Introduction To Bro. Vernon's Scottish Masonic History.

as well as still earlier organisations , have at last obtained the prominence they so well deserve , being thus fitly and fully made known by an ardent and capable Craftsman . Scotland is exceptionally situated as respects ancient Masonic documents ; England ( and all other countries ) being far behind , unless in regard to copies of the "Old Charges , " those preserved in the southern part of Great Britain being much more numerous and valuable .

Notwithstanding , however , all that has been done to reproduce and make known these relics of the past by competent brethren in Scotland , much remains to be done , and many are the old lodges which arc , as yet , lacking historians to unfold their treasures and describe their eventful past . Chief amoTilf thc brethren who have sought to place the main facts relating to these ancient lodges at the disposal of Masonic students throughout the wide world is Bro . D . Murray Lyon , whose " History of the Lodge

of Edinburgh ( Mary ' s Chapel ) , No . i " ( 1 S 73 ) , takes front rank , and is a model of research and condensation of extraordinary records dating from I 599 i practically continuous to thc present year of Grace . The same indeatigable brother ( with whom I have long becn a fellow labourer ) , also wrote a series of articles on " Mother Lodge , Kilwinning , No . o , " in the defunct " Freemasons' Magazine and Masonic Mirror , " as also " Recollections of the Lodge of Freemasons at Thornhill" ( 1 S 66 ) , and is now engaged in preparing an official history of the Grand Lodge of Scotland .

The senior lodge on the Scottish roll ( No . o ) has likewise been attended to by Bro . Robert Wylie , who has compiled a most interesting volume ( editions 18 7 8 and 18 S 2 ) . There vvere really three " Heid Ludges " in Scotland , Edinburgh being the " first and principal , " Kilwinning " the secund , " and Stirling " the third Ludge , " according to the supplemental

statutes of 1599 , promulgated and signed by " William Schaw , Maister of Wark , Warden of the Maisonis . " A usage , however , not peculiar to that country , Strasburg , Cologne , and Vienna being an example of another such extraordinary trio ( of the fifteenth and later centuries ) under the wing of the Steinmetzen . ...

The ancient Lodge of Melrose is now No . 1 bis ,- the junior of the trio numbered " One , " being the old Lodge of Aberdeen with records from 1670 , and , like its immediate predecessors , having worked for many years previously—possibly centuries—all being veritably of time-immemorial antiquity . " Canongate Kilwinning , No . 2 , " Edinburgh dates from 1677 , as a pendicle of No . o , its history having being written in a most efficient

manner by Bro . Allan Mackenzie , one of its Past Masters . The Lodge of " Glasgow St . John , " No . 3 bis , is believed to be of great age , what seems to be the same organisation being mentioned in the Incorporation Records of the 17 th century . One of its souvenirs suggests an early observance of the time-honoured loyal toast , viz ., an old chest , possibly used by thc " Box Master , " having thereon the words " God save the King and Masons' Craft , 1684 . " Like its fellow No . 3 ( Scone and Perth of the 17 th century ) , no account of its Records , save a few brief sketches , has yet appeared .

Bro . Edward Macbean tells us that " Glasgow Kilwinning , No . 4 , possesses minutes of the " Third Degree , " proving that it was worked therein on April ist , 1735 , which is thus the second oldest reference in Scottish Records to that ceremony , the first to claim that distinction being No . 2 , Edinburgh , slightly earlier in the same year . It will be rioted that Bro . Vernon cites a very curious entry in the minute book of the extinct

lodge at Haughfoot , orig inally made known by Bro . Robert Sanderson , dated 22 nd December , 1702 , a certified extract of which was kindly sent me by that zealous Craftsman . Bro . Vernon agrees with me , that the reference is not to a separate degree , but only to a ceremony , at which Apprentices were eligible to be present ; just as with the passing of Fellow Crafts , or Master Masons in the Lodge of Edinburgh , as illustrated so fully in Bro .

