Provincial Grand Lodge Of Guernsey And Alderney.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF GUERNSEY AND ALDERNEY .

The first meeting of this newly-constituted province was held at thc Masonic Temple , St . Peter's Port , on Wednesday , the 31 st ult . It was a special meeting convened by the Prov . Grand Master for the purpose of submitting to Provincial Grand Lodge the by-laws drawn up and prepared by the Committee appointed for that purpose . The following Provincial

Grand Ollicers were present : Bros . E . C . Ozanne , Deputy P . G . M . ; Col . Guyon , P . S . G . W . ; J . B . Gardner , P . J . G . W . ; J . T . Laine , P . G . Treas . R . G . Smythson , P . G . Sec . ; T . M . Bichard , P . S . G . D . * , W . H . Lovell , P . J . G . D . ; G . F . Peek , P . G . Supt . of Wks . ; H . Wilkins , P . G . D . C ;

] . B . Nicholls , P . A . G . D . C . ; A . J . Riley and J . L . Ogier , P . G . Std . Brs . ; T . G . Barnes , P . G . Org . ; R . B . Rowcliffe , P . G . Purst . ; Lieutenant W . Simpson , P . A . G . Purst . ; A . W . de Jausserand , Lieut . Hancock , H . L . Doras , H . M . Bichard , and j . S . Bath , P . G . Stwds . ; and H . Bowden ,

Tyler . The brethren of the province mustered in strong force . With the exception of Aldemey , and this was owing to bad weather , all the W . Ms , of the

lodges were present , and they were accompanied by all their Past Masters and Wardens ; in fact , a more representative gathering could not have been brought together . The Masonic Hall of the Temple was as crowded as it could conveniently be .

The proceedings commenced with the investment of Bro . J . B . Gardner aTP . J . G . W . Bro . Gardner had unfortunately been windbound in his yacht at the time of the P . G . Master's installation—his duties , however , had been

temporarily taken up by Bro . Stickland , a P . P . G . W . The by-laws were then read out by the P . G . SECRETARY—one by one . The discussion following was naturally a little animated on some points ,

but on the whole it was fairly and very decorously conducted . Bro . E . C . OZANNE , D . P . G . M ., in the unavoidable absence of Bro . F Clarke , P . G . Reg ., kindly expounded the Constitution whenever a question arose , so that all was satisfactorily arranged .

Before closing , the P . G . M . took occasion to thank Bro . F . Clarke , P . G . Registrar , for his generosity and public spirit in publishing and issuing for private circulation a very neat and correct record of the " Inauguration of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Guernsey and Alderney . "

The procedings then terminated . If a crowded meeting and a keen interest in all the proceedings are auguries of success , as they undoubtedly are , Bro . Dr . Balfour Cockburn has every reason to be exceedingly gratified with that , the first meeting of his province .

Bro. Sadler's Comments On Bro. Jacob Norton's Masonic History.

BRO . SADLER'S COMMENTS ON BRO . JACOB NORTON'S MASONIC HISTORY .

BY BRO . G . BLIZARD ABBOTT . I have read with a considerable amount of interest—as indeed I read whatever emanates from the pen of the brother in question—Bro . Sadler ' s " Comments on Bro . Jacob Norton ' s Masonic History , " as quoted from the Masonic Review of Cincinnati in the Freemason of the 27 th ult . ; and as I havebeen

engaged for some time past in extracting from the " Athol" ollicial records all matters that are calculated to throw light upon the career of Laurence Dermott , Grand Secretary 1752-71 of the " Ancient" Society of

Freemasons of England , and subsequently during two separate terms of service its Deputy Grand Master , I am able to supplement the information contained in those Comments by references to Royal Arch Masonry and other matters , which he ( Bro . Sadler ) has either overlooked or left unnoticed .

The earliest reference to Royal Arch Masonry in the " Ancient Minutes is contained in the record of the Proceedings of their Grand Committee on the 4 th March , 1752 , when sundry brethren " made formal complaint against Thomas Phealon and John Macky belter known by the name of the leg of mutton Masons . In course of the examination , it appeared that

Phealon and Macky had initiated many persons for the mean consideration of a leg of mutton for Dinner or Supper to the disgrace of the Ancient Craft , that it was difficult to discover who assisted ( hem , if any , as they seldom met twice in the same alehouse . That Mackey was an Empiric in phisic and both Impostors in Masonry . That upon examining some brothers

whom they pretended to have made Royal Arch Men , the parties had not the least idea of that Secret . That Doctor Mackey ( for so he was called ) pretended to teach a Masonical Art by which every man could ( in a moment ) render himself invisible . That the Grand Secretary had Examined Mackey at the house of Mr . lames Duffy , Tobacconist in

East Smithfield , who was not a Mason , and that Mackey appeared incapable of making an Apprentice with any degree of propriety . Nor had Mackey the least idea or knowledge of Royal Arch Masonry . But instead thereof he had told the people whom he deceived a long story about 12 White Marble Stones , & c , & c , and that the Rainbow was the Royal Arch , with many other absurdities equally foreign and ridiculous . "

The next references , bearing date the 2 nd September , 1752 , and 2 nd March . 1757 , respectively , are quoted by Bro . Sadler , and then we come upon the following in an explanatory note appended bv Dermott to the minu'es of the 5 th September , 1759 . It appears that a William Carroll , a certified sojourner , had been relieved by private subscription among members

of Grand Lodge , and the following memorandum is added : " Bro . W . Carroll reported he had applied for relief to the Modern Grand Lodge and been refused , and that Mr . Spencer , the Secretary to the Modern Society , sent out the answer to Carroll ' s petition in the following words : ' Your being an Ancient Mason , you are not intitlcd to any of our Charity . The Ancient Masons have a lodge at the five Bells in the Strand , and their Secretary ' s

