THE BUILDER MAY 1926

The Craft in the 18th Century
The "Moderns," 1717, and the " Antients," 1751

BY BRO. ARTHUR HEIRON, England

AS most readers of The Builder are aware, Bro. Heiron is the author
of Ancient Freemasonry and the Old Dundee Lodge, No. 18
[1722-1920], a most interesting account of lodge life two hundred
years ago. They will also recall his articles in The Builder for
1923 under the title "Was Dr. Johnson a Mason?"

The present paper was read before the Manchester Association for
Masonic Research in May, 1924, and in view of the very valuable
information collected therein The Builder has obtained Bro.
Heiron's permission to reproduce it for the benefit of American
students.

IT is common knowledge that prior to 1813 the Craft had for many
years been divided into two great sections--the Moderns and the
Antients--and for the benefit of those brethren who have had no
opportunity to study the matter on their own account, the following
rough epitome by way of general information is given.

In 1716 four old Lodges in London--the author of Multa Paucis (an
anonymous work of about 1764) gives the number as six--"finding
themselves neglected by Sir Christopher Wren"--with the assistance
"of some old Brothers"--met together at the Apple-Tree Tavern in
Charles Street, Covent Garden, and "constituted themselves a Grand
Lodge pro Tempore in Due Form"; and on "St. John Baptist's Day,
A.D. 1717, the Assembly and Feast of the Free and Accepted Masons
was held at the Goose and Gridiron Ale-house in St. Paul's
Church-Yard."

In this humble fashion--without show or pretense-- in a room at a
Tavern about 22 feet long by 16 feet wide --the First Grand Lodge
of the world was--according to the account given by Dr. Anderson in
his "New Book of Constitutions" [1738]--thus formally
"Constituted." Whilst it is now recognized that Dr. Anderson's
'Story of the Craft'--based on mythical tales and legendary
traditions--is quite untrustworthy, yet his version of the actual
origin of Grand Lodge deserves some credence, for--after all--it is
the only one available for our consideration.

Anderson was a Doctor of Divinity, a Presbyterian minister, a
"dissenting teacher," a man of good standing and character. In 1738
he assures us that having-- in 1721--been ordered [by Grand Lodge]
to digest the old Gothic Constitutions in a new and better method,
. . . "Montagu, Grand Master, at the desire of the Lodge, appointed
fourteen learned Brothers to examine Brother Anderson's Manuscript
and to make report," . . . which "said Committee of 14" . . .
reported [in 1722] that they had perused same "and after some
Amendments had approv'd of it: Upon which the Lodge desir'd the
Grand Master to order it to be printed." The above refers to his
First Book of Constitutions of 1723.--The following extracts from
the actual minutes of Grand Lodge relate to his 1738 edition.

1735, Feb. 24. Dr. Anderson reported to Grand Lodge "that he had
spent some Thoughts upon some Alterations and Additions" to his
First Edition of 1723--then "all sold off"--and G. L. "appointed a
Committee to revise and compare the same &c."

1738, Jan. 25. "Bro. Anderson informed the [Grand] Lodge that he
had sometime since Prepared a New Edition of the Book of
Constitutions with several Additions and Amendmts which having been
perused & (after some alterations made therein) Approved off by
several Grand Officers was now ready for the Press and he therefore
desired the Grand Master's Commands & the approbation of this Lodge
for printing the same, which request was granted him."

His work having been thus checked and revised by his colleagues and
contemporaries and approved by Grand Lodge, each student must now
therefore form his own conclusions as to the credibility or
otherwise that should be given to Dr. Anderson's statements
relating to the above mentioned meetings of "the four old Lodges"
in 1716 and 1717.

