History Of The Lod Ge Ofem Ulation, No .21.

William Henry White , of whom I shall have something more to say later on . The accompanying portrait as well as the biographical sketch are taken from the Scientific Magazine and Freemasons ' Repository , for September , 1 797 .

William While took an active part in promoting the prosperity of the re-organised Lodge , and as in 1780 he was appointed Grand Secretary , jointly with James Heselfine , no doubt he had acquired considerable repute in the Craft . He served the office of Master of the Lodge in the years 1771

i 77- > 1 774 . : incl J 777 i nis son , William Henry White , who . succeeded him in after years as Grand Secretary , was born ioth November , 1777 , and was one month old when his father was elected for the fourth lime W . M . of the Emulation Lodge .

WILLIAM WI 1 ITIC . P . M . OF Till-: LOIH ' , 1-. OF .. Ml'LATlOX , Xo . 2 \ . O . I . AXl ) SFCl . tCTAln ' . 17 S 0—ISI . . 1771 , March 6 th . —The Treasurer , James Tracey , lent the Lodge £ 31 10 s . to pay for the jewels . August 6 th . — "A motion was made by the R . W . M . and seconded , that this Lodge be removed from the place it is

now held , and carried in the affirmative . " August 28 th . — " A Ballot was taken to determine what house the Lodge would adjourn lo , and it appeared on a scrutiny that the majority was for The Paul ' s Head , in Catcaton Street , to be held on the usual nights of meeting . "

Dec . 4 th . — " This being the night appointed for the Election of a new Master and Treasurer , the members proceeded to Ballot , and on a scrutiny there appearing to be an equal number of votes for our R . W . Master and Brother Fox , S . W ., the R . W . Master ( Br . White ) was pleased lo give

his casting vote in favour of Brother Fox , and declared him duly elected Master of this Lodge for the ensuing half year . " 1772 , Feb . 19 th . —Br . White proposed that Br . William Preston be admitted an Honorary Member , for his kind attention to the interests of this Lodge . " Bro . Preston was unanimousl y elected an Honorary Member at the next meeting .

William Preston was a Printer who came to London from Scotland about 1760 , and soon after his arrival he was initiated in a Lodge under the sanction of the "Antients" or Anglo-Irish Grand Lodge . In the course of a year or two he transferred his allegiance to the regular Grand Lodge , and , with some of his associates lrom the " Antient" regime ,

formed the Caledonian Lodge , now No . 134 . About the time of joining the Lodge of Emulation he was employed as an Assistant to the Grand Secretary , James Heseltine , and did the printing for the Grand Lodge . Probabl y no single individual ever created more

excitement in the Masonic world than did William Preston between the years 1779 , when he was expelled from the Craft , and J 79 ° i when he was re-instated . His career was a most

remarkable one , the details of which would occupy too much space for these pages . He is best known to the reading members of our Order as the author of Preston ' s Illustrations , first published in 1772 , which ran through twelve editions during the life time ol" the author . This work has been more widel y read than any other book of the kind , having reached a

seventeenth edition in 1861 , when it was re-issued with Notes by the late Dr . George Oliver . Mav 20 th . —A rather curious incident is recorded in the minutes of this meeting . " A message having been sent to the R . W . M . whilst at

supper , in the name of Bro' - . Deverill , who was then in the Lodge Room . Bror . Tracey made a motion thereon , and was seconded by Bro' ' . Denn ' That the message delivered by the Tyler , in the name of Bro ' ' - Deverill , importing that he hoped the R . W . Master would attend earlier the next Night '

was a disrespect to the Chair and should therefore be enquired into , and the Question being put , it passed in the Affirmative . " June 3 rd . — The minutes of the previous meeting having been read , " Bro '' - White and Bror . Hill declared that

the message taken notice of in the last minutes , as a disrespect to the Chair , was not sent by Bro '' . Deverill but by them in his name .

"When Bro' ' . White made a motion , and was seconded , ' That , agreeable lo the order the said message should be now enquired into' and the Question being put , it passed in the affirmative . " And on enquiry it appeared , that the message was sent when the Master was not in his Chair , the Lodge being

called from Labour to Refreshment , and was done lo remind him of the duty of his office . " Then Bro' ' . Fox made a motion , and was seconded , 'That the said message was a disrespect to the Chair , ' which was passed in the negative . "

JAMKS III-. SKI . TJXI ., MKMHl . I . OF Till . I . ODC . K OF KMl'LATIOX . Xo . _> , C . I . AXI ) SI - CKKTAKY . 1 7 ' -. —17 S _) . OKAXI ) Tl . KAsri . 1 . 1 .. _ 7 N ( , ^ , s . SFXIOl . ( U . AN'I ) WAUI . KX , I 7 S 5 . Sept . 2 nd . —" Bror- Hill made a motion and was seconded ' That two Stewards be appointed for to introduce and attend to Visiting Brethren and to be otherways assisting

in the Lodge , and that they be appointed by the Master in the same manner as the Wardens and Secretary are . ' It passed in the affirmative . " Dec . 2 nd . —At ( his meeting an important motion was proposed and carried at the instance of William White —a further proof of his zeal for the welfare of the

Lodge"That the Treasurer do give security to the Lodge in a Bond of . £ 50 , sterling , jointly with some person who shall be approved of by the Brethren , for such sum or sums of money as he may hold belonging lo the Lodge . And , in order to