The North Carolina Mason

Page 8 The North Carolina Mason May/June 2018 I'm often asked what our Grand Lodge's initials mean: A.F. & A.M. ey are indicative of our Grand Lodge being composed of ancient, free and accepted masons. But what does that mean? Traditionally, the initials of a grand lodge indicated whether or not it was affiliated with the Moderns/ Premier grand lodge (typically the aristoc- racy/nobles) or the Ancient/Antients/ Atholl grand lodge (typically merchants and military men). Our initials, then, would indicate that our grand lodge derived its authority from the Ancients' grand lodge, but this is not necessarily the case. (See list at right) So, what does that mean? In all likelihood, you can probably chalk up our multiple personality disorder to the whim of the printer of our proceedings. Sometimes he was a brother mason who understood our fraternity, and sometimes not. Sometimes, past Grand Secre- taries recorded in great detail the particulars of a meeting, i.e.: the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Ancient York Masons of North Carolina convened today at 10 of the clock, ante-meridian… OR e Grand Lodge opened today at 10 a.m. Several of our early eastern lodges were chartered by the Moderns (Royal White Hart #2, St. John's #1) and Joseph Montfort received his commission to be Provincial Grand Master from the Moderns' Grand Lodge in 1771, so we know lodges 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 9 were likely Moderns lodges. However, old Union Lodge at Cross Creek/ Campbelltown (now Phoenix #8 at Fayette- ville) was tradition- ally believed to have been chartered by the Ancients or at least by the Grand Lodge of Scotland (an Ancient affiliation) in the mid-1760s. e lodge at Salisbury (known as Old Cone #9 after the Revolu- tionary War) was probably chartered by a sister lodge located in Virginia or even Pennsylvania (this is my speculation) by at least 1770, and the lodge on Buffalo Creek/Bland- ford-Bute Lodge (now Johnston- Caswell #10) received its charter in 1765 from Blandford Lodge at Petersburg, Va., which was in turn chartered by the Grand Lodge of Scotland. When the several lodges came together to form the Grand Lodge in 1787, the Moderns' aristocratic affiliation was still well known, as was the more egalitarian nature of the Ancients' lodges. However, to prevent a divide of allegiance and to unify the hundreds of brethren across the state, the delegates to the first communica- tion of the Grand Lodge chose to agree that the fraternity was ancient (not Ancient/Antient/Atholl) and honorable. And, as the United States developed, even the "ancient and honorable" appellations were dropped for the more simplistic "Grand Lodge of North Carolina." When the Ancient and Moderns Grand Lodge merged in 1813, during the age of Romanticism, and a generation after the establishment of the Grand Lodge, its members or grand secretary or printer probably looked back across the institution's history to its legendary origins— romantically believed to have been at York in northern England, and incorporated the story of Prince Edwin into the mythology of Freemasonry's British origins. It was also an era when our ritual was being codified and merged with other traditions (yes, our ritual has changed over time), which served as legitimizing agents for the order. By and large, and outside of what are probably errors or oversights on the part of a copyist or printer, our official title was probably akin to "the Ancient and Honorable Society of Free and Accepted York Masons of North Carolina." Why we became F. and A.M. between 1858 and 1866 is anybody's guess. When I find the official committee minutes, I'll let you know. While our initials are not so significant, what is important is that we are Masons, aware of our intriguing past and looking forward to a bright, relevant future serving mankind. What's in a name? Our proceedings have labeled this Grand Lodge as: 1787-1793: Ancient and Honorable Society of Free and Accepted Masons of North Carolina 1794-1802: Grand Lodge of North Carolina 1803-1813: Grand Lodge of North Carolina and Tennessee 1814-1815: Grand Lodge of North Carolina 1816: Grand Lodge of Ancient York Masons of North Carolina 1817-1820: Grand Lodge of North Carolina 1821-1837: Grand Lodge of Ancient York Masons of North Carolina 1838: Grand Lodge of North Carolina 1839-1840: Grand Lodge of Ancient York Masons of North Carolina 1841: Right Worshipful Grand Lodge of the Ancient and Honorable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons of North Carolina 1842-1843: Right Worshipful Grand Lodge of North Carolina 1844-1845: Grand Lodge of Ancient York Masons of North Carolina 1846-1847: Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of North Carolina 1848-1849: Grand Lodge of North Carolina 1850-1857: Grand Lodge of Ancient York Masons of North Carolina 1858-1866: Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of North Carolina 1867-present: Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of North Carolina So why the 'A' in front of F. & A.M.? By Jonathan Underwood Assistant to the Grand Secretary GM visit turns into plan for special VA Vet event It started out as a regular visit for Grand Master Speed Hallman. North Carolina's Grand Master makes a visit – at least one – every year to visit brothers in residence at the Charles George VA Medical Center in Asheville. Hallman stopped in to visit with Wayne Carringer of Robbinsville #672, a 97-year-old veteran of the Bataan Death March. e two enjoyed each other's company and got to talking about lodge meetings and how good it is to spend time with brothers. It didn't take long for the two brothers to hatch a plan. "Before we left the facility, we had made plans to hold an emergent communication of Sonoma #472 at the hospital on Tuesday, July 10, at 2:30 p.m.," Grand Master Hallman said. "What a wonderful way not only to celebrate Masonry but to bring brothers together!" Masons at the hospital will be special invitees to the meeting. Brothers from all area lodges are invited to attend. More details will be released via Facebook and email as the meeting draws closer. e Grand Master has invited his counterparts from South Carolina and Tennessee for what promises to be a special day of fellowship and brotherhood. Discussions with the VA in Salisbury also are under way. Wayne Carringer, right, hatches up a plan with the grand master to bring a lodge meeting to the VA hospital in Asheville on July 10.

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