Mother Kilwinning.

tainty . The practice of numbering the Kilwinning lodges began with the charter issued to " Paisley , St . Andrew , No . 77 . " It is singular that the East Kilbride should have had the first charter granted by Mother Kilwinning after their adhesion to Grand Lodge , as well as the last issued by them previous to the re-union of these two grand bodies .

Of tbe petitions extant upon -which many of the above enumerated lodges obtained their charters , there is little to remark . Nearly all of them express the desire of the subscribers to meet as "leel men and true brethren , " under authority of the Ancient Lodge of Kilwinning , —that they may do socrave to be

, erected into a constitutional lodge of Free and Accepted Masons , —promise " to act in all things upon the Square , as becometh Brethren , " and in all time coming to pay due obedience to the acts ancl statutes of the Mother Lodge . The concluding sentences of the Kilbride petition ( 1806 ) verges upon a

declaration of the politics of those subscribing it : —•" .... All which we Bind and Oblige Ourselves & our Successors in said Lodge , shall be done in the most regular & proper manner becoming the trust committed to us by the Mother Lodge , & as true aud Loyal Subjects , whose principal aim will be the present

Constitution of the Country as by Law Established , against every attempt of open or Concealed foes , persuaded , as we are , that Loyalty & Charity are two of tbe Brightest Ornaments in tbe Character of a free Mason . " This jjetition having been " taken under the very serious consideration" of the officebearers of the Mother Lodge , it was " unanimously agreed to grant the prayer thereof . "

That of the Operatives of Port-Glasgow ( formed in 1759 into the " Doric" Lodge ) is framed in a style somewhat different from the others . The petitioners in this case , fearful apparently lest one lodge might by the " royal society" be considered enough to answer the requirements of Port-Glasgow , enter into a full explanation of the circumstances rendering

desirable the establishment of a companion to the " Cumberland ; " and as the sons of the " Doric" may feel curious to know the ground upon which the fathers of that lodge rested their application for a charter from Kilwinning , we present in exlcnso the petition addressed by them to the Mother Lodge : —

" Port-Glasgow , Jany . 23 d , 1759 . " To the Honourable Master and "W ardens of the Ancient Lodge of Kilwinning . " We , your humble Petitioners , haviu takin it into our consideration of the many unregular Steps that lias been taken in Entering of Persons as Brethern

who was not worthy to receive that Secret of Masonry , ¦ —We , therefore having takin it into our Sereons Consideration , have deseign'd to inter into a body on purpose to put a Stope to these abominations , so much hated by every honest-hearted Mason , —We . therefore , the Operatives of Port-Glasgow , with some

others , as projectors in this our design—suppose we are at a distance from our Regular Lodges , and is settled here as Recedentovs—is at a stand still what to do , as there is a Regular Lodge lately Erected here , which Lodge there is not one O p ' rative Mason in it ; and as there Meeting each Month is so Expencive , along with there Quarterly Accounts is so hi gh , that we who are for the most part Trad ' smen in general ! . , cannot Subsist in these Mecfcino-s , as some of us is

join'd to other Charitable Corporations , and would willingley do in this affair what lys in our power , not to detriment ourselves . Therefore , we your petitioners do humbly Crave your aid and assistance by giving a right from you to us , so as we may become one of your Children . We therefore hope you will lose no time iu granting this our Request , which is

the earnest desire of your Petitioners , who shall allwise pray for your Ancient and Noble Lodge , that it may be keept alwise pure for a lig ht to shine al around and to the endless ages of posterity ; and your petitioners shall ever pray . " " AnGX / V'N ' . 'n'raii MAIHT

"JAS . POLLOCK " WILLIAM ' ALLAH " "JAMES GILLESPIE "ROBEET Aran . " It is notorious that a great portion of the time of the Scottish Grand Lodge " has for too long a period been devoted to healing up unseemly quarrels among

those calling themaelves Brethren . " " Petition and Complaint" also , frequently darkened the Masonic horizon in the days of Mother Kilwinning ' s independence , and the equanimity of that Grand Body was often disturbed by tbe discordant notes issuing from the sanctum of one or other of their daughters .

Incidental notices of such appear iu the Kilwinning records , but the only formal "Petition and Complaint" that has been preserved of those presented in the last century to the Mother Lodge is that which sets forth tho troubles which beset the earl y days of the " Doric Kilwinning : "—

" 1 st July , 17 G 1 . " To the Right Worshipfull the Master , Wardens , and other Members of the Ancient Lodge of free Masons at Kilwinning .

" The Petition aud Complaint ofthe under Subscribers , all Operative Masons in aud about the Town of Port-Glasgow . " HUMBLY SIIEWETH , — " That , Whereas it is only of late the laudable Spirit of Masonry made any appearance , or even Embraced by any of the Inhabitants in this

Townex-, cepting those whose Employment was to carry on tbe practical part of it : But however small the number of these were , yet the Salutary and noble effects of Masonry at length diffused itself thro' the whole Town , and in a short time incited the Bulk of the Inhabitants to offer themselves in the usual way to be

received as Members . " The operative part of our Order , among whom were most of your Petitioners , notwithstanding we then regulated ourselves b y Certain Rules of our own , yet before we Entered too great a number of Bretheren , judged it proper for the better

Establishing Laws and Statutes to be observed by the Brotherhood , to apply to your Worship ' s Predecessor for a Charter Erecting us a Branch of your Lodge , aud which was accordingly granted , containing the common and ordinary Rules of Masonry , and particularly that a Master should be chosen year and year by turns out

of the practising number of Masons . ' ' After this Charter was obtained , the Operators made a considerable progress in admitting Bretheren , ancl at two full meetings it was confirmed by the unanimous voice of the whole Body , —That , notwithstanding tho other Members should exceed the Opera-