Encyclopedia Masonica

The Anti-Masonic movement had so great an effect on Freemasonry in Illinois that it practically died. After the agitation ceased the Craft appeared again with renewed vigor. There are thus two early Lodges and two Grand Lodges to be considered in an account of the growth of Freemasonry in this State. On September 4, 1805, a Dispensation for six months was issued to Western Star Lodge, No. 107, while Illinois was still in Indian Territory.

The Lodge was chartered and on September 13, 1806, was duly constituted. A Convention was held at Vandalia on December 9, 1822, to consider the organization of a Grand Lodge for the State. At another meeting held December 1, 1823, eight Lodges were represented and a Grand Lodge was opened with Brother Shadrach Bond as Grand Master. In 1827, this Grand Lodge ceased operations and after June 24, 1827, all the Lodgea in the State went out of existence. A Warrant was issued on August 30, 1838, to Bodley Lodge, No. 97, by the Grand Lodge of Kentucky, there being at that time no other working Lodge in Illinois. At a Convention held at Jacksonville on April 6, 1840, six of the eight chartered Lodges in the State were present and one under Dispensation was represented. The Grand L,odge officers were elected and the Grand Lodge then opened. For some time, however, several Lodges in Illinois paid allegiance to Missouri because their business in St. Louis made it more convenient for the Brethreu to attend the Grand Lodge of Missouri.

A Dispensation was granted by the Deputy General Grand High Priest to Springfield Chapter, on July 19, 1841, and in the following September a Charter was issued. Seven Chapters were given permission subsequently by the General Grand Iiing to organize a Grand Chapter. On April 10, 1850, six of these Chapters held a Convention and opened the Grand Chapter of Illinois.

Degrees of the Cryptic Rite were conferred in some of the Royal Arch Chapters in this State. Then several Councils were chartered from 1852 by the Grand Council of Kentucky, the first being Illinois Council No. 15. A Charter was granted to Alton Council at Alton in 1853. Springfield Council at Springfield was not chartered until February, 1853, though the Convention to form a Grand Council was assembled on September 29, 1853, and during the adjourned meeting at Springfield the various Councils were arranged as Illinois Council No. 1; Springfield Council No. 2, and Alton Council No. 3. Any misunderstanding was cleared up by a second Convention at Springfield, March 10, 1854, when the Constitution was readopted and the Grand Council constituted by representatives of the three Councils.

Apollo Encampment, later Apollo Commandery, was organized at Chicago under Dispensation dated May 5, 1845, issued by Deputy Grand Master Joseph E. Stapleton of Baltimore. It receiveda Charter dated September 17, 1847. The Grand Commandery was organized on October 27, 1857, under authority of Grand Master W. B. Hubbard of the Grand Encampment, by three Commanderies: Apollo, No. 1; Belvidere, No. 2, and Peoria, No. 3. At the Conclave of 1858, Sir Hosmer A. Johnson presented a piece of the Charter Oak received from the Hon. Isaac W. Stewart of Hartford, Connecticut, which was afterwards made into a Patriarchal Cross for the use of the Grand Commanders as a Jewel of Office.

As early as 1857, appeared the first Body of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite in Illinois, when an Rensselaer Lodge of Perfection was chartered on Alay 14, at Chicago. On that date also Chicago Council of Princes of Jerusalem, Gourgas Chapter of Rose Croix, and Oriental Consistory were established in the same city.

The Encyclopedia Masonica exists to preserve the wealth of information that has been generated over the centuries by numerous Masonic authors. As Freemasonry is now Speculative and not Operative, the work of a Mason is now conducted in the quarries of symbolism, literature, history and scholasticism. Freemasonry encourages intellectual exploration and academic achievement in its members and many Masons over the years have taken up this calling. The result has been that an incredible amount of philosophy, symbolic speculation and academic insights have been created. However, as Freemasonry teaches, human knowledge is frail and fragile. It is easily lost in the turnings of the ages and unforeseen catastrophes can result in great setbacks to human knowledge.

For too long these great works have sat on forgotten shelves, gathering dust and concealing the light that could be shed on the darkness of our ignorance. The Encyclopedia Masonica has been created to act as an ark, sailing through time, to ensure that future generations of Freemasons have access to the same knowledge that inspired the Brethren that came before them. It will contain the works of such Masonic Luminaries as Albert G. Mackey, Manly Palmer Hall, G.S.M. Ward, Albert Pike and many others. The Encyclopedia Masonica is a living work and the volunteers of Universal Co-Masonry will continue to labor until the most comprehensive Masonic reference work the world has ever seen has been created. The Encyclopedia Masonica is open to any who wish to use it and will remain open so that the treasures contained within may increase the wealth of all those who seek its wisdom.