The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-02-23
AN OLD MASONIC RECORD.
TNe~ York World.l

Masonic cir les are much interested over the accidental discovery ofthe record of Holland lodge, No. s, containing the original bylaws and the minutes of ,he meetings from the organization Of the lodge in I787 to IS34 The book had been lost sight of since I847 and was brought to light again after the fire al the Masonic temple at Sixth avenue and Twentythird street, which occurred De- cember I last. The flames were con- fined to the upper floor of the building, but the water pefcolated through the brick wall of the vault in the grand sec retary's office on the second floor, in which the archives of the Grand lodge are kept. This necessitated the removal of all the books in the vault, and Holland lodge minutes were found to be among the number.
 About a month after the fire" said Grand Secretary Ehlers, in detailing the circumstances of the discovery yesterday to reporter of the Uoykf, while look ing over the hundreds of volumes of all sorts which had found their way into the vault, l came across this book It is a large octave volume, bound in the solid old-fashioned style. All the entries are in the hand-wri,ings of the different sec retaries of the lodge. The bylaws writ ten and adopted in I787 are peculiarly interesting.
 In IS+7 the building in which the lodge then held its meetings was destroyed by fire and this book was the only record saved. It seems to hove come into the hands of d Mir. Clark, then member of the lodge, for he makes note in the book that he intends 10 present il to the lodge. He, however. aid not do so, and in some way the book must have got into the archives of the Grand lodge and been forgotten there. It might have repose d undisturbed in the vault for centuries had 1t not been for this fire. l thought the members of the lodge would be pleased 10 have the book, and, kept the discov- cry secret until the next meeting of the lodge at the Temple here. which was on the 18th inst l attended the meeting and presented the book to them. It was pleasant surprise. The younger mem bers were not even aware of the exist ence of the book. and the old men had long since given up every hope of ind ing it."
 Pas: Grand Master Horace s. Taylor. who has also been master of Holland lodge, said that the members were greatly pleased at the restoration of the first reoord-book of the lodge and had passed vote of thanks to Grand Secretary Ehlers for his presentation of 1t to them
 .. Holland Lodge" he further said, was one of the oldes, Masonic bodies i Tn this state. IL received it's N iran; from thL Grand lodge in I7S7. only six years after the latter organization had been in sti;uted That warrant was stolen in fSfo in robbery committed in the resi- dence of it's then master. Mir Elias l Hicks. The lodge peti,ioned the Grand lodge for new warrant to bear a cor responding date with ihe original war rant, or otherwise so framed as to secure l to the lodge its former rank. This pe,i- ton was granted by Governor De Witt Clinton, who was then grand master. and was past master of this lodge. The new .arTan; is dated September ,. iSio. and states that Holland lodge shall be known by its former number. $. On Iune !. Ioi9. the Grand lodge ordered the war rant changed, and the lodge decreed 10 be H Holland lodge. No i6. On Deeem- Der I. ;o. the rank was again changed by the Grand lodge 10 No. I;, and on tune /, 1850. the Grand lodge finally re- stored he old rank, No s. 10 the lodge. and l, still remains such.
 The lis, of its members. active and honorary. since its foundation embraces the names of some of the most dis,in- guished men of the age in which they lived" George Washington and Baron S'euben were honorary members De Witt Clinton, afterwards governor of this state. was master in I79+; John Jacob Astor, in I79S Abraham Lott, in ISIS R. K. Winthrop. from 1855 10 IS45. con- sec u,lvely: Dr. John !. Crane. in 1852. and Charles A. Rapallo in 1865 Three of lts past masters have been grand mas ters. viz De Witt Clinton. Dr. John l.. Crane and myself The present junior deacon, is a sreat-grandson of John Meyer. who was the first master in l7S7 Among the more distinguished of its present members are George B Alley, Samuel L. M. Barlow. Edward Cooper John C.. Heckscher, Frederick kuhne, Sheppard F. Knapp. Pierre Lorillard Louis L. Lorillard. Dr. Thomas A. Nc Bride, Charles 4. Rapallo. w. L. Van der Vroot ard Frank Work" The present master IS Thomas E. Williams. we'll kpown Wall sfreef broLey