Epworth Lodge No.3789 is an Emulation working lodge with Hall Stone Lodge status. The Lodge was consecrated on 9th February 1917as a Methodist Lodge. Given this strong link with methodism, the lodge was called Epworth after the small town Epworth and the civil parish in the Isle of Axholme, North Lincolnshire, England. As the birthplace of John and Charles Wesley, this name was given to many institutions associated with Methodism.
The Masonic headquarters in London received its named the “Masonic Peace Memorial Temple”, as a commemorative to the 3225 Freemasons who died during the First World War in 1919. The United Grand Lodge of England decided that this memorial should be the erection of a new headquarters for the Craft and an appeal was made to every member for contributions to a fund which became known as the Masonic Million Memorial Fund.
Members’ contributions to this fund were entirely voluntary and were recognised by three special commemorative jewels. Chosen through a competition, with 75 guineas as a prize, the winning design was by Cyril Saunders Spackman. It features a cross representing sacrifice and an angle of peace holding a model temple surrounded by a garland.
The first of these jewels was a personal breast jewel to be worn by any member of a Lodge under the English Constitution who contributed ten guineas (£10.50) or to any Lodge contributing an average of ten guineas per member. The second jewel, a gold medal on a light blue collarette, was presented to be worn by successive Masters; such Lodges came to be known as Hall Stone Lodges, thus giving the jewel its name. 1,321 Lodges were thus qualified and their names and numbers are inscribed at Freemasons’ Hall in London. The third was a large colour enameled jewel awarded to a Province or District if all their lodges donated an average of 500 guineas.
Epworth Lodge was awarded the Hall Stone Jewel after its members reached the desired contributions towards the Masonic Memorial Fund. It is inscribed to the rear ‘Hall Stone Medal, Epworth Lodge No.3789, Grand Lodge, 1st June 1927’. This is proudly displaced on a collarette by the Worshipful Master. This jewel is passed to his successor at the installation meeting.
The wearing of the Jewel by the Master of a Lodge fulfils a double purpose:
First it provides visible evidence that the Lodge has faithfully and conscientiously discharged its obligations to the Fraternity;
Secondly, it should ever provide the inspiration to every Brother to put service before self.
THE BANNER
Original Banner 1917
New Banner approved 2019
Our original banner depicts the Epworth rectory fire and John Wesley being saved from the raging flames. Here, men forming a human ladder to reach him on the first floor. His father is seen kneeling and praying in the court yard. This image, taken from the oil on canvas painting illustrated below, continues to form the central theme of our Craft and Holy Royal Arch Chapter insignia today.
SCENE DEPICTING THE RESCUE OF JOHN WESLEY FROM THE FIRST FLOOR OF HIS BURNING HOME IN THE VILLAGE OF EPWORTH. CIRCA 1840
War Memorial Masonic Window
Opened in 1778, the Wesley’s Chapel located at 49 City Rd, Old Street, London EC1Y 1AU, was built under the direction of John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement. The war memorial masonic window (pictured below) was commissioned by Epworth Lodge 3769 and unveiled by the Rt. Hon. the Lord mayor, R.W. Bro. Sir Horace Brooks Marshall, LL.D, Junior Grand Warden of England.
The stained window designed by Francis Owen Salisbury (1874-1962) was inserted on the right hand side of the Chapel in 1922. It commemorates the Fallen in the Great War 1914-1918 and depicts Christ holding a dead soldier in his arms. At the apex of the window are angels, with trumpets, holding a banner inscribed with the words “Greater love hath no man than this”.
Another noticeable inscription third way down the window reads “Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows”. Inscribed to the bottom delineates “To the glory of God this window is placed here by Methodist Freemasons as a memorial to all Methodist throughout the Empire who at sea, on land and in the air surrendered their lives for King and country in the Great War 1914-1918”.
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