right worshipful Henry Price, grand master of New England. Upon the receipt of this commission, the brethren assembled and constituted themselves into a grand lodge in Boston, to which they gave the appellation of "St. John's Grand Lodge," and the right worshipful Andrew Belcher, was installed as deputy grand master. A petition was then presented by several brethren in Boston, praying to be constituted into a regular lodge. Whereupon, resolved, that the prayer of the said petition be granted,† and this may be considered as the foundation of masonry in North America. The anniversary of St. John the Baptist was celebrated June 24th, 5734, when a petition being presented from Benjamin Franklin and several other brethren residing in Philadelphia, for a constitution to hold a lodge there, the grand master having in this year received orders from the grand lodge of England, to establish masonry in all parts of North America, granted the prayer of the petitioners, and appointed the worshipful Benjamin Franklin‡ their first master. At the same time, a warrant was granted to a number of brethren for holding a lodge at Portsmouth, New Hampshire. In the year 5738, the right worshipful the grand master,went to England by the way of Antigua, where, finding some old Boston masons, he formed them into a lodge, giving them a charter of incorporation, and initiated the governor and several gentlemen of distinction into the so * Sometimes called "the grand lodge of modern masons." This lodge is styled "the first lodge in Boston," or "St. John's lodge." This celebrated statesman and philosopher, whose services were so pre-eminent in effecting the liberty of his country, and whose writings were no less celebrated throughout Europe than in America, died in Philadelphia, 5790, Æt. 84. ciety. This was the origin of masonry in the West Indies. It would be very little interesting to my readers were I to transcribe the application of sundry brethren for charters in different places. I shall, therefore, deem it sufficient to say, that from this grand lodge originated the first lodges in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New Jersey, NewYork, North Carolina, Maryland, Canada, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, the West Indies, Surinam, and very probably some other places, which have not been transmitted on record. A number of brethren, who had travelled, and been initiated into the mystery of the craft in ancient lodges abroad, became emulous to cultivate the art in this western world. For this laudable purpose they petitioned the grand lodge of Scotland for a charter, and received a dispensation dated November 30th, 5752, from Sholto Charles Douglas, lord Aberdour, then grand master, constituting them a regular lodge, under the title of St Andrew's, No. 82, to be holden at Boston, in the province of Massachusetts." The establishment of this lodge was discouraged by St. John's Grand Lodge, who imagined that their jurisdiction was infringed by the grand lodge of Scotland. They, therefore, refused any communications or visits from such members of St. Andrew's lodge, as had not formerly sat in their lodges; and this difficulty did not entirely subside for several years. The prosperous state of St. Andrew's lodge soon led to exertions for the establishment of an ancient grand lodge in the province, and this was effected by three travelling lodges,* which were holden in the British army, * In the American army, there appears to have been at least one lodge of this description, as we find that in the year A. L. 5779, on then stationed in Boston. They petitioned the most worshipful the earl of Dalhousie, and from him received a commission, bearing date 30th May, 5769, appointing Joseph Warren, to be grand master of masons in Boston, New England, and within one hundred miles of the same. In consequence of this charter, on the ensuing festival of St. John the Baptist, 5769, the brethren proceeded to instal the right worshipful grand master Warren, who afterwards appointed and invested the other grand officers. In 5772, the right worshipful Joseph Warren received a commission, constituting him grand master of the continent of America, between which period and the year 5791, this grand lodge granted warrants for the establishment of lodges in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Vermont, and New-York. The political events of the year, 5775, produced great changes in the state of masonry; Boston had become a garrison, and the regular meetings of the grand lodge were, of course, suspended. At the eventful contest of the 17th June, 5775, on the celebrated heights of Charlestown, commonly called the battle of Bunker's hill, the grand lodge sustained a heavy loss in the death of their grand master WARREN, who held the rank of a major general in the provincial forces, and was slain, whilst gallantly defending the liberties of his country. Soon after the evacuation of Boston by the British, March 18th, 5776, and previous to any regular communication, the brethren, influenced by a pious regard to the petition of a number of brethren, officers in the American army, praying that the grand lodge would grant them a charter, to hold a travelling lodge, it was resolved, that a dispensation be granted them under the title of "Washington Lodge," to make masons, pass fellow crafts, and raise masters in this state or in any of the United States, in which there is no grand lodge; but that in any state, where a grand master presides, they shall apply for his sanction. the memory of their late grand master, were induced to search for his body, which had been buried with many others, indiscriminately, in the field of slaughter. They accordingly repaired to the place, and his remains, though found in a mangled condition, were easily ascertained by his having an artificial tooth; and, being decently raised, were carried to the state house in Boston, April 8th, from whence, a numerous and respectable body of brethren, together with the late grand officers, attending, in a regular procession, they were carried to the stone chapel, where an animated eulogium was delivered by brother Perez Morton, at their request. The body was then conveyed to the silent tomb, and there deposited without a sculptured stone to mark the spot ; but as the whole earth is the sepulchre of illustrious men, his fame, his glorious actions, are engraved on the tablet of universal remembrance, and will survive marble monuments, or local inscriptions.* * If there be no monument over his grave, one has beeu erected on the spot, where he terminated his glorious career. The handsome monument, which graces the heights of Charlestown, was solemnly dedicated by the society of free-masons, December 2nd, 5794, in com memoration of the events of 17th June, 5775. It is a Tuscan pillar, 18 feet high, placed on a brick foundation 10 feet from the ground, 8 feet square, inclosed by four posts. On the top of the pillar is a gilt urn, with the letters " J. W. aged 35," entwined in masonic emblems. On the South side of the pedestal, is the following inscription : "Erected A. D. MDCCXCIV. By KING SOLOMON'S LODGE of FREE-MASONS, In memory of MAJOR GENERAL JOSEPH WARREN and his ASSOCIATES, who were slain on this memorable spot, June 17th, 1775. 3 "None but they, who set a just value upon the blessings of LIBERTY are worthy to enjoy her. In vain we toiled ; in vain we fought; we On the festival of St. John the Baptist, 5776, a number of the dispersed brethren having returned, convened, and celebrated the day with temperate joy. But it now became a serious question, how the grand lodge should be constituted, as the commission of the grand master had died with him, and his deputy had no power independent of his nomination and appointment. Communications for the consideration of this subject were held at different times till the 8th of March, 5777, when the brethren came to a conclusion with respect to the measures which ought to be adopted. At this meeting, the necessity of a superintending government for the different lodges, in order that a regular intercourse might be kept up between them, appeared obvious. The extreme poverty, to which many worthy brethren had been subjected in consequence of the war; at a time too, when, owing to the disorganised state of the institution, there was no general masonic fund, was, likewise, an object of weighty importance. After having taken the subject into serious consideration, they, therefore, deemed it expedient to proceed to the formation of an independent grand lodge, with powers and prerogatives to be exercised on principles consistent with, and subordinate to, the regulations pointed out in the constitutions of masonry. They next proceeded to the proper organization of the lodge, and installed the most worshipful Joseph Webb, grand master, &c. * bled in vain; if you, our offspring, want valour to repel the assaults of her invaders." "CHARLESTOWN settled 1628, "Burnt 1775-rebuilt 1776. "The inclosed land given by the Honourable James Russel, Esq." * The general regulations were adopted at large, from Entick's constitution, except that the grand master and wardens were elected by ballot. D |
