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

prevent any loss to the Treasurer , that the Master and Wardens do jointly give him a Bond in the same penalty to indemnify him for any money he may choose to advance on any emergency or other occasion for the honour and service of the Lodge , over and above the sum or sums he may be possessed of as Treasurer . "

Bro . White also proposed " That Bror . James Heseltine , the Grand Secretary , be admitted an Honorary Member of this Lodge , which motion being seconded it was ordered , that the above named brother should be ballotted for the next Lodge Night . "

The Lodge honoured itself as well as this distinguished brother by unanimously electing him an Honorary Member at the following meeting . Heseltine was then a comparatively young Mason having only been initiated in 1765 , but he had already " made his

mark in the Craft—as witness his appointment as Grand Secretary after only about live years service—although probably very few of his friends anticipated that his merits as a man and his knowledge and ability as a Mason would eventually land him in almost the highest office then

attainable in the Craft . He was educated for the legal profession and is described in the Grand Lodge records as a Proctor , his knowledge of the Law being of great value to the Society on many

. He appears lo have taken a keen interest in Masonic affairs from the time of his joining the Order . In 1767 he served the office of Grand Steward , was appointed Grand Secretary in 1769 , and filled that office until 1780 , when William White was appointed joint Grand Secretary with him . The

two acted most harmoniously until 1784 , when Heseltine retired , and the next year was appointed Senior Grand Warden . By general desire he was elected Grand Treasurer for the year 1786 and was re-elected every year until his death in 1804 .

The following extract from a letter written Sept . 29 II 1 , ] 7 S 5 , hy Rowland Holt , Deputy Grand Master , to William White , Grand Secretary , will evince the esteem in which he was held by the writer , and also allow us a peep behind the curtain .

" I wish you would again present my compliments to Mr . Heseltine , and assure him he will do the greatest benefit in his power to the Society , by accepting the office of Grand Treasurer , and I am almost certain if he is not persuaded to do it , some improper person will offer himself , or be named by some officious person , which will directly

produce such confusion as is not to be described , If Mr . Heseltine accepts , there will not be a syllable said in opposition to such a nomination and the Grand Lodge will be closed with the utmost harmony upon so luck } - an occasion . "

I he opinion thus expressed by the Deputy Grand Master was amply verified at the following meeting of the CI rand Lodge , when he nominated Heseltine as Grand Treasurer , and there being no other candidate he was unanimously

elected , and at once proceeded to justify the choice of thc brethren by moving " That in future the Accompts of the Grand Treasurer shall be Annually inspected and examined by a Committee of Brethren under the title of Auditors of Accompts . " The mover also made another and longer motion on the same subject relating to the composition of

the Committee , both of which were carried unanimously . I may add that Heseltine's plan for auditing the Grand Lodge " Accompts " was in vogue with very little alteration , down to 1859 , when it was superseded by the appointment of a professional auditor .

Taking him all round , I have no hesitation in saying that during the whole of his forty years of Masonic life James Heseltine was deservedly respected by the Craft in general , if he was not the most popular Mason in London . The following original Panegyric from the pen of a

contemporary , Bro ' - Cornelius Vanderstop , a member of the British Lodge , and Treasurer of the Board of Grand Stewards in 17 S 0 , may not be without interest to the members of some of the Lodges with which Bro . Heseltine was associated . His Mother Lodge , the Philanthropic , has been long defunct ,

but we still have with us , in addition to The Lodge ol " Emulation ; The Lodge of Antiquity , No . 2 ; The Royal Somerset House and Inverness Lodge , Xo . 4 ; The Globe Lodge , No . 23 ; The Britannic Lodge , No . 33 ; and The London Lodge , No . 10 S . He was certainly a member of the foregoing , and probably other lodges which I am now unable to trace .

A CHARACTER . Bv Con" - VAXUKKSTOI 1 . Masonic Cicero , of this our Age , Accompli ' Mi'd Heseltine , shall grace ( his Page , Of Person manly , and extended -Mind ,

Endued with Talents of thc nobWst Uii « . ; When in thc Hall , some warm Debate takes place . Hear how he speaks with animated Grace , Each Argument with vig ' rous strength is strung , Whilst each opponent is witli envy stung , In pleasing Accents , Truth delights llie Ear ,

And in its course , conveys conviction clear ; Hut , ' lis not my intention to confine , His ample Merit , in this single Line , View him as Father , Husband , Mason , Friend , And see in all his excellencies blend , Where is there one amongst the Brotherhood ,

For llie Society , has done more good ' : Where is there one and take a geu ' ral View . To whom our Gratitude ' s so justly due . Long as Free-Masonry by Time ' s uprcar'd , The Xame of Heseltine will be rever'd , His Conduct such , when view'd in ev ' ry way ,

That in strict Justice , we may safely say , He shines complete , with virtues , greal , and rare , Of the first Lustre . A Masonic Star . * 773 < J '" - 20 th . —This night the balance of the debt due to Bro . Tracey , a former Treasurer , amounting to £ 22 , was ordered to be paid . ( To be continued . )

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LORD ALVERSTONE , G . C . M . G

ARTHUR P . BLATHWAYT , Deputy Chairman . _ w « ., „„ x C 3 ± til » Ei r < HENRY C . ARMIGER , Secretary . ^ > "PCai Ol . Helen S , JJ / . O .

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