Lodge Orion In The West, No. 415.

LODGE ORION IN THE WEST , No . 415 .

A REFERENCE to Grand Lodge Calendar will show that the oldest Lodge in the District of Bombay is Lodge Orion in the West , No . 415 , which received its Warrant of Constitution in the year 1833 . The Standard ( Bombay ) for last month contains the first part of an

elaborate history of this Masonic body , many of the particulars being of so interesting a character that we have thought it worth while to reproduce , in outline , some of the incidents in its career , as well as some peculiarities in its earlier constitution .

We have said this Lodge figures in our G . L . Calendar as having been constituted in the year 1833 , but we must go back another decade of years in order to obtain a complete summary of its history . On the 8 th April 1823 , then , an application , dated Poona , 29 th March 1823 , was presented

to Bro . Captain Peile , Provincial Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Coromandel , for a warrant of Constitution for Lodge Orion in the West , No . 415 , in the registry of tbe Provincial Grand Lodge of the said Coast , to be held iu tbe regiment of Bombay Artillery . This application

was signed by Lieut . Col . F . H . Pierce , Royal Arch Companion ; Captain F . F . Schuyler , Royal Arch Companion ; Lieut . G . R . Lyons , Royal Arch Companion ; Captain W . G . White , 4 th degree ; Major R . Macintosh , 4 th degree ; and Captain J . Lawrie , 2 nd degree . The presentation was

made to Captain Peile , at a meeting of Lodge Perfect Unanimity , No . 1 , on Coast Coromandel , now No . 150 on Grand Lodge Roll , and then , as now , held at Madras , he being at the time W . M . of the Lod ge . As the Provincial Grand Master was present , the application was at once

handed to him and favourably discussed . It was only signed by six brethren , and was returned , therefore , for an additional signature , and also for a recommendation by the Masters of three regular Lodges . In due time a recommendation was obtained from Lodge St . John , No . 13

Secunderabad , and transmitted to the Provincial Grand Lodge , together with a letter from the Commandant of the Bombay Artillery conveying his approbation for a Lodge to be held in the regiment . Two further signatures were appended to the petition , namely , those of Lieut . J . C .

Peyton , and Surgeon F . C . Trash , both of No . 361 , E . C . ( now extinct ) . There is evidence that Lodge Perfect Unanimit y backed up the application , but the name of the third re-, commending Lodge is not given . On the 14 th August 1823 , the Prov . Grand Secretary intimated to the petitioning

brethren that " a warrant of constitution had that day been despatched , for the assembling , holding , and opening aLodge of Free and Accepted Masons in the Bombay Regiment of Artillery , under the style and title of ' Orion in the West , ' No . 15 , in the register of the Provincial Grand Lodge of

the Coast of Coromandel . " The Warrant was signed by the Acting Provincial G . M ., Bro . George Lys , the officers named thereon being Bros . Robert Macintosh W . M ., Lyons S , W ., White J . W . Accompanying the Warrant , were the Bye-laws , duly confirmed by the Provincial Grand Master

, together with a copy of the Bye-laws of the Provincial Grand Lodge , and the Act of Union between the two Grand Lodges of England . The Lodge met on 15 th November 1823 , in the mess-room of the second troop of the Bombay

Horse Artillery , at Poona , " for the purpose of installing the Warrant of the Lodge as ' Orion in the West , ' No . 15 , in the registry , " & c , & c . There was present on this occasion Bros . Major R . Macintosh , Commanding Horse Artillery , St . John ' s , No . 13 E . G ., Lieut .-Colonel

Fortnnatus H . Pierce , R . A ., No . 361 E . G ., Surgeon F . C . Trash , R . A ., No . 361 E . G ., and Visitors—Bros . T . Tiernan , T . Cain , J . Hughston , R . E . Willock , J . Clifford , No . 361 E . G ., and T . Torr , No . 94 I . C , held at Kaira in H . M . ' s 17 th Dragoons .

The Bye-laws contain some noteworthy points . The meetings are to be held on the first and third Monday in each month , but only one of them is to be devoted to initiating , passing or raising . Those who are absent without explanation are to be admonished from the chair for the

first offence , to have their non-attendance noted on the proceedings for the second offence , punished at the discretion of the Lod ge for the third offence , while for the fourth successive absence , the name is to be struck off the roll of

members . Article 4 lays down " thau , at the first sound of the Worshipful Master ' s Hiram , always to be repeated by his Wardens , there shall be a general silence , " the penalty for non-compliance being a public reprimand . Under

Lodge Orion In The West, No. 415.

