Cross Keys October 2022 (Freemasonry)

The Cross Keys

Thoughts for the New Master Mason

One of the greatest honours that can come to any man is to be raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason. This honour has now been conferred upon you, and the high position will be exactly what you make out of it.

There is nothing forced upon any man in Freemasonry. Everything you have done in your initiation, passing and raising has been done of your own volition. Your future Masonic career will depend entirely upon yourself. If you “ask” you shall “receive”. If you “seek” you shall “find”. If you “knock” is shall be “opened” unto you.

Some brother has been selected to teach you in your “work” and from this brother you have learned the letter of the ritual. If you have had a teacher that has led you on to the letter and past that to the meaning of that letter and its spirit as seen today in the potentiality of Freemasonry, you will have much to be thankful for.

A new world has now been opened to you. You will find everything moving right along, and the first question you will be called upon to decide is this: will you sit on the side line and judge what you see and hear, or will you become a part and parcel of the activity and become assimilated by the new world and life? Much will depend

upon your decision at this point. Should you sit and assume the attitude of judgement you will soon find that the “human equation” is present, and that the brothers around you are only “men” with all the faults, or at best, come of the faults of ordinary manhood. As you become more involved, you will see the finer points in the men around you.

You have reached a period in life when you are expected to and should exercise discrimination regarding all you see and hear, but the Ancient Mysteries taught their initiates “to see and hear and be silent”. If all Freemasonry exists for today is to confer degrees, then has it reached the time when, like a “sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal” it “has a name to live but is dead.”

You are urged, therefore, to decide for yourself that you will seek to know what this Craft means in its life its virility and its spirit. Doing this, you will become a part and parcel of the great body of Freemasonry and it will have assimilated you.

I have included this is in full a talk given to the newly raised MM under the Grand Lodge of Texas.

Scots Master and Hiram

The legend of the discovery of the Word in the hidden vault that now forms the basis of the exaltation ceremony of the Royal Arch was, in the 1730s, the centrepiece of the degree of Scots Master. This is made clear in the evidence the accused Freemason John Coustos gave in 1743 to the Holy Inquisition in Spain. Coustos’s inquisitors were fascinated by the importance of the Gospel of St John in eighteenth century Freemasonry, and that Masonic obligations were taken on that book. They asked Coustos to explain further: ‘Why on the Gospel of John?’ they asked. Coustos’s answer given on 26 March 1743 is interesting and important:

That the reason and foundation that the Masters of this Fraternity have for causing those who newly join to take the Oath upon the Bible, or Book of the Gospels, at the place of that of St. John, is the following: that when the destruction of the famous Temple of Solomon took place there was found below the First Stone a tablet of bronze upon which was engraved the following word, JEHOVAH, which means GOD, giving thereby to understand that that fabric and Temple was instituted and erected in the name of the same God to whom it was dedicated that same Lord being the beginning and end of such a magnificent work; and as in the Gospel of St John there are found the same words and doctrine they, for this reason cause the Oath to be taken at that place, thus to show that the whole institution of this Fraternity is founded on the same doctrine which Solomon observed in his sumptuous work; and the reason he [Coustos] has for saying this is that he had heard it so declared by some of the French and English Masters, though he does not know from whence they obtained this doctrine for its propounding.

The legend now associated with the Royal Arch was conceived in the fourth century AD by a Greek writer called Philostorgius. It tells of the discovery of a cave under the Temple

of Solomon, when labourers employed by the Roman Emperor Julian were preparing the ground to rebuild the famous temple for the fourth time. In the cave placed on top of a pillar they discover a copy of St John’s Gospel. This is now the centrepiece of the RA degree (and also one of the grades within the conclave).

Desaguliers (instrumental in forming the first Grand Lodge in London and became its third Grand Master in 1719) needed an account of how the Mason Word was lost. This was probably his inspiration for the creation of the Hiramic legend, which is a story that accounts for the loss of the Word. As was noted above, certain parts of the old Fellow Craft degree were moved into the two new degrees: the Five Points of Fellowship to the third degree and the original Mason Word to the Royal Arch as the genuine secrets of a Master Mason.

The fundamental difference between the degree of Scots Master in the 1730s and the Supreme Order of the Holy Royal Arch in the 1760s is that the Scots Masters’ lodges had the usual lodge arrangement of a Master and two Wardens, whereas Royal Arch chapters had and still have three co equal Principals. Whilst Scots Masters’ lodges existed in the 1730s in London, Bath, and Bristol, the earliest known Royal Arch chapters in their present form date from the 1760s in London and York.

It is clear the third degree was written separately the first two degrees having a biblical narrative whereas the third is based on Biblical characters.

Much of this has been taken from a recent article in QC Lodge where the author believes that Desaguliers was the author of the Hiramic legend. Many disagree; perhaps it’s best to not know and keep the alure of masonry alive.

Edinburgh 1843

Several prominent freemasons were present atEdinburghRACNo.1forthemeetingof29th November 1843. Brothers Lord Glenlyon (below left) of Lodge Dunkeld and John Whyte Melville (below right) of Lodge St Luke,bothofwhombecame1stGrandPrincipals of Supreme Chapter (1847 50 and 1850 56 respectively). The former was GrandMasterMasonofGrandLodgein 1843 64, Grand Master of the Temple 1845 63 and Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council for Scotland 1850 64. The latter Grand Master Mason 1864 67 and

SovereignGrandCommander1865 84.

Companions Sir John Ogilvy, Major Walter Ogilvy and Colonel John Kinloch were admittedfullMembersoftheChapterand"SirDavid Dundas of Dunarie, Bt., and the Hon. George Drummond, Master of Strathallen received the obligation as Royal Arch Masons previous to going through the Knights TemplarsDegree.''

Clearly, a who’s who of freemasonry at the time.

Unique Jewel

Interestingmembers’jewelfromLodgeSt.GeorgeNo.333. Itisdated approximately 1860 (although it now has a new ribbon). The lodge was consecrated in 1833 and meets in the Masonic Hall, 42 PrioryRoad,Glasgowonthe2ndand4thWednesday,Septemberto Mayand2ndWednesdayinJune,at7.30p.m.

Oldest Lodge in the US

The Premier Grand Lodge of England in the early 18th C (later to merge with the Ancient Grand Lodge of England to make the United Grand Lodge of England) was established. Freemasonry was gaining momentum throughout England, and this body was formed to oversee Freemasonry in London. Even in the British colonies in America, the craftwassurgingin popularity, andcolonists desiredformalpermissiontocreatelocalMasoniclodges.

In Massachusetts, Masons were eager to receiveadispensationtoformlodgesaroundBoston.Brothersinthe colony urged Brother Henry Price (right) to visit London and petition the Grand Lodge for a Warrant to establish lodges in America. Price heeded the pleas of his brethren and went to England, returning in the spring of 1733.

Hisvisitprovedarousingsuccess.HenotonlyreturnedhomewithaWarrantforanindividual lodge but a new title as well. While in England, Price was made the “Provincial GrandMasterofNewEnglandandDominions and Territories thereunto belonging” by the Grand Master, The Right Honourable and Right Worshipful Anthony Browne, 6th Viscount Montagu. Upon his return, the newly appointed Grand Master quickly established theProvincialGrandLodgeinMassachusetts, becomingknownasSt.John’sGrandLodge.

AsalocalBostonian,HenryPriceheldnodistinguished positions in the community at large.However,hisefforttobringMasonryto colonial America earned him a special place inthepagesofMasonichistory.Whenheheld a meeting in Boston’s Bunch of Grapes (shownright)onJuly30th ,1733,toestablish

a Grand Lodge, he introduced traditions and values that would influence the lives of men and families across the continent for centuriestocome.

