Notes On The Ceremony Of Installation.

NOTES ON THE CEREMONY OF INSTALLATION .

BY BRO . H . SADLER . ( Continuedfrom page 642 ) . .

The first meeting under this Warrant was on the 2 ist November , 1809 , when it was " Resolved that this Lodge be called ' The Special Lodge of Promulgation . ' " Twenty-five new members were elected at this meeting , who appear to have been chosen from the most distinguished brethren of

the " Modern " society , including the Duke of Sussex and several Provincial Grand Masters . At the next meeting , on the ist of December following , the lodge commenced operations in earnest . " Br . C . Bonnor ( S . W . and Acting Master elect of the Lodge of Antiquity , No . 1 ) , was appointed Secretary . " . . . " Br . Bayford , Grand Treasurer , defined the obvious

view in which the duties imposed upon the Lodge by the Warrant was to be considered , and invited a special attention in the first instance to the ascertaining what were the Ancient Landmarks which they were required to restore . At the request of the R . W . M ., he stated clearly and explicitly the principal points of variation between the Ancient and the Modern

practice in the several Degrees of the Order , and concluded by referring to Br . Bonnor for a more detailed explanation of the precise forms adherdS to in the Ancient Practice : whereupon , in obedience to the commands of the R . W . M ., Br . Bonnor proceeded to an accurate descrip tion and recitation of the Ancient Practice ( as adhered to in the lodge of which he is a member )

in the several ceremonies of opening and closing the Lodge in the first , second , and third Degrees , and likewise in the mode prescribed and practiced for communicating and receiving the particular secrets in those several Degrees which constitute the Ancient Landmarks in Question . A general

anxiety to ascertain by every possible means the most ample and authentic sources of Information on a subject so important , led to a series of animated discussions , which was protracted till half-past twelve o'Clock , when the Lodge was closed in due form , and the Meeting adjourned to Friday next , at seven o ' clock precisely . "

It is not my present purpose to describe in detail the various transactions of this lodge , as they have no reference to the Installation ceremony until the 19 th October , 1810 . I may , however , remark that the members appear to have had some difficulty in deciding what were to be considered

the " Ancient Landmarks of the Order , " but after having availed themselves of the assistance of a deserter from the opposite body , they made better progress , and on the date last mentioned it was " Resolved that it appears to this Lodge , that the ceremony of Installation of Masters of Lodges is one of the two Landmarks of the Craft , and ought to be observed .

Resolved that it be referred to those members of this Lodge who are Installed Masters , to Install the R . VV . M . of this Lodge , and under his direction take such measures as may appear necessary for installing Masters of the Lodges . " It is not stated what the other Landmark was considered

to be . Sixteen members attended the next meeting , only four of whom appear to have been regularly installed , although they are , with one exception , represented as Masters of lodges ; three out of the four were members of the Lodge of Antiquity , and the other was Thomas Carr , Master of No . 30 .

As an example of the laxity of the times ( Masonically speaking ) I may mention that this brother , although appointed by the Grand Master one of the original members of the Lodge of Promulgation , was not registered in the Grand Lodge Book as a member of the lodge of which he is described as Master . At the next meeting a Board of Installed Masters was formed

and the R . W . M . and the other members of the lodge were regularly installed , and in order to enable the Masters of the various lodges to attend for the same purpose , the Grand Master , at the request of the members , renewed the powers of the Lodge of Promulgation for two months beyond the period for which the Warrant was originally granted . The Masters of

all the lodges in London and its vicinity , under the " Moderns , " were summoned to attend , and any Master or other brother presenting himself with a certificate from his lodge of his having served the office of Warden and been duly elected to that of Master , was then and there regularl y installed , as also were many Provincial Grand Masters , as well as the Earl of Moira

the Acting Grand Master , himself , who had filled the high office from the year 1790 . The Lodge of Promulgation finished its labours , or , to be quite correct , the minutes end , on the 5 th of March , 1811 , but as the lodge is stated to have been " then closed in due form and adjourned , " it is possible that another meeting was held , if so , it was not recorded in the minute book ;

the Acting Grand Master declined to accede to a numerously-signed petihon for a further extension of its powers for twelve months , being probably u"der the impression that it had already answered the purpose for which the Warrant was issued , as at the time active preparations were going on with a view of uniting the two rival Grand Lodges .

As is generally known to readers of our history , the " glorious union " Was celebrated in Freemasons' Hall with much splendour and rejoicing on the 27 th December , 1813 ( a preliminary meeting to ratify the Convention Jiving taken place on the 1 st of that month ) , and , in conformity with the Articles of Union , " an equal number of brethren were selected from the two

Fraternities for the purpose of effecting an uniformity of ritual , and arranging the future ceremonies of the Craft . Accordingly , a Warrant bearing date 7 th December , 1813 , signed by the Duke of Sussex , Grand M ter of the " Moderns ) " and witnessed by the Duke of Kent , Grand faster of the " Ancients , " was issued for a lodge to be called the Lodge

Reconciliation , probably the only Masonic Warrant in existence bearing 'he sign manual of two Royal Grand Masters . t ) j ° the best of my belief , this unique document has not hitherto been open the inspection of brethren of the present generation . I will , therefore , give a transcri pt of it , not only for the benefit of such as may be interested h ; J . perusal , but also to preserve from oblivion so important a link in the "istorical chain of our Order .

Notes On The Ceremony Of Installation.

"AUGUSTUS FREDERICK G . M . WITNESS , EDWARD G . M . 0 To ALL AND EVERY OUR RlGHT WORSHIPFUL , WORSHIPFUL AND LOVING BRETHREN WE AUGUSTUS FREDERICK DUKE OF SUSSEX , EARL OF INVERNESS , BARON OF ARKLOW , PRINCE OF BRUNSWICK LUNENBURG , KNIGHT COMPANION OF THE MOST NOBLE ORDER ' OF THE GARTER , & C & C & C .

