Cross Keys May 2019 (Freemasonry)

The Cross Keys The Monthly Newsletter of Lodge Houstoun St. Johnstone No.242

May 2019

Cross Keys May 2019

Number 219

From the Editor It’s quite appropriate to start with an article about the forthcoming MMM degree and where it is placed within the Craft. Unlike England which has its own Grand Lodge of MMM, Scotland has maintained this as an add on to the FC degree and not an order in its own right. This is only a short article with tentative dates.

Many lodges in England have themes such as military lodges, poets, universities, old schools, etc. However, a lesser known one is the Jag cars lodge.

I wonder if any of our members remember the Johnstone Burgh Police! Being next door to the lodge, it’s understandable how most policemen at that time joined 242.

In this issue: 3 5 6 7 8 9 12 13 14 16 17 18

Extra Degrees Canadian Mason Comedy Part 1 Old Building, Chicago Jaguar Car Lodge Johnstone Burgh Police English Guilds Church of Rome Morin—who was he?

Masonic Stamp Sheets Freemasonry in Naples Lodge in Oregon

Have an enjoyable recess!

Grant

Cover photo—see Page 17 for details about Freemasonry in Naples.

The Cross Keys is a free magazine distributed across the many countries in order to spread the good (and sometimes not so good) qualities of the Craft. All views are of individual brothers and not any organised body.

Editor: Bro. N. Grant Macleod PM of Lodge Houstoun St. Johnstone No. 242 PM of The Anchor Lodge of Research No.1814 Past Provincial Grand Secretary of the Province of Renfrewshire East.

Proof Reader: Bro. Allan Stobo PM of Lodge Houstoun St. Johnstone No. 242 Treasurer 242

May Meetings Thursday 9th FC Degree by 1042 Thursday 23rd MM Degree Friday 31st MMM Degree 7.30pm start

All Scottish Constitution.

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Extra Degrees With the MM degree approaching, where does it fit into the overall system?

Today, most lodges a concerned with maintaining and retaining members. However, we have a plethora of additional degrees which seem to be increasing and is becoming more confusing and expensive. The following is the situation in Scotland as far as I am aware, but not being a member of everything means the situation might have changed recently.

Traditionally, most Scottish masons would continue their freemasonry with the Mark Degree in their Craft lodge. Thereafter, the Royal Arch set of degrees are taken with Scotland having the Excellent Master degrees (or Passing the Veils ceremony) before the RA degree itself. The numbers joining today are well down in most chapters while some nearly have single figures for attendance.

This series of degrees also includes Cryptic Degrees and the Royal Ark Mariner degrees which are also struggling in numbers.

Many brethren appear to join the RA more as a stepping stone to join other orders. The most common example is to join the Knights Templar which requires RA masons. This order is well attended and respected. Another chivalric order is Conclave Masonry which is an invitational order.

Both of these are Christian as most other orders in Scotland are.

The confusing issue for Scottish masons is the next step. Many don't bother with RA degrees but join the Ancient & Accepted Rite which squired mem-

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bers to be master masons and then possibly the Royal Order of Scotland at a later date.

Both of these orders are well respected and have no concerns regarding attendances.

Some side orders exist that are not mainstream. These are Rosicrucian Society, Order of the Secret Monitor, the Operatives and Knight Templar Priest. These are purposely small in number and do not really aim to have large numbers.

The problem is that lodges today have fewer members than 20 years ago and therefore the number joining other orders is even smaller.

Do we need these extra orders? Probably not, but closing some might mean we lose members who only attend them on a regular basis. One thing is clear, we should not introduce new orders to Scotland at this stage.

However, what we should do is provide a clearer route for brethren as to what is available after the Craft. What exists just now is a real mish mash and pot luck as to what many join. Even the Royal Arch set of degrees are not done in order of dating and maybe a reordering of what is done when events took place. I know this is pie in the sky, but the time has come when all the orders should get together to discuss a workable future otherwise many chapters, councils, etc will close all over the place.

