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  • The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine
  • April 10, 1869
  • Page 12
  • MASONIC IMPOSTORS.
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The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine, April 10, 1869: Page 12

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    Article BRO. MELVILLE'S DISCOVERIES. ← Page 3 of 3
    Article MASONIC IMPOSTORS. Page 1 of 2
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Page 12

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Bro. Melville's Discoveries.

attached so much importance to his having brought us this knowledge from one end of the earth to the other , as , perhaps , the poor simpleton suggests who in his love for poetry wrote , — . "We all are mortals , grass and hay , Here to-morrow and gone to-day . "

I beg , therefore , to suggest that twelve or more gentlemen of intelligence , and of sufficiently high standing in the Order , be elected from the 12 principal lodges of London , or of London and adjacent places easily accessible—perhaps it might be preferable to take two from each lodge—to form

themselves into a committee for the purpose of inviting Bro . Melville to communicate his ' valuable knowledge , as the first reci pients of the same , with the view of making the lodges themselves generally the sole depository of his science ; and that Bro . Melville be duly and handsomely remunerated by the

principal London and nei ghbouring lodges in the first instance , and by the whole universal brotherhood subsequently , for communicating to them , for whom he has been so long labouring , the valuable results of the study of his whole life . This knowledge to be communicated to the above committee by

Bro . Melville in a regular systematic series of instructions . Having terminated such course of | instruction with the first committee elected as above , Bro . Melville should be engaged to repeat his course of instruction to a second committee similarly elected ; then to a third committee , & c , & c , till the whole

body of duly elected brethren consider themselves in complete possession of the whole newly-discovered science . Afterwards , the P . M . ' s , and all higher grades , take charge of Bro . Melville ' s complete works as the ri ghtful property of the Order , which those who are worthy , and those only , should ever be permitted to understand .

By such a step as this now proposed , the children of the widow may recall to life her long-lost murdered husband ; the key of the temple may he restored ; and the key-stone of the edifice he laid in its proper place . The temple , however , will require purifying from

many of its drossy elements . Everything will wear a new , intellectual aspect . The atmosphere of the Order will ba pervaded by new light and genial warmth , which , while they suffocate some , may communicate fresh life to others . Tours fraternally , D . J . GODEEEY .

Masonic Impostors.

MASONIC IMPOSTORS .

TO THE HDITOB Or TEE MElsMAS 02 * S' 3 IAGAZIXE AXD ItASOXIO IIIKEOK . _ Bear Sir and Brother , —I have read from time to time , with considerable interest and benefit , the numerous letters addressed through you to the Craft generally respecting begging Masons , or , as one of your correspondents forcibl y puts it , "Masonic

cadgers . " As the Almoner for the Hull Lodges , Nos . 57 , 250 , and 1 , 010 , I venture to forward you a short statement of two eases that have come under my immediate notice lately . The first is that of a person calling himself Edward Edward , by trade or profession a watchmaker and jeweller . He applied to me for assistance , stating that he was a member of the Isaac Newton Lodge ,

Masonic Impostors.

Cambridge . He had no certificate with him , but he showed me two of the lodge summonses , and a list of the members , and copy of the rules and by-laws of that lodge . Pointing to the name of Edward Edward , he said , "That is my name . " He further stated he had been in business as a watchmaker at Cambridge ,

but failed by having been security for his wife ' s brother ; he was then in search of employment . He was sent to me by one of the brethren of the Humber Lodge , 57 , a watchmaker and jeweller , who had given him some assistance himself . I also gave him a small sum , but I had my doubts upon him ,

especially as he had no certificate . I at once wrote tothe W . M . or Secretary of that 'lodge , and received the following reply : — "We have no subscribing member of the name of Edward Edward ; moreover , the lodge is confined to members of the University . I have lived in Cambridge 20 years , and never heard of a watchmaker here of the name mentioned . "

The next case is that of a person calling himself Henry Thompson , and representing himself to be a clerk in the timber trade , a native of Bristol , and having a wife and three children at that place . He said he had been in Hull two months in search of employment , but had not been successful . He said

he was in great distress , and was desirous of getting : back to Bristol as soon as possible , having received a telegraphic message from his wife to return home immediately . He represented himself to be a subscribing member of the Royal Clarence Lodge ,. No . G 8 . He had no certificateand could ive me no

