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AYM + MM = AFM
- By Rodney S. Swinson, Past District Deputy Grand
Master
The following article was edited from the 1994 Edition of
Transactions published by The South Carolina Masonic Research
Society.
Our Grand Lodge, as we have it today, came from the merger of
two old Grand Lodges. In the early seventeen hundreds,
Freemasonry had fallen into neglect in England. At this low ebb,
a split developed and battle lines drawn between "Moderns" and
the "Ancients." The Ancients charged the Moderns with "defection
from the ancient landmarks."
The Free and Accepted Masons of South Carolina had been a
Provincial Grand Lodge under the Grand Lodge of England, the
Moderns. In 1777, they became independent by resolution throwing
off any provincial or subordinate character to the Grand Lodge
of England. The Athol Grand Lodge, or as it was sometimes
called, the Grand Lodge of Ancient Masons, chartered lodges in
Pennsylvania, which in turn, as a Grand Lodge, chartered lodges
of Ancient York Masons in South Carolina. In 1787, five lodges
chartered by other Grand Lodge of Ancient York Masons, united in
forming the South Carolina Grand Lodge of Ancient York Masons.
Beginning with only five lodges, four years later the York Grand
Lodge had thirty-five lodges while the Free and Accepted Masons,
after fifty-five years of existence had accomplished only
one-third of that amount of work.
From this time two independent Grand Lodges existed within the
state. Both bodies met regularly, granted warrants for new
lodges and conducted the normal business. However, there was no
fraternal communication or visiting between them.
As early as 1807, steps were taken to inaugurate a union of the
two Grand Lodges. On December 17, 1808, the two Grand Lodges met
in their respective chambers for the purpose of making the
preliminary arrangements for a final union. The newly elected
officers were installed on December 31, 1808 and the newly
united Grand Lodge began its legal Masonic Existence with the
commencement of the year 1809.
No sooner had the union been completed, then St. John's Lodge
No. 31, held a meeting condemning the Ancient York Masons who
entered the union and then began the steps necessary for the
revival of the Old Grand Lodge of Ancient York Masons.
Accordingly, on January 7, 1809, a letter was addressed to the
Lodges formerly under the jurisdiction of the Ancient York Grand
Lodge. The letter expressed in detail their position against the
action of the York Grand Lodge in the union and asked that the
other lodges unite with them in their effort, quote, "to hold
our integrity as Ancient York Masons." Favorable replies were
received and a number of lodges joined under the leadership of
St. John's Lodge No. 31. In a move against the seceding lodges
the new Grand Lodge adopted a resolution by which such members
of the subordinate lodges as should refuse to take or affirm to
the oath of secrecy when required to do so the Worshipful
Master, were to be prohibited from visiting or sitting any lodge
under its jurisdiction until they should have taken the same.
As a final act, the Grand Lodge of South
Carolina passed stringent resolutions declaring every warrant or
constitution for holding a lodge for making Free Masons in this
state, not issued by them was null and void and that all persons
raised by these lodges were clandestine Masons. A part of that
resolution was as follows, "That the lodge in this city, calling
itself St. John’s Lodge No. 31, Ancient York Masons, acting
under a warrant of constitution which is null and void, be, and
the same is hereby, declared to be a clandestine lodge and the
members thereof be expelled from the true craft." The decree of
expulsion by the South Carolina Grand Lodge placed the rebelling
Masons in a position where they were compelled to either
surrender their warrants, acknowledge themselves clandestine,
organize a new or revive the old Grand Lodge of Ancient York
Masons. They determined to adopt the last course. Accordingly,
at the invitation of St. John’s Lodge No. 31, sixteen lodges met
in Columbia on May 1, 1809, to reconvene and perpetuate the
Grand Lodge of South Carolina Ancient York Masons.
Thus, after only four months, discord was lifting its head and
two Grand Lodges were again dividing the Masonic jurisdiction in
South Carolina. The Grand Lodge of South Carolina consisted of
all the lodges of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons
and the few York Lodges that agreed to the union. The Grand
Lodge of Ancient York Masons consisted of all the York Lodges
that did not submit to the new Grand Lodge. Apart from the
Seventh Article of union which caused the greatest breach in the
joining of the Grand Lodges, the recommendation of the first
articles were not complete at this time.
As by the petition of
the new Grand Lodge the Senate passed an act repealing the acts
of incorporation of the two Grand Lodges and in lieu thereof
incorporating the new single Grand Lodge. The House of
Representatives did not act on the measure due to the strong
resistance of several York Masons who were then members of the
House. Even without the act of incorporation, the Grand Lodge
was organized and began its attempt at complete Masonic
Jurisdiction within the state. In the revival of the Grand Lodge
of Ancient York Masons, strength was added with the rulings of
the Honorable Henry DeSaussure, Judge of the Court of Equity for
South Carolina. As a result of a case to recover monies thought
due the Grand Lodge of South Carolina, Judge DeSaussure ruled
against them saying that the subordinate lodges were not given
sufficient notice on such an important question nor did they
have proper representation. He also ruled that action of the
officers and members of the York Grand Lodge in joining with the
Free and Accepted Masons was only an act of resignation and that
the objecting lodges were within their rights to re-establish
the grand lodge in all legal rights of the incorporation.
