Reviews.

REVIEWS .

All Books intended for Eeview should be addressed to the Editor of The Freemason ' s Chronicle , 67 Barbican , E . C . Early Histcrry and Transactions of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of New York , 1781—1815 . Published by authority of the Grand Lodge . Granted to Kane Lodge , No . 454 , June 1874 . Parts I ., II ., III ., IV . New York : Masonio and Miscellaneous Publishers , No . 2 Bleecker-street . D . Sickles and Co ., Managers . 1876 .

( Continued from page 55 . ) HAVING expressed our regret that no allusion is made to the EevivaL in 1717 , of Freemasonry , and tho establishment of that Grand Lodge of Speculative Freemasons , from which all other Grand and Provin . cial Grand Lodges established since then have sprung , we pass now to a more detailed notice of tho contents of the Introduction . Tho

sketch begins with a copy of the Deputation issued by the Duke of Norfolk G . M ., on 5 th June 1730 , to Daniel Coxe Esq ., to be Provincial Grand Master of the " Provinces of New York , New Jersey , and Pensilvania in America . " This , as our readers may remember , was inserted in the Memorial Volume of the Dedication of the new Masonic Temple at Philadelphia , in 1874 . It is appropriately given

here as marking the introduction of a regular Ma 3 omc government into the then Province of New York , though there is no evidence to show that Bro . Coxe ever exeroised any of the prerogatives conferred upon him by this important instrument . We have not space to give the whole of the " Deputation , " but an outline of its contents seems desirable . In the preamble it is stated that " whereas ,

application has been made to us by onr Eight Worshipful and well-beloved Brother , Daniel Coxe , of New Jersey , Esq ., and by several other brethren , Free and Accepted Masons , residing , and about to reside , in the said Province of New York , New Jersey and Pennsylvania , that we would be pleased to nominate and appoint a Provincial Grand Master of the said Provinces , " the said Daniel Coxe is " nominated ,

ordained , constituted , and appointed Provincial Grand Master of the said Provinces , with full power to appoint his Deputy Grand Master and Grand Wardens for the space of two years from the feast of St . John the Baptist now next ensuing . " After this time , the brethren residing , or who may hereafter reside , in tho said Provinces , shall have tho power of electing " every other year on the

feast of St . John the Baptist , " a rrovincial Grand Master , who shall enjoy similar powers . The Provincial Grand Master is further empowered to constitute the brethren residing in the said Provinces " into one or more regular Lodge or Lodges , as he shall think fit , and as often as occasion shall require . " He is to see that all members of such Lodge or Lodges have been regularly made Masons , and that

they observe the Regulations contained in the Book of Constitutions , and such other Kules and Eegulations as from time to time may be transmitted by the Grand Master or his Deputy . He or his Depnty is to send " annually an account in writing of the number of Lodges so constituted , with the names of the several members of each particular Lodge , together with such other matters or things as " may

be thought " fit to be communicated for the prosperity of the Craft . " He is further to ensure the observance of tho feast of St . John the Evangelist , and on that occasion especially , as well as at all Quarterly Communications , to " recommend a General Charity to be established for the relief of poor brethren of the said Province . " Such are the leading features of this important instrument , a copy of

which was furnished to the New Jersey Committee by our late Grand Secretary , Bro . Wm . Gray Clarke , and which is universally accepted among our Pennsylvanian brethren of to-day as the initial evidence of the existence of Freemasonry in the then North American Colonies of Great Britain . Bro . Clark , however , appears to have made to the New Jersey Committee the following statement , quoted in the pages

of this history : — " I cannot find any application from Bro . Coxo and others for the appointment of Provincial Grand Master . Bro . Coxe did not make any report of the appointment of Deputy Grand Master or Grand Wardens ; neither did he report the congregating of Masons into Lodges . He did not transmit any account of having constituted Lodges , and does not , indeed , appear to have established any .

" At the period when he was appointed , it was a rare thing for any Reports to be made by the Provincial Grand Masters abroad , of their doings . Brief details came in once or twice from Bengal , but I find none from any foreign country . " The names of members belonging to Lodges abroad , I imagine , were never sent home until the year 1768 , when the system of

registration was established . There seems , however , to be very little doubt now-a-days as to the existenceof a Lodgein Philadelphia in the year 1730 , and this may have been chartered by Bro . Coxe ; or of a Grand Lodge , of which the immortal Benjamin Franklin wa 3 Senior Warden—and soon after , Grand Master—having been convened in the same city in 1732 . It is also stated herein , that Daniel Coxe was in England , and present at the

meeting of Grand Lodge on January 29 th 1731 , when his health was drunk , as " Provincial Grand Master of North America . " But whoever Bro . Coxe may or may not have done in connection with the Province of " Pensilvania , " there is found , as yet , no conclusive evidence that he ever exercised his authority " in the Provinces of New York or New Jersey . " Bro . John G . Barker P . G . Librarian of New York is , however , sanguine that evidence will in due course be

forthcoming . The next link in the chain is the appointment , by Warrant dated 30 th April 1733 , of Viscount Montagu G . M ., of Henry Prico as Grand Master in North America , with power to appoint his Deputy and other officers , and to constitute Lodges . This appointment resulted from the " application of a number of brethren residing in Boston , " —see note p . 176 Oliver ' s edition of Preston ' s Illustrations—and applies generally to the States , comprised ia the designation of "New

Reviews.

