Masonic Historians No. 5.

MASONIC HISTORIANS No . 5 .

BY BRO . WILLIAM J AMES HUGHAN . BRO . D . MURRAY LYON , P . M ., W . M . 124 .

( Concluded from page 473 . ) Chapter xiii . records two instances of Masons being made outside the Lodge of Edinburgh , one especially being noteworthy , viz ., the initiation of the Right Hon . Robert Moray , Quartermaster General to the army of Scotland , which

took place at Newcastle , England , on the 20 th day of May , 1641 . On the evacuation of the town of Newcastle , and the return of the army to Edinburgh , those who initiated Moray appear to have reported the fact to the lodge , which being approved by the members , was ratified by

the signatures of three brethren , as representing the lodge , together with the signature of the newly-admitted brother . The Kilwinning Lodge minutes ( so Bro . D . Murray Lyon informs us ) contain the earliest commission extant to enter Masons at a distance

from the lodge . The date is 20 th December , 1 ( 577 , and it was granted to a number of operative Masons from the Canongate of Edinburgh , a facsimile of the original record being also given , with the signatures and marks of the brethren . Subsequently the Edinburgh brethren

formed themselves into a separate lodge , and have continued to exist to the present time . Farther on in the splendid volume will be found the Edinburgh Kilwinning MS . ( circa 1670 ) , and also the Atcheson-Haven MS . of A . D . 1666 , both being most most valuable documents ,

and reproduced , verbatim et literatim : The latter I think must have been the basis of Laurie ' s MS . in his "History of Freemasonry and the Grand Lodge of Scotland . " Bro . Lyon ' s remarks respecting these and other old MSS . ( particularly as to the York MS .

of 16 93 , which I published in my " Masonic Sketches and Reprints " ) are well worth perusing , and evidently the result of considerable thought . The information afforded as to the custom of the old lodges opening and closing with prayer , and also other peculiarities of what may

be termed the Christian period of the Craft , are full of interest to the Masonic archaeologist-The history of the various struggles which , alas , disgraced , in some measure , the lodge early in the last century , and also later on , is fully given , and in such an impartial manner , that

while I lament the differences which arose , and which evidently were amicably arranged , 1 can plainly see that Bro . Lyon is anxious to give a true picture of the lodge ' s past career , and not to keep back , what for the credit of the lodge one naturally wishes had never occured .

Fortunately , however , for the historian , the Lodge of Edinburgh has not only the oldest records , but as a lodge , it has been , and is , the most influential and distinguished in the world . The " Decreet Arbitral" of 1714-15 is surpassed by no other Masonic document in importance ,

and whether it is regarded in an archaeological or Masonic light , its text is full of interest to all students of the operative period of our history . The Rev . John Theophilus Desaguliers , F . R . S . ( Past Giand Master cf England ) visited the lodge , 24 th August , 1 7 , and was admitted as a

member . Bro . Lyon considers that the learned doctor ' s visit to the Edinburgh Masons was due to his desire to introduce the ceremonies , as revised in 1717 , to the notice of the Scottish brethren , and he " ascribes Scotland ' s acquaintance with , and subsequent adoption of English

Symbolical Masonry , to the conference which the co-fabricator and pioneer of the system held with the Lodge of Edinburgh in August , 1721 . " There is no doubt to my mind , but that all grand lodges over the world owe their knowledge of Freemasonry of three degrees to the Grand

Lodge of England , constituted in 17 17 , although of course lodges prior to the last century possessed secrets communicated only to the initiated , but then the ceremonies were simple in their character , and known to all the members , irrespective of their rank .

Another Grand Master r > f England visited the lodg .- in 173 ; ., ai . d lock the chair on the initiation cf ie . eiai luulemen . two of whom became

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Grand Masters of England , another Grand Master of Scotland , and two became Grand Wardens . One of the particulars afforded anent the choice of the First Grand Master for Scotland are

entirely new to me , and I expect are equally so to my readers . The Lodge of Edinburgh , it seems , favoured the election of Lord Heme , and the Canongate Kilwinning Lodge , William Sinclair , of Roslin . We do not remember any allusion to Lord Heme prior to this , as a

candidate for the Grand Mastership . The election , however , because of certain circumstances , fully explained in the history , was unanimousl y in favour of the latter brother , whose initiation took place only a few months before the occurrence of the great event in Scottish Masonry during the last centurv .

The history of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , and of several lodges working under its wing , being so fully treated by Bro . D . Murray Lyon , I cannot do more than express my admiration of the diligence and patience with which our brother has discharged his task , likewise my approval of the manner in which the matter has been

arranged and published . In chapter xxi . Bro . Lyon observes " With the exception of the few instances in which both offices were united in one individual , the Deacon of the Incorporated Masons during the whole of the seventeenth and the first and second decades

of the eighteenth century usurped the directorate of the Lodge of Edinburgh . The Deacon of the Incorporation was also Master of the lodge in 1736 , and as such took part in the institution of the Grand Lodge . For the second time in its history the Incorporation elected to the

Deaconship a brother who had never received Masonic Initiation . " This was in 1753 , and at St . John ' s Day the speculatives , taking advantage of this , elected a " writer" to the office of Master , which gave great offence to many of the operatives , who considered that only operative masons were

eligible for the chair . Although the Grand Master sided with the latter , the members re-elected Bro . Reoch , to the chair of the lodge , and thus gradually the speculative and operative elements became blended and united in their Masonic relationships .

