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"Ordered, that no mason made under the sanction of the grand lodge of England, according to the old înstitution, shall be admitted a member of the grand lodge of Scotland, nor partake of the general charity, without having first produced a certificate of his good behaviour from the secretary of the grand lodge of England, and that upon producing such certificate, he shall receive all the honours, bounty, &c. due to a faithful brother of the same household with ourselves."*

In the year 1779, a remarkable event took place in the affairs of masonry. This was the initiation of Omdit-ul Omrah Bahauder, eldest son of the nabob of the Carnatic, in the lodge of Trinchinopoly. The news being officially transmitted to England, the grand lodge sent a congratulatory letter to his highness, accompanied with an apron elegantly decorated, and a copy of the book of constitutions superbly bound. In the beginning of 1780, an answer was received from his highness acknowledging the receipt of the present, and expressive of the

* The grand lodges in the United States, as will be shewn hereafter, not only correspond with each other, but with the grand lodges in Europe, particularly with those of England, Scotland and Ireland. They likewise, in regard to foreign brethren, adopted similar regulations with those, which have been here mentioned. But these regulations are by no means strictly enforced neither here, nor,as I believe, in any country, where free-masonry exists. It possesses a spirit of charity, candour, and liberality, which may perhaps be equalled but not surpassed in any other institution. A travelling brother, therefore, who can give a good account of himself, when in distress, may without such a certificate, obtain pecuniary or such other aid, as may be necessary for himself and family; and if he tarry in the place, and be desirous of joining a lodge, provided upon due examination he be found to be a worthy brother, he may be admitted to membership, and a participation of all the privileges of the fraternity. From what I have personally known, as well as from what I have learnt from intelligent brothers, I have reason to believe, that this is universally the case in all ancient lodges throughout the world.

warmest attachment to his brethren in England. His letter was written in the Persian language, and delivered in an elegant cover of gold cloth. A proper reply was made, and a translation of his highness's letter* copied on vel

*As this letter is replete with good sense, and warm benevolence I shall here insert the translation, for the gratification of our brethren"

"To the Right Worshipful, his Grace the Duke of Manchester, Grand Master of the Illustrious and Benevolent Society of Free and Accepted Masons under the Constitution of England, and the Grand Lodge thereof.

"Most Honoured Sir and Brethren,

"An early knowledge and participation of the benefits arising to our house, from its intimate union of councils, and interests with the British nation, and a deep veneration for the laws, constitution and manners of the latter, have for many years led me to seize every opportunity of drawing the ties between us still closer and closer.

"By the accounts, which have reached me of the principles, and practices of your fraternity, nothing can be more pleasing to the sovereign ruler of the universe, whom we all, though, in different ways, adore, or more honourable to his creatures; for they stand upon the broad basis of indiscriminate and universal benevolence.

"Under this conviction I had long wished to be a member of your fraternity, and now that I am initiated, I consider the title of an English mason, as one of the most honourable, which I possess: for it is, at once, a cement of the friendship between your nation and me, the friend of mankind.

"I have received from the advocate general of Bengal, Sir John: Day, the very acceptable mark of attention and esteem with which you have favoured me. It has been presented with every circumstance of deference and respect, which the situation of things here, and the tem per of the times would admit of; and I do assure your grace and the brethren at large, that he has done ample justice to the commission you have confided to him, and that he has executed it, in such a manner, as to do honour to himself and to me.

"I shall avail myself of a proper opportunity, to convince your grâce, and the rest of the brethren, that Ondit-ul Omrah is not an unfeeling brother or heedless of the precepts, which he has imbibed; and that while he testifies his love and esteem for his brethren, by strengthening the bonds of humanity, he means to minister to the wants of the distressed.

lum, and with the original elegantly framed and glazed, and hung up in the hall at all public meetings of the society. Since that period masonry has made a very rapid progress in the East Indies.

