The Grand Lodge Of Massachusetts.

ing the claim to antiquity of that Grand Lodge , it was not formed till 1792 , and the two Provincial Grand Lodges , before existing in that colony , both expired in 1775 by the death of their Provincial Grand Masters . The Massachusetts Grand Lodge did not pretend to meet after the death of Warren , and although St . John ' s Grand Lodge did have somo sort of meetings , probably no law that has ever existed in Masonry

anywhere would hold such meetings regular . " If this report had been read to the Grand Lodge of New Hnmpshire , its venerable Past Grand Masters , Israel Hunt and Horace Chase , then present , could have informed the Committee on Foreign Correspondence that they were treading upon dangerous ground , and alluding to a delicate subject . The Grand Lodge of New Hampshire was organized on the

8 th of July , 1789 , by four deputies from St . John ' s Lodge of Portsmouth , chartered hy the Massachusetts "St . John ' s Grand Lodge" June 24 , 1731 . and one deputy from Rising Sun Lodge of ICeene , chartered by the "Massachusetts Grand Lodge " March 5 , 1784 , —five deputies from two lodges . All Masonic authorities claim that , to organise a legitimate Grand Lodge , there must be presont the representatives of " not less than three lodges holding charters or warrants from some legal Grand Lodge . "

All the lodges in New Hampshire existing prior to the year 1790 , with the simple exception of St . John ' s of Portsmouth , received their charters from tho " Massachusetts Grand Lodge . " St . Patrick ' s was chartered and established at Portsmouth , March 17 , 1780 . Tt continued in existence until the latter part of the year 1790 , when it ceased working , most of its members joining St . John's Lodge , which was revived about that time . It never acknowledged the jurisdiction of the Grand

Lodge of New Hampshire . November 8 , 1781 , the "Massachusetts Grand Lodge" chartered a lodge at Cornish , then claimed to be a part of Vermont , but now set off to New Hampshire . It met at Cornish a few times , and when Cornish was decided to be in New Hampshire , it moved to Windsor , Vermont , on the opposite side of the Connecticut River , and took the name of Vermont Lodge No . 1 .

Rising Sun . of ICeene , well known as the lodge which gave Masonic light to Thomas Smith Webb , was chartered hy the "Massachusetts Grand Lodge" March 5 , 1784 . It surrendered its charter to the Grand Lodge of New Hampshire August 3 , 1792 , and received a new one with the same name , and rank No . 3 . The "Massachusetts Grand Lodge" granted a charter for a lodge at Ch ' . u-lestown by the name of " Faithful Lod No . 27 "

ge , , February 22 , 1788 . This charter was surrendered to the Grand Lodge of New Hampshire April 30 , 1 S 00 , and a new one given by which it was stylad " Faithful Lodge , No . 12 . " Dartmouth Lodge , of Hanover , received a charter from " the Massachusetts Grand Lodge " December 18 , 1788 , and was the last lodge chartered by this Grand Lodge in New Hampshire . Its dissolution took lace before it acknowledged the

jurisdicp tion of the Grand Lodge of that State . The Grand Secretary , Horace Chase , says , that when the Grand Lodge of New Hampshire was formed July 8 , 1789 , " as appears from the record , there were but three lodges in the State , viz .: St . John's and St . Patrick ' s at Portsmouth , aud Rising Hun at ICeene . "

However irregularly organized the Grand Lodge of New Hampshire may have been , tho " Massachusetts Grand Lodge " disclaimed jurisdiction in that State thereafter . It is unnecessary to slate that this Grand Lodge , since 1789 to the present time , bus been on the most friendly and fraternal rclatio . is with our sister Grand Lodge of New Hampshire , and that it will require something more than the unauthorised and unconfirmed statements of a Committee on Forei Correspondence to

ungn settle these pleasant relations . Nevertheless , —when it is pretended before a body of such great respectability as the Grand Lodge of New Hampshire , that , in 1784 , when it is said the ' -African Lodge" in Boston obtained its Charter in England , there was no existing Grand Lodge in Massachusetts , for the purpose of proving the then and present legitimacy of the African Lod and of adding the