The members of this Grand Lodge of 1717 before long--for reasons
hereinafter mentioned--became known as the 'Moderns,' whilst their
subsequent rivals --who described themselves as the 'Antients' did
not constitute their Grand Lodge before 1753 (although they first
assembled as a Grand Committee in 1751); thus in point of time the
'Moderns' were as a body, thirty-four years older than the
'Antients,' it is therefore quite clear that both these titles are-
-colloquially speaking--misnomers. It is not very easy to explain
in detail the exact reasons for the founding of this opposition
Grand Lodge but some of the contributory causes appear to be as
follows:

'OPERATIVE MASONS'

Prior to the formation of Grand Lodge in 1717, most of the Lodges
were of humble rank, having as members many men of the working
classes--including of course real 'Operative' Masons, although
there were also some 'Speculatives' in their midst--for in those
early days a Lodge almost invariably met at a Tavern or Inn, and
was very much like a benefit society, members who were ill or in
distress coming 'On the Box' for small payments in cash--pecuniary
'Relief' to brethren in need being then a constant feature. It was
also quite usual for members not only to attend at the funeral of
a deceased brother, but also to pay for the cost of interment when
need required. This presence of the 'Operatives' in Lodges is made
manifest from the fact that Grand Lodge in 1722 selected as their
Grand Wardens, two working men, viz.:--'Mr. Joshua Timson,' a
Blacksmith, and 'Mr. William Hawkins,' a 'Mason,' whilst the
following mechanics were also appointed Grand Wardens, viz.:--
'Jacob Lamball,' a 'Carpenter' in 1717; 'John Cordwell,' a 'City
Carpenter' and 'Thomas Morrice," a 'Stone Cutter' in 1718; and
'Thomas Hobby,' also a 'Stone Cutter' in 1720.

The first Grand Master who was installed in 1717-- one Anthony
Sayer--was also apparently a man of limited means, for later in
life he became Tyler to at least four lodges, and on two occasions
applied to Grand Lodge for relief, in 1730 when 15 pounds were
voted to him also 2.2.0 in 1741 from the 'General Charity,' whilst
he also received assistance from various private Lodges. Bro. J.
Walter Hobbs, L.R., in an exhaustive and valued paper read in 1924
before the Quatuor Coronati Lodge (entitled "Mr. Anthony Sayer")
attempts to prove that Sayer was not only a "Gentleman" but also a
person of some social standing--who might later on have lost his
fortune in the "South Sea Bubble"; he however frankly admits that
the evidence is not conclusive.

"NOBLEMEN AND GENTLEMEN" [1723]

Before long however a higher status was ruling amongst the
so-called 'Moderns,' for Dr. Anderson in his Constitutions of the
Freemasons [1723] tells us that "several Noblemen and Gentlemen of
the best Rank with Clergymen and learned Scholars of most
Professions and Denominations . . . frankly joined and submitted to
take the Charges, and to wear the Badges of a Free and Accepted
Mason, under our present worthy Grand Master, the most noble
Prince, John, Duke of Montagu."

In 1738 Anderson expatiates further by stating "Now Masonry
flourished in Harmony, Reputation, and Numbers, many Noblemen and
Gentlemen of the first Rank desir'd to be admitted to the
Fraternity, besides other Learned Men, Merchants, Clergymen and
Tradesmen who found a Lodge to be a safe and pleasant Relaxation
from Intense Study or the Hurry of Business, without Politicks or
Party."

"UNATTACHED LODGES"

Human nature in 1724 was very like what we find it today and it is
not only possible but quite probable that many of the "Operatives"
and humbler members of a Lodge felt rather jealous of these richer
men and their influence and desire for new methods of working. So
glowing out of harmony with this changed condition of affairs they
gradually left their Mother Lodges to form others more congenial to
themselves. Some would also join Unattached or Independent Lodges
which went by the name of St. John's Masons--St. John being the
Patron Saint of the Craft--for we find that many visitors to the
old Lodges often signed the attendance book or were entered by the
Secretary as St. John's Men--they paying generally an extra
visiting fee.

