Records Of Old Lodges.

degrees , or positions . We all know as to the "Fellow Crafts , and by "Masters " we shall not , we think , err in considering them Master Masons , to which degree , evidently , the Bro . Wm . Howel , therein mentioned , belonged , and who was Junior Warden in December 1732 . But what are we to understand by " Pass'd Masters "' . May we not take them as representing those who had " passed the chair " of a lodge , or , in other words , those who have served as Masters of the lodge for six months , as was the custom then ? If sothat would give the lodge an existence from 1731 and in

, , addition , presents an instance of a very early use of the term . The custom later on was to allow brethren to simply " pass tho chair " as a ceremony by approval of the lodge , without any actual service , to render theuTeligible to be exalted as Royal Arch Masons . That , however , was a custom springing out of a still earlier regulation , for jn'ior to virtual "Pass'd Masters , " ive must look for actual "Past Masters , " and , from

the -ftoyal Arch degree being originally only conferred on rase masters , the law was subsequently violated in spirit , by allowing brethren , in an imperfect sense and wholly imaginary , to pass tlie chair without ever being elected actually as Masters of lodges , thus only in an honorary sense , to secure the pre-requisite for Royal Arch Masonry . This plan of making Honorary Past Masters ornamental " nothings" has continued to the present clay , and , excepting where the English system is adopted , no one is eligible for exaltation unless he possesses the qualification of being a " Past Master " of nothing !

In Dr . Dassigny ' s time ( A . n . 1744 ) , evidently lloyal Arch Masons were actual Past Masters prior to their exaltation . Under the "Ancients , " in England , from about A . n . 1756 , brethren wishing the degree were made nominal Past Masters by vote of the members present , and a lodge certificate issued accordingly . The same custom seems also to have been followed by the "Moderns , " but after the "Union of 1813 , " the United Grand Lodge having recognized the Arch degree , did not require the Past Master to be a pre-requisite for its ceremonies , but wisely , we think , permitted Master Masons to be exalted . The minute of the lodge at Bath concludes as follows , of date 18 th May , 1733 : —

" The same night . For ye many good offices , useful Instructions , and unnumber'd Favors the Lodge have receiv'd from their worthy Brother Charles De Labelly ( through his zealous endeavours to promote Masonry ) they unanimously desir'd the Eight Worshipful , the Master , to return him their Hearty Thanks in Form , web was accordingly done and a memorandum thereof order'd to be enter'd in the Lodge Book ; well is here by the order of ye worshi p ful lodge , in obedience thereto most

wittingly done . " Another record is made , evidently referring to the same meeting , as follows : — " This ni ght our worthy Brother Charles Labelly ( his private occasions requiring his presence in London for a considerable Time ) mov'd ye Lodge for leave to resign ye Badge of his oflice , wch , upon reasons satisfactory given , was obtain'd , and by ye by-Laws in this Lodge to be observ'd ye next lodge night a Junior Warden was then to be by ye Logdo regularly chosen . "

In early days Wardens aud even Masters of lodges were elected , ancl appointed from the Fellow Crafts , for the simple and sufficient reason that Master Masons -were not degrees then , but only positions of trust , official titles , ancl generally employers of labor . The Master Mason meant the Master of the masons engaged about any special work , and only qualified men were so styled until the last century , xmless whilst Master of a Lodge . The first time that the term " Passed Master " is used on any MS . that we have been

able to trace is in the add . MSS . British Museum , folio 23 , 202 , and must have occurred prior to ^ the 18 th February , 1724 , but not necessarily more than a few clays . The minute in question speaks of four gentlemen " who were regularly passed Masters in the before . mentioned lodge iu Hollis street . " The MS . ( not strictly a lodge record , but accounts of a musical and architectural society ) contains an illustrated page of twelve coloured sheets representing the arms of certain members . The extract we have alluded to occurs at page 7 , the MS , itself occupying 296 pages , or 409 inclusive of blank leaves .