Article 1 of the union of the Grand Lodges was completed on
December 20, 1814 when the new Grand Lodge of South Carolina was
granted a charter of incorporation. The act was granted over the
strong objections of the legislators who were members of the
rival Ancient York Grand Lodge. Even though the union of 1808
was short lived, it can be said that good came of it. Of the
committee to instruct and direct the lodges in a uniform system
of work and initiation, three of them including the chairman, a
Past Grand Master, were all of the Ancient York Masons. This
insured the adoption of the Ancient York Mode of Work. Also
Anderson's "Constitutions" which had been the authoritative code
of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons was abandoned and
the new Grand Lodge made use of Daicho's "Ahiman Rezon". This
was in many portions a compilation from the Dermott Ahiman Rezon
which was the book of Constitutions used by the Ancient York
Masons. These two acts by the Grand Lodge of South Carolina made
any future effort of a union an easier task for both Grand
Lodges were now using the same mode of work and under the same
system of Masonic jurisprudence and discipline.
In 1816, efforts
were renewed for a restoration of harmony and reestablishment of
the union. There was no Grand Lodge of Modems. It was true that
two Grand Lodges were in existence but for reasons as stated
above, they could be considered as having emanated from the old
York Masons. In this, one of the major stumbling blocks barring
a new union was removed. All Masons in South Carolina were now
working from the same trestle board, all were governed by the
same Book of Constitutions. Again, each of the Grand Lodges
appointed a committee and the two committees were charged "to
meet together in free and brotherly conference on the subject of
a union so mutually desirable." We are told that each member
brought to the deliberations, a true Masonic spirit, and a
reciprocal desire to bring about an event so pleasing to the
heart of all good Masons". The committee found no difficulty to
be reconciled with regards to work. Encouragement was received
in securing the union from the inequity in the two bodies.
At
the time of union the York Grand Lodge numbered thirty-five
lodges, while the South Carolina Grand Lodge numbered only
fifteen. It was as the larger and stronger rival receiving the
advances for reconciliation of a weaker opponent. The
deliberations of the committee terminated January 11, 1817, in a
joint report of articles of union to be used as the basis of all
subsequent proceedings. The report recommended to their
respective Grand Lodges, the adoption of the following
convention as a basis and plan for a perfect union of the Grand
Lodges into one Grand Lodge to be called, ‘The Grand Lodge of
Ancient Free Masons of South Carolina’ to be forever deemed,
held and taken as the true and only lawful Grand Lodge of Free
Masons in South Carolina, and to obtain the true and supreme
Masonic authority thereof.
As the 4th Article Provided, the
Grand Lodges were called into special communication on the
evening of May 30, 1817. Following the requirements as outlined
in the article, the joint committee reported quote, "That from
the reciprocal examinations by several committees already had in
Grand Lodge, it doth appear that their exists no difference in
the mode of entering, passing and raising, instructing,
obligating and clothing brothers, in the respective Grand
Lodges. Following the agreeing report, the question was put in
each Grand Lodge and they unanimously accepted and confirmed the
articles of union in both bodies. The subordinate lodges were
given notice of the proceedings and the joint committee reported
that under the jurisdiction of the Ancient York Grand Lodge,
twenty-five of the thirty-five lodges had ratified the articles.
Also, it was reported that fourteen of the fifteen under the
South Carolina Grand Lodge had ratified the articles.
Upon
notice of the ratification the Grand Lodge assembled in joint
communication December 26, 1817, with Thomas W. Bacot presiding
as Grand Master, whereupon he made the following declaration in
a loud voice: "I do now solemnly declare and pronounce in the
name of the Grand Architect of the Universe, and the Most
Worshipful Grand Lodge assembled in joint meeting in virtue of
the 6th Article of the Convention, just ratified by the two late
Grand Lodges, that the union of said Grand Lodges to wit: ‘The
Grand Lodge of South Carolina Ancient York Masons’ and ‘The
Grand Lodge of South Carolina’, is complete and that the new
‘Grand Lodge of Ancient Free Masons of South Carolina’ is now
ready to proceed to ballot for its officers."
Following the
declaration, the Grand Lodge, thus united, elected officers with
Thomas W. Bacot as Most Worshipful Grand Master. The next day
was the Festival of St. John the Evangelist, and as viewed by
Brother Mackey, "must have been a day celebrated with peculiar
emotions of pleasure for it was the first time since 1787 that a
single altar had been built in the state for the common oblation
of an undivided craft." On this day, December 27, 1817, the
Grand Lodge assembled with representatives of twenty-six
subordinate lodges for the installation of officers, whereupon,
Most Worshipful Brother Thomas W. Bacot was installed as the
first Grand Master of the New Grand Lodge of Ancient Free Masons
of South Carolina.
Following a religious service conducted by
Dr. Dalcho, the Grand Chaplain, Most Worshipful Brother Bacot
addressed the craft calling forth the unusual events which
constitute such a great part of the history of our great
fraternity. The Grand Lodge of Ancient Free Masons of South
Carolina was then closed in ample form.
Copyright © 2002 by
South Carolina Masonic
Research Society. All rights are reserved. No part of this
article may be reproduced without the express written consent of
the South Carolina Masonic Research Society. The opinions
expressed herein represent those of the authors and do not
necessarily reflect those of SCMRS or the Grand Lodge of Ancient
Free Masons of South Carolina. |
Historical Page, Grand Lodge of Ancient Free Masons of South Carolina
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