MassachusettsHamiltonHistoryCh23
CHAPTER 23: WINSLOW LEWIS
At the December Communication of 1854 the very successful administration of Randall closed and Winslow Lewis, Jr., was elected Grand Master.
Winslow Lewis, Jr. was born in Boston, July 8, 1799.
Graduating from Harvard In 1819, he took up the study of medicine and received his Doctor's degree in 1822. He then spent some time in Europe in further prosecution of his medical studies. He quickly attained eminence in his profession especially in surgery, occupying many positions of eminence, including service on the Board of Overseers of Harvard. His circle of interest and activity was astonishingly wide. He was an active member of the New England Historic Genealogical Society and for five years its President. He was an active member and for five years President of the Numismatic Society. With all this he found time for civic duties, serving the city of Boston as School Committeeman, member of the Common Council, and Representative in the Legislature.
It would hardly appear that so busy a man would find time for Masonry. He was, however, for more than forty years one of the most active Masons in the jurisdiction. He took his degrees in Columbian Lodge in 1851, but did not sign the by-laws, remaining unaffiliated until 1834, when he joined St. John's Lodge. He was never Master of a Lodge, although twice Senior Warden of St. John's. On both occasions he was obliged to decline promotion on account of the pressure of other matters. In Grand Lodge he was a Grand Steward in 1836 and 1837, Corresponding Grand Secretary 1841 to 1844, inclusive, Grand Marshal in 1845, Deputy Grand Master in 1846 and 1847, and Grand Master in 1855, 1856, and 1860. He also served as a member of the Committee of Finance, a member of the Board of Directors after the incorporation in 1859, Trustee of the Charity Fund, Trustee of the Temple, and member of the Committee on Library, most of the time Chairman, from 1853 until his death.
Dr. Lewis' Masonic activities were by no means confined to Lodge Masonry. He was a member and Past High Priest of St. Paul's R.A. Chapter and Past Deputy Grand High Priest of the Grand Chapter. In Templar Masonry he served as Commander of Boston Commandery, Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery, and Grand Generalissimo of the Grand Encampment of the United States. He was made an Active Member of the Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite in 1861 and served as its Grand Secretary General for four years. Grand Commander Josiah H. Drummond said of him, "I believe he was the most dearly beloved member of our Supreme Council , and by all, while he commanded universal respect."
He died August 3, 1875.
Dr. Lewis was as remarkable for his character as for his ability. He was wise, tolerant, and kindly, loved by all with whom he came into contact, a very rare and unusual man.
At the June Quarterly of 1855 the troublesome question of rejected applicants came up again. A committee reported a hew form of application. The blank contained a statement that the petitioner had never before applied. The committee also recommended a series of resolutions setting forth an elaborate and somewhat complicated arrangement for the registration and reporting of all rejections.- The report was accepted and the resolutions were adopted. Later their operation was suspended pending action on a general revision of the Grand Constitution which was then contemplated. It was recognized that the proposed system of registration was unworkable and all that survived the revision was a modified application blank.
On August 11, 1855, the corner stone of the State House was relaid by Grand Master Lewis in the presence of the Governor, Hon, Henry J. Gardner, and other state officials. A few days previously some workmen engaged in repairing the foundations discovered some copper coins and a small leaden box, "if such it may be called" consisting of two pieces of sheet lead loosely put together without solder. It happened that the original corner stone was still in place and that the deposit which had been placed by Paul Revere rested upon the soil with no other protection than a thin layer of cement. The Commissioners in charge of the repairs collected all the original material and, with the consent of the Governor, arranged to have the whole enclosed in a sealed metal box and placed under a new stone, but without any special display. There was added to the original deposit some further material, such as coins, newspapers of the day and other such objects as are usually put in corner stones and the whole enclosed in a sealed box which was put in a recess cut in the bottom of the new corner stone. The whole ceremony, though simple and informal was quietly dignified.
