Brethren:
This talk will be on the early History of Masonry in Canada. This will be the first of a series of three talks that will be available to the Lodges of the District concerning our Canadian History.
I will cover the time period from the late 1700's up to the union of the two Grand Lodges in the Province of Ontario. The second talk which will be available to your lodge, is from the time of the Union of Grand Lodges to the 1950's and the final talk takes us up to the Modern era.
The information for this talk is taken mainly from these sources which are --Mackeys's Revised History of Masonry by Robert Ingham Clegg-- and A History of Grand Lodge by Walter S. Herrington and Roy S. Foley, Beyond The Pillars by the Special Committee on Publications from the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario.
Let me begin by giving you a definition of the word "History". A wise man once said that history could be described in the following way.
It is like a child's box of letters, with which you can spell any word you please. You have only have to pick out the letters you want, arrange them as you like, and say nothing about those which do not suit your purpose.
With this in mind let me begin our trip by reviewing certain facts.
Today we are all familiar with Districts, but the Grand Lodge of England in the 1700's called these divisions Provincial Grand Lodges. The Grand Lodge of England appointed Provincial Grand Masters. The Provincial Grand Lodges had no permanent status but existed only by virtue of the authority of their Provincial Grand Master, his authority was granted to him as an individual, by the Grand Master of England. He continued to hold this office at the pleasure of the Grand Master, but normally it was for life. Hence a Provincial Grand Lodge last until the death of its Provincial Grand Master.
Our story begins over 200 yrs ago in the late part of the 1700's with the soldiers who brought from England the Masonic tradition using travelling warrants. Early minute books show, Lodge # 156 of the Eighth Regiment of Foot held meetings at Fort Niagara around 1775. Ten Lodges worked in "Upper Canada" during this period, some with charters from England and others with Charters from the Provincial Grand Lodge at Quebec. Some of these Lodges were St James of the King's Rangers #14 at Cataraqui (Kingston). St John's #15 at Michilimkinac Michigan then part of Upper Canada, also Oswegatchen Lodge in at Elizabethtown now know as Brockville. You start now to get a sense that we here in Eastern Ontario have a long tradition concerning Masonry.
The first Provincial Grand lodge in Upper Canada was chartered by the Grand Lodge of England in March of 1792. William Jarvis was appointed Substitute Provincial Grand Master of Masons in the Province of Ontario West, and it was located at Fort Niagara. It should be noted that William Jarvis was also Provincial Secretary to Govenor Simcoe of Upper Canada. Unfortunately history does not speak well of R.W. Bro Jarvis, as he did not appear to take much interest in the Order. He continued his position until his death in 1817, when the five original Lodges had increased to 26 on warrants issued by him.
During Jarvis time they moved the Capital of the Upper Canada from Niagara to York (Toronto) and of course Jarvis moved too. Niagara area Lodges asked that Grand Lodge assemble there, but Jarvis refused and so in 1803 the Brethren in the Niagara area met and elected a Grand Master for their own Provincial Grand Lodge and now trouble and friction ensued.
Meanwhile, masonry in Upper Canada was slowly disappearing due to lack of an well-organized Provincial Grand Lodge which rarely met. The Brethren from Addington Lodge in Bath which is just down the road from here called for re-organization and Brother Ziba Phillips(one of the Phillips clan) a Brockville Physician (self -taught) responded to the call. A Grand Convention was held in Kingston in 1817 and representatives of eleven Lodges were present, this was all Lodges in Upper Canada except those in the Niagara District. Roderick McKay (doesn't that name sound familiar) was nominated Grand Master. A respectful petition was sent to the Grand Lodge of England asking for his recognition as Grand Master. For five years the Grand lodge met and sent a similar petition to England and for five years there was no answer.
During this period it succeeded in holding the Craft together in the face of many difficulties which we today would be consider insurmountable. Seven warrants for Lodges were issued, however they continued to wait and wait and wait for a answer to the petition to reconised McKay as Grand Master. Finally in 1822 the Grand Lodge of England in their wisdom appointed Simon McGillivray Provincial Grand Master and not McKay who was Upper Canada's Choice..
The Second Provincial Grand Lodge was formed and met in York in the summer of 1822. However Simon McGillivrary's business interest kept him out of Canada.He relied on his Deputies to run Grand Lodge. History records that they did not rise to the occasion. Simon McGillivrary filled the office until his death in 1840, and during his term he gave dispensation to 20 more Lodges. Through out this period there was a further decline in Masonic activities in the Province. Part of this decline no doubt is related to the Morgan Incident.
