History Of Fkeemasonry In Cornwall.

HISTORY OF FKEEMASONRY IN CORNWALL .

LONDON , SATURDAY , JANUARY 19 , 1867 .

By > £ < Bro . WEKLIAM JAMES HTTGHAH - , 18 ° , & c , { Continued from page 22 . ) The Loclge of Love and Honour , No . 95 , assembled on . the 27 th , of December , 1783 , to keep np the Festival of St . John the Evangelist ,

according to ancient custom , ancl , as was usual , to choose their officers for the ensuing year . The office of Secretary up to this date was filled by decision of the lodge , so that the Worshipful Master had but to appoint the two Wardens . The list of officers we find to be as follows -.

—Bros . Aaron Dehsser , E . W . Master ; John Tresidder , W . Senior Warden ; Thomas Hull , W . Junior Warden ; John Bellhouse , W . Treasurer ; Peter Perry , W . Secretary ; James Wi'anghain , Tyler .

After the . above brethren were elected and appointed , the " E . W . M . made a motion that the thanks of this lodge be given to Brother Williams our late Master , for his regular attachment to the lodge ( though he Avas unwilling- that such vote of

thanks should be made ) . It passed unanimously . After a most excellent lecture on the third degree of Masonry , the lodge Avas closed in due form . " The lodge still retains its favourable numerical position , notwithstanding its proximity to other

lodges , and especially the fact of another being in existence in the same town , viz ., the Lodge of Regularity and Eeputation .

An emergency meeting Avas called on the 9 th of February , 1784 , to initiate Brother Eichard Oates . At the conclusion of such ceremony , " the question being proposed by our E . W . M . respecting the bill of expenses incurred this night , which

amounted to the sum of £ 1 18 s . 6 cl ., Avhether Brother Oates Avas liable to pay it , as it had considerably exceeded his expectation , the motion Avas warmly debated by several of the members . It was , therefore , agreed it should be determined

by ballot , and which was carvied by a majority of seven , that Brother Oates should only pay the sum of one guinea towards the bill , ancl that the remainder of the expenses to be borne by the lodg-e . Whereupon it Avas further resolved that in case

any loclge of emergency should be in future convened , the whole expenses attending such meeting to be paid by the person then admitted . "

To this we must take exception . Surely no candidate for the science of Masonry should be compelled to pay for the gustative propensities of some of its members . Such practices have produced wrong impressions in the minds of many , who Avould other wise have joined our ranks , and become ornaments of the Craft . I know that the

writer is now treading on tender ground , even as to the system adopted by several lodges in the present clay ; but will not the thoughtful ancl intelligent Mason agree with him in stating that the DO Cless Freemasonry is brought directly or indirectly

in connection with any such custom the better ? These remarks will not , of course , apply with , the same force to those lodges Avho receive an extra annual contribution for festivals ( or , in other words , the " good of the house" ) as to those

just referred to ; but Avere all lodges to keep the banqueting expenses Avholly distinct from the regular Masonic fees ancl contributions , Ave conceive the true prosperity and interests of the Craft would be , materially advanced .

It is high time that the custom adopted hy several small lodges especialhy , of " enjoying themselves " mostly at the expense of their funds was abolished , as poverty is the consequence , and charity is thereby neglected ; for were their whole fees received for initiation and annual

contributions retained for the legitimate purposes of Masonry , they Avould be barely sufficient from being so miserably small in amount , and paid most irregularly even then . The following rule was agreed on , ancl ordered

to be read on every lodge night , viz ., " That no brother do presume to come into the lodge intoxicated , SAvear , or call for liquor , and if any is wanted he is to address himself to the chair , which , if thought necessary , the Master Avill give

orders accordingly . That every brother do behave himself Avith decency to each other , with proper respect to the Master and the presiding officers , and in case of default in either of these particulars , tlie brother or brothers so offending

shall forfeit the sum of two shillings and sixpence to the funds of the lodge . " This Ave take to be a consequence of the lodge's connection with the Standard and King ' s Arms . A private room or hall would be less likely to need such a humbling resolution to be posted on its Avails each night .

Again have Ave to record a most praiseworthy act of benevolence by the lodge . The lodge contributed to the relief fund ofthe poor inhabitants-