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Grand Chapter History
Centennial History (1869–1969), presented in a modern, searchable format.
Foreword
Foreword
The preparation of a record of the activities of Grand Chapter during the first century of its existence has ranked high in the minds of those charged with planning for the Centennial.
It was recognized that a work of this sort would require time, enthusiasm, and, above all, a broad grasp of what had taken place in the past. M.E. Companion R. V. Harris readily accepted the assignment but, unfortunately, death intervened. It was therefore with regret that a fresh committee was hastily named and given instructions to bring forward the sixty-year history by the late M.E. Companion George Dewar Macdougall, published in 1930.
Those who are fortunate enough to possess, or have access to, that informative booklet will observe that its arrangement has been followed throughout this work. Where time has changed the relevance of events, the original text has been abbreviated, and new material has, of course, been added in appropriate places. His tabulation of officers—a ready reference of names and dates—has received similar treatment.
The committee has given special attention to those sometimes forgotten work horses of the organization, the Grand Secretaries. Without in any way wishing to detract from the great and often brilliant contributions of successive Grand Councils, the maintenance, growth, and welfare of Grand Chapter has rested squarely on the shoulders of the Grand Secretaries. That most of them previously served as Grand High Priests in no way lessens the importance of their later work. If this emphasis is an innovation, we commend it to other historians.
We hope that the verdict of time and the opinion of the Craft will approve our efforts.
E. L. Eaton, Grand Archivist
H. F. Sipprell, Grand Secretary
C. T. Burgess, Past Grand King
Chapter I — The Organization
Chapter I — The Organization
A great deal has been written about early Masonry in the Atlantic Provinces. The diverse origins of the scattered settlements of pioneer days accounts for much of the confusion apparent in the Masonic activity of the period. As more permanent communities developed, and individual lodges increased in strength, the need for more formal ties became evident. What was true of Masonry in general was equally true of the Royal Arch.
Accordingly, in September 1869, a joint committee of members of Union Chapter No. 118 on the Registry of England, and of St. Andrew’s Chapter No. 55 on the Registry of Scotland, together with Companion Joseph Conway Brown, First Principal Z of The Hiram Chapter, Goldenville, No. 33 on the Registry of Canada, met in Halifax and passed the following resolution:
Whereas — It is the opinion of this committee that, for the better government of Royal Arch Masonry in this Province, a Grand Chapter should be established.
Therefore Resolved — That a convention of Royal Arch Masons be invited to meet at Masonic Hall in the City of Halifax on Tuesday evening, October 14th, for the purpose of establishing a Grand Chapter for the Province of Nova Scotia, electing officers, and adopting a constitution for the government of the same.
The record shows that on October 14th, 1869, in Masonic Hall, Halifax, Nova Scotia, “pursuant to notice, a convention of Royal Arch Masons of the Province of Nova Scotia was held at which the following were present.” There then follows the names of twenty-four members of Royal Union No. 118, E.C.; eighteen members of St. Andrew’s No. 55, S.C.; two members of The Hiram No. 33, G.R.C.; and one member of St. John’s No. 140, S.C., located at Pictou.
There was in existence in Nova Scotia at this time another chapter, Union No. 108, S.C., chartered September 30th, 1865, and located in Yarmouth. The evidence is clear that all Royal Arch Masons in Nova Scotia were invited. Yarmouth did not participate on the score of expense, and St. John’s only to the extent of sending a delegate who was “instructed by his Chapter to express their unwillingness to enter into the contemplated movement at present.”
In existence also, within our present jurisdiction, were St. John’s Chapter No. 579, E.C., at St. John’s, Newfoundland, later known as Shannon, and Alexandra Chapter No. 100, S.C., at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. All came in later.
The Grand Chapter of Nova Scotia is sovereign only within the Province of Nova Scotia, and Companions in Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland were not asked to join in the original movement. The jurisdiction of the Grand Chapter of Nova Scotia over the chapters in these other provinces is by consent only, but for most of our history they have been active partners and have made great contributions to our progress.
Returning to the beginnings of our Grand Chapter, the Honourable Alexander Keith, Grand Superintendent of English Royal Arch Masonry in Nova Scotia, was called upon to take the chair, and James Gossip was requested to act as Secretary. After a statement by the Chairman as to the purpose for which the convention was called, in which he expressed himself strongly in favour of “the formation of a Supreme Royal Arch Chapter for Nova Scotia,” two motions of importance were passed.
The first was that all Royal Arch Masons in good standing be allowed to vote. The second was that “the convention proceed to form ‘The Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Nova Scotia.’” The latter motion was carried with one dissenting voice out of forty-five—that of the Companion from Pictou—who explained that he was acting under instructions. This is not surprising when it is recalled that St. John’s Chapter had received its charter from Scotland only on March 6th, 1869.
The situation of The Hiram Chapter was different. While the date of its charter from the Registry of Canada was August 10th, 1869, this chapter was apparently very anxious for the formation of a Grand Chapter. Certainly its Principal Z was, and so stated. It is possible that the securing of this warrant at Goldenville was mainly for the purpose of ensuring that there were three chapters of three different registries, thereby providing absolute certainty as to the correct Masonic position of the new Grand Body.
