Banner of the Cross LOL 1310 was formed 50 years ago in 1949 with the motto 'For the Witness of Jesus and the Word of God' (Revelation 1:2), but it was not originally intended to have its now well-known title. The founding members had thought to call the Lodge 'The Followers of Christ LOL', but when the warrant was sought, Grand Lodge, in welcoming the new Lodge and approving the warrant, suggested the title of the 'Banner of the Cross'. The Brethren readily accepted this and so we have the unique position of having our title ascribed to us by the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland.

In the beginning....

The writer quite recently made a hazardous ascension into the attic and what was intended to be a brief visit turned into a lengthy sojourn as he opened bags and boxes containing Lodge history that until then, time had not permitted to be examined. He found correspondence from almost every Lodge which exists in Belfast today and some others which are now dormant, copies of balance sheets, Lodge returns, transfer documents, photographs, old collarettes and other reg;llia. He came upon details of the first ever annual social that welcomed the new Lodge Officers who were as follows: W Bro. Victor S. McVea, Deputy Master Bro. J. Floyd, Bro. J. Harrison, Secretary Bro. Joseph Wells, and the Lodge Chaplain, Bro. T. McLarnon. From the programme, it appears that the Brethren, their families and guests enjoyed a night of gospel music, recitations, comet solos and humour all preceded by a sumptuous dinner. Guest of honour was the Rev. Ian RK Paisley, the District Chaplain, who gave an address towards the close of the evening. It is also interesting to note that the Lodge had its own Lodge choir and that the year, 1949, meant that the salute was God save the King!

Among the interesting items was a printed Lodge circular dated June 1949 and entitled 'July 1949 Arrangements'. Central to the celebrations that year was to be the unfurling of the first Banner. This occurred on Friday Ist July 1949 prior to the Somme Anniversary Parade with Ballymacarrett District. The new Lodge Officers took part in the service at which the hymn 'O God Our Help in Ages Past' was sung and the Lodge choir continued the worship by singing 'Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah'. The Banner was unfurled at the corner of Thorndyke Street and Templemore Avenue by the wife of the Worshipful Master, Mrs McVea and the District Chaplain, the Rev. Ian RK Paisley conducted the dedication.

It is interesting and even amusing to note that for the Lodge's first Twelfth Parade, the Brethren were to travel to the home of the Worshipful Master at Lichfield Avenue, Bloomfield via the number 20 trolley bus and after a short worship service, would proceed on foot to join with the District for the parade to Finaghy. Walking dues of 6 shillings were collected en-route.

Along The Way...

In every Lodge history there is much to show the contented and purposeful journey that a Lodge makes as the years go by. 1310 is no different and as the record will show, the Lodge and its Brethren, many who enjoyed membership until their death, have contributed much to the cause of Orangeism. There are also events which speckle the history with moments of glory, ignominy and sorrow, and again, 1310 has had its fair share. During the 1970s when the Lodge was at its height in membership, there was a severe split over a dispute of honour between Brethren in the Lodge and unfortunately, this reduced the Lodge seriously in number and a short period of decline set in. By the early 1980s however, the Lodge was quickened by the introduction of 'new blood', with young men dedicated to the old motto and cause.

It was also in the 1970s that the Lodge engaged in a protest over the growing ecumenism in the established churches when a verbal protest was carried out at the platform proceedings against the Rev. Donald Gillies who had just aligned himself with the Roman priest at Holy Cross, Ardoyne, whose chapel had been damaged by fire. The countenancing of Romanism in any form or circumstance is an anathema to the Lodge, it was so then and is even more so today, hence it was the view of the Lodge that they had no alternative but to make the necessary challenges regarding the particular reverend gentleman and the circumstance he engaged in. The protest of course cut across the protocol and dignity of the Orange establishment of the day and it was not surprising that the Belfast County Grand Orange Lodge felt that it had no option but to act. A protracted investigation was carried out with the Lodge: minute books were confiscated and examined and the Lodge Officers called to account. A decision to suspend the Lodge for 1 year was upheld by the Grand Lodge of Ireland despite an appeal by the Lodge. The writer, who was a young boy at the time, well remembers the year that grandfather and father joined us on the Lisburn Road, but despite the disappointment that any Orangeman feels when one is forced to miss a parade, it was the general feeling that the protest had still been worthwhile and very much a success, particularly when one views the press coverage of the day. Items at the time of the protest were supplemented the following Twelfth when the Belfast Telegraph and the News Letter explained the arrangements for the demonstrations and explained why one of the Lodges would not be taking part. Even by today's standards, this would be described as successful coverage and the goal of exposing the issue and promoting the existence of resistance to the ecumenical drift had been achieved.

