I. Copy of the Lodge Charter.
To All and Sundry to whose Knowledge these presents shall come Greeting, Whereas upon application to the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons for the Kingdom of Scotland by and in name of Christopher Fry, James Govier, James Strachan, Robert Williamson, John Nicol, William Walker, Patrick Williamson, Robt. Pirie, Andrew Rogers, Rewis Rogers, John Jackson, all Masters, Willin. Watt, Fellowcraft, Alexr. Stewart, David Moncure, Matthew Rea, Apprentices, all free and accepted Masons, belonging to or residing in the City of Abdn. Praying that ye Grand Lodge would in respect of the Petitioners great distance from their respective Mother Lodges grant warrant for expeding a Charter under their Seal, Constituting and Erecting the Petitioners into a regular Lodge, under the name and title of S. Nicholas Lodge at Aberdeen.
The Grand Lodge accordingly granted Warrant for expeding the underwritten Patent of Constitution and Erection in the Petitioners favours. Know ye therefore that the most Worshipful the Grand Master of Scotland and the Grand Lodge thereof aforesaid have constituted erected and appointed and hereby constitute erect and appoint the worshipful Brethren above-named and their successors in all time coming to be a true and regular Lodge of free and accepted Masons by the stile and title of Saint Nicholas Lodge. And Appoint and ordain all regular Lodges within Scotland to hold own and respect them as such.
Giving granting and committing to them and their successors full power and authority to meet assemble and conveen as a Regular Lodge and to admit and receive apprentices pass Fellowcrafts and raise Master Masons upon payment of such Composition for support of their Lodge as they shall see convenient, and to elect and choice Masters, Wardens, and other Officers annually or otherwise 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 become faithfully bound and engaged not to desert their said Lodge so constituted, nor upon any pretext whatsoever to make any separate or schismatical meetings without the consent of their Master and Wardens for the time nor to collect money or other funds 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 all due regard to the Acts, Statutes, and Regulations of the Grand Lodge already made or to be made hereafter for the utility wellfare 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 which they are hereby appointed to keep, this present Charter of Constitution and Erection nt. their own regulations and by Laws and their whole procedure from time to time as they shall occur to the end the same may be the more readily seen and observed by their Brethren subject always to the review of the 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, provided such proxies be Master Masons or Fellowcrafts of some established Lodge holding of the Grand Lodge to the end they may act and vote in the Grand Lodge and be duely certiorated of the proceedings thereof, declaring their precedency in ye Grand Lodge to commence from the date hereof and to the end these presents may be the more effectually 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. Mary’s Chapel in the City of Edinr. ye viii. day of August in the year of our Lord MDCCLXIII. by the Most Worshipful and Rt. Honble. Charles Earl of Elgin and Kincardin Grand Master Mason of Scotland, James Stuart Esqr. Deputy Grand Master, Richard Tod Esqr. Substitute Grand Master, Capt. John Weinyss and the Honble. Alex. Gordon Esqr. Grand Wardens and the Seal of the Grand Lodge appended hereunto witnessing to these presents James Hunter Esqr. Grand Treasurer, Alexr. M’Dougall Esqr. Grand Secretary and George Beam Esqr. Grand Clerk.
Apud Edinburgum viii. Auguste MDCCLXIII. Recorded in the Books of the Grand Lodge.
ELGIN & KINCARDIN G.M.
JAMES STUART, D.G.M.
RICHD- TOD, Sub. G.M.
WEMYSS, S.G.W.
ALEX. GORDON, J.G.W.
JAMES HUNTER, G. Treasurer.
ALEX. MâDOUGALL, G. Secretary.
GEO. BEAM, G. Clerk.