St. Mary s Chapel

Then the Craft would be called from Labor to guests. Refreshment and the Brethren would probottle of brandy and the accompanying soda water, ginger ale, lemonade and water. later His Majesty Edward VII, the King. Then a ceed to the dining room for tea, three or five The Organist always arranged a full program courses, depending upon the occasion and of entertainment, music, singing and recitathe visitors. No speeches were made during tions, so that time passed quickly towards the tea. After tea, the Brethren returned to the closing at 11 p.m. unless a special license had Lodge-room for work and instruction, the been obtained. The law in this respect was Lecture,etc. and the closing of the Lodge. strictly enforced. At ten minutes to eleven the Worshipful Master would bring down his After the Lodge had been closed and the Re- “Gentlemen to your glasses. Happy to meet, galia safely deposited in the lockers, the room sorry to part and happy to meet again” -the was cleared, long tables were put up and Tyler’s toast-was given with a right good will. chairs arranged around the festive board, Glasses on the table, the Brethren proceeded with the Worshipful Master at the head and to the coat room for their outer garments, the tyler at the foot. The Stewards would then wished each other good night and wended bring out “refreshments”, usually a bottle of their way home after a well spent afternoon Scotch whisky ,a bottle of Irish whiskey, a and evening. Bro. Davies continues:”I think this gives a After the glasses had been filled, the Wor- fair picture of English Masonry fifty years shipful Master would call the Brethren to or- ago. I became a member of Beacon Lodge, No. der and propose the toast “The Queen”, fol- 283, of Beacon N.Y. on October 21, 1896 and lowed by ”Members of the Royal Family”, hads the honor and pleasure of receiving the then the “Grand Master” who at that time was 50-YearMasonic Medalon September 15 of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, and this year. (1943) gavel and say: “Brother Tyler, your Toast”. toast to any Provincial Grand Officers who Brother Alexander Craighead PM was introduced to might be present and who would usually respond. Then would come greetings from the visiting Brethren and remarks from invited Masonry in St. George Lodge No.190 Aberdeen, Scotland and a charter member of Thistle Lodge No.900, Yonkers, New York.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xt6lQAe8ues 10 minute video of King Solomon’s Temple and the Tabernacle—insightful for all masons and Royal Arch masons.

Lodge of EdinburghMary's Chapel, the for-

mer of which derives from its ancient origins, tion. where it first met within the oldchapelof StMary'sin the middle ofNiddry's Wyndin Arnot was undoubtedly well informed and it Edinburgh, which was demolished to make is perhaps pertinent that the mother of Sir way for Edinburgh'sSouth Bridge, which James Colville of Easter Wemyss [d. 1540] were completed in 1788. See the original was Elizabeth Arnot. A sasine for James street plan over. down quarter (in the 16th Century, it was one About the middle of Niddry's Wynd, is a chapel, sion, acquired a right to this chapel; and, in A. where they hold the meetings of the corporaChalmers, registered on 4 July 1600, refers to The close dominated an area considered to be the Incorporation of Wrights and Masons in one of Edinburgh’s poorest and most run- 1616. a ‘tenement of land’. He sold the building to

of the most affluent). The winding, crowded The lower floor of the Chapel was divided unstreets were knocked to the ground and the til late 1737 into two spaces, that at the front stones reused in a commendable, taking up roughly two thirds of yet money conscious version of the space. The smaller area at the Georgian recycling. Niddry Wynd rear was used as the Essay house, was said to be named after a mag- where journeymen of the various istrate of Edinburgh in 1437 a Rob- trades were obliged to make their ert Niddry a member of the Niddry essays or trial pieces (from the family of Wauchop. French essai or attempt) before becoming free of the IncorporaHugo Arnot provides one of the tion. The larger room at the front more informative snippets of infor- of the building, entered from mation in his History of Edinburgh Niddry Wynd was leased out as a written before 1779: school, from well before 1706 similar to the founded by Elizabeth, countess of Ross, A. D. The desire for improvement grew and in Au1505, and dedicated to God, and the Virgin gust 1735, the wright John Yates made a deMary his mother. Colvil of Easter Wemys, and sign for a new entrance and stair on the south afterwards Richardson of Smeaton, became side of the building. This led to some debate proprietors and patrons of this religious and by October the Incorporation realised foundation. About the year 1600, one James that the entry to their chapel was being damChalmers, a macer before the Court of Ses- aged by the rising level of Niddry Wynd. Trades House in Glasgow. D. 1618, the corporations of Wrights and Ma- The foundation of the Grand Lodge of Scotsons, now known by the name of the United land which was instituted in Mary's Chapel Incorporations of Mary's Chapel, purchased on 30th November 1736. The Musical Society this subject, which they still possess, and of Edinburgh previously occupied St Mary’ s