There may well be other degrees‌..

Extra Degrees (ctd) The following is an attempt to place some degrees within a time frame to enable brethren to understand where certain events fit in. It is clear that degrees are not taken in chronological order. Perhaps they should be? Has any brother got views about the degrees of the Craft?

The dates in many cases are only approximate.

Dates

Degree

974 – 967 BC

Preparation of the material for building the temple

MMM

969

Construction of the SV

Select Master

968

Death of HA

Royal Master

967

Dedication of KST

MEM (*)

586

Super Excellent Master Excellent Master

534

Assyrians than Chaldeans under King Nebuchadnezzar destroy temple, Jews into captivity at Babylon Persians capture Jerusalem under King Cyrus, Jews return from exile to rebuild temple Recovery of the lost W

521

King Darius of Persia oversees work on second temple

518

Second temple completed

200

Israel appeals to Rome for protection

4

David and Jonathan

OSM

66 AD

Jewish revolt and temple destroyed

Rose Croix 18th

313

Red Cross Conclave St. John Conclave

638

Constantine accepts Christianity and builds churches at important places in Jesus’ life Julian the Apostate (Constantine’s nephew and successor) stops rebuilding the third temple Roman Empire divided into two – Western capitol in Rome, Eastern Byzantium Jerusalem taken by Muslim Caliph Omar

700

Dome of the Rock mosque built

1048

Foundation of Hospitallers

Kt Malta

1096

Godfrey de Bouillon and first Crusade arrive in Constantinople

KHS Conclave

1118

Order of the Temple formed to protect pilgrim from infidel attacks

Kt Templar

1314

Battle of Bannockburn

Royal Order

534

363

400

Royal Arch

*The MEM degree is no longer worked in Scotland.

The RAM degree is related to the flood which some date around 3000BC so it’s not really relevant to the main timings within a Craft lodge; likewise neither are the Rosicrucians.

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Canadian Mason Bro. Auldjo was born at Montreal, eldest of the three children of Alexander Auldjo who was born in Aberdeen but was then a partner in a firm of merchants. After his wife and infant daughter both died in 1808, his father retired to London in 1813. He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, but did not take a degree. When his father died in 1821 he became financially independent and was admitted to Lincoln's Inn to practise law in 1827.

One of the earliest climbers to ascend Mont Blanc, with the help of eight local men, at the top of which he wrote to his sister-in-law, Annie, a short note in pencil on the back of the expedition guide, following which he received, 10 Aug 1827, a Certificate by the Syndic of Chamanix in recognition of his exploit. He published an account of the success the following year, entitled Narrative of an Ascent to the Summit of Mont Blanc on the 8th and 9th August 1827 (London: Longman, 1828). Illustrated by his own sketches, it proved a classic of alpine literature and was reprinted 1830 and 1856. He also prepared a list of 'persons who have attained the summit of Mont Blanc 1786/1827, the original handwritten list being kept in the Auldjo Archive at the Alpine Club, London.

He moved to Naples, became acquainted with Sir William Gell, an archaeologist and literary enthusiast, and climbed Mount Vesuvius in 1831, publishing Sketches of Vesuvius with short accounts of its principle eruptions from the commencement of the Christian era to the present time (Naples, 1832). In 1833 he travelled to Greece and Turkey, publishing his diary of a visit to Constantinople and some Greek islands two years later, dedicated to Gell. In 1840, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society.

His engravings served as a basis in 1852 for Albert Smith's London diorama, which popularized the Alps among the British public and the Royal Family.

His original journal, together with his papers, are held in the archives of the Alpine Club, London. He

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was an inveterate sketcher and many examples of his considerable output are extant. In the last 1850s he was forced abroad by financial problems, and lived first in Florence and then in Geneva.

