Masonic History is not unfamiliar in the village of Chryston, a small community situated in North Lanarkshire. The local Lodge is Lodge Cadder Argyle No. 147, and it was on 15th February 2003 that the Lodge celebrated the 225th anniversary of the granting of a Charter in 1778. This event was marked by a Ceremony of Re dedication conducted by the Provincial Grand Master and Provincial Senior Grand Chaplain of Dunbartonshire.
It is safe to say that Lodge Cadder Argyle can lay claim to being the oldest active Chryston Institution of which there is documentary evidence. A further piece of Masonic History was made, however, on 20th September 2003, at the Regular Meeting of the Lodge. The candidate for the Master Mason’s Degree that night was Brother Craig Seggie, nineteen years of age, a Lewis, son of a Master Mason in the Scottish Constitution. Nothing special in that, you may say. What made the evening more important was that the first half of the Degree Ceremony including the Obligation was carried out by the Candidate’s father, Brother David Seggie, Senior Warden of the Lodge. After a moving retrospect of those degrees through which he had already passed explained to him by his father, Craig retired whilst the Lodge room was prepared for his return. On being re-admitted Craig re-enacted the 3rd Degree ceremony and was Raised with great dignity as a Master Mason, the complete ceremony being carried out at the hands of his grandfather, Brother Robert Seggie, Past Master. At that time Bobby, as he is affectionately known, was the Lodge Chaplain, probably the most experienced degree worker in the Lodge. A fitting tribute to the excellent work which had been carried out is recorded in the Minute Book of that evening which states:
“A vote of thanks for the work which had been carried out was ably proposed by Brother John F. Herrick, Provincial Grand Master, who made fitting comment regarding the further episode of Lodge history which had been made, whereby the newest ‘Polished Ashlar’ of Lodge Cadder Argyle had been Obligated by his father and Raised by his grandfather, an event which he reported as having not previously taken place within the Province of Dunbartonshire.”
In replying to tributes shown that evening, David, on behalf of his father, expressed the great pride which they had both felt on carrying out this very pleasant duty. The story does not end there, however.
At the Installation Meeting on 20th December, Brother David Seggie will have been Installed as Master by his father, Brother Bobby Seggie, who as his Depute Master, now keeps close watch on him. Meanwhile Craig, as Steward, makes a start climbing the ladder which we hope one day will lead him to where his father and grandfather have gone before. With family ties evident throughout this ‘local’ Lodge, the future for the village of Chryston and for Lodge Cadder Argyle in particular has been firmly established.