Talking of Price in Moore’s Freemason’s Monthly Vol. XXXII, No. 2, February 1873, Page 33: But his fame does not belong to Massachusettsalone.Thathelaidthefoundationof it here, was one of those fortunate accidents by which men of humble pretensions are often exalted to places of honour and distinction. It was a necessity of the time; and that he successfully availed himself of its advantages proves, if it prove anything, his fidelity to duty and clear appreciation of the beneficent influences of an institution which, from its marvellous adaptationtotheneedsofayoungand growing country, he foresaw would,withtheblessingofProvidence, and under the careful guidance of thosetowhomitsfutureshouldbeentrusted, grow up and become an important instrumentalityingivingahealthfultoneanddirection to the normal character of the rapidly increasingpopulationofhisadoptedhome.

His first charter was in 1733 for a lodge in Boston that became known as First Lodge. It went formally by this moniker until 1783, whenitmergedwith“SecondLodge,”thefirst recordedlodgemergerintheAmericas.

Historical Aspects of The Royal Arch Part 2

Followingonfromlastmonth,thiscompletes the article. His motives seems to have been threefold:

 Religious: Cyrus worshipped Zoroaster, a god who allowed other gods to be his helpersintheworld,sowhenhetalksin his edict of ‘The Lord God of Heaven’ it is doubtful that he meant the Jewish God Jahweh, even though the writer of the Old Testament Book of Ezra adds the extra words: ‘Who is in Jerusalem’. Nevertheless, Cyrus was remarkably tolerantofotherreligionsinhisempire.

 Political: Cyrus believed that he could stabilise his empire in the long term through loyalty rather than fear, an idea much ahead of his time. By allowing captured peoples to return to their homelands and follow their own customs he hoped to win their affection. Indeed, some of the Jewish writers sawhimasdoingtheir God’swork.

 Geographical:CyrusneededJudahtobe astrongpointinhisempireasitwason its Southern border with Egypt, which remainedamajorthreat.

The first group of returning exiles left Babylonin536BCE,probablyledbySheshbezzar, youngestsonofKingJehoichin(whopresumably had died by then) There were probably about 1,000 people in all, mostly connected with the building work on the Temple, but withonlyfourpriestlyfamilies.Theyreceived a very hostile reception from the inhabitants of Jerusalem, especially the Samaritans who hadbeenputinchargeofthecity.Therewas alsofamineanddroughttocontendwith,and it isprobably not surprising that more ofthe exiles did not return, given that they were doing rather nicely in Babylon. The returned

exiles started to rebuild the Temple, refusing help from the Samaritans because they were impure, hence the reference in our ritual to allowingnostrangerstopartakeinthework. Butitwasslowgoingandtheyweresoondisheartened. The Samaritans also tried to stop the Hebrews rebuilding the walls, hence the referenceinourritualtotheswordandtrowel.

In 522 BCE, the Samaritans sent word to the new King of Persia to say that the returned exiles were plotting against him, which they weren't, and he ordered the work to stop. However,whenKingDariustheGreatofPersia assumed power two years later, he authorisedthereturnofamuchlargergroupof Hebrew exiles, led by Zerubbabel, the grandson of King Jehoichin, assisted by Joshua the High Priest and the prophets Haggai andZechariah.

Once back in Jerusalem, Haggai seems to have been thedrivingforcebehindre starting the work on rebuilding the Temple, which was finally completed in 515BCE.Theearlyyearsof King Darius's reign were a period of uncertaintyastowhetherhewouldbeabletokeep his empire together, and factions in Jerusalem, encouraged by Haggai and Zechariah, thoughtthattheMessiah’scomingwasimminent and that they should join in the unrest. However, Zerubbabel resisted these pressures, much to the dismay of Haggai and Zechariah. Nevertheless, once Darius had re established his position, the news of the unrest in Jerusalem reached him and he dismissedZerubbabelandappointedanewgovernortoadministerJudah.

Zerubabbel was thus the last King of Judah, despite having four or five sons, and his ultimatefateisunknown.Fromthenon,theHigh PriestbecametheleaderoftheJewishnation and the final arbiter of all religious and civil

King Cyrus

Historical Aspects of The Royal Arch Part 2(ctd)

matters.Hencetheimportanceofhisposition inthetimeofJesus.Joshuawasnoweffectively in charge and his descendants filled that officeforthenext200years.Haggaireturned with Zerubbabel to Jerusalem and, according to one record, his mission lasted just four months. If this is correct, it must have been prettyintense!

Nehemiah was a remarkable man. He rose from relatively humble origins to be the cup bearer to King Artaxerxes I Longimanus of Persia. In 444 BCE, he was sent to Jerusalem asGovernorofthePersianProvinceofJudah. Hewasimmediatelystruckbythepoorcondition of the city and its inhabitants and set about making improvements. The city walls wererebuiltin52days,thoughrebuildingthe fortifications and towers took another two and a half years. He then set about serious social reforms, including cancelling the debts of the poor, enforcing observance of the Sabbath and restoring the Sacred Law. He also induced many prominent members of the community to move into the city to improve itssecurityandhetriedtobringaboutarapprochementwiththeSamaritans, thoughthis particulareffortwasshort lived.Aftertwelve yearsasGovernor,Nehemiahreturnedtothe PersianEmperor’scourtatSusa.

Finally, we come to Ezra. The Bible says that

he came to Jerusalem ‘in the seventh year of the reign of Artaxerxes’ , but it is not clear whether this means Artaxerxes I (i.e. 457 BCE)orArtaxerxesII(i.e.398BCE).TheJewish tradition is that it was the earlier date, that he was accompanied by another large groupofreturningexilesandthatheandNehemiah worked together, but modern scholarship has cast doubt on this. Certainly, he wasaPriest ofthelineofZadokandaScribe in the Jewish sense (i.e. a legal scholar). His Persiantitlewas‘Scribe’(i.e.royalsecretary).

Irrespectiveofwhenhelived,heworkedhard torestorethepurityofTorahLaw,beginning with persuading all the Jewish men who had married foreign wives to divorce them and marry Jewish women. During this time, the Torah was edited into more or less its present form, the square characters of Hebrew text were introduced and the Knesseth Gedolah (great assembly of the people) was established.

Whether Ezra and Nehemiah are the authors ofthebooksin theBiblebearingtheirnames is still debated, most probably they wrote parts of them, but they were then edited by the author of the Books of Chronicles sometimelater.

Thanks for information from Solomon under UGLE

Early Taverns

ItwillberememberedthatthefourlodgeswhichconstitutedtheGrandLodgeof England in 1717 were held at public houseswhichatthatdateweregenerallycalled‘taverns’or‘inns’andforatleast150 yearssubsequenttothatdateMasoniclodges continued to be held on licensed premises, very few prior to 1860 having acquired their ownbuildingsandtemples.

From the year 1869 or thereabouts the erection of ‘Masonic Halls’ began to be frequent and at the present time (1935 ed) those lodgesmeetingathotelsareintheminority.

Objections by prejudiced people have been madethatModernFreemasonryoriginatedin taverns and inns but such objections are manifestly absurd when it is remembered thatforacenturyormoreaftertheformation of Grand Lodge not only Masonic bodies but all kinds of societies social, religious and educational held their meetings in taverns for the simple reason that very few other suitablepublicplaceswereavailableorinexistence.

It is related of a worthy seventeenth century bishop that he said, “taverns are the busy man’srecreation,theidleman’sbusiness,the melancholy man’s sanctuary, and the stranger’swelcome.”

