THE BUILDER MAY 1927

Old Smoking Customs of the Craft

By BRO. WILLIAM L. BOYDEN, Washington, D. C.

THE histories and records of some of the old lodges disclose many
interesting and amusing references to the old smoking habit within
their tyled halls, now practically obsolete throughout the
fraternal world.

About the middle of the eighteenth century we begin to find
references to the use of tobacco in the lodge records, and from
that time until its decline, it is evident from these records that
the subject of smoking in the lodge room was the source of much
argument and difference of opinion.

Naturally the convival habits of the time led to the use of
tobacco, and these twin members of sociability were not only
popular in such assemblages, but practically at all other functions
where men of the period gathered for recreation and discussion, and
while the use of the "soothing weed" spread enormously, its
elimination in the lodge room for various reasons has
correspondingly decreased.

Ashley, in his history of the Royal Cumberland Lodge, Bath,
England, says:

It would be strange in these times to see charges for wine and
tobacco on our Minutes; but it used to be so, though we might not
object to the good old days when port wine was two shillings a
bottle, and that it took several bottles to audit the Treasurer's
Account, and when that was done, and the balance struck and carried
out, to add a postscript of "one bottle more" and deduct that from
the balance. We may mention that wine and tobacco were always
supplied in the Lodge Room to our Ancient Brethren, and there
discussed, with much solemnity, during the transaction of business,
and for many years after the time now referred to, this custom was
invariably adhered to, and strict account kept every night of the
score.

These items of expenditure were duly chronicled, and the zeal with
which this was pursued by our Ancient Brethren occasioned
complaints of the late hours they kept, as well as running up a
long bill for candles, the consideration of which they postponed
from time to time, and eventually with much difficulty discharged.

Godding, in his history of Westminster and Keystone Lodge, London,
makes this statement:

Refreshments, especially punch, and even tobacco, were often
supplied in the Lodge Room, and the particular duty which our
ritual claims for the J. W. was more frequently exercised than it
is nowadays, it being a general custom to call off for refreshment
and to resume again for closing after supper.

Cigars had not come into general use at this time and the popular
smoking medium was a long-stemmed clay pipe, usually termed a
churchwarden. An example of the cost of these pipes, pipe lights
and tobacco is furnished in the history of Old Dundee Lodge,
London, by Heiron:

1771. Pd. Mr. Greenland for 7 Gross Pipes, 17/6.
1784. Pd. for Pipe Lights, 8d.
1791. Pd. Mr. Greenland for 18 Gross Pipes, 2/14/0.
1800. Pd. Mr. Greenland for Pipes, 4/10/0.
1802. Pd. for Tobacco and Nutmegs, 1/18/4.
1808. Pd. for 1 lb. Tobacco, 4/8.
1814. Pd. Mr. Russell for Pipes, 2/0/0.

We find the following entries on the records of St. Paul's Lodge,
London:

January 19, 1765. Canister of Tobacco 1/6.
March 3, 1767. 2 lbs. of Tobacco 1/8.
April 17, 1767. By British Herb Tobacco 1/4. 1 lb. 1/3.
December 27, 1767. Brother Huston's bill for Candles and Tobacco
3/7/0.

St. John's Lodge, of Boston, Mass., was evidently quite particular
as to the tobacco they used, for we had the following early entry
on the minutes, Peter Pelham apparently being in the tobacco
business: 

Wednesday, December 26th, 1750, being Lodge night, Voted that Bro.
stone (the Landlord) do supply this Lodge with Bro. Pelham's
tobacco, which shall have the Mason's Arms on it.

DIFFERENCES OF OPINION

April 16, 1769, in a lodge in West Cornwall, England, the
Apprentice lecture was given by the Master when By-Law No. 23,
"that no smoking be permitted," was again violated during the
lecture. Bro. Lane brought forward a motion "to repeal the said
Bye-Law, and a ballot having been taken, it was repealed." 

The brethren of St. James Lodge, Middlesex, England, were probably
divided on the subject of smoking in the lodge, as the record of a
meeting in 1796 states

A motion was made by Brother Haycock that no smoaking of tobacco be
admitted during the Lodge, which motion was duly seconded and
carried nem com. (Unanimously.) 

And again in December, 1798: 

Brother Rayner proposed that smoaking of tobacco be admitted for
the ensuing quarter, which motion was seconded by Brother Hodgson,
subject to a ballot, which ballot immediately took place, and
smoaking of Tobacco was carried by a majority.

Royal Lancashire Lodge, Colme, Lancashire, England, records:

February 4, 1796. Put it around whether we shou'd find everyone his
own Tobacco or not, it was agreed (only by one dissenting voice)
that it should be paid for out of the Stock of Masonry.

