1821 Consecration of Lodge St Andrew No.282

22nd June 1821

Tarfside, Glenesk, Angus

At Tarfside in Glenesk upon Friday, the Twenty Second June One Thousand Eight Hundred and Twenty One Present.

On his arrival at Tarfside, The M.W. (Most Worshipful) recommended to the members of the Provincial Lodge, and the numerous other brethren present to accompany him to the Episcopal Chapel at Tarfside where the R.W. & Rev’d Brother Jolly preached an excellent Masonic discourse from Romans XIV. 16 “Let not these your good be evil spoken of”. A liberal collection was made for the parish poor. – After which by command of the M.W.M. The whole fraternity present moved towards the new Lodge room erected recently by the Brethren of St. Andrews Lodge Lochlee, in the following order.

On arriving at the new Lodge room the procession circled it three times to ascertain that it was cardinally and masonically constructed, and having afterwards taken possession of it and the Lodge being duly tyled, was opened in ample form by the M.W.M. (Most Worshipful Master) R.W.C. (Right Worshipful Chaplain)

The Most Worshipful stated to the Provincial Grand Lodge that he had assembled them here on this occasion in consequence of an earnest application from the Master and Wardens elect and Brethren of St. Andrews’ Lodge Lochlee, truly chartered by the Grand Lodge of Scotland that he would constitute their Lodge and install their office bearers – and that however happy he was on all occasions to meet the whole Lodges of his Province had foreborne to call the worthy Brethren of the South and West of it from an unwillingness to subject them to the fatigue and expense of so long a journey. He further observed that upon such a solemn Masonic ceremony at the present, the whole proceedings should be conducted in a Master Masons Lodge, yet being reluctant to exclude from the business of the day a great number of apprentice brethren who were in attendance, he had resolved to dispense with the strict rule, and to hold only an apprentice Lodge.

A Masonic anthem was then performed

The Provincial Secretary then reported the proceedings which had led to the granting by the Grand Lodge of Scotland of a Charter to brother James Watt and others therein named as the first of the office bearers of the Lodge St. Andrews Lochlee and which Charter bearing date 30th November 1819. The Secretary presented to the Most Worshipful Master.

The Master took the Charter into his hands and demanded of the Brethren of St. Andrews Lodge Lochlee their standing round the Grand Lodge (Provincial Grand Lodge) – whether they approved of the Master and Wardens named in the Charter, to preside over them?

The whole brethren testified their entire satisfaction by clapping their hands upon which The Most worshipful having first invoked the assistance of Heaven, proceeded in his character M.W.P.G.M. to constitute the brethren of St. Andrews Lodge Lochlee into a just and regular Lodge of True, Free and Accepted Masons, authorizing them to meet and conduct themselves on every occasion in obedience to the rules of the order

The Grand Lodge then saluted them with all the honours and the band performed an anthem.

The Installation

The Most Worshipful Master then demanded of the R.W. Senior Warden if he had examined the various office bearers nominated in the charter of the Grand Lodge of Scotland, for the Lodge of St. Andrews Lochlee, and if he found them well skilled in the noble science of the royal art. Which ones now having been answered in the affirmative, the R.W.S.W. by the M.W.’s orders took Brother James Watt the Master elect from among his fellows and presented him at the pedestal, and the Provincial Secretary was then commanded to read over to him the Charges and Regulations by which every Master of a Lodge aught to conduct himself. When these were all finished the Most Worshipful said “Brother Watt, Do you submit to these charges and promise to submit to these regulations as Masters have done in all ages before you?” – The Master answered “I cordially do” – on which he was regularly installed, bound to his trust, and invested with the badge of his office by the Most Worshipful Master who saluted him and placed him at his left hand, where the Holy writings, the Charter of the Lodge, and the mallet were all presented to him with appropriate remarks on each.

He was then saluted with all the honours from the chair.

This ceremony having been concluded, The Grand Master ordered the new Master to enter immediately upon the exercise of his office by presenting to the Grand Lodge the other office bearers of St. Andrews Lodge Lochlee who have been either named in the Charter or elected by the Lodge. Accordingly the R. Worshipful Brother Wall successively presented to the M.W.P.G.M.

Brother John Edward, Senior Warden of St. Andrews Lodge Lochlee who was charged, installed and invested by the Right Worshipful Provincial Senior Grand Warden.

Brother David Christieson, Junior Warden of St. Andrews Lodge Lochlee, who was charged, installed and invested by the Right Worshipful Junior Provincial Grand Warden.

Brother Alexander Watt, Secretary of St. Andrews Lodge Lochlee, who was charged, installed and invested by the Provincial Grand Secretary.

Brother Alexander Gold, Treasurer of St. Andrews Lodge Lochlee, who was charged, installed and invested by the Provincial Secretary.

Brothers David Watt, G.S. (Grand Steward), John Christieson & David Christieson Stewards of St. Andrews Lodge Lochlee who were charged, installed and invested by the Provincial Secretary and –

Brother Robert High, Tyler of St. Andrews Lodge Lochlee who was charged installed and invested by the Provincial Secretary.

After all which the Most Worshipful Master was pleased to deliver from the throne an excellent address, first to the office bearers, and then to the members at large of the Lodge St. Andrews Lodge Lochlee, explaining and enforcing the duties of each. He then gave the brethren – joy of their offices – recommended – harmony – and expressed a hope that the only contention in the Lodge would be a generous emulation to vie in cultivating the royal art and the Moral and social virtues.

All the honours were then given from the chair in which the new Lodge joined and the R.W. Bro. Wall in the name of the office bearers and brethren of the Lodge St. Andrews Lochlee returned thanks for the attention bestowed upon them by the Provincial Grand Lodge.

The Grand Secretary next, by command of the M.W.M. proclaimed the new Lodge of St. Andrews Lochlee to be a just and regular Lodge of True, Free and Accepted Masons, giving all the honours each time, which were as after followed by a flourish of trumpets.

The Most Worshipful ordered the Lodge St. Andrews Lochlee to be registered in the books of the Provincial Grand Lodge and the Secretary to notify same to other Lodges in the Province.

The Band then played another anthem and the business of the day being thus happily accomplished, the Grand Lodge returned in procession to the first place of meeting, the New Lodge going first and others following in the order before being set down. After which the M.W.P.G.M. was pleased to invite the whole brethren present to dine with him in open Lodge, where the evening was spent with much hilarity and innocent conviviality that distinguishes masons. The Provincial Grand Lodge was shut at half past six in the evening.

©Research by Iain D. McIntosh, 2014