Two or three hundred years ago the lives of the people not merely the lower orders, who to a great extent were too poor to patronise them, but the middle and higher classestoafargreaterextentthanobtainstoday, centred their social life there. Theatres and musichallsevenin Londonwere fewand far betweenandwerepracticallyunknowninthe provinces, there were no cheap newspapers, and the taverns with their homely atmosphere were the meeting places where the gossip and news of theday were disseminated.

The 100 years following the founding of Grand Lodge also saw the founding of the

Hanoverian dynasty in this country, the reigns of the first three Georges covering the entire period. After the serious and sober governmentsofWilliamandMaryandQueen Anne there was a remarkable revulsion of public feeling, and to put it mildly the courts ofGeorgeIandGeorgeIIwerenotedforloose living and licentiousness and their example wasreflectedinthemodeoflivingofallclassesofthepeople,moreparticularlyofcourse oftheleisuredandwealthyclasses.

Club life involving much ‘dining’ and ‘wining’ became the rage and societies and associations having headquarters at taverns came into existence by the score, some having some object or purpose to justify them but most being merely an excuse for frequent banqueting and festivity and members of the fair sex were not by any means in all cases rigidlyexcluded.

Masonry was of course influenced by the spirit of the time and many practices existed which would not now be tolerated but it is gratifyingtonotethatonthewholetheactual lodge meetings were conducted with decorumanddignity.

However, while even at this time there were many serious and earnest Masons it is unquestionable that there were also many of whomthelodgesexistedmerelyforthesocial side and the ceremonies were regarded as just a prelude to the night’s festivities a state of mind which I am afraid exists to a largeextenttoday. Heavy drinking was as fashionable in some Masonic circles as it was outside in the ‘uninitiatedandpopular’world.

The principal liquid refreshments consisted ofbeerandwine(meaningportorburgundy) andthosewhocouldafforditsparklingwines from France. 200 years ago, rum was practically the only spirit in use gin was beginning to be distilled, but whisky had not yet founditswayovertheBorder.

The records and Minutes of the old lodges

Early Taverns (ctd)

throughout the country have many hundreds of references to fines and penalties which were inflicted on the brethren for offences and misdemeanours in and during lodge hours, these offences of very varied character, perhaps the most frequent being an appearancewhileundertheinfluenceofalcohol or as most Minutes record it in the quaint phraseologyofthetime,“disguisedinliquor”, the fines on such occasions being usually cheerfully paid. Swearing and bad language or quarrelsome behaviour were also subject topenalties.

Intheearlydayssmokinginlodgewasfreely indulged in but was later strictly forbidden whilethelodgewas ‘at labour’andsuchprohibitionwasenforcedbyfinesonoffenders.

Itshouldbeborneinmindthatinmostcases the lodge remained open till the close of the evening about 10 o’clock, the first part beingdevotedtoMasonicceremoniesandafterwards the Brethren indulged in supper and refreshments until it was time to ‘close the lodge’.

It was only on ‘feast’ days and special anniversariesthatanythingofthenatureofadinner was partaken of, the ordinary lodge suppers generally consisting of cold meats or breadandcheeseaccompaniedbyagenerous allowance of ‘ale’. As I have previously mentioned the period during which Grand Lodge wasformedandforacenturyafterwardswas one which saw heavy drinking which was customary amongst both the highest and the lowest and the indulgence in profane languagewasveryfrequent.Indeed,itwasquite fashionable or considered not at all unusual tointroduceitinordinaryconversation.

Determined endeavours to check both these extremes in lodge were made, the fines or penalties ranging from three pence (1.5p) to half a guinea (52.5p) according to the status

ofthelodgeanditsmembers,thegeneralaverage being sixpence (2.5p) to one shilling (5p).

In some lodges a member could be fined half acrown(12.5p)for“anescapeinpointofdecent language”, up to half a guinea for “insobriety”. In other lodges a member could comeintothelodge “disguisedin liquor” and swear as well for sixpence. Other fines were for divulging the secrets (2.5p) and drinking unclothed(6p).

Taken from a paper by Bro. Frederick Fleeman PPGJW and delivered to Howe & Charnwood Lodge of Instruction, Leicestershire & Rutland No. 1007 (EC) in 1935.

Full explanation of the above can bee seen in Cross Keys October 2018 (Freemasonry) by Neil Grant Macleod

Issuu

William Hogarth’s, Night 1738 showing a master going home the worse for wear.

George and Vulture Tavern

The " The George and Vulture," a famous Masonic House, is described as "near Balls Alley was the George Inn since the Great Fire built with very goodHouses,wellinhabited and warehouses being a large open Yard called George Yard the further endofwhichistheGeorge and Vulture which is a largeHouse,andofagood trade having a passage into St. Michael's Alley." The Tavern was much damaged in the fire of the 25th March, 1748, for we read in the London Magazine of that date that the backpremiseswereburnt down,andotherhousesin the Yard entii'ely destroyed. The Inn was restoredandenlarged, andfromabout1810to 1848 many distinguished Lodges met there. We find the St. George's Lodge (now St. George and Corner Stone No. 5) there in 1839, but it seems to have taken its name from " The George Tavern," Commercial Road,Stepney,whenitmetin1820.Amongst other Lodges, the Old Dundee Lodge No. 18 met there in 1821, and the Emulation Lodge No. 21 in 1815. It will be remembered that the"GeorgeandVulture"wasmuchbeloved

by Mr. Pickwick (Charles Dickens’s Pickwick Papers).

Of Taverns of lesser note we have the " Edinburgh Castle Inn " "which stood on the site of the Castle" mentioned by Stow, and the Albion Lodge No. 9 found a home there in 1774."TheCockandLion Tavern " where the Royal Kent Lodge of Antiquity No. 20 met in 1740, was entirely destroyed in the fireof1748."TheSunbehind the Royal Exchange" wasinthereignofCharles II. kept by John Wadlow, sometime land lord of " The Devil Tavern," Fleet Street. Pepys relates on the 28th June, 1667, "Mr. Lowther tells me theDukeofBuckinghamdodineatWadlow's attheSunTavern."ALodgewasmeetinghere in1743,butlapsedin1761.

It is a grade II listed building. What is amazing is that there has been an in on the site since 1142 and was the home to the notoriousHellFireClub.

King Arthur’s Great Halls, Cornwall

Tintagel is the natural centre from which all things in connection with King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table should radiate. King Arthur is a worldwide asset and it is fitting that at Tintagel, his birth place, something should be in existence which acts as the point to which thoughts of people can turn, and where the necessary inspiration can be disseminated to enable King Arthur's ideals to be a living force for all time.

To many, Tintagel is a hallowed spot, and the increasing number of people who visit it each year solely because of its association with this wonderful early King, testify to a desire to keep his ideals before them. The story is portrayed in 72 amazing stained glass windows and is possibly the largest collection on King Arthur.

Building on the halls commenced in 1929, completed in 1933 and officially opened at Pentecost the same year. It is possible to show within the building in a dramatic way, scenes which have been prepared and which refer to the principle symbolic events in the story of King Arthur, such as the choosing of Arthur to be King the gift to

him of the great Sword Excalibur - the presentation to him of the Round Table the achievement of the Sangreal the passing of King Arthur, etc.

It is also the home to King Arthur Lodge No. 7134. In 1962 a Royal Arch Chapter was formed by the Lodge, and the building is used by some other lodges to hold their installation meetings. The hall is now as home to three other bodies: St Enodoc Lodge No. 9226, King Arthur Royal Arch Chapter No. 7134 and Tintagel Castle Lodge of Mark Master Masons No. 1800.

The following is an except from a masonic newspaper.

