in the United States, is in 1729, in which year, during the Grand Mastership of the Duke of Norfolk, Mr. Daniel Cox was appointed Provincial Grand Master for New Jersey. I 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 he did. In the year 1733 the "St. John's Grand Lodge" was opened in Boston in consequence of a charter granted, on the application of several brethren residing in that city, by Lord Viscount Montacute,* Grand Master of England.

This charter is dated on the 30th of April, in the same year, and appointed the R. W. Henry Price, Grand Master in North America, with power to appoint his Deputy, and the other officers necessary for forming a Grand Lodge, and also to constitute lodges of Free and Accepted Masons as often as occasion should require. The first charter granted by this body was to "St. John's Lodge" in Boston, which lodge is still in existence. In the succeeding year, it granted a charter for the constitution of a lodge in Philadelphia, of which the venerable Benjamin Franklin was the first Master. This Grand Lodge, however, descending from the Grand Lodge of England, was, of course, composed of Modern Masons.† A number of brethren, there, residing in Boston, who were Ancient Masons, applied to and received a dispensation from Lord Aberdour, Grand Master of Scotland, constituting them a regular lodge, under the designation of St. Andrew's Lodge, No. 82, and the Massachusetts Grand Lodge, descending from the Grand Lodge of Scotland, was established on the 27th December, 1769. On the 19th June, 1792, the two Grand Lodges were united, and all the distinctions of Ancient and Modern Masons abolished.

* I am indebted to my esteemed friend and learned brother A. O. Sullivan, Grand Secretary of Missouri, for calling my attention to the inadvertence I have committed in previous editions of spelling this name Montague instead of Montacute. But I may console myself with the rather selfish reflection that nearly all of my contemporaries have fallen into the same error.

† See the article Modern Masons.

In 1735, Freemasonry was introduced into South-Carolina by the constitution of "Solomon's Lodge, No. 1," under a Warrant from Lord Montague, Grand Master of Free and Accepted Masons of England. This was, therefore, the fourth lodge organized in the United States.* Three other lodges were soon afterwards constituted. In 1754, on the 30th of March, the Marquis of Carnarvon, Grand Master of England, issued his Warrant, constituting a Provincial Grand Lodge in the province, and appointing Chief Justice Leigh, Provincial Grand Master. On the 24th of December, in the same year, the Grand Lodge was solemnly constituted at Charleston. In 1787 a Grand Lodge of Ancient York Masons was also established at Charleston, and in the course of the succeeding years, many disagreeable dissensions occurred between this and the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons which had been organized in 1754. These, however, at length, happily terminated, and an indissoluble union took place between the two bodies in December, 1817, which resulted in the formation of the present "Grand Lodge of Ancient Freemasons."

In 1764, the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania was established by a Warrant issued from the Grand Lodge of England. Subsequently, the Grand Lodge of North Carolina was constituted in 1771; that of Virginia in 1778; and that of New York in 1781.

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 Scotland. But, on the confirmation of our political independence, the brethren, desirous of a like relief from the thraldom of a foreign power, began to organize Grand Lodges in their respective limits, and there new exist such bodies in every State and Territory in the Union, the last formed being that of Minnesota in 1853.

*It ranked as No. 45, on the Register of England, while Solomon's lodge in Savannah, which preceded it in time of constitution, held the number 46. See Hutchinson's List.

GRAND LODGES, JURISDICTION OF. A Grand Lodge is invested with power and authority over all the craft within its jurisdiction. It is the Supreme Court of Appeal in all masonic cases, and to its decrees unlimited obedience must be paid, by every lodge and every Mason situated within its control. The government of Grand Lodges is, therefore, completely despotic. While a Grand Lodge exists, its edicts must be respected and ✩ obeyed without examination by its subordinate lodges. Yet should a Grand Lodge decree wrongfully or contrary to the ancient constitutions, though there be no redress for its subordinates, the Grand Lodges in other States may declare its proceedings irregular, and even put it out of the pale of masonry, by refusing to hold communion with it. But in this case, the Grand Lodge does not suffer more than the craft in general working under it : for every Mason who should then acknowledge its authority, would be placed under the same ban of masonic outlawry. Grand Lodges are, however, exceedingly scrupulous in exercising this interference with the masonic authorities of other jurisdictions, reserving the exertion of this power only for cases in which there has been a manifest violation of the ancient landmarks. An instance of this kind has lately occurred in this country. In 1828, the labours of the Grand Lodge of Michigan, in consequence of the anti-masonic excitement then at its height, were suspended, and the lodges under its jurisdiction dissolved. In 1841, masonry having revived in that State, the Masons of Michigan met in convention, and without the existence of a single subordinate lodge, proceeded to institute a Grand Lodge. This was in palpable derogation of the fundamental laws of the order. Consequently, the other supreme masonic bodies in the Union refused to acknowledge the Grand Lodge of Michigan. Afterwards (in 1844) this body, submitting very properly to the general opinion of the fraternity, proceeded to organize according to the legitimate mode, by the convention of the constitutional number of lodges, and it is now recognized as a regularly constituted Grand Lodge.

