The Placer herald., 1867-04-27
Masonic History.


sonry in the United States is in 1929, in
which year, during the Grand Mastership Of
the Duke of Norfolk, Mr.. Daniel Cox was
appointed Provincial Grand Master for New
Jersey. l have not, however, been able to
obtain any evidence that he exercised his
prerogative by the establishment of Lodges
in that province, although it is probable that
be did. In the year 1888, "St. Johns Grand
Lodge" was opened in Boston; in conse'
quence of charter granted, on the applica-
ton of several bre,hern residing in that city,
by Lord Viscount Montacute, Grand Master
OF England. This charter is dated on the goth
of April, in the same year, and appointed the
r. N. Henry Price, Grand Master in North
America, with power to appoint bis deputy
and the other officers necessary forming a
Grand Lodge, and also to constitute Lodges
of Free and Accepted Masons as often as oc-
casion should require. kThe first charter
granted by this body WAS the St. Johns
Lodge, in Boston, which Lodge is still in ex-
isence. In the succeeding year it granted
charter for the constitution Of a Lodge in
Philadelphia, of which the venerable Ben
jamin Franklin was the first Master. This
Grand Lodge, however, descending from the
Grand Lodge of Eogland, was, of course,
composed Of Modern Masous. A number of
Brethren there, residing in Boston, who
were Ancient Masons, applied to and receiv-
ed dispensa,ion from Lord Aberdeen,
Grand Master of Scotland, constituting
them regular Lodge under the designation
of St. Andrews Lodge, No. 80, and the
Massachusetts, Grand Lodge of Scotland was
established on the 9th of December, 1863
On the 10th of June 1902, the two Grand
Lodges we're united, and all the distinctions
of Ancient and Modern Masons abolished.
In 1875 Fremasonry was introduced into
South Carolina by the constitution of Solo,
mons Lodge, No. l, under warrant from
Lord Montacute, Grand Master of Free and
Accepted Masons of Eog|and. This was,
therefore, the fourth Lodge organized in the
United States. Three other Lodges were
soon afterwards constituted. In 1854, on
the 30th Of March, the Marquis of Carno
van, Grand Master Of England. issued his
warrant constituting Provincial Grand
Lodge in the province, aed appointing Chief
Justice Leigh Provincial Grand Master.
On the Oath of December, in the same year,
the Grand Lodge was solemny constituted
at Charleston. In 1887 Grand Lodge OF
Ancient York Masons was establised at
Charleston, and in course of the succeeding
year many disagreeabe dssensions occur
red between this and the Grand Lodge Of
Free and Accepted Masons which had been
organized in 1854. These, however, at
length happily terminated, and an indissouble
union took place between the two bodies in
December 1917, which resulted in the for
nation Of the present Grand Lodge Of An
cient Freemasons.
In 1894, the Grand Lodge Of Pennsylva-
MIA was established by warrant issued from
the Grand Lodge. Subsequently, the Grand
Lodge of North Carolina was constituted in
177l; that Of Virginia in l77s, and that Of
New York in 1851.
These Grand Lodges were, until the close
of the revolutionary war, held under the
authority of charters granted either by the
Grand Lodge Of England, or that Of Scot
land. But, on the confirmation of our POI
litical independence, the Brethren. desirous
of like relief from the thraldom Of a for
eign power, began to organize grand Lodges
in their respective limits, and there now ex'
lists such bodies in every State and territory
of the Union.-Mackay's Lericon.