Mark Coleman Wallace PhD Thesis - University of St Andrews

in arrears. The Grand Lodge stipulated that lodges refusing to comply “should
be Understood to have Abandoned the Grand Lodge and be by them disowned
accordingly.” 187 Consequently, on 6 November 1771, eight expulsions and
fifty-one suspensions were handed down; lodges in and about Edinburgh had
until 30 November to settle their accounts while lodges at a greater distance had
until 27 December, and “those that may be more remote” had until the next
Quarterly Communication in February 1772. If overdue fees were not paid,
their charters would be revoked and they would be struck from the Grand
Roll. 188 Overall, fifty-nine lodges were affected by the actions of the Grand
Lodge, accounting for almost one-third of all lodges in Scotland, or 32.7 per
cent. The list of expulsions and suspensions is non-discriminatory: old-
established as well as newly-chartered lodges are listed. The oldest lodge
recorded is Edinburgh Kilwinning Scots Arms (1736), also the first to be named
on the registry of expulsions. The most recently erected lodge at that time –
Rutherglen Royal Arch (1769) – is the last lodge to be named. Although
precedence was utilized to recognize lodges for their history and prestige, it is
clear that the Grand Lodge pursued all lodges in arrears with equal
determination.
This surge of authority was accompanied by an attendant increase in
correspondence with the Grand Lodge of England. The English Grand Lodge,
as Clark explains, had claimed almost complete authority over its lodges.
Almost certainly, the Grand Lodge of Scotland was aware of the scope and
187 Ibid, 20 June 1759.
188 Ibid, 6 November 1771.
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