The Past Of Freemasonry.

again in 1820 and 1821 . Our Bro . Bell received the distinguished honour of being appointed Grand Sword Bearer by the Grand Master in 1816 , and in that year the jewel attached to the W . M . ' s square was earned by a handsome donation towards building the beautiful hall where our Grand Lodges are at present heldIn 1808 on the 14 th

. , February , a sermon was preached by a brother of the Caledonian Lodge , the Rev . Robt . Crosby , at St . Magnus ' s Church , in aid of the funds for the Girls ' School . In 1818 and 1819 , Henry Woodthorpe ,-jun ., was W . M . Bro . Woodthorpe was a wellknown civic functionary of that period . In 1821 ,

£ 10 10 * . were subscribed towards the building of a sick room at the Girls' School . In 1822 and 1823 , Bro . William Hogg was W . M . In 1824 , Bro . Chas . Baumer ruled the lodge ; in 1825 , Bro . Thos . Wallis ; in 1826 , Bro . John Stevens ; in 1827 , Bro . John Sylvester ; in 1828 Bro . John Haesin 1829 Bro .

, ; , William Longstaff ; in 1830 , Bro . Thos . Surr ; in 1831 , Bro . Thos . Wallis ; in 1832 and 1833 , Bro . William Hogg ; in 1834 , Bro . Geo . S . Heales ; in 1835 and 1836 , Bro . John Mather ; in 1837 , after a lapse of thirteen years , Bro . Chas . Baumer again ruled as W . M . ; in 1838 Bro . Henry ChasSurr was

, . W . M . This worshipful brother was originally a representative from the Grand Lodge of Ireland , and the M . W . G . M . of England presented him with the distinguished rank of Past Grand Warden of England . In 1839 and 1840 , Bro . Silvanus Luis Pereira ruled the lodge ; in 1841 , Bro . Bernard Cowvan was

W . M . In this year a lodge of instruction was held under the sanction of the lodge at the Crown Inn , Bow-lane . In 1842 , Bro . Thomas Cole reigned as W . M . ; in 1843 , Bro . Geo . H . Buckton ; in 1844 , Bro . Edw . Grafton ; in 1845 and 1846 , Bro . Samuel Edw . Donne ; in 1847 , Bro . Thos . Surr ; in 1848 ,

Bro . Donne was again re-elected ; in 1849 , Bro . John Gosling Halsey ; in 1850 , our venerable Father was elected W . M . ; iu 1851 , Bro . Peter Berrell ; in 1852 , Bro . Chas . Browne ; in 1853 and 1854 , Bro . Samuel W . Osborne ; in 1855 , Bro . Robt . II . Terrell ; in 1856 Bro . Alfred Downes ; in 1857 Bro . Benj . W .

, , Wells ; in 1858 , Bro . William A . Kennett ; in 1859 , Bro . John Grant ; iu I 860 , Bro . James Taylor ; in 1861 , Bro . Jas . W . Halsey ; in 1862 , Bro ! Alfred Brett ; and last year the brethren did me the distinguished honour of electing me W . M . Our present W . M . Dr . Richardshaving gained the

, , confidence of the lodge , has during his official career , added fresh lustre to Masonry , and more especially to this lodge . Having named the Worshipful Masters from the only source open to me , I will add a few more items that may be interesting to our members . The lodge was consecrated at the

Half Moon , Cheapside , Nov . 15 , 1764 ; from thence it removed to Anderton ' s Hotel , Fleet-street ; then to the Horns Tavern , Doctors' Commons ; the George and Vulture , Cornhill ; the Albion Tavern , Aldersgate-street ; the London Coffee House , Ludgate-hill ; again to the George and Vulture ; and lastly , to our present meeting-house , the Ship and Turtle Tavern , Leadenhall-street .

The number of members initiated in the lodge since 1777 have been 588 , with only 67 joining members ; the subscribing members to the lodge appear never to have exceeded 30 to 35 annually . I find the lodge

The Past Of Freemasonry.

has been principally a professional one , the titles of the brethren being clergymen , [ barristers , notaries , city officials , officers of the Royal Navy , and members of Parliament . I also find recorded among our commercial brethren , limners , cordwainers , and others . The ancient Caledonians have assisted the Charities

a little . From extracts since 1804 , the sum of £ 535 10 s . Gd . appears towards the Girls' School , from £ 600 to £ 700 towards private charity , and occasional small sums towards the other Charities ( the Boys ' School and the Annuity Fund ) . Our brethren also subscribed towards presentation jewels & cto Grand

, , Officers , and I hope it will not be considered impertinent when I say they have represented the Caledonian Lodge well both iu charities and liberality . That concludes all I can say for the past of the Caledonian Lodge , and long may we live to honour the deeds of our Masonic ancestors as the incentives

to exertion , not the title-deeds to sloth . Let us honour the laurels that overshadow the graves of our forefathers . It is our forefathers we should emulate when , beneath the evergreen that we ourselves have planted , our own ashes may repose . And the Caledonians who are iring to

among asp the Chair of King Solomon , many , I have no doubt , will be found who will not only emulate those gone and passed awa } ' , hut will endeavour to raise our lodge far above its present level—in fact , as near perfection as human energy and human skill can raise the Craft .

I fear , brethren , I have exhausted your patience ; therefore , leaving to abler brothers the more agreeable portion of the evening's labour , the speculative , with these words from one of the greatest of living poets I will conclude—Lives of great men all remind us , AVe can make our lives sublime ; And departing , leave behind us , Footprints on the sands of time .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

MASONIC INTERPRETATIOH' 03 ? THE BIBLE . A learned and very pious brother says he reads the Bible , both Old and New Testaments , by the light of Freemasonry . What does he mean ?— M . M . — [ Would it not be better to ask him than us ? But although wejcan perfectlunderstand himand know

y , the wonders the twelve volumes of the New Jerusalem Guide open to the Freemason in search of light , j r et there are reasons why waverers ( Jas . i . 6 ) should be careful in not plunging beyond their depth . The author of the key was a most wonderfully gifted brother , but few can follow his recondite meanings .

We shall be always happy to hear from you , but your queries must not go into matters so palpable . You see how it has been altered , and that through your overstating the point . ] SO MOTE IT BE . From whence is the phrase "So mote it be" derived ?

—P . M . —[ It is Anglo-Saxon . Heaven preserve us from a philological inquiry ! Try Bopp ' s "Comparative Grammar , " but do not commence a system of torture , and subject us to some dozen conjectural derivations . ]