Bygone Masonic Amenities.

seceders from the regular Grand Lodge established in 1717 , subsequently designated the " Modern Grand Lodge , " and that this fact was well known to the" older members of both parties although not openly acknowledged by either . * Notwithstanding that the penalty for countenancing or

attending , the meetings of the rival lodges was expulsion from the Order by the respective Grand Lodges , about the beginning of the 19 th Century some of the lodges on both sides became considerably mixed in their membership , the " Ancients " joining the " Moderns , " and vice versa . In many cases this was " winked at " by the authorities , but when an

official of either body , or any other distinguished brother , endeavoured to carry on with both sides at the same time severe measures were generally adopted . This was the case with the brothers alluded to in the '' poster , " and also with the person whom I credit with its authorship .

Thomas Harper evidently had " two strings to his bow " from a very early period in his Masonic career . He was initiated , I believe , in Xo . 24 of the Ancients as far back as 1761 ; this lodge lapsed about 1765 . We have , however , no definite information until his name appears in the Royal Arch Register as having been exalted at Charlestown , South

Carolina , in 1770 . In 1 775 he writes as Alaster of Solomon ' s Lodge , in that town , to the Grand Secretary of the " Aloderns , " and sends three guineas to the Hall Fund . He probably arrived in London early in 1784 , for on April 12 th of that year his name appears in the records of the Somerset

House Lodge as a visitor from Solomon ' s Lodge , America . He seems to have been received with open arms by both contending parties , and joined several of their higher class lodges immediately . In 1786 , he was elected Junior Grand Warden of the Ancient Grand Lodge , and served as Senior Grand Warden the following year . In 1801 he was elected

Deputy Grand Alaster of the same body , and continued in that office until the Union in 1813 . On the "Modern" side he joined the Lodge of Antiquity , the Globe , and the Lodge of the Nine Muses ; in 179 6 he served as Grand Steward , an office of great distinction in those days . He tried hard to bring about an union , of the two rival factions , but failing

in his endeavours , he was expelled by the " Modern " Grand Lodge in 1803 for refusing to sever his connection with the body with which he had been so long associated . Notwithstanding this harsh treatment , his zeal for the welfare of Alasonry never slackened ; his expulsion was rescinded on the 7 th February , 1810 . He took a prominent part in the

subsequent arrangements for consumating the L ' nion , and as Past Deputy Grand Alaster , he regularly attended the meetings of the United Grand Lodge as well as the various Boards and Committees appertaining thereto until within a year of his death , on the day of the Grand Festival in 1832 . Robert Leslie was initiated in Xo . 5 of the " Ancients , " one of Harper ' s lodges , in 1 777 , and was re-initiated in the

Globe Lodge of the " Moderns" ten years later . He continued a member of both lodges for several years , notwithstanding his having been appointed Grand Secretary of the Ancients in 1783 , in which oflice he continued until the Union , when he was superannuated . William Burwood was a member of at least two lodges

on the " Aloclern " side—the Royal Naval Lodge , present No . 59 , and the Lodge of Unanimity , now extinct—and certainly two on the roll of the " Ancients , " the United Mariners Lodge , present No . 30 , and the Royal Mariners Lodge , No . 277 , erased in 1827 , the lodge referred to on the

" poster . " He probably belonged to others , but as I am unable to lind the record of his initiation , I cannot be certain on this point .

The Royal Mariners Lodge was constituted in 1792 , and in 1802 it was held at the Virginia Coffee House , Cornhill . In 1803 it was removed to what is designated as " their Hall in Pell Street , Ratcliff , " but whether the removal took the form of a "Grand Procession , " in conformity with the programme set forth , I am unable to discover . There was

certainly nothing in the laws of the Ancient Grand Lodge prohibiting public processions , on the contrary , it was customary for that body to assemble on the morning of St . John ' s clay in summer at some convenient tavern and march in procession with music , masonic regalia , banners , & c , to

the church selected for a sermon by the Grand Chaplain , after which the procession was re-formed in reverse order and marshalled to the house at which the Grand Festival was to be held ; Canonbury House , Islington , being a favourite place for the purpose in the early part of the 19 th Century .

It seems a pity that an historical document , such as is here reproduced , should be allowed to descend to posterity anonymonsly . I will , therefore , now endeavour to sketch , as briefly as possible , the masonic career of the distinguished personage to whom I ascribe its authorship . Probabl y few

members of the medical profession attracted more attention in the early part of the 19 th Century than did Dr . Francis Columbine Daniel , a memoir of whom was published in London about 1822 . As , however , the masonic information therein is somewhat meagre , and the pamphlet itself is extremely rare , I supplement it by a few gleanings from official masonic sources .

According to the memoir , he was initiated in March , 1788 , the lodge is not given , but the Grand Lodge Register of the " Aloderns " states that he was initiated in No . 344 , on the 4 th of March , 1788 , at the age of 23 . The earliest mention of his name in the Grand Lodge Register of the " Ancients "

is in 1789 , as a joining member of No . 2 T , of that body ( now No . 30 ) , from Lodge No . 3 . I cannot find that his name was ever returned as a member of the lodge , but it may be true , nevertheless , for in those days the work in the Grand Secretary's office was indifferently performed . ( To be Continued ) . HENRY SADLER .

Ad02001

T. & W. SILSBY , ** Pianoforte Manufacturers , EDEN PIANO WORKS , EDEN GROVE , HOLLOWAY , LONDON ^ N . - -- - ; * ¦ > .. ¦ .- _! ,. "* " ., ¦¦' . ¦¦¦ . '''¦ CLASSI . CLASS II . SIM-XIF 1 CATIOX . Full Trichord , German Screwed Action , Half Top , SPECIFICATION ' . —Full Trichord , German Screwed Action , with Mahogany Marquetenc Panel , Solid and Moulded Top and Boltom Door . Fillings , Three Compartment Moulded and Solid Top Door , Solid and Moulded 4-ft . 3-in . hijih . Bottom Door , Special Hammers , All-over Gilded Iron Frame , 4-ft . 3-in . liijjh .