The Aberdeen Mason Lodge.

merely confirming the former one . But Ave learn from Kennedy ' s " Annals" that the Masons early separated from the other bodies . They appear to have kept aloof and never joined the other trades , who , about that period Avere frequently involved

in squabbles Avith the Magistrates and Burgesses of Guild . In thus eschewing politics , their policy is consistent Avith that still peculiar to and maintained by the Craft ; and that it continued to be adhered to long afterwards , is shoivn in an address

or lecture deliA ered to the brethren Avhen the lodge AVUS re-established in 1670 . That the Masonic ritual , or mere form of " ' initiating candidates into the mysteries of the art , " may have then differed from what it is now , may be taken for granted ; but there is nothing to indicate any

essential change in the spirit or leading principles of Free or Speculative Masonry . " That the fraternity in this district formed no f mere association of persons engaged in the building trade , ' is sufficiently proved by the fact

of their admitting persons of- other trades , or not in trade at all . Many gentlemen of the town , and of this' and the adjoining counties , became Freemasons ; and , ' on 29 th September , 1590 , James VI . granted letters to Patrick Copland of Udaught ,

appointing him to the ' Wardenrie' of Aberdeen , Banff , and Kincardine , in consequence , no doubt , of a previous nomination by the Grand Master or the brethren ; and as there was no other lodge in these counties ( probably none till 1749 ) , the existence of the Aberdeen Lodge previously to 1590 requires no further proof .

" In this lodge , from an early date , non-practical members Avere denominated ' Geomatic , ' and the other ' Domatic' Masons . This distinction is still continued nominally ; and in the rules it is prescribed that the Master aud Depute-Master shall

each be a gentleman , or Geomatic , and the Senior Warden a Domatic member . No deviation from the latter part of the rule occurred till 1840 . " How far the Craft in Aberdeen Avas identified or associated Avith the great and noble of the land

prior to 1670 , there is , of course , no actual record ; but it is believed that the highest classes were from the first amply represented in the lodge . Soon after its re-establishment in the year last named , we find on its roll of members the Earls

of Erroll and Findlater , Lord' Pitsligo , and the Earl of Dunfermline , The last-named Earldom Avas forfeited in 1630 . Possibly the brother in question may have been a claimant of the title at

The Aberdeen Mason Lodge.

that time . Passing to the following century , we find the Earl of Kintore was Master of the lodge from 1735 to 1738 , inclusive . He was Grand Master of Scotland in 1738 . Three other members of the Aberdeeir Lodge were severally elected

Grand Masters—namely , Bro . Charles Hamilton Gordon , in 1753 ; the Hon . the Master of Forbes , in 1754 ; and Lord Aberdour , in 1755-6 . In 1754 , Lord Adam Gordon , Commander-in-Chief in Scotland , and Lord Rollo , Avere admitted members of the lodge , of Avhich Lord Adam held the office of Master in 1759 . The last nobleman who

held that office was the Earl of Kintore , in 1779-80 . " There was no other lodge in the district till 1749 , Avhen St . Machar Lodge was formed in Old Aberdeen , to the grievous disappointment and vexation of the members of the original

establishment , who greatly blamed their f Aulton ' brethren for setting up a rival to their ancient Mother Lodge . " An extract from the " Constitution , Rules , " & c , of the Aberdeen Mason Lodge will be found in

another column of our present issue . It appears to us from the preamble to the Rules , that the violent persecution with which many corporate bodies and chiefly secret societies were visited after the Pretender's raid 1745 , compelled the officers

of the lodge to resort to the strategem of having it incorporated as a Friendly Society , in order to continue its existence . But we hope that the irrelevant observation " that the members are well affected to His Majesty's person and government , "

Avhich was a necessary captatio benevolentica in former ages , has by this time disappeared from the constitution of this lodge .

The Constitution, Rules, Orders, And Regulations, Of The Aberdeen Mason Lodge.

THE CONSTITUTION , RULES , ORDERS , AND REGULATIONS , OF THE ABERDEEN MASON LODGE .

Established and ordained at a general meeting of the society , held upon the sixth day of December , in the year One thousand seven hundred aud ninetythree , in terms of , aud agreeably to an Act passed in the thirty-third year of his present Majesty King George the Third , entitled " An Act for the

Encouragement and Relief of Friendly Societies . " The Aberdeen Mason Lodge was originally formed into a Society in the year 1541 , as appears from the books , records , and papers of the society , from which time it has been continued chiefly for the purpose of

establishing a fund for the annual relief of decayed necessitous members , their widoAvs aud children , by voluntary contributions ; and many have got an anannual supply therefrom .