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Lodge History – The New Lodge

At the end of 1934 Burton Court Lodge sponsored the petition of a new Lodge. The idea of this new lodge was the conception of a number of senior members of Burton Court who would provide the first five WMs of the new lodge. One of the most influential of these was W.Bro Walter Rind who had the idea that the new lodge should be “different” and thereby would expand on the Burton Court’s tradition of being unconventional.

There were a number of aspects of the “difference” that W.Bro Rind proposed.  He considered that the various forms of working were not sacrosanct but rather different mediums to achieve perfection in the presentation of the Masonic Truth.  He saw no reason for not including a favourite passage from one ritual in another!  This eccentric approach, cutting and lifting between workings, became known the “Rind’s Working”.  Unfortunately this has faded with time and only one example has remained with us, the reading of the beautiful Ecclesiastes Chapter 12 as an emotional highlight of the appropriate Degree which has become a firm part of our Lodge Ritual.

W.Bro Rind’s ideas extended to all aspects of the proposed new lodge. He was an advocate for small numbers to enable younger masons to take office early in their career.   He disliked lengthy after proceedings and the long stereotyped speeches which were common at the time.  His idea was to form a lodge for future and in times with “modern times”.

All of these considerations gradually formulated in his mind and he finally expressed them to the Grand Secretary of the time W.Bro Sir P Coalville-SMith after they had both endured a long evening of speech making.  At the end of their conversation the Grand Secretary agreed to consecrate such a lodge if W.Bro Rind would organise its foundation.  W.Bro Walter Rind was well placed to carry out this task.  He was the Assistant National Registrar at the time and many meetings of the founding members were held in his beautiful and historic office in Somerset House.  This room had an Adam fireplace and a ceiling by Inigo Jones and at one time had been occupied by Admiral Lord Nelson.

somerset

At these meetings of the founders it was agreed that the lodge would meet on Saturdays in the summer months only, which was quite unheard of at the time.  This was to enable the members to combine their membership with membership of their other lodges, affording them a continuous programme of Masonic activity throughout the year.  It was also agreed that speeches and toasts should be kept to a minimum, essentials as the loyal toast and those to the WM and the Initiate.

No artists would he be asked to entertain at the festive board so that the brethren should have time and freedom of movement to get to know each other.  Costs were to be kept low to encourage young en to join.  No founders jewel was struck and the whole cost of the launching the lodge amounted to a donation from each founder of £6. 6s.

Much thought and discussion was spent on the choice of a name for the new lodge, finally W.Bro Rind suggested “Nisi Dominus” and after he had given his reasons for the choice the other founders enthusiastically adopted it.