Growth And Membership Of The Emutation Lodge Of Improvement.

Ancient Masonry may be preserved and handed down unchanged to posterity . " We are particularly fortunate in having seven out of the nine massive silver medals or official badges of these distinguished old Craftsmen in the Grand Lodge Museum ; the other two , we have reason to believe , were never given

up by their last holders . Then we have the Lodge of Promulgation instituted by Warrant from the Grand Master of the regular Grand Lodge of England in 1809 , for the purpose of paving the way to an union of the rival Societies , which was happily effected in

1813 , and was immediately followed by the Lodge of Reconciliation previously referred to in these pages . In 1827 a " Board of Installed Masters " was Warranted by the Grand Master for the purpose of revising and definitely settling the ceremony of Installation . * Later still , in 18 35 , we have an authorized Chapter of Promulgation for the purpose of

disseminating the recently revised ritual of the Royal Arch , with a view "to establish a uniformity of practice and working throughout the Order . " It will thus be seen that from a very early period the Ruling Masonic Powers have evinced a keen interest in the esoteric working of their subordinates . When , in response to the foregoing enquiry ,

we state that the Grand Lodge of England has now no special or officially recognized Lodge of Instruction we have occasionally been asked : What Lodge of Instruction is most favoured by the Grand Officers ? We unhesitatingly answer : The Emulation Lodge of Improvement ! This statement is

not based on personal knowledge alone but is fully confirmed by the register of members and oral tradition . Indeed from the very foundation of the Lodge it seems to have been warmly supported by the Grand officers generally and its mode of working commended and quoted as authentic by every Grand Secretary who has served the Grand Lodge of England since that event .

SIR EDWARD LETCHWORTH , F . S . A ., GRAND SECRETARY , Treaxneer of the Emiila / ion Lodge of Improvement , Chairman of Ihe Eeit / ival in 1 S ! H . The Register of Members being the oldest of the records now in possession of the Lodge is consequently of great importance , but its value , we venture to think , is much

diminished by the fact of its not being entirely original . For about fifteen years from the commencement—October , 1823—the names of Ihe members all appear in one handwriting , we believe that of Stephen Barton Wilson , and were evidently copied from an original List , since lost or destroyed ,

Growth And Membership Of The Emutation Lodge Of Improvement.

Unfortunately the copyist omitted the Christian names of many of the brethren , although careful in recording then-Lodges and the date of their joining , hence it is somewhat difficult to identify the earlier members . The following list of brethren therefore who , either before membership of the " Emulation , " or subsequently , have attained to the "Purple "

of Grand Lodge may safely be deemed to be numerically understated , as in our examination of the Register we have discarded all doubtful names , only quoting those whose identity is clearly established . As will be seen , the list is too long for the individual names to be given in these pages , we

must therefore content ourselves with indicating the Masonic standing of the various brethren in the Grand Lodge : — Pro Grand Master ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 Deputy Grand Master ... ... ... ... ... 1 Prov . and District Grand Masters ... ... ... 36 '

Grand Wardens ... ... ... ... ... ... 33 . Grand Chaplains ... ... ... ... ... ... 21 Grand Treasurers ... ... ... ... ... ... u "Grand Registrar ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 Deputy Grand Registrars ... ... ... ... ... 6-

'Presidents of Board of G . Purposes ... ... ... 3 . Grand Secretaries ... ... ... ... ... ... 7 ^ President of Board of Benevolence ... ... ... 1 Grand Deacons ... ... ... ... ... ... 127 Grand Superintendents of Works ... ... ...

io-Deputy Grand Directors of Ceremonies ... ... 17 Assistant Grand Directors of Ceremonies ... ... 54 . Grand Sword Bearers ... ... ... ... ... 4 6 Deputy Grand Sword Bearers ... ... ... ... 5 . Grand Standard Bearers ... ... ... ... ... 29

Grand Organists ... ... ... ... ... ... 9 . Assistant Grand Secretaries ... ... ... ... 3 Grand Pursuivants ... ... ... ... ... ... 28-Grand Tyler ... ... ... ... ... ... 1

450 In some instances the brethren , probably in order to make sure of their membership , have joined the Lodge twice , and one enthusiast even three times , of course at considerable intervals , but having regard for the Lodge funds we refrain from mentioning their names , only one

instance being known to the writer of the joining fee having been refunded , and that was in the case of a brother who had been rejected on the ballot . Of the large number of Grand Officers whose names appear on the register of the " Emulation " many have been

members for a long period , indeed three now living can claim a membership of over half a century . They are Charles W . C . Hutton , Past Grand Deacon , ex-Sheriff of London and Middlesex , whose membership dates from 3 rd July , 18 4 6 , Witham M . Bywater , Past Grand Sword Bearer , who joined

29 th January , 18 47 , and Sir Albert W . Woods , K . C . B ., Garter King of Arms , Past Grand Warden , and Grand Director of Ceremonies , who joined 1 st February , 1850 . We have reason to believe that these brethren are the oldest surviving members , as they certainly are , in the list of Grand Officers .

Branches And Offshoots Of The Emulation Lodge Of Improvement.

Branches and Offshoots of the Emulation Lodge of Improvement .

IT is somewhat difficult to furnish definite information as to the various Lodges of Instruction that have emanated directly or indirectly from the " Emulation " and adopted its mode of working , as the minutes of the Lodge contain no reference whatever to the subject .