"Its characters may be dimmed with time, but it shines brightly with Masonc lustre" Lodge Craigends' charter was granted by the Grand Lodge of Scotland on 7th May 1908. The charter is the Lodge's most prized possession. Without it, we could not operate as a going concern, and the Lodge would have to close. Because of this, it is on display to the brethren at every meeting. However, even though it is on display, very few brethren ever take the opportunity to peruse its contents. For this reason, the contents of the charter have been transcribed below: The Grand Lodge of Scotland To all and sundry to whose knowledge these presents shall come Greeting in God Everlasting. Whereas upon the 7th day of May One Thousand Nine Hundred and Eight years, a petition was presented to the Grand Lodge of Scotland in name of John Gilmartin, John Lochhead, John Stewart, James Mayneilly, William Stark, Wm Smith Allan, John Malcolm, William Steel, Peter Horsburgh, Archibald Aitken, James Houston, John McAndrew, John Ross, Robert Thomson, Thomas Murray, James Wilson, Thomas Storie, Alexander Murdoch, Thomas Smith, David Wyllie, James Elliot, George Blaikie, Alan Brydson, Thomas Patterson, Albert Hogg, John Leitch, John C Cunninghame, Louis G Pearson, George Jackman, Henry Dickson, William Pearston, Michael Symington, John K Cowan, David Laughland, Colin Wilson and others praying the said Grand Lodge to grant a Charter of Constitution and Erection in the usual form for holding a Lodge under the name and title of "Craigends", Linwood, Renfrewshire East and proposing the persons aftermentioned to be the first Office Bearers thereof, Viz, John Gilmartin, R W Master, John Lochhead, W Depute Master, John Stewart, W Substitute Master, James Mayneilly, W Senior Warden, William Stark, W Junior Warden, Wm Smith Allan, Secretary, John Malcolm, Treasurer, William Steel, Senior Deacon, Peter Horsburgh, Junior Deacon, Archibald Aitken, Inner Guard, James Houston, Tyler. Which petition with the requisite certificates therewith produced having been duly considered in Grand Lodge assembled they were pleased to ordain a Charter to be issued in the terms underwritten. Know ye therefore that the Most Worshipful The Grand Master Mason of Scotland and the Grand Lodge thereof have constituted, erected and appointed, likeas they hereby constitute, erect and appoint the Master, Wardens and Brethren above named to be now & in all time coming a true and regular Lodge of free and accepted Masons under the name and title of "Craigends", Linwood, Renfrewshire East, and appoint and ordain all regular Lodges to hold and respect them as such. Giving, granting and committing to them and those to be afterwards admitted members of the said Lodge full power and authority to meet, assemble and convene as a regular Lodge, and to enter Apprentices, pass Fellow Crafts and raise Master Masons upon payment of such compositions for the support of their Lodge , as they shall see convenient, but which compositions at their initiation shall not be under the sum of Three Pounds Three Shillings Stg; and with power also annually to elect and choose Masters, Wardens and other Office Bearers, recommending to the brethren of the said Lodge to reverence and obey their superiors in all things lawful, and honest; as becometh the honor and harmony of Masonry; And the said brethren becoming bound, on no account to desert their own Lodge, nor upon any pretext whatsoever to make any seperate or Schismatiacal meetings , independent of the Master and Wardens, for the time; nor to introduce any other orders of Masonry than those sanctioned by the Grand Lodge; nor to collect funds seperate from the common stock of their Lodge, to the prejudice of the poor thereof; and declaring that the said Lodge and whole constituent members thereof now and in all time coming shall, by accepting this present CHARTER, be bound in faithful allegience to the said Grand Lodge as HEAD of the Masonic Body in Scotland and shall be obliged to obey and pay due regard to all Acts, Statutes and Regulations of the said Grand Lodge, already made and entered or hereinafter to be made and entered, for the utility, welfare and prosperity of Masonry; And generally to pay and perform whatever is required from them, for the support and dignity of the Grand Lodge; and particularly to account and pay into the funds of Grand Lodge, at least the sum of Eleven Shillings and Six Pence Sterling for each member initiated in their Lodge from and after the date hereof; which sums they shall cause to be annually remitted to the Grand Secretary at Edinburgh, and at the same time transmit to him a list of the names of the members initiated, in order that the same may be recorded in the Books of the Grand Lodge; and the brethren of said Lodge shall be bound to record in the books of their Lodge (which books they are hereby authorised and enjoyned to keep, this present CHARTER their own regulations and bye-laws and minutes of their whole procedure from time to time, so that the same may be better known and more easily observed by the brethren. Subject always nevertheless to the review and control of the Grand Lodge; and the said brethren are hereby required to attend the whole general meetings and Quarterly Communications of the Grand Lodge by their representatives being their Masters and Wardens for the time, or by lawful proxies, in their names (provided such proxies be Master Masons of some established Lodge holding of the Grand Lodge) so that they, by their said representatives, may act and vote in the Grand lodge and be duly certiorated of the proceedings thereof; Declaring the said Lodge's precedency in the Grand Lodge to be from the date hereof; and for the more effectual preservation of these presents, the same are hereby appointed to be recorded in the books of the Grand Lodge. Given at The Grand Lodge of Scotland held in Freemasons Hall in the City of Edinburgh the Seventh day of May in the year of Our Lord, One Thousand Nine Hundred and Eight, and of Light, Five Thousand Nine Hundred and Twelve, by: Sir Thomas David Gibson Carmichael of Skirling Baronet - Most Worshipful Grand Master Mason of Scotland, |