"IRISH MASONS"

Now from (a) these groups of poor Masons--discontented with the
advent into the Craft of these so called "Noblemen and Gentlemen,"
also (b) from those brethren who objected to any alteration being
made in their ancient Ritual, but more especially (c) from a band
of Irish Freemasons who had settled in London -- mostly in poor
circumstances--came into being a new organization that in 1751
first worked by means of a Grand Committee, and in 1753 blossomed
out into a new Grand Lodge whose members soon described themselves
as Antient Masons holding out that they alone deserved that title
because they practiced Masonry according to the 'Old
Constitutions.' The late Bro. Henry Sadler, Librarian to Grand
Lodge in his Masonic Facts and Fictions [1887] confirms the
statement that the early members of the Lodges of the 'Antients'
consisted mostly of Irish Masons, who were chiefly of the working
class type. It is therefore obvious that speaking generally--the
personnel of the Modern Lodges, was on a higher grade than that of
the Antients. Quite apart, however, from the different social
status of these brethren there were other important reasons which
helped to cause a division of the Craft into two bodies.

ANDERSON'S FIRST CHARGE [1723]

The Old Charges make it clear that prior to 1717 the Craft had
definitely accepted the Christian Faith as its first and abiding
Land Mark; the constant and repeated 'Invocations to the Trinity'
prove this to a certainty.--Perhaps in order to make 'Masonry
Universal,' thereby allowing Jews to enter the Order-- Anderson's
'First Charge' in his Constitutions of 1723 stated that a Mason,
was "now" only required to be of that religion "in which all men
agree, leaving their particular opinions to themselves; that is to
be good Men and true, etc." [This subject has been most ably
elucidated and explained by Bro. J. E. Shum Tuckett in a paper read
before this Society in 1922.] This serious alteration in our creed
[as Bro. Vibert tells us in his excellent Story of the Craft]
virtually deChristianized the tenets of Freemasonry, thereby making
the Craft eligible to a professor of any faith-- provided always
that the candidate recognized the existence of a Supreme Being. It
is clear that this startling innovation became a serious stumbling
block to many of the old fashioned Operatives who had been
accustomed to hear read in open Lodge the 'Old Charges,' constantly
reminding them that the first and chief duty of a Mason was to be
a True Man to God and the Holy Church. These men had also lived in
the days when a regular and punctual attendance at their parish
church was not only a duty, but an absentee--without valid excuse--
became liable to fines or other penalties. In 1552 it was enacted
by 5 & 6 Edward 6, c. 1., that if anyone without lawful or
reasonable excuse absented himself from public worship ( i.e., at
the Parish Church) he became liable "on pain of punishment by the
censures of the Church." This Act--though now obsolete -- is still
on the Statute Book, but was repealed --about 1846--as regards
'Dissenters.'

PRICHARD'S 'MASONRY DISSECTED' [1730]

It is also obvious that the authority of the Grand Lodge of 1717
was not recognized universally. Certain old Lodges retained a
position of independence and refused to accept what they considered
was a new Constitution--keeping to certain ancient customs peculiar
to themselves--and certain societies also arose professing to be
Masons, but often merely using the name of the Craft as a cloak for
political or even less worthy purposes. Enemies were also at work,
various exposures of the Ritual being printed, purporting to tell
the outside world the real secrets of the Craft--the most important
being Masonry Dissected, written by one Samuel Prichard, described
as "late member of a Constituted Lodge," which first appeared in
1730.

At length in the same year [viz., 1730], in order to meet these
various difficulties and with a laudable desire to prevent 'cowans'
and 'impostors' being 'Made Masons,' the Grand Lodge of 1717
allowed--or perhaps even advised--the Lodges under its jurisdiction
to make certain variations in the Ritual. The following extracts
from the Grand Lodge minutes of 1730 and 1739 refer to this
matter:--

1730, Aug. 28. Dr. Desaguliers "recommended several things to the
consideration of the Grand Lodge" . . . "for preventing any false
Brethren being admitted into regular Lodges and such as call
themselves Honorary Masons." "The D.G.M. Nathaniel Blakerby
proposed several Rules to the Grand Lodge to be observed in their
respective Lodges for their Security against all open and Secret
Enemies to the Craft."

1730, Dec. 15. In order "to prevent the Lodges being imposed upon
by false Brethren or Impostors," a member had to vouch for a
visiting Brother "and the Member's name had to be entered against
the Visitor's name in the Lodge Book."

1739, June 30. "The Complaint referred to by the last Committee of
Charity concerning the irregular making of Masons was taken into
Consideration."

