Thomas Harper.

It should be stated that during the years lre held office as Deputy G . Secretary he attended the installation on the 20 fh January , 1792 , of his Grace the Duke of Atholl , on that nobleman ' s acceptance of the office of Grand Master lor the second time ; that on the 2 nd Mav , 1797 , he presided as Dep . G . Master

at the constitution of Lodge , No . 304 , at the Salutation , Woolwich , and that on the 4 II 1 June , 1800 , he presided in Grand Lodge " b y Deputation from tlie R . W . Deputy Grand Master" ( VV . Dickey ) , when " It was moved , and seconded , ' That an humble address be . presented to His Majesty congratulating His Majesty

upon his late providential escape from the atrocious and daring attempt of an assassin upon His Majesty ' s most sacred person , and that the same be prepared and signed b y the Ri g ht Worshi p ful Deputy Grand Mastcr and presented to His Majesty ; ' and the Question bcingput thereon the same was ordered accordingly . '"

He was also also , about the same time , appointed one of the Trustees of Grand Lodge , and it may be added that he was likewise from the date of its revival on December , 178 7 , a member and subsequently a Past Master of Grand Master ' s Lodge , No . 1 .

ButHarper was adistinguished" Modern" as well as "Ancient " Mason . In 17 8 7 he joined the Globe Lodge , now No . 23 , of the former Society , was installed its Master in 1 793 , and in 1 796 represented it on the Board of Grand Stewards , the fact of his being a prominent member of the "Ancient" G . Lodge

being manifestly regarded as no impediment to his advancement to that honour . Nor did this endeavour of Bro . Harper to do all in his power to promote thc interests of Freemasonry generally by being a member of both its English branches cause him any personal inconvenience until he became the

Duke of Atholl ' s Deputy , and then thc discredit into which he fell with thc " Moderns , " was , 1 am inclined to think , the result , not of any embittered feeling on the part of that Society against him for being an "Ancient " as well , but of vindictiveness on that of an expelled " Ancient" Mason , who had become popular

with the rival body . In March , iSor , G . Lodge " Ancients /' conlirmed a sentence of expulsion passed the previous month b y ils Stewards' Lodge against Bro . 1 " . C . Daniel for improperl y making persons Masons in the Royal Naval Lodge of Independence , then No . 57 " Moderns , " without authority , and granting

them certificates 111 imitation of those issued b y the "Ancients , ' Bro . Harper being in the chair at the time this sentence of expulsion was confirmed . In the year 1802 , charges were laid against Brother Harper by this Bro . F . C \ Daniel , before the Committee of Charity of the " Moderns , " the result being that at

the meeting of their Grand Lodge on the yth February , 1803 , it was " Resolved unanimously that Mr . Thomas Harper be expelled this Society for countenancing and supporting a Set of Persons calling themselves Antient Masons , and holding Lodges in the Kingdom without authorisation from His Royal

Highness the Prince of Wales , the ( jrand Master dul y elected b y the Grand Lodge , " and il was further " Ordered that this Resolution be inserted in the printed Account of the Grand Lodge , to prevent the said Thomas Harper from gaining admittance into any Regular Lodge . " This was confirmed at the

next Communication of Grand Lodge on the yth April following , and remained in force until the 7 th February , 1810 , when the question of a I ' nion of the two Societies having been taken seriousl y in hand b y both , it was " Resolved that in consequence of recent occurrences the Resolution of the Grand Lodge of

the yth February , 1803 , for the expulsion of Brother Thomas Harper , be rescinded , " and this was lollowed on the 12 II 1 April , b y another resolution of a general character , to the effect that it was no longer necessary " to continue in lorce those measures which were resorted to in or about the year 1 739 , respecting

Irregular Masons , and , therelore-, that the several Lodges should " revert to the Ancient Land Marks of the Society . " Before , however , I dismiss ibis incident in Bro . Harper ' s career , it may be as well if I reproduce from the minutes of the " Modern "

Grand Lodgeof lire 24 th November , 1802 , the following correspondence which had passed between him and its Grand Secretary , Bro . William White , on the subject of the charges which Bro . F . 0 . Daniel had formulated against him .

The minutes of the meeting in question record as follows : — "The Grand Secretary reported lhat pursuant to the Order of the Committee of Charily , he had written the following letter : —

To THOMAS IIAKCKK , h-q ., l- ' ice Masons' Hall , - ¦ olh November , 180 J . Sir .

The Committee of Charity which met at Free Masons' Hall , yesterday evening , having reviewed the Minutes respecting the Charge exhibited aeainst you by Brother Daniel and thc subsequent Proceedings thereon , has

directed me to acquaint you tint the Committee consider you as standing under cngagen-. ent to thc Grand Lodge , as the Judgment impending against you was solely done away upon a Condition suggested by yourself and that the Grand Lodge after having met that suggestion with the moi . t liberal

Thomas Harper.

disposition cannot but feel itself disappointed that you have not offered any Communication respecting thit Union which it was hoped precluded the necessity of any Proceedings on any Charge exhibited against you , and that your non-attendanca at the Committes of Charity appears an indeorous

neglect . In consequence of which an explanation is required from you before Wednesday next , such as may determine the Procedure which the Grand Lodge shall at that meeting adopt , or that you do then attend in person the Grand Lodge to answer a revival of the Charge . I have the Honor to be , Sir ,

Your most obed' - Servant ( Signed ) WM . WHITE , G . S . "And that he had received the following Answer—To WILLIAM WHITE , Esq ., Fleet Street , November J 3 rd , 1802 . Sir ,

I am favoured with yours of the uoth Instant and confess myself much surprised at its Contents , after the very frivolous Charge brought against me had been entirely dismissed . That I was an Ancient Mason has long been known to many , to Mr .