Lyon ' s valuable history . The minute reads" Of entre eis the apprentice did leaving out ( the Common Judge ) Then they whisper the word as before . and the Master Mason grips his hand

after the ordinary way . " Evidently there was no additional information imparted at this ceremony , whether it related to the position or grade of a Fellow Craft or Master Mason , as the words in italics confirm . No such statement would be a correct account of the conferring of the second or third degrees under the

modern regime . "Canongate and Leith , " No . 5 , is an offshoot of No . 1 , Edinburgh" Masones in the Chanongate and North Lithe , having prcsumtuslay used the libartay to unite among thamsalves and antar and pass within our presink , and having eraked a loge amongc thamsalves , without any Roiall or Generall Wardones athoretay , " from the year 1 CS 8 . The mother lodge

was powerless to heal the schism ; neither was it able to prevent a similar secession in 1707-9 of a number of Craftsmen , founders of thc "Journeymen " Lodge , who eventually , on an appeal to the Lords of Council and Session , were legally empowered to meet as a lodge , to communicate " the Mason Word , " and transact ordinary Masonic business , subject to the oversight of No . 1 ; by a Decreet Arbitral oi 8 th January , 1715 . Bro .

William Hunter s " Incidents in the History ot the Lodge ol Journeymen Masons , Edinburgh , No . 8 " ( 1884 ) are interesting , and should be consulted by all who desire to become acquainted vvith this singular episode in Scottish Freemasonry . Another capital volume to be studied is " Freemasonry in Inverness , " b y Bro . Alexander Ross ( 1887 ) . "St . John ' s Old Kilwinning , No . 6 , " was started long before 1678 , though its Warrant of Confirmation only takes effect as from that year .

Although the ancient Lodge of Kelso did not cast in its lot with the Scottish Grand Lodge before 1754 , it will be seen by reference to Bro . Vernon's skilful sketch of its transactions that minutes exist of its meetings back to 1701 , many of which are of considerable importance , especially one

excerpt of 1 Sth Juno , 1754 , in which it is admitted that the lodge had knowledge of but two Degrees—Apprentice and Fellow Craft . This " defect in their Constitution " was rectified by the services of six visiting brethren from Edinburgh , who duly " raised" several members " lo the rank of Masters , " or , as wc should say , to tlie Degree of . 1 Master Mason .

Bro . James Smith is engaged in writing a History of " Dumfries Kilwinning Lodge , No . 53 , " and has already done good service as historian of No . 140 , which is known as the ' ^ O perative Lodge" of that town * . The records date back to A . D . 1 ( 187 , though neither No . 53 or No . 6 at Inverness

Introduction To Bro. Vernon's Scottish Masonic History.

( both of the 17 th century , or earlier ) appear in the Roll of Lodges authorised by " Mother Kilwinning , " as prepared by Brothers Lyon and Wy lie ; and yet they arc called after that time honoured centre of Masonry . As the last warrant issued was numbered 79 , and only 35 have been traced in the records ( inclusive of Antigua , Virginia [ two ] , and Dublin ) , there evidently must be many entitled to use the affix " Kilwinning , " even though their Charters may not be registered in the , archives .

Brethren familiar with Bro . Lyon ' s work , before rioted , or Bro . Gould ' s noble " History of Freemasonry , " will be aware of the numerous minute books in existence ( even of lodges vvhich have collapsed ) relating to the Scottish Craft , such as Atcheson ' s Haven , Dundee , Perth , Dunblane , Banff , Haddington , Peebles , Biggar , Bathgate , and others of the 17 th century , or slightly later .

These , and thc old lodges already referred to , beginning with the year 1599-1600 , testify to the extreme simplicity of the mode of reception or initiation , and prove that noblemen , gentlemen , and various Craftsmen , in addition to Operative Masons , were received into thc lodges as members , being termed " Geomatic , " and the other class " Domatic " Masons ; in fact , in not a few the speculative composed the majority of the members . It

is impossible for me herein to even glance at the curious customs described in the records , but those cited by Bro . Vernon will amply serve to cast a bright light on some of the proceedings of our beloved Fraternity during the past two hundred years or more in a province noted for its Masonic antiquity and activity .

I am confident that the following pages will be found to be a most important and valuable contribution to Masonic literature , and justify me in offering a very hearty greeting to Bro . Vernon on behalf of the rapidly increasing Guild of Masonic Historians and Students . W . J . HUGHAN . " Dunscore , " Torquay .

Provincial Grand Chapter Of East Lancashire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND CHAPTER OF EAST LANCASHIRE .

CONSECRATION OF THE UNITY CHAPTER , No . 2341 , AT OLDHAM .