He married, 1860, at the age of 55 in Paris, Caroline Hayden Hammet and shortly afterwards they moved to Geneva, where their two daughters, one of whom died in infancy, were born in 1861 and 1865. Having settled in that city, in due course he became acting British Consul 1870-71 and unpaid consul from 1872 until he died in 1886 in the Chatelaine cemetery, Geneva, and where after his death a funeral plaque was erected in his memory in Holy Trinity Church.

Initiated, 25 Oct 1826, Lodge of Antiquity No 2, London, MC, 1839. Joined two London lodges: 21 Apr 1828, Lodge of Felicity No. 75, now No. 58; and 25 Nov 1828, Somerset House Lodge No.2, at the time of its union with Royal Inverness Lodge No. 648, London, when the lodge became Royal Somerset House and Inverness Lodge No. 4. He was a Grand Steward, 1829-30, representing Lodge of Felicity. He was installed KT and became a founder Watford Encampment, later re-named Stuart Preceptory No. 28 in Watford.

Comedy and English Freemasons Part 1 Bro. Paul Daniels the well know magician during the 1980s through to early 2000 was a member of Vale of Haldon Lodge No. 7949, with his wife Debbie McGee.

Freddie "Parrot Face" Davies. He was always "Thick, thick, thick up to here" Bro. Davies is a member in Chelsea Lodge No. 3098.

Bro. Bernard Bresslaw was an English actor. He is best remembered for his comedy work, especially as a member of the Carry On team. Also a member of Chelsea Lodge No.3098.

Jim Davidson, OBE is a comedian and television host. His highest profile roles came on the television when he hosted Big Break and The Generation Game. A former master also of the Chelsea Lodge No 3098 (resigned), Davidson was the founding Master of British Forces Foundation Lodge No. 9725.

Bro. Harry H. Corbett, OBE was an English actor. Corbett was best known for his starring role in the popular and long-running BBC Television sitcom Steptoe and Son in the 1960s and 1970s. He was a member of Chevin Lodge No. 6848.

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Old Masonic Building in Chicago The Masonic Temple was a skyscraper built in Chicago, Illinois in 1892 at the northeast corner of Randolph and State Streets, the building rose 21 stories. When the clock tower was removed from the 1885 Board of Trade Building in 1895, the Masonic Temple became the tallest in the city. It became the world’s largest building at that time (see below).

The building featured a central court ringed by nine floors of shops with offices above and meeting rooms for the various orders at the very top. These meeting rooms also served as theatres, which contributed to the building's obsolescence; its elevators proved inadequate for these crowds, and the building rapidly fell from favour with commercial tenants.

Chicago's building height regulations enacted in 1892 (the year the Temple was built), didn't allow taller buildings, until that was amended in the 1920s. In 1939 the Masonic Temple was demolished, in part due to its poor internal services, but also due to the construction of the new State Street subway, which would have necessitated expensive foundation retrofitting. A twostory "taxpayer" housing a Walgreens drug store was erected in its place, and the Joffrey Tower currently stands on the former site of this building.

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A Jaguar Lodge!

The Michael Price Lodge No.9853 was formed to bring together like minded Freemasons who have a love of, or are enthusiastic about, Jaguar cars.

We would love to invite existing Freemasons who may not know we exist, to our next meeting to be held on the 11th May at Knowle Masonic Centre Warwick Road, Knowle Solihull starting at 10.30 am followed by lunch.

We are a summer lodge who meet three times annually (2nd Saturday in May, July and September) on Saturday mornings.

As part of our meetings we have a talk on an aspect of Jaguar or Classic cars. Recent talks have been from: •Roger Putnam, previous Global Sales Director for Jaguar and Chairman of Ford Great Britain • •Ian Cullum, Design Director for Jaguar Cars •Martyn Hollingworth of Jaguar on the missing Six •Kevin Riches regarding the reincarnation of the XK-SS To name but a few. Visits have been organised to the Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon, Classic Motor Cars Bridgenorth and the Morgan Cars Factory.