, g reference in Hull , not even his lodgings , although he said he had been here two months . He was respectably dressed , about 35 years old , light complexion and hair , and marked with the smallpox . I had very strong suspicion that all was not ri ght , and declined to help him . He left me threatening the vengeance

of his lodge , No . 6 S . I heard no more of him until a week or ten dajs after . I was at Malton , and visited the Camalodunnm Lodge , No . 6 G 0 , of that place . I learnt from the Almoner that Henry Thompson had called upon him that very morning soliciting aid . He hailed from the Whittington

Lodge , London , No . S 62-. He had no certificate , but he showed a copy of the by-laws and members of that Lodge . He was then a " commercial traveller ; " he had been to Scarboro to seek for a situation , and was going to Leeds ; he had a wife and three children at Scarboro . The Almoner gave him 2 s . Gd . He then called upon the W . M ., Captain Copperthwaite

, and said he had seen the Almoner , but the small sum he had received would be of very little service to him to get to Leeds with . He urged his great distress , and with such success that the W . M . generously gave him 10 s . more . I have written to the Royal Clarence Lodge , Bristol , No . GS , aud received the following

reply : — " That Henry Thompson has never been initiated in our lodge , and that he is not a member . It is much to be regretted that such impostors are allowed to derive benefit from the credulous good nature of some of our brethren , when due inquiry would effectually prevent it . " I also wrote to the

Whittington Lodge , London , No . S 62 , twice , but have received no reply , I trust that the publication of such eases as these will be of service in arresting the progress of men who systematically travel the country living upon

“The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine: 1869-04-10, Page 12” Masonic Periodicals Online, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 22 June 2025, django:8000/periodicals/mmr/issues/mmr_10041869/page/12/.
  • List
  • Grid
Title Category Page
WORKING MASONS. Article 1
MASONIC CELESTIAL MYSTERIES. Article 2
THE UNIVERSALITY OF MASONRY. Article 5
THE KNIGHTS TEMPLARS. Article 5
KNIGHTS TEMPLARY IN DEVONSHIRE. Article 7
MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES. Article 8
CORRESPONDENCE. Article 10
BRO. MELVILLE'S DISCOVERIES. Article 10
MASONIC IMPOSTORS. Article 12
P.M.'S AND THE WORKING BRETHREN OF LODGES. Article 13
Untitled Article 14
MASONIC MEMS. Article 14
ROYAL FREEMASONS' SCHOOL FOR FEMALE CHILDREN. Article 15
METROPOLITAN. Article 15
PROVINCIAL. Article 16
IRELAND. Article 16
ROYAL ARCH. Article 17
MARK MASONRY. Article 17
MASONIC FUNERAL AT LONGTOWN. Article 17
MASONRY IN SOUTH AFRICA. Article 17
PUBLIC AMUSEMENTS. Article 18
NOTES ON LITERATURE, SCIENCE, MUSIC, DRAMA, AND THE FINE ARTS. Article 19
MASONIC LIFEBOAT FUND. Article 19
MEETINGS OF THE LEARNED SOCIETIES. Article 19
TO CORRESPONDENTS. Article 20
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

Bro. Melville's Discoveries.

attached so much importance to his having brought us this knowledge from one end of the earth to the other , as , perhaps , the poor simpleton suggests who in his love for poetry wrote , — . "We all are mortals , grass and hay , Here to-morrow and gone to-day . "

I beg , therefore , to suggest that twelve or more gentlemen of intelligence , and of sufficiently high standing in the Order , be elected from the 12 principal lodges of London , or of London and adjacent places easily accessible—perhaps it might be preferable to take two from each lodge—to form

themselves into a committee for the purpose of inviting Bro . Melville to communicate his ' valuable knowledge , as the first reci pients of the same , with the view of making the lodges themselves generally the sole depository of his science ; and that Bro . Melville be duly and handsomely remunerated by the

principal London and nei ghbouring lodges in the first instance , and by the whole universal brotherhood subsequently , for communicating to them , for whom he has been so long labouring , the valuable results of the study of his whole life . This knowledge to be communicated to the above committee by

Bro . Melville in a regular systematic series of instructions . Having terminated such course of | instruction with the first committee elected as above , Bro . Melville should be engaged to repeat his course of instruction to a second committee similarly elected ; then to a third committee , & c , & c , till the whole

body of duly elected brethren consider themselves in complete possession of the whole newly-discovered science . Afterwards , the P . M . ' s , and all higher grades , take charge of Bro . Melville ' s complete works as the ri ghtful property of the Order , which those who are worthy , and those only , should ever be permitted to understand .