There then followed a most important motion. Companion Sircom, of the Scottish Constitution, moved, seconded by Companion Nash of the English Constitution, and it was unanimously resolved:
That the following be the titles of the officers of the Grand Chapter of Nova Scotia to be elected this evening:
Grand High Priest, Grand King, Grand Scribe, Grand Treasurer, Grand Secretary, Grand Captain of the Host, Grand Principal Sojourner, Grand Royal Arch Captain, Grand Masters of the Third, Second and First Veils, Grand Sword Bearer, Grand Standard Bearer, Grand Stewards (two), Grand Organist, and Grand Janitor.
On motion of Benjamin Curren of the English Constitution, seconded by S. R. Sircom of the Scottish Constitution, the Honourable Alexander Keith was unanimously and with great enthusiasm elected Grand High Priest. The other officers elected were:
S. R. Sircom, J. C. Brown, William Twining, James Gossip, R. T. Roome, W. S. MacDonald, W. S. Symonds, D. MacDougall, George T. Smithers, John Schofield, F. W. Fishwick, Robert Fraser, A. J. Belmore, S. Goodall, J. Montgomerie, and J. M. Taylor.
At the conclusion of the election of officers, a Royal Arch Chapter was duly opened, and the Honourable Alexander Keith was regularly installed as Most Excellent Grand High Priest of the Grand Chapter of Nova Scotia by Right Excellent Companion Joseph Conway Brown, Principal Z of The Hiram Chapter, Goldenville, and Grand Superintendent under Canada. The Grand High Priest then proceeded with the installation of the remaining officers.
The Constitution, prepared by a committee and presented by Companion Sircom, was adopted, and one hundred copies were ordered printed under the direction of the committee. Companion Sircom then moved the formation of a committee of nine, to be known as “The Committee of General Purposes,” later renamed in 1890 as “The Board of General Purposes.”
Motions providing for the endorsement of warrants and for the numbering of chapters were passed, and Grand Chapter was closed “in due form and solemn prayer.”
The formal organization of Grand Chapter, and its recognition by other Grand Chapters, including that of England, quickly established it as the supreme Capitular body within the Province. It has often been remarked that Maine was the first sister Grand Chapter to extend recognition and to exchange Grand Representatives, no doubt hastening similar action throughout the United States. Fraternal relations were soon established with other Grand Chapters in Canada and elsewhere. After a century, Africa remains the only continent in which such connections have not been formed.
The records of the time are silent as to why the titles of officers formerly used in England, Scotland, and Canada were abandoned in favour of those employed by chapters in the United States. It seems likely that the short distance to New England and the close ties of business and family played a part. Perhaps of greater significance was the fact that Joseph Conway Brown—arguably the most ardent worker of the original Grand Council— received his Craft and Capitular degrees in the United States. For him, familiarity bred not contempt, but devotion, a sentiment evident throughout his considerable Masonic writings. These fraternal ties across the international border have continued to strengthen with the passing years.
Chapter II — The Constitution
Chapter II — The Constitution
The First Constitution (1870)
The Constitution, adopted as the first item of business following the installation of the Grand Chapter officers, was published in 1870. Its opening paragraph declared:
“The Style and Title of the Grand Chapter shall be The Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Nova Scotia.”
Several noteworthy features characterized this first Constitution. There was a Grand Janitor rather than a Grand Tyler, and no provision was made for a Grand Chaplain, as Companion Brown considered such an office unnecessary. The title of Most Excellent was accorded to the Grand High Priest, Grand King, Grand Scribe, and to the High Priests of constituent chapters.
All officers were elected, and a sitting High Priest was eligible for the office of Grand High Priest. Applicants were required to be Master Masons of at least six months’ standing, and a High Priest was required to be a Past Master of a Craft Lodge. The regalia were carefully prescribed: collars were tricolour—purple, crimson, and pale blue—for Grand Officers, and crimson for Chapter officers; the sash was tricolour for Grand Officers and of the usual pattern for other Companions.
Early Amendments (1873–1880)
The first amended Constitution was published in 1873. Among its provisions were the prohibition of the exhibition of emblems for business purposes; the appointment rather than election of officers below the rank of Grand Secretary; the addition of the offices of Grand Chaplain, Grand Pursuivant, and Grand Tyler; and the discontinuance of the office of Grand Janitor. The duties of officers and of the Committee of General Purposes were defined, and a per capita tax of twenty-five cents was adopted.
In 1874 a motion requiring an applicant to be a subscribing member of a Craft Lodge was defeated, and a similar proposal to elect all Grand Chapter officers met the same fate in 1878. In 1880 the special conditions in Newfoundland were recognized by the appointment of a Grand Superintendent, later designated Representative of the Grand High Priest, with the rank of Honorary Past Grand Scribe. This arrangement continued until the introduction of the Grand Superintendent system throughout the jurisdiction in 1921.
Another revision in 1880 permitted constituent chapters to return as “missing” any member whose address had been unknown for three years, and on such members no per capita tax was levied. It also became a requirement that the Grand High Priest, Grand King, and Grand Scribe be High Priests of a constituent chapter.
The Revision of 1890 and Subsequent Developments
On June 10th, 1890, a further revision was presented by a committee. With only minor alterations, it was passed clause by clause and printed in the Proceedings, receiving formal approval the following year. This edition was divided into properly numbered Articles and Sections.
Among its significant provisions were the prohibition of naming any future chapter after a living person; the requirement that each chapter meet at least four times annually; and the renaming of the Committee of General Purposes as the Board of General Purposes, with unchanged composition and authority.