At the June Quarterly of 1855 Grand Master Lewis showed his keen interest in the perfection of ritual by a suggestion that exemplification be held in connection with all four of the Quarterlies and not merely in December. A committee reported favorably and offered an Amendment to the Grand Constitutions to the effect that the Grand Lodge should meet on the four days of the Quarterly Communications at nine o'clock in the morning and spend the day in the exemplification of the ritual. The Grand Lodge then held its meetings in the evening. The committee to whom the proposed Amendment was referred reported adversely. This was unquestionably a wise decision. The proposed arrangement would have been very burdensome and unwelcome to the Brethren. The question of ritual accuracy was never satisfactorily settled until the system of District exemplification now in use was adopted in 1875.
At the September Quarterly of 1855 an invitation was received from the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania to participate in the dedication of its new hall on September 26. The invitation was accepted and the Grand Master asked to make the necessary arrangements. The Grand Lodge of Massachusetts was represented by a delegation but the membership of the delegation is not recorded either in our Proceedings or in those of Pennsylvania.
The annual report on the Library showed commendable effort of the part of the Library Committee. The Library then contained 196 bound volumes and 500 pamphlets and contained works in five languages other than English.
A reasonably successful attempt had been made to collect the portraits of Past Grand Masters. The Grand Lodge then possessed all from Joseph Warren to Randall, inclusive, except Webb, Hays, Bigelow and Crane. These portraits were unfortunately destroyed when the Winthrop House was burned. A new collection was made and the Grand Lodge now has portraits, all but a very few in oil, of all the Grand Masters from and including Henry Price to date, except four, Tomlinson, Oxnard, Webb, and Crane. There is little or no hope of acquiring these.
A committee was appointed at the December Quarterly of 1855 to present a general revision of the Grand Constitutions. The amendments proposed by the committee were adopted at the June Quarterly of 1856. They were considerable in number, but worthy of little present interest. One, however, changed the hour of meeting of Grand Lodge from seven o'clock in the evening to two o'clock in the afternoon. This is still the hour for Grand Lodge to meet unless otherwise ordered by the Grand Master. The December Quarterly is usually called at half past one.
At the December Quarterly of 1855 a committee was appointed to report what should be the regalia and jewels of the Grand Lodge and the particular Lodges. So far as the particular Lodges were concerned the regalia and jewels adopted were the same as now in use, except that the officers wore blue sashes. Upon recommendation of the committee it was voted that the committee should be "authorized and instructed to import from England an entire set of regalia like that worn by the officers of the United Grand Lodge of England, for the use of the officers of the Grand Lodge, provided the cost of same should not, in the opinion of the committee and the Grand Master, be in disproportion to the means of the Grand Lodge." A description of the regalia and Jewels of the Grand Lodge and particular Lodges was to be inserted in the Grand Constitutions.
Exactly what purchases were made we do not know. That they were probably considerable appears from the fact that for 1855 the Grand Treasurer reported expenditures of $2,090.02 and in 1856 $4,027.24. All the regalia of the Grand Lodge was destroyed in the Winthrop House fire in 1864. The replacements were not in accordance with the constitutional requirements, obviously for financial reasons. Matters remained thus until 1915, when aprons and cuffs for the Grand Master and Deputy Grand Master were obtained corresponding to those used by the United Grand Lodge of England except that the border and strings are purple, the English being Garter blue. The aprons of the other Grand Officers do not yet conform to the English pattern.
Grand Master Lewis was re-elected at the close of 1855. In his inaugural address he took up the vexed and vexing question of the unaffiliated Mason. The committee to whom the address was referred did not see what could be done about it except to use moral suasion. The question came up from time to time, but nothing was done about it until 1918 when a constitutional provision was adopted that a Brother remaining voluntarily Unaffiliated for more than one year should be under all the disabilities of suspension.
The Grand Lodge of Massachusetts has never legislated on the liquor question. A very interesting precedent, however, was established in 1856. A member of one of the Lodges was habitually and grossly intemperate. All efforts to reform him having failed, the Lodge suspended him. This action was not only confirmed but strongly approved by Grand Lodge which commended the Lodge because "they did not hesitate to protect themselves from the stigma that would have inevitably fallen not on than alone, but, the whole Fraternity, by gross unmasonic conduct of an unworthy member."
