Centennial Of The Connecticut G. Lodge.

CENTENNIAL OF THE CONNECTICUT G . LODGE .

AN avent of unusual importance to the Masonio Fraternity in Connecticut occurred on the 10 th ult ., when tho Graud Lodgo of that State , assisted by subordinate Commanderies and Lodges aud distinguished invited guests from other States , celebrated tho Centennial Anniversary of the Grand Lodge of Connecticut . Elaborate preparations had been in progress for many months . The

Ceremonies opened with a parade by the Commanderies and Lodges of Connecticut escorting the Grand Lodge , and in which 4000 Masons took part . Attendance had been promised by 68 Lodges , with a total of 2816 members , and there wore also 10 Commanderies of Knights Templar in line , with nearly 600 members . Thero were

22 bands , including Colt ' s Armoury Band of Hartford and Cappa ' s 7 th Eegimental band of New York . The musicians numbered nearly 400 . Dinner was served in the Armoury for those who took parfc in the parade , and arrangements had been made for 4000 perons . The public exercises included an historical address by Grand Secretary

Joseph K . Wheeler , of Hartford and other appropriate services . In fche evening a concert was given at the Hyperion , which was open to the public , and for which tickets had been sold . This was preceded by a banquet , to which only Masons were admitted . On the evening of the 9 th ult . Grand Master Swartwonfc , of Stamford , held a

reception , to which all the Grand Officers and District Deputy Grand Masters had been invited . In addition to tho immense gathering of the Craft in Connecticut , there wore many present from other States , aud among tbe invited guests many ot fche most prominent Masons in tho country . Massachusetts was represented by Grand Master

Henry Endicotfc and Grand Secretary Sereno D . Nickerson , of Massachusetts , who were present as special invited guests of the Grand Lodge of Connecticut . Other distingnishetl Freemasons present were : —Grand Master John C . Smith , of Illinois ; Past Grand Master Josiah H . Drummond , of Maine ; Graud Master Thomas J .

Shryock , of Maryland ; Grand Master Webb , of New Jersey ; Grand Master George W . Currier , of New Hampshire ; Past Grand Master Eichard Vaux , of Pennsylvania ; Deputy Grand Master Benjamin F . Haller , of Tennessee ; Deputy Grand Master John W . Vrooman , of New York ; Grand Secretary Edwin Baker , of Ehodo

Island ; Grand Master Clifford P . MacCalla , of Pennsylvania ; Grand Master Georgo H . Kenyan , of Rhode Island , and others . Freemasonry in Connecticut began with the institution of Hiram Lodge , No . 1 , of New Haven , in 1750 . Hiram Lodge was chartered by St . John ' s Grand Lodge of Massachusetts , Thomas Oxnard Grand

Master , and is consequently the oldest Lodge in fche State . The Lodge was suspended by fche Grand Lodge of Connecticut in 1887 , after 130 years of active life , but the difficulties between the two bodies have recently been healed , and tbe ancient Lodge restored to its place at tho head of Connecticut Freemasonry . The petition to

St . John ' s Grand Lodge was headed by D . Wooster , then Captain , afterwards General , in fche Continental Army , and also contained tho names of somo of the mosfc prominent and best known citizens of Now Haven . David Wooster was appointed the firsfc Master of tho Lodge . Wooster was a veteran of the French and Indian wars , and

served with distinction in the provincial army . He led his regiment of Connecticut Volunteers in three campaigns against tho French posts of Crown Point and Tioouderoga . In tho last campaign , tho English , under command of General Amherst , were successful , and , with tlio capture of Quebec by General Wolfe ' s army , brought about

tho loss of the whole of Canada to the French . Gen . Wooster disiinguished himself in those campaigns for groat personal courage , and led a desperate though unsuccessful attack upon tho French breastworks at Lake George , in Lord Loudon's campaign . In 1775 , upon the breaking out of tho revolutionary war , tho Connecticut

General Assembly raised six regiments of troops , aud appointed Gon . Woofltcr Mnpz-. General and Commander-in-Chief of the Connecticut fcro < -pp . His Brigadiers wero Joseph Spencer and Israel Putuam . When tho army was reorganized by tho Continental Congress , tho merits of Wooster were overlooked , and through the

greater fame of Putnam ho waa appointed Major-General from Connecticut , while Wooster was appointed Brigadier-Goneral . This slight , however , made no difference to Wooster , who served in tho campaign against Canada , under General Schuyler , with distinction . Ho was killed by a musket ball , fired by a Tory , when Benedict

Arnold mado his descent upon fche Connecticut towns , in 1781 . The Grand Lodge of Connecticut was instituted 8 th July 1789 , when thero were 13 Lodges in the State . It will be noticed that the real anniversary was 8 tb July , bat for convenience the celebration was held on the 10 th July . The first convention of delegates ,

representing the Masouic Lodges of Connecticut , was held afc New Haven , 18 th March 1783 . Twelve Lodges were represented . Several votes were passed , and various recommendations were mode to tho Lodges . The sentiment at that time was in favour of the institution of a Graud Lodgf , but nothing came of the convention in that direction .