Efforts to remove the Installed Master qualification of a High Priest failed repeatedly, being rejected in 1891, 1894, 1900, and again in 1909.
In 1895 the Board of General Purposes was directed to prepare another revision. This was presented in 1896 and adopted with minor changes. Notable provisions included a fee of one dollar for the Order of High Priesthood certificate; the prohibition of refunding, remitting, or returning fees; restrictions on reinstatement following suspension for non-payment of dues; and extended time allowances for appeals.
Regalia, Recognition, and Administrative Refinements (1898–1915)
Recommendations approved in 1898 addressed regalia and recognition. The trimming of aprons with gold lace was reserved to present and past Grand High Priests, Grand Kings, and Grand Scribes. The jewels of present and past Grand Officers were to be suspended from a purple collar rather than a tricolour one, while the tricolour sash was retained without gold fringe for subordinate officers. The Scottish Rite was added to the list of recognized degrees, and chapters were restricted to the use of no more than one substitute without a dispensation from the Grand High Priest.
Amendments adopted in 1906 eliminated the offices of Grand Marshal, Grand Organist, and Grand Pursuivant; confirmed the authority of Grand Lodge suspensions over Royal Arch Masons; clarified the standing of Companions from other jurisdictions; addressed matters relating to chapters under dispensation; more clearly defined the duties of the Grand Treasurer and Grand Secretary; divided the payment of fees between degrees; and permitted the remission of fees for clergymen. The office of Grand Organist was not restored until 1935.
In 1914 it was provided that Grand Chapter might meet at such places as it deemed appropriate, and the elected members of the Board of General Purposes became appointive. Chain collars of gold or gilt suspended from purple ribbon were authorized in 1915, and the jewels of Past Grand Officers were directed to be worn on the left breast.
Later Revisions and Modernization (1917–1953)
The Constitution was reprinted in 1917 as a separate booklet. This edition included Standing Regulations, a Digest of Decisions by W. M. Black, Past Grand High Priest, and Regulations for the Government of the Order of High Priesthood, all fully indexed.
An Archives Committee was established in 1922, leading shortly thereafter to the appointment of a Grand Archivist. In the same year an annotated Constitution was issued, largely through the interest and efforts of Companion R. V. Harris, later to become a Grand High Priest.
The year 1926 marked a significant advance with the introduction of a compulsory examination for candidates and the adoption of the principle of dependent membership. Perhaps of even greater importance was the establishment of a Board of Ritual, providing for improved interpretation and uniformity of the standard ritual distributed two years earlier.
In 1927 the expenses of the Grand High Priest, up to a maximum of two hundred dollars, were authorized. Previously, those who had served in this office had done so entirely at their own expense, a circumstance that sometimes limited the number willing or able to accept election.
Regulations governing the appointment and duties of Grand Representatives of foreign jurisdictions were adopted in 1928.
The Constitution was again reprinted and brought up to date in 1947, with further amendments issued as an insert in 1953. Among these were provisions for a presiding officer in the absence of the High Priest, King, and Scribe, and procedures for conferring degrees upon candidates from another Grand Chapter for a nominal fee.
Chapter III — The Ritual
Chapter III — The Ritual
An Early and Defining Choice
Those who have moved from one jurisdiction to another and have faced the difficulty of un-learning and re-learning ritual, or have visited and observed the differences between our work and that in Great Britain or elsewhere in Canada, can only be amazed at the action of our founding Grand Council in dropping the English and Scottish rituals with which they must have been familiar and adopting the one commonly used in New England.
That this step was neither taken lightly nor maintained easily is evident from the many letters and reviews written by our first Grand King, Joseph Conway Brown, who headed the Committee on Foreign Correspondence during his lifetime. Had we lacked the support of his ready wit and trenchant pen, we should probably be labouring under a different ritual—and, indeed, it is doubtful if we should be marking our Centennial in 1969. The decision on ritual, like the titles of officers, was no doubt taken with an eye to closer fraternal relations with our associates to the south.
Joseph Conway Brown and the “York” (American) Rite
Frequent references are found in Brown’s writings to “that model of ritualists, M.E. John Sheville,” and to “the beautiful York Rite as worked by all Chapters in the United States,” as well as to his equally severe castigation of the rituals of the mother Grand Chapters of England and Scotland. A century later, those of us not charged with the need of decision—and still content with the choice—would scarcely go so far in condemning the sources from which we derived our inspiration. In building his case, Brown sought to make it a strong one.
It seems probable that he, like so many of us, had a natural bias in favour of the work he knew best—in his case, the “York” or American Rite as practiced in the lodges and chapters of the United States.
Illustrative Commentary from Brown’s Writings
Many of Brown’s comments are illuminating. Referring to visits between Maine and St. Stephen, New Brunswick—where a Scottish chapter met—he wrote:
“We hope that Maine will allow them to continue their visits, for nothing can sooner tend to the abolition of the Scottish ritual and its glowing inconsistencies than for intelligent companions made under it to see the magnificent Webb work.”
In reviewing Minnesota, he stated:
“Our work is as was taught us by a disciple of John Sheville. We used the word York in contradistinction to the Modern or English work; our Grand Lodge set the example of assimilating with that practised in the United States, and the Chapter followed, the moment they had the opportunity to learn it.”