On October 10, 1855, a number of Lodges in Canada, dissatisfied with existing Masonic conditions met in convention and set up a Grand Lodge of Canada. They applied to Massachusetts for recognition, which was refused by the acceptance of a report and recommendation submitted at the September Quarterly of 1856. The report which follows is important because of its clear exposition of fundamental legal principles.
G. Lodge of Mass Sept 10th, 1856.
It is doubtless known to the Fraternity, generally, that there has been for some time more or less dissatisfaction among our Brethren in Canada, arising out of their peculiar connection with the Gd Lodges of Great Britain and Ireland. These difficulties would perhaps seem at first sight entirely uninteresting to the Fraternity in the United States, but the slightest reflection manifests so clearly the peculiar sympathetic character and essence of our Order that a blow struck et one extremity of the Masonic world, or a difficulty existing any where within its limits, is seen to be felt every where, and, like a stroke of electricity vibrates almost at once along the various lines of communication, even to the utmost bounds of our Masonic horizon. Any irregularity therefore, either in the government, principles, or practices of the Craft; any thing in fact which even seems to conflict with our "Ancient Landmarks," affects not only the place of its origin but the whole Fraternity, the world over. Whatever takes place among our Canadian Brethren is of course interesting to us in proportion to its vicinity since any irregularity permitted either on their side of the line or ours, is sure sooner or later to cross the boundary; and we shall find in common with them, that it is much eaiser to prevent such evils than to cure it.
That portion of the Fraternity in Canada under the Gd Lodge of England is governed by three Provincial Grand Lodges, viz: 1. Montreal and William Henry; 2. Quebec and Three Rivers - and 3, that of the Upper Province. The Provincial Grand Masters are appointed by the Gd. Master of England, and retain the English practice of appointing the Deputies, Gd. Wardens and other Officers to a certain extent.
The dues paid by each Lodge to the Mother Gd. Lodge are for each Charter or Warrant of Constitution $25 for each Diploma $1.50 also a small fee for registering and these, so far as, we know are all which the Gd, Lodge of England receives from the Canadian Lodges.
The Gd Lodge of Scotland has only two or three Lodges under her jurisdiction in the Upper Province. She has however a number in the Lower Province, and it appears from the Report of her Provincial Gd. Master there, that all these stand firm in their allegiance.
The amount of fees or dues, paid to this Gd. Lodge, we have no means of ascertaining.
The Gd Lodge of Ireland has about fifteen Lodges whose fees are $2.50 annually for each Lodge chartered previous to 1846, and $5.00 annually for each Lodge chartered since; $1.50 for each candidate; registering fee sixty cents and Diploma fifty cents. We allude to these matters of organization and expense merely because of their having been brought forward as among the principal courses of dissatisfaction: and their amount becomes therefore, a matter of consequence to the argument.
How the Provincial Gd. Lodges, are supported, or whence the funds are drawn for their support, or what the aggregate expense for this purpose may be, your Committee cannot say.
There has long been a growing dissatisfaction at this state of things, and much discussion has grown out of the constantly deepening conviction that some effort must be made to introduce a better; until at length, almost the entire Craft being convinced that an independent organization was essential to the effective and proper working of the Order, efforts were made from time to time to call the attention of the Gd. Lodge of England to these causes of dissatisfaction, in the hope that in some way a remedy might be applied: It is not necessary to detail the history of the various attempts, which were attended with no success until the appointment of Bro. R. H. Townsend as Special Agent the Gd. Lodge of England made at a meeting of the Provincial Gd Lodge of Canada West, held at the Clifton House, Niagara, July 19th, 1855. And it is perhaps well to remark as an evidence of the spirit then prevailing, that a motion was offered which would, if carried have led to immediate and open rebellion on the part of the Canadian Craft towards the Mother Gd. Lodge: this motion, however, the presiding officer very properly refused to put.
