Mother Kilwinning.

MOTHER KILWINNING .

LONDON , SATURDAY , PEBRWARY 18 , 1865 .

BY BUG . D . MTIUKAX LTO ^ , K . T ., oss OF THE GrEAND S ' XEAVAUDS I " S" TIIE GrBA"SD LODGE 03 ? SOOTIAITD . No . XV . In tlie erection of a new lodge , AA'hen circuvnsbances interfere to cause delay in its completion ,

a " Working Warrant , " carrying AA-itli it all tlie . privileges of a charter , is granted by Grand Lodge of Scotland . Svj . cb . Avas also tbe practice of Mother KuAvinning Avhen possessed of her independence . In 1800 Ave find her issuing a " Letter of

Permittion" of the folloAving tenour to the petitioners for the constitution of a lodge in the toAvn of Eagleshame , under the firm , " St . James Kilwinning : "" ... In the meantime , in order you may not Toe kept hack of your good intentions in promoting the good of Masonry , you have the authority of

the mother lodge to proceed at your discretion m forming yourselves into a regular lodge—entering Apprentices , passing * FelloAV Craft , and raising deserving brethren to the sublime degree of Master Mason , than AYHCII the mother lodge acknoAvledges

no hig her degree of Masonry . Wishing you much success in your undertaking , and hoping that true friendship and brotherly love shall subsist betwixt the mother Lodge Kilwinning and her daughter lodge , St . James ' s Kilwinning , in the new toAvn

of Eagleshame , as long as sun and moon endures . And may the Great Architect of the Universe take you under his OAVU care and keeping , and direct you in all your meetings to brotherly love and charity , which are virtues that adorn the

Craft , and emblems of that true goodness Avhich the mother lodge hopes- will ever distinguish her daughters in all their actions and conduct through life . "

Ever careful to have the minds of her daughters impressed Avith the fact that in the sublime teachings of the third degree was comprehended the highest step in her Masonic practice , Mother Kil-Avinning , in her incorporation Avith Grand Lodge ,

seems to have been strengthened in her contempt forthe so-called "higher degrees . " In 1811 her Master is found vetoing the erection of a third lodge in the " capital of Garrick , " from a conviction that the parties soliciting a charter had

done so " with , the view that they might thereby be enabled to practise the higher orders of Masonry . " To this assumption the promoters of the

" Union Maybole " demurred , as , if acted upon , likely to " stop the progress of Masonry , and hurt the funds of the Grand Lodge . " But by other considerations did they urge their suit . " We all most belong * ( say they ) to different lodges ,

and on our attending the lodges of Maybole , Ave are sorry to say that Ave think Ave are not treated as becometh brethren . We are seated in a solitary comer of the room , nor indulged to mingle with the rest of the brethren ; and often are Ave forced to hear hints from the brethren Avhich must Avound ,

the feeling's of sensible minds , and must asert -. much to the dishonour of the men who offers them . " This dolorous plaint—occasioned appa- . rently by a violation of the principle by Avhich upon the chequered floor all to Avhom admission is

given are , or ought to be , Aveleoniecl Avith the most fraternal courtesy—failing to move the mother lodge , the desiderated hiatus in their " theological ladder" debarred the complaining brethren from ¦ escaping from the " Coventry" intoAvhich they had

been placed , or of penetrating through the clouded canopy of a blue lodge to the arch not made with , hands , preparatory to entering upon their career as pilgrim Avarriors . While thus exercising her prerogative in

preventing , as she thought , the spread in Ayrshire of spurious Masonry , Avith Avhat astonishment would she A * ieAV herself approached as the mother en- ¦ campment by a band of militant brethren suppli- eating her authority for the transference of a

Avarrant under Avhich might be assumed the " scollop , scrip , andshoon" of an order unknown at Kirwin--ning * . The application—contained in a franked letter addressed to " The Master of the Knight Templars Lodge , KilAvinning , " bearing * date

"Dover , Jan . 7 , 1813 , " aud signed by fifteen , individuals—is here given as illustrative of the disorganised condition in which the E . ' . A . ' . and

K . * . T . \ degrees then existed , and of the widespread belief in Mother KilAvmning ' s connection therewith : — "B ROTHER SIB KNIGHT TEMPIARS AND KNIGHTS OJ ? MALTA . — We , the undermentioned brothers , Knighfc Templars , and Knights of Malta , afc Dover , Avish to ht lar

obtain a KnigTemp ' s Warrant to Avork upon that degree . We have found one in the Wesfcmeafch Militia , under your sanction ( No . 4 ); and as the Irish lodges Avork all their degrees under tho Master Warrant , and ifc is of no use to them , and they Avanfc to part Avilb . ifc , Ave Avill purchase ib ivifch your permission , and ivill register all the members in Grand Lodgo at Kilwinning

your and receive your Grand Lodge certificate , and pay all duo obedience fco tho same . ... If tho Avarrant No . 4 is of no use to us , send us Avord Avhat a IIOAV Avarrant Avill eome to , as AVO Avish to purchase one , and wc Avill send the money by the return of post . Please to