The Recent Tercentenary Of The Lodge Of Edinburgh No. 1.

probability will always remain , a subject of controversy between the partisans of Mother Kilwinning and this Edinburgh Lodge ( Mary ' s Chapel ) , No . i . We quote it for the purpose of showing that the latter dates from a period long anterior to 1599 , when its records begin , and may , therefore , with good reason be taken to furnish in itself undeniable evidence of an origin which

. t I 1 KO . I'ETER LYLE HENDERSON . is far more than three centuries old . This is a fact of which all Masons , but especially those under the Grand Lodge of Scotland and the members of Edinburgh , No . 1 , in particular , must be

exceedingly proud , and we hold that the lodge was well advised when it resolved on celebrating , with all possible pomp and circumstance , the tercentenary of its earliest recorded minutes , though everyone regret that unavoidable circumstances should

. BKO . RICHARD WOOD HAWKS , have prevented his Royal Highness the Prince of WALES , who is Patron of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , as well as Grand

Master of England , and an affiliated member of No . 1 , and other Masonic notabilities , from being present at a gathering which is unique in the annals of the Craft . But we can well imagine there is still another reason wh y our Scottish brethren entered with so much spirit into tho project for

The Recent Tercentenary Of The Lodge Of Edinburgh No. 1.

celebrating this anniversary . The earliest evidence obtainable of the existence of speculative Masonry in England is found in the Diary of ELIAS ASHMOLE , who records that on a certain day in 1646 he and Colonel MAINWARING were made Masons at

Warrington ; while 35 years later he tells us that he was present at a lodge meeting in London , when several gentlemen were made members of the Craft ! Lately , too , Bro . CHETWODE CRAWLEY has discovered that this form of Masonry was known in Trinity

College , Dublin , in 1688 . But a minute of this Edinburgh lodge of June , 1600 , shows that a certain JOHN BOSWELL , laird of Auchinleck , who was not an operative Mason , was a member at that time . Other instances , dating from the year 16 34 , are

also recorded in these minutes , and also others of later years , the two whose portraits accompany this article , being ALEXANDER HAMILTON , General of the Artillery , and Master of the Ordnance and Ammunition , who was made on the

20 th May , 1640 ; and Sir PATRICK HUME , of Pohvarth , afterwards Earl of MARCHAIOUNT , who was made on St . John ' s Day , 1667 . Another notable instance is that of Ouartermaster-General ROBERT MURRAY , who was admitted

a member on the 20 th May , 1641 , while the Scottish army lay in camp at Newcastle-on-Tyne . But it is unnecessary to mention further instances . Those who desire to know more of this matter should read the early chapters of Bro . D . MURRAY LYON '

elaborate "History of the Lodge of Edinburgh { Mary Chapel ) , No . 1 , " of which we rejoice to say a new edition will shortly be published in commemoration of this Tercentenary . Suffice it say , that in the face of this celebration the general public will

be induced to speak more respectfully of the claims of Masonry to a remote antiquity , while those who are members of the Craft in England and Ireland must envy the lodge which possesses such ancient records and so many such well-attested evidences

of the existence of speculative Masonry north of the Tweed . The other two portraits are those of Bro . P . L . HENDERSON , R . W . M . of the lodge , who presided at the Tercentenary banquet , and Bro . HAWKS , the Secretary , whose labours contributed so

largely to its success . As regards the former of these worthy members of this ancient lodge , Bro . PETER LYLE HENDERSON , who is an Architect , of 122 , George-street , Edinburgh , was initiated in the lodge on the 2 nd December , 1884 , and having

occupied the positions of Senior Warden and Substitute Master was elected R . W . M . St . John ' s Day , 18 9 6 . He is Grand Treasurer of the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland ; Treasurer Edinburgh Royal Arch Chapter , No . 1 ;

Treasurer of the Preceptory of the Temple in the Lothians ; Treasurer of the Priory of Malta in the Lothians ; Grand Treasurer of the Royal Order of Scotland ; Treasurer of the Edinburgh Rose Croix Chapter , No . 1 ; and 1 st Grand Standard

Bearer of the Edinburgh Consistory , No . 1 , K . H . Bro . HEN DERSON occupied for a short time a seat in the Edinburgh Town Council , and is an Ex-Moderator of the Edinburgh High Corr

stables . Bro . RICHARD WOOD HAWKS , who is , as we have said , Secretary , was initiated in the lodge in the year 18 90 , and after filling one or two minor offices , was elected Secretary , in which position he is now in his sixth year .

Provincial Grand Rank.

PROVINCIAL GRAND RANK .

( COMMUNICATED . ) Every rig ht-minded Freemason should be consumed by two ambitions , one of these is to occupy the chair of his lodge and the other is to wear the purple , either of Grand or Provincial Grand Lodge . The purple of Grand Lodge is necessarily

available to but few of those who aspire to it , and there are so many candidates for it , all of sterling Masonic worth and merit —that other circumstances have to be taken into consideration when selecting recip ients for that high honour . Such , for instance , is the possibility of the brother concerned being able

to attend Grand Lodge , his attitude with regard to the great Charitable Institutions , and his literary and social characteristics . But the Provincial Grand Master has a much freer hand ami in Provincial Grand Lodge Masonic enthusiasm and devotion have a much better chance of being considered on their own merits . Of aU the duties he has to perform , the Provincial