THE FREEMASON, MARCH 6, 1875

On Friday the 19th inst, in St. Mark's Hall, Buchanan-street, an emergency meeting took place at which a Board of Installed Master Masons was formed, consisting of Bros. Thomas Halket PM 102; Arch. McTaggart PM 27 and John Fraser PM 87 for the purpose of conferring the Installed Masters' degree upon three brethren from Lanark. Those were Bros. Wm. McLehose, RWM Lodge 21 Old St. John, Lanark; John Currie PM of same lodge and John Annan RWM Lodge 326 Clydesdale, Lanark. The ceremony was efficiently performed by Bro. Halket.

On Friday the 19th inst, in St. Mark's Hall, Buchanan street, an emergency meeting took place at which a Board of Installed Master Masons was formed, consisting of Bros. Thomas Halket PM 102; Arch. McTaggart PM 27 and John Fraser PM 87 for the purpose of conferring the Installed Masters' degree upon three brethren from Lanark. Those were Bros. Wm. McLehose, RWM Lodge 21 Old St. John, Lanark; John Currie PM of same lodge and John Annan RWM Lodge 326 Clydesdale, Lanark. The ceremony was efficiently performed by Bro. Halket.

With the new ceremony of Installed Master as this time, only some masters would have been through it and most PMs would not. Hence these emergency meetings of ‘Installed Master Lodges’ for the sole purpose of giving masters and PMs the w. and g.

Answer from last month about the clock: UGLEinLondon

Amity Lodge No.137 (EC)

A lodge at Poole was warranted in 1765 at the Lion & Lamb Inn (shown) in the Old Town. Thelodgewas originally numbered 338 but after re numbering exercises by Grand Lodge, it became 137 in 1863.

Thename ‘Amity’ onlycameintobeingin1779.

In1772,thelodgemovedtotheOldAntelope Inn in the High Street (below) probably due to its size and the upstairs banqueting room which was used by the Provincial Grand Lodgein1780.

profane language used by some brethren. Examples in the minutes mention the use of finesforsuchlanguageandeventuallyexpulsionforrepeatedmisdemeanours.

Like many lodges at the time, private membership certificates were issued by lodge. Grand Lodge obviously realised this was a good way to generate money and also improve registration of candidates. A great examplefromAmityisshownaboveright.

The original 15 Bye Laws were written in 1778toensure brotherlylovebecauseofthe

One thing the lodge is well known for is the Amity Biscuit yes an actual biscuit dated from 1813. Although in fragments now, it is stillhousedintheoriginalframeandisatestament to the Napoleonic wars and a warm hearted French privateer from St. Malo, Bro. CaptainJacquesdeBon. Discoveringhewasa freemason,hewasreleased withadogwhich belonged to a recently captured freemason. Around its neck was a biscuit signifying he would not keep a brother’s dog in bondage nor see it want for food in other words, he wouldn’tdoa‘runner.’

Amity Lodge No.137 Bits & Pieces

Above the lodge room today in 4 Market Close, Poole, the original warrant, the lodge seal in 1780 and the master’s chair. The lodge meets once a month, on the third Wednesday, at 18.15

Thismanuscriptderivesitsnamefromitsbeingwritteninasmallquartobook,belongingto the celebrated Mother Kilwinning Lodge of Scotland; it was probably written in 1665. The Anglican phraseology, andthefactthatoneoftheChargesrequiresthat Freemasonsshould be"ledgemantotheKingofEngland,"conclusivelyshowthatthemanuscriptwaswrittenin EnglandandintroducedintoScotland.

Bro. Archibald Cameron of Locheil

AlthoughtheCrossKeysinFebruary2021hadan article about this brother, I thought it was worth includinganotherfrom Scottish Field inMay2019. ArchieCameronwasbornin1707,theyearofthe Treaty of Union. The fourth son of John Cameron ofLochiel(memberofTheLodgeofDunblane),he wasraisedasthesonofaHighlandchief.Wearing the old fashioned kilt and plaid (then all in one), going barefoot during the summer, he learnt the skills of the mountains and, most importantly, howtouseasword.

Firmlyestablishedinhispractice,withafamilyof young children to provide for, Archie was horrified at the idea of another rising to restore the Jacobite king. Sent by his brother to meet Prince Charles Edward Stuart when he sailed into Loch nan Uamh from France, he gave him unequivocal answers before begging his brother not to rise in arms.

His father, having led the clan at Sheriffmuir fighting for the exiled Stuart king, fled to France, leaving his wife and young family in the care of their eldest son, Donald, 19th chief of Lochiel. Donald, despairing of Archie, wrote: ‘My brother Archie has capacity enough but no application.’

Nonetheless, ready to help him when, having finished his educationinFrancehehaddetermined to become a doctor, he gave him the tack as it was known, or lease, of Glen Kingie, lying to the south of Loch Arkaig, where he ranaherdofcattle.Itwasaprofitable business, thanks to trade with the southern markets at thattime.

Doctor Archie married his cousin, Jean Cameron ofDungallon.Theymayhavelivedsporadicallyin GlenKingie, but theirmainhome was Batchelor’s HallatStrontian,whereArchiewasemployedasa doctor by the York Building Company, caring for theworkforceinitsmines.Theonlydoctorinthe whole of the Ardnamurchan peninsula, he was muchlovedbythelocalpeople,speakingtothem inGaelic.

He travelled great distances, often on a Highland ponywithhismedicalbagstrappedtohissaddle, at night with a ghillie with a lantern leading the way,tohispatientsfaroffamongstthehills.

‘It could only bring disaster,’ he told him, but Lochiel, inspired by loyalty, succumbed to the prince’s charm. Refusing at first to join him, Archieeventuallyagreedontheconditionthathe came as a doctor, refusing to bear arms. At the captureofthecityofEdinburgh,whentheCamerons stormed the Netherbow Port, Prince Charles made Doctor Archie his aide de camp. Most notably following the Battle of Prestonpans, although sleepless for 48 hours, he attendedtothewoundedofboth sides.

Later, at the Battle of Falkirk, when staunching his brother’s wound, Archie himself was struck in the chest by a bullet, which proving impossible to remove gave him pain for the rest of his life. He again saved Lochiel at Culloden, when, wounded by grapeshot in both ankles, he was carried by his clansmen from the field. Reaching Achnacarry, they were hiding in the forest by Loch Arkaig, when word came of French ships bringing gold for Prince Charles, by thenintheOuterIsles.Archiewasamongstthose whoburiedthetreasure,theknowledgeofwhere itwashiddenprovingfatalinlateryears.

Together with his brother andother Jacobites, he hid in remote places from the Redcoats, who had ordered by the Duke of Cumberland to hunt out the rebels and destroy all they possessed. On hearingthatPrinceCharleshadreachedthemainland,Archiewassenttofindhimandtakehimto Clunie MacPherson’s famous cave on Ben Alder.

Bro. Archibald Cameron of Locheil (ctd)

Here,on13September,theyheardthatshipssent fromFrancetorescuehimwerelyinginLochnan Uamh.

Archie sailed with Prince Charles on the L’Heureux, taking down his memoirs of the campaign. In France they were greatly entertained by King Louis XV, who made Donald the colonel and ArchieacaptainoftheAlbanyRegiment.

Disappointingly, however, King Louis would not finance another rising so Prince Charles, with Archie Cameron, rode across the Pyrenees into SpaintotrytowinKingFerdinandtohiscause. Again he was unsuccessful but Ferdinand did promisetogiveArchiethecommandofaSpanish regiment, but this would prove to be a promise thatwasneverfulfilled.

Returning to France he was joined by his wife Jean, who had suffered badly during his absence, losingtwooftheirchildrenfromexposureasthey hidincavesandonthehills.Foratimetheylived inLille,fromwhereArchiewassentbacktoScotlandin1749.