England . " However , on the 15 th November 1737 , it appears that Captain Eichard Ri ? gs was deputed Provincial Grand Master of New York , by Grand Master the Earl of Darnley , but no records exist of his administration . We are told the New York press did not regard favourably the gatherings of Freemasons , the New York Gazette of

1737 containing an article on the subject , which , in our opinion , it would have been better to have quoted in extenso , —if that were possible—if not in the body of the narrative , at least in a foot note . Two excerpts , however , aro given from that journal for the year 1739 , in tho first of which it is announced that the brethren will in future

hold their Lodge meetings at " the Moutgomerie-Arras Tavern , the first and third Wednesday of every month , " whilo the other is a notice of meeting , at the same placo , for the 26 th of September . Both these are issued " by order of the GRAND MASTER , " and both signed " Charles Wood , Secretary . " In 1751 , Francis Geolet was appointed Provincial Grand Master of New York , under a patent from Grand Master Lord Byron . He remained in office two years ,

and , on the 26 th December 1753 , publicly installed and proclaimed his successor , George Harison , whose Deputation , dated 9 th Juno 1753 , was issued by Grand Master Lord Carysfort . Bro . Harison held office for no less a period than eighteen years , during which he appears to have fulfilled his duties most ably and zealously . The following Lodges we quote as having been " Warranted under hia administration

;"—" St . John's No . 2 , Prov . ( English Registry ) ( No . 272 , now No . 1 ) , New York City , Deo . 7 th , 1757 . " St . John's Ind . Eoyal Arch , No . 8 , Prov . ( now No . 2 ) , New York City , Dec . 15 th , 1760 . " St , John ' s No . 1 , Fairfield , Ct ., 1762 . " Zion No . 1 , Detroit ( English Eegistry , 448 ) , April 24 th , 1764 . " Union No . 1 , City of Albany ( now Mount Vernon . No . S ) t Feb .

2 nd , 1765 . " St . John's No . 1 , Norwalk , Ct . ( now No . 6 , Grand Lodge of Ct . ) . May 23 rd , 1765 . " St . John ' s No . 1 , Stratford , Ct . ( now No . 8 , Grand Lodge of Ct . ) , April 22 nd , 1766 . " St . Patrick ' s No . 8 , Johnstown , N . Y . ( now No . 4 ) , May 23 rd , 1766 . v

" Masters No . 2 , City of Albany ( now No . 5 ) , March 5 th , 1768 . " King David ' s , City of New York , Feb . 17 th , 1769 . " Solomon ' s No . 1 , Pooghkeepsie , N . Y ., April 18 th 1771 . " " The following , " we are told , " were located in the City of New York , during his term of office , and were , no doubtestablished by

, him at , or prior to the dates appended thereto : — Temple Lodgo ••. 1758 Trinity Lodge •. . 1767 Union Lodgo . . . 1767 King Solomon Lodge - - 1767 Hiram Lodge - . . 1769 . "

His successor was Sir John Johnson , who received his commission from Grand Master , Lord Blany , in the year 1767 , and was installed in 1771 . He appointed Doctor Peter Middleton to bo his Deputy , and his authority continued during tho war . But owing to the fact of his adhering to the Eoyal cause , and to the consequent necessity he was under of seeking the protection of tho British army , we aro

told there are " but few records of his official acts as Provincial Grand Master . " It seems , however , that ho confirmed , on the 3 rd July 1773 , the Warrant issued in 1765 by his predecessor , to Union Lodge , Albany . On 21 st June 1774 , he issued a dispensation to form a Lodgo at Shenectady , the warrant being granted on the 14 th September of the same year , under the title of St . George's Lodge

No . 1 , of Shenectady . There were also warranted during his Master , ship , St . John's Eegimental Lodge , No . 1 , on 24 th July 1775 , and tho Military Union Lodgo in April 1776 . During the war , the City of New York Lodges , we are told , " virtually ceased to meet , " bub those in the northern part of the Province , with one exception , " continned their labours , and were subjected to but little interruption . "

Thus , after 1 / 76 , no records exist of Sir John Johnson ' s rule . " The necessary executive bnsiness of the Craft was transacted by the Deputy Grand Master and such officers as he appointed , from timo to time , to assist him . Sir John went to England at the close of tho war , but returned and settled in Canada in the year 1784 . Thus far the history of Freemasonry iu this Province is wholly

associated with the society known as " tho Moderns . " But when the English army ocenpied the city there were introduced with ifc a number of Lodges wan-anted by the Grand Lodges of Ireland and Scotland to the Ancient Grand Lodge in London . We are told there was little or no intercourse between these and the Provincial Lodges . Great progress , however , must have been made by tho interlopers , for we read : —

" In tho beginning of 1781 , the Army Lodges in the City of New York took steps to form , a Grand Lodge , or , what is more probable , to continue and perfect the organization of ono already established by them , as will be seen by the following documents on file in tho archives : —

Minntes of Lodgo 169 , Ancient York Masons , held at their Lodgo . room , ou Tuesday evening , the 23 rd Jannary , 1781 , being a Grand Lodge assembled in ample form . ' There were present twenty-nine Masters and Past Masters , representatives of five Lodges , namely—Nos . 133 , 169 , 210 , Solomon ' s Lodge No . 212 , Eegistry of England , 441 Eegistry of Ireland ,

and Zion's Lodge U . D . Tho Grand Lodge was opened in ' due form' by tho E . W . Bro . McCnen G . M ., Bro . Brown S . G . W ., and Brc . Taylor J . G . W . Ifc was unanimously agreed that an election of officers bo held , and the following brethren were unanimously elected : —

The Eev . William Walter , 169 , Grand Master ; Bro . John Brownrigg , 441 , Senior Grand Warden ; and the Eev . Bro . John Beardsley , 210 , Junior Grand Warden . " A committee waited on the newly elected Grand Officers for the purpose of apprising them of their election , and a written acceptance waa returned by each , to the said committee , Subsequeutly , steps