ge , weight aud influence of the Grand Lodge of New Hampshire to this pretence , —it is due to ourselves , and to the Craft universal , that the truth should be fully known and fearlessly spoken . The time is propitious to meet this false pretence , and I need but resumo the history of tho "Massachusetts Grand Lodge , "

where it was left at its Centennial on the recent Feast of St . John the Evangelist . The system of Provincial Grand Lodges originated in the Grand Lodge of England in 1726 , and arose from the necessity of having , in the distant colonies of Great Britain where Masonry had extended , some authority and power , not only to control and govern the Craft , but also to establish new lodges in

the provinces . The Provincial Grand Master was appointed by commission of the Grand Master , wherein the extent of his powers was set forth , and by virtue of which he convened his Grand Body . In the language of early days this commission was styled a Deputation , and this word conveys the true idea of the Provincials' position . It was a Deputy Grand Lodge , . with its various Deputy Grand Officers , convened hy the power and authority of the Provincial Grand Master as the Deputy

of the Gviuw . 1 Master . It possessed \\ n sovereign puwev . The Lodges under the jurisdiction of the Provincial Grand Master were not necessarily registered in his Grand Lodge . They were returned to England , registered in the Grand Lodge there , and classified as we do our lodges at the present day , as belonging to a certain district or pruviuce . The Provincial Grand Master had power to appoint a deputy and commission him

, who in the absence , sickness , and disability of his chief , assumed his functions . The Grand Wardens and other officers he also had the exclusive right to appoint , although sometimes he nominated brethren to these offices and permitted the Grand Lodge to elect them . Each Lodge in the Province hae the right of representation in the Provincial Grand Lodge , by its Master and Wardens or

by a regularly appointed representative , and the expenses of the Grand Body were assessed upon the various subordinates . The right of appeal existed from every act and decision of the Provincial Grand Master or Grand Lodge , to the Grand Master of England , thus making the Provincial and his Grand Lodge subordinate to the power by which they were created . The allegiance of the Lodges and of the Craft was to the Grand Lodge of England ; and to the Provincial Grand Lodge and Grand Master , through the parent Body . There was no direct allegiance to the Provincial from the Craft . It was a

temporary power which he held , ex gratia , and of wmch he could be deprived at the pleasure of the Grand Master , by whom he was appointed . Thus it will be seen that the Provincial Grand Master was appointed for the convenience of the administration of the affairs of the Grand Lodge of Englaud in distant parts , iu the same mannor that our District Deputies are appointed at the present time . The powers , however , in the one case , were more extended

than they are in the other . The means of communication with Londou were not so easy and rapid as now , and the distance from the Grand East required that some officer should be stationed here , who should be invested with authority for sudden emergencies and instant action . The Provincial Grand Master having been regularly commismissioned and installed , could not resign his trust to his Provincial Grand Lodge . That bodhad no power to accept it . His

y resignation must be made to the Grand Master , from whom he received his commission . The Provincial Grand Lodge was the creation of the Provincial Grand Master , and was " holly under his direction and control . He appointed its officers , and summoned the representatives of the lodges to assemble in Grand Lodge . In this Grand Lodge there was no inherent power , save what it derived irom the Provincial Grand Master , by virtue of

his delegated authority , thus making it the very reverse of a Sovereign Grand Lodge , the Grand Master of which derives his authority from the Sovereign Body by whose votes he is elected to office , aud over which he presides . The Grand Master appointing his Provincial , could annul the commission at his will and pleasure . The officer being created by the pleasure of the Grand Master of England , all the adjuncts ,

appointcos , and creations of the office depended upon the same pleasure , and existed during the will of the appointing power . If a Provincial Grand Master was removed , and his commission recalled , and the Grand Master declined to appoint his successor , it is clear that the Provincial Grand Lodge established by virtue of sucii commission should cease to exist . Such a . Grand Lodge never possessed any vitality , which would survive the life of the commission appointing the Provincial Grand Master .

The death of the Provincial would also lead to the same result . The commission to him from the Grand Master would lose all its force upon his decease . Whatever act the Provincial