The third degree is referred to , for the first time in the records , on the first day of November , 1738 . There are earlier references to this degree in some of the Scottish minutes of lodges , but during the same decade as . the foregoing . It is probable however that it was worked either

during the visit of Dr . Desaguliers , or soon afterwards , as I am of opinion that the knowledge of the " Sublime Degree" was obtained from " across the Border . " Bro . Lyon declares that the " Minutes of Cannongate Kilwinning contain the earliest

Scottish record extant of the admission of a Master Mason under the modern Masonic Constitution ( viz ., A . D . 1735 ) . "We have authority for stating that there is an earlier instance of the third degree being worked in Scotland than the minutes of the Lodge of Edinburgh contains ,

viz ., in the Ancient Lodge of Aberdeen , which has a most valuable series of records from A . D . 1670 , containing a copy of the * "Masonic Charges , " and other most interesting matters , which 1 hope ere long to see printed and circulated amongst the Craft , for their publicity

would be a great boon to the studious craftsman , and to the antiquary a curious feast . Thc third degree is first mentioned by the Clerk to the Aberdeen Lodge , on the 8 th ' july , 1736 , but in such a way that it is evident the degree was not new to the members at that

period . A month prior to this date it occurs in Kilwinning minutes . In England it is noticed in Lodge records as early as 1724 . Abundant evidence is presented in the work to prove that the third degree had not become common to the Scottish lodges , until after 1770 .

Some strange correspondence follows respecting the right of the Lodge of Edinburgh 10 its title , in lieu of Mary s Chapel . The former was the name by which it was originally known , and by which it has been often designated , and 1

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cannot « ee why the Grand Lodge should have refused the application * in 1841 , of the members to be so known for the future . What has been known as the Incorporation of Mary ' s Chapel , originally consisted of masons and wrights , incorporated by a seal of cause in 1475

( which document is given in full in the 24 th chapter of this work ) , and ratified by the Archbishop of St . Andrews in 1517 , by Royal Charter in 1327 , by the Common Council in 1 633 , by Royal Charter again in 1635 , ant * ^ decree of the Court of Session in 1703 . Embracing at first onl y the masons and wri ghts of

Edinburgh , the scope of the incorporation was gradually extended , till , in the beginning of the eighteenth century , it included glaziers , plumbers , slaters , painters , coopers , sievewrights , bowmakers , and upholsterers . In the year 1475 the members are styled " Masonis and the Wrichtis . " Fines imposed on the Craftsmen

in " ye olden tyme " were employed for the sustentation of the church . At Aberdeen , in the year 1483 , they were given to the Sanct . Nicholas Kirk-wark . Money and wax to the altar of St . Thomas , erected in the kirk of

Glasgow , and fines were exigible under the charter granted to the Incorporation of Masons in 155 1 , while the Ayr Squaremen ( masons and wrichts ) were in 1555 placed under similar obligations for the uphold of St . Ninian ' s alter , in the parish kirk o £ the burgh From

municipal records , belonging to the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries , we learn that public bodies were accustomed to hold their meetings in the kirks within their respective bounds . This custom survived the Reformation j and was recognised by the Masonic Statutes of 1 599 ,

which confirmed the lodge of Kilwinning ' s right to hold its courts within the parish kirk . . . . An extraordinary communication of the Lodge of Edinburgh was held in Holyrood House in June 1600 . Chapter xxv . is devoted to a consideration

of the claims of Mother Lodge Kilwinning , and the Lodge of Edinburgh , to greater antiquity , and as the old minutes of both lodges have been freely searched on this point , as also the books of the Grand Lodge , the subject is ably and exhaustively treated , and I think finally

disposed of . Politics crept into Edinburgh Masonry a little , early this century , and a secession of the delinquents from the Grand Lodge was the consequence , which for a time invalved the Craft not a little in the eyes of the public . The Grand Lodge of England sided with the

Grand Lodge of Scotland , and through the aid of the Earl of Moira , acting Grand Master , opposed any lodges interfering in political matters . Gradually the struggle became more intense until the authorities of the City of Edinburgh were called upon to settle the dispute , and all

meetings were for a time interdicted . Other questions also fe'l to be considered , which originall y formed no part in the unfortunate misunderstanding , such as the legal ri ght of a Grand Lodge , in either England , Scotland , or Ireland , to rule all lodges in these countries , which was shown

to be erroneous , as at that time lodges in existence prior to the formation of the Grand Lodge of Scotland had refused to become connected with that body . The Lord Ordinary of the Court of Sessions gave his decision on the 12 th November , 1811 .

Amongst other clauses in this interlocutur , that legal authority thus refers to William St . Clair , the so-called Hereditary Grand Master . " That supposing the Grand Master to have possessed such powers , there is no evidence that when William St . Clair of Roslyn resigned the office

of Hereditary Grand Master , he either actually did or could lawfull y transfer to any other body of men any of the rights , powers , or privileges which belonged to him as Grand Master . " The defendants were victorious , and the Grand Lodge party were found liable in the costs of the suits . Ultimately the Grand Lodge received thc seceders

back into their fold , and soon peace and harmony once more prevailed . The various chapters on the " higher degrees " will be read by many with great pleasure , especially when the origin and progress of the Masonic Knights Templar and the Grand Royal Arch Chapter , as also other Masonic bodies , including that far-famed Royal Order of Scotland'