Scotland and Ireland, who reprehended and rejected the novelties of the grand lodge of England. Hence proceeded the division between the ancient and modern masons, which has for a long time separated the members of a society which should have been indivisible. It is however consoling to observe, that this evil, which extended as widely as masonry itself, has been healed at its source. The grand lodges of England have united, and this good example has been followed in many parts of the world, especially in New York and South Carolina. And it is much to be regretted, that the distinction should be in any place preserved. It is but justice to add, that the first amalgamation of ancient and modern masons was made in Boston, Massachusetts, in a manner we shall narrate more particularly hereaf

ter.

In 1777, a dispute arose between the grand lodge and the lodge of Antiquity, one of the four original lodges which formed the grand lodge of England. The primary cause of this quarrel, was the breach of the regulations in relation to processions by that lodge, its members having attended divine service in masonic garb, and regalia, without a dispensation for that purpose. The breach was widened by a hasty and inconsiderate order of the grand lodge, commanding the lodge of Antiquity to reinstate three

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members whom they had expelled for misbehaviour. The quarrel waxing warm, the original cause of dispute was forgotten, and a contest for power was commenced, which ended in the total estrangement of the parties for upwards of ten years. In justification of the proceedings of the grand lodge, the following resolution was adopted in 1779, printed and dispersed among the lodges. "Resolved, That every private lodge, derives its authority from the grand lodge; and that no authority but the grand lodge, can withdraw, or take away that power. That though the majority of a lodge may determine to quit the society, the constitution or power of assembling, remains with, and is vested in the rest of the members, who may be desirous of continuing their allegiance; and that, if all the members withdraw themselves, the constitution is extinct, and the authority reverts to the grand lodge." The lodge of Antiquity contended, that whatever might be the force of this resolution upon lodges deriving their constitutions from the grand lodge, it was inapplicable to a lodge, whose being was from another, and an anterior source, and which had never surrendered its primitive rights; and that the right which originally appertained to them, to convene and make masons still remain unaltered.

The grand lodge of England, notwithstanding the dissentions which had occasionally prevailed, continued to flourish, patronized by the royal family, many of whom were members; by noblemen of the highest rank, and by gentlemen of distinguished reputation. In 1792, the prince of Wales was elected grand master, who appointed lord Rawdon, since earl of Moira, his deputy.

The grand lodge of free and accepted ancient York masons, also prosecuted its labours with success, obtaining the support of many worthy and distinguished men. The duke of Athol presided as grand master in 1772, being then also grand master of Scotland. With the strength and prosperity of these two grand lodges, their antipathy to each other increased. Indiscreet and intemperate zeal hurried the brethren into misrepresentation and indecorum. The hostility of the parents descended to their children. Lodges, warranted by the grand lodge of ancient masons, refused to recognize others warranted by the grand lodge of England; hence, even on the western shores of the Atlantic, the feud was continued. This very embarrassing and unprofitable division was happily, in a measure, healed in England, in 1813.

Free masonry was introduced into Scotland, by the architects who built the abbey of Kilwinning.

This is manifest not only from those authentic documents by which the existence of the Kilwinning lodge has been traced back as far as the end of the fifteenth century, but by other collateral arguments which amount almost to a demonstration. The history of the order in Scotland is shorter and more certain in its character than that of England. While free masonry was encouraged in England by Henry VI, his cotemporary James I, patronised it in the sister kingdom of Scotland. A grand master chosen from the nobility or clergy was established with a revenue of four pounds scots from each master mason, and a fee at the initiation of every new member. The duty of this officer was to adjust the differences which should arise between the members, and to regulate the affairs of the fraternity, which it would be improper to bring before the ordinary tribunals. He appointed deputies, or wardens, who resided in the chief towns of Scotland, and managed the concerns of the order when it was inconvenient to appeal to the grand master himself. In the reign of James II, the office of grand master was made hereditary in the family of William St. Clair, Earl of Orkney and Caithness, baron of Roslin, and founder of the much admired chapel of Roslin, on account of his attention to the interests of the order, and the ra

pid progress of the royal art under his administration. The office continued in his family until the institution of the grand lodge of Scotland. The barons of Roslin held their annual meetings at Kilwinning, and granted warrants to such brethren as were desirous to erect regular lodges in different parts of the kingdom, all of whom held of the lodge of Kilwinning, and in token of respect and submission, many of them joined to their own name, that of the mother lodge. But the Scottish annals are very barren upon this subject. There is, however, a letter in the privy seal book of Scotland, dated at Holyrood house, 25th Sept. 1590, granted by James VI "to Patrick Copeland of Udaught, for using and exercising the office of wardenrie over the art and craft of masonrie over all the boundis of Aberdeen, Banff, and Kincardine, to hed, warden and justice courts within the said boundis, and there to minister justice." This grant affords full evidence that masonry was sufficiently important to merit special consideration, and that men of rank were, even at this early period, associated with the society. This is further confirmed by the minutes of St. Mary's chapel, the oldest lodge in Edinburgh, which extend so far back as 1598. By these it appears, that Thomas Boswell of Auchinleek, was made a warden in the year 1600, and that the