‘Webb Chapter of Research to meet’

     

You know about Masonic lodges of research, which have proliferated wonderfully in the past ten or so years, but what are not at all common are chapters of research: Capitular chapters set to labor to research, accumulate, and present Royal Arch Masonry education for discussion and publication. Thomas Smith Webb Chapter of Research No. 1798, warranted by the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of the State of New York, will meet Thursday, March 5 at 4 p.m. at Wolf Road Holiday Inn (205 Wolf Road in Albany, New York) during the Grand Convocation weekend of Grand Chapter.

Paper(s) to be presented: TBA. Business: election and installation of officers. More information to come.

M.E. Piers A. Vaughan's two books on Royal Arch Masonry,

available through lulu.

In the meantime, I just received and soon will dive into the two books published last year by M.E. Piers A. Vaughan, Grand High Priest of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of New York. The thought of a Grand High Priest authoring books on Capitular Masonry sounds positively nineteenth century to me, but we always can rely on Piers to labor for the elevation of the fraternity. I will review his books, Introduction to Capitular Masonry and Capitular Development Course for the March issue of The Working Tools magazine, which should be out a few days after the Grand Convocation, and will be shared here then.

     

'Northeast Masonic Symposium'

    
Fear not, news and photos from Masonic Week 2012 are coming. In the meantime, here is some info on a very special day planned by St. Georges Lodge No. 6, to take place Saturday, April 14 at the Desmond Hotel in Albany, New York.

As described by Worshipful Master David Donofrio:

The Northeast Masonic Symposium is a forum in the Northeast corner of the United States for brothers to expand their knowledge about Masonic history, and be inspired for their own labors. This event brings lecturers from across the country, and brings together brothers from all over the region. The symposium is structured to allow attendees to select the topics that interest them. The agenda offers a full day of lectures, food, and social opportunities.

It's a bit out of my usual weekend orbit, but I think I'm going to go.
    

‘Thomas Smith Webb Chapter of Research’

    

You know about lodges of research, but what are not as common are chapters of research. Royal Arch chapters set to labor for the purpose of researching, accumulating, and presenting Royal Arch education for debate and discussion. Thomas Smith Webb Chapter of Research No. 1798, warranted by the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of the State of New York, will meet next month.

Thursday, March 3 at 4 p.m.

Wolf Road Holiday Inn

205 Wolf Rd.

Albany, New York

Topic: the founding of Cedars Chapter No. 335 in Beirut last year.

Business: election and installation of officers. R.E. Piers Vaughan to be High Priest.

Piers promises meetings in Manhattan and elsewhere about the state during his term.

Also, please know the chapter’s 2010 Book of Transactions has been published, and is now available. Members in good standing will receive it either at this meeting, or through the mail. Others may purchase it through our website.
    

‘On this date in 1767’

On this date in 1767, a Mason named Henry Andrew Francken, recently arrived in Albany, New York from Jamaica, established the first Masonic body on the North American continent associated with what would become the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite by issuing the warrant of Ineffable and Sublime Grand Lodge of Perfection. The Ineffable and Sublime Grand Lodge of Perfection was of the Rite of Perfection, that system of 25 degrees* that would be the basis for the 33-degree A&ASR established in 1801. Francken issued the patent to this Grand Lodge of Perfection, culminating several months of activity that had begun with his conferring degrees 4 through 14 upon two Masons named William Gamble and Francis von Pfister.

According to the minutes of the Grand Lodge of Perfection, the brethren received their warrant, which they called a constitution, on the 26th of December. On January 11, 1768 this Lodge of Perfection was opened by Master William Gamble, and it remained at labor, as far as we know, until December 5, 1774. An absence of records suggests it then went inactive for 45 years.

This Grand Lodge of Perfection in Albany still exists; it is one of the four Scottish Rite bodies meeting at the Valley of Albany, at 67 Corning Place.

Apropos of nothing, this is a poor photograph I shot of a Philadelphia Grand Lodge of Perfection summons dated Friday, February 15, 1889 which states the 14°, the Degree of Grand, Elect, Perfect and Sublime Mason, will be conferred upon eight candidates, and that the annual election of officers would take place. This document was on display at the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia two years ago.

Bro. Francken was in the news recently following the announcement in October of the rediscovery of a long lost manuscript of rituals, signed by Francken, found in Pakistan, where one such manuscript happened to have gone missing many years ago. This duplicate original manuscript is among only four known to exist. Read about that here.



* It seems there were degrees above 25 that were reserved for the rite’s highest officers.