Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Extracts From A Minute Book Of The Last Century.
1806 , is very often transacted in the Third Degree , certainly oftener than in the First . 1 'hej Lodge is often opened also in the Second Degree . This shows how cautious we must be in dogmatizing too harshly on the evidence of Minutes alone , as though
they are " scintillas " of evidence , they are only at the best and by no means conclusive ou many points . Indeed it is to me a strong proof of the irregularity and laxity of the work in this and other Lodges , then , whether ancient or
modern , that Bro . Harper , the D . G . M ., is said to be present more than once during these Lodge meetings . As another proof of their free and easy way of doing business , a certain Bro . "John Dye " proposed Mr . John ColbyTurnerat
, , 63 , West Street , to be made an Ancient Mason , and paid 5 s . There were fourteen Visitors that ni ght , among them Bro . Dye and the W . M . and S . W . and J . W ., in all seventeen , and as the Visitors paid an equal sum with the Members , 17 s . -were
collected . This was on September 2 , 1798 . On October 4 th the same John Dye proposed Mr . Joshua Exton as a member of the Lodge . Now in tfie previous list Bro . Dye ' s name appears in the list of "Visitors "; on this occasion his name is not inserted either in the list of Members or Visitors , of whom six of the former and six of the latter were
present . At the meeting of December 27 th he is entered still in the list of " Visitors , " and on February 17 th , 1798 at a Lodge of " Emergency " opened in the Third Degree at four o ' clock , "Bro . Bollam then proposed Bro . John Dye , Victualer , late of Lod ge 245 to join this Lodgewhich was
, , unanimousl y agreed to on his paying the sum of 5 s . " The only explanation I can offer is that he was master of the tavern , and may have had " privileges'' as such . ¦ Bu t it is a strong proof of the laxity of the procedure of Lodge 194 .
As some of my Brethren may like to MIOW how in those days they kept then St . John ' s I will give a Minute bearing on the point .
"December 27 , 1799 . Opened in the Second Degree at 4 o ' clock p . m . The W -M , present , and J . W . Br . Dye , S . W ., protempore . When After stating the business of the Grand Lodge , and Dinner bei "g Read y , the Lodge was called to
Refreshment at | - past 4 , when the Members enjoyed themselves with Conviviality until 8 o ' clock . When the Lodge was called to Labour , the S . W . still being ill and could not attend , the Installation of Officers was deferred till a luture opportunity . The
Lodge then proceeded to examine the Lodge Books and Audit the accounts , & c . Nothing more being offered for the good of Masonry , the Lodge was closed at 10 o ' clock in good harmony . Brs . present .
Bollam - 5 G House Bill 1 14 8 Dye .-56 Servants - 0 3 4 Colby - 5 6 Expended 1 18 0 Chaplin - 5 6 Collected- 1 13 0 Hampton 5 6 Due to Trea-Lavender 5 6 surer - 0 0 5
Collected 113 0 Ballance in favour of the Lodge 0 6 31-The W M . and officers were elected b y the Lodge half-yearly , and on some occasions , especially if a Bro . was going to leave the country , the three degrees were
conferred in one night . There are some entries which I cannot explain . At a meeting Sept . 1 , 1803 , the Lodge being " opened in the Third Degree at 8 o ' clock p . m ., " and all officers present , the legal officers being the W . M . and the two Wardens apparently
, " Bro . Bollam delivered the nine Worth y ' s Jewel to the W . M . " On this occasion seven Brethren were present and seven Visitors . On October 6 th , the Lodge " being opened in the First Degree , & c , " the W . M . informed the Brs . present
that he had delivered the nine Worth y ' s Jewel he received of Br . Bollam the last Lodge Night to Br . Harper , D . G . M ., at the Grand Lodge . On this occasion seven Members were present and seven Visitors . On May the 3 rd 1804 the Lodge was opened in the Third Degree ; the Minutes of the last
Lolge were read and confirmed , " When the W . M . gave a lecture on the First Degree , the reason was given in the same by Bro . Ronalds , one of the nine Worthyes . " Who were the nine Worthies , and what was the nine Worthies' Jewels ? Can Bro .
Hughaii in his letter tell us 1 1 do not know that I need make any more remarks , or give any more extracts from the routine Minutes of the Lod ge 194 , but as such Minutes seem to have
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Extracts From A Minute Book Of The Last Century.