This supreme power that is vested in Grand Lodges, by which

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they are constituted as the sole judges and exponents, for their respective jurisdictions, of the ancient landmarks and usages of the fraternity, is derived from the fundamental laws of masonry. It is based, too, upon sound sense and expediency. For without a governing power, so large a body as the craft would soon run into anarchy. But this power could not be placed in the hands of subordinate lodges, or individual brethren, for that would create endless confusion. Grand Lodges are, therefore, its proper depositories, since they contain within themselves the united wisdom and prudence of many subordinate lodges. And so careful has our institution been of the preservation of this power to Grand Lodges, that according to the Ancient Charges, the master of every lodge is called upon, previous to his installation, to give his assent to the following propositions :

"You agree to hold in veneration, the original rulers and patrons of the order of Freemasonry, and their regular successors, supreme and subordinate, according to their stations; and to submit to the awards and resolutions of your brethren in Grand Lodge convened, in every case, consistent with the constitutions of the order.

"You promise to pay homage to the Grand Master for the time being, and to his officers when duly installed, and strictly to conform to every edict of the Grand Lodge."

GRAND LODGES, ORGANIZATION OF. Grand Lodges are organized in the following manner. Three or more legally constituted lodges working in any state, kingdom, or other independent political division, where no Grand Lodge already exists, may meet in convention, adopt by-laws, elect officers, and organize a Grand Lodge. The lodges within its jurisdiction then surrender their Warrants of Constitution to the Grand Lodges from which they respectively had received them, and accept others from the newly organized Grand Lodge, which thenceforward exercises all masonic jurisdiction over the state in which it has been organized.

A Grand Lodge thus organized, consists of the Masters and Wardens of all the lodges under its jurisdiction, and such Past Masters as may enrol themselves or be elected as members. Past Masters are not, however, members of the Grand Lodge by inherent right, but only by courtesy, and no Past Master can remain a member of the Grand Lodge unless he is attached to some subordinate lodge in its jurisdiction.

All Grand Lodges are governed by the following officers: Grand Master, Deputy Grand Master, Senior and Junior Grand Wardens, Grand Treasurer, and Grand Secretary. These are usually termed the Grand officers; in addition to them there are subordinate officers appointed by the Grand Master and the Grand Wardens, such as Grand Deacons, Grand Stewards, Grand Marshal, Grand Pursuivant, Grand Sword Bearer, and Grand Tyler; but their number and titles vary in different Grand Lodges.

GRAND MASTER. The presiding officer of the masonic fraternity, to whom is entrusted the execution of important duties, and who is consequently invested with extensive powers, should always be selected for his respectability, virtue, and learning. For the first, that the dignity of the fraternity may not suffer under his administration; for the second, that he may afford an example worthy of imitation to his brethren; for the last, that he may be enabled to guide and control the craft with proper skill and accuracy.

The powers of the Grand Master during the recess of the Grand Lodge are very extensive. He has full authority and right not only to be present, but also to preside in every lodge, with the Master of the lodge on his left hand, and to order his Grand Wardens to attend him, and act as Wardens in that particular lodge.* He has the right of visiting the lodges and inspecting their books and mode of work as often as he pleases, or if unable to do so, he may depute his grand officers to act for him. He has the power of granting dispensations for the formation of new

* General Regulations, 1757, Art. 5, in Anderson Const. 337.