In the history of Fidelity Lodge, Leeds, England, the minutes of
Sept. 28, 1798, disclose that an important discussion took place on
Bro. Thornton moving "That Tobacco may be smoked during the time of
Refreshment," which was seconded by Bro. Bulmer, and "caused a long
and unpleasant debate," when it is recorded that the lodge closed
that evening "uncomfortably." On Oct. 26 the discussion was
continued, when it was ultimately decided by ballot "that pipes and
tobacco should in future be used at pleasure during Refreshment,"
and it is stated that this lodge closed "in peculiar harmony and
peace." It was quite evident therefore that the "pipe of peace" had
its proverbial tranquilizing influence.

PROHIBITED WHILE AT LABOR

As early as 1765 the by-laws of St. Ives Lodge, Cornwall, England,
provided "that no smoking be permitted during the Lecture."

Philanthropic Lodge, Leeds, England, has this record:

1794. It was agreed by a majority of the members, that whatever
Brother choosing to smook tobacco during Lodge hours must withdraw
themselves into another room.

One of the by-laws of the Lodge of Brotherly Love, Yeovil, England,
1810, provided as follows:

22. The Stewards are to attend the duties of the table to see that
nothing is wanting, to see the bill of expenses delivered to the
Master every night at ten o'clock to introduce visitors see them
properly accommodated and collect five shillings from every
visitor. No pipes or tobacco to be introduced before the Lodge is
closed.

Here is a curious by-law of a lodge in Bottoms, England, in 1818:

No member of the Society shall be allowed to smoke during a song
being sung, or a sentiment delivered, and that after a song hath
been sung or a sentiment delivered, that silence be observed at the
discretion of the Master, and the Discussion or Argument to be
resumed by his permission or each offender to forfeit Id.

CONSIDERATE OF OTHERS

That the brethren, early in the history of smoking in the lodge,
were considerate of the feelings of others, appears in the by-laws
of the Lodge of Antiquity, London, in 1760, which provide that

No Brother shall offer to smoak at any Time during LodgeHours, when
this Lodge is honoured with a visit of a Brother who wears a Blue
Apron, without Leave first obtained from the Master; unless such
visitor smokes a Pipe himself; otherwise the offending Brother
shall immediately pay One Shilling, and be obliged to leave off
smoaking, which if he refuses to comply with, the 1st of these
Bye-Laws shall be immediately put in force against him, in the same
manner as if he had actually committed an Offense which that Law
forbids, and neither the Master or Majority of the Members of the
Lodge shall ever have the Power to hinder, or in the least retard,
the due and immediate execution of either of these Bye-Laws, while
unrepealed, under the Penalty of each offending Brother's
immediately paying Three 'Shillings, besides letting the said Laws
have their due Course.

Orange Lodge, No. 11, Orange, N. J., records, April 2, 1811:

Br. Simeon Baldwin made a motion which was duly seconded that no
person while in this Lodge shall be permitted to smoke a pipe or
segar, as it is offensive to a number of brethren, and also
considered improper at such a place.

Vernon, in his history of Freemasonry in Roxburgh, Scotland,
referring to one of the lodges, says:

During the year 1862, the R.W.M., a P.M., and the S.W. each gave a
lecture on Masonry, and in the course of a discussion raised in
reference to one of these lectures, we find that the brethren were
in the habit of smoking in the Lodge. One Brother said "that
although he was not a smoker himself he would not like to debar any
member from taking his smoke as he did not feel it in the least
disagreeable to him, but he was told by strangers visiting the
Lodge, that the same was not carried on in any other Lodge, and
thought as we had been the first to introduce smoking into our
Lodge that we should try if possible and give it up, more
especially when strangers were amongst us." Another Brother said
"that they had attempted before now to get the practice done away
with but found that they could not raise members to constitute a
Lodge unless smoking was allowed." After a round of remarks from
nearly all the Brethren present "It was recommended that as few
members as possible smoke at one time, more especially when
Brethren from other Lodges are amongst us."

ITS DECLINE

While the Grand Lodge of England early abolished smoking at its
meetings, namely, in 1755, its example was not followed generally
by the subordinate lodges until much later, this notable period
being practically coincident with the elimination of wine and
spirits from the lodge room, that is toward the close of the
eighteenth century and the early part of the nineteenth.

In the Lodge of Emulation, London, Nov. 15, 1802,

It was proposed by Bro. Pugh that in future no Brother shall be
permitted to smoak tobacco either in the Lodge or in the Supper
Room when the Brethren have retired to Refreshment, and that this
shall be entered in the Book of Bye-Laws, which was seconded by
Brother Whitford, and, one the Question being put, was carried with
only one dissenting vote.

Similar instances and experiences of other lodges might be cited to
show the prevalence of the smoking custom--its rise, the
vicissitudes of its career and its final downfall, but the example
enumerated above are deemed sufficient to give us an intelligent
conception of the subject.

