Difference between revisions of "MassachusettsYear1795"

Latest revision as of 16:44, 15 November 2010

1795

PAUL REVERE, Grand Master

William Scollay, Deputy Grand Master
Isaiah Thomas , Senior Grand Warden
Richard Sutton, Junior Grand Warden

NOTES

The assumption of the Oriental Chair by Paul Revere represented a significant change at the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts. Grand Master Revere was, if anything, more outgoing and engaged than his distinguished predecessor, and was highly interested in leading the movement toward rapid growth in the Fraternity. Under his direction, the new Grand Secretary, Wor. Daniel Oliver, undertook correspondence with jurisdictions near and far (at the very first Quarterly Communication, a letter was ordered to be dispatched to the provincial Grand Lodge in Lower Saxony.)

Grand Master Revere was also active in public, as he was not only prominent within the bounds of the Fraternity, but also a leading citizen of the Commonwealth. On July 4, 1795, he led a remarkable procession of Masons and public officials to Beacon Hill to lay the corner stone of the new State House. (To his astonishment, sixty years later, Grand Master Winslow Lewis would find the corner stone plate just where it had been placed when he dedicated the cornerstone for the new building in 1855.)

Nonetheless, though the Fraternity was expanding at a great rate, the Grand Master was also compelled to impose his authority. In December, the Grand Lodge suspended the meetings of Harmonic Lodge until the next regular communication, pending an inquiry into its conduct; and he endorsed a resolution proffered by a committee, stating that "when any Lodge in this Jurisdiction is not represented in Grand Lodge and is in arrears, for a longer period than twelve months, it shall be considered as having relinquished its connection with the Grand Lodge" and irregular.

Evidently his conduct and demeanor found favor with his Brethren, as he was duly elected for a second year in December, 1795, having added five new lodges to the rolls in his first year.

QUARTERLY COMMUNICATIONS

• 03/09 (Concert Hall, Boston): II-66;
  • II-66: St. Peter's Lodge, Newburyport, allowed to meet for 12 months despite a mislaid charter.
  • II-67: The Tyrian Lodge enrolled.
  • II-67: Book to be purchased to record returns from Lodges.
  • II-67: Committee appointed to inventory jewels, regalia and records of the Grand Lodge.
  • II-67: Report on Grand Treasurer‘s accounts.
  • II-67: Correspondence with Grand Lodge in Lower Saxony.

• 06/08 (Concert Hall, Boston): II-69;
  • II-69: Petition for Middlesex Lodge, Framingham, accepted.
  • II-70: Petition for new Lodge in Boston under dispensation for 12 months, accepted (Columbian Lodge).
  • II-70: Petition for Evening Star Lodge, Lenox, granted.
  • II-70: Correspondence with Grand Lodges in Nova Scotia and Lower Saxony.
  • II-71: Petition for lodge in Truro, referred (King Hiram's Lodge; granted, 12/12/1795).
  • II-72: Committee appointed to write a circular to other Grand Lodges in the United States.
  • II-72: Grand Lodge to celebrate the Feast of St. John the Baptist.

• 09/09 (Concert Hall, Boston): II-77;
  • II-77: Vote to send Book of Constitutions along with circular letter to Grand Lodges in the United States.
  • II-77: Committee appointed to investigate arrears; lodges more than a year in arrears and not represented will "relinquish its connection" with the Grand Lodge.

• 12/14 (Concert Hall, Boston): II-80;
  • II-80: Grand Treasurer to procure an "elegantly bound" copy of the Book of Constitutions.
  • II-81: Letter from Isaac Winslow, thanking the Grand Lodge for its presence at the interment of his father, Joseph Russell.
  • II-81: Harmonic Lodge suspended until the following Quarterly Communication.
  • II-82: Re-election of Grand Master Revere and election/appointment of other grand officers.

SPECIAL COMMUNICATIONS

• 06/24 (Concert Hall, Boston): II-73;
  • II-73: Celebration of the Feast of St. John the Baptist.

• 07/04 (State House, Boston): II-74;
  • II-74: Laying of the State House Corner Stone.

• 12/08 (Concert Hall, Boston): II-79;
  • II-79: Petition for Cincinnatus Lodge, New Marlborough.
  • II-79: Committee to investigate the conduct of Harmonic Lodge, Boston.

LIST OF LODGES IN MASSACHUSETTS: 1795

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