Bro. Townsend's mission was so far successful that he has got the matter regularly before the Gd. Lodge of England; and there seems every reason to believe that all would have been satisfactorily adjusted but for the precipitate action of a portion of our Canadian Brethren who were unwilling to "wait patiently" as recommended by Bro* Townsend. They accordingly called a Convention at Hamilton, Upper Canada, on the 10th, of Oct. last, which resulted in the formation of a new body, declaring itself independent of all former authority.
The mission of Bro. Townsend still continued, with still more favorable prospects: but the secession of the 10th, of October rendered that which had been done useless. And moreover, it appears from a passage in the communication (to be hereafter alluded to) from the new body, that no concession from the Mother Gd. Lodge short of absolute and complete independence, would have been satisfactory to the seceding Brethren; that principle having been predetermined. Under these circumstances the Provincial Gd. Lodge of Canada West held a meeting on the 23rd, of October, at which the new body was declared illegal, and all Masonic intercourse with it, was by unanimous vote strictly forbidden. At a meeting of the Provincial Gd. Lodge held on the 26th, of May, 1856, a resolution was passed instructing their Board of General Purposes to communicate to the various Gd. Lodges, with whom they were in communication, the true position of that Gd. Lodge, as regards the movement of the self-styled Gd Lodge of Canada. A report on the subject was accordingly made, of which this Gd. Lodge has received a copy, and from which the foregoing account of the difficulties in question has been mainly drawn.
They also at the same meeting, approved of a proposition made, or to be made, to the Gd. Lodge of England, by Bro - the Rev. Geo. R. Porter, P. S. G. W., for settling the Canadian difficulties, by a concession of almost complete independence. Whether there have been, or are likely to be, any results from this last proposition, your Committee cannot say.
From the body of Brethren above mentioned who met at Hamilton on the 10th, Oct. last, this Gd. Lodge in common with the other Gd. Lodges of the Union, has received an able communication, going at length into the history of the transactions, which your committee have briefly sketched detailing their reasons, for the step they have taken, and asking our recognition and fraternal sympathy. Their communication states that after the various unsuccessful communications to the Gd.Lodge of England - "finding that the interests of the Craft were suffering with increased severity from the causes of which they had complained - feeling deeply the uncourteous neglect - the Petitions and Correspondence of the Provincial Grand Lodge had experienced from the officers of the Gd. Lodge, of England - and believing the Provincial Gd.Lodge to be incapable of obtaining the concessions which the position of the Craft rendered indispensable - it was determined to call a meeting of delegates from all Canadian Lodges, to be held at the city of Hamilton on the 10th, of October, to consider the expediency of forming a Gd. Lodge of Canada."
Accordingly the representatives, as they say, of forty one Lodges, holding under the Gd. Lodges of England, Ireland and Scotland, met as requested, and after fully debating all matters in question, agreed, with one exception, upon the formation, and proceeded to elect the officers of the Gd. Lodge of Canada.
This Communication is signed by Wm. M. Wilson as Gd. Master, and countersigned by Thomas Bird Harris as Grand Secretary. It will at once be seen, Brethren, that here is a case almost new in our Masonic experience, involving principles of the highest importance - appealing strongly to our sympathies as freemen - and requiring that prudence and caution whereby we may avoid being led through those sympathies into a course inconsistent with those well tried principles, which have so long secured peace and tranquility within the borders of this Gd. Lodge.
The naked question to be met is briefly as follows viz:- whether it is consistent with the recognized laws or customs of Freemasonry, for any portion of the Lodges under a particular jurisdiction to secede from the Parent Body, without its consent,- and to form of their own authority a new Body, having an independent existence and independent powers.
In discussing this question we must define, if we can, the principles which have always by common consent, governed the relations of the various Gd. Lodges of this country with each other, and with Foreign Countries; and the leading principle is this; That each Gd. Lodge in the United States rules and governs without interference from any other, all Lodges, within the Civil Jurisdiction of the State in which she is situated, holding the territories as common ground wherein each Gd Lodge is free to charter Lodges at pleasure; until each Territory by being regularly admitted into the Union as a State, acquires a right to form a Gd. Lodge for itself. Your Committee are aware that this has sometimes been done before admission as a State: but although it may be alleged in excuse that Territories are States in process of formation we still think the practice illegal, and not to be justified in any case; the only safe rule in our opinion being that above laid down.