Concerning New York, he wrote:
“As far as English or Canadian ritual is concerned all he need ask is John Sheville, but as regards Scotch we can tell him something about it. It was until a year ago executed in St. Andrews Chapter here, and very nearly caused the extinction of that old established body. At our organization we adopted what we had learned from Companion Sheville and raised the Chapter to an enviable standard. Shortly afterwards the writer and his immediate superior [Sircom, formerly of the Scottish Constitution], made a careful examination of the Scotch Ritual with a earnest attempt to find whether there was really any information to be gained. No light appeared to guide us and the document was unanimously voted to the nearest stove. Not even then could the slightest symbolism be extracted even in its death agonies.”
Support from the Grand Secretary
That Brown had the full support of the first Grand Secretary, James Gossip, is clear from a letter dated February 22nd, 1870, addressed to Companion Josiah H. Drummond of Maine, in which he wrote in part:
“By our movement we have established on solid ground the beautiful ritual of the YORK degree, as practiced by our companions in the States: this is mainly owing to the persistence of Royal Union Chapter keeping it alive for years, but, had we not formed our Grand Chapter, it is difficult to say how the English [and] the Scotch systems would have been propagated.”
Preserving the Work: Manuscripts, Custodianship, and Publication
The need for some written aid to memory was recognized as early as 1875 when Union Chapter of Yarmouth was considering its affiliation. To appreciate the seriousness of the communication gap, one need only reflect on the distances between many of the Chapters, the difficulties of travel, and the impossibility of securing enough capable instructors to support purely oral transmission.
A manuscript copy was therefore prepared and made available on loan to the High Priest of any Chapter. But, as might be expected, it proved easier to send out than to obtain in return. Its recovery from Shannon Chapter in 1888—in a tin box, under lock and key—was hailed by the Grand Secretary as a great Masonic discovery. Probably no one knew better than he the magnitude of the task of preparing a full longhand copy.
As time passed, Keith Chapter No. 4 of Truro—perhaps through the fortunate circumstance of having several able ritualists among its members—became the unofficial custodian of the work. The purity of their presentation was recognized by Grand Chapter in 1906, and it was largely their work that appeared in the first published ritual in 1924. Five copies were distributed free to each Chapter, and one to each Grand High Priest and Grand Superintendent.
In 1955 a new printing was made, with a few revisions and the rubrics in red. Copies have been made available to members at a nominal price, bringing the work within reach of every student of the Royal Craft and, at the same time, retaining the interest of those who may move from one Chapter to another. Instructions on the secret work are not included. However, the publication does contain a glossary of proper names, a list of questions for candidates in each degree, and a suggested form of examination for a visitor.
Installations, the Board of Ritual, and Later Debates
The ceremonies of installation—following closely the manual of Sheville and Gould—were adopted and printed in 1907. They remained in use until a revision in 1967.
The Board of Ritual, charged with reviewing and interpreting the ritual, came into being in 1927. It is composed of five members, including the Grand Secretary. Over the years few points of order or presentation have failed to come before the Board at some time, though questions still arise in the minds of new and less well-informed Companions.
The last major challenge to the permanency of the ritual came in 1927, when the Grand Chapter of New Brunswick proposed that Nova Scotia join them in adopting a ritual recently revised and adopted in Ontario, thereby establishing uniformity across Canada. A member of the Board of Ritual inspected the work as exemplified in Montreal in 1929 by a Chapter from Toronto, but comparison failed to convince the Grand Chapter of Nova Scotia of the merit of so drastic a change. As each year passes, the probability of doing so becomes more remote.
Re-dedication and Centennial Observance
A Service of Re-dedication to the principles of Royal Arch Masonry—re-introduced in 1949, expressing thankfulness to God for the return of peace—has been continued annually in local Chapters in a somewhat modified form. A fresh service has been prepared for the Centennial year, to be distributed as a leaflet.
Chapter IV — The General Story
Chapter IV — The General Story
Early Challenges and Recognition
The familiar problems of infancy immediately confronted the young Grand Chapter. Disowned by one of its parents, the Grand Chapter of Scotland, it was not until 1876 that matters were finally resolved and fraternal relations established. The Grand Chapter of England, on the other hand, appears to have acknowledged its offspring with some pride, and recognition was granted without delay—possibly because Chapters were commonly attached to Lodges in England, and because the Grand Lodge of Nova Scotia had been recognized only recently.
Serious concern arose when an emergent meeting of Grand Chapter was convened on December 28th, 1869, with the Grand High Priest, the Honourable Alexander Keith, in the chair, to consider a circular from the Grand Chapter of Scotland refusing recognition. It was asserted that the meeting at which Grand Chapter was organized had not been unanimous, and that a member of St. Andrew’s Chapter had written to claim there was no necessity for such a formation.
The Response to Scotland’s Circular (1869)
After discussion by a number of Companions, a strong resolution was adopted, affirming:
- That the minutes showed complete unanimity.
- That the Grand Chapter expressed its unqualified disapprobation of the conduct of the member of St. Andrew’s Chapter No. 2 who had presumed to make a statement so much at variance with the truth.
- That the Grand Chapter of Scotland be requested to furnish this Grand Chapter with a copy of the communication referred to, together with the name of the writer.