GRAND MASTER OF THE MOST ANCIENT AND HONORABLE SOCIETY OF FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS UNDER THE CONSTITUTION OF ENGLAND SEND GREETING

KNOW YE that We in pursuance of a Resolution of our Grand Lodge holden on Wednesday the first day of December instant and of tne great confidence reposed in our Trusty and well beloved Brethren , The Reverend Samuel Hemming , D . D ., William Meyrick , William Shadbolt , Lawrence Thompson , Joseph Jones , J . H . Sarratt , Thomas Bell , James Joyce , and Stephen Jones respectively Masters or Past Masters of regular Lodges do

hereby authorise and empower the said Brethren together with William Henry White also a Past Master , as Secretary , to hold a Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons in and adjacent to the Cities of London and Westminster to be called the LODGE OF RECONCILIATION , and We appoint the said Samuel Hemming to preside as Master , William Meyrick as his Senior Warden , and William Shadbolt as his Junior Warden , and when so

constituted with power to meet unite and incorporate themselves with a Lodge of equal numbers to be constituted and appointed by His ROYAL HIGHNESS EDWARD DUKE OF KENT & C . & C . & c . GRAND MASTER of MASONS according to the Old Institutions contained and set forth in Articles 4 and 15 of a certain Instrument bearing date the 25 th of November last entitled "Articles of Union between the two Grand Lodges of England" and which

Instrument was solemnly ratified and confirmed by the said two Grand Lodges on Wednesday the ist of December instant , And it is our pleasure that three of our Grand Officers do attend the meeting of the said Lodge so that one at least shall always be present to countenance and assist in the same . And the Brethren thereof are desired to make a return to us of all their proceedings from time to time in discharge of this important Duty .

GIVEN under our Hand and the Seal of our Grand Lodge in London the seventh day of December in the year of our Lord , 1813 , and of Masonry , 5 813 . By Command of the M . W . Grand Master , D . G . M .

William H . White , G . S . " It . is not unlikely that a Warrant of a similar character to the foregoing was issued by the Duke of Kent to certain members of the section of the Order of which he was the head ; but , up to now , I have not been so fortunate as to get a sight of such a document . * The brethren selected

for the important duty of arranging the future ceremonies of the English Craft were evidently not ignorant of the value of time , tor they commenced their labours on the very day the Warrant was dated , and afterwards , for several months , only allowed themselves an interval of a few days between their meetings .

I need not here pause to dwell upon the peculiar nature and the difficulties of the task these worthy brethren had undertaken ; these will be readily seen after a moment ' s thought ; but I cannot refrain from giving expression to a tribute of gratitude and admiration for the truly Masonic spirit by which they were undoubtedly animated in the performance of their trust , enabling them to transmit to their posterity the beautiful system of Freemasonry which it should be our pride and earnest endeavour to hand down to our successors pure and unsullied as received by us .

When the members of the lodge had agreed amongst themselves with more or less unanimity , as to the ceremonies , numerous meetings were held for the purpose of instructing the Craft generally , and those meetings were attended by brethren from all parts of the kingdom . No pains appear to have been spared in order to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion , and it was not till the 20 th May , 1816 , that the ceremonies decided upon were rehearsed for the approval of the United Grand Lodge , as the following extracts f om the records will show : —

"The M . W . Grand Master stated that he hid convened this special Grand Lodge that the Lodge of Reconciliation might exhibit and explain to the brethren the result of their arrangements made pursuant to the directions contained in the 4 th and 5 th Articles of the Act of Union .

That it was not His Royal Highness ' s intention that any discussion should this day take place as to those arrangements , but that at the Quarterly Communication on the 5 th of next month he should submit them for the opinion and sanction of the Grand Lodge , so that the Brethren might in the interim have an opportunity of giving them due consideration .

The Officers and Members of the Lodge of Reconciliation then opened a Lodge in the First , Second , and Third Degrees successively , and exhibited the ceremonies of initiating , passing , and raising a Mason as proposed by them for general adoptron and practice in the Craft . These Ceremonies being ended , the Grand Lodge was closed in ample Form , and with solemn prayer , and adjourned . " Grand Lodge Minutes , 5 th June , 1 S 16 .

" The Minutes of the Grand Lodge , on the 20 th May last , when the Ceremonies and Practices recommended by the Lodge of Reconciliation were exhibited and explained , were Read ; and , alterations on two points , in the Third Degree , having been resolved upon , the several . Ceremonies , & c , recommended were approved and confirmed . "

It would appear from these extracts that the Installation of Master was not included in the ceremonies arranged by the Lodge of Reconciliation . It is not unlikely that the brethren found quite enough to do in arranging and settling the other matters ; or it is possible that , having been so recently promulgated , it was not deemed advisable to re-open the subject . Before

concluding my remarKS on this lodge , I will mention one or two circumstances in connection with it not generally known . Besides the original members , whose names are given by Bro . Hughan in his Memorials of the Union , nine other brethren were appointed by the Grand Master in December , 1814 , to fill up vacancies which , from a variety of causes , had occurred since the formation of the lodge ; they

were—R . L . Percy , W . M . Emulation Lodge , No . 22 , now No . 21 Philip Broadfoot , P . M . No . 3 81 ( now No . 217 ) , Principal Founder and , supporter , for many years , of the Stability Lodge of Instruction . Thomas Satterley , P . M . of No . 308 , now No . 185 , in which lodge he was initiated in 1807 , was appointed G . Sword Bearer of the United Grand