CONVENTION. A Masonic convocation, now called a Congress, was formerly designated by this name. The fol lowing are the principal Conventions, mentioned in chrono logical order: Convention at York. In the year 926, Prince Edwin, a brother of King Athelstane, of England, con voked a Masonic Convention at the city of York, which, under the name of a General Assembly, established the celebrated Gothic constitutions, which are the oldest Masonic docu ment extant. These constitutions have always been recognized as containing the fundamental law of Masonry. Although transcripts of these constitutions are known to have been taken in the reign of Richard II., the document was for a long time lost sight of until a copy of it was discovered in the year 1838, in the British Museum, and published by Mr. J. O. Bothwell.
First Convention of Strasburg, con voked at Strasburg, in 1275, by Edwin Von Steinbach, master of the work. The object was the continuation of the labors on the cathedral of Strasburg, and it was attended by a large concourse of Masons from Germany, England, and Italy. It was at this Conven tion that the German builders and architects, in imitation of their English brethren, assumed the name of Freemasons, and took the obliga tions of fidelity and obedience to the ancient laws and regulations of the Order.
First Convention of Ratisbon, con voked in 1459, by Jost Dotzinger, the master of the works of the Stras burg cathedral. It established some new laws for the government of the Fraternity in Germany.
Second Convention of Ratisbon, con voked in 1464, by the Grand Lodge of Strasburg, to define the relative rights of, and to settle existing diffi culties between, the Grand Lodges of Strasburg, Cologne, Vienna, and Berne.
Convention of Spire, convoked in 1469, by the Grand Lodge of Stras burg, for the consideration of the condition of the Craft, and of the edifices in course of erection by them.
Ccmvention of Cologne, convoked in 1535, by Hermann, Bishop of Cologne. It was one of the most im portant conventions ever held, and was attended by delegates from nine teen Grand Lodges; it was engaged in the refutation of slanders at this time circulated against the Frater nity. The result of its deliberations
was the celebrated document known as the "Charter of Cologne." Convention of Basle, convoked by the Grand Lodge of Strasburg, in 1563, principally for the purpose of settling certain difficulties which had arisen respecting the rights of the twenty Lodges which were its subordinates. Some new regulations were adopted at this Convention.
Second Convention of Strasburg, convoked by the Grand Lodge of Strasburg, in 1564. It appears to have been only a continuation of the preceding one at Basle, and the same matters became the subjects of its consideration.
Convention of London. convoked by the four Lodges of London, at the Apple-tree tavern, in February, 1717. Its history is familiar to all American and English Masons. Its results were the formation of the Grand Lodge of England, and the organization of the institution upon that system, which has since been pursued in England and in this country.
Convention of Dublin, convoked by the Lodges of Dublin, in 1730, for the purpose of forming the Grand Lodge of Ireland.
Convention of Edinburgh, convoked in 1736, by the four Lodges of Edin burgh, for the purpose of receiving from Sinclair, of Roslin, his abdica tion of the hereditary Grand Mas tership of Scotland, and for the election of a Grand Master. The result of this Convention was the I establishment of thn Grand Lodge of Scotland.
Convention of the Hague, convoked by the Royal Union Lodge, in 1756 and the result was the establishment of the National Grand Lodge of the United Provinces.
Krst Convention of Jena, convoked in 1763, by the Lodge of Strict Ob servance, under the presidency of Johnson, a Masonic charlatan, but whose real name was Becker. In this Convention the doctrine was first announced that the Freemasons were the successors of the Knights Templar, a dogma peculiarly char acteristic of the rite of Strict Ob servance.