- That this Grand Chapter regarded that portion of the circular of the Committee of the Grand Chapter of Scotland which impugned the veracity of the Grand High Priest as highly reprehensible and entirely uncalled for.
- That copies of this resolution, together with the minutes of St. Andrew’s Chapter, be forwarded to the Grand Chapter of Scotland.
What deliberations may have taken place within the Grand Chapter of Scotland during the following seven years is unknown. The matter may simply have been set aside, as colonial affairs lacking urgency were sometimes treated by the mother country. In any event, on March 4th, 1876, the Supreme Grand Chapter of Scotland unanimously recognized the Grand Chapter of Nova Scotia and requested an exchange of representatives.
Consolidation and Growth of the Jurisdiction
At the organization of Grand Chapter, a delegate from St. John’s Chapter at Pictou was present but refrained from voting, while no delegate attended from Yarmouth due to the expense involved. Both of these Chapters had been warranted by the Grand Chapter of Scotland and continued that allegiance. Whether their position was related to the lack of recognition from Scotland is uncertain.
With the formation of Keith Chapter No. 4 at Truro in 1871, Eureka Chapter No. 5 at Annapolis Royal in 1872, and Rosignol Chapter No. 6 at Liverpool in 1873—effectively doubling the base of operations—the Grand Chapter felt sufficiently established to act decisively. St. John’s and Union Chapters were declared irregular and all intercourse forbidden. Both responded by accepting warrants from the Grand Chapter of Nova Scotia in 1876. Had this affiliation occurred earlier, both would have ranked higher among the constituent Chapters, each being senior to The Hiram.
Also in 1876, a warrant was issued to Shannon Chapter of St. John’s, Newfoundland, formerly on the English Register under the name of St. John’s. Two years later, in 1878, Alexandra Chapter of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, formerly on the Scottish Register, was warranted.
At one time it was thought that New Brunswick might join Nova Scotia in a single Grand Chapter. Instead, a separate Grand Chapter was organized in that province, and in 1888 received recognition from Nova Scotia. With this development, the jurisdiction of the Grand Chapter of Nova Scotia assumed the form it retains today. The Grand Chapter had, at last, come of age.
Milestones and Material Heritage
The opening of the new Freemasons’ Hall in Halifax in 1924 was an event of more than passing interest to all branches of Masonry. Of particular significance to Grand Chapter was the presentation by Companion R. V. Harris of a keystone from the original quarries of King Solomon. This stone was placed over the entrance to the Chapter Room with appropriate ceremony. A similar keystone was presented to Mount Lebanon Chapter No. 14 at New Glasgow in 1933.
Fire, Loss, and the Preservation of Records
Fire—an ever-present threat to wooden buildings requiring light and heat—has taken a heavy toll. While regalia, however costly, may be replaced, the written records of persons, places, and events, once destroyed, are irretrievably lost. St. John’s, Rosignol, Shannon, Eureka, and The Hiram have each suffered severe losses.
Although generous assistance from other Chapters proved invaluable, such experiences underscore the necessity of adequate insurance and secure storage. The lesson is clear: frequent inspection of storerooms and regular review of insurance coverage in light of replacement costs are essential safeguards for the preservation of our history.
Chapter V — The Personnel
Chapter V — The Personnel
Leadership and Service
An organization is only as great as the sum of its members, and Grand Chapter has been eminently successful in attracting to its ranks dedicated and capable men from every walk of life. Elsewhere in these pages will be found a list of those who have filled the major offices. To include full biographies of each would expand this history beyond reasonable limits, and the reader seeking additional detail is referred to the annual Proceedings, published without interruption since 1869 and distributed to each constituent Chapter.
Naturally, the members of the first Grand Council merit particular attention.
Alexander Keith
Alexander Keith was born at Halkirk, Scotland, on October 5th, 1795. In 1812 he went to Sunderland, England, to learn the brewing and malting trade. He came to Halifax in 1817 and entered the employ of Charles Boggs, a brewer, purchasing the establishment in 1820 and continuing the business until his death on December 14th, 1873.
He was initiated in Sunderland in Lodge of St. John No. 118, E.C., and shortly after his arrival in Halifax affiliated with Virgin Lodge, now No. 3, G.R.N.S. In 1819 he was exalted in Royal Union Chapter, now No. 1, G.R.N.S. After filling many offices with distinction, he was appointed by the Supreme Grand Chapter of England as Grand Superintendent of Royal Arch Masonry for Nova Scotia. As previously noted, he became the first Grand High Priest at the formation of the Grand Chapter of Nova Scotia in 1869.
Deeply interested in the chivalric orders, he was appointed by the Grand Conclave of England and Wales as Provincial Grand Commander of the area now known as the Atlantic Provinces. In 1839 he became Provincial Grand Master under the English jurisdiction for Nova Scotia, extended in 1846 to the other Atlantic Provinces. He received a similar appointment from the Grand Lodge of Scotland in 1843.
Following the union of the English and Scottish lodges in 1869, he was elected the first Grand Master of the united Grand Lodge of Nova Scotia, serving until his death. He was elected Mayor of Halifax in 1843, 1853, and 1854, and was appointed to the Legislative Council, becoming its President in the year of Confederation, 1867.
Stephen Roland Sircom
Stephen Roland Sircom, the first Grand King, was born in Bristol, England, on October 17th, 1836. He came to Halifax at an early age and became a dry goods merchant, retiring in 1877 and subsequently moving to the United States. He died at Melrose, Massachusetts, on January 24th, 1906, and is buried there.