There was a very large assembly held at the Queen-street Schoolsbuildings admirably adapted for the purpose—on " Wednesday , the 22 nd ult . Comp . Col . Le Gendre Nicholas Starkie , G . Supt ., presided on the occasion , and vvas supported by a large number of his Prov . Grand Officers , including Comps . James H . Sillitoe , Prov . G . H . ; A . H . Jefferis , Prov . G . J . ; John Chadwick , Prov . G . S . E . ; Rev . John Clayton , acting Prov . G . S . N , ( through the unavoidable absence of Comp . E . Bigoe Bagot , Prov . G . S . N ., through indisposition ) ; and Scott Younge , Prov . G . D . C ., who carried out his difficult portion of the proceedings in a most efficient and admirable manner .

The musical arrangements vvere under the direction of the Prov . Grand Organist . The vocalists were Comps . W . H . Kershaw , P . Z . ; N . Dumville , P . Z ., P . P . G . S . B . ; J . Clafton , P . Z ., P . P . G . O . ; and A . S . Kinnell . The companions assembled in the large hall , and stood to receive the G . Suptcrintendent and his officers , and a conclave was formed . After the admittance of the rest of the companions , the ceremony was at once proceeded with .

I he G . SUPERINTENDENT then addressed the companions very effectively upon the nature of the meeting . Lomp . J . CHADWICK , P . G . S . E ., stated thc wishes of the companions of the proceedings they had taken with respect to thc chapter . The officers being approved of by all present , the G . SUPERINTENDENT called upon Comp . the Rev . W . R . Clayton , P . Z ., for the oration , which he gave with great impressiveness , having had no notice whatever that he would be called upon . He said :

I , having been called upon , quite unexpectedly , to fulfil a duty vvhich would otherwise have devolved upon our Piov . G . S . N ., Comp , Bagot , I feel myself at a considerable disadvantage . First , on account of the suddenness of this call to duty ; secondly , because of my inability to perform it in the able manner in which Comp ' . Bagot would have done . There is not given to every man the same ready flow of words , or the power of clothing his sentiments in the same eloquent language for which our esteemed Comp . Bagot is noted . However , I think 1 may safely assure

you of this , that what you will lose in eloquence on the present occasion you will gain in brevity . I will content myself with drawing your attention to one great point taught in this Sublime Degree , which , to my mind , ought to be thoroughly impressed upon us all , viz ., " Reverence for Holy things . " In the wonderfully beautiful ceremony of exaltation in this Degree , the candidate is taught at a very early stage in the proceedings to regard the name of the Most Hi gh with the greatest awe ; that he must not approach the sacred altar on which it is displayed without

the customary acts of adoration . Later on , the five signs are all intended to inculcate the same spirit of deep devotion and reverential awe towards God and all that pertains to His word and worship . I think it , then , most important that we should remember this in the present day , when there is so much of the spirit of secularism and atheism abroad . The consecration of this chapter , will , we trust , be the means of fostering and inculcating within the breasts of all vvho shall become members of it , a true spirit of reverence , that the name of the Most

Hi ff h may not pass their lips in alight and trifling manner ; that the Sacred Volume , which contains the treasures of His will and word , may be treated by them vvith such respect and regard as they never give to an ordinary volume . One word as regards the ceremonies in a Royal Arch chapter . These are reli g ious acts ; they are conducted , or should be , in a religious manner . The blessing of the Most High is invoked on all occasions ; portions of His Hol y Word are appointed to be read . Let us see to it that all this is done in a reverent manner ; that the

companions stand properly to order with the P . or S . si gn ; that the readings are given with due expression j that the prayers are said as prayers should be ; that there is nothing perfunctory about any part of the ceremony , but that it is all real and earnest . If this be done , I feel sure it will be edifying to the companions , and promote more surely than anything else the good of Royal Arch Masonry , a general spirit of true religion , and the fear and love of God , and the honour and glory of His Holy name .

The anthem " Behold how good' was then rendered , and the ceremony concluded by the " Patriarchal Benediction" by the P . G . S . N . The G . SUPERINTENDENT then requested Comp . ] . H . Sillitoe , P . G . H-, to take the chair as M . E . Z ., and Comp . Abram Ciegg , P . P . G . J ., as IL . whilst Comp . A . H . Jefferis , P . G . J ., was in his place , in order to install the Principals .