Quickly lets review what we are told by Walter Herrington in his book on Grand Lodge about Morgan, William Morgan was born in Virginian in 1774. He was an operative stonemason, neglectful of his family, and from all reports a scoundrel. He appears in Toronto about 1820 working his trade. No evidence is found that he was ever admitted to any Lodge in Canada. However he is able to gain admission to a Lodge in Batavia NewYork, by saying he joined Masonry in Canada. He tries to become a Charter Member of the Royal Arch Masons in Batavia.
Due to some moral issues, his name was withdrawn from the Original Charter and he becomes incensed that it was omitted. He then writes an expose on the Ritual of Masonry. Brethren much has been written about our Ritual over the years. Today it is available at the local Library however, in the 1800's little was known about the ritual of a Masonic Lodge and Morgan's writings were considered a terrible act by many Mason's.
Morgan's body was found in the Niagara River and his manner of death brought Freemasonry into disrepute. The craft was officially not implicated in his death however one can not lose sight of how important this event was on our lack of growth during the early part of the 1800's. It also dampened the hard work of the Second Provincial Grand Lodge to get Masonry on firm ground. In 1842 with Masonry now at its lowest in over a century and the Second Provincial Grand Lodge was almost non-existent. Our friend R. W. Bro Ziba Phillips of Brockville by virtue of his rank as Past Deputy Provincial Grand Master calls a meeting in Kingston 1842 for the necessity of forming a permanent Provincial Grand Lodge in Upper Canada.
Four Lodges responded, while the brethren west of Kingston totally ignore the invitation. As a result of this meeting a petition was forwarded to the Grand Master in England petitioning that a Provincial Grand Master be appointed. Guess what, nothing was heard from the Grand Lodge of England. Undeterred by the lack of a reply R.W.Bro Phillips tried again in Smith's Falls in 1843. This time eight Lodges attended and took prompt action and formed the Grand Lodge of FreeMasons Canada West and elected Phillips as Grand Master.
The new group warranted Lodges and held regular communications until 1854. At the same time the Masons in the Toronto area were also trying to reform Provincial Grand Lodge. St Andrews's Lodge in Toronto made an appeal to revive the Provincial Grand Lodge. They wanted W. Bro Ridout of their Lodge to be Grand Master. However another Mason of the same Lodge, already had that appointment and had let no one know about it for six months.
That Mason was Sir Allan McNab a member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada. While travelling in Scotland in the fall of 1842 he was given a warrant to make him Provincial Grand Master for those lodges working in Upper Canada under Scottish Warrants. It was an empty honor however since there were no Lodges at that time working under the Scottish Warrants. Two years later while travelling in England he laid out a plan before the Grand Lodge of England how Masonry could be rescued from its chaotic situation in Canada. Such a good report was given, that a warrant as District Grand Master for England of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Canada West was granted. (Try that for a toast). In true Masonic tradition compromise prevailed and Sir Alan was made Provincial Grand Master and Bro. Ridout was named Deputy. Thus the Third Provincial Grand Lodge of Canada West was formed.
Now Brethren the feeling of home rule and self-governing was very evident outside the door of the Lodge and it started to show inside the Lodges. In 1845 the Third Provincial Grand Lodge met with 27 delegates from seven different Lodges. At that meeting a Mason by the name of William Mercier Wilson was appointed Assistant Director of Ceremonies. In less than a decade he would become a hero to Mason's in Canada. In 1852 "a notice of motion", The Third Provincial Grand lodge asked that it be allowed to exercise full control over Masonry in Upper Canada was sent to England. No answer was forth coming from England so again one year later in summer of 1853 and also in 1854 another notice of motion was forwarded for the establishing of an Independent Grand Lodge.
In July of 1855 an effort to submit another notice of motion on independence was ruled out of order by the Deputy Grand Master of the Provincial Grand Lodge. A large number of delegates resented the action of the Deputy Grand Master and after adjournment of the meeting agreeded to meet in 3 months at Hamilton for the consideration of establishing an independent Grand Lodge of Canada. However this left behind Sir Alan McNabb and the Third Provincial Grand Lodge. The famous meeting of October 10 1855 in Hamilton to create the Grand Lodge of Canada saw delegates from 41 lodges from Montreal to Windsor. It was made up of 28 from Canada West and 13 from Canada East.
