The history of Masonry in South Carolina has been well told by Dalcho and Mackey, and from these eminent Masonic authorities we learn that Solomon's Lodge in Charleston is the oldest Masonic body in South Carolina. Solomon's Lodge received its charter from Lord Weymouth, the Grand Master of the Masons of England. In 1735, and recorded on the register of that Grand Lodge as No. 45, but on the Provincial register as No. 1. It was not, however, for some unexplained, reason organized until Thursday, October 28, 1736 when a meeting was held for the first time in the province of South Carolina, at Mr. Charles Shepherd's on the northeast corner of Broad and Church Streets in the City of Charleston, then know as Charles Towne, and John Hammerton, Esq., Secretary and Receiver General for the province of South Carolina, was unanimously chosen Master, and he appointed Mr. James Denne, Senior Warden' Mr. Thomas Harbin, Junior Warden; and Mr. James Gordon, Secretary. At a subsequent meeting in August, 1737, the Lodge was for the first time called by its name, Solomon's Lodge, which name and its provincial No. 1 has ever since been retained.
The Lodge worked uninterruptedly until 1811, when it suspended labor, but received in 1817; it again suspended in 1838 and again received in 1841, and from thence continued to work to the present. In the early days of Masonry in South Carolina the craft did not confine themselves to their peculiar secret good works, but also took active interest in public benevolence and in social and religious matters.
On the 18th of November, 1780, one million and a half dollars worth of property was destroyed by fire in Charleston, and much want and distress ensued; and the Free Masons of the town, probably not more than fifty in number, and presumably members of Solomon's Lodge--there being [at that time] but one Masonic Lodge in the town--contributed two hundred and fifty dollars toward relieving the distressed. In 1759 Solomon's Lodge was in prosperous financial condition, for the Treasurer, Isaac DeCosta, gave notice in public advertisement that the Lodge had six hundred pounds (about three thousand dollars) to let out upon interest.
The following extract from Timothy's Carolina Gazette of January 9th, 1755, gives an interesting account of the observance of St. John's the Evangelist day, by Solomon's Lodge in 1753 "...on Friday the 27th ult [?] (being St. John's The Evangelist day), James Grindlay, Esq., was elected Master of Solomon's Lodge; Dr. Samuel Carne, Senior Warden; Mr. Henry Laurens, Treasurer; and Mr. Thomas Evans, Secretary for the ensuing year. The election of officers over, Solomon's Lodge went in procession from the house where they had met to that of the Honorable provincial Grand Master, where the Grand Lodge, all properly clothed, ets. [etc?] to the church where an excellent was preached by their Brother, The Rev. Mr. Alexander Brown. After divine service, the procession continued to their Brother Gordon's Tavern (formerly Shepherd's at the northeast corner of Broad and Church Streets), where they dined and spent the afternoon )to number on upwards and hundred) with the harmony and regularity peculiar to that society; and in the evening they went to the new theatre (situated at the northwest corner of Church Street and St. Michael's Alley, and owned by Union Kilwinning Lodge of Free Masons), where the tragedy called 'The Distressed Mother' was presented with an occasional prologue and epilogue and some Masonic songs between the acts."
There is in the archives of the Lodge a prayer book discovered by Bro. Past Master Wm. M. Bird of Solomon's Lodge, in 1869, while on a visit to the city of New York, at a Nassau Street news-stand, which appears to be one of the lost prayer books alluded to in the advertisement just quoted. This prayer book is leather and well preserved. On the front cover the name of Lodge "No. 1, Solomon's Lodge," is printed in gold letters with the following on the title page printed in the old English style: "The Book of Common Prayer and administration of the Sacraments and other Rites and ceremonies of the Church of England. Together with psalter of Psalms of David. Printed as they are to be sung or said in Churches, Oxford. Printed by Mark Baskett. Printer to the University, 1764."
There is also in the archives an old Bible printed by Thomas Baskett, of London, England, in 1759 and bears in gold printed letters on the front cover this inscription: "For the use of Solomon's Lodge, being No. 1 in the list of regularly constituted Lodges in Charles Towne, South Carolina. Job Milner Master, A.L.M 576J [5758?].," and on the fly leaf is written this: "maltis Augustus Whitworth Ejus Liber, A present made by Albert Nesbit, Esq., Consul General of the Seven Canary Islands before war Annoque Domini, 1762." There is good reason to believe that this Bible was secured by Captain Benjamin Beckett, a merchant sea captain of Salem, Mass., while on a voyage to the Canary Islands, and afterwards used by him and his descendants as a family Bible.
Captain John Henry Goldsmith, also a merchant sea captain, and of Salem, Mass., and a fourth generation descendent of Captain Benj. Beckett, had this Bible in his possession, and, before his demise expressed the desire that it should be restored to Solomon's Lodge, which was done by his brother-in-law, Doctor Laurence S. Smith, Past Master of Noquochoke Lodge, Westport, Mass. at a special communication of Solomon's Lodge held April 11th, 1900, at the Masonic Temple, Charleston, South Carolina.
On May 15, 1857, Solomon's Lodge bought, for three hundred and eighty-four dollars, twelve hundred and eighty feet of ground (four lots, number 545, 546, 547, and 548(, in the Magnolia Cemetery, situated at the northeast suburb of the City of Charleston, South Carolina, wherein [they] interred the mortal remains of a number of our brethren now at rest from their earthly labors--also of several of the members of their respective families. This burial ground is enclosed with an artistic iron fence, and a beautiful granite obelisk erected on a square granite base placed in the center of the site. On the sides of this granite base is carved the names, with date of birth and death of the deceased Past Masters of Solomon's Lodge No. 1 A.F.M., in all the subsequent years.
In the encouraging language of Past Grand Master Wilmot G. DeSaussure, Solomon's Lodge "bears the proud preminence [preeminence] of being No. 1, on the roll of the Grand Lodge of South Carolina...and the members of this time-honored Lodge owe it to the history of Free Masonry in South Carolina, and to the memories which cluster around the Lodge," that it be continued in it's active and successful operation.
Rt. Wor. Brother Perry E. Stroup, P.M., Solomon's Lodge, presently serving as District Deputy Grand Master of the First Masonic District.