Thistle
Lodge 14 (afterwards 19, now No. 34) was instituted at a Masonic convention held in
Amherstburg, on February 24th, 1849.
The Grand Lodge granted the warrant and on August 21st,
1849, the new Lodge was consecrated. The
story is best told by The Amherstburg Courier, the first newspaper published in
Amherstburg, which contained the following description of the event: “On Friday last
agreeable to appointment, the members of Thistle Lodge of ancient York Masons, assembled
at their lodge room, at the hour of 12 o’clock noon.
Shortly before three o’clock they formed in procession under the
direction of Ezra Rood, Esq., of Detroit Lodge, who officiated as Grand Marshall on the
occasion, preceded by the Tyler with drawn sword. A
copy of the sacred Scriptures was borne in the procession according to Masonic usage by
the oldest Mason present. On arriving at St.
George’s Church (Christ Church) the service was read by the Rev. Mr. Mack, after
which the Secretary of the new Lodge read a letter of dispensation from Sir Alan Napier
Macnab, Grand Master of the Provincial Grand Lodge, C.W. authorizing the formation of a
new lodge, when the lodge was consecrated by Rev. William Ritchie, of Sandwich. This ceremony was truly solemn and imposing, the
lodge kneeling while the Reverend Brother pronounced a prayer suitable to the occasion,
accompanied by the responses of the Brethren, and with uplifted hands the Revered Divine
dedicated the lodge to the memory of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist. A hymn composed especially for the occasion by
Chas. Sangster, then editor of The Courier, afterwards a celebrated Canadian poet , was
sung by the assembly to the solemn and stately music of the Old Hundred, at the conclusion
of which the new officers were duly and
severally installed into office by Col. Levi Cook, special Deputy Grand Master of the
Grand Lodge of Michigan, and invested with the jewels appertaining thereto at the same
time giving each on the charge of his particular office.
This ceremony was certainly a very
beautiful one, and was well calculated to arrest attention and win the zeal of those
present who did not lay claim to the privilege of being classed amongst the brethren of
the Mystic Tye. ~ whence on being called from
labor to refreshment the members repaired to Mr. George Bullocks British North American
Hotel where they partook of an excellent dinner prepared in that gentleman’s best
style. The Brethren separated at an early
hour of the evening well pleased with the solemn proceedings of the day and happy to have
their young lodge on a permanent basis. May
it be the means of instilling the three prominent tenets of the Order, Brotherly Love,
Relief and Truth, into the minds of many to whom the ancient symbols of Masonry are yet a
mystery.