Heseltine particularly , as also to yourself , having frequently referred Persons to me in that Capacity . I stated these facts to Mr . Hessltine at the Committee of Charity previous to my taking upon myself the office of Grand Steward and it was then publicly declared by him to be no impediment .

Altho' I did agree , at the suggestion of the Committee , to use my Endeavours in conjunction to bring about an Union of the two Grand Lodges , it was without proposing any definite Period whatever . But , unfortunately , some untoward Circumstances have since occurred so as totally to preclude the possibilit of my giving any Communication on the subject to the last Committee of Charity .

I feel the Rectitude of my Conduct during a period of thirty-five yeirs devoted to Masonry , and am not conscious of having in any Instance infringed upon its Laws or ever injured one of its Members . Under this canviction , should the Grand Lodge be disposed ( notwithstanding the profession of its Liberal disposition ) to revive the Charge against me I shall bow with the utmost deference to the decision . I am , Sir ,

Your very obed 1 - Servant , ( Signed ) THOMAS HARPER . . There is a quiet dignity about this letter of Bro . Harper ' s and especiall y about its concluding paragraph which , in my opinion , cannot be too greatl y admired . Certainl y his Masonic career contrasts most favourably with that of Bro . E . C . Daniel , *

who , save that he appears to have been a genial companion so long as things went smoothl y and according to his liking , and certainl y did good service in connection with thc Masonic Institution for Boys , must have been a terrible stumbling-block to the peace and harmony which it is the great aim of Freemasonry to promote .

Unpleasant as the proceedings narrated in the preceding paragraph must have been to a sensitive-minded man such as Bro . Harper would appear to have been , they involved no slur upon his character , lt is not likely , indeed , that his "Ancient " brethren would have reproached him on account of his expulsion

from the " Modern " Society . And after all , it is in his "Ancient " capacity that Bro . Harper is best known , and it is for the fine sense of honour he invariabl y exhibited , and the great ability he displayed in all thc various offices he filled at various epochs in his career as an " Ancient" brother , that his name will be best

remembered . But it is as Deputy ( j . Master—the hi g hest position to which he attained , indeed the hi ghest to which he could attain—that he appears to have been at his best . That he was in every way competent lo discharge the difficult and

oftentimes delicate duties of that exalted ollice , there appears to be no room or reason for doubt . He was thoroughl y conversant with the laws and regulations , the ancient usages and customs , of the Society . Above all , he seems lo have possessed a singularl y calm and equable temperament , bv which he was

_ of the K 0 _ v . 1 l Naval Lodge , and from the iniimtrs of the " Modem " Grand Lodge , in which the whole uf the facts bearing upon these charges are disclosed , il appears that lie very nearl y succeeded in wrecking its fortunes and was only saved iroin suspension from all his Masonic rights anil privileges liy the act of the Lodge of felicity in guaranteeing payment of and ultimately paying off a large sum found to lie due to ( Irand Lodjje for registering Masons made in thc Rovai Naval Lodge during the period ot his Mastership . bt a protest by Bro .

* Bro . [•' . C . Daniel , though his services to the Koyal Naval Lodge were handsomely recognise 1 by its members , who generously supported him in establishing a Boys' I listi ution on the same lines as that founded b y the " Ancients " in i ; yS , and though he became very popular with lite Lodge of felicity—row No . 5 IS—was not only , as I have shown , expelled from the "Ancient" Craft in I 8 DI , but he was also deprived of his rights and privileges as a Life Governor of the Buys ' Institution in iSo ^ . In 1 S 0 S charges were brought against him by some members

Kichard TOWIIMHI , of that lodge , it is allirmcd that in 1 S 01 during the progress of a certain dispute llro . Daniel broke open tlie lodge doors and look away their Hooks and Warrant . In 1 S 10 Iiro . Daniel was present in ( irand Lodge , ami declared that the Royal Naval Lodge , rather than comply with the orders they had received to reinstate certain improperly expelled members would surrender its warrant and books " to enable the ( irand Lodge to pay itself what was due from ¦ the Roval Naval Lodge , hv cu'lcciing in the arrears due from its members . '

lie accordingly handed ihe warrant to tlie ( irand Mailer in the chair . Al the next meeting ol ( irand Lodge sec minutes ntli April , 1 S 10—the warrant was returned lo certain other in-aib : is who petitioned lor its restoration , alleging lhat they had taken no part in tlie objectionable proceedings . It is also recorded that curtain late members of Koyal Naval Lodge had since jo ' ned tUt ; Lodge of Felicity , removed to llarr Sireet , Wapping , and intended altering ils name to tile " Koyal NavulLo . lgc of Felicity . " ( jrand Lodge , however , ordered that th'j lodge should continue to be " eaUe . ! or distiueuished '' bv its original name .