History Of Freemasonry In Cornwall.

HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY IN CORNWALL .

LONDON , SATURDAY , NOVEMBTSR 3 , 1866 .

By > £ < Bro . "WILLIAM JAMES HTJGIIAH - , IS , & e , ( Continued from page 329 . ) On August 8 th tbe Steward of the lodge at Eedruth attended the meeting , and invited the members of the Falmouth Lodge to their feast on St . Bartholomew" ^

Day . " An order was made this even , that every brother that is deficient should have a letter sent him , signifying that if the arrears are not paid within one month after the date of the above letter , his name will be struck out of the list of members , agreeable to the

law passed June 25 th , 175-1 . at the general quarterly communication , and that the Secretary do prepare letters accordingly . " Nothing important is recorded subsequently until September 26 th of the same year , when we find that the R . W . Bro . Dobree , P . G-. M .

for Guernsey , favoured the lodge with a visit , as also several other brethren . The " Book of Constitutions , " 1756 , and " Calcott ' s Disquisition , " 1769 , state that Brother Thomas Dobree , P . G-. M ., Avas appointed during the same year as the P . G-. M . for Cornwall

( mentioned in a previous communication ) , and that his rule extended to the Islands of Jersey , Alderney , Sarlr , and Arme , in the British Channel , as well as Guernsey referred to by the Secretary .

October 10 th . —¦ " Brother Orchard , as he is going abroad , desired the lodge will excuse his being continued a member on the book during bis absence , but on his arrival in England again , upon notice being given by him ; it was agreed upon that he should be admitted and looked upon as a member during his

Stay . " Another such instance occurred at the next lodge and met with a similar response . Of course now the same plan exactly cannot be adopted , but partly it is so , as many lodges charge half the regular aunual

subscription to members who are mostly absent from England , and some extend the same privileges to those who are precluded from generally attending the lodge by reason of distant residences . On November 1-ith , two initiates were passed , and

raised by dispensation from the Prov . G . M . Although Art . 2 , " On makings , " expressly states that neither shall any lodge be permitted to make aud raise the same brother at one and the same meeting ( 1753 ) , excepting on very extraordinary groundsthere was

, no objection to the two degrees being given to Entered apprentices , as of course they would have been " made" already . The P . G . M . occupied the chair ou December 26 th , 1754 , and being the election night

for Master and Treasurer , Bros . Eichard James and Malachi Easkey were chosen to fill those offices respectively . The Secretary omits any reference to the "Wardens or other officers . At the next nine meetings no business is recorded requiring mention . The following explains the duties of the lodge on

May 29 th , 1755 . "A motion was made and unanimously agreed to , that a deputation from this lodge should be despatched to our brethren at Heistone and Eedruth , at their respective lodge nights , and that a letter be sent to Bro . Edmund Davey , of

Penzance , acquainting them that the celebration of St . John beheld according to custom at Bro . SnoxeH ' s , on Midsummer Day . " New clothing for the officers was ordered to be provided at the expense of the lodge . According to the usual custom the following

brethren were chosen aud elected officers for the ensuing six months . Bro . Malachi Easkey , "W . M . ; Bro . "William Bluett , jun ,, S . W . ; Bro . T . Groube , jun ., J . W . ; Bro . "William Bluett , sen ., Treas . The " Secretary" is left

open , but as the same writing still continues , no doubt Bro . Allison consented to be the Scribe , Bro . Samuel Bennett , of Penzance , was admitted and initiated on the 20 th June , 1755 . June 24 th the members of the " mystic tie" in

Cornwall met to enjoy their annual festival , ana certainly their numerical strength was really wonderful for the very few years elapsed since the banner of Masonry was planted on Cornish soil , Six members represented the Helston Lodge , eight the Eedruth Lodge , and more than twenty members

of the Falmouth Lodge were present to take part in the proceedings . A letter was read from Bro . Eevis , on August 14 th , and the lodge in response agreed to subscribe for a large paper " Constitution Boot . " The E . "W . Bro . John Eevis was D . G . M . 1757 , & c .

An extra lodge was held on August 18 th , 1755 , Bro . Sherburne in the chair . The following gentlemen were made Entered Apprentices , xh ., lloemev Y . Lacq , Captain of the Walerland , in the service of the

United States , and Adrian Areud Fiisiugh , Lieutenant of the said man-of-war . ¦ " This Day ( Dec . 25 , 1755 ) Bro . Samuel Pitchford was attended to his grave by the brethren of the lodge properly clothed . " Bro . Bluett , sen ., was chosen the Master for the ensuing six months , Bro .

T . Groube was appointed S . W ., Bro . Diclcerson , J . W ., and Bro . Allison , Secretary as usual . Bro . T . Yivian was elected Treasurer . The S . W . occupied the chair of the lodge on February 12 th , 1756 , and Bro . Dicfeerson , J . W ., was iu the East , also on March

11 th , but neither of them initiated or gave any of the degrees . Much business Avas transacted at the several lodges since , up to the 29 th of April , . 1756 , when the "Provincial" being the chair , the Worshipful Mr