half-year , this important duty having been omitted the Lodge night

before St . John s Day , as only three members were present . Bro . W . Bayley was elected W . M ., and having appointed bis Wardens and Bro . Chas . Bearblock as Secretary , he then nominated Bro . Bexwell as Senior Deacon , while the Senior Warden nominated Bro . John McCormick as Junior Deacon . Then followed the installation , after which the

Sketch Of An Old Lodge Book, No. 6, Ancients.

Lodge was closed and adjourned . At the next meeting a brother was summoned to attend and explain his absence during the last half-year , and excused himself on the ground that he had been in the hospital . Bro . Chas . Bearblock paid ten shillings and sixpence proposal money in

7-especfc of a candidate , and another " Modern certifyed Mason " proposed to be admitted " an Entient . " Then follows a record that a brother was made a Master Mason ; that the Lodge moved to the prentice , when a Modern was made an Ancient , who was then Crafted and raised . On the minutes

of the first " Emergency " Meeting certain " eraendments were made in the Lodgo rules , and the Lodge closed " in Harmony , " the record containing the name of a visitor , of " present members , " of " absent members not summoned , " and of " Ditto summoned from the Chair . " At the next

regular meeting , a member , who was also W . M . of another Lodge , made a motion , and said that " a great aspersion had been thrown against his character in a Lecturing Lodge in the house where No . 8 is kept . " He said it was further proved that a member of the Lodge " had shown a

scandelous paper" to the present W . M . of No . 6 , greatly against the character of the complainant as a Mason . It was thereupon resolved that the offending brother make due submission to the complainant , and " contradict the aspersion , " not only to all who may have heard it , but also " in

the Grand Lodge if required . The due submission was made accordingly . Wo then read of a Mr . Moses Meyers sending up a " furring certificate , " and his being proposed , if a Modern , to be made an Ancient Mason . On

examination this turns out to be the case , and Mr . Moses Meyers is converted accordingly . On the 1 st of April , a letter is read from the Grand Secretary , " in respect of entertaining our R . W . Grand Master , " and , at an Emergency Meeting on the 8 th of the same month , it is announced that " the

four following brothers proposed dining with his Grace "the four being the W . M . and three other members . The minntes that follow contain simply records that the Lodge was opened and a lecture given . On the 17 th June 1771 , the half-yearly election took place , and the installation at

the meeting on the 1 st July , on which latter occasion it was " ordered from the chair , that summonses be issued against next Lodge night , for the purpose of raising a general subscription for the benefit of this Lodge . " Subsequently , we read of a motion being accepted , to the

effect that every member who does not dine on a St . John ' s Day with his Lodge , or at the public festival with the Grand Officers , shall forfeit two shillings , while every one dining at this Lodge shall spend five shillings . A motion , however , to raise a subscription for the purpose of buying

sundry Lodge necessaries was rejected . At the meeting on the 16 th December 1771 , we read that a certain brother " proposed to make two Deacons'jewels in order to clear his dues , " which was approved of . At the election which , took place at the same meeting , it is stated that " the two

Wardens proposed to stand candidates for the chair of the W M - , " ^ the Senior being elected unanimously . We also have an instance of a brother proposing himself a candidate for the Junior Wardenship , but his proposition did not commend itself , for his competitor was chosen by five

ballots against two . On St . John the Evangelist ' s Day of this year , we have an instance of two brethren being excluded "for non-attendance and non-payment of dues . " On the 20 th January the Lodge received the visit of the Grand Officers and sundry Lodges as per list Fo . 3 , but the

list is wanting . On the 3 rd February following , a brother discontinues his membership , it having been proposed and seconded and approved of , " that the landlord should not be a member of the Lodge in his own house . " On the 6 th April a former member proposed to rejoin the Lodge , and

his proposition was referred to the next Lodge night , in order to " enquire after his character . " This inquiry was found to be satisfactory ; for at the Lodge immediately following , it was stated that the character of the brother in question had been so enquired into by the S . W ., who

" finds him to be a man of honour , and gets his livelyhood in a genteel way . Consequently qualified to rejoin this Lodge . " In June of this year , a proposal to move the Lodge from the Admiral Vernon—Bro . Bearblock ' s house , 114 Bishopsgate-street-without—to the King and Queen , in

Distaff-lane , is carried by six ballots to five . The election of officers was held the same evening , their installation , partly at the next Lodge , and partly at an emergency called to complete the " transaction . " On the 3 rd August no meeting was held , as the W . M . and J . W . were the only ones present . Shortly after we find " the Worshi pfull was fined