Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1914-02-05
CATAWBA LODGE NO. Sc.
ANCIENT FREE MASONS
Continued from Page 1.)

Whereas; 1t hath pleased the
all-wise Governor of the Uni
verse, in His inscrutible provi-
dence and righteous judgment to
inflict upon us as a people. and
especially as a community, severe
punishments, by subjecting us to
the tyranny and oppression Of
our malignant enemies and,
Whereas; We deem it right
and proper that in justice to our
selves and our sorely afflicted
State, we should leave upon
record some expression of our
feelings which the deplorable
condition of our country has in
spired, therefore, be it resolved:
First, That in our present
situation we mourn both pri-
vate and public calamity; pub
tic in as much as President
Grants tyrannical proclamation
has driven off as eXiles our best
and noblest citizens; private in
as much as we Masonic brethren
deeply feel the loss of these
bound to us not only by the
sacred ties of friendship and
relatives, but also by those strong
cords of the Masonic brother
hood,
Second; That our present ad-
ministration of government if
truthfully recorded in the his
toric pages will be stigmasized
as the foulest, most oppressive
and savage tyrants that ever
swayed the sceptre, surprising
in daring wickedness and hellish
design the reign of the bloody
Nero; that the suspension of the
Writ of Habeas Corpus among
a peaceable and inoffensive peo-
Bile is revolving to civilization and
the Christianized world; the un-
warranted arrests of innocent
persons and their confinement
in gloomy prison walls and filthy
dungeons.
Third; That we will not des-
pair of all hope; that God is Just;
that the day of stern retribution
will come and that we deeply
sympathiZe with our unfortunate
brethren and all others, and re-
new our pledges to pursue all
Just and lawful means for their
recovery.
Fourth; That copy of these
resolutions be deposited among
the archives of our fraternity
for posterity as memento of
the year of our Lord 1871, and
in the year of light 5S70 and OF
our fidelity to the cause of
truth and our country.
&c. w. Gillespie,
S. +. White,
w. c.. Young,
w. H. Stewart,
j. E. Massey,
Committee" >"
In the minutes of January 10Th
1874, we find the petition of
j. w. Ardrey for the degrees
of the order. The petition was
reported on favorably and he
was elected to take the degrees.
That Catawba Lodge No. Sc
made no mistake in accepting
Brother Ardrey is evidenced by
the fact that since his initiation
in 1874 he has served the lodge
as Master for % years; he has
also served as Deputy Grand
Master of the Grand Lodge for
the Sixth district of South
Carolina. Capt. Ardrey's ser
vice and devotion to the Masonic
fraternity is we'll known: i'll fact
he and the late Maj. A. H.
White, of Rock Hill, have done
more to promote the cause of
Masonry than any men in the
upper part of the State.
The only other man who can
even approach the record of
Capt. Ardrey is Brother c.. S.
Link who, though he has been
among US a comparatively short
time, has served as master seven
years.
The oldest living member who
has resided continuously in Fort
Mill is Uncle" Tom Faulkner.
now in his 80th year, and present
with us tonight. He was initiated
in 1850 and has been faithful
member through all these years.
The following is a list of the
masters who have served this
lodge: Isaac Spencer, John M
White, B. Frank Powell, James
Thornwell Hotchkiss, DR.. S. A.
Kell. w. H. Stewart. W. j
Ardrey, John M. Spratt, Samuel
r: White, DR.. j. F.. Massey
Walter E. Spratt, James Fl
Thornwell, l.. A. Harris. c.. S
Link, }. Lee Spratt. w. P. Cray