He returned safely but Prince Charles expelled fromFrancebyKingLouisaspartoftheTreatyof AixlaChapelle,whichendedtheSevenYearsWar was trying to plan an invasion of Scotland with the help of the King of Prussia, who was at odds with his nephew George II, and a Swedish army commanded by General James Keith, the Earl Marischal’sbrother.

Unbeknown to him, Charles’ plans werebetrayed byAlexanderMacDonellofGlengarry,alias‘Pickle theSpy’,amanembitteredbyfightingfortheJacobites,whomheblamedforcausinghisruin.

WritingtoHenryPelham,thePrimeMinister,on4 November 1742, Glengarry told him that the princehadsentMrMurray(ofElibank)forDoctor

Archie Cameron and MacDonald of Lochgarry to meet him at Menin. There he gave them ‘ mony and sent them to Scotland so as to meet several HighlandgentlemenattheCrieffmarketforblack cattel’.

‘The Elibank Plot’, a fantastic scheme to blow up the Tower of London and kill or capture King George and his family, fell through. But Archie was left in Scotland, knowing only that he was to bring back some of the money buried at Loch Arkaig to King James in Rome, but otherwise in ignoranceofallthatwastakingplace.

He should have been more careful. But whom should he have trusted when asking for a safe house in which to stay, if not his cousin, Samuel Cameron, known as Crookshanks thanks to his bandy legs. Samuel, also in the pay of the British government, suggested Brenachoile, a house in the Trossachs on Loch Katrine. Arrested there by soldiers from the nearby barracks, he was taken to the Tower of London to stand trial as a traitor to the king. Convicted, he died a martyr, last in thecauseoftheJacobites,forwhich,attheurgeof hisbrother,hehadsounwillinglygonetowar.

DoctorArchiedidhaveonebiography,writtenby Alexander Henderson, which sold for the price of oneshillingin1753.Sincethenhehasbeenlargelyforgotten,butthemanwhoselastactionwasto send his steel shoe buckles to his son because thiswasthestrongestmetal,enduringashisown resolve deserves to be remembered if only for thecourage,self sacrificeandloyaltygivenbythis country doctor to what he knew to be a hopeless cause.

Hisactualinitiationisprovinganenigmaandalthoughitiscommonknowledgeheattendedmeetings,hismotherlodgehasnotbeenidentified. Anyideas?

Richard Cooper

Bro. Richard Cooper was born in London on 26 October 1701 and was brought by the influential brewer, Sir Felix Feast who died in 1724. Sir Felix, alderman and briefly Sheriff of London, lived in a smart house in Marine Square, an edgy, cosmopolitan area of the Tower Liberty, close to the thriving docks at Wapping. The other residents included, until 1715, the Swedish scientist and esoteric Masonic philosopher, Emanuel Swedenborg (1688 1772) who must have had some influenceofCooper.

In December 1717 Richard was apprenticed forsevenyears asanengravertothe writing masterJohnClarke. Cooperwasaveryinfluentialfreemason,instrumentalinbuildingthe Canongate Kilwinning Lodge, beside his new house,in1736.Thisbuildinghasbeenassociated with the architect, William Adam, for whom Cooper engraved the plates of his Vitruvius Scoticus (Edinburgh 1812) but with a father and a brother in thebuildingtrade,Cooperwas probablywellequippedtodesign his own house and the lodge.Hecanbepositivelyassociated with Masonic meetings at the Blue Boar in Fleet Streetin1723wherethemaster was the map engraver Emanuel Bowen (1693 1767) and the membership included the painter Richard Collins (d.1732) and John Clark, possibly his master, the Scottish stationer.

Significantly,'Mr.ThomasCokeEsq.'isnoted asamemberin1721.Theselodgeswerevery fluid in their meeting places and Cooper signedtheminutebookattheLodgethatmet in the Goose and Gridiron tavern, close to St. Paul’scathedral,on15March1725;thesame evening the seal engraver John Claus andWilliamDugood(SeeCrossKeysSeptember 2022), scientist, print collector, Jacobite

spy and jeweller to the Old Pretender, becamemasons. TheMasterthereintheprevious two years had been John Theophilus Desaguliers (1683 1744) and in 1723 he had served as Deputy Grand Master to Francis, Earl of Dalkeith. This is the earliest evidence that Cooper was a proselytising freemason and some of the preliminary meetings of CanongateKilwinningwereheldinhishouse.

Significantly,themeetingtoinstallWilliamSt. Clair of Roslin as a prelude to his election as the first Grand Master for Scotland in 1736 was held there. Cooper was joined in the Lodge by other members of the St. Luke’s academy; Andrew Hay, James Norie, William Robertson and David Clelland along with Alexander Lindsay (who would become father inlawtotheyoungRamsayin1752)andthe surgeon George Lauder who would serve with the Jacobite army. John Murray of Broughton, later Secretary to Prince Charles Edward became a member in 1738; his name vigorously crossed from theroll whenheturned King’s evidence following Culloden. Allan Ramsay senior was not a member of Canongate Kilwinning but had been active in Scottish freemasonry before Cooper’s arrival, writing a poeminhonourofthevisit of Desaguliers to Edinburghin1721.

Canongate Kilwinning would eventually include influential merchants,lawyersandgentryandahostofmedical students from the University, many of them American. Clearly the lodge, like the Academy of St Luke before it, had a significant Jacobite membership. Cooper would eventually serve as JW of Canongate KilwinningNo.2in1735and1748 50.

Politics

The Whig presence within the Grand Lodge hadforcedtheunionwithKilwinningandhad effectively guaranteed that any Tory candidatenominatedfortheofficeofGrandMaster would be defeated. Thus counterpoised an overconfident Grand Lodge and embittered Tory minority the impending explosion within Scottish freemasonry was finally triggered by a request made to the Grand Lodge of Scotland by Dr Mitchell, Master of Caledonian Lodge in Edinburgh, to express the fraternity’s appreciation for the king’s support of the British people and constitution. Although it is a misrepresentation to describe masonic political allegiances at this time as hostile to loyalism, it is likely that some masons retained a suspicion of the uncritical, slavish adherence to every aspect ofthe constitutioncharacteristicoftheTories.

Cunningham’snominationandMitchell’sproposed address, although occurring on the samedayandduringatimeofheightenedpoliticaltensionintheGrandLodge, donotnecessarily suggest a Tory conspiracy to undermine Whig sentiments. Masonic addresses to the king were not uncommon and often sent tocongratulatetherulingmonarchonavariety of issues. However, Mitchell was seen as ‘attemptingtoslaptheWhigestablishmentof the Grand Lodge’, and his motion nothing more than a ‘flagrant piece of politics, which, if passed, would bring the Grand Lodge into linewithotherbodies Toryorientated,who had applauded the King’s bigotry’. Mitchell’s address also signalled the first rumblings of discontent among the Tories. If the Whigs weretomaintaincontroloftheGrandLodge, any challenges which threatened the balance ofpowerhadtobequicklysuppressed.Given that the initial proposal was defeated by a narrow margin of twenty-eight to twentyseven, a re vote was demanded. On 19 June

1807, the Grand Lodge of Scotland convened to address the issue, stating that it had receivedaletterfromDrMitchellofCaledonian Lodgein Edinburghrequestingare vote. DespitestrongobjectionsfromInglis,theGrand Lodge approved Mitchell’s request. Led by James Gibson, a zealous Scottish Whig, the motion to address the King was soundly defeated by a margin of ninety five to forty seven.Clearly,politicalmanoeuvringandmanipulation had prevented the approval of Mitchell’s address to the King. Mitchell was suspendedfromallmasonicprivileges.