1739, Dec. 12. "Ordered that the Laws be strictly put in Execution
against all such Brethren as shall for the future countenance,
connive or assist at any such irregular Makings."

It is generally believed that the principal changes effected by the
Moderns were that they:--

1 Transposed the Word s in the first and second Degrees. 
2 Gave up the use of Deacons, or at any rate did not appoint them.
3 Omitted the Ceremony of Installation; (and later on)
4 Did not officially perform or even recognise the rite of Holy
Royal Arch--said to be the completion or perfection of the third
Degree.
5 Possibly also changed the steps, and generally curtailed the
Ceremonies, relying chiefly on teaching the tenets of the Craft by
means of Masonic Lectures, at least in certain old Modern Lodges
the latter were always the chief and most essential feature of the
work.


Unfortunately hostility soon arose between the Moderns and the
Antients and increased as time went on, and for about seventy years
they opposed each other bitterly. The dissenting and dissatisfied
Lodges-- which according to Sadler gradually became known as Irish.
Lodges--insisted on retaining the established Ritual in all its
details and soon began openly to state that those who had thus
varied the ancient forms and ceremonies were scarcely worthy to be
regarded as Masons. and so they dubbed them Modern Masons and
claimed for themselves the title of Antient Masons, meaning thereby
that they--and they alone--practiced Masonry according to the
proper rites.

MODERNS AND ANTIENTS RE-MADE

To such an extent did this spirit prevail that if a Modern desired
to visit an Antient Lodge, he had first to be Re-Made so as to
become an Antient; similarly the Moderns were quite as strict on
their part and would not allow an Antient to visit their Lodge
unless he were first Re-Made so as to become a Modern.

Now, although the motive of the Moderns in thus varying the Ritual
was perfectly honest and sincere-- their desire merely being to
prevent irregular Masons being made--yet in time they saw the error
of their ways and practically admitted that their rivals--the
Antients--had acted more wisely in retaining the Ritual in its
fuller and original form.

REVERSION TO THE ANCIENT LAND MARKS [1809]

This is made clear from the fact that in 1809 the Grand Lodge of
the Moderns officially passed the following resolution, viz.:--

"That the Grand Lodge do agree in opinion with the Committee of
Charity that it is not necessary any longer to continue in force
those Measures which were resorted to in or about the year 1739
respecting Irregular Masons, and therefore enjoin the Several
Lodges to Revert to the Ancient Land Marks of the Society." (1)

This clear and important admission on the part of the Moderns that
they had omitted to practice certain of the 'Land Marks' was the
first serious step taken towards reconciliation. The next naturally
was to try and discover what the true 'Land Marks' were and for
this purpose a Lodge was formed for the express purpose of
"Ascertaining and Promulgating the Ancient Land Marks of the
Society," which became known a "The Lodge of Promulgation"
[1809-11]. The result of their labors proving quite satisfactory,
the Lodge of Reconciliation was then formed in 1813 which
definitely agreed in 1816 upon a Ritual satisfactory to both sides.

THE "UNITED GRAND LODGE" [ 1813]

All difficulties being now removed, after much discussion and
certain mutual concessions--of which it is only fair to state that
the most important were mad by the Moderns--a "Glorious Union" of
these two sections of the Craft was effected, and on the 27th
December, 1813, both Moderns and Antients ceased to exit and there
arose instead The United Grand Lodge of Antient Freemasons of
England, the Duke of Sussex being elected and enthroned as the
first Grand Master. (2)

After this somewhat rambling--and admitted quite incomplete--
version of the origin of the Modern and Antients, let us turn our
attention to the real purpose of this paper, viz.:--to discuss and
inquire into the reasons why the Antients so persistently and
continuously--from 1764 to say 1809-- vilified an ridiculed the
ceremonies and ritual of the Craft a practised by their opponents.

