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Article THE FOUR OLD LODGES. ← Page 3 of 3 Article THE FOUR OLD LODGES. Page 3 of 3
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The Four Old Lodges.
" The seeds thus disseminated had the more time to thrive , as the Grand Master ( Lord Byron ) , from 1747 to 1752 , was constantly absent from this country ; the Grand Lodge ( says Findel ) becoming completely powerless , as no regularity in the business was observed . " ( )
( c ) Assuming the influences above summarized , to have been in active operation for some years prior to 1752 , it may , I think , be reasonably concluded that the arbitrary and unconstitutional behaviour of Grand Lodgo at last turned the scale in favour of secession .
III . From 1717 to 1722 the claims of the operatives , had been very fairly recognized in the distribution of Grand Lodge office , as is attested by the appointments of the latter yonr , when Mr . Joshua Timson , Blacksmith , and
Mr . William Hawkins , Mason , appear as Grand Wardens . In 1723 , however , a struggle for supremacy , between the operatives and spcculatives , had set in , and the former from that time could justly complain of their total supercession in the offices of the Society .
IV . In 1730 , Anthony Sayer , the Premier Grand Master , was publicly admonished and well nigh expelled for takingpart in illegal assemblies of dissatisfied Masons , who were seeking to undermine the authority of the Society they 2
and others had so recently constituted . () The following extract from a contemporary narrative ( ) ( 1730 ) , will further illustrate , the disagreement which then prevailed . " fciome operative Masons ( but according to the polite way
of expression , Accepted Masons ) , made a visitation from the first and oldest Constituted Lodge ( ) ( according to the Lodge Book in London ) to a noted Lodge in this city , and was denied admittance , because their old Lodge was
removed to another house , which tho' contrary to this great Mystery , requires another Constitution , at no less expence than two guineas , with an elegant entertainment , under the denomination of being put to charitable uses ;
which if justly applied , will give great Enconiums to so worthy an Undertaking , but it is very miieh doubted , and most reasonable to think , it will be expended towards tbe
forming another system of Masonry , the old Fabrick being so ruinous , that unless repaired by some occult Mystery , ¦ will soon be annihilated . "
V . About 1738-39 certain brethren were charged with Working a " different Master ' s part , " when several meetings were held in open defiance of the regulations . ( ) By way of detecting the schismatics , and thus excluding
them from the orthodox Lodges , the expedient was adopted of introducing a slight alteration in the system , ( ° ) or as otherwise expressed ( ) " some trifling innovations
were sanctioned , upon the ancient customs of the Order . " This resolution was unfortunate , and produced the very evil it was intended to avert .
VI . —Schisms in Societies ( says Laurie ) , ( ) generally arise from misconduct on both sides , and the rule applies to the case now under consideration . The " Moderns" undoubtedly departed from their usual
custom and propriety of conduct , by authorising the slightest innovation upon the ceremonies of an ancient institution ; but the " Ancients " were guilty of a greater impropriety , in being the active promoters of the schism , and still more by holding up their brethren to the ridicule of the public .
Ihey propogated an opinion , ( ) that the ancient tenets and practices of Masonry , were preserved by them ; and that the regular Lodges , being composed of modern Masons , had adopted new plans , and were not to be considered as acting under the old establishment . Whilst , therefore , arrogating
The Four Old Lodges.
to themseves , tho high sounding-title of " Ancient" Masons , they branded the brethren of tbe Regular Lodges with the odious appellation of "Moderns , " who they averred never existed till 1717 (§ 20 ) . This has been rightly styled by a distinguished living writer , as ( ) " a paltry attempt to throw
doubts on the legality and Masonic character of a Body from which they , as also the " Moderns , " received their knowledge of the Craft . " A similar view was expressed by the late Dr . Oliver ( II ) . "I shall use the words ancient and
modem in their general acceptation , the former to designate the Seceders , and the latter the Constitutional Masons : although both were alike ancient or modern , being equally derived from the same source .
Tho two phrases have been , however , very happily characterised in Bro . Findel ' s great work on Freemasonry , where we find , by way of commentary ou the rituals of the rival Grand Lodges . " Tho simpler one , the Catechism of Moderns , is tho more ancient ; and that of tbe Ancients is the more recent . " ( u )
On the 5 th December 1753 , Robert Turner , W . M . 15 , was elected the first Grand Master of tho " Seceders , " by the representatives of some dozen Lodges . ( ) The distinctive epithets , "Ancients" and "Moderns , " were commonly employed by both parties alike , to denote
the seceding and the regular Masons respectively , as may be illustrated by two extracts from the minutes of the Moira Lodge , No . 92 , constituted 1755 ( Moderns ) .