The same rule holds good as regards foreign countries; we do not think of chartering Lodges within their limits, if there is a Grand Lodge there, nor do we permit them to do so within ours. And this is the reason why the recent attempt of the Gd. Lodge of Hamburg to violate this well understood principle has met with such vehement disapproval: although the Lodge chartered by her, consisted mainly of foreigners and worked in a foreign language.
With regard to the Lodges of Great Britain and Ireland the case is exactly analogous to ours. Neither of these Gd. Lodges charters Lodges within bounds of the others, though all do so in the Colonies - just as we do in the Territories.
With regard to the Continental Grand Lodges they are governed in many points, on principles differing from ours, and which we can scarcely understand. There are for instance, in France the Gd. Lodge of France and the Supreme Council:- both insisting upon equal authority, and not at all, certainly, to the furtherance of harmony. There are three Gd. Lodges in Berlin: and perhaps other, to us anomalous arrangements, elsewhere. Now we do not say that these things may not be very proper for them, but that with our principles of Masonic jurisprudence, they would not be proper for us: and that no precedent arising from their peculiar organizations would be safe for us to follow.
We are now called upon to recognize, as a Gd. Lodge, a body formed on different principles, from our own, which has for certain reasons, good or bad, set up a pretension which amounts to this, viz:- that whenever any portion of the Craft under any jurisdiction finds it inconvenient to remain there:- or whenever it imagines itself aggrieved or slighted by the Parent Body, it is right and proper to, resort to revolution - to close the doors upon all explanation or concession, and, strictly by its own authority to constitute and maintain a new and independent Jurisdiction, totally disconnected from all former duties or associations. Such has been the course of the Brethren seeking to be acknowledged as the Gd. Lodge of Canada: and in justification of this course they allege substantially the following reasons viz:-
- 1st. The want of harmony in action and in working, resulting from Lodges hailing from different countries, perpetuating local and national feelings, prejudices and conflicting interests, &c,
- 2nd. That Lodges, in the Provinces are required to contribute to the funds of the Gd. Lodge of Great Britain in addition to supporting three Provincial Gd. Lodges. The far greater number of applicants for charity being Brethren emigrating from Great Britain, while few or none requiring aid, go from the Provinces to the Mother Country,
- 3rd. The Gd. Lodge of Great Britain thus doubly tax the Fraternity in Canada by transferring to the shores numberless claimants for Masonic aid, at the same time they are receiving from them a portion of the means of affording it.
- 4th. he inconvenience arising from the lengthened periods that must ensue in consequence of the distance between them and Great Britain, before they can receive replies to their communications., sanction to their proceedings, warrants - certificates of membership, &c., sometimes to the great detriment of the Craft, and of individual Brethren and lastly -
- 5th. The appointment of their Prov. Gd.Masters by the Gd. Master of England, who at a distance of near 4000 miles may reasonably be expected to be practically ignorant of their peculiar wants:- and inasmuch as the Provincial Gd. Officers are appointed by the Provincial Gd. Masters their propriety necessarily depends upon the Gd. Master, who is selected entirely without reference to the opinions of the Brethren in the Provinces. And "the Provincial Gd. Lodges, thus constituted are placed in the equivocal position of being irresponsible to, and independent of the Craft in Canada."
Our Brethren, after stating that their Gd. Lodge has been regularly constituted, &c. go on to ground an argument for its necessity from the number of Lodges engaged in forming it, which they say was forty, hailing from three different jurisdictions "while from the time when the four Lodges of London renounced their allegiance to the Grand Lodge of York and formed themselves into an independent Grand Lodge, to the present day, the greatest number of Lodges on record as associating to form a new Gd. Lodge, is seventeen."