The situation had begun to spiral out of control. By May 1808, Dr Mitchell and his supporterswerenotadheringtothestipulations of the initial suspension, and as a consequenceMitchellwasultimatelyexpelledfrom Scottish freemasonry for openly seceding from the Grand Lodge of Scotland. Additionally, members of several Edinburgh lodges were suspended for communicating with Mitchell. Although it had no constitutional authority to hand down punishments of expulsion and could not legally bar freemasons from communicating with one another, the Grand Lodge was intent on forcing lodges to complywithitsdemands.

Scottish lodges responded differently to the actionsoftheGrandLodge.No.25StAndrew, forexample,recordedon27thJune1808that ‘from all Circumstances of the case taken together, this meeting cannot help regretting much that ever this Strife and Contention shouldhavebeenmeddledwithorthatithad been checked effectually in its Origin. It wouldhavesavedthewasteofaconsiderable sum of the public money and it would have tended to the peace and harmony of all the Lodges in Scotland’. Notwithstanding such objections and censure, on 13th June 1808,

Politics & The Craft Part 2 (ctd)

theGrandLodgeofScotlandexpelledallfreemasonsinvolvedorassociatedinanymanner with Dr Mitchell. As a result, these marginalized masons led by No. 1 Mary’s Chapel officially seceded from the Grand Lodge and formed the Associated Lodges Seceding from the Present Grand Lodge of Scotland. The establishment of the Associated Lodges effectivelysignalledtheendofGrandLodge’spursuit of complete constitutional and masonic authorityoverallfreemasonsinScotland.

Intent on upholding the sentences of expulsion and punishing the Seceders, the Grand LodgeofScotlandwarnedthatmasonicmeetingswerepermittedonlyin legallyconstitutedlodges,inaccordancewiththeSecretSocieties Act and the laws of the Grand Lodge of Scotland. Furthermore, it threatenedtowithdraw the charter of any lodge that contra venedGrandLodgerulings,andanyunlawful meetings would be sniffed out and forcefully disbandedbythelocalmagistrate.

On30thNovember1808, theGrandLodgeof Scotland submitted an application for an interdict and a Bill of Suspension against the meetingsoftheAssociatedLodges.TheBillof Suspension also stated the intentions of the Grand Lodge to establish itself as the ‘only legal, in its fullest meaning, body in Freemasonry in Scotland.’ In December 1808, the Courts granted the interdicts. The Associated Lodges appealed to the Second Division of the Court of Session on 11th February1809,andon7July,1810,the court overturned the Bill of Suspension. The success of the Associated Lodges was due in largeparttotheircommonresentmentofthe

GrandLodge. Inapoliticallychargedaddress on 14th February 1809, the Grand Secretary oftheAssociatedLodgesaddressed thelodges,statingthat:

It has fallen to our lot to live in eventful times times as eventful in the annals of Masonry, as they are in the history of Modern Europe. We have lived to see a despotism newly akin to the system of a neighbouring Tyrant, attempted to be established among the British Masons. But we have resisted the odious usurpation with a Spirit the Masons of future ages will commemorate. They sought to enslave us, by debarring individual Masons from the privilege of going where they pleased. We spurned the ignoble bondage [... and] most just, my friends, is the punishment which has overtaken the destroyers of the order.

ItisclearthattheSecedersfeltthattheGrand Lodge had overstepped its authority. Althoughallexpulsionswereeventuallyrevoked on31stMarch1813,withtheexceptionofDr Mitchell’s, the Associated Lodges achieved their goal of preventing the Grand Lodge of Scotland from gaining complete masonic authorityoverScottishlodges. My thanks to Mark Wallace who wrote his PhD on freemasonry. This article will appear in full in the Book of the Old Edinburgh Club, for which it was accepted prior to presentation at the Modern Language Association Conference.

Clickherefordetails.

Erskine Homes’ Talks

On Wednesday 7th September The Lodge of Erskine No. 1566 held their Special Erskine HomeMeetingattheMasonichallinLuckinsfordRd,Inchinnan.

PM Bro. Ian Wood from 1566 who gave a fascinatingtalkonhislifeasasubmariner: “A Life Below the Ocean Wave Submariner Memories” which went down very well. The brethren thoroughly enjoyed this informative and unique insight into what life is like as a naval submariner on a nuclear submarine.

The second speaker was the Most Worshipful Grand Master Mason, Bro. William Ramsay McGhee who’s talk on “Around the World with Scottish Freemasonry” gavetheassembledbrethrenanideaofthehugetaskoftraveling around all the various Districts and Provinces under the Scottish Constitution to carry out RededicationsandInstallations. GrandLodgearenowalmost up to date with the backlog of special events throughout the world following the pandemic.

The Grand Master Mason’s talk shows the amount of work carried out by The GrandLodgeofScotlandand itwascertainlyaneye openertotheassembledbrethren giving them a glimpse into theenormityoftheworkthe

GMM and his team do not only in Scotland, butthroughouttheworld.

The night was a great success and the lodge raised the sum of £1000. PM Bro. Ian Wood is seen here presenting a cheque from the lodgetoErskineHomes’representativeCraig Berry(seephoto).

The lodge also presented The GMM Bro. Ramsaywitha £100 cheque for his Make it a Million fundraiser on behalf of Prostate Scotland and donated £50 to the PGMBro.Ronnie for his upcoming Zip Slide challenge on 16th September.

The RWM Bro. Robert Bell and the brethren from The Lodge of Erskine No. 1566 would like to thank everyone for their continued support and we are hopeful that the event will be held within the Home in 20th September2023.

My thanks to Bro. Robert McPhee PM for the article.

Below is a page showing a number of resources for brethren including a calculator to help set annual dues taking into account age of building, number of members, etc.

PGL Renfrewshire East

I hope everyone had a pleasant and restful recess.

During the recess PGL had the pleasure of rededicating Lodge St Andrew No 524 and Lodge Kil Bryd No 1667. Unfortunately we were unable to complete the rededication of Lodge Inchinnan No 1405 due to the closure of Masonic activity during the period of national mourning.

As we look forward to the start of a new Masonic year and the Lodge Installations, we all hope that Lodges across the Province will be in a better position to deal with the issues left by the pandemic.

I’m sure that working together we’ll overcome these issues as we have done in the past.

Ronnie

Interesting Page of Education Resources from ‘a’ Grand Lodge

Anno

AnnoLucis(intheYearofLight)wasadopted by Freemasonry sometime in the 18th century. It was taken from the Anno Mundi or "In theYearoftheWorld",whichwasfirstimplemented in the 17th century by Bishop James Ussher. Themasonicdateisfoundbyadding 4004 (or the rounded form 4000) onto the current year and this is seen on certificates. Other orders use their own dating system such as the RCC (Anno Ordinis The Year of our Order (subtracting 312) or the KT (subtracting 1118) as both dates are AD). Whatwashisbackgroundandshouldwestill usethiswoefullyincorrectfigure?

Bishop Ussher lived through momentous times, having been born during the reign ofElizabethand dying, in 1656, under Cromwell. He was a talented fast track scholar who enteredTrinityCollegeinDublinat the early age of thirteen, became an ordained priestbytheageoftwenty,andaprofessorat Trinity by twenty seven. In 1625, Ussher became the head of theAnglo IrishChurchinIreland.

As a Protestant bishop in a Catholic land, Ussher’s obsession with providing an accurateBiblicalhistorystemmedfromadesireto establish the superiority of the scholarship practiced by the clergy of his reformed faith overthatoftheJesuits,theresolutelyintellectualRomanCatholicorder. (Ussherhadabsolutelynothinggoodtosayabout“papists”and their “superstitious” faith and “erroneous” doctrine.) Ussher committed himselfto establishingadateforCreationthatcouldwithstand any challenge. He located and studied thousandsofancientbooksand manuscripts, written in many different languages. By the timeofhisdeath,hehadamassedalibraryof over10,000volumes.

