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

Preston, and ordered the reinstatement of the three protesting
members. At its next meeting the Antiquity Lodge voted not to comply
with the order of the Grand Lodge, and, instead, to withdraw from that
body and form an alliance with the "Old Grand Lodge of All England at
York City," as they called it. They were received by the York Grand
Lodge, and soon thereafter obtained a constitution for a "Grand Lodge
of England South of the Trent." Although much vitality was shown at
the outset, this body only constituted two subordinate Lodges, and
ceased to exist. Having failed, in 1789 Preston and his friends
recanted their folly, apologized to the Grand Lodge, reunited with the
men whom they had expelled, and were received back into the fold; and
so the matter ended.
These divisions, while they were in some ways unhappy, really made for
the good of the order in the sequel--the activity of contending Grand
Lodges, often keen, and at times bitter, promoting the spread of its
principles to which all were alike loyal, and to the enrichment of its
Ritual[149] to which each contributed. Dermott, an able executive and
audacious antagonist, had left no stone unturned to advance the
interests of Atholl Masonry, inducing its Grand Lodge to grant
warrants to army Lodges, which bore fruit in making Masons in every
part of the world where the English army went.[150] Howbeit, when
that resourceful secretary and uncompromising fighter had gone to his
long rest, a better mood began to make itself felt, and a desire to
heal the feud and unite all the Grand Lodges--the way having been
cleared, meanwhile, by the demise of the old York Grand Lodge and the
"Grand Lodge South of the Trent." Overtures to that end were made in
1802 without avail, but by 1809 committees were meeting and reporting
on the "propriety and practicability of union." Fraternal letters were
exchanged, and at last a joint committee met, canvassed all
differences, and found a way to heal the schism.[151]
Union came at length, in a great Lodge of Reconciliation held in
Freemason's Hall, London, on St. John's Day, December 27, 1813. It was
a memorable and inspiring scene as the two Grand Lodges, so long
estranged, filed into the Hall--delegates of 641 Modern and 359
Ancient or Atholl Lodges--so mixed as to be indistinguishable the one
from the other. Both Grand Masters had seats of honor in the East. The
hour was fraternal, each side willing to sacrifice prejudice in behalf
of principles held by all in common, and all equally anxious to
preserve the ancient landmarks of the Craft--a most significant fact
being that the Atholl Masons had insisted that Masonry erase such
distinctively Christian color as had crept into it, and return to its
first platform.[152] Once united, free of feud, cleansed of rancor,
and holding high its unsectarian, non-partisan flag, Masonry moved
forward to her great ministry. If we would learn the lesson of those
long dead schisms, we must be vigilant, correcting our judgments,
improving our regulations, and cultivating that spirit of Love which
is the fountain whence issue all our voluntary efforts for what is
right and true: union in essential matters, liberty in everything
unimportant and doubtful; Love always--one bond, one universal law,
one fellowship in spirit and in truth!
IV
Remains now to give a glimpse--and, alas, only a glimpse--of the