By such a step as this now proposed , the children of the widow may recall to life her long-lost murdered husband ; the key of the temple may he restored ; and the key-stone of the edifice he laid in its proper place . The temple , however , will require purifying from

many of its drossy elements . Everything will wear a new , intellectual aspect . The atmosphere of the Order will ba pervaded by new light and genial warmth , which , while they suffocate some , may communicate fresh life to others . Tours fraternally , D . J . GODEEEY .

Masonic Impostors.

MASONIC IMPOSTORS .

TO THE HDITOB Or TEE MElsMAS 02 * S' 3 IAGAZIXE AXD ItASOXIO IIIKEOK . _ Bear Sir and Brother , —I have read from time to time , with considerable interest and benefit , the numerous letters addressed through you to the Craft generally respecting begging Masons , or , as one of your correspondents forcibl y puts it , "Masonic

cadgers . " As the Almoner for the Hull Lodges , Nos . 57 , 250 , and 1 , 010 , I venture to forward you a short statement of two eases that have come under my immediate notice lately . The first is that of a person calling himself Edward Edward , by trade or profession a watchmaker and jeweller . He applied to me for assistance , stating that he was a member of the Isaac Newton Lodge ,

Masonic Impostors.

Cambridge . He had no certificate with him , but he showed me two of the lodge summonses , and a list of the members , and copy of the rules and by-laws of that lodge . Pointing to the name of Edward Edward , he said , "That is my name . " He further stated he had been in business as a watchmaker at Cambridge ,

but failed by having been security for his wife ' s brother ; he was then in search of employment . He was sent to me by one of the brethren of the Humber Lodge , 57 , a watchmaker and jeweller , who had given him some assistance himself . I also gave him a small sum , but I had my doubts upon him ,

especially as he had no certificate . I at once wrote tothe W . M . or Secretary of that 'lodge , and received the following reply : — "We have no subscribing member of the name of Edward Edward ; moreover , the lodge is confined to members of the University . I have lived in Cambridge 20 years , and never heard of a watchmaker here of the name mentioned . "

The next case is that of a person calling himself Henry Thompson , and representing himself to be a clerk in the timber trade , a native of Bristol , and having a wife and three children at that place . He said he had been in Hull two months in search of employment , but had not been successful . He said

he was in great distress , and was desirous of getting : back to Bristol as soon as possible , having received a telegraphic message from his wife to return home immediately . He represented himself to be a subscribing member of the Royal Clarence Lodge ,. No . G 8 . He had no certificateand could ive me no

, g reference in Hull , not even his lodgings , although he said he had been here two months . He was respectably dressed , about 35 years old , light complexion and hair , and marked with the smallpox . I had very strong suspicion that all was not ri ght , and declined to help him . He left me threatening the vengeance

of his lodge , No . 6 S . I heard no more of him until a week or ten dajs after . I was at Malton , and visited the Camalodunnm Lodge , No . 6 G 0 , of that place . I learnt from the Almoner that Henry Thompson had called upon him that very morning soliciting aid . He hailed from the Whittington

Lodge , London , No . S 62-. He had no certificate , but he showed a copy of the by-laws and members of that Lodge . He was then a " commercial traveller ; " he had been to Scarboro to seek for a situation , and was going to Leeds ; he had a wife and three children at Scarboro . The Almoner gave him 2 s . Gd . He then called upon the W . M ., Captain Copperthwaite

, and said he had seen the Almoner , but the small sum he had received would be of very little service to him to get to Leeds with . He urged his great distress , and with such success that the W . M . generously gave him 10 s . more . I have written to the Royal Clarence Lodge , Bristol , No . GS , aud received the following

reply : — " That Henry Thompson has never been initiated in our lodge , and that he is not a member . It is much to be regretted that such impostors are allowed to derive benefit from the credulous good nature of some of our brethren , when due inquiry would effectually prevent it . " I also wrote to the

Whittington Lodge , London , No . S 62 , twice , but have received no reply , I trust that the publication of such eases as these will be of service in arresting the progress of men who systematically travel the country living upon

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