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

erection of an Asylum to receive them within its Sanctuary."
In December 1835 the Grand Stewards' Lodge celebrated the Centenary of its
foundation in June 1735, at Freemasons' Hall. Also the Grand Lodge of Scotland
celebrated the Centenary of its foundation by a Festival on St. Andrew's day
1836. In this year 1836 several foundation stones were laid in England with
Masonic ritual and solemnities. The Duke of Sussex, G.M., had been for some
time in bad health, and the loss of his eyesight was feared, but on the 27th Jany.,
1837, he was so far recovered as to make his appearance in Grand Lodge, when
he received a most cordial and hearty welcome. The Grand Lodge at this period
conceived the idea of forming a Library.
In the year 1838 a magnificent Candelabrum, the funds to purchase which had
been raised by subscription, was presented to the Grand Master. The "Asylum
for Aged and Decayed Freemasons," celebrated a festival in June of this year,
but later on, in the same year, an opposition to the scheme was raised by the
Grand Master, who had formed the impression that it would injure the other
charities, but the opposition was withdrawn, after some very unpleasant scenes,
which for a time affected the Masonic standing of Brother R. T. Crucifex, one of
its supporters and the Editor of the "Freemasons Quarterly Review." This Asylum
was brought into actual operation in 1839; and the Earl of Durham was appointed
Pro-Grand Master in the same year. In 1842 the Male Annuity Fund of the Royal
Benevolent Institution was established, the Grand Lodge voting it an annual sum
of 400 Pounds.
The Duke of Sussex, G.M., died on the 21st April, 1843, and it then became
necessary for the Grand Lodge to elect a Grand Master. Bro. Thomas Dundas
Earl of Zetland was selected for that office, and his Installation took place in
March 1844. In the same year a handsome testimonial was presented to Dr.
George Oliver. Also the {525} Duchess of Inverness presented to Grand Lodge
the Candelabrum which had been given to her husband in 1838. Between the
years 1944-7, a certain amount of friction occurred between the Grand Lodges of
England and the Royal York of Berlin, owing to the refusal of the latter to
acknowledge any other than Christian Freemasons; the difficulty was finally
arranged by the Royal York, acceding, in a limited measure, to the liberal views
of this country. Previous to 1847 it was, from olden time, a necessity that a
Candidate should be "free-born," but in this year it was resolved to substitute the
qualification of "free-man." In 1849 the Masonic Widow's Annuity fund was
established; and the Queen became Grand Patroness of the Boy's School in
1852.
On the 7th December, 1853, the Grand Master reported to Grand Lodge that he
had been under the necessity of suspending Bro. William Tucker, the Prov. Gd.
Master of Dorsetshire; the offence being that he had made his appearance in his
Prov. Gd. Lodge wearing, in addition to his Craft clothing, the insignia of the
Christian orders of Masonry. It is also on record that
Brother. Tucker had made a point in his Address of recommending those higher
degrees of Masonry found in the Ancient and Accepted Rite of 33 degrees, which
after having met with disfavour from the late Grand Master had been introduced