‘Reading the minutes (from 1598)’

    

“But why do we have to read the minutes?”

“Because they’re the first draft of history, and we have to ensure their accuracy. And because not everything is about you.”

The dialogue above is excerpted from a ritual (sic) I’m writing for a certain Scottish Rite (sic) jurisdiction. In this scene, the newly initiated George Washington complains to Worshipful Master Teddy Roosevelt about the humdrum nature of their lodge’s meetings. Just as TR is about mete some Big Stick wisdom, none other than Jacques DeMolay saunters along, and imparts the rejoinder that young Washington groks immediately.

“And tomorrow,” DeMolay continues, “on Veterans Day itself, when we Sir Knights sign the Proclamation of Independence, history will be made too!”

This is still an early draft, but what is not susceptible to revision is the earliest known page of Masonic meeting minutes. Speaking of the Scottish, on this date* in 1598, the Masons of Lodge Aitchison’s Haven “maid” Entered Apprentice Robert Widderspone a “fellow of Craft.” (These are operative stone masons.)

What has been bequeathed to us is not evidence of a first Masonic meeting because, obviously, something must have preceded this. Nor is it indicative of a first Masonic lodge, because two others over there claim to antecede Aitchison’s Haven. This “merely” is our oldest known record of Masonic proceedings, and, at age 424, that’s pretty cool.

(Both images courtesy Grand Lodge of Scotland.)

*We today use a different calendar, so just play along.