He was a member of Scotia Lodge, later amalgamated with St. John’s Lodge No. 2, G.R.N.S., and was active in the formation of the Grand Lodge of Nova Scotia in 1866, serving as Grand Registrar and Senior Warden. His name appears, along with those of the Grand Master and Grand Secretary, on the request for recognition of the Grand Lodge of Nova Scotia by foreign Grand Lodges.
He was Deputy Grand Master in 1867 and Grand Master in 1868, yielding the office to Keith upon the union of the English and Scottish lodges. Succeeding Keith as Grand High Priest, he served from 1871 to 1875 inclusive. He was also a Past Provincial Grand Prior and a Thirty-second Degree member of the Scottish Rite.
Joseph Conway Brown
Joseph Conway Brown, the first Grand Scribe, was born at Bryn Glas, Monmouthshire, in 1838. Trained in classics and as a mining engineer, he went first to the United States and later to Nova Scotia, where he practiced at Goldenville and the Acadia Iron Mines.
He received his Craft and Capitular degrees in the United States. He died of tuberculosis at his home in Acadia Mines, now Londonderry, on July 25th, 1871. A Lodge of Sorrow was held at Truro, followed by burial in Halifax with full Masonic honours. His body was later removed to his former home and re-interred beside his five brothers in the parish of Malpas.
The Grand Secretaries
The Grand Chapter of Nova Scotia has never followed a ladder system of promotion among its senior officers. As a result, the Grand Secretary has borne primary responsibility for maintaining continuity of policy from year to year. As the day-to-day authority on protocol, he has often served—informally—as adviser to successive Grand High Priests on matters of dress, procedure, and fraternal relations.
Remarkably, the first century of Grand Chapter history was bridged by only eleven Grand Secretaries. Without their devoted labours it is difficult to imagine how Grand Chapter could have functioned in its established form.
Their modesty has made the task of the biographer difficult. Little personal detail is recorded in the Proceedings, and the card index maintained by the present Grand Secretary has been the principal source of information.
James Gossip
James Gossip, the first Grand Secretary and a member of the original committee, served from 1869 to 1880 and later as Grand High Priest from 1881 to 1883. A stationer in Halifax, he was a member of Virgin Lodge No. 3 and was exalted in Royal Union Chapter in 1864. He was also President of the Order of High Priesthood.
George Thomas Smithers
George Thomas Smithers followed Gossip as Grand Secretary from 1881 to 1886 and again from 1889 to 1891. He served as Grand King in 1879–1880. Originally a member of St. Andrew’s Lodge No. 1, he was a founding member and later Master of St. Mark’s Lodge No. 38. Exalted in Royal Union Chapter in 1866, he was an acknowledged authority on ritual in the early years. He died on January 29th, 1892, at the age of fifty-four.
Benjamin Curren
Benjamin Curren served as Grand Secretary from 1886 to 1888. A teacher by profession, he held the honorary degree of Doctor of Civil Law. A member of Virgin Lodge No. 3, he was exalted in Royal Union Chapter in 1860 and served as Grand High Priest in 1877. He was also Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Nova Scotia from 1871 to 1889. He died in the latter year.
Alexander Ross
Alexander Ross, a gardener by trade, was Grand Secretary from 1892 to 1896. A member of St. Andrew’s Chapter No. 2, he served as its High Priest in 1890. He died on May 27th, 1916.
David Hugh Campbell
David Hugh Campbell served as Grand Secretary from 1897 to 1905. A clerk and member of Athole Lodge No. 15, he was exalted in St. Andrew’s Chapter No. 2 in 1890 at the age of forty-one, serving as High Priest in 1893 and as Grand High Priest in 1896.
Samuel James Waddell
Samuel James Waddell was Grand Secretary from 1906 to 1918. Exalted in Keith Chapter No. 4 in 1883 at the age of thirty-six, he served as Grand High Priest in 1903. He died in 1919.
Brenton F. Porter
Brenton F. Porter was the first Grand Secretary whose career was recorded in detail in the Proceedings at the time of his death. Born at Hebron, Nova Scotia, in 1860, he spent most of his life in Truro. A teacher by profession, he was educated at Yarmouth Seminary, Acadia University, and the University of King’s College, holding the degrees of B.A. and M.A.
After a varied Masonic career marked by extensive service in both Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter, he served as Grand Secretary with distinction until 1936, when he was made an Honorary Past Grand High Priest. He was the author of a biographical sketch of Joseph Conway Brown and other Masonic writings. He died in 1941.
John W. Logan
John W. Logan served as Grand Secretary in 1936. A bookkeeper closely associated with the lumber industry, he later became Inspector of Rural Telephones. A member of Truro Lodge No. 43, he was exalted in Keith Chapter No. 4 in 1897 at the age of twenty-one. He served as Grand High Priest in 1923 and later as Deputy Grand Master and Grand Lecturer. He died in 1960.
James McGregor Rutherford
James McGregor Rutherford, a native of Prince Edward Island, served as Grand Secretary from 1937 to 1942. His career included service in South Africa during the Boer War, railway inspection in Western Canada, and government service as Collector of Customs at Canso. He died at Halifax on August 13th, 1943, at the age of seventy-two.
