Lodge 640 Charter

 Previous
Next 

Grand Master
GRAND LODGE OF SCOTLAND

Lodge No. 640

To all and sundry to whose knowledge these presents shall come, Greeting in God everlasting: Whereas upon the First day of May, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Seventy-nine, a Petition was presented to the Grand Lodge of Scotland in name of Edward Fischer, C. J. Strome, D. W. Stevens, J. F. Gorham, Horace M. Perkins, James R. Morse, I. W. Beauchamp, R. Austin Robertson, John Douglas, George Booth, and others, praying the said Grand Lodge to grant a Charter of Constitution and Erection in the usual form for holding a Lodge under the name and title of Star in the East, Yokohama, Japan, and proposing the persons after mentioned to be the Office-Bearers thereof, viz:—

Edward Fischer R. W. M.
C. J. Strome W. D. M.
D. W. Stevens W. S. M.
Jos. F. Gorham W. S. W.
Horace M, Perkins W. J. W.
James R. Morse Treasurer.
I. W. Beauchamp Secretary.
R. Austin Robertson S. D.
J. Douglas J. D.
G. Booth I. G.
A. Hearne Tyler.

Which petition, with the requisite certificates therewith produced, having been duly considered in Grand Lodge assembled, they were pleased to ordain a Charter to be issued in the terms underwritten.

Know ye therefore that the Most Worshipful the Grand Master Mason of Scotland, and the Grand Lodge thereof, have constituted, erected, and appointed, like as they hereby constitute, erect, and appoint the Master, Wardens and Brethren above named to be now and in all time coming a true and regular Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons at Yokohama under the name, style, and title of Star in the East; and appoint and ordain all regular Lodges to hold and respect them as such: Giving, granting, and committing to them, and those to be afterwards admitted Members of the said Lodge, full power and authority to meet, assemble, and convene as a regular Lodge; and to enter Apprentices, pass Fellow-Crafts, and raise Master Masons, upon payment of such composition, for the support of their Lodge, as they shall see convenient; but which composition at their initiation shall not be under the sum of One Pound, Six Shillings and Six Pence Sterling; and with power also annually to elect and choose Masters, Wardens, and other Office-Bearers, recommending to the Brethren of the said Lodge to reverence and obey their superiors in all things lawful and honest, as becometh the honour and harmony of Masonry; and the said Brethren becoming bound on no account to desert their own Lodge; nor upon any pretext whatever to make any separate or schismatical meetings, independent of the Master and Wardens for the time; nor to introduce any other orders of Masonry than those sanctioned by the Grand Lodge; nor to collect funds separate from the common stock of their Lodge, to the prejudice of the poor thereof, and declaring that the said Lodge and whole constituent Members thereof, now and in all time coming, shall by accepting this present Charter, be bound in faithful allegiance to the said Grand Lodge as Head of the Masonic Body in Scotland; and shall be obliged to obey and pay due regard to all Acts, Statutes, and Regulations of the said Grand Lodge, already made and enacted, or hereafter to be made and enacted for the utility, welfare, and prosperity of Masonry.

And generally to pay and perform whatever is required from them for the support and dignity of the Grand Lodge; and particularly to account and pay into the funds of the Grand Lodge, at least the sum of Ten Shillings and Six Pence Sterling, for each Member initiated in their Lodge from and after the date hereof; which sums they shall cause to be annually remitted to the Grand Secretary, at Edinburgh; and at the same time transmit to him a list of the names of the Members initiated, in order that the same may be recorded in the Books of the Grand Lodge; and the Brethren of said Lodge shall be bound to record in the Books of their Lodge (which Books they are hereby authorised and enjoined to keep) this present Charter, their own Regulations and Bye-Laws, and Minutes of their whole procedure from time to time, so that the same may be better known and more easily observed by the Brethren, subject always nevertheless to the review and control of the Grand Lodge.

And the said Brethren are hereby required to attend the whole General Meetings and Quarterly Communications of the Grand Lodge, by their Representatives, being their Master and Wardens for the time, or by lawful Proxies in their names (provided such Proxies be Master Masons of some established Lodge holding of the Grand Lodge), so that they by their said Representatives may act and vote in the Grand Lodge, and be duly certiorated of the proceedings thereof; declaring the said Lodge’s precedency in the Grand Lodge to be from the date hereof; and for the more effectual preservation of these presents, the same are hereby appointed to be recorded in the Books of the Grand Lodge.

Given at the Grand Lodge of Scotland, held in Freemasons’ Hall, in City of Edinburgh, the First day of May, in the year of Our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Seventy-nine, and of Light, Five Thousand Eight Hundred and Eighty-three, by Sir Michael R. Shaw Stewart, of Grenock and Blackhall, Bart., Most Worshipful Grand Master Mason of Scotland; The Right Honourable Francis Robert, Earl of Rosslyn, Right Worshipful Past Grand Master; the Right Honourable Walter Henry, Earl of Mar and Kellie, Right Worshipful Depute Grand Master; Colonel Archibald Campbell Campbell, of Blythswood, Right Worshipful Substitute Grand Master; The Honourable Algernon Keith Falconer, Lord Inverurie, Right Worshipful Senior Grand Warden; R. F. Shaw Stewart, Esq., Right Worshipful Junior Grand Warden; and D. Murray Lyon, Esq., Right Worshipful Grand Secretary.

(Signed) MAR AND KELLIE, Dep. G.M.

(Signed) A. C. CAMPBELL, Sub. G.M.

(Signed) INVERURIE, S.G.W

D. Murray Lyon, Gr. Sec.