W.Bro Davis Randerson, W.Bro. John Acaster,
Bro Peter Bentham, Worshipful Master of Senatores Lodge of Installed Masters
& W,Bro. Leon Tax, Assistant Provincial Grand Master
Blackpool Group of Lodges
The Oldest meets the Largest.
Blackpool was once again the host to a memorable evening of Masonic History. Senatores Lodge of Installed Masters. No 8966, is without doubt the largest Lodge in the Province of West Lancashire. Its membership numbers over 330, and due to the large numbers Senatores Lodge cannot be accommodated at its home in Poulton Masonic Hall, and so, holds the majority of its meetings at the Savoy Hotel, Blackpool.
On Monday, 31st, January. 2011. the members of Senatores Lodge were privileged to listen to a talk entitled,”Sitting on top of the World”, by W.Bro. John Acaster.P.Pr.S.G.W. from the Province of East Lancashire.
W.Bro Davis Randerson, W.Bro. John Acaster,
Bro Peter Bentham, Worshipful Master of Senatores Lodge of Installed Masters
& W,Bro. Leon Tax, Assistant Provincial Grand Master
John said firstly, how he had spoken to the Lodge 3 years ago and was delighted to be asked to return. He then went on to explain the meaning of the title of his lecture, which meant that English Freemasonry really did sit on top of the world regarding to other countries and their admiration for our Masonic heritage. John was very proud to detail his membership of Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076. which meets at the Freemasons Hall in London and founded in 1884 is the oldest Lodge of Masonic Research in the world. As John said, “Quatuor Coronati Lodge provides an explanation of Masonic fact, and tells it as it is, not as we think it should be”. “Many European Freemasons do not look upon English Freemasons very favourably, and this is something that can be rectified by contacts with other European Lodges” “Lodges of research in other countries are all called Quatuor Coronati Lodge, and they look to England as the bastilion of rectitude”. Hence the title, ”Sitting On Top of the World”.
Attached to the Lodge is a Correspondence Circle, which today boasts over 15,000 members, and still growing. Its membership being open to all. Quatuor Coronati Lodge draws its name from Roman history. In 298.A.D.the Emperor Diocletian was building his baths on the neck of the Quirinal and Virminal hills, he included within its vast circuit a temple to AEsculapius, the god of health. He ordered five sculptors to execute the decorative work and also to make a statue of the god. Being Christian they refused to make a statue to a pagan god, and so on 8th, November, 298, they were put to death. Other artist where then found to complete the work.
In 300.A.D.the Emperor returned to Rome and finding the work completed ordered that for the dedication, all the soldiers in Rome should be present, and, as they marched past, were to throw incense over the alter. As soon as this command was propagated, Four Brothers, who were Master Masons, and held the position of CORNICULARI, or wing leaders of the militia, met to decide what they should do. These Four Brothers besides being Masons were also Christians. They all agreed not to throw the incense over the pagan alter, so the Emperor sentenced them to be scourged with leaden thongs, until death. Their bodies were then cast into the river Tiber.
They were eventually recovered from the river, and their bodies interred by the side of the five sculptors previously martyred, in the catacombs on the Via Labricana. Which from the Four Master Masons are to this day known as the Catacombs of the “Quattro Coronati”