History Of Freemasonry In Cornwall.

happy event would have been gladly recorded for our information . We are told that " it was unanimously agreed to continue the Master and Wardens , " and also that Geo . Bell , Esq ., and Micon Meluss were appointed Treasurer and Secretary respectively .

" Settled the accounts this day and signed by the Right Worshipful Master and the Worshipful Wardens . Elected Brother Snoxell Steward for the following year . " The Steward seems to'have been an important and necessary officer then as now .

It seems to us a very good custom for the Master and Wardens to sign the Treasurer ' s book annually , because the property of the lodge is vested in them for the time heiug , and certainly their signatures should be appended to all documents referring to the

disposal of that which is entrusted to them . The next minute proves that the Christian religion was held in reverence by our ancient brethren at Falmouth , and that such was demonstrated in the same manner as is customary with us now at our Provincial Grand Lodge meetings .

Not that we consider Craft Freemasonry m its universal character to be Christian , or of any sect whatsoever , although many of its ceremonies in some countries are , but still we believe none are of such a nature as to exclude anyone who conforms to the precepts of natural religion . Of this we are glad ,

because we hope that nothing will ever tend to cloud the ennobling fact that in every nation " he that feareth God , and worketh righteousness , " be he Jew , Turk , or Christian , is a fit neophyte of Freemasonry , and whether the Testament , Koran , or the

Bible be placed on the pedestal , provided the square and compasses rest thereon , good men and true are present , and the laws of the Craft , of the Middle Chamber , and of the Sanctum Sanctorum are complied with , the lodge will always be opened in jieace ,

continued in order , and closed in harmony , and the brethren will adore Him who hath made them , and all things—though under different appellations , in various languages and of numerous tribes—in spirit and in truth , knowing that the Great Architect of the Universe seeketh such to worship Him .

The minute referred to is "Went to church in form , and had the constables and Serjeants with their maces to precede us . " One is lost in wonder at endeavouring to fancy what the inhabitants of Falmouth thought of the

first Masonic procession as it passed through their streets . We may take it for granted that many a friendly caution was given by anxious wives to their husbands against joining such a secret society , and more than one watchful mother thought of her son and his fondness of diving into the mysteries of everything .

As the lodge numbered a few esquires , who likely enough walked with their more humble brethren , perplexity must have taken the place of suspicion in the minds of several ; going to church , too , under the protection and countenance of the sergeants and the constables of "time immemorial constitution "

would silence the remarks of would-be objectors , and surely , when a body of respectable fellow townsmen were endeavouring to carry out the ancient Cornish motto , " One and all" in their own honourable , if mysterious way , the good sense of the far west

friends would observe , " By their fruits we shall know them . " Whether if the members went to church before or after their business cannot be determined by the minutes , but the first proposition was to ballot for Mr . Thos . Clutterbuck on the next lodge night ( i . e ., the 25 th inst . ) Bro . Orchard was the proposer , and

the R . W . M . was the seconder . It was also unanimously agreed that no extra lodge should be called to make any brother or brothers upon any emergency , without the brother or brothers so made paying the expenses of the night , besides the usual gratuity .

Lodges of the present day frequently charge an extra amount for an emergency , and such is put to the lodge account , but the expense of the night would be about as strange a sentence to us as some of our present ceremonies would be mysterious to

our ancient brethren . It would appear that the lodge regularly adjourned from labour to refreshment , and that so much was spent for the good of the house , as , of course , Bro . Edward Snoxell ( their Steward ) , the host , would not charge for the use of the room during lodge hours . The following is a list of the members : —

Wm . Pye , Esq . M . M Master . Alexander Moses , M . M /> , „ .,, „ . „ Matthew Allison , M . M j . vauiens . Geo . Bell , Esq ., M . M Treasurer . Micon Meluss , M . M Secretary . Edward SnoxjII , E . A Steward . John Hill M . M .

Thomas Harrison „ . M . M . Joseph Sherburne M . M . Samuel Pitchford M . M . Wm . Hill , Esq . E . A . Peter Hill E . A . Win . Sartorius E . A . Richard James E . A . Thomas Mills E . A .

Francis Orchard E . A . John Williams , E . A Tyler . At the St . John it was unanimously agreed that an extra lodge shall be called to make any brother or brethren upon any emergency without the brother or

brothers so made paying the expense of the night besides the usual gratuity . On the day following a candidate was balloted for , and two Fellow Crafts were raised to the degree o ' i Masters . On July 9 th