History

Brief History of Lynnville Lodge F&AM #396

From minutes book written in 1868

It has been represented to us that at Lynnville in Warrick County and State of Indiana there resides a number of Free and Accepted Ancient York Masons who are desirous of associating together agreeable to the constitution of Ancient Masonry and appearing for the promotion of the Royal Art necessary and proper that said brethren should be enabled to work together as a regular Lodge of Masons.

Therefore, I, Martin H. Rice, Grand Master of the most Ancient and Honorable Society of Free and Accepted Ancient York Masons in the State of Indiana by and with the consent of the Grand Lodge, testified by their rules and regulations do hereby appoint the Worshipful Lewis J. Miller Master, George C. Mayhall, Senior Warden, and Alexander E. Camp Junior Warden. Together with all such Brethren as are now or hereafter become members. A regular lodge of Free and Accepted Ancient York Masons by dispensation by the title of Lynnville Lodge U.D. And do hereby ordain that all regular lodges respect them as such, hereby granting them full power to assemble and work together and to receive all Enter Apprentices, Pass Fellowcraft, and Raise Master Masons according to the known and established customs of Ancient Masonry and not otherwise. Also, to exact from their members contributions as shall judge necessary for the support of the lodge, relief of their brethren in distress together with such contributions towards the Grand Charity Fund as are required by the Constitution of Masonry and the laws of the Grand Lodge of Indiana. Commanding the aforesaid brethren to reverence and obey their inferiors in all things lawful and honest as becomes the honor and harmony of Masonry. To record in their Lodge Book present dispensations, their own private regulations and their whole acts and proceedings from time to time as they may occur. And by no means desert their said lodge, hereby constituted, or form themselves into separate meetings without the consent of the said Worshipful Master and Wardens. And are not to cease from their looking as a lodge until ordered so to do by the Most Worshipful Grand Master for the time being. And I do command the aforesaid brethren to make due return of this dispensation, a copy of their private regulations, and a copy of all the proceedings had on said dispensation to the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Indiana at their next Annual Grand Communication. to be held in the town of Indianapolis on the twenty fifth day of May, ensuring the date hereof until which times this dispensation shall continue in force and not longer. All of which by their acceptance or hereof they are bound to observe. And the brethren aforesaid by their acceptance hereof acknowledges the said Most Worshipful Grand Lodge and Master as their superiors and promise to pay due regard to such instructions and recommendations as they shall hereafter receive from them. For the move effectual preservation of these present the same are hereby ordered to be recorded.

Given by the hand of Martin H. Rice, Master of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Indiana.

The most eloquent solicitation above was written in 1868 to formalize the request for the petition for Lynnville’s charter to the Masonic Institution. There were around eleven members who made the journey to the town of Indianapolis in May of 1869 and were awarded the charter for the beginning of a so far 150-year journey in Masonry. There were 159 members present at the Grand Lodge May Annual Communication. Within the By-Laws of the lodge, an assessment of twenty dollars was the initiation fee with a yearly dues amount of two dollars, fifty cents of that amount was submitted to the Grand Lodge of Indiana and the rest for the maintaining of the existing lodge. The first petitioner to the lodge was S.L. Tyner and the second was J.D. Ross. Along with officers Lewis Miller, Worshipful Master, George Mayhall, Senior Warden, Alexander Camp, Junior Warden, John Bahall, Treasurer, and Wesley Fowler, Secretary, the lodge was on its way to becoming what it is today. One must really admire the work of the founding members of the lodge. The distance they had to travel and the means of transportation at that time truly epitomized their resolution for the formation of a Masonic Lodge. It was recorded in the year 1869, there were 22 members of the Lynnville Lodge. Through all the years Lynnville Lodge has been blessed, in 1918, we had 60 members, in 1968 we had 259 members and our current membership is 184 members. By Masonic design and with the assistance of the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, our lodge will continue to grow and to provide a means of development, to take good men and to make them better, to serve their God, their neighbor and themselves within the bounds of friendship, morality, and brotherly love.