CHARTER OF CONFIRMATION
IN FAVOUR OF
The Lodge of St Ninian’s, No 66
BRECHIN, 1756.
To All and Sundry to whose Knowledge these presents shall come Greeting.
Whereas: upon Application to the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Scotland, By James Wood, Master, John Stevenson, Senior Warden, and John Taylor, Junior Warden of a Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons, held at Brechin for themselves and in the name of other Brethren of the said Lodge, setting forth that they had been in use for many years of meeting as a regular Lodge and praying that the Grand Lodge would confirm their Constitution by issuing a Patent of Confirmation in their favours. The Grand Lodge granted Warrant for expeding under their seal the underwritten Patent of Confirmation in favour of the Petitioners. Know ye therefore that the Most Worshipful the Grand Master Mason of Scotland and the Grand lodge aforesaid have Ratified, Approved and Confirmed, and hereby Ratify, Approve, and Confirm the Constitution of the aforesaid Lodge held at Brechin; And further, have of new Constituted, Erected, and Appointed, and hereby Constitute, Erect, and Appoint the Master, Wardens, and other Brethren present, Constituent Members of the Lodge and their successors, to be a true and regular Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons under the title and designation of the Lodge of St Ninian’s at Brechin, and appoint and ordain all regular Lodges in Scotland to hold, own, and respect them as such; Hereby giving, granting, and committing to them and their successors full power and authority to meet, assemble and convene as a regular Lodge , and therein to enter Apprentices, pass Fellow Crafts, and raise Master Masons upon payment of such compositions, as they shall think fit. And to Elect and make choice of Masters, Wardens, and other officers annually, or other wise as they shall have occasion; recommending to the Brethren aforesaid to reverence and obey their Superiors in all things lawful and honest as becomes the Honour and Harmony of Masonry. The said Brethren by accepting of this present Charter becoming faithfully bound and engaged not to desert their Lodge hereby confirmed, nor upon ant pretext whatever to make separate or schismatical Meetings among themselves without the consent of their Master or Wardens for the time, nor to collect money separate from the common stock of their lodge to the prejudice of the poor thereof. They and their successors in all time coming being also obliged to obey and pay due regard to all acts, statutes, and regulations of the Grand Lodge already made, or to be made, for the utility, welfare, and prosperity of Masonry in general and to pay and perform whatever is stipulated or demanded of them for the support of the dignity of the Grand Lodge, and to record in their books the present Charter of Confirmation with their own regulations and Bye –Laws, and their whole proceedings from time to time as they shall occur to the end, the same may be more readily seen and observed by their Brethren, subject always to the review of Grand Lodge, and also the Brethren aforesaid, and their successors, are hereby required punctually to attend the whole General Meetings and Quarterly Communications of the Grand Lodge by their representatives, being their Master and Wardens for the time, or by lawful proxies in their name, providing the said proxies be Master Masons or Fellow - Crafts belonging to some established Lodge owning the Grand Lodge, to the end they may Act and Vote in the Grand Lodge, be duly certiorate of the proceedings thereof, declaring their precedency in the Grand Lodge to commence the date hereof. And to the effect these presents may be the more accurately kept and preserved, the same are hereby appointed to be recorded in the Books of the Grand Lodge.
Given at the Grand Lodge held in St Marys Chappell in Edinburgh, the fifteenth day of November one thousand seven hundred and fifty-six. By the Most Worshipful Sholte Charles Lord Aberdour, Grand Master of Scotland; George Fraser, Esq., Deputy Grand Master; Richard Tod, Esq., Substitute Grand Master; Doctor Henry Cunningham and William Budge Esq., Grand Wardens; and the Seal of the Grand Lodge appended here unto. Witnessing to these presents, James Ewart, Grand Treasurer; Alexander McDougal, Grand Secretary; and James Allison, Grand Clerk.
Signed;
Geo Fraser, Deputy Grand Master Henry Cunningham Senior Grand Warden
William Budge, Junior Grand Warden James Ewart, Grand Treasurer
Alexander McDougal, Grand Secretary James Allison, Grand Clerk
Composition of half–a–guinea for this Confirmation paid to;
(Signed) James Ewart, Grand Treasurer.
Apud Edinburgum 15th November 1756.
Recorded in the Books of the Grand Lodge, and the seal appended hereunto by;
(Signed) James Allison, Grand Clerk.
Transcribed July 1885
Alex Hampton. Secy.
It may be stated that the Lodge was in existence for over 40 years before the charter was granted and before the formation of the Grand Lodge of Scotland under the title of “The Honourable Fraternity of Meassons of the Lodge of Brechine“. In the oldest minute book, known as the “Hairy Book” are recorded a code of Bye-Laws, dated 27th December 1714.