The North Carolina Mason

S ettled in 1710, New Bern is the second-oldest European-American colonial town in North Carolina. Perfectly located and settled on the banks of the Neuse and Trent Rivers, it provided the perfect travel ways for the many ships coming and going from its ports. New Bern has served as the first Provincial Congress in the colonies and the state capital. It was once named "the Athens of the South," renowned for its Masonic Temple and Athens Theater, both of which are still active today. History has not revealed exactly when Masons began to conduct their business in New Bern, but it is well documented that Masonic meetings and events were being conducted as early as 1755, 17 years before the lodge's official charter. St. John's Lodge of New Bern is the only lodge in history to hold three numerical identifiers, St. John's Lodge No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3., but that is another tale. In the early years, after the settlement of New Bern, lodge meetings were being held wherever space could be found, one's home or even taverns, such as was referenced in recorded lodge minutes of the "Kings Arms" Tavern. In July 1794, the capital would be relocated to Raleigh, leaving behind the grand and spacious capital building, known as Tryon Palace. St. John's Lodge would soon occupy a portion of the palace and there begin regularly conducting their business. As the lodge surely began to have a sense of normalcy, members enjoying the spaciousness of the palace, on February 26, 1798, the palace caught fire and the once majestic palace was consumed. All was not lost, as officially recorded in the meeting minutes of March 7, 1798, stated, "The thanks of the lodge was returned to Brothers McMains and Jacob Johnston for their assiduity in saving a great part of the treasures belong to the lodge from the flames on the 250 Years of Masonry St. John's Lodge No. 3 8 | T H E M A S O N M AGA Z I N E

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