Bro. Drummond And The " Mother'' Of American Freemasonry. "

BRO . DRUMMOND AND THE " MOTHER '' OF AMERICAN FREEMASONRY . "

" (| UITE recent , y tbe ] ed s er of St - John ' s Lod s V ^ J Philadelphia , existing as early as 24 th Jnne 1731 , has been discovered . It is a very important historic

document , and we congratulate our Pennsylvania brethren upon its discovery . It was found by Bro . Clifford P . McCalla , in the Library of the Pennsylvania Historical Society .

" Portions of it have been photographed , and we have taken the opportunity to acknowledge the receipt of a copy sent to us by order of the M . W . Grand Master , by his private secretary , and to tender our hearty thanks for it .

" It shows that the Lodge was formed early in 1731 , and maintained its organisation for several years ( after it was formed ) . It confirms our former belief that the Lodge spoken of by Franklin was a permanent organisation , like the four English Lodges , in 1717 .

" The accounts all commence 24 th June 1731 , but the Lodge had previously existed , although , as we judge , only as brethren met and opened one , but on that date it

seems to have been determined to make a permanent organization . There is no