The date forever tied to Bishop Ussher appears in the first paragraph of the first page of The Annals Ussher wrote“In the beginning, God created heaven and earth, which beginningoftime,accordingtothischronology, occurred at the beginning of the night

which preceded the 23rd of October in the year 710 of the Julian period.” In the right marginofthepage,Usshercomputesthedate in“Christian”timeas4004B.C.

Although Ussher brought stunning precision to his chronology, Christians for centuries hadassumedahistoryroughlycorresponding to his. The Bible itself provides all the information necessary to conclude that Creation occurred less than 5,000 years before the birthofChrist. Shakespeare,in As You Like It, has his character Rosalind say, “The poor world is almost six thousand years old.” Martin Luther, the great reformer, favoured (liking the round number) 4000 B.C. as a date for creation. Astronomer Johannes Kepler concluded that 3992 B.C. was the probabledate.

As palaeontologist Stephen Jay Gould points outinanessayonUssher,thebishop’scalculation of the date of Creation fuelled much ridiculefromscientistswhopointedtohimas “a symbol of ancient and benighted authoritarianism.” Few geology textbook writers resisted taking a satirical swing at Ussher in their introductions. How foolish, the authors suggested,tobelievethattheearth’sgeologic and fossil history could be crammed into 6,000 years. Gould, while not defending the bishop’schronology,notesthatjudgedbythe research traditions and assumptions of his time, Ussher deserves not criticism, but praiseforhismeticulousness. Thequestionable premise underlying Ussher’s work, of course,isthattheBibleisinerrant.

Ussher began his calculation by adding the agesofthetwenty one generationsofpeople oftheHebrew derivedOldTestament,beginningwithAdamandEve. IftheBibleistobe believed, they were an exceptionally long lived lot. Genesis, for example, tells us that “Adam lived 930 years and he died.” Adam’s great great great great great grandson, Methuselah, claimed the longevity record, coming in at 969 years. Healthier living conditionscontributed,orsoitwasbelieved,tothe

Anno Lucis (ctd)

longlifespansoftheearlygenerationsofthe Bible. Josephus, a Jewish theologian writing in the first century, explained it this way“Their food was fitter for the prolongationoflife andbesides,Godaffordedthema longerlifespanonaccountoftheirvirtue.”

TocalculatethelengthoftimesinceCreation, knowledge of more than the ages of death of the twenty one generations was required; onealsoneededtoknowtheagesofpeopleof each generation at the time the next generation began. Fortunately, the Bible provided that information as well. For example, Genesis says that at the time Adam gave birth to his first son, Seth, he had “lived 130 years. ” Augustine (as might a lot of people) wonderedhowa130 year oldmancouldsire a child. He concluded that “the earth then produced mightier men” and that they reached puberty much later than did people ofhisowngeneration.

The Old Testament’s genealogy took Ussher up to the first destruction of theTempleinJerusalemduring the reign of Persian king Nebuchadnezzar. Ussher’s key to precisely dating Creation came from pinning down, by references in non Christian sources, the precise dates of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign. He finally found the answer in a list of Babylonian kings produced by the GreekastronomerPtolemyinthesecondcentury. By connecting Greek events to Roman history, Ussher tied the date of Nebuchanezzar’s death (562 B.C.) to the modern Julian calendar. Once the date of 562 B.C. was calculated, thereremainedonly thesimplematter of adding 562 years to the 3,442 years represented by the generations of the Old Testamentuptothattime:4004.

Ussher next turned his attention to identifyingtheprecisedateofCreation. Likemanyof his contemporary scholars, he assumed that God would choose to create the world on a

datethatcorrespondedwiththesunbeingat one of its four cardinal points either the winter or summer solstice or the vernal or autumnalequinox. Thisviewsprangfromthe beliefthatGodhadaspecialinterestinmathematical and astronomical harmony. The deciding factor for Ussher came from Genesis. WhenAdamandEvefoundthemselvesin the Garden of Eden, the fruit was invitingly ripe. Ussherreasoned,therefore,thatitmust have been harvest time, which corresponded with the autumnal equinox: “I have observed thattheSunday,whichintheyear[4004B.C.] aforesaid, came nearest the Autumnal Equinox, by Astronomical Tables, happened upon the23rddayoftheJulianOctober.”

It is now generally agreed that the earth is 4.54 billion years old which is significant different from Ussher’s estimate. Therefore, should the Craft continue to use this dating systemwhichiswrongorkeep itasparttradition?

The year of Light represents the symbolic moment that light came into the world at its creation. As found in Genesis 1:3 KJV, “And God Said,” Let there be light: and there was light.” IntheearlydaysoftheGrandLodgeof England, whentheystartedusingAnnoLucis itwassometimesreferredtoasintheyearof Masonryandsoperhapsitmakessensefrom that point, but the error should be explained toanybrotherwhoenquires.

Certificate from 1819

Paper certificate of membership into the Order of the Temple (Knights Templar) issued to John Coulter by Laughaughery Lodge No. 109, Ireland, 1819. As was a frequent custom of the times (and by design), attached to the Craft lodges were Royal Arch chapters and Knights Templar preceptories.

The certificate is decorated with depictions of a royal arch, square and compasses, skull and crossed bones, plumb, level, and other Masonic symbols. Three seals corresponding to the Craft lodge, Royal Arch degree, and Knights Templar are stamped with ink upon the certificate. Three ribbons of blue (Craft), red (Holy Royal Arch), and black (Knights Templar) are woven into the certificate on the left side. What is left of a wax seal covers a portion of the three ribbons.

Thanks to the Henry Coil Library & Museum in San Francisco.

Lodge Crawfordsburn No.1121

A brief history of the lodge can be read on the link. Sadly the building was vacated and the lodge moved to Lodge 175 and now meet in the Masonic Club in Kelly Street on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays (ex May to August).

Where is this?

ThislovelymuralfromlastmonthcanbeviewedinLodgeSt.GeorgeNo.503inHelensburgh. ThemuraldisplayssomeofHelensburgh'schurcheswiththewindingstairleadingfromthe lodge building and apparently it was painted by a PM. The lodge meets every 2nd and 4th Monday(exceptthesummer)andvisitorsarealwayswelcome.

“Getting Faither to the Lodge”

He doesn’t visit the Lodge as much as he’d like to these days but having given my sister and me (who he still considers as his children despite our having reached middle age) an undertaking that he wouldn’t drive after dark following an unfortunate accident where he’d written off his car on the way to a Royal Arch Meeting, he has to depend on others to get him there.

It hasn’t been easy: my having a busy work schedule, and duties in other Orders, but today, circumstances have created the opportunity for me to take him to our Mother Lodge.

It starts at lunch time with the phone call ‘when will you be pickin’ me up tonight? It will be very busy see in’ it’s a Third. You know I like to sit on the back benches and we need to get down there in plenty of time.’

I assure him that unless there’s an emergency at work, I’ll be at his house with enough time to spare. When I arrive, he’s ready, with the classic apparel of an octogenarian widower: the clip on tie, and the shoes with the Velcro fasteners. Before he can leave, he has to ensure that every light in the house is switched off and the blinds are drawn.

It’s around four years since he was presented with his 50 year Membership Certificate. He is immensely proud of it but was delighted when the RWM readily agreed to present him with it privately in the Committee Rooms rather than in open Lodge. He worked hard at a manual job all his life until his early 70s when a slight stroke meant him having to give up his self employed contracting business. He will proudly tell anybody who asks that the only benefit he’s ever had from being in the Craft all these years is Fellowship, Friendship, Harmony and good company. These rewards have been more than enough for him. He has never sought, nor wanted an Office in our Lodge.

