happiness in a future state. The many dignified names" which grace our annals, sufficiently prove that our instition is of the most social and beneficial tendency. No age has exceeded the present in the extent of its illustrious patrons, who dare not stoop to sanction vice, or lend their influence to the promulgation of fraud and deception. The Royal Brothers, united in our behalf, afford • The following chronological list of Grand Masters and Patrons, from the time of the Anglo-Saxons, will be a decisive testimony that the Order contains nothing repugnant to civil or religious liberty: A.D. 597 Austin the Monk. 680 Bennet, Abbot of Wirral. 856 St. Swithin. 872 King Alfred. 900 Ethred, Prince of Mercia. 928 Athelstane. 957 Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury. 1041 Edward the Confessor. 1066 Gondulph, Bishop of Rochester. 1100 Henry I. 1135 Gilbert de Clare, Marquis of Pembroke. 1155 The Grand Master of the Templars. 1199 Peter de Colechurch. 1216 Peter de Rupibus, Bishop of Winchester 1272 Walter Giffard, Archbishop of York. 1307 Walter Stapleton, Bishop of Exeter. 1327 Edward III. 1357 William à Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester. 1375 Simon Langham, Abbot of Westminster. 1377 William à Wykeham, again. 1400 Thomas Fitz Allen, Earl of Surrey. 1413 Henry Chichely, Archbishop of Canterbury. 1443 William Waynfleet, Bishop of Winchester. 1471 Richard Beauchamp, Bishop of Salisbury. : 1500 The Grand Master of the order of St. John. Henry VII., Patron. 1502 Henry VII. 1515 Cardinal Wolsey. 1530 Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex. an irresistible evidence that we are not guilty of disloyalty or treason; and the universal diffusion of Masonry at this day proclaims to the rest of mankind, that its pedestal is Religion; its shaft, Morality; and its capital, Virtue; the whole surmounted by a beautiful entablature of universal Charity; that it strongly incites us to "honour all men, to love the brotherhood, to fear God, and to honour the king." 1543 John Touchett, Lord Audley. 1549 Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset. 1552 John Poynet, Bishop of Winchester. 1560 Sir Thomas Sackville. 1567 Sir Thomas Gresham, in the South. 1567 Francis Russell, Earl of Bedford, in the North 1580 Charles Howard, Earl of Effingham. 1588 George Hastings, Earl of Huntingdon. 1603 King James I., Patron. Inigo Jones, Grand Master. 1618 William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke. 1625 King Charles I. 1630 Henry Danvers, Earl of Danby. 1633 Thomas Howard, Earl of Arundel. 1635 Francis Russell, Earl of Bedford. 1636 Inigo Jones, again. 1643 Henry Jermyn, Earl of St. Albans. 1666 Thomas Savage, Earl of Rivers. 1674 George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham. 1679 Henry Bennett, Earl of Arlington. 1685 Sir Christopher Wren. 1698 Charles Lenox, Duke of Richmond. Sir Christopher Wren, again. 1717 Anthony Sayer, Esq. 1718 George Payne, Esq. 1719 Dr. Desaguliers. 1720 George Payne, Esq., again. 1721 John, Duke of Montagu. 1722 Philip, Duke of Wharton. 1723 The Duke of Buccleugh. 1724 The Duke of Richmond. Such a system, which occupies a situation at least equally elevated with any human institution, is calculated to expand our benevolence, to extinguish animosities, and to destroy all unimportant differences amongst mankind. This, indeed, is the true cement and intention of Masonry, which embraces all the graces and perfections of holiness; unites mankind in the strictest bonds of amity, as children of a common parent; and incessantly urges them to ask, that they may have; to seek and they 1725 The Earl of Abercorn. 1726 William O'Brian, Earl of Inchiquin. 1727 Lord Coleraine. 1728 Lord Kingston. 1729 Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk. 1731 Lord Lovel. 1732 Anthony Brown, Viscount Montacute. 1733 The Earl of Strathmore. 1734 The Earl of Crawford. 1735 Thomas Thynne, Viscount Weymouth. 1736 John Cambell, Earl of Loudon. 1738 H. Brydges, Marquis of Carnarvon. 1739 Lord Raymond. 1740 The Earl of Kinton. 1741 The Earl of Morton. 1742 John Ward, Lord Dudley and Ward. 1745 James, Lord Cranstown. 1747 Lord Byron. 1752 John, Lord Carysfort. 1754 Marquis of Carnarvon, again. 1757 Sholto, Lord Aberdour. 1762 Washington Shirley, Earl Ferrers. 1764 Lord Blaney. 1767 Henry, Duke of Beaufort. 1772 Robert Edward, Lord Petre. 1777 George, Duke of Manchester. 1782 H.R.H. Frederick, Duke of Cumberland. 1790 H.R.H. George, Prince of Wales. 1813 H.R.H. Augustus Frederic, Duke of Sussex, at the Union. 1843 The Earl of Zetland, Acting. shall find; and to knock that the door may be opened unto them. And this is the conclusion that Masonry draws from all her illustrations: he who practises all the virtues thus recommended in FAITH, will rejoice in HOPE, be in perfect CHARITY with all mankind, and finally receive a PASS-WORD into the Grand Lodge above, where peace, order, and harmony eternally preside. |