In the same year, the grand lodge of Germany applied for liberty to send a representative to the grand lodge of England, in order more effectually to cement the union of the brethren of both countries, which request was readily granted, and it was farther resolved that brother Leonahrdi the German representative, should wear the clothing of a grand officer.

The late Dr. John Brown attempted to render the social institution of masonry subservient, in a peculiar manner to the cause of literature, by instituting a Latin Lodge at Edinburgh,in1784, entitled The Roman Eagle, which he carried on with eclat for some time. It continued to flourish for several years after he went to London; but the government of the lodge having fallen into the hands of brethren not so well skilled in the latin language, the latin has been disused, and the advantages which might have arisen from it to students, have been lost.

On the 9th March, 1786, his royal highness, prince William Henry, was initiated into the secrets of masonry, and his brother the prince of Wales, followed his example 6th February, 1787, and on the 21st November, the duke of York, likewise became a member of the fraternity. In February, 1790, prince Edward, now duke of Kent, was initiated in the union lodge, at Geneva, and the prince Augustus Frederick, was made a mason at Berlin. On the 24th of November, of the same year, his royal highness the prince of Wales was elected to the im

May the common father of all, the one omnipotent and merciful God, take you into his holy keeping, and give you health, peace, and rength of years, prays your highly honoured and affectionate brother

OMDIT-UL OMBAR BAHAUTER.

portant office of grand master, (which office was vacant by the death of his uncle, the duke of Cumberland), and appointed lord Rawdon, now the earl of Moira, his 'deputy.

Indisposition had prevented the prince of Wales from attending at the meeting, when he ought to have been installed; his deputy, however, supplied his place. But at the next grand festival in the year 1792, he was inducted into his office with the usual solemnities. "His highness," says Preston, " performed the duties of his office in a style superior to most of his predecessors; his expression was fluent, manly, and pertinent; and his eulogium on his deceased uncle, the duke of Cumberland, last grand master, pathetic, graceful, and eloquent."

In the year 1793, the late king of Sweden was initiated into the order, in the grand lodge of Stockholm, under the auspices of the duke of Sudermania, who presided as grand master on the occasion.

At the grand lodge held 10th April, 1799, a letter was presented by the Swedish minister, the baron de Silverhjelm from the grand lodge of Sweden, expressing a desire to form an intimate, sincere and permanent tie between the national grand lodge of Sweden, and that of England, &c.

The letter being read, it was resolved unanimously, that the grand master be requested to return an answer on the part of the society, to the duke of Sudermania, grand master of Sweden, expressive of every sentiment correspondent to the warm and brotherly address received.

At the next grand lodge, 8th May, 1799, the earl of Moira being in the chair, reported, that his royal highness the grand master had, on the part of the body, returned an answer to the duke of Sudermania, of which I shal eply transcribe a part.

"It was with the truest satisfaction, most worshipful and most enlightened brother, that I received the letter, in which you express your desire to see an intimate connexion established between the worthyand regular masons of Sweden, and those of England. The high opinion that I have of your character, and the fraternal esteem which is the consequence of it, add greatly to the pleasure I feel on your being on this occasion the voice of your brethren. A reciprocal sentiment has long disposed these two brave nations to admire each other; but this admiration however generous, is barren. It is therefore, to be wished, that it should be improved by a close relation between the members of a craft, the existence of which, in each of the countries, is founded on benificence to mankind."

Having thus traced the progress of masonry in Europe, from its early dawn to the present period, I proceed to give some account of its introduction into the British provinces, on this side of the Atlantic, now denominated the United States of America.

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CHAPTER II.

Of the Commencement and History of Masonry in

America.

FREE-MASONRY although of a date more ancient than san be easily traced, was not established in America till the year A. L. 5733, when in consequence of several brethren residing in New England, who were free and accepted masons, having presented a petition to the right honourable lord Montague, grand master in England, dated 30th April, 5733, he was pleased to appoint the

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