Early History Of Freemasonry In America.

record does not pretend that he did giA r e a charter , yet Ave see that the Boston authorities of 1754 claimed Antigua as their Lodge . And IIOAV I will give all I know about Newfoundland . Under date of Dec . 91746 the

, , record says : " At the petition of sundry brethren , reciting their first Master , the Lodge in Maryland is dated 1750 . AVhether that Lodge was the earliest established in Maryland I know not , but I am certain that Bro . MacCalla

has not a particle of evidence about Virginia or New Jersey being indebted for their earliest Lodges to Boston ; Virginia , indeed , never had a Lodge from Boston , and NCAV Jersey did not have a Boston one up to 1754 at least . The

truth is , the little clique AA'I IO engineered the then G . L . at Boston , which G . L . seldom mustered more than a dozen or fifteen members , and of which clique Price was undoubtedly the moving

spirit ; these brethren were not over scrupulous ¦ in their assertions . I do not , hoAvever , mean to insinuate that Messrs . Price and Co . were Averse than

many of their successors both in Boston and other parts of America , but I merely mean to SIIOAV that no credit should be attached to their records . 6 th . "The first Historical Lodge in the State of Pensylvania was opened in

1734 , under a warrant from the Prov . G . L . of Massachusetts , Dr . Benj . Franklin being its AV . Master . " AVe do not know that either ; and if our Philadelphia brother could prove it , I would guarantee him an American

public reception in Boston , with at least five hundred Masons to shake hands with him . The fact is , Franklin left Boston in 1723 , and he afterwards visited Boston every tenth year , except the latter part of his life Avhen he was

engaged in foreign missions ; he was , therefore , in Boston in 1733 . The Boston record , under date June 24 th , 1736 , says : " About this time our AV . Bro . Franklin , from Philadelphia , became acquainted with our E . AV . G . M ., Mr . Price , who further instructed him in the Eoyal Art , and said Benj . Franklin ,

on his return to Philadelphia , called the brethren there together , who petitioned our E . AV . G . M . for a constitution to hold a lodge , and our E . AV . G . M ., having this year received orders from the G . L . of England to establish Masonry

in all North America , did send a deputation to Philadelphia appointing , the E . W . Franklin first Master , which is the beginning of Masonry there . " The above extract implies , that Price received the extension of his

jurisdiction , and granted to Franklin the constitution ere the date of June 24 th , 1734 . The following extract from Franklin ' s letter -shows , however , that he did not ask for a deputation until November 28 th , 1734 . Franklin , under

the above date , Avrote to Price ' s G . S . " AVe have seen in the Boston prints an article of news from London , importing that at a Grand Lodge held there in August last , Mr . Price ' s deputation and powers were extended over all JNorth America . " This , Franklin laid before the lodge ; then , the letter

goes on , asking Price to " confirm the brethren of Pensylvania in the privileges they at present enjoy , of holding annually their G . L ., choosing officers , etc . " " And said : G . M . of Pensylvania only yielding his chair to the G . M . of

America . " In addition to this , Franklin demanded that the charter of Price shall be accompanied Avith a copy of Price ' s first deputation , and also , "of the instrument by which it appears to have been enlarged , . , witnessed

by your AVardens and signed by your Secretary , " and this letter was signed , " B . Franklin , G . M . " This letter certainly proves that Price was not the founder of Masonry in Philadelphiathat not only a lodge

ex-, isted there in 1734 , but there was also there , a Grand Lodge in full blast , with a G . M . " privileges , " etc . It also demonstrates that either Franklin never saw Price ' s deputation when he was in Boston , or that had some cause to doubt

Price ' s pretensions , and , therefore , required vouchers of the AVardens and Secretary . But there is another fact