CHAPTER XXIII
THE KING AND FREEMASONRY
For the information contained in this chapter the author is indebted to an authority on the subject.
After the King’s accession His Majesty reluctantly decided that he could not hope to find time to fulfil the duties of the high offices in Masonry to which he had been called as Prince of Wales, namely Grand Master of English Freemasons and Grand Master of the Mark Degree. At the same time King Edward was unwilling to cut short his long official connection with Masonry. Accordingly, His Majesty graciously intimated, in a letter read at Grand Lodge on 15th February 1901, that, following the precedent of King George IV., he would, on his retirement from the office of Grand Master, take the title of “Protector of English Freemasons.” Similarly, at a Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons held four days later, it was announced that His Majesty would assume the title of “Patron of Freemasons of the Mark Degree.”
The King was succeeded in both his Grand Masterships by his brother, the Duke of Connaught, whose consent to serve gave great satisfaction to the brethren of the craft.
Undoubtedly Freemasonry has been one of the most absorbing interests of the King’s life. Yet very few foreign princes are Masons; and though the Duke of Kent was one, the Prince Consort always refused to associate himself with the craft. Of course it must be remembered that British Freemasonry is a very different thing from what the term is supposed to imply on the Continent, where it is associated in the public mind with atheism and even anarchism.
As far back as March 1870 the King presided at the anniversary festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys. This was not very long after his initiation, and in his speech he expressed his pride at being so heartily received by the company as a brother Mason, and his determination to follow in the footsteps of his grand-uncles, who were so long connected with the craft. The King continued:—
“Much has been said against Freemasonry by those who do not know what it is. People naturally say they do not approve of secret societies; but I maintain that the craft is free from the reproach of being either disloyal or irreligious.… I desire to remind you that when, about seventy years ago, it became necessary for the Government of that day to put down secret societies, my relative, the late Duke of Sussex, urged in his place in Parliament that Freemasons’ lodges ought to be exempt from such a law, and the force of his appeal was acknowledged. From that time Freemasonry has been devoid of politics, its only object being the pure and Christian one of charity.”
In May of the following year the King presided at the annual festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls, and announced that Queen Alexandra had consented to become the Patroness of the institution. His Majesty also expressed his thanks to the brethren for their sympathy with him on the death of his infant son in the preceding month.
It is interesting to record, in view of the King’s present title of Patron of Freemasons of the Mark Degree, that His Majesty, who was already Patron of the Order in Scotland, was installed as Patron of Free and Accepted Masons in Ireland on the occasion of his visit to that country in August 1871. The installation was attended with great ceremony, and in the course of his reply to the address of welcome presented to him the King said:—