Craft Masonry in Albany County, New York - Onondaga and Oswego ...

Lodges the request of the Grand Lodge with respect to the surrender of their old Warrants. That the Brethren of Union Lodge, whom
the Deputy Grand Master met in their lodge-room, appeared to be willing to accede to the request of the Grand Lodge, and the only
obstacle to its being completed was a question which arose as to the rank they were to hold, as they were possessed of two
provincial Warrants, and which the Deputy Grand Master did not think it was proper for him alone to decide.”
This resulted in the adoption of resolutions at the same meeting in the following words: “That a committee be appointed to examine
the Warrants of Union Lodge, held at Albany, and to report the rank it ought to have, under the jurisdiction of this Grand Lodge, at
the next. regular meeting;” and “that the committee consist of three, and the R. Worshipful the Deputy Grand Master appointed
Brothers Ludlow, the Reverend Bissett and John Abrams to be the said committee.”
The next step in procedure was on June 6, 1798, Right Worshipful De Witt Clinton reported “that he had not been able to induce the
members of Union Lodge at Albany to surrender their old Warrant, or to come under or acknowledge the jurisdiction of this Grand
Lodge, and accordingly he recommended the adoption of some decisive measures by the Grand Lodge to assert and maintain its
authority on the said refractory Lodge.”
This persistency and refusal to recognize the authority of the Grand Lodge gave way when the members found that decisive action
was imminent, and yet while yielding, they sought delay.
The chief among these dissenters seems to have been Brother C. C. Yates.
The great principles involved in coming under the authority or protection of a Grand Lodge appear to have occupied much of the
time of the members of the Lodge. The surrendering of their Charter or Warrant was looked upon as giving way or yielding up some
birthright, some liberty, some undefined principle, which was inherent or possessed by them in their ancient capacity. They were not
prepared to be an obedient child to an adopting power. They rightfully conceived, however, that a Grand Lodge was invested with
authority over all the Craft within its jurisdiction; that it was a Supreme Court of Appeal in all Masonic cases, and to its decrees
implicit obedience must be paid by every Lodge and every Mason coming within its control; that the government was completely
despotic; that its edicts must be respected and obeyed without even examination by the subordinate Lodges. That the correction of
all Laws deemed to be erroneous could only be made by the representatives within the Grand Lodge duly assembled. These were
the matters that were being seriously and thoughtfully weighed by the officers and members of the Lodge. While the formation and
defined powers of Grand Lodges were not so well understood as at the present day, their sovereignty based upon principles of
expediency, and derived from the fundamental law established at their organization, was conceded. They saw and felt that in so
large an organization as the Fraternity was even then, it was absolutely necessary that there should be a controlling body to protect
the Institution from anarchy, while being composed of the united wisdom, prudence and experience of all the subordinate Lodges
under its obedience; and furthermore that the voice of the Grand Lodge was nothing else than the voice of the entire Craft
expressed by their representatives; yet, having been virtually uncontrolled, untrammelled, free to act as they had pleased, without a
monitor, a guardian, or any one to say them nay, they with reluctance were willing to surrender the Old Warrants. The same natural
sentimental feeling, that is common with all classes of people, made them desire to cling to their original warrant of authority. While
they were under the Provincial law and subject to equally stringent requirements, should the Provincial Grand Master make
exactions, nevertheless the Lodge had lived uninstructed, uncontrolled, with a liberty even to license, and without so much as being
burdened with the remembrance that annual dues to the Mother organization was a necessity and not a matter of convenient option.
In the mean time, Masters’ Lodge, No. 2, assumed a loyal spirit, and forwarded to Grand Secretary R. J. Vanderbrook the following:
“DEAR BROTHER:
“ALBANY, 15th May, 1800.
“In behalf of Masters’ Lodge, No. 2, I am requested to inquire of you, if Union Lodge in this city is now under your jurisdiction, or not,
and how we are to act respecting them in future, as we have refused them leave to visit us under the information of they not being a
regular Body. This circumstance has unfortunately created some difficulty among the Brotherhood here, which nevertheless is to be
determined by a line from you on the subject.
“Mr. Morton told me when he was last in Albany, that they were not then subject to the Grand Lodge. They say now they are and
that they have recently paid dues to the Grand Lodge. However, it is the determined resolution of our Lodge not to allow them to
visit us, or to hold any Masonic communication with them contrary to the Constitution, except they derive their Warrant from the
Grand Lodge and also pay their dues to their satisfaction, unless you will either give us official or your own instructions to the
contrary.
“Your answer to this by return of post will ultimately place all difficulties in such a train as may tend to such good understanding as
among Brothers should ever exist, as well as obliging
“Your mo. affectionate & respected Brother,
“John HANMER,
“Senior Warden to Masters’ Lodge.”
From the Grand Lodge record we next find that, on June 4, 1800, “The Grand Secretary reported to Grand Lodge, that Union Lodge,
held in the city of Albany, had acknowledged the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of the State; that a Warrant was, by direction of the
Most Worshipful the Grand Master, delivered to the Master of said Lodge in due form, under the special promise that the Warrants
in their possession, being three in number, should be delivered into the hands of the Grand Secretary, and that the rank and number
of that Lodge should be regulated according to the date of the first Warrant granted to them by the Provincial Grand Lodge for New
York, which is the 21st February, 1765.”
It is quite evident, even from a casual examination of the subject, that there was a continuous faction in the Lodge led by the
Venerable Master, Peter W. Yates, and that the Minute-book was made subservient to its purpose,—at times this faction would be in
the majority: thus from the minutes of the Lodge it is ascertained that, on September 19, 1800, a communication was held to receive
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