Article: 7845 of alt.freemasonry Path: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!bloom-beacon.mit.edu!panix!news.eecs.umich.edu!newshost.marcam.com!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!news.sprintlink.net!in2.uu.net!alterdial.uu.net!not-for-mail From: mario@unix.ccsnet.com ( Mario Meré) Newsgroups: alt.freemasonry Subject: Paul Revere Date: Tue, 29 Aug 1995 13:58:32 GMT Lines: 99 Message-ID: <41v6pm$ek4@alterdial.UU.NET> NNTP-Posting-Host: 199.172.47.202 X-Newsreader: Forte Free Agent v0.55 By request I submit this post. Paul Revere and Freemasonry Paul Revere's life spanned a time of considerable growth, turmoil and change in America. In its midst, Revere, the craftsman, entrepreneur, and eminent patriot emerged as an energetic, productive leader of eighteenth century society. Revere's character is perhaps best expressed through his life long commitment to Freemasonry. He was an early initiate of St. Andrew's Lodge in 1760, the first "ancient" lodge in Boston.and spent forty of his eighty-three years as an active mason. He was involved in creating the Massachusetts Grand Lodge of Ancient Masons, through which he participated in the organization and spread of masonry throughout the state. By the time he was Grand Master in 1794 the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts was chartering Lodges in Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, Connecticut and New Hampshire. Revere himself added twenty three during his three year term. Paul Revere also played an integral part in writing the final resolution which declared the independence of the Grand Lodge from Great Britain, in keeping with his desire for an independent America. He saw Massachusetts Freemasonry through the hazardous transition from colony to state, and experienced the brunt of the turmoil through St. Andrew's Lodge when it chose to remain loyal to the Grand Lodge of Scotland. He created Rising States Lodge which eventually failed, and perhaps disillusioned him, but he offered the craft his loyalty, and constantly worked through offices and committees to preserve and perpetuate its integrity. His was the glorious age of Masonry, prior to the Morgan Affair and the anti-masonic crusade of the 1820's when the Fraternity grew unhindered and flourished in public processions and ceremonies, laid cornerstones and attracted men of influence in every community As a craftsman Revere had a unique knowledge of the Fraternity which enabled him to produce items of symbolic masonic significance, unlike most Boston goldsmiths of that day. Revere's shop provided Lodges with copperplate engravings for certificates and notifications of meetings, seals, ladles and medals. In addition Revere also crafted masonic "jewels", symbolic emblems worn by the Lodge's officers. He made no fewer than eleven sets of officer's jewels containing anywhere from five to twelve pieces. Complete sets of these jewels purchased in 1796 are still possessed by Washington Lodge in Lexington, Massachusetts and King Hiram's Lodge in Provincetown, Massachusetts. King Hiram's Lodge also has in its collection three Revere engraved certificates and two Past Masters jewels, one of which is on display at the Museum of Our National Heritage in Lexington, Massachusetts. Revere also fashioned and crafted the golden urn in the collection of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts in 1800. The urn is inscribed: "This URN incloses a Lock of HAIR/ of the Immortal WASHINGTON/ PRESENTED JANUARY 27, 1800/ to the Massachusetts GRAND LODGE/ by HIS amiable WIDOW. / Born Feby 11th, 1732 /Obt Decr 14, 1799." LODGES CHARTERED BY PAUL REVERE AS GRAND MASTER 1795 - 1797 Name of Lodge Location Date of Charter Republican Greenfield, Mass February 7, 1795 Evening Star Lee, Mass. June 9, 1795 Middlesex Framingham, Mass. June13, 1795 Cincinnatus Great Barrington, Mass. December 9, 1795 King Hiram's Provincetown, Mass. December 12, 1795 Kennebec Hallowell, Maine March 15, 1796 Fayette Charlton, Mass. March 15, 1796 (Extinct) Washington Roxbury, Mass. (now Lexington) March 17, 1796 Columbian Boston, Mass. June 9, 1796 Harmony Northfield, Mass. June 15, 1796 Union Dorchester, Mass. June 16, 1796 Thomas Palmer, Mass. December 13, 1796 St. Paul Ayer, Mass. January 26, 1797 Jerusalem Northhampton, Mass. June 13, 1797 Adams Wellfleet, Mass. June 13, 1797 (Revived 1875) Tuscan Columbia, Maine June 13, 1797 (Extinct) Bristol No. Attleboro, Mass. June 14, 1797 Fellowship Bridgewater, Mass. June 15, 1797 Corinthian Concord, Mass. June 16, 1797 Meridian Sun Brookfield, Mass. September 13, 1797 (Revived) Olive Branch Millbury, Mass. September 14, 1797 Montgomery Milford, Mass. September 16, 1797 Meridian Natick, Mass. December 10, 1797 List compiled from The Grand Lodge Of Massachusetts, Two Hundred and Fifty Years of Freemasonry (Boston: Rapid Press Service, 1983), p. 21 Much more detailed history on the influence of Masonry on the New England whaling industry, Cape Cod Lifeguard Stations and the Civil War will be available at http://ccsnet.com/kinghira/khlhome.htm. -- Mario Meré mario@unix.ccsnet.com PM King Hiram's Lodge A.F.& A.M. Provincetown, MA --