District Grand Lodge in North China

Return to Index

Formation of the District Grand Lodge of Scottish Freemasonry in North China

Constituted at Shanghai: 7th January, 1922.

Regular Meetings were held usually in February and March, at the Masonic Hall, Shanghai.

The senior Lodge (No. 428) working in the Far East under the Scottish Constitution was Consecrated in December, 1864. The following four Lodges had been established by 1921:

The Scottish brethren then felt that there should be a District Grand Lodge in North China, and Bro. Brodie A. Clarke was unanimously recommended to Grand Lodge for the office of Right Worshipful District Grand Master. On 28th November, 1921, a meeting of Masters, Past Masters and Wardens of Scottish Lodges in North China was held under the chairmanship of Bro. Brodie A. Clarke (D.G.M. Designate) for the election of District Grand Lodge officers.

A special meeting of the brethren of Lodges Nos. 428, 493, 924 and 936 was held at 5.30 p.m. on Saturday, 7th January, 1922, in the Masonic Hall, 30 The Bund, Shanghai, within Lodge Cosmopolitan, No. 428, for the purpose of inaugurating the District Grand Lodge of Scottish Freemasonry in North China and to install the R.W. District Grand Master.

The Lodge was opened in due form by Bro. M. W. Buck, Acting R.W.M., and raised to the third degree. Bro. C. S. F. Lincoln, D.D.G.M. Mass. Const., and Bro. R. S. Ivy, R.W.D.G.M. English Constitution, were received with their respective officers, after which the Acting R.W.M. requested Bro. R. S. Ivy to take the chair for the purpose of conducting the ceremony. The following officers of the District Grand Lodge, English Constitution, then took their respective places:

Bro. A. M. A. Evans D.S.G.W.
Bro. M. E. H. Wells D.J.G.W.
Bro. W. King D.G. Secretary
Bro. Rev. C. J. F. Symons D.G. Chaplain
Bro. E. T. M. van Bergen D.G.S.D.
Bro. W. A. Argent D.G.J.D.
Bro. C. R Slowe D.G. D. of C.
Bro. C. H. Rutherford D.G. Pursuivant

The ceremony was conducted according to ancient custom, and the following seven Past Masters acted as the deputation to escort the R.W. District Grand Master, Designate:

Bro. John A. Moller P.M. 428
Bro. Charles Amner P.M. 428
Bro. John McPherson P.M. 936
Bro. Charles M. Manners P.M. 428
Bro. Robert D. Neish P.M. 936
Bro. Charles W. Marshall P.M. 498
Bro. William A. B. Gardner P.M. 924

Bro. Brodie Augustus Clarke was duly installed, proclaimed and saluted; he then obligated the officers commissioned and elected, afterwards personally investing Bro. John A. Moller and Bro. Charles Amner as D.G.M. Depute and Substitute D.G.M. respectively.

Upon his installation as District Grand Master, the M.W. Grand Master Mason was pleased to confer upon Bro. Brodie A. Clarke the Honorary Grand Rank of Junior Grand Warden.

A large number of brethren from the English, Irish, Scottish and Massachusetts Constitutions attended the installation, and many messages of congratulation and good wishes were received. A banquet in the Large Hall followed the installation, at which the attendance was large and enthusiastic; during its course a flash-light picture was taken from the organ-loft.

The following were the Founding Members of the District Grand Lodge, arranged in alphabetical order: C. Amner, M. B. Anderson, J. W. Barber, M. W. Buck, K. W. Campbell, Brodie A. Clarke, J. S. Chisholm, V. R. Eckford, W. Gardner, J. S. Hay, A. G. Hearne, E. J. Hudson, J. E. Inch, J. T. Inch, C. Josef sen, E. E. Lever, J. A. MacKenzie, J. McPherson, C. M. Manners, C. W. Marshall, C. Matthews, John Moller, G. Mollison, H. F. Munns, R. D. Neish, F. G. Penfold, R. P. Phillips, H. E. Railton, J. Watson, J. E. Watson, J. E. Wheeler, S. C. Young and J. Zellensky, each of whom received a Founder’s jewel. A replica of this jewel, bearing on its ribbon a small gold scroll commemorating his inauguration of this District Grand Lodge was presented to Bro. R. S. Ivy, R.W.D.G.M. (B.C.)