Freemasonry In Faversham.

and are quite a curiosity in their way . Deacons were appointed and provided for , as usual with the " Ancients , " and a " Lecture on the Science of Masonry shall precede all business—making and choice of officers excepted . " It need not be a matter of

surprise , therefore , to find that the lodge joined the C . C of the " Quatuor Coronati" Lodge , No . 2076 , London , in 1890 . The rules required candidates for initiation to be " upright in body and limbs , " according to the obsolete " Old Charges , " which were intended as Operative Regulations of the Masonic Craft .

The "Ancient system allowed Wardens to occupy the chair in the Master ' s absence as a right , but , as a matter of courtesy , Past Masters were in the habit of taking the Chair under such circumstances because of their " superior knowledge . "

No visitors were allowed to be present under the rank of Master Masons , which , however , was not logical , as Apprentices being members of " the lodge , their privilege of visiting should be allowed , as well as Fellow Crafts , to the Degree they have obtained .

The lodge was visited in 176 7 by Bro . Berkeley , the Grand Treasurer , and in 1770-1 by brethren "from Lord Ancram ' s Dragoons . " The latter had a lodge warranted in 1755 as No . 211 , and was 155 from 1770 ( nth Dragoons ) , but was erased in 17 82 .

The new by-laws were agreed to in 1774 . The second Prov . Grand Master , of Kent , Captain Charles Frederick , held a-Provincial Grand Lodge in Faversham in that year , possibly out of compliment to the lodge , in which he had been initiated the

previous year , when he was appointed J . W . and also Prov . G . Warden , so that his promotion was rather rapid . Bro . Julius Shepherd , the first J . W . of the Lodge of 17 63 , and first W . M . of that of 1764 , was appointed Deputy Prov . G . Master . The R . W . Bro . Thomas Dunckerley was also at the meeting .

In 1775 there were numerous visitors present from the "Iniskillen Regiment , " when the Right Hon . W . Ogilvie , Lord Banff , and others were initiated . A Provincial Grand Lodge was once more held in Faversham , and though Bro . Giraud does not say so / I take it the assembly was convened for the installation

of Captain George Smith , as Prov . G . Master . According to Bro . Gould , in his invaluable "Military Lodges 1732-1699 " ( p . 31 ) , the York Grand Lodge "issued a solitary Military Warrant to the Gth or Inniskilling Regiment of Dragoons in 1770 . " This , however , has not been authenticated , and the lodge

in that regiment at York must have been under some other Constitution , but it is not quite certain which . Many other regimental lodges were represented at the meetings of this "Harmony" Lodge from time to time , as noted by Bro . Giraud .

In 1785 a member of the lodge had his expenses paid to Maidstone " to vote for a Prov . Grand Master of Kent . " It is not recorded who had the benefit of his vote or recommendation , but Colonel Jacob Sawbridge was appointed to that office , in 1785 , and visited the lodge in the following year .

A curious minute occurs on September 26 th , 1787 , to the effect that " Bro . Peter Williams proposed to be a member and rejected without being made again an ancient Mason . " Now , the lodge was " Modern , " so that the record means that being an

Ancient Mason , he would not be " remade . " On June 17 th , 1789 , it is stated that two brethren " were refused to be admitted as members , being Ancient Masons "—so the explanation is obvious .

The name " Harmony" was selected in 178 9 , and in the next year the lodge agreed to subscribe lo the " Cumberland School , " now the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls . In 1 794

it was agreed that the Landlord was " not to consult members about what to get for supper , " so the brethren were obliged to rest content with the fare he supplied . Let us hope it was good 1

In 1795 the Provincial Grand Lodge was again held at Faversham , when Dr . William Perfect was installed as Prov . G . M . In 1797 some " Dutch prisoners on parole from Wye " visited the lodge . On January 4 th , 179 8 , at the burial of Bro

Geo . Cowland , the Rev . Francis F . Giraud and two other clergymen were duly thanked by the members "for the attendance and polite behaviour and attention to the orders of the Master , neither of them being a Bro . Mason . "

Thc expenses of four members attending the Provincial Grand Lodge at Mailing amounted to , £ 1033 . id ., including the dinners . The costs at that time for such " outings" were regularly met from the funds in the hands of the Treasurer . On February 25 th , 1807 , live brethren were made " Mark and

Ark . Three members represented the lodge at the Presentation and Banquet to the Earl of Moria , A . G . M ., at Freemasons ' Hall . On January ioth , 1820 , eight brethren " took the Past Master ' s Degree , " which was , as Bro . Giraud states , a preliminary ceremony to R . A . Masonry , but since obsolete . Bro . Peter Gilkes attended the lodge at its expense in 1824 , and " gave lectures and instruction at two meetings . " Doubtless

Freemasonry In Faversham.

these assemblies were convened that the members might perfect themselves in the " Union" work , many such being held over thc country from 1815 . Although the regular meetings of the lodge were discontinued from 1829 for some 30 years , it should be noted that

occasional meetings took place , Masters were elected , officers appointed , and the annual returns duly mnde , so that the continuity appears to have been preserved , notwithstanding the

difficulties in which the members were placed ,, financially and generally ; the effects being gradually " melted" until 1859 , when a fresh aud vigorous lease of the lodge was again renewed .