It seems to your Committee after examining these several reasons to the best of our ability, that they make out simply cases of inconvenience, and nothing more; want of harmony in working or action is an inconvenience; a multiplicity of Jurisdictions is an inconvenience. It would be better doubtless for the interests of the Craft in the Provinces were their Masonic contributions expended where they are raised; although it would seem from what has been above said, that the amount drawn from the provinces by the Gd. Lodge of Great Britain and Ireland would not, if left there, add very materially to their means of charity. And, since the dues thus paid by them are certainly much below those usually paid in this country, we cannot see any well grounded cause for dissatisfaction upon this point; much less for revolution. It is an inconvenience also that so many Brethren oome from Europe requiring assistance; but how the Gd. Lodge of Great Britain or Ireland can be blamed for this - what control they have over it - or how they can be charged with "thus doubly taxing the Craft in Canada," your Committee cannot perceive.
The inconvenience arising from distance was doubtless in former times very great: but now, when modern improvements have almost annihilated distance - difficulties from this source are certainly not insuperable.
It is an inconvenience certainly - all least we should so consider it, to be governed by a body 4000 miles away: or that they should appoint out principal officers, But as these things are just as they always were among our Canadian Brethren, and moreover, as a large portion of them would probably insist that the English principle of appointments gives, on the whole, better officers to the Fraternity than ours of election - your Committee can see no cause for extreme measures here. And as the Masters, Past Masters and Wardens of Lodges must form a sufficiently effective working majority in the Provincial Gd. Lodges,- embodying as they certainly must the aggregate will of the Fraternity - we cannot see how these Grand Lodges can properly be said to be "irresponsible to, and independent of, the Craft in Canada."
Our Brethren state in their communication that forty one Lodges concurred in the formation of their Gd. Lodge; but this does not seem exactly borne out by subsequent information.
It is now said that the actual number of seceding Lodges is twenty-six, viz:- eight from Canada West - three from the Prov. Gd. Lodge of Montreal and William Henry: and fifteen from the Gd, Lodge of Ireland; leaving forty-five in the Upper Province, who still remain firm in their allegiance to the Parent Gd. Lodge.
The last remark in the communication which it will be necessary for your Committee to notice, is an illusion to the time when, as it says "the four Lodges of London renounced their allegiance to the Gd. Lodge of York, and formed themselves into an independent Gd. Lodge." Now it is certain from the old Constitutions that in 1717 the four old Lodges of London with some old Brethren, met at the Apple Tree Tavern in Charles St. Covert Garden, and having put into the Chair the oldest Master Mason, being then Master of a Lodge, "they constituted themselves a Gd. Lodge pro tempore in due form.
But here is no allusion to any renunciation of allegiance to the Gd. Lodge of York, or any mention of such a Gd. Lodge - or any indication that the authority of such a Gd. Lodge ever extended over the Lodges in question in any way. A Gd. Lodge of York there certainly was: but no precedent it seems to us can be drawn from the forcible establishment of a new body from any imagined rebellion against the Gd. Lodge of York, by the Lodges of London. The peculiar jurisdiction or mode of operation of this Gd. Lodge your Committee do not profess to discuss; but we do not know that there ever was any quarrel between it and the Gd. Lodge of England.
Your Committee understand that since the receipt by this Gd. Lodge of the communication in question, the new Gd. Lodge of Canada has been acknowledged by the Gd. Lodge of Ireland, and also by two of the Gd. Lodges of the United States.
With regard to the first named Body, we feel warranted in saying, that whatever may have been her motives - still, judged by the principles generally recognized by the Masonic World at least in Great Britain and America; she has made a mistake; and therefore her example can be no authority for us. As regards the Grand Lodges of our Country, we have no fears that when all the bearings of this most important subject shall be fully understood - they will sanction any thing in the least inconsistent with the well settled, wise and conservative principles of the Order.
We have thus, Brethren, gone over this whole matter with all the lights we could command, and with all the care we could bestow, on a subject of such paramount importance.
We have no need to guard ourselves against prejudice, or excitement, since the gravity of the crisis has secured us from either.
We have not sought to impugn men's motives - for we have no doubt the Brethren engaged in this unfortunate movement sincerely believe themselves to be right. And we do not intend to uphold the present organization of the Craft in Canada as the best possible. On the contrary we believe this Grand Lodge will be among the first to welcome any legal arrangements whereby our Canadian Brethren may obtain of their Parent Gd. Lodges such a virtual independence as shall secure to them Union Harmony and Economy.
