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| In 1824, in Batavia New York, an itinerant worker named William Morgan moves into town and joins the local Lodge by convincing them he was already a Mason. In 1826, two years later, Morgan gets offended, and threatens to write an expose on the secrets of Masonry. He is arrested for non payment of a debt. The night of his arrest, bail is posted for him and Morgan disappears.
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| Some say he was abducted and killed by the members of Batavia Lodge. Some say he escaped and moved to Nova Scotia, where he lived until his death.
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| Whatever actually happened, this single incident caused more changes in and to Masonry than any other single event in our history.
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| [click] No more alcohol in Lodges
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| [click] Meetings opened in the 3rd Degree
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| [click] Dues cards
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| [click] Examination of visitors
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| [click] Anti-Masonic movement
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1390 – Regius Poem 