The Denver Jewish news., 1919-11-19
Early American Jewry
and Freemasonry

The Masonic, finteinity has been
part of American life almost. from the
days when this great institution took
its historic rise, Shortly after the
four city lodges of London united in
1T17. to form the first Masonic grand
lodge. trans Atlantic offshootss thereof
were set up here in the English col
onies of America. Whatever may
have been the practice of Masons III
times past, from 1717 on. when the
institution was univershlized. adiris-
sion to its mysteries was open to every
freeman of good repute. Thus from
the first the Jews resident in the
future United States became members
of the Masonic fraternity, ana as such.
were enabled to participate Intimately
in the general concerns of their neigh
bors of all creeds and stations. 1t Is
not too much to say that the adhesion
of a number of Jews to freeinasonry
in America made possible the close re-
lations subsisting between them and
their fellowcitizens of other faiths and
bore an important influence on their
standing In the general community. as
well before as immediately after tile
conclusion of the Revolutionary war.
We need not linger long over the ira
dition that still persists, to the effect
that Jews introduced Masonry. ut least
50 far as the three symbolic. degrees
;,,t. ,,;, ~ nhptip
Island, in 1G5S This date long pre-
cecd tile historic constitution OF lit.
above referred TO. and no contempor-
AIRY document in support of the claim
is extant. That small band of New
port Jews should in this remote cor
ner of the world Mt so early Il period.
lave conferred tho degrees of Mas
onry' ON one of their number after
synagog ON Sabbath may be Il pleaf-
ing tradition; hut it BATTLES analysis
and, in fact, it cannot stand .unlin-
paired under the searching light of
scientific inquiry. The matter is only
suggested here. rather than elaborated
as part of our subject. and. we add.
Tint tIt tiuiii lilil tue Jews
ed the symbolic degrees of 1Freema-
sonry into America cannot well be sub
stantiatcd. AS we shall see. they bore
n great part in introducing here the
higher or so-called Scottish Rite de-
grees.
The connection between the Jews
and Masonry is again evidenced by an
incident which clusters about the first
settlement of Georgia as an English
colony. The first Jews who repaired
ti,ither from London had experienced
no little difficulty in securing admit
lance to the colony, and it is thought
that one of them, who joined the Ma
sonic lodge in London. of which Gov
ernor Oglethorpe was u member. eff
fected their entrance on the delights
Of Georgia thru this association.
Moreover. there is an extant Masonic
record from the year 1881. which des-
cribcs the admission of Jew to the
city lodge in London TO which Ogle-
| thorpe belonged. A man of almost sim
liar name was among the first Jewish
settlers of Georgia. Thus there is
more than mere coincidence in this
circumstance.
But the connection of Jews with
Treemasonry became even more APP
parent as we reach later periods in
the history of the American colonies.
This connection. we may add, clusters
about the Scottish Rite division of the
fraternity. Here the names of Steph-
on NORM and Henry Andrew Franc
ken claim recognition. Both of them
are reputed to have possessed Jewish
affiliations: their Jewish identity is.
however matter Of some doubt Be
this as il may, Norm was settled over
the North American and West Indian
colonies as head of the Scottish Rite
branch of Masonry, and he dcputi1ed
consistories. as they were called IN
various parts of his jurisdiction. He
in turn confided the task thus en-
trusted to him TO n number of drpu-
tics of his own. one of whom. Moses
Michael Hays. then Of New Yorl, and
subsequently of Boston. WIS an nm
lonhted Jew lust rs Fraurken is ar
knowledgcd TO have hecu the founder