1806 , is very often transacted in the Third Degree , certainly oftener than in the First . 1 'hej Lodge is often opened also in the Second Degree . This shows how cautious we must be in dogmatizing too harshly on the evidence of Minutes alone , as though
they are " scintillas " of evidence , they are only at the best and by no means conclusive ou many points . Indeed it is to me a strong proof of the irregularity and laxity of the work in this and other Lodges , then , whether ancient or
modern , that Bro . Harper , the D . G . M ., is said to be present more than once during these Lodge meetings . As another proof of their free and easy way of doing business , a certain Bro . "John Dye " proposed Mr . John ColbyTurnerat
, , 63 , West Street , to be made an Ancient Mason , and paid 5 s . There were fourteen Visitors that ni ght , among them Bro . Dye and the W . M . and S . W . and J . W ., in all seventeen , and as the Visitors paid an equal sum with the Members , 17 s . -were
collected . This was on September 2 , 1798 . On October 4 th the same John Dye proposed Mr . Joshua Exton as a member of the Lodge . Now in tfie previous list Bro . Dye ' s name appears in the list of "Visitors "; on this occasion his name is not inserted either in the list of Members or Visitors , of whom six of the former and six of the latter were
present . At the meeting of December 27 th he is entered still in the list of " Visitors , " and on February 17 th , 1798 at a Lodge of " Emergency " opened in the Third Degree at four o ' clock , "Bro . Bollam then proposed Bro . John Dye , Victualer , late of Lod ge 245 to join this Lodgewhich was
, , unanimousl y agreed to on his paying the sum of 5 s . " The only explanation I can offer is that he was master of the tavern , and may have had " privileges'' as such . ¦ Bu t it is a strong proof of the laxity of the procedure of Lodge 194 .
As some of my Brethren may like to MIOW how in those days they kept then St . John ' s I will give a Minute bearing on the point .
"December 27 , 1799 . Opened in the Second Degree at 4 o ' clock p . m . The W -M , present , and J . W . Br . Dye , S . W ., protempore . When After stating the business of the Grand Lodge , and Dinner bei "g Read y , the Lodge was called to
Refreshment at | - past 4 , when the Members enjoyed themselves with Conviviality until 8 o ' clock . When the Lodge was called to Labour , the S . W . still being ill and could not attend , the Installation of Officers was deferred till a luture opportunity . The
Lodge then proceeded to examine the Lodge Books and Audit the accounts , & c . Nothing more being offered for the good of Masonry , the Lodge was closed at 10 o ' clock in good harmony . Brs . present .
Bollam - 5 G House Bill 1 14 8 Dye .-56 Servants - 0 3 4 Colby - 5 6 Expended 1 18 0 Chaplin - 5 6 Collected- 1 13 0 Hampton 5 6 Due to Trea-Lavender 5 6 surer - 0 0 5
Collected 113 0 Ballance in favour of the Lodge 0 6 31-The W M . and officers were elected b y the Lodge half-yearly , and on some occasions , especially if a Bro . was going to leave the country , the three degrees were
conferred in one night . There are some entries which I cannot explain . At a meeting Sept . 1 , 1803 , the Lodge being " opened in the Third Degree at 8 o ' clock p . m ., " and all officers present , the legal officers being the W . M . and the two Wardens apparently
, " Bro . Bollam delivered the nine Worth y ' s Jewel to the W . M . " On this occasion seven Brethren were present and seven Visitors . On October 6 th , the Lodge " being opened in the First Degree , & c , " the W . M . informed the Brs . present
that he had delivered the nine Worth y ' s Jewel he received of Br . Bollam the last Lodge Night to Br . Harper , D . G . M ., at the Grand Lodge . On this occasion seven Members were present and seven Visitors . On May the 3 rd 1804 the Lodge was opened in the Third Degree ; the Minutes of the last
Lolge were read and confirmed , " When the W . M . gave a lecture on the First Degree , the reason was given in the same by Bro . Ronalds , one of the nine Worthyes . " Who were the nine Worthies , and what was the nine Worthies' Jewels ? Can Bro .
Hughaii in his letter tell us 1 1 do not know that I need make any more remarks , or give any more extracts from the routine Minutes of the Lod ge 194 , but as such Minutes seem to have