~ Scottish Rite History ~
By: Brother McDonald` “Don” Burbidge
In 1770 the Reverend Frederick Ludovovs Dalcho was born in
London, England. He was the 2nd of 3 children born to John Frederick and
Euphemia Dalcho. When he was 15 years of age he embarked on a sea voyage to live
with his Uncle Karl Frederick Wiesenthal who had some years before immigrated to
Baltimore, Maryland.
On September 23, 1801, Brother Dalcho delivered his,
"Oration," to the "Sublime Grand Lodge of the Ancient York Grand Lodge," located
in Charleston, South Carolina where he was a member of St. John’s Lodge No. 31.
He later became a member and Past Master of Union Kilwinning Lodge No. 4.
In his opening statement, he commented; "The duty of this
evening, to which I am called by the honor of your appointment, is a task
infinitely more important, and arduous, than my feeble abilities are equal to:
And nothing but the high respect I have for the Society, which have [sic]
honored me with the appointment [as Chaplain], could have induced me to have
accepted it."
Again in 1803 Brother Dalcho delivered another “Oration” to
the Grand Lodge.
On October 17, 1806, Brother John Fowler who was a member of
the "Illustrious College of Knights of K. H. and of the Original Chapter of
Prince Masons of Ireland" took notice of Brother Dalcho’s orations of 1801 and
1803. In a letter written to Brother Dalcho from Brother Fowler he asks for
permission to reprint all of Dalcho's “Orations.” Brother Dalcho replied four
months later expressing his gratification at the request and readily acceding to
it.
Brother Dalcho began his early career as an army doctor,
receiving his medical degree in 1790 from his Uncle Wiesenthal Medical School.
Toward the end of the first decade of the nineteenth century, he showed an
increasing interest in the affairs of the church and devoted himself to
theological studies. During this period, his religious involvement manifested
itself into his Masonic service and writings.
In 1807, at the request of the Grand Lodge of Ancient York
Masons of South Carolina, he published the “Ahiman Rezon,” which was adopted as
the code for the government of the lodges under the jurisdiction of that body.
This book of constitutions consisted of 50,711 words, and has since has gone
through 33 revisions. In 2003 under the direction of Past Grand Master Jack A.
Marler, it was again revised and republished as the 34th edition.
In the “Preface” of the 34th edition Brother Dalcho is still
given credit for his great work in creating the first book of constitutions for
the South Carolina Masons.
When the “Ahiman Rezon” was first published in Charleston, SC
there existed two separate Grand Lodges, the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted
Masons and Ancient York Masons of South Carolina. The existence of these two
Grand Lodges caused much trouble for the brethren of Charleston for many years.
In 1817 the Ancient York Grand Lodge and the Free and
Accepted Masonic Grand Lodges united under the name, “Ancient Free Masons of
South Carolina.” Brother Dalcho was instrumental in the union of these two Grand
Lodges.
At the first Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of the
“Ancient Free Masons of South Carolina”, Brother Dalcho was elected Grand
Chaplin.
After the installation of Grand Lodge officers, a procession
was formed and paraded to St. Michael's church where Reverend Dalcho delivered
his sermon, “Festival of St. John’s.”
In 1820 Reverend Dalcho’s monumental work was published. It
was called, “An Historical Account of the Protestant Episcopal Church in South
Carolina.” This monumental undertaking took him 2 years to research and write.
It covers the early beginnings of the church in the Carolinas to the date that
the book was published. The book is still of such importance that it is used
today by researchers, writers, and the church due to the significant information
it contains about the birth of the church in South Carolina.
It must also be mentioned that of all the founders of the
Supreme Council Dr. Dalcho is the one that Masonic researchers are interested in
the most.
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