Henry S. Theakston
Henry S. Theakston served as Grand Secretary from 1942 to 1946. Born in Halifax in 1867, he was long associated with the Dominion Steel and Coal Company in Sydney. He served as Grand High Priest in 1933 and 1934 and died on February 16th, 1958.
Harold Fritz Sipprell
Harold Fritz Sipprell assumed office as Grand Secretary in 1947. Born in Saint John, New Brunswick, on April 4th, 1900, he pursued an academic career, retiring in 1958 as Professor of English at Acadia University. His extensive Masonic service spans Grand Lodge, Grand Chapter, Cryptic Rite, Chivalric Orders, and other allied bodies, reflecting a lifetime of distinguished commitment to the Craft.
Chapter VI — The Order of High Priesthood
Chapter VI — The Order of High Priesthood
Formation of the Order
Provision for the Order of High Priesthood followed rapidly upon the organization of Grand Chapter. On June 17th, 1870, at Halifax, Alexander Keith, Stephen R. Sircom, and Joseph Conway Brown—being all duly anointed High Priests and the only ones within the jurisdiction—met and organized themselves as the Grand Council of High Priests.
Alexander Keith was chosen President, Stephen R. Sircom Vice-President, and Joseph Conway Brown Recorder. A code of rules was prepared and presented to Grand Chapter on June 22nd of the same year, subsequently published in the Proceedings. This code set out the officers and their duties, provided for jewels, and regulated the general conduct of business. Eligibility was restricted to High Priests who were duly installed and specially recommended.
Administration and Authority
In 1889 the Grand Chapter formally assumed control of the Order, thereby integrating it more fully into the Capitular system of governance.
Although the degree became obligatory for all High Priests in 1922, gentle encouragement to receive this ceremonial and useful distinction promptly has not always met with complete success. The resulting backlog was reduced somewhat in 1968, when thirty-three candidates were anointed at two separate conventions.
Conventions and Practice
In recent years it has become customary to hold two conventions annually: one in conjunction with the annual session of Grand Chapter, and another during the mid-winter period at Halifax. These alternatives have generally proven convenient for the candidates concerned.
The Ritual of the Degree
The work originally adopted in 1870 from The Guide to the Chapter by Sheville and Gould was superseded in 1895 by the Chamberlain ritual. The consistent praise expressed by successive classes of High Priests for the beauty and solemnity of this degree has been a healthy influence in encouraging eligible Companions to advance.
Elsewhere in these pages will be found a list of those who have conferred the degree.
Chapter VII — Notes of Interest
Chapter VII — Notes of Interest
Elections and Nominations
Since a means of perpetuating itself is an important aim of most organizations, it is natural that frequent consideration has been given, over the years, to the officers and the means of electing them. In 1962 the matter was referred to the Board of General Purposes for fresh study. Following acceptance of their report the next year, the regulations provided that:
“Every nomination shall be sent by registered mail to the Grand Secretary at least forty (40) days prior to the date of the annual convocation of the Grand Chapter at which voting shall take place.”
Names of those willing to accept office are printed on a ballot circulated at the opening of the convention. The three principal officers, the Grand Secretary, and the Grand Treasurer are elected in this manner. The remaining officers are appointed by the incoming Grand High Priest. The method appears to meet with general approval.
Grand Convocations: Time and Place
In the early years, when Grand Chapter did not meet outside the Province, arrangements were commonly made to allow Companions to attend Grand Lodge as well. As a result, many communities with suitable meeting and accommodation facilities have hosted the Grand Convocation.
As Grand Chapter grew, more time was required for business, and it became more convenient to allow an interval of several weeks between the two gatherings. In 1963 the matter was clarified by providing that the Convocation be held in the months of May or June, while the actual date and place would be determined by the Board of General Purposes unless decided by the previous annual convocation. In practice, Halifax has become the usual meeting place unless a special invitation is extended to meet elsewhere.
A Memorable Convocation in Newfoundland (1964)
One of the more delightful Grand Convocations was held in St. John’s, Newfoundland, in 1964, on the occasion of the Centennial of Shannon Chapter No. 9, originally St. John’s No. 579, E.C. It was a brilliant and gala affair, opening with a High Tea at the Masonic Temple and including a formal dinner at the Old Colony Club attended by the Lieutenant Governor, ministers of the provincial cabinet, church leaders, and members of the Craft from every walk of life.
The guest speaker was the colourful Premier, the Honourable Joseph R. Smallwood, himself a recent Fellowcraft, who delighted his listeners with wit and whimsicality. A history of Shannon Chapter was prepared by M.E. Companion L. J. Harnum, but due to illness it was read by his son, E. Companion E. J. A. Harnum. Although the Convocation closed on a sombre note upon receiving word of the death of M.E. Companion Harnum, visitors carried away vivid memories of brotherly love and hospitality as exemplified in the Tenth Province.
Long Service Recognition
Recognition of lengthy periods of membership began in 1929 when Long Service Awards were presented to Companion David Pottinger of St. Andrew’s No. 2, who had attended the formation of Grand Chapter in 1869, and to R.E. Companion William V. Munro, who had served as Grand King in 1883.
The continued presentation of what is now spoken of as the Fifty Year Jewel—with a bar for each succeeding ten years—has been of great interest, within and beyond the Craft.