Iho convention adjouructl until the following September , but no record exists of a meeting being held at that time , and it is supposed that no further movement was mado . The next convention was held at New Haven , llth May 1789 . At this timo 13 Lodges wero represented . Afc this meeting tho sentiment in favour of tlie

establishment of a Graud Lodge appeared to be unanimous . A committee was appointed to draw up a plan , and prepare constitution and by-laws for the government of the proposed Grand Lodge . The convention was then adjourned to 8 th July iu the same year , the committee being instructed to report at thafc time . Ou tho appointed

clay the convention reassembled . The committee reported at length , and preset ted a draft for a constitution and by-laws , and a complete plan for the organization of the Grand Lodge . The proposed constitntiui was adopted by the convention , and a full board of (' rand

Officers elected . The following Lodges wero represented : —If iram Lodge , New Haven ; St . John ' s Lodge , Middle-town ; Sfc . John's Lodge-, Fair / iold ; St . John's Lodge , Hartford ; King Solomon ' s Lodge , Woodbury ; St . John ' s Lodgo , S-Wf ,-. ' ; lodges in Wullingford and Dun . bury ; Wooster Lod » -, J . h .-Ijcii-. r ; L l . Paul ' s Lodge , Litchfield

Centennial Of The Connecticut G. Lodge.

Frederick Lodge , Farmingtou ; Montgomery Lodge , Salisbury . Of these Lodges , 12 woro chartered by the Grand Lodges in Massachusetts , nil but St . John's Lodge , Fairfield ; and Sfc . John's Lodgo , Stratford , being so chartered . The first Grand Master was PioxTopont Edwards of New Haven , a member

of Hiram Lodge , and the youngest son of fche famous theologian and divine , Jonathan Edwards . He was born in Northampton , Mass ., in 1750 . He was graduated afc Princeton iu 1768 , aud began the practice of law in Now Haven in 1771 . He was frequently elected to the Legislature , and was appointed administrator of the estate of Benedict Arnold at the time of his treason . He took an

early stand in favour of the colonies in fche contest with fcho mother country , and served with honour in the revolutionary army . After tho close of the war he became a member of the Continental Congress , and was a warm advocate of the constitution . Later in life he became judge of the United States district court , which position he occupied

afc the time of his death , which occurred at Bridgeport in 1826 . He was made a Mason in Hiram Lodge in 1775 , and was Worshipfnl Master of the Lodge in 1768 . For two years he filled fche office of Grand Master , with marked ability , and his administration was a credit to himself and tho Fraternity . The history of Masonry in

Connecticut is closely interwoven with fche story of the patriotic citizens of thafc state . Many of those prominent in the revolutionary war were honoured members of thc Masonio fraternity . Indeed , ifc ia

stated ou good authority that of tho 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence , 50 were Freemasons , as wero also nearly all of the general officers of the army and navy of fche colonies . From this ifc will be seen that Connecticut was nofc alone in the devotion of her

patriots to tho ancient institution of Freemasonry . Benedict Arnold was a member of Hiram Lodge of New Haven , being a frequent attendant afc its meetings until 1772 . Gen . Israel Putnam waa also a member , and his character and fame added lustre to the Lodge , which even the treason of Arnold could not dim .

Among other celebrated men who have been identified with Masonry in the Nutmeg State may be mentioned Hon . David Daggnett , who was tho first Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge , and hold the office for many years . He was for several years a senator of the United States for Connecticut , and afterwards judge of fche superior

court ; . Henry W . Edwards , afterwards Governor of the State , waa a member of Hiram Lodge . Hon . Ephraim Kirby , a member of King Solomon ' s Lodge of Woodbury , served during the whole of tho revolutionary war . Ho was present and participated in 13 battles and skirmishes , among which were Bunker Hill , Brandywine ,

Monmouth and Germantown , and received 13 wounds . He held high rank in his profession , and was the author of tho firsfc volume of judicial decisions ever published in this country . He died in Mississippi while on the way to assume the duties of judge of fche territory of Orleans , to which he had been appointed . The members

of the legal profession , the medical profession , and the clergy , have belonged to the Masons , and a full list of members would include many governors and other state officers , United States officers and representatives , judges of courts and eminent divines and physicians . Tho Grand Lodge of Connecticut at present haa under its jurisdiction

110 subordinate Lodges and 14 , 731 members . The present Grand Master is John W . Swartwoufc of Stamford , and the Grand Secretary is Jo . eph K . Wheeler of Hartford . Grand Secretary Wheeler is a well tend Masonic student and an authority npon all Masonic topics . The ht-totioil ; ul ( rest was delivered by him , aud was a model of research and historical accuracy . —Boston Herald .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

A CAUTION . Tu-lhe Editor of lhe FBEEMASON ' S CJIKOMCLE . DKAR SIR AND BKOTHKK , —Will you permit me , through the medium iif your columns , to caution your readers against an individual representing himself as connected with this Theatre , and obtaining money for pretended nrlm ' ssion tickets , the said tickets being printed on the

back of my advettuement railway tickets . They are forgeries . Any admissions granted to bill exhibitors aro invariably sent by post , never by baud . Tho nun is described as being tall , and with a fair moustache . He generally carries bills under his arm , which he asks permission

to exhibit . This warning may save your readers fche annoyance of being refused admission , aud at the same time put an end to these frauds , which havo existed for a considerable period . Yours sincerely , EDWAHD TERRY .

Dedication Of A New Masonic Hall At Crook.

DEDICATION OF A NEW MASONIC HALL AT CROOK .

ON Wednesday , l / ih tiU ., Bro . Babbington Bonlfcon , Restoration Lodge , Nt > . Ill , P . P . G . Treas . aud Acting Deputy Master , in tho unavoidable absence of Sir Had worth Williamson , Bart ., Provincial Grant ! Mupfur for tho Province of Durham , iu a most impressive manner solemnly omiHeorated and dedicated a handsome buildimr in

Church-street , Crook , to the services of Masonry . Tho Crook Lodgo , N'n . -Jul !) , of which Bro . I'J . Miiburn is W . M ., is in a very prosperous stato , there being now a membership of over sixty . Its formation took placo seven years arjo . A sumptuous banquet was afterwards partaken of .

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