" 4 th December 1758 , Brother Glover of St . John ' s Lodge being an ' Ancient' Mason , having taken his obligation of this Lodge , paid tbe ujal fine of two shillings , and became a- member . "
" 19 th January 1761 , Bro . Wright proposed Mr . Willm . Gee , to be made a Modern Mason in this Lodge , which was seconded and thirded properly . " VII . —The chief feature of the new ritual ( Seceders ) consisted in a division of the third decree into two
sections , the Second of which was restricted to a few Master Masons , who were approved as candidates . Thus it comes to pass ( says Hughan ) , that the arrangement as we have
it now , was practically set on foot by the Ancients : the Moderns were compelled to accept the alteration in the Master Masons' degree , or the "Masonic Union " of 1813 would not have been cemented .
The special object of the Seceders was the promotion of Royal Arch Masonry , and as many gentlemen preferred joining the Grand Lodge of " Four Degrees " to associating
with the Society which worked but three , the rival body was successful in its career of innovation . A clue being thus afforded to the reasons which prompted its formation , as well as to the causes of its extraordinary success . ( )
'lhe Grand Chapter of the " Moderns" was constituted about 1766 , and ( says Hughan ) , virtually , though not actually , was countenanced by the Grand Lodge : ( ) this , however , is scarcely reconcilable witb the action of their Grand Secretary , who , writing to the Prov . G . Lodge of
Frankfort , in the same year , calls the Rjyal Arch , "a society which we do not acknowledge , and which we regard as an invention designed for the purpose of introducing innovations amongst the brotherhood ; and diverting them from the fundamental rules which our ancestors laid down for « s . " ( 18 )
HOLLOWAT ' OIHTMEST AND PILLS . —In all sores , wounds , bad legs , nnd sprains of any kind , this Ointment is the most efficient application , it at once gives ease by allaying inflammation and moderating- the ilovr of blood to tbe part . Whenever the malady has been of long standing the Ointment should be assisted by Holloway ' s purifying Pi Is , « hieh act upon tho stomach and liver ,
guardim : digestion from falling into that disordered state which the pain , restlessness , and lever attending these ailments is apt to produce , aud which , much reuirds recovery , and sometimes even makes serious the slightest ease . No mother or nurse should bo with u ; these noble remedies ; they are equally applicable to all ages and constitutions . They purify the blood , regulate its circulation , renew cUseaoed . structures , aud invigorate the system ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Four Old Lodges.
" The seeds thus disseminated had the more time to thrive , as the Grand Master ( Lord Byron ) , from 1747 to 1752 , was constantly absent from this country ; the Grand Lodge ( says Findel ) becoming completely powerless , as no regularity in the business was observed . " ( )
( c ) Assuming the influences above summarized , to have been in active operation for some years prior to 1752 , it may , I think , be reasonably concluded that the arbitrary and unconstitutional behaviour of Grand Lodgo at last turned the scale in favour of secession .
III . From 1717 to 1722 the claims of the operatives , had been very fairly recognized in the distribution of Grand Lodge office , as is attested by the appointments of the latter yonr , when Mr . Joshua Timson , Blacksmith , and
Mr . William Hawkins , Mason , appear as Grand Wardens . In 1723 , however , a struggle for supremacy , between the operatives and spcculatives , had set in , and the former from that time could justly complain of their total supercession in the offices of the Society .
IV . In 1730 , Anthony Sayer , the Premier Grand Master , was publicly admonished and well nigh expelled for takingpart in illegal assemblies of dissatisfied Masons , who were seeking to undermine the authority of the Society they 2
and others had so recently constituted . () The following extract from a contemporary narrative ( ) ( 1730 ) , will further illustrate , the disagreement which then prevailed . " fciome operative Masons ( but according to the polite way
of expression , Accepted Masons ) , made a visitation from the first and oldest Constituted Lodge ( ) ( according to the Lodge Book in London ) to a noted Lodge in this city , and was denied admittance , because their old Lodge was
removed to another house , which tho' contrary to this great Mystery , requires another Constitution , at no less expence than two guineas , with an elegant entertainment , under the denomination of being put to charitable uses ;
which if justly applied , will give great Enconiums to so worthy an Undertaking , but it is very miieh doubted , and most reasonable to think , it will be expended towards tbe
forming another system of Masonry , the old Fabrick being so ruinous , that unless repaired by some occult Mystery , ¦ will soon be annihilated . "
V . About 1738-39 certain brethren were charged with Working a " different Master ' s part , " when several meetings were held in open defiance of the regulations . ( ) By way of detecting the schismatics , and thus excluding
them from the orthodox Lodges , the expedient was adopted of introducing a slight alteration in the system , ( ° ) or as otherwise expressed ( ) " some trifling innovations
were sanctioned , upon the ancient customs of the Order . " This resolution was unfortunate , and produced the very evil it was intended to avert .
