1985 History Page 4 of 17

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Pursuant to this call a meeting was held, Right Worshipful William D. Coolidge served as chairman.

The record of the proceedings does not give the names or the number of all the brethren present, but thirty-eight brothers signed a petition to the Most Worshipful Grand Master for a dispensation.

Brother Underwood proposed that the Lodge be called "Dalhousie Lodge of Newton" in honor of Lord Dalhousie of Scotland. There is some doubt, however, as to which Lord Dalhousie our founders intended to honor. It was most likely one of these two:

George Ramsay, the Eighth Earl of Dalhousie, and Grand Master of Scotland from 1767 to 1769, who granted the letters of deputation to General Joseph Warren making his Grand Master of Masons in Boston.

or:

James Andrew Brown Ramsay, the Tenth Earl of Dalhousie and Viceroy of India. He served as Grand Master of Scotland from 1836 to 1838. He was commonly known as "Dalhousie" and was still living in June of 1860.

It was the picture of Fox Mauic Ramsay, Eleventh Earl of Dalhousic, however, which hung over the Master's Chair in the Lodge room for many years. He was Grand Master of Scotland when the Lodge was founded, but he did not then bear the title of Dalhousie but was still Lord Panmure.

Whichever may be the Dalhousie for whom our Lodge was named, Dalhousie Lodge has used the Dalhousie coat of arms of 1769, together with the motto "Ora et Labora," as its seal ever since the constitution of the Lodge in 1861. The motto enjoins us to "work and pray"!

The original seal as adopted bore in the margin of the circle the words, "Dalhousie Lodge, Newton, Mass. Instituted A. L. 5861," but by vote of the Lodge April 23, 1892, the by-laws were amended so that the title and date should read "Dalhousie Lodge F. & A. M. Newton, Mass. Instituted A. L. 5860."

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