Mark Coleman Wallace PhD Thesis - University of St Andrews

declared that “none of the Members of this Lodge shall curse, swear or
blaspheme the Holy name of God.” 172 Individual improvement and emphasis on
high moral suasion was a consistent theme for masonic lodges throughout the
entire eighteenth century, as No. 6 Inverness recorded on 3 February 1795 that
“a number of the Brethren of this Lodge having some time ago Expressed a wish
that there should be a Master Mason meeting held monthly for the purpose of
Lecturing for the Improvement of the Brethren.” 173
Other Edinburgh clubs and societies established similar rules. The Easy
Club, in the introduction to its Journal, stated “On ye second day of their
Meeting after some deliberation it was Unanimously determined their Society
should go under the name of the Easy Club designing thereby that their
denomination should be a Check to all unruly and disturbing behaviour among
their members.” 174 In language comparable to the masons, the all-female Fair
Intellectual-Club affirmed in its laws “That altho’ different Principles and
Politicks shall be no Hindrance to the Admission of Members into our Club…
none shall presume to urge these directly or indirectly in our Meetings on Pain
of Censure.” 175
172 No. 27 St Mungo’s Lodge Minutes, 6 February 1729.
173 No. 6 Inverness Lodge Minutes, 3 February 1795.
174 McElroy, “Clubs and Societies,” 36.
175 Ibid, 54.
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