1717 Membership decline!?!
Having grown up in England I can well understand why 1717 happened.Self appointed committees in England have an amazing habit of
becoming governing authorities, particularly if you can obtain royal
patronage. Having established your supremacy as THE sole governing
authority then no one seems to question your divine right to confer
regularity on subordinate bodies. Through your royal patronage you
can also reward loyalty and subservience with "service awards" like
MBE's & Knighthoods. Even aging punk-rockers succumb to the
temptation of a knighthood!
It has been speculated that Masonic membership was in such decline
in 1717 that the main thrust of the meeting was to find ways to
boost membership. If that theory is true then they certainly
succeeded particularly once royal patronage was achieved.
S & F
Colin 334SC
South Africa
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