Article 6 , no member under the degree of M . M . was allowed to vote except for a new Master , new Treasurer , a candidate , the expulsion of a member , or on points connected with the rules and regulations of the Lodge . By Article 8 , the election of W . M . and Treasurer is fixed to take

place half yearly , at the Lodges preceding the Festivals of the Saints John respectively , and the installation at the festival next evening after the election . By Article 9 , a P . M . who has served the regular period is not required to take the chair , or hold any office , unless there he not a sufficient number of M . M . ' s to hold the

Lodge , but no M . M . may refuse except for reasons that may be deemed satisfactory . In the absence of the W . M . and P . M ., tho S . W . to take the chair , the J . W . to act as S . W ., and the S . W . to appoint a brother to act as J . W . By Article 15 , those only who are initiated in the Lodge , or

belong to tho regiment , to be admitted members , all others to be honorary members . By Article 17 , " every Mason desirous of becoming a member or honorary member , " to produce a certificate from his former Lodge or , be " well recommended by a member being a Master Mason . " Having

undergone a strict examination , " he shall then be balloted for , and if admitted , he shall pay the sum of two gold mohurs , " about £ 217 s , " to the Lodge fund . Article 18 provides that for a " Certificate of a member ' s rank in Masonry there shall be paid two gold mohurs to the Lodge Fund ,

and one rupee to the Tyler . Article 19 , regulates the admission of candidates who must be proposed by members who are M . M . ' s , producing the applications , and declarations of the candidates " agreeable to form ( vide Preston ) . " " If , after due inquiry into his moral character and

circumstances , " he is admitted at the next regular meeting , the candidate to pay three gold mohurs ( about £ 4 5 s 6 d ) to the Lodge fund and one rupee to the Tyler . By Article 20 , an E . A . to attend " two regular meetings , " before he can he passed to the second degree , and a F . C . "for the lilce

period , before he can be raised to the sublime degree . The fee for passing is two , and for raising , three , gold mohura . No brother to be promoted till , after due examination , he has been found qualified . Article 21 , provides as penalty for non-attendance , after summons and

nonpayment of Lodge dues , erasure from the Lodge list . B y Article 23 , a Mason residing in the vicinity of the Lodge , is not to visit the Lodge twice , " without becoming a member or honorary member , " except for reasons approved on ballot . " No visitor , however skilled in Masonry , shall be admitted

into the Lodge , unless he is personally known to , or well vouched and recommended by one of the members of the Lodge then present , and with the consent of all the brethren then present . " By Article 25 a monthly sum of five rupees ( 10 s ) was fixed to be paid by every brother of the Lodge present to defray the current expenses .

We omit , for the present , all comments on the foregoing Laws , and pass to the historical details . A just tribute of praise is awarded to Bro . Macintosh , the first W . M ., for his zeal in the cause of Masonry , and also to the brethren of the 17 th Dragoons for attending from their quarters at

Kaira at the consecration of the Lodge , JL he first Initiate was William Fleetwood , Captain in the Artillery , who received the degree the evening the Lodge was opened , Bros . Trash and Cain officiating as S . W . and J . W . respectively in the absence of the brethren named in the

Warrant . On the same occasion , Captain Thomas Jane (?) Groundwater , Lieut . John Sackville Leeson , of the Artillery , aud Captain W . Donald Robertson , 4 th Reg . N . I ., were proposed as candidates . These , with Lieut .-Col .

W . Gilbert , Native Infantry , were balloted for at the meeting on the 1 st December , a ballot being also taken for Bros . Turnan , Cain , and Willock , " as respectable Masons , for admission as brethren visitors until further resolutions . "

On the next day , the four candidates , named above , were initiated , Bro . Lieut .-Col . Gilbert leaving for England the same evening . It was voted at this Lodge that " all resolutions of the Lodge involving pecuniary expense to the brethren beyond the customary entertainments on the

Festivals of St . John the Baptist and St . John the Evangelist be defrayed by those composing the majority who vote for such . " On the 24 th of the same month , Bro . Macintosh was re-elected W . M . Bro . Captain Groundwater , Initiate , was chosen by a majority the first Treasurer and Secretary

of the Lodge . On tho 27 th Bro . Macintosh was installed , and Bros . Trash and White appointed S . W . and J . W . respectively . On the 24 tb Jan . 1824 , Serjeant Wm . Clinch and Bombardier George Cormack were admitted into the Lodge as serving brethren . On this occasion