An Interesting Retrospect.

York Weekly Mercury , " so that the Fraternity had its representatives on the press then as now . For many years little was known of Masonry in New York during Hanson ' s administration beyond the fact of the issuance of some , at

least , of his Warrants , and brief details of the usual St . John ' s services at Trinity church and the banquets which invariably followed the devotional exercises , at such places as the Fountain Tavern and the Province Arms .

But bit by bit we are gradually acquiring more information concerning this era , and what comes to us seems to indicate that Masonry was even then more strong and more popular than the number and variety of Harison ' s Warrants led us to imagine . As a straw will indicate the direction m

which the wind is blowing , so often little historical " chips , " as the late Max Muller expressed it , will convey much meaning to the practical inquirer . For instance , we come across the following announcement in the " New York Poist Bag" of 5 th February 17 61 :

To be sold , at a very reasonable rate , by Samuel Francis , at the sign of the Mason ' s Arms , near the Green , New York , a small quantity of portable soup , catchup ,

bottled gooseberries , pickled walnuts , pickled or fryed oysters fit to go to the West Indies , pickled mushrooms , a large assortment of sweetmeats , such as currant jelly , marmalade , quinces , grapes , strawberries , and sundry other sorts .

There is a great deal in this . Samuel Francis , or Frauncis , was a caterer or innkeeper in New York , and in 1783 owned the historic tavern , still standing , where Washington took farewell of his Officers at the close of hostilities . Frauncis is said to have been a West Indian , and received his

popular cognomen of " Black Sam" from his swarthy complexion . It is supposed that he settled in New York about 1750 . He seems to have been made a Mason soon after his arrival , but in what Lodge is not known . The earliest Masonic date we have concerning him is 1787 , when he

affiliated with Holland Lodge on its institution . But it is not likely that in 1761 he would have hoisted the sign of the " Mason ' s Arms " over his hostelry had he not been a member of the Fraternity and had not such a sign been likely to add to the pojoularity of his establishment . Frauncis was

what the Scotch folks call " a pawky chiel , " and while his heart was in the American cause he did not assert himself so openly as to quarrel with the British and lose their trade during the six or seven years of the occupation of the city , from the battle of Brooklyn in 1776 to evacuation day in

1783 . But a significant fact was that congress , "in consideration of the singular services of the said Samuel Frauncis and of his advances to the American prisoners , " voted him in 1789 the then munificent sum of $ 2 , 000 . A patriot and a

zealous Freemason , is it any wonder that patriots and zealous Freemasons like Washington , Clinton and the other chiefs of the Revolution should have made his house their headquarters and the scene of their rejoicings when the battle was over and liberty had been won ?

In the New York Mercury' of 176 3 we come across the following card among the notices of horse racing events :

fNew York tree Masons' purse of $ 100 to be run for April 25 th , the best two of three heats , each heat three times round Beaver Pond , Jamaica , each horse to carry nine

stone weight and to be entered with Mr . Thomas Braine , paving 30 s entrance . The entrance money to be run for next day—the whole to be under the inspection of three Free Masons .

Horse racing in 1763 was a very different affair from the bookmaking and gambling spectacle it has now become , and was a fairly legitimate sport . Now-a-days our Grand Lodge would " jump" upon such an announcement with all the weight of its 110 , 000 pairs of feet . But even Grand Lodges

undergo a process of change with the passage of time , and our honoured body would hold up its hands in holy horror at the idea of participating in a lottery , and yet in 1818 it desired to apply to the legislature for power to get up a lottery all of its own and to build with the proceeds a Masonic Hall in

New York ! In 1763 horse racing was a sport , pure and simple , and it was the sport of the wealthy classes , the society element of the day . That is the point for us in the announcement quoted . It shows that the Brethren then not only included people in humble life , but that it had in its ranks

men who could afford to enjoy even the most expensive of sports , as horse racing was then , for yachts and automobiles had not been evolved . It shows also the popularity which the Craft enjoyed , for doubtless the name of the " Freemasons' Purse" would hardly have been selected even by

