History Of The Lodge Of Emulation , No. 21.

History of the Lodge of Emulation , No . 21 .

( By HENRY SADLER , Sub-Librarian to the Grand Lodge of England . )

C I 9 U ' , i 855- —" Bro . Thomas Taylor , P . M . moved J [ ( pursuant to notice ) That the sum of Twenty Guineas be presented from the Funds of the Lodge to the Patriotic Fund , which was seconded by the W . AL and carried , with the addition of the words , ' but that this motion shall not be

drawn into a precedent for other similar votes . ' " This evening one of the ten visitors present was Bro Edward Brackstone Baker , of St . John ' s Lodge , Canada , No . 231 on the Registry of the Grand Lodge of Ireland , who was proposed as a joining member of the Lodge .

Edward Brackstone Baker , better known in the Alasonic world as "Brackstone Baker , " was duly elected on 19 th March , 18 55 . He was then Secretary of the Great Western Railway Company of Canada , and eventually became one of the best known Alasons in the world , enjoying the

SIR RICHARD GI . YNN , LORD MAYOR , 1758 , GRAND S 11 AVARD FOR THK MOURNING lil'SH I . ODGI ' , i ; 6 l . I'lic / oii i ' iip / ietl l \ v permission from , i rortrnit in llrithwell Hospital . unique distinction of being the representative at the Grand Lodge of England of not less than twenty-three Grand Lodges in Canada and the United States . Speaking from a

personal and intimate knowledge of many years standing , I can safely say he was one of the most earnest and enthusiastic Alasons with whom it has ever been my good fortune to be associated . His services to the Lodge of Emulation ranksecond only to those of Joseph Taylorthe compiler of the

, wonderful Index of the Lodge Records , whose example he endeavoured to follow by indexing the Records in a similar manner from the period of the cessation of Bro . Taylor ' s labours , which useful work has been carried on by succeeding secretaries up to the present time . He was not only an

active and valuable member of this Lodge , but he also originated and was first Alaster of the Anglo-American Lodge in London , and devoted much time to the affairs of the Craft generally , indeed , he was as well known in the Grand Lodge as he was in the Lodges of his adoption . In 1868 , the

rank of Past Senior Grand Warden of Canada was conferred upon him , and in 186 9 , he was appointed Junior Grand Deacon of England . In my opinion , no brother was more deserving of such honours . He died on roth January , 18 94 , the Grand Secretary , and the writer of these pages , evincing their regard by representing the Grand Lodge at his interment in Lewisham cemetery .

1857 , April 6 th . —A Lodge of Emergency was held this day " for the purpose of paying a Tribute of Respect to the memory of the late Brother S . C . Norris . " " Brother Joseph Taylor read the draft of an Address to Airs . Norn ' s , which he had prepared " [ which was approved

by the Lodge ] . It was also resolved u That the Lodge go into Afasonie Mourning until the close of the year , " and "That no Banquet take place at the next regular Lodge . " The Address , which was signed by all the members , is duly entered in the minutes of the 20 th April , together with the

reply of Air . Stephen P . Norris , on behalf of his mother . The gentleman last named was initiated at a Lodge of Emergency on 21 st July following , and continued a subscribing member until 18 94 , when he was elected an Honorary Alember . The Noi-ris ' s had been ardent supporters of the Lodge for

many years ; William Phillips Norris was initiated in it 21 st A lay , 179 8 , and en the death of his father-in-law , Stephen Chirk , in 1799 , was elected Treasurer of the Lodge ; next year he was Grand Steward , and in February , 1812 , the Lodge voted him a medal in recognition of his services . He continued

Treasurer until his retirement from the Lodge , 19 II 1 December , 18 3 6 , three years before his death . His son , Stephen Chirk Norris , who was initiated in 1820 , succeeded him as Treasurer , and held the office until his death , 24 th March , 18 57 . Thus from the election of Stephen Clark in 1775 , the Treasurership had been held in the same family for a period of eighty-two

years . 1859 , March 21 st . —The Committee to whom the subject of the communication from the Board of General Purposes , relative to the Freehold Property of the Society , was referred for further consideration at the last Lodge meeting , submitted the following Report to the Lodge , viz :

" That this Lodge while it deprecates the establishment of a Tavern under the superintendence of Grand Lodge , is willing to leave the maturing of the details of the proposed plan to the control of the Board oi General Purposes . " The Report of the Committee was unanimously approved

by the Lodge , and an intimation to that effect was ordered to be forwarded to the Grand Secretary . April 18 th . —The death of the veteran Joseph Taylor , who had succeeded S . C . Norris as Treasurer , had been reported by circular from the Master . At this meeting a

letter of Condolence was ordered to be sent to his famil y , and resolutions similar to those passed on the death of the late Treasurer were unanimously carried , as also was the following : " That Bro . P . M . Thomas Taylor be requested to perform the duties of Treasurer to the Lodge until the next annual election of that officer . "

The Address of Condolence appears in the minutes of 2 ist May , with the names of Twenty-eight members who had signed it , followed by a lengthy record of the Alasonic services of the deceased brother , from which it appeared that he was initiated in the Lodge in 1819 , consequently he had been a

subscribing member of it Forty years . The minutes of this meeting are in the handwriting of Brackstone Baker , the Secretary of the Lodge . He finishes the record of the services rendered by the deceased brother as follows : " In the Lodge of Emulation , Addresses of Condolence on

the demise of members of it , are of such rare occurrence as to render them valuable , because they are exceptional as a testimony of the grief of the surviving Brethren . From the earliest dates up to the present time there are but four recorded instances . In October 18 33 to Airs . Farden on the

untimely death of her husband . In May 18 3 8 to the family of Bro . Henekey . In October 18 39 to Bro . Stephen Clark Norris on the death of his father , Bro . William Phillips Norris , who was for a long period Treasurer of this Lodge , and in April 1857 to the family of Bro . Stephen Clark Norris . who had succeeded , his father in the Treasurership , and it