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Johnstone Burgh Police Bro. Charles John Forbes PM, Chief Constable of the Burgh of Johnstone, left his native place, Strathdon, in Aberdeenshire, where his father was a farmer, and he entered the Stirlingshire Police Force, when only 19 years of age. He soon gained the confidence of his Superiors by his abilities, his discretion, and the unfailing discharge of his duty.

On quitting Stirlingshire, in which he remained for six years, to become Sergeant in the Airdrie Force, he was only two years in Airdrie before he was promoted to be Inspector of the Burgh Police Force at Johnstone, having been selected out of a large list of candidates.

When Captain Fraser, who had been Chief Constable of Johnstone for the long period of 30 years resigned, Mr. Forbes, who had held the position of Inspector only two years, was appointed his successor. The Magistrate and Town Council at once, and without advertising, offered the Chief Constableship to Mr. Forbes, and highly complimented him for his past services, believing him eminently qualified to fill the vacancy. The appointment was cordial and unanimous. (Police Review and Parade Gossip, May 24, 1895) At the end of 1894, Bro. Charles Forbes was installed as master despite the original installation being postponed since no PMs were present. He had affiliated to the lodge four years earlier from Athole Lodge No. 384 in Kirkintilloch and was now the senior Police Officer in the town. In the following years, many of the local Police joined the lodge - perhaps due to their bossâ€&#x; influence.

During Bro. Forbes term, the first syllabus is printed as well as new updated bye-laws since none existed at this time. The lodge started instruction meetings as well and the door at the bottom of the stair in the Cross Keys Hotel was locked to allow the Tyler to take part. Obviously, the secrecy aspect was very important in these days. The lodge also sent 5 shillings to St. Fergus No.466 to get a new lodge off the ground.

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Johnstone Burgh Police (ctd) Below are a couple of great images of Bro. Forbes and his Police. The first might have been taken in the wooded area near the Beith Road while the second may have been at the rear of Rhinstock, Bro. Forbes’s house on Overton Road, next to a wooded area. During this period, many policemen joined the lodge and no doubt was through the encouragement of Bro. Forbes.

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We appear to have gone full circle—the above shows the brevity of the minutes in 1813.

Somewhere along the line the secretary then included every scrap of detail which was great when writing the lodge’s history, but there was far too much irrelevant information that wasn’t of interest. Thankfully, minutes are emailed (so no one will read them) but it does make a huge difference to the business part of the meeting.

PGL News At the Tri-Annual Communication of PGL Renfrewshire East, on 29th April, 2019, Bro. Sam McNicol PM of Lodge Sir George Cathcart No.617 and Bro. Jim Robb PM of Lodge St John Busby No.458 were called to edge of the carpet where Honorary Provincial Grand Ranks of Almoner and Junior Deacon respectively were conferred by PGMBro. Neil Fraser.

The PGM then presented a cheque for £800 to Morag Idan of Prostrate Scotland from the two coffee mornings organised by Bro. Chris Kerr PSPGM.

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Brief Topic—English Guilds Charles the Great is considered to be the founder of the feudal system in about 9th century, the main system after the Roman rule. Many slaves were now free men, but soon realised that they had to become serfs in order that they could work under the new feudal system. This system took off in the 10/11th century at the time when towns were beginning to grow around the large mansions. Craftsmen formed guilds (in Scotland these are called Incorporations which still exist today—nearest being in the Trades House in Glasfford Street, Glasgow; crest of the Incorporation of Masons shown) in order to protect themselves and also for social reasons. However, this did not involve masons. Even the six guilds in Paris started in the 12th century which continued up to the French Revolution did not contain the mason trade.

One reasons for this was due to the fact that most town buildings were wooden and only rich landowners or the church could afford stone buildings and therefore most masons worked outside the town and therefore travelled. Permanent guilds in one place were not suitable for the travelling masons and this is borne out from the fact that in England only the London Company was permanent. When guilds became more common, there was generally a difference in membership – guilds made membership for life whereas masons were only members of lodges for the duration of their working period. Some authors believe that masons only joined the company (or guild) late in their career after having received the modes of recognition.