One should not become confused and think that all Lodges in Upper Canada attended this meeting. There was still the Third Provincial Grand Lodge which clung to its loyalty of the Motherland. There were of course several different views from the delegates who did attend the October meeting in Hamilton. One side supported the tradition and looked to England for support and guidance. The other side advanced the argument that all funds gather here in Canada were being sent to the Motherland, and there was the unpardonable delays in warrants, certificates and correspondence from the Grand Lodge of England.
However benevolence was the main concerns, with money going overseas and many immigrants coming to the new country. There was a need for the money to be kept in Canada for our own use. When the meeting in Hamilton was called to order. A resolution was passed 40 to 1 that an Independent Grand Lodge of Canada be formed. At the election of Officers, William Mercer Wilson was elected Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Canada.
The Hon. H.T. Backus, Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Michigan invested M. W. Bro.William Mercer Wilson in due and ancient form as the First Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Canada.
Let us briefly consider how the Third Provincial Grand Lodge in Ontario viewed this newly formed Masonic body. The Third Provincial Grand Lodge, held its meeting in Toronto within two weeks of the Hamilton meeting. The Third Provincial Grand Lodge misjudged the prevailing need for a independent Grand Lodge in Canada. They informed their members not to attend the new Grand Lodge of Canada on penalty of dismissal until they received instructions from the Grand Lodge of England.
The Third Provincial Grand Lodge would not get instructions from the Grand Lodge of England, in 1855 or 1856. They struggled with trying to stay loyal to the the Grand Lodge of England and the growing sentiment of independence. The Third Provincial Grand Lodge proceeded to reconstitute itself as an independent body,47 lodges surrendered their English warrants and a resolution was passed proclaiming a new name they were called "The ancient Grand Lodge of Canada".
Finally after receiving no instructions and only threats of what would happen if they were to separate, the Third Provincial Grand Lodge or Ancient Grand Lodge of Canada was left with no choice. A special communication was called in January of 1857 by the Third Provincial Grand Lodge or Ancient Grand Lodge of Canada to consider their position and after much discussion it was decided to make advances to the Grand Lodge of Canada to see if union was possible.
M. W. Bro. William Mercier Wilson had followed closely the situation of the Third Provincial Grand Lodge. Just shortly before the Provincial Grand Lodge meeting he wrote to their Grand Secretary and extended the hand of union.. On the 14th of July 1858 after two false starts the two Grand Lodges meet, but only after unbelievable negotiations. The Third Provincial Grand Lodge of Canada West or Ancient Grand Lodge of Canada was by motion, desolved. Sir Alan McNabb led his delegation into the Lodge Room and the Grand Master M. W. Bro. William Mercier Wilson left the dias and met him on the level. Thus union was now complete.. Pause
After nearly one hundred years, Three Provincial Grand Lodges, several different types of Grand Lodges and mixed with the apparent indifference of the Grand Lodges in the Motherlands. The following motion was put forth and passed unanimously. slowly It was moved "that the preamble and resolutions for the union of all the Craft in Canada now submitted be approved, adopted and accepted by this Grand Lodge as the basis upon which that union, so essential to the interest of Masonry in Canada, may be effected"
Finally we were all one, ready to go forwarded to advance the good of the Craft. Now what would the Grand Lodge in England think of what we had done in Canada. Well it took much diplomatic work by our Grand Master William Mercier Wilson but on June 1st 1859 an extraordinary document was signed called the Zetland-Wilson Agreement. The Earl of Zetland of the Grand Lodge of England and M.W. Bro Wilson of the Grand Lodge of Canada negotiated the terms. Much lay ahead for our first Grand Master and not all of it good, but we will leave that for another talk.
We will also address in our next talk why the words Province of Ontario were added to our Grand Lodge salutation. I think you will be surprised to learn the answer, which of course is in the history books 0r maybe you will invite me back for the next talk in this series.
One final thought, did you know that at union, St John's Lodge Carleton Place is listed at # 16 not 63 and Doric in Ottawa is #49 not 58 along with Corinthian North Gower is #50, not 476., the answer is also in the next talk, along with the answer to how many Lodges in Ontario and Quebec have chartered members from Goodwood lodge in Richmond. Brethren, I hope you have found this talk informative and interesting.