Royal Arch Masonry In Lincolnshire.

ROYAL ARCH MASONRY IN LINCOLNSHIRE .

WE published last week so much of the History of Royal Arcb Masonry In Lincolnshire as Comp . F . D . Marsden , Provincial Grand Scribe E ., bas been able to collate from tbe few sources of information open to him . That the particulars are neither so ample nor so consecutive as might have been desired is not Comp . Marsden ' s fault .

The fate which befals tbe Minute Books of so many Masonic Lodges and Chapters appears to have befallen the Lincolnshire Chapters . Some of these archives have been lost , we fear , permanently , and others have been

imperfectly kept , so that Comp . Marsden is to be congratulated on having gleaned the information we placed before our readers last week . Our present duty is to sort the details he has obtained , and make them into as connected a history as their many imperfections will allow .

A reference to the Grand Lodge Calendar shows that in Lincolnshire there are afc the present time six R . A . Chapters , namely , St . Botolph ' s Chapter , No . 272 , Boston ; Concord Chapter , No . 297 , Lincoln ; All Saints' Chapter ^ No . 422 , Gainsborough ; St . James ' s Chapter , No . 712 ,

Louth ; Oliver Chapter , No . 792 , Great Grimsby ; and St Matthew ' s Chapter No . 1447 , Barton-on-Homber . The warrant of the last-named Chapter bears date the 3 rd November of last year , the date of its consecration being 21 st of March 1881 . Chapter No . 712 is also young , as

its Charter is dated only as far back as 6 th May 1874 . The Oliver Chapter is nine years older , having been chartered on 3 rd May 1865 , while No . 422 was founded 15 th August 1836 , its warrant being dated 1 st May of that year . Thus there are only two out of the six Chapters which

can point to any lengthened existence , namely , Nos . 272 and 297 , and these , unfortunately , have had the misfortune to be in abeyance years together , and for a time both disappeared from the roll of Grand Chapter , the present warrants being datedthat of No . 272 1 st November

, 1843 , and that of No . 297 the 28 th July 1869 . The two , however , have a history extending back to the first decade of the present century . " St . Botolph , No . 272 , beld

meetmgs without warrant from 1807 to 1821 . What befel it between the latter year and 1844 there is no evidence to show ; but in this 1844 , being then No . 339 , it was formally constituted and dedicated . Between 1863 aud 1871 there are

no records of anything being done , and it was revived bv dispensation on 19 th January 1871 . Concord No . 297 , attached to the Witbam Chapter was founded 21 st Angust 1808 , and meetings beld continuously till 1859 inclusive . It was in abeyance 1860-8 and its present Charteras we have

, , stated , bears date 15 th July 1869 . There appears also to have been another Chapter at Great Grimsby , bearing the name of Aletheia , of which the late Dr . Oliver Avas for many years the First Principal , but what became of it is not known , and probablv never will hf > unless the missino

R-A . archives of the Province should be recovered . Of the Companions who at different times have beld the office of Provincial Grand Superintendent wo find m l o . made of ihe following , namely i !;?! .- ^ - 'M-Ktt-bevv Barnett , recommended and appointed . 04

¦ j »> , i . ev . J . 0 . Makeyne , Appointed . 1849 , The Earl of Yarborough , enthroned in 1851 . 18 / 5 , Mayor W . H . Smyth ( present P . G . Sup . )' . w > ng intervals elapsed between the accession to office of « ev . J . 0 . Makeyne and the retirement of the Rev . M . aaraett , and thafc of Major Smyth , and the death of the

Royal Arch Masonry In Lincolnshire.

Earl of Yarborough , so thafc B . A .- Masonry does nofc seem to have enjoyed a continuous period of prosperity , though it may be taken for granted that , at no time during tho present century , or afc all events during but a very brief period , has Lincolnshire beon without afc least one R . A . Chapter .

The first mention of a Prov . Grand Chapter is made 2 . nd July 1846 , wben a special Convocation of the Concord Chapter , then No . 374 , was held , and the Chapter was " resolved into a Provincial Grand Chapter , " and certain Companions were appointed Officers of tho Province .

The year following another meeting of Provincial Grand Chapter was held , but the minutes are nofc forthcoming . On 20 tb July 1849 another Provincial Grand Chapter was held , and on the 27 th October 1851 the Earl of Yarborono-b was enthroned , wbile on 18 . li May 1854 tbe new

Chapter Hall in Grantham-street , Lincoln , was dedicated by his lordship . This is the sum and substance of what appeared in our columns last week , and it now remains for us to give a short history of Royal Arch Masonry iu the Province since Comp . Major W . H . Smyth was installed

and enthroned by Comp . J . Pearson Bell , Provincial Grand Superintendent of North and East Yorkshire , and afterwards appointed his Officers . At this time there were 155 Royal Arch Masons in the Province , of whom 38 were members of Provincial Grand Chapter , 25 being

subscribing Past First Principals . Afc an especial Convocation held afc Boston on 14 th November 1875 , the Provincial Bye-laws were submitted and approved by Provincial Grand Chapter , and signed by the Provincial Grand Superintendent , being in due course declared by the

authorities of Grand Chapter to be " in accordance with tho Regulations for tho Government of Royal Arch Masons . " On the 29 th May 1877 was held the second regular Convocation , for the purpose of dedicating the new Masonic Halt of the Oliver Chapter , No . 792 , Great Grimsby ,

Comp . Smyth , Provincial Grand Superintendent , who had occupied the chair of First Principal during the first year of the Chapter ' s existence , and bad been re-chosen to fill the same office three years later , presided , and including

Provincial Grand Officers and visitors , there were present in all forty-one Companions . When the dedication was concluded , tbe ordinary business of Provincial Grand Chapter was proceeded with . The Finance accounts , as audited , showed a balance ou 31 sfc December 1876 of

£ 9 10 s as against £ 3 14 s 6 d at tbe corresponding date ju 1875 . A sum of five guineas was voted towards the Oliver Memorial Fund , and Provincial Grand Scribe E . was ordered to procure the requisite jewels ancl collars for the Provincial Grand Officers . The Register of Companions showed 172 subscribing members , or , deducting

six who subscribed to two Chapters , 166 as against 155 the previous year . The appointment aud investiture of Provincial Grand Officers brought the meeting to a close . On the 1 st December 1879 the third regular Convocation was held at Gainsborough , the chair of Provincial Grand

Superintendent being occupied by Companion Smyth , there being in all forty-one Companions present . The business was of the ordinary character . However , ifc may be stated thafc the finance account showed a balance in hand of £ 18 9 d at the end of 1879 as against £ 9 10 s afc

end of 1876 , wbile the Register of Members showed a diminution of eleven during the years 1877 and 1878 . After the appointment and investiture of the Provincial Grand Officers , Provincial Grand Chapter was closed , and the Companions indulged in substantial refreshment . On the 21 st March of the current year Provincial Grand