Although in Scotland, we have strong arguments for the transition theory – from operative to speculative lodges – England does not have the same evidence; indeed, their records are scarce during the important period of the 16th and 17th centuries. English guilds appear to have been formed after lodges which would make sense and these guilds eventually disappeared. It has often been stated that English freemasonry was then created as a new entity and not from guilds which had long since disappeared. However, this may not be strictly true as lodges did exist after the guilds. How could a brand new system be created from nothing that has an exact parallel in Scotland? Unless of course, Scots went down to England with their system of freemasonry and started the Craft! I’m sure Bro. Tony Campbell might have something to say about that!!

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Freemasonry & the Church of Rome (March 1874) The following are quotes and comments from Cardinal Cullen after a pastoral in a (Catholic) church in Dublin: “The censures of the church had repeatedly pronounced against secret societies which tended to promote infidelity and dissipation, and were detrimental to the public good…..Freemasons, Fenians, Ribbon-men or Good Templars, or those who took part in their meetings or balls, incurred the censure of the church. The Cardinal denounced them as a source of many evils.”

“The articles then states that he obviously doesn't realise that the current Pope (Pius IX)* is a freemason with thousands of RC brethren. Many have high moral character and possess such intellect to judge for themselves whether the conduct of their lodges merits animadversion bestowed on by the worthy Cardinal.”

The Cardinal “may rest assured that too much of that anathematising process of punishment will not go down with the people, unless he can manage to preach more reasonable grounds for excommunication.”

The various attacks on the Craft have existed from the early 1700s and have continued to this day. Sadly, there has been no real proof of these accusations, only threats against brethren in some countries if they retain their membership. Some countries which as mainly RC such as Italy or South American counties have thriving lodges and the teachings of freemasonry are very important to these brethren.

* Pope Pius IX joined Sicilian Lodge in 1832 while at college. It was also alleged that he has visited a lodge in Philadelphia when visiting although this has never been proven.

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Morin—Who was he?

A French trader, by the name of Estienne Morin, had been involved in high degree Masonry in Bordeaux since 1744 and, in 1747, founded an "Ecossais" lodge (Scots Masters Lodge) in the city of Le Cap Francais, on the north coast of the French colony of Saint-Domingue (now Haiti). Over the next decade, high degree Freemasonry continued to spread to the Western hemisphere as the high degree lodge at Bordeaux warranted or recognized seven Ecossais lodges there. In Paris in the year 1761, a Patent was issued to Estienne Morin, dated 27 August, creating him "Grand Inspector for all parts of the New World." This Patent was signed by officials of the Grand Lodge at Paris and appears to have originally granted him power over the craft lodges only, and not over the high, or "Ecossais", degree lodges. Later attempts to disparage the validity of this Patent claimed, without material evidence that it appeared to have been embellished by Morin, to improve his position over the high degree lodges in the West Indies. The political equivocations of the Bordeaux Lodge provide little to support such claims.

Early writers long believed that a "Rite of Perfection" consisting of 25 degrees, the highest being the "Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret", and being the predecessor of the Scottish Rite, had been formed in Paris by a high degree council calling itself "The Council of Emperors of the East and West". The title "Rite of Perfection" first appeared in the Preface to the "Grand Constitutions of 1786. It is often argued that this Rite of twenty-five degrees was compiled by Estienne Morin and is therefore more properly titled "The Rite of the Royal Secret", or "Morin's Rite". Whether that is to bolster the claims of legitimacy for Charleston is unclear. Regardless, in the person of Morin, Haiti's central role in the advancement of Higher Degree Masonry in the Americas is unquestionable.