When we arrive, he is warmly welcomed by the Office Bearers in charge of the book signing. He is acknowledged by name by several Brethren (some of whom he doesn’t recognise and asks me ‘who wis that’? when they’ve moved on.)

Some of the older brethren are well known to him, one or two from his schooldays, others from his working life. He adjusts his hearing aid to the background sound levels and then has to grab at it when the round of applause for the visitors suddenly deafens him.

He pays due attention to the floor work, nudging me in the ribs and smiling when he’s particularly pleased with the Office Bearer delivering the ritual, and ‘tuts’ quietly when a visiting Brother makes what he thinks is an over long oration when the floor has been left open. When the collection is announced, he draws a handful of change from his pocket and asks me ‘whit wan is the pound?’ (his glasses are still in his jaicket pocket.)

After the meeting is over, we go upstairs for a cup of tea and a sandwich. His night is made when a Past Master takes the time to come over to speak to him. Soon after he says ‘it’s time we went hame: you’ve yer work in the mornin’.

I drive him home and see he’s safely ensconced. His first move is to dial 1471 in case anybody important has phoned while he was out. I say my goodbyes and his parting words are ‘tell Jean I wis asking for her. Will ye be up here for the fitba on Saturday?’

It’s nearly two decades since he passed to Grand Lodge above but I still feel his hand on my shoulder most days.

My thanks to Bro. JFC

PS Faither is a Scottish dialect for father!

Bits & Pieces

A set of miniatures for a Chapter & Cryptic Council as well as a Lodge & Council. The cryptic jewel is for a PTIM, the red on the Excellent Master suggests a PZ but then why not a red ribbon on the RA jewel? The Lodge & Council seems to be a member & not through a chair.

Below are the token and jewel from the Black Watch Degree team which travels about in BW tartan conferring a Scottish degree.

Above right, the gates from a Disney Park clearly showing some kind of link. Although not a mason, Disney was a de Molay.

Right is an old photo of procession of brethren from Lodge Albert Lochee No. 448 in Dundee about the early 20th C.

Freemasons’ Hall in London on Great Queen Street has an image depicting Enoch. The casket sits beneath a stained glass window and contains the Roll of Honour for the brethren who died in the First World War. The rae is known as the ‘shrine’ and sits at the heart of this art deco landmark that began life as the Masonic Peace Memorial.

Spiritual Alchemy

The second book in the series by Bro. Chris Earnshawisnowreviewed.

The second degree of Freemasonry is essentially an alchemical degree, which is introduced in this book “Freemasonry: Spiritual Alchemy.” Alchemy had been discovered by the Chinese around 500BC, and they quickly realized that transmuting lead into gold was impossible,howevertheyalsodiscoveredthat it was possible to affect a spiritual transformation in man. This story travelled along the Silk Road to EuropeandalsobyArabtradersinto the Middle East, where people continued to try to make gold.

With the Moorish invasion of SpainfollowedbytheReconquista in 1492, after 700 years of Moorish rule, the secrets of alchemy arrived in northern Europe and eventuallyEngland.

The secrets of alchemy were deemedtobetoo valuableforthe hoipolloisotheywereencrypted,oftenusing steganography. In this second book in the series, the second degree is analyzed for its alchemical input, especially in relation to three important alchemical texts. This book explains that the monitor, cipher, which is used in lodge is in fact a more complicated cipher thanmeetstheeye,withimportantalchemical lessons hidden in it. The symbolism used in the degree and even on the aprons of the degree when analyzed in terms of alchemy sud-

denlytakeonanewmeaning.

At the same time as Freemasonry was growing in England, so was the Royal Society, and therewasmuchcross pollinationbetweenthe two. Many of the first Grand Masters were presidents of the Royal Society, and vice versa, and because the Royal Society did not have premises large enough to hold lectures, theSociety’slectureswereoftenheldinLodges. However, there was friction as scientists were thought to be atheists, and in thesamewayintheearlydays Freemasons were also thought to beDeists.ThegrowthoftheRoyal Society and the organization of Natural Philosophy into organized sciences led to the demise of the practice of alchemy, which was then thought to be a discipline inhabited by “mystics and superstitious fools.” At the same time, Freemasonry rewrote the rituals of Operative Masons to incorporatealchemicalsecretsfora certain reason. This is explained in this book, whichfollowsonfromthe“initiationbylight,” andtheMasontakesafurtherstepforwardin hisultimateperfection.

Twenty fiveSignpostsshowthatthereiseven morefortheMasontodiscoverthan“apeculiar system of morality,” and discovering these is the start of the quest, that is completed in theThirdDegree.

Christopher J. Earnshaw PhD 33° is a British Citizen living in Tokyo and author of the “Spiritual Freemasonry” books. He is a Past Grand Historian, Grand Lodge of Japan, Past Master of the Research Lodge, Grand Lodge of Japan, Scottish Rite 33° IGH, Past Chairman of Education Committee, recipient of the Order of Merit, Grand Lodge of Japan, for educational activities and a Past Master of Sinim Lodge, Grand Lodge of Massachusetts.

Social Media Links: Spiritual Freemasonry videos: http://youtube.com/c/spiritualfreemasonry Twitter: @AuthorEarnshaw: https://twitter.com/AuthorEarnshaw Podcasts: Freemasonry in 7 Minutes or Less: https://anchor.fm/earnshaw christopher Website: http://chris earnshaw.com

The Masonic Journey

WhydidyoubecomeaFreemason,fromthevery start?

Didyouheargoodreports,andwishedtotakea part?

Likejoininginthefellowshipandtohelpwith Lodgecharity.

There’snothingliketheCraft,toembracesolidarity.

Weneedhonestmentoactasmentorstoday, Toguidethenewinitiates,andleadthemonthe way.

Toleadbyexample,that’stheonlywaytogo. Withthementors’guidance,watchthenewmembergrow.

WhenhefinallyreachesthatcovetedChair, Hewon’tberulingonawingandaprayer.

He’llrulewithconfidence,andmoraldetermination,

Andmaintainthatattitudethroughouthistenure duration.

OneyearintheChair,sometimes,isnotlong enough, Togetthroughallofthedegreestuff, that’sbeenlearnedandplannedforweekson end, butitreallyhasn’tbeenawasteoftimetospend, becauseitwon’tbelongwhentheopportunity arises, totakethatChairagain;Masonryisfullofsurprises.

Aproclamationmayoccur,youneverknow. Thenhemustcarryonandgowiththeflow. WhenhefinallymovesasidetothePM’schair, proudlyachievinghisgoals,wellknowing;he’son thesquare.

~ Cactus 2021

Thanks to Bro. Al Williams PM Continuity Lodge No.242 in Australia.

Valletta Masonic Hall

Comparativelylittleisknownaboutpreviousoccupantsofthehall, butaccordingtotherentbooksitwasletfrom1767to1754tothe Commander Fra. Alberto Mirelli and from 1784 to 1798 to ConventualChaplainFra.GiovanniDomenicoBarbaro.

TheMalteseGovernmentrentbooksshowthatfrom1879to1901 the house was the Malta Headquarters of the Eastern Telegraphy Co. After remaining vacant for six years it was leased in 1907 by Bro.A.M.MacfarlaneGrandMasterfor25yearsasaMasonicHall, and has been in use as such ever since. Except for a short period during World War II when it was badlydamagedbyenemyaction.

ByaDeedsignedon16thJuly1952theMasonicHallCommitteenowholds6-7MarsamxettStreetfor99years.

God Save the King