Bro. Sir Christopher Wren.*

BRO . SIR CHRISTOPHER WREN . *

BT BRO . C P . MACCALLA . THE present Lodge of Antiquity , No . 2 , of London , which in the year 1717 met at "The Goose and Gridiron alehouse , in St . Paul ' s Churchyard , " and prior to that time was known as St . Paul ' s Lodge , possesses the mallet and trowel used at the laying of the corner-stone of St . Paul ' s Cathedral , together with a pair of carved mahogany candlesticks , reputed to have been presented to the lodge by Bro . Sir Christopher Wren . The mallet has a silver plate set in the head , on which is engraved the following inscription :

" By order of the M . W . the Grand Master , His Boyal Highness the Duke of Sussex , etc ., etc ., and W . Master of the Lodge of Antiquity , and with the concurrence of the Brethren of the Lodge , this plate has been engraved and affixed to this Mallet , A . L . 5831 , A . D . 1827 ; To commemorate that this , being the same Mallet with which

His Majesty , King Charles the Second , levelled the foundation-stone of St . Paul's Cathedral , A .. __ . 5611 , A . D . 1673 , was presented to the Old Lodge of St . Paul ' s , now the Lodge of Antiquity , acting by immemorial constitution , By Brother Sir Christopher Wren , K . W . D . G . M ., Worshipful Master of the Lodge , and Architect of that edifice .

The early records of this lodge , unfortunately , have been lost or destroyed , so that the best evidence of Wren ' s connection with it , as officer and member , is wanting ; but other evidence is in existence , and Masonic tradition distinctl y corroborates it , and , as Bro . Woodford recently remarked in this connection , Masonic tradition is not to be despised . The earliest authentic reference to Sir Christopher Wren as a Freemason is contained in a manuscript now in the library of the Royal Societof

y England , that was written by John Aubrey , an eminent antiquary and naturalist ( born 1627 , died 1697 ) , and entitled "Natural History of Wiltshire . " At page 277 it reads as follows : " Memorandum . —This May the 18 th , being Monday , 1691 , after Rogation Sunday , is a great convention at St . Paul ' s Church of the fraternity of the adopted Masonswhere Sir Christopher Wren is to be adopted as a brother

, , ancl Sir Henry Goodric of the Tower , and divers others . It is true that this is but the announcement of an event that was expected to occur , ancl not of an accomplished fact , nevertheless it bears upon its face the evidence of sincerity and truth , and all of the probabilities in the case go towards substantiating the assertion . Wren was an eminent architect , and likela patron of the Craft ( as Anderson states ) before he became a member

y of it , and Aubrey would not have been likely to insert such a statement as the above in his work if it had not been true . We consider that this unquestioned contemporaneous record , written , in 1691 , and carefully preserved to the present day , fortified as it is by Masonic tradition , ancl by the statements of subsequent Masonic historians ( who all agree that Wren was a Freemason ,