Bro. Sadler's Comments On Bro. Jacob Norton's Masonic History.

name is Dermott . Our Society is neither Arch , Royal Arch , or Ancient , so that you have no right to partake of our Charity . ' The petitioner Carroll delivered the original paper written by Mr . Spencer to Mr . Darmott , G . Sec . i in whose custody it remains . ' * The minutes of the Grand Lod ^ e held on the 4 th Septembgr , 1771 record , among other matters , the following :

" The G . Sec . " ( W . Dickey ) "having obtained an audience , moved that the following Question shall be put to the General Lodge— ' Is His Grace the Duke of Atholl Grand Masterof Masons in every Respect ? ' this being put by the D . G . M . it vvas unanimously ansvver'd in the affirmative . The Secy , retum'd thanks and then informed them that he was happy to

have it confirmed by the Grand Lodge as he had several times heard it advanced that the Grand Master had no right to inspect inlo the proceedings of the Royal , Arch—further that the Sec . had vvith regret perceiv'd

many flagrant abuses of this most srcred p \ rt of Masonry and therefore proposed that the Masters and Pa-rt Masters of Warranted Lodges be conven'd as soon as possible in order to put this part of Masonry on a solid Basis .

" Resolv'd that a meeting of Masters and Past Masters of the Warranted Lodges shall be held on the 2 nd . of Octr . next at 7 o'clo . in the evening on the aforemention'd Business . "

In the minutes of the 4 th Dec , 1771 , we rtad : " The Rt . Worshipful D . G . Master" ( Dermott ) " inlormed the Grand Lodge of the Proceedings of the Royal Arch meetings , viz ., on the 2 nd October and 6 th of Novembr . last , and expatiated a long time on the scandalous method pursued by most of the Lodges ( on St . John ' s Day ) in

passing a number of Brethren through the chair on purpose to obtain the sacred mysterys of the Royal Arch , and proved in a concise manner that those proceedings were unjustifiable . Therefore moved for a Regulation to be made in order to suppress them for the future . " Thereupon , after it

had been pointed out that some brethren by reason of their professions could never attain that part of Masonry , and after praying that the case of all such might be taken into consideration in framing the resolution , it was Unanimously

" Resolved—That no person for the future shall be made a Royal Arch Mason but the legal Representatives of the Lodges , except a B-other ( who is going abroad ) who hath been 12 months a Register'd Mason , and must have the unanimous voice of his Lodge to receive such Qualification , and in order to render this Regulation more expediate it is further Order'd that all

Certificates granted to brethren from their respective Lodges shall have inserted the Day the Brother or Brethren joined or vvas made in such lodgeand that this Regulation take place on St . John ' s Day , the 27 th Dec . 1771 . " The D . G . Master return'd thanks for this neiv Regulation which would certainly redound honour to all the brethren present , and then informed them

there were several Brethrenof Different Lodges that had beenadmitted amongst the Royal Arch Masons illegaly , and that it would be necessary to take their case into consideration , but as it was concerning the Royal Arch lis presumed they would leave it to the next Grand Chapter , and they might depend that everything should bc pursued for the real honor of the Fraternity . The

Grand Lodge having duly weighed the foregoing proposition and considering that several of the members of the Grand Lodge were not R ) yul Arch MASONS . It vvas agreed by the majority that the R . A . Chapter were the properest persons to adjust and determine this matter , and therefore it was agreed that the case should be reffered to the Royal Arch Chapter with full authority to hear , determine , and adjust the same . "

On the 27 th December , 1771—D . G . Master Dermott being in the chair of Grand Lodge—it is recorded that " The Grand Secretary by order read part of the minutes of last Grand Lodge relative to the new Regulation for the Royal Arch , which the D . G . M ,

gave the Brethren ( present ) to understand that it was to be strictly observed in their respective Lodges , and that a Grand Chapter was to be held on the first Wednesday in Jany . next to finally settle that part of the minutes referred by the Grand Lodge to the said Chapter . "

Other references to the Royal Arch will be found in the minutes of the Stewards' Lodge ( 1 ) of the ioth April , 1775 , whin it was proved that a Bro . Hume had inserted the words "A Royal Arch Mason " in his business Bills " delivered publicly in the streets " ; of the 17 th July , 1776 , when it is recorded that " The D . G . Master " ( Dermott ) , " immediately after he had

opened the Stewards' Lodge withdrew to attend a Grand Chapter of the Holy Arch "; and of the 17 th March , 1777 , when it was charged against a petitioning brother " that he had on a certain occasion withdrawn from the Grand Lodge , and , in conjunction with others , opened a Grand Chapter in defiance of the Grand Lodge . "

But I must not trespass further upon your space by quoting other passages upon this point . Let me , therefore , content myself for the present vvith drawing attention to the conclusions which are obviously to be drawn from these and similar ila / u .

( 1 ) . Whencesover and whenever the Royal Arch had its origin , it is clear that from the moment of Bro . Dermott ' s appearance upon thesceneas Grand Secretary of the " Ancients , " it formed part of their Masonic system . It may have languished at one period and flourished during another , but it was always there .

( 2 ) Whatever may have been subsequently the status of Royal Arch Masonry under the " Modern " Grand Lodge , vve have it on no less an authority than that of Grand Secretary Spencer , as recorded by Dermott , that that Society in the year 1 759 vvas " neither Arch , Royal Arch , or

* Both this and the reference to the Leg-ot-Mutton Masons and their system of Royal Arch Masonry are noted in Bro . Hughan's " Origin of the English Ri * ° < Freemasonry . "