THE ARCANE SCHOOLS - Fort Myers Beach Masonic Lodge No. 362

of Athol, on the subject of an Union, etc." Although the writer was a member of
the Grand Lodge of 17I7, he closes his title with a quotation from the ritual of
Templar Priest. He overruns Masonry from the time of Carausius to the period
when Harper was expelled by his Grand Lodge.
Other steps were being taken in the meantime, and {517} on the 12th February,
1806, the Earl Of Moira reported that he had exerted his influence with the Grand
Lodge of Scotland in favour of the union of the two bodies; the same course was
followed with the Grand Lodge of Ireland, and a similar report was made on the
23rd November, 1808. On the 12th April, 1809, a resolution was passed that it
was "necessary no longer to continue in force those measures which were
resorted to, in or about the year 1739, respecting irregular Masons; and do
therefore enjoin the several lodges to revert to the ancient landmarks of the
Society." This refers to a change which the Grand Lodge of 1717 had made,
during the period, of what they were pleased to term the advent of "irregular
Lodges," and which is referred to in the pamphlet of 1804, by reversing the words
of the Ist degree and 2nd degree, and which the pamphleteer alludes to as a
dispute whether "Gog" and "Magog" were on the right hand or left, according to
the position of the beholder. The reversal yet continues with many bodies of
foreign Masons. This step was followed by the appointment of a "Lodge of
Promulgation" as preparatory to the desired union. Generally it is considered that
this change had given the Athol Masons the first handle for terming the Grand
Lodge "Modern," but the distinction between the two sects had much wider
grounds, as shewn in our last chapter.
On the death of Admiral Sir Peter Parker, H.R.H. the Prince of Wales appointed
his brother, the Duke of Sussex, 11th December, 1811, as Acting Grand-Master,
and when the former became Regent of the Kingdom, the Duke of Sussex was
elected Grand Master, and the Regent Grand Patron.
At a meeting of the Grand Lodge on the 27th January, 1813, there were present
six Royal Dukes -- Sussex, York, Clarence, Kent, Cumberland, Gloucester; on
this occasion Earl Moira, now Marquis of Hastings, was presented with a
magnificent chain and jewel of office, as he was about to depart for India. The
Duke of Sussex was installed {518} Grand Master on 12th May, 1813; and as
Edward Duke of Kent had already become a member of the Athol Grand Lodge,
their Grand Master the Duke of Athol, with the union in view, resigned his office
and recommended as his successor H.R.H. the Duke of Kent, who was
accordingly Installed as Grand Master on the 1st December, 1813, at Willis'
Rooms, St. James' Square.
There now remained no obstacle to the union of the whole Craft, and the formal
"Articles of Union" were drawn up at Kensington Palace on the 25th November,
1813, and ratified at meetings of the two Grand Lodges held on 1st December,
1813; these Articles were signed on behalf of the Grand Lodge of 1717, by
Augustus Frederick, G.M.; Waller Rodwell Wright, P.G.M. of the Ionian Islands;
Arthur Tegart, P.G.W.; James Deans, P.G.W.; William H. White, Gd. Secretary;
and on behalf of the Grand Lodge of 1751, by Edward, G.M.; Thomas Harper,
D.G.M.; James Perry, P.D.G.M.; James Agar, P.D.G.M.; Robert Leslie, Gd.