Mark Coleman Wallace PhD Thesis - University of St Andrews

Country to such a height, that it will be impossible to restrain the effects of
them. They stop at nothing, it would appear they intend to either murder myself
or burn my house.” 45 Indeed, following formation of The Friends of the People
in July 1792, numerous societies began to appear in September 1792 such as the
Dundee Friends of the Constitution and the Glasgow Associated Friends of the
Constitution. 46
Propagating reformist ideas in imitation of the French, the Friends’
radicalism caused much alarm not only within the British government, but
among masonic lodges as well. 47 On 4 November 1793, the Grand Lodge of
Scotland met to discuss the actions of the Journeymen. Thomas Hay, the
Substitute Grand Master of Scotland, intimated that
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he understood some of the Lodges in and about this City had been in the
practice of allowing certain persons styling themselves “The Friends of
the People” to assemble in their Lodges, whose deliberations it was said
were of a turbulent and Seditious tendency, and from the station in life of
the greatest part of the people composing these Meetings, these Lodges
could reap but very little pecuniary aid towards their funds. Therefore he
moved, that these Lodges be in future prohibited from allowing any such
meetings to be held in their said Lodges of the delegation before
Mentioned. 48
After the Grand Lodge communication of 4 November was issued, the
Journeymen met on 22 November 1793 “for the purpose of Considering A
Minute of the Grand Lodge about letting the Lodge room to the Society of the
Friends of the People.” 49 Upon deliberation of the Grand Lodge’s decision, the
45 Ibid.
46 Ibid, 66-73.
47 Henry W. Meikle, Scotland And The French Revolution (London, 1969), 86-111.
48 Grand Lodge of Scotland Minutes, 4 November 1793.
49 No. 8 Journeymen Lodge Minutes, 22 November 1793.