THE MODERNS

In the 2nd Edition (published in 1764) of Ahiman Rezon--which was
the official text book of the Antient for half a century,--Bro.
Laurence Dermott, the Grand Secretary of that section of the Craft,
indulged in some rather severe criticisms when discussing certain
items of the Ritual as practiced by the Moderns, and by way of an
awful example (to prove some of his stories) actually singled out
and especially referred to--though not by name--my own Mother
Lodge, the Dunde Lodge, No. 9, at Wapping, London, E., now known as
the Old Dundee Lodge, No. 18. It perhaps, therefor is not very 
unreasonable that the present writer--who has for over thirty years
been a member of that Lodge, and is now its second oldest Past
Master--should endeavor in a very humble way to investigate such
allegations and put in some sort of defense to Dermott's charges,
although as these were made 160 years ago, he fully realizes that
the case is quite statute barred and the matter now but ancient
history. This article is, however, written in the hope that other
members of the Craft may derive some useful information on these
interesting subjects that were evidently often discussed in the
Society of the Antients. We shall commence by first making a few
enquiries as to the author of these stories.

LAURENCE DERMOTT [1720--1791]

Dermott was an Irishman, born in 1720; he was made a Mason in
Ireland in 1740 and working his way through the various offices was
installed as W. M. of Lodge No. 26, in Dublin on 24th June, 1746.
Leaving Ireland he came to London about 1747 and for some time was
a comparatively poor man, for he told his own Grand Lodge on the
13th July, 1753, that "he was obliged to work 12 hours in the day
for the Master Painter who employed him," and that therefore he
would have no leisure time for the future in which to deliver the
Summonses which up to that date had been his practice. His
occupation of a Journeyman Painter betokens a very moderate income,
but later on we learn that he improved in social status and carried
on the business of a Wine Merchant at King Street, Tower Hill,
London, E. He was a man of fairly good education, and his firm and
distinctive signature reveals to some extent the bold and
determined character which he undoubtedly possessed. He informs us
that originally he joined a Modern Lodge in London [in 1748 --
unfortunately up to now its identity is unknown,-- but he soon
threw in his lot (heart and soul) with the Antients and became
their chief protagonist and sponsor for over thirty years. In 1752
he was appointed Grand Secretary of that body and retained that
exalted position until his resignation in 1770,--in the next year
[1771] he was elevated to the rank of Deputy Grand Master, acting
in that capacity until 1787 when increasing ill health caused his
retirement; a few years later, viz., in June, 1791, he passed to
the Grand Lodge above, having devoted forty-seven years of a very
active life to the services of the Craft for which he always had a
great affection and regard.

His life in London was almost entirely spent in the Eastern portion
of the great metropolis, for he reside for some years in King
Street, Tower Hill, E., and his will dated 5th June, 1770,
commences thus "In the name of God, Amen. I, Laurence Dermott of
the Parish of Saint Botolph, Aldgate in the County of Middlesex,
Wine Merchant, etc., etc."; he later on removed to Mile End with
his wife where he remained until his death in 1791. (3)

HIS ACQUAINTANCE WITH WAPPING

Dermott's residence in the East End of London would make him very
familiar with the locality of Wapping--then the busy and active
Port of London--where the Dundee Lodge had met from 1739.

This Lodge--one of the oldest Modern Lodges in the world, having
been Constituted 1722-23--was allotted in 1753, the Number 9 on the
Register of the Grand Lodge of England, which number it held right
up to the Union in 1813, when in compliance with the compromise
then arrived at with the Antients it had to surrender its old
number and from 1814 became No. 18 which distinction it still holds
in 1924.

( To be continued )

NOTES

(1) The Committee of Charity fulfilled in those days the duties of
the present Board of General Purposes of the United Grand Lodge of
England.
(2) This present article is written from the point of view of the
Moderns, but it is only right to at once make the fullest admission
as to the great debt the Moderns owe to the Antients for preserving
intact--against great opposition--much of the old (and perhaps
original) working of the Masonic degree which otherwise might have
been entirely lost.
(3) This information has been chiefly derived from an excellent
pamphlet entitled Notes on Laurence Dermott, G.S., and His Work,
written in 1884 by the late Bro. W. M. Bywater, who with Bro. Henry
Sadler are the chief exponents of Bro. Dermott's Masonic career.

Do you ask what building this

That can show both pain and bliss,
That can be both dark and fair?
Lo, its name is character.

