No. 994 E.C.

HISTORY

There is no information as to what led to the formation of the ‘Truth’, or why it was so named. According to a letter received from the Secretary of ‘Lodge of Truth’, Manchester No.1458, both their Lodge and our Lodge originate from ‘Truth’ Lodge No. 521, Huddersfield, Yorkshire, which was consecrated in 1845; our first Master, W.Bro.G.S.Judge being a member of the Huddersfield ‘Truth’.

He goes on to write that ‘the greatest reason for our name is that ‘Truth’ is the most simple and natural thing in the world, yet the most difficult thing in the world to get.

A great man named Zerubabel says of Truth

“Truth is unchangeable and everlasting and the benefits we receive from it are subject to no variation or vicissitudes of time. In her judgement is no unrighteousness and she is the wisdom, strength, beauty, power and majesty of all ages. Therefore, Blessed be the God of ‘Truth”

We therefore have great need to be proud of the name of our Lodge. It was on the above definition that the name was chosen, first by the Huddersfield brethren and then by our Founders.

In 1862, there were only two Lodges working under the English Constitution in Bombay, St George No. 549 and Concord No. 757. The Minutes of the Meeting of the Concord Lodge held on the 20th December 1862 say ‘The Master, on rising for the first time, said he had to announce that a new Lodge had been formed, Lodge ‘Truth’

The first Master, W.Bro. George Septimus Judge, was a member of both Lodge St. George and Lodge Concord, and who had actually consecrated ‘Concord’ in 1858. The Senior Warden was from ‘Concord’, while the Junior Warden was from ‘St. George’

The Dispensation or Provisional Warrant for the holding of Lodge ‘Truth’ was issued by the Provincial Grand Master, R.W.Bro. George Taylor on Christmas Day 1862. The Warrant, of which now there is no trace, permitted the Lodge to meet until the Warrant of Constitution signed by M.W. the Grand Master arrived from England. The Lodge was permitted to meet ‘as a Lodge to be styled Lodge ‘Truth’ in the Island of Bombay on the first Monday in every month and there to discharge the duties of Masonry in a constitutional manner.

The Provisional Grand Master, George Taylor, signed the Warrant on 25th December 1862. Interestingly, the Warrant was countersigned by the Provincial Grand Secretary, W.Bro. George Septimus Judge, who happened to also be the Founder Master, and in fact had an apt name – he was a Judge of the High Court!