The Lodge Of Glasgow St. John.

THE LODGE OF GLASGOW ST . JOHN .

By Bro . W . P . BUCHAN , P . S . W . No . 3 Ms , and Grand Steward , Grand Lodge of Scotland . ( Continued from page 463 ) . From the foregoing " Articles and Regulations " we would seem to be warranted in stating that the

year 1825 sawthe firststep taken for the adoption of Speculative Freemasonry in a formal manner by the Glasgow Freemen Operative St . John ' s Lodge . Before that date they met occasionally , and held a festival on St . John ' s Eve , at which the crystal

did not always come off scathless , as per an account I once saw , of date about 1813 or therebouts , which account for expenses incurred at lodge festival the Deacon of the Incorporation authorises the Collector to settle . Again , as per page 404 ,

we see the lodge marching at a procession in 1792 . However , generally speaking , their meetings were few and far between , and they do not appear to

have taken very kindly to Speculative Masonry . Then if their " entry '' consisted in anything * more elaborate than the mere giving of the word with a promise to keep it secret , I do not know who would conduct the ceremonies unless they were

worked by brethren of other lodges , for it is a fact that I have often wondered at , that , although amongst the brethren of Glasgow St . John ' s Lodge you may get some of the best practical operative Masons in the kingdom , yet I never

saw or heard of one of them working the three degrees ; while out of all the members in toto I can only as yet learn of three who have ever wrought the three degrees , viz ., Bro . J . B . Walker , P . M . ( Painter ) , Bro . James M'Millan , S . W . ( Smith ) ,

and one of the Past S . W . 's , who has wrought all the ceremonies . And it is within the last five years these began to work . Bro . Walker was R . W . M . during 1866 .

Such a circumstance is worth thinking over in connection with the sort of ceremony practised in the old operative lodges before 1717 . In fact , it all goes to prove what I have already stated , viz ,, that " making Masons" before 1717 was a

very simple process , and a process which when practisedby masons , was something similar to the process practised by smiths , joiners , shoemakers , painters , plumbers , * & c . And had it not been for the

concoction of Speculative Masonry by Desaguliers and Co ., we would have heard no more of Free-masonry now than we do of Free-tailorery , Free-weavery , or any other such ideas . * However , to proceed with the minutes .

" At Glasgow , the sixteenth day . of December , eighteen hundred and twenty-five . Convened—The Master , several of the Office Bearers , and a number of the members of the lodge , the whole having been warned to attend , as was verified by

the officer . A number of members paid their quarter accounts , as per . roll book . " The lodge then proceeded to the election of Office Bearers , when the following choice was . made , viz .:

—. James Scott , G . Master . James M'Guffie , Last Master . Archd . Johnstone , Deputy Master . James Torrance , S . W . Wm . Aitken , J . W .

A . Scott . Treasurer . John Hamilton , G . Steward . James Cranston , S . Steward . Robert Aitken , junior , J . Steward . George Young , Secretary .

John Watt , } Jr - Sfcmds - James Baird , Tyler . "The meeting resolve to meet for the purpose of celebrating the anniversary of St . John on the

27 th inst .., and appoint the Secretary to give notice accordingly . Farther , the Master , Treasurer , Grand Steward , and Senior Warden are appointed as a committee to provide a canopy for the Master ' s chair , the expense of which ,

however , is not to exceed five pounds sterling . " James Scott . " At Glasgow , the fifteenth day of December , 1826 . Convened . The Master , several of the Office Bearers , and a number of the members of the lodge , the whole having been warned to attend ,