Quite recently the Lodge has experienced a period of deep sorrow. Only 11 years ago one of the members, who in his spare time was a member of the security forces, was callously murdered by pan-nationalism through its terrorist medium the Irish Republican Army. It was in the early morning of 25th February 1988 that Lodge members heard that the latest of Ulster's sons to give his life in the fight against evil was one of their own members. Bro. Fred Starrett, a Private in Her Majesty's Ulster Defence Regiment, was killed when IRA murderers planted a large semtex device at the construction site of the Castle Court complex in Belfast. As Brother Frederick, a printer of gospel literature in his full time job and his colleague, James Cummings began to close the security gates on Royal Avenue, the device exploded killing both men. James Cummings was also an Orange Brother, a member of Johnston's Golden Star LOL 1934, No. 6 District. At the funeral service for Brother Fred, the Rev. Dr. lan RK Paisley said that, "Whitehall has sown the wind and the people of our Province are reaping the whirlwind. Successive British Governments have wilfullyfailed in their God-ordained responsibilities. The many tombstones across Ulster today bear silent but eloquent testimony to that.... The IRA planned to kill young Brother Fred and his comrade and they achieved their vile goal and upon their head is the guilt." This was an event which devastated the Lodge and will always be remembered despite the passage of time. As today we see the release of terrorists, some of whom may have planted the device and thrown the switch and who now benefit from the treachery of so called unionists through the Belfast Agreement, the Lodge's only comfort, along with the Starrett and Cummings families is that one day, those who remain guilty will face the judgement of Almighty God. We would remind them that there will be no escape then and no early release.

The Lodge has also had in its membership, those who served the public in a variety of responsibilities. From the writer's memory, there are and have been those who worked in industry, wholesale and retail outlets, printing, commerce, Local and Central Government and Trade Unions. Some have given long service as elected members to City and Borough Councils and notable among these is the late W Bro. Alderman Robert J. Newman who served on Belfast City Council. A Past Master of the Lodge and Chaplain for many years, he realised his ambition of serving the people and gained the confidence of his fellow councillors in being elevated to the position of Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast, a post he held until his untimely death in 1981. He was known as a man of God who uplifted the name of his Saviour, Jesus Christ and was a witness for Him to all men. He was also the Clerk of Session to the Martyrs Memorial Free Presbyterian Church, Ravenhill Road, Belfast. His wife Mary, who still survives him is in her 86th year and unfurled the Lodge's fourth Banner on ist July 1988 at Lord Street City Mission Hall. Others who have served on councils include: William Dickson, Robin Newton, who still currently serves on Belfast City Council and David Gilmore who is one of the youngest Lodge members and currently serves on Ards Borough  Council.

Lodge members have given service to the Institution willingly and enthusiastically.  The first Lodge member to attain District Officership was W Bro. Joseph Wells who was District Chaplain, a position which another 1310 member, W Bro. Robert Heyburn PM now holds along with the Post of Deputy County Grand Secretary in the Belfast County Grand Orange Lodge. It is however, Robert's father, W. Bro. James Heyburn PM and Lodge Treasurer who has shown the way in District terms as he has now been the District Master of Ballymacarrett for some 5 years and counting. He has previously served as Deputy District Master to Thomas R. Haire (LOL747) who having relinquished District Officership, now maintains with flair the post of County Grand Secretary. The Brethren of No.6 District have every confidence in the leadership given by the District Master. He has brought different, yet masterly qualities to the post and has maintained the high standards set by the previous occupants of the chair in terms of honour and fairness, giving encouragement and guidance to all. Likewise, the Lodge is also proud of one of its own. The writer should of course state that the Lodge has always been proud to be part of No.6 District Ballymacarrett. The members readily ascribe to the maxim: 'We may be 6 in number, but we're second to none!' and still we say there just isn't any other District like the loyal Ballymacarrett.

Unfurling to the Breeze...

It would take too much space in this booklet to adequately tell of the other features of 1310, such as: the existence of our Junior Lodge, Banner of the Cross Junior LOL 92 and those like Sam Sloan, Robert Longridge, Keith Booth and Samuel Davidson who established and maintained its existence for the current incumbents W Bros. David Heyburn and Ivan Martin to provide an opportunity for Protestant boys to learn of Orangeism. Then there was the Lodge choir and the meetings which were held all over our Province and those which are still carried on in places like the Jesus Saves Mission Hall and the Old Forge Mission Hall in Crimea Street, not to mention the Bryansford Orange Hall in Newcastle, County Down. The writer would also test the reader's patience to the limits to tell of the numerous characters of our membership, Brethren such as Matt Stanfield, Mark McCausland, Bob Longridge, William Morgan, Albert Thompson and Robert Cathcart, all now in the Glory and to tell also of the Lodge trips for the celebrations of Orangeism in the Central Grand Lodge of Scotland. On these the book must remain closed until another time, but in this, our 50th year, mention must be made of the current principal Lodge Officers who carry out their responsibilities with enthusiasm. The Master is Jim Challice, assisted by William Tanner in the Deputy chair, with Ken Sloan as Secretary and James Heyburn Senior as Treasurer. The lecturers are Andrew Ramsey, who this year became the fourth member of our Lodge to hold District Office as District Lecturer and David Heyburn, PM.

In closing, the writer would fail the above Brethren and the Lodge if these printed paragraphs did not refer the reader to the Gospel: the message the Lodge carries on its Banner is the open Bible, the Word of God, which from the first page to the last, sets out God's only way of salvation. This is not found through dependency on any church or denomination, not in any creed or ritual and certainly not in any sacrament, but simply on the person and sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. He Himself has said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, no man cometh nto the Father but by me." He has also warned that, "Fxcept a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God." In these verses, the Spirit of God has recorded the way and manner of Salvation and the warning to heed the requirement for Salvation, but is it not our comfort to hear now the invitation to receive Salvation and benefit thereof? "Come now and let us reason saith the Lord, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow, though they are red as crimson, they shall be as wool". You can be saved today, right now if ye hear His voice, "For by His grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of Go4 not of works lest any man should boast". Hear and receive the gift today.

God bless you all and God save the Queen.