VI . —Schisms in Societies ( says Laurie ) , ( ) generally arise from misconduct on both sides , and the rule applies to the case now under consideration . The " Moderns" undoubtedly departed from their usual
custom and propriety of conduct , by authorising the slightest innovation upon the ceremonies of an ancient institution ; but the " Ancients " were guilty of a greater impropriety , in being the active promoters of the schism , and still more by holding up their brethren to the ridicule of the public .
Ihey propogated an opinion , ( ) that the ancient tenets and practices of Masonry , were preserved by them ; and that the regular Lodges , being composed of modern Masons , had adopted new plans , and were not to be considered as acting under the old establishment . Whilst , therefore , arrogating
The Four Old Lodges.
to themseves , tho high sounding-title of " Ancient" Masons , they branded the brethren of tbe Regular Lodges with the odious appellation of "Moderns , " who they averred never existed till 1717 (§ 20 ) . This has been rightly styled by a distinguished living writer , as ( ) " a paltry attempt to throw
doubts on the legality and Masonic character of a Body from which they , as also the " Moderns , " received their knowledge of the Craft . " A similar view was expressed by the late Dr . Oliver ( II ) . "I shall use the words ancient and
modem in their general acceptation , the former to designate the Seceders , and the latter the Constitutional Masons : although both were alike ancient or modern , being equally derived from the same source .
Tho two phrases have been , however , very happily characterised in Bro . Findel ' s great work on Freemasonry , where we find , by way of commentary ou the rituals of the rival Grand Lodges . " Tho simpler one , the Catechism of Moderns , is tho more ancient ; and that of tbe Ancients is the more recent . " ( u )
On the 5 th December 1753 , Robert Turner , W . M . 15 , was elected the first Grand Master of tho " Seceders , " by the representatives of some dozen Lodges . ( ) The distinctive epithets , "Ancients" and "Moderns , " were commonly employed by both parties alike , to denote
the seceding and the regular Masons respectively , as may be illustrated by two extracts from the minutes of the Moira Lodge , No . 92 , constituted 1755 ( Moderns ) .
" 4 th December 1758 , Brother Glover of St . John ' s Lodge being an ' Ancient' Mason , having taken his obligation of this Lodge , paid tbe ujal fine of two shillings , and became a- member . "
" 19 th January 1761 , Bro . Wright proposed Mr . Willm . Gee , to be made a Modern Mason in this Lodge , which was seconded and thirded properly . " VII . —The chief feature of the new ritual ( Seceders ) consisted in a division of the third decree into two
sections , the Second of which was restricted to a few Master Masons , who were approved as candidates . Thus it comes to pass ( says Hughan ) , that the arrangement as we have
it now , was practically set on foot by the Ancients : the Moderns were compelled to accept the alteration in the Master Masons' degree , or the "Masonic Union " of 1813 would not have been cemented .
The special object of the Seceders was the promotion of Royal Arch Masonry , and as many gentlemen preferred joining the Grand Lodge of " Four Degrees " to associating
with the Society which worked but three , the rival body was successful in its career of innovation . A clue being thus afforded to the reasons which prompted its formation , as well as to the causes of its extraordinary success . ( )
'lhe Grand Chapter of the " Moderns" was constituted about 1766 , and ( says Hughan ) , virtually , though not actually , was countenanced by the Grand Lodge : ( ) this , however , is scarcely reconcilable witb the action of their Grand Secretary , who , writing to the Prov . G . Lodge of
Frankfort , in the same year , calls the Rjyal Arch , "a society which we do not acknowledge , and which we regard as an invention designed for the purpose of introducing innovations amongst the brotherhood ; and diverting them from the fundamental rules which our ancestors laid down for « s . " ( 18 )
HOLLOWAT ' OIHTMEST AND PILLS . —In all sores , wounds , bad legs , nnd sprains of any kind , this Ointment is the most efficient application , it at once gives ease by allaying inflammation and moderating- the ilovr of blood to tbe part . Whenever the malady has been of long standing the Ointment should be assisted by Holloway ' s purifying Pi Is , « hieh act upon tho stomach and liver ,
guardim : digestion from falling into that disordered state which the pain , restlessness , and lever attending these ailments is apt to produce , aud which , much reuirds recovery , and sometimes even makes serious the slightest ease . No mother or nurse should bo with u ; these noble remedies ; they are equally applicable to all ages and constitutions . They purify the blood , regulate its circulation , renew cUseaoed . structures , aud invigorate the system ,