Articles

Firing of Guns

In the course of other research, I came across some interesting tidbits of information from the past that I’d like to share. The following newspaper accounts illustrate the enormous respect that Freemasonry apparently enjoyed during the 1700s.

The South Carolina Gazette reports on 28 December 1738:

Yesterday being the Festival of St. John the Evangelist, the day was ushered in with the firing of guns at sunrise from several ships in the harbor with all their colors flying. At 9 o’clock all the members of Solomon’s Lodge, belonging to the Ancient and Honorable Order of Free and Accepted Masons, met at the house of the Honorable James Crokatt, Esq., Master of the said Lodge, and at 10, proceeded from thence, properly clothed with the Ensigns of their Order, and Music before them, to the house of the Provincial Grand Master, James Graeme, Esq., where a Grand Lodge was held…

The Gazette further reports on that same date:

After an elegant dinner, all the brethren were invited by Capt. Thomas White on board the Hope; there several loyal healths were drank, and at their coming on board and return on shore, they were saluted by the discharge of 39 guns, being the same number observed in each of the different salutes of this day, so that in all there were about 250 guns fired. The evening was concluded with a ball and entertainment for the ladies, and the whole was performed with much grandeur and decorum.

The 1 January 1741 edition of the Gazette published the following – almost word for word as the December 1738 account:

Saturday last {27^th of December, 1740} being the festival of St. John the Evangelist, the day was ushered in with firing of guns at sunrise, from several ships in the harbor, with all their colors flying.

After an elegant dinner, all the brethren being invited, went on board the Lydia, Capt. Allen, and from thence on board the John and William, Capt. Fishbourne, where several loyal healths drank under the discharge of a great many guns. The above ships were on this occasion, decked out with a great many colors, and illuminated at night with a great number of lights, regularly disposed on the yards, both of which made a very grand and agreeable appearance.

From the 2^nd of January 1742 edition, the Gazette reports the following pertaining to events on 27 December 1741:

Great numbers of guns were discharged from the ships in the harbor during the procession and afterwards; and the whole was conducted with the greatest order and decency, the night concluding with the illumination of the vessels of the brethren in the harbor, and a ball to the ladies.

The above excerpts from the South Carolina Gazette pertain to events in Charleston, South Carolina. There are further reports, however, of similar Masonic events and firing of guns in Beaufort and Port Royal, South Carolina. I will not bore the reader with all of these newspaper accounts as the mirror what I have already provided.

Many of the newspaper accounts speak of grand processions - in full Masonic regalia, balls, banquets, and church services. It must have truly been an exciting time to be a Freemason in the South Carolina colony.

Submitted by GW Mayfield, III

~ We’re Old! ~

The Grand Lodge of Ancient Free Masons of South Carolina ranks as one of the top ten oldest Grand Lodges in the world. Our first Lodge was founded in 1735 and the Provincial Grand Lodge in South Carolina was chartered in 1737.

We are, without a doubt, at least the eighth oldest Grand Lodge in the world and at least the fourth oldest in the United States. There is a friendly dispute, however, with our Brothers down in Georgia concerning their claimed date of founding. Therefore, there is a possibility that we are the seventh oldest in the world and the third oldest in this country. Here are the generally accepted years of founding for the ten oldest Grand Lodges:

United Grand Lodge of England – 1717

Grand Lodge of Ireland – 1725

Grand Lodge of France – 1728

Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania – 1731

Grand Lodge of Massachusetts – 1733

Grand Lodge of Georgia – 1735

Grand Lodge of Scotland – 1736

Grand Lodge of South Carolina – 1737

Grand Lodge of the Three Globes (Germany) – 1740

Grand Lodge of Denmark - 1743

South Carolina Freemasonry has provided much to the world-wide Fraternity. Our state has produced some of the most read and respected Masonic scholars, such as Albert G. Mackey. The reader is invited to research further into the rich history of Freemasonry in South Carolina.

Researched and compiled by G.W. Mayfield, III PM
Edited by the same on Dec 29, 2007.

~ The Silent Summons ~ Author Unknown

A member of a certain Lodge, who previously attended meetings regularly, stopped going. After a few months, the Worshipful Master decided to visit him. It was a chilly evening, and the Worshipful Master found his brother at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire.

Guessing the reason for the Worshipful Master's visit, the brother welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace and waited. The Worshipful Master made himself comfortable, but said nothing.

In the grave silence, he contemplated the dance of the flames around the burning logs. After several minutes, the Worshipful Master took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth, all alone. Then he sat back in his chair, still silent.

His host watched all of this in quiet contemplation. As the one, lone ember's flame flickered and diminished, there was a momentary glow, and its fire was no more. Soon, it was cold and dead.

Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting. The Worshipful Master glanced at his watch and chose this time to leave. He slowly stood up, picked up the cold, dead ember, and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately, it began to glow once more, with all the light and warmth of the burning coals around it.

As the Worshipful Master reached the door to leave, his host said, with a tear running down his cheek, "Thank you so much for your fiery summons, my brother. I'll be back in our Lodge next meeting."