With these views we cannot recommend to this Gd. Lodge the recognition, as a Gd. Lodge, of that body of Brethren calling themselves the "Gd. Lodge of Canada:"
- 1st.- Because being within the bounds of the British Empire - and for the most part acknowledging the authority of the Gd. Lodge of England,- they have violently and against all Masonic rules, rebelled against and thrown off that authority without even being able to give in excuse any weighty reason.
- 2nd. Because your Com. believe there can be no possible valid reason for such a course amongst us. The right of revolution when oppressions become intolerable, has always been recognized by the Anglo Saxon race from Runnymeade to the present day. But in Masonry there is no such necessity; there can be no long continued oppression, for within certain bounds the will of the majority is absolute; there can be no temptation td> tyranny for nothing is to be gained by it. We have then every possible incentive to keep within our own laws, administered by ourselves: since whatever differences are possible amongst us, they are abundantly sufficient to settle easily and amicably.
Again, were we as a Fraternity to recognize this principle of revolution what is to hinder it from extending everywhere. A few ambitious or discontented Brethren might break any Gd. Lodge or all Gd. Lodges: and there could be no such thing as an irregular Gd. Lodge; since any reasonable number of Lodges would on their own reasons, good or bad, have the right to form one, to be recognized of course by all the rest,- and so on till the very name of Masonic authority would become a byword and a mockery.
With the Gd. Lodges whose authority has been set at naught in this matter, we have long held Fraternal Communication, our members have interchanged visits for many years, and there has been on all sides, we trust, a true Fraternal sympathy. But the Gd. Lodge of England especially were this a question of mere courtesy, and not of law, would have every claim upon our sympathy: for we owe her all respect as our own venerable mother. And never will there be a Gd. Lodge while time shall last, whose regular, dignified, and in every way truly Masonic, spirit can cast upon an admiring Fraternity a brighter, purer light than hers.
Under these circumstances your Com. recommend the adoption of the following Resolutions viz:-
In Grand Lodge, Boston, Sept. 10th, 1856
Whereas a Communication has been received by this Gd. Lodge from a number of Brethren in Canada legally under the Jurisdiction (for the most part) of the Gd. Lodge of England, styling themselves the Gd. Lodge of Canada, and asking our recognition as such - therefore -
Resolved. - That the Gd. Lodge of Massachusetts feels itself compelled to refuse the recognition asked for, and to protest against the continuance of any such Body, it being in our view, an act of rebellion against a sister Grand Lodge.
Resolved. - That the Lodges and individual Brethren under this Jurisdiction are hereby strictly forbidden to hold any Masonic Communication with said illegal Body, or with any Lodge or any individual having any connection therewith.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
- Geo. G. Smith.
- S. W. Robinson.
- L. R. Paige.
- J. T. Heard.
- J. H. Sheppard.
- W. D. Coolidge.
The so called Grand Lodge of Canada failed, but later Grand Lodges were established in a constitutional manner in each of the Provinces of the Dominion.
In the summer of 1856 the Grand Lodge received from Mr. William Wallace, grandson of Henry Price, a portrait of Mr. Price painted when he was about forty years old. The portrait was in bad condition, but was restored and copy was made for Henry Price Lodge. The original was burned with the Winthrop House, but a reproduction was made from the Lodge copy and now hangs in the west of the Grand Lodge room. This is mentioned in the correspondence of an arm chair which belonged to Henry Price. This chair, as we shall see later, afterward came into possession of Belmont Lodge and is now on permanent loan in the Grand Lodge museum.
The Grand Master's report at the December Quarterly of 1856 showed a highly prosperous condition. Dispensations had been issued during the year for five Lodges, Charters had been issued to seven Lodges, and four surrendered Charters had been returned. The number of initiates during the year was about a thousand.
Grand Master Lewis declined re-election and John T. Heard was unanimously chosen to succeed him.