The Joseph Conway Brown Bronze Medallion
The most coveted honour conferred by Grand Chapter is the Joseph Conway Brown Bronze Medallion, named for our first Grand Scribe, to whose zeal and vision the inception of Grand Chapter is largely attributed. Established in 1944, sixteen were awarded in that first year, fifteen within our own jurisdiction.
Because of wartime shortages it was not possible to secure medals at the time, and certificates were presented instead. By 1947 materials became available and the backlog was overtaken. The Medallion is presented to visiting dignitaries annually, and every fifth year to Past Grand High Priests and to Companions who have rendered outstanding service.
Youth Work and DeMolay
The importance of youth work within the Masonic framework has been something of an afterthought. The first mention of DeMolay in the annual Proceedings appears in 1958, when several centres for organization were suggested. Each DeMolay Chapter must be sponsored by a Masonic body; Keith Chapter No. 4 and Cornwallis Chapter No. 26 have done so, while Rosignol Chapter No. 6 has served as a co-sponsor.
In 1961 a Grand Chapter Proficiency Trophy was offered for annual competition, based on a points system, and Grand Chapter has also made an annual contribution toward the costs of organization and administration. A continuing difficulty is the rapidity with which young men grow up; the problem of securing new members may easily become acute. A vigorous, continuing recruitment policy is essential and cannot be left entirely to the young people.
Chapter Proficiency and Participation Awards
As a stimulus to the regular work of the constituent Chapters, the R. V. Harris Proficiency Cup has been presented annually since 1951. A further effort in 1968 took the form of an Achievement Award Certificate, based on member participation within each Chapter; five Chapters qualified in that year.
The Travelling Triangle
A unique method of encouraging visitation among Chapters was devised in 1941 in the form of a Travelling Triangle, to be carried by a delegation of unlimited size from one Chapter to another. The Triangle travelled throughout the jurisdiction to all nineteen Chapters then in existence, after which it was placed in the custody of Royal Union No. 1 for safekeeping.
It travelled briefly to Moncton in 1946, then to five Chapters in Nova Scotia, and to New Brunswick in 1949 where it visited every Chapter in that province. As we enter our second century, it may be opportune to send this fraternal messenger journeying once more.
Admission of a Minor (1968)
Admission of a minor to membership is a rare occurrence in York Rite Masonry. In 1968, the Board of Jurisprudence, through M.E. Companion R. V. Harris, ruled favourably upon such an application:
“Egbert Thomas Walters, age 19 years, and a ‘Lewis’, or the son of a Mason in a Lodge under Scottish jurisdiction in Newfoundland, in full accordance with the practice and jurisprudence of Scottish Freemasonry. Shortly afterward, that is before attaining the age of 21 years, he applied for his Capitular degrees in Shannon Chapter No. 9 of St. John’s, Newfoundland. The Board ruled that he was eligible to apply, and—if elected— to receive the Capitular degrees under our jurisprudence.”
This may not be the only such occasion, but it is certainly rare in North America.
The Benevolent Fund
The operations of the Benevolent Fund in Grand Chapter have often been recorded in fine print and discussed in muted tones. Nevertheless, as an important matter of record, they can scarcely be omitted from any full review of Grand Chapter activities.
Support has regularly been provided to the Freemasons’ Home at Windsor, as well as to the Nova Scotia Home for Coloured Children. For approximately twenty years, assistance has been provided through the Canadian National Institute for the Blind in distributing copies of Reader’s Digest in Braille, said to reach approximately one hundred persons each month. Talking books have also been supplied, and in 1964 two dormitory rooms were furnished in new hostelries for the blind in St. John’s and Corner Brook, Newfoundland. Contributions are also made to individuals in special need.
A Jurisdictional Challenge
Those who believed that colonialism—within Masonry as in political affairs—was safely dead and honourably buried received a rude awakening in the recent past. It came as a distinct shock to discover that the Grand Lodge of England, with whom relations had been consistently friendly since the beginning, had warranted a new Chapter within the jurisdiction of our own Grand Chapter.
We are therefore placed in the anomalous position of being in full fraternal relations with the Mother Grand Chapter, while compelled to regard the subordinate Chapter as irregular. The matter remains under continuing negotiation, and if a settlement is to be reached, there could be no better time than our Centennial year.
Conclusion
Conclusion
In closing, it is recognized that many of the activities and events described in these pages could have been treated at much greater length. Other matters of importance to many Companions have, no doubt, been omitted—not because they were considered trivial, but because a record of this nature must maintain a general appeal if it is to be read at all.
An effort has therefore been made to confine the text to a length that an ordinary reader might reasonably peruse in a single Sunday afternoon. To this narrative have been added compact lists providing greater detail as to the “who” and the “when.” These, too, might have been extended almost indefinitely, at the risk of overtaxing both the patience and the pocketbook of the reader. Those who seek fuller detail are referred to the annual Proceedings, copies of which are supplied to each Chapter, with a complete file maintained in the office of the Grand Secretary.
Looking back, we take great pride in the enthusiasts who founded the Grand Chapter; they built wisely and well. We are equally proud of those who bore the burdens and heat of the century just closed—a labour of love, no doubt, but not without its worries and sacrifices.
We are especially grateful for the opportunity to have gathered and presented some of these records in the foregoing pages. If even one Companion derives from their reading a measure of the pleasure we have taken in their preparation, our efforts will have been fully rewarded.