An Old Lodge.

AN OLD LODGE .

Br Bito . WILLIAM JAMES HuonA-T .

fTTHERE are many old Lodges in Scotland which date -JL not only years prior to tho formation of the Grand Lodge of that country , but far into tho seventeenth century , some even earlier still . As the records of such Lodges in

several instances overlap the debatable period , or , in othe . wores , the " transition period , " naturally such minutes afford most reliable evidence of the character of these old Lodges , befoi'e and after tho advent of the Grand Lodge in 1736 .

The interesting and most suggestive Histories of Lodges "Kilwinning , " " Mary ' s Chapel " ( Edinburgh ) , "Journey , men , " No . 8 , & c , have been carefully written by Brothers Lyon , Hunter and others , and so far as they and we know ,

or can discover , the esoteric ceremony in vogue until tho second or third decades of the last century was confined to the admission of Apprentices , after which all were on the same level as respected Masonic secrets ; that is to say ,

whatever was subsequently communicated , if aught , was of a secret character ; all participated , or might do so , whether Apprentices , Fellows or Masters .

I am aware that this statement has not passed unchallenged , but it has never been disproved . Should any records be traced , proving three distinct and separate degrees were worked before the origin of tho premier

Grand Lodge of England , 1716-17 , and exhibiting , also , proof that they were written before the second decade of the last century for England , and the second or third decades for Scotland , I shall be among the first to acknowledge the evidence , but , not until then .

Bro . Alexander Ross , whilst Master of the "St . John ' s Old Kilwinnin g Lodge , " No . 6 , Inverness , wrote an excellent account of its ancient records , tho volume being published in 1877 , in a sumptuous style , though very

little notice , unfortunately , has been taken of its value and importance . The Lodge may have been an old offshoot of the " Mother Lodge Kilwinning , " especially from the

suggestiveness of its title , but beyond intimating the probability of such a connection , wo cannot at present venture .

The Lodge was represented by its Masters and Wardens at the inauguration of the Scottish Grand Lodge , November 30 th , 1730 , and on September 26 th , 1737 , the members petitioned the authorities in Edinburgh fov a charter , in

accordance with their accepted antiquity at the time . The brethren claimed existence as a Lodge from 1678 , having abundant material then at hand in confirmation thereof , though they were aware that a still greater

antiquity might be favourably entertained . They stated "That preceding the year 1678 , it seems by tradition of our oldest members now living , that the Lodge kept their

minutes from time to time in an irregular manner , upon sheets or baffles of paper , most of which we cannot collect , so as to make anything of them to purpose—they having either been canceled or lost by accident . "

"But upon the 27 th December , 1678 years , Ther was a book given in by The Honble . William M'Intosh ( Broyr German to the then Laird of M'Intosh ) who was then

chosen Master of the Lodge , from which date all the regular meetings and transactions of the Lodge are recorded till this date . "

The petitioners recite the names of the several Masters , Senior and Junior Wardens , "Boxmasters or Treasurers , " from 1678 to 1736 ( inclusive ) , but not one word occurs relative to Masonic degrees or ceremonies of any kind whatever .

It is much to be regretted that at the present time the Lodge only possesses records from the year 1737 , but , fortunately , its petition in 1737 affords particulars of the

regular Officers from 1 G 78 , so that its official roll , is thus complete from that year to now , a period of over two centuries !

The petition remarks as to the continuit y of the election of Officers of the Lodge in manner as follows : "Inverness , 27 th December , 1678 , William Mack In tosh was chosen Master , Alexander Nicolson , . Sew ., Andw . RossJun .

, Wardens , & Del . Ross , boxmr . The same persons continned in these office ;; till 15 th November , 1681 , when William Hendrie was chosen boxmaster or Trca .-mm ' r , & the

above members continued till 1 st December , 1684 , when John M'Bean was chosen Jun . Warden & Andw . Ross Treasurer ; ye rest continued till " " 27 th December

An Old Lodge.

1692 when James Barbour was ohosen Master , " & c . ( and so on to 27 th December , 1736 . ) Tho charter issued by the Grand Lodge recites that " It was evidently made to appear to us and our brethren of

the Grand Lodge , by proper documents , that from the twenty-seventh of December , one thousand six hundred and seventy-eight , they have been constituted and erected in a regular Masson Lodge by the name and designation

of Old Inverness Kilwinning aforesaid , since which time they have been in us-. e to keep regular meetings , in which they have received and entered Apprentices , past Fellotv Crafts , and raised Master Masons , and for that purpose

have kept regular books , wherein they entered their proceedings in tho way and manner practiced in other well govern'd Masson ' s Lodges . " The Lodge was confirmed in its privileges , and empowered " to receive and enter

Apprentices , pass Fellow Crafts and raise Master Masons , " and was allowed precedence from the year 1678 , so that if a daughter of tho Old Kihuinning Lodge , it took date one

year latter than tho first known of its Lodges , viz ., " Canongate Kilwinning , " No . 2 , Edinburgh , warranted or authorized in 1677 .

Happily , both of the charters are still preserved . Now , it should be noted that neither the petition , nor aught else from Inverness , so far as we know , said . aught about the conferring of tho three degrees from 1678 , no warrant

before 1717 ever alludes to such , and no records exist which refer to the third degree prior to the last century , so that tho declaration of the Grand Lodge officials in 1737 , respecting this old Lodgo and its working threo degrees

from 1678 , is purely fanciful . On the constitution of the Lodgo thus officially , the membership consisted of nineteen Masters , ten Fellow Crafts , and twenty-six Apprentices , fifty-five in all , mainly Speculative Freemasons , if not

exclusively so . The Lodge seems to have possessed an interest in property and lands , in common with the Six Incorporated Trades , and from time to time dividends were received thereon .

According to Bro . Alexander Ross , the first Provincial Grand Master in Scotland , Alex , Drummond , Esq ., was appointed over the Lodges in the western counties , who visited the Lodge at Inverness , April 20 th , 1739 .

One shilling sterling was the fine inflicted for drunkenness , if seeking to attend the Lodge ; two shillings for the second time , and "for tho third time to be turned out of

the Lodgo , " the sentence being dependent upon a " solemn recantation , " payment of fine , and " discretion of the Lodge . "

The Lodge processions were conducted with great regularity and much pomp . On every St . John ' s Day the Masons walked , properly clothed , through the streets of

the Town . The meetings for business commenced often as early as nine o ' clock a . m . On the occasion of the annual election of office bearers , the Lodge walked thereafter in procession to church , in communion with tho other Lodges .

On 25 th March , 1745 , it was provided " Yt each Entered Apprentice may sign the same in testimony of his adherence to them ( By-Laws ) , yt his mark , then taken out , may show the members of this as well as oyr . Lodges , the time of his admission . "

A Friendly or Benefit Societ y has existed in connection with the Lodge for many years , and is in a prosperous condition financially , having an estimated net income of £ 609 per annum from investments , & c . The St . Andrew ' s Killwinning Lodge , Inverness , was in

existence A . D . 1735 , and probably before . In 1745 tho members had the misfortune to have their " records , jewels , utensils and cash , either stolen or destsoyed by the men of the Duke of Cumberland ' s army , their room being used by the ' orderly-sergeant , ' the warrant only being saved . "

This Lodge joined its more fortunate and friendly rival in 1830 , when it was No . 31 on the roll , so that subsequentl y its member came under St . John ' s Lodge , No . 6 . Long may the prosperity of the old Lodge continue . —Voice oj Masonry .

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