In 18 73 , the sum of five guineas was voted to the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , in recognition of the services rendered the lodge by Bro . Giraud , who from 1859 had been a never failing friend in need . He is still active as ever on its behalf . The Centenary Jewel Warrant was obtained for the

lodge in 1870 , and in 1 S 8 7 , the members purchased and adapted the Old Grammar School to be used as their Freemasons' Hall , at a cost of £ 525 , and it continues to be used for that purpose . In 18 90 , Bro . G . W . Speth , the widely-known and respected Secretary of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge , delivered a lecture on Freemasonry as illustrated by its early Records .

Many presents have been received from members and friends during the last few years , and in 1895 , Bro - Giraud , the Historian of the lodge , was presented with a combined Past Master ' s and Secretary ' s jewel in appreciation of his many years' devoted services to the " Lodge of Harmony , " Faversham ; which was an honour well deserved .

The roll of subscribing members from 176 3 is a valuable compilation , especially as the offices held are all duly recorded , under each name in chronological order , and another table gives similar particulars for the Royal Arch from 1888 ; the old chapter having fallen through unfortunately . Had the latter been kept

alive , the members could have claimed a Centenary Warrant , for the Royal Arch Degree was worked in the lodge so early as 177 8 , and probably much earlier . In 1786 , their founder , Bro . Julius Shepherd , so long D . Prov . G . M ., was appointed Grand Superintendent for Kent .

I had no record of this fact . It is singular that the chapter at Faversham was not on the roll of the " Modern " Grand Chapter , so possibly it was a survival of the " Ancient" Lodge of 1763 . The artistic frontispiece is devoted to the F . M . H ., Faversham . I congratulate Bro . Giraud on his success as the Lodge Historian . W . J . HUGHAN .

United Grand Lodge.

UNITED GRAND LODGE .

The Quarterly Communication of United Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of England was held on Wednesday evening , at Freemasons' Hall , Great Queen-street , W . C , Bro . Lieut .-General Wimburn Laurie , M . P ., Prov . Grand Master for South VVales , Western Divison , presided . Bro . Hamon Le Strange , Prov . G . Master Norfolk , occupied the position of Past Grand Master ; Bro . George Richards , Dist . G . Master Transvaal , acted as Deputy Grand Master ; Bros . Thomas Fenn , P . G . W ., as

S . G . W . ; and Robert Grey , P . G . W ., as J . G . W . Among other brethren present were : Bros . John Strachan , Q . C . ; R . Loveland Loveland , Q . C . ; R . D . M . Littler , Q . Cj Lennox Browne , Major Woodall , T . Lean Wilkinson , J . H . Matthews , Edward Letchworth , G . Sec ; Henry Smith , P . G . D . j Richard Eve , Frank Richardson , Henry Neville , Sir Squire Bancroft , Dr . R . Turtle Pigott , G . P . H . Lewis , Q . C ;

J . C . Malcolm , Imre Kiralfy , W . Lake , Asst . G . Sec ; J . E . Le Feuvre , 7 . M . McLeod , P . G . S . B ., Sec . R . M . I . B . ; T . J . Railing , Albert Lucking , Hermann Klein , W . Hayman Cummings , G . Org . ; Henry Lovegrove , Dr . Strong , Wilhelm Ganz , Dr . Clement Godson , W . G . Kentish , W _ F . Smithson , Dr . Lott , and R . Clowes . Bro . R . G . Fricker , W . M ., Corona Lodge , No . 2731 , Johannesburg , was also present . Over 600 brethren attended .

Grand Lodge having been opened in form , the minutes of December , 1899 , were read and confirmed . Bro . Lieut-General LAURIE asked the brethren to consider the following message from H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , Grand Master :

1 he Grand Master , feeling that one effect of the present serious war in South Africa must be to throw upon the local Masonic funds a pressure which they cannot possibly bear , ventures to appeal to the Craft under the Grand Lodge of England to come to the assistance ot the sorely tried loyal brethren in that distant part of the world .

The Grand Master is aware of thc noble response which the Order has already made in favour of the general Patriotic and Refugee Funds , and is loth to make any further call upon its generosity . But while the civil duty has been so excellently fulfilled , there yet remains unsatisfied that peculiar claim which the

principles of Freemasonry inspire its members to have regard to . The Grand Master therefore desires that the sense of Grand Lodge shall be taken uoon the following resolutions : He ( Bro . Major-General Laurie ) then moved the first resolution as follows :

That a fund be raised irom which the several District Grand Lodges under the English Constitution in South Africa may be assisted to relieve the distresses of their . loyal members occasioned directly by the war in that quarter . " Bro . J STRACHAN , Q . C , G . Reg ., seconded the resolution and asked the brethren to bear with him while he explained the position of affairs . It