MILITARY LODGES BROUGHT EARLY SPREAD OF MASONRY

    Although the Masonic Fraternity will not have reached its 250th
anniversary until 1967, the Mother Lodge of England now spreads all over the globe.  The spread of the Craft in early days was due largely to Military
Lodges.  Yet there were but two such Lodges left on the register of the
United Grand Lodge of England until two years ago.  They were Unity, Peace and Concord No. 316, and Social Friendship Lodge No. 497.  These two Lodges have exchanged their warrants within the past two years, and the Board of General Purposes made this comment:

         "This brings to a  close an important chapter in
        English Freemasonry, for there can be no doubt
        that the spread of the Craft overseas was
        largely due to the enthusiasm and pertinacity of
        the members of the Military Lodges who carried
        with them the seeds of Freemasonry to many
        distant garrison towns and cantonments, where
        stationary Lodges were subsequently established
        and still flourish.  The Board would not wish
        the change of status of these famous old Lodges
        to pass unnoticed by the Craft."

Author unknown;  Published in MASONIC LIGHT;
Huntingdon, Quebec; February, A.M. 5952; Vol.V, No.6.