Morin again returned to the West Indies in 1762 or 1763, to Saint-Domingue, where, armed with a new Patent, he assumed powers to constitute lodges of all degrees, spreading the high degrees throughout the West Indies and North America. Morin stayed in Saint-Domingue until 1766 when he moved to Jamaica. At Kingston, Jamaica, in 1770, Morin created a "Grand Chapter" of his new Rite (the Grand Council of Jamaica). Morin died in 1771 and was buried in Kingston. On July 21, 1802 the Supreme Council of the French West Indies in Haiti was formed out of the older 1836 Supreme Council of Saint Domingue.

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New Candidate The master Bro. George Barclay is seen with the new candidate, Robert Hamilton, and his grandfather Bro. Roy McColl who had the added please of presenting him with this EA apron.

Welcome to the lodge Bro. Robert.

New Supreme Magus Elect

On Saturday 6th April, Ian Robertson (front centre, no hat) was elected as the new Supreme Magus of the Societas Roscruciana in Scotia. He is seated with the head of the Rosicrucian Societies of England and the US. The installation will take place in Edinburgh on Saturday 19th October—details to follow.

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Anniversary Stamp Sheets One of our readers, Bro. John Chapman (centre) is seen presenting a sheet of Tercentenary British Stamps (below left & right) and selection of Isle of Man covers to the Worcester Masonic Museum which considers itself to be the best outwith London.

I’m sure the Grand Lodge of Scotland Museum might query that point! Also in the photo is the Chairman of the Stamp Club Bro. Ken Elston and the archivist of the museum.

Bro. John bought the remaining stamp sheets from 242 (below right) from the lodge and all profits have gone to eleven charities including the Orphanage in Madeira, Hope for Tomorrow, Walk the Walk (breast cancer), Blackwell Adventure (scouts), Odell Centre (adult learning centre), Bletchley Park Lodge Master’s Appeal, PGL Isle of Man, Dudley Canal, Trust (for toddlers), St. Mary Steven’s Hospice, Hope Charity Centre and masonic museums I Worcestershire, Leicester and Cardiff—quite an impressive collection from the 242 stamp sheets; a fact that will delight the brethren of 242.

On behalf of the brethren of the lodge, well done Bro. John.

September’s edition will contain an article from the Masonic Philatelic Club.

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Freemasonry in Naples, Italy

A picture paints a thousand words—so it is with the photos of the lodge room in Naples in Italy. Top centre is the Chamber of reflection, common in the European Craft, but unknown in British ceremonies. The candidate is taken to this chamber prior to his initiation and must reflect on certain aspects of life and death. The other photos show the lodge room and its banners (the front cover shows an old banner in possession of the lodge).

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Kenton Lodge in Oregon Founded in 1911, Kenton Lodge No. 145 is North Portland's only existing Masonic Lodge.

The stated meetings are on every second Thursday of the month, with dinner served at 6.30pm and lodge opening at 7.30pm. Aside from the stated meeting, they also meet every Thursday, with the first Thursday of the month reserved for officers and trustees meetings.

Renovated in 2011, the Kenton Masonic Temple stands as one of the few remaining Portland Masonic buildings that is still for Masonic use. It serves as an anchor point for the Kenton neighborhood and is home to various shops.

From the Past The master Bro. Garry Forbes with the then secretary Bro. Grant Macleod PM are with Bro. Bob Greig who received his 60 year certificate. Bro. Bob, a BB drummer from Elderslie, was a resident in a Paisley home and was collected by brethren when he wised to attend the lodge.

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In Memoriam It is with deep sadness and much regret that we have to inform you of a loss sustained to the craft in Renfrewshire in the passing to the Grand Lodge above of the following Brother: Bro. Andrew McKee MM 242, PP 109

To submit an article or want added to the mail list or Facebook group, contact the Editor, Grant Macleod: E-Mail:

sec242pm@yahoo.co.uk

Website: http://lodge242.bravesites.com/

Cross Keys May 2019