An Interesting Retrospect.

members of the Fraternity unless it was to add to the interest in the particular event which was to be judged by " three Freemasons . " It is a pity that the card did not give the names of these accomplished patrons of " the sport of kings . " Many such little chips are now being gathered up , and

the probability is that before long we will have a much clearer idea of our early history , at least , around 1760 , than we have noiw . It is the custom to give the date of 1757 , the year when St . John , No . 1 , was chartered , as the beginning of our local Masonic story so far as we have it , but there

were Lodges and Masons here long before that . Popularity was a plant of slow growth in those times ; men and institutions had to be weighed and tested , tried and proved before they were accepted in the community , and in some communities certificates of character were necessary before a man was

allowed to acquire a isettlement , and even then the new-comer was only received on six months probation . It must have taken at least twenty years of good zealous Masonic work to have brought about the degree of popularity in New York city that made " Mason ' s Arms " popular as a signboard and

" Freemasons Purse " an attractive name for a racing event . Twenty years prior to 1760 would land us under the Provincial Grand Mastership of Captain Richard Riggs , and I am much

mistaken if Freemasonry in New York did not really begin to win its members and enter upon its popularity very soon after his arrival in New York in 1737 . —Peter Ross , in " American Tyler . "

****************** The sixth annual excursion and picnic of the combined Lodges—the Industry , No . 48 ; the Borough , No . 424 ; and the Lord Ravensworth , No . 2674 , Gateshead—was held at the old nistoiric town of Alnwick , on . Thursday , 12 th inst .

The party numbered over sixty , including the wives and lady friends of some of the members . Arriving in the town by two saloon , carriages , about 11 o ' clock , the party proceeded to the Star Flotel , of which Bro . T . Florne is proprietor , and there enjoyed a capital lunch , after which

an excellent photograph of an interesting group was taken in front of the hotel . In the' afternoon the party drove in brakes through the magnificent parks of his Grace the Duke of Northumberland to Briglee Tower and Plulhe Priory ; where they found much to interest them . They also visited

the Castle and gardens . Returning in the evening to * the Star Hotel , the party had dinner—a real Masonic treatwhich evoked encomiums for the excellence of the cuisine , under the superintendence of Mrs . Home . The post-prandial

proceedings were of the most harmonious and agreeable character . At 7 . 30 the party entrained for Tyneside , all highly pleased with the day ' s proceedings , and the treat they had had in visiting the ducal towrn .

********** A correspondent of the " Morning Leader" writes to that paper as follows : " Last week I saw a paragraph stating that the Dutch Freemasons proposed approaching the English Lodges with a view toi arriving at some method

of concluding the war , on presumably honourable terms . Since then I have not heard or seen anything of a corresponding nature on our side . Surely there are many Masons who / like myself , deeply sympathise with the proposal and who would be glad to welcome any Dutch Masonic delegates .

The pathetic incident of the Ermelo Lodge being practically wiped out in one of the earlier battles must have saddened all Brethren . If there is any foundation for the statement in the paragraph I have mentioned , I would suggest that those amongst your readers who are Masons should take steps ta

give the Dutchmen a fitting reception . "—[ We should like to see members of the Craft successful in such a mission . On the other hand it seems preferable for the Craft to hold aloof from interference with such a useless resistance as is now being shown .- —Ed . F . C . J .

* ## * # * # ** # At the Plume of Feathers Hotel , Okeharnpton , on Wednesday evening , nth inst ., through the energy of Bro . F . Edwards P . M . and Secretary of the Lodge Obedience , the builder of the new Masonic Lodge ( Mr . John Sieeman ) , with

his workmen , to the number of nearly thirty , were entertained at dinner . An excellent spread was provided , several members of the Lodge being present . A very pleasant evening was spent , the excellent manner in which all the work of the Lodge had been carried out having given great satisfaction , Several toasts were proposed and honoured ,