Page 58 - An account of the Lodge of Nine Muses No. 235. 1777 to 2012UGLE

58 An Account of the

It will be seen that the temporary suspension of the meetings of the Nine
Muses coincides with Thomas Harper’s expulsion, and it may not be fanciful to
connect the two. Harper was Secretary of the Nine Muses in 1801 and may not
unlikely have been so in 1803; he must have been persona grata to the Lodge, and
his expulsion from the craft could hardly have failed to upset the harmony of the
Lodge pretty completely.
Thomas Harper’s expulsion was actually a sign of the desperate position of
the die-hards; wiser counsels soon began to prevail; the ban was removed in
1810, and he rejoined the Nine Muses. Bro. Harper was one of the Committee
of the “Antients” which joined in drawing up the Articles of Agreement
leading to the Union, in the engineering of which he had had so large a hand.
The “Antient” Grand Lodge was not unmindful of the debt it owed him. It
is recorded in the minute-book of the Grand Lodge that “At an especial Grand
Lodge of the Most Antient and Honorable Fraternity of Free and Accepted
Masons according to the Old Institutions held at the Crown and Anchor Tavern
in the Strand on Thursday 23rd December 1813, The R.W. Brother Thomas
Harper D.G.M. in the Chair”, The Duke of Sussex, Grand Master of the other
(“Modern”) Grand Lodge being present as a visitor, it was

Resolved Unanimously That the cordial thanks of this Grand Lodge be given
to the Right Worshipful Brother Thomas Harper for his indefatigable zealous
and honorable conduct during a period of more than twenty-eight years that he
has been an Officer of this Grand Lodge but more especially for his constant and
unwearied attention for the last thirteen years in the discharge of the arduous and
important duties of Deputy Grand Master.
That the Members of this Grand Lodge were led to the performance of this
Duty peculiarly gratifying to them from the high sense they entertain of the purity
of the principles from which he has acted from their unqualified admiration of
the Talents and Eloquence which he has constantly displayed in their behalf and
from the pleasing anticipa tion of those happy and glorious consequences which
his exertions have so eminently contributed to produce.

A resounding tribute indeed.