History Of Freemasonry In Cornwall.

HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY IN CORNWALL .

LONDON , SATVMDAY , OCTOBTSB 20 , 1866 .

By > i * Bro . WILLIAM JAMES HTJGHAH' , 18 ° , & c , ( Continued from page 2 S 2 . ) It seems to have been the custom to use the rninute hook of the lodge for the purposes of the Province of Cornwall , as Avell as for the regular

records of Love aud Honour , for Ave find that ou October 13 th , 1752 , the following minutes , of a nature similar to many ivhich occur subsequently : — " This even a quarterly communication was held . Brother Smith , Master of Helstone Lodge , attended and

brought half a guinea for their part of the general charity , and brought a list of their members . Their bye-laws are as before inserted . " " Brother Lake ( in the absence of Brother Harrison , Master of Truro Lodge ) brought a list of their

members , together with a copy of their bye-laws , and gave notice of the removal of their lodge to the sign of ' The Masons' Anns ' in Truro . " The next meeting of the lodge was held on October 20 , 1752 . " Brother Pender expecting to leave the

country shortly , begged the favour to be made a Fellow Craft this even , and it was complied with . " "A stool was brought home this evening , and Brother Allison was ordered to pay Mr . Tilley for it . " November 9 fch , 1752 . — " Our Eight "Worshipful Master being designed for London , he Avas desired to

attend the quarterly communication on behalf of our lodge , and the Secretary was ordered to prepare a list of the members and send them by post . It Avas desired to purchase a handsome chair for the Master , as also to look at the candlesticks mentioned by

Brother Carrie . " We suspect the brother just mentioned Avas the Grand Sword Bearer of England , AAdiose name and worth were recorded in a previous communication . November 30 th , 1752 . —" This even CaptainEaiph

Hutchinson was admitted to the degree of an Entered Apprentice , and Avas at the same time made Fellow Craft , he being going abroad before the nest lodge . " On December 4 th we find that the same brother was

raised to the degree of Master as he Avas going suddenly abroad . Thus , the three degrees were given under very different regulations then to now so far as relates to the Grand Lodge of England . To be made an Entered Apprentice , Felloiv Craft , and Master Mason within five days was surely very rapid

advancement , although in conformity with the Book of Constitutions of that date and even more recently . " A brother made a motion on November 30 th that the T yler , being somewhat better , the pension should te reduced to 3 s . Cd . per week until further orders . "

The next record requiring notice is on December 14 th , " when a complaint was made by the Master of Helston Lodge that Brother , being guilty of some indiscretion , he had been voted out of their lodge till he has made due submission" The lodge after due consideration of the matter Avisely resolved

that the brother so offending should not he permitted to visit until the members of his own lodge rescinded their vote of expulsion On December 28 th , 1752 , Brother Joseph Sherburne was elected Master , and ajipointed Brothers Edward SnoxelJ , Senior Warden , and Brother Hie-hard James , Junior Warden . The W . M . was the last on the list

of the original members , and the Wardens owned the Love and Honour to be their mother lodge . The number of members at this date had increased to forty ; two , hoivever , declined , and five were honorary . From the minute of January 11 th , 1753 , it would appear that honorary members consisted of such

brethren who had ceased to reside in England for a time , as Mr . Clement Nicholson was admitted an Entered Apprentice then , " and set down as honorary member , as he is obliged to go abroad suddenly . " The brethren stated to be honorary were initiates of

the lodge , which still further confirms this view . On March Sth , 1753 , the Prov . G . M . for Cornwall honoured the lodge by a visit . According to the Book of Constitutions the P . G . M . was invested with the power and honour of a Deputy Grand Master ever since the institution of that office in 1726 , and

by the Constitutions of 1723 , the Deputy Grand Master "hath authority and right , not only to be present , but also to preside wherever he is . " We find that the Secretary of the lodge commences the

minutes of that date by writing " Provincial in the chair . " A good deal of business was transacted , and the chairs were the same even "brought home and approved of . " An extra lodge was held on March 10 th , two days afterwards , " Provincial in the chair , " and also one on March 15 th , and another on March

29 th , Avhich clearly evinced that the zeal of the members continued unabated . The meeting on March . 15 th was held by permission of the P . G . M ., " the P . G . S . in the chair . " ( We take this to mean that Bro . Matthew Allison , Prov . Grand Secretary acted

as W . M . ) The chairs , it should be stated , were made from the mahogany so kindly presented by Bro . Macnamarra , and did not cost more " than four guineas each . " It appears also that about this time " Brother Ore Avas

attended to the grave by the lodge in due form , properly clothed . " Who the deceased was we cannot tell , as his name does not occur on the list of members , and no explanation is offered by the Secretary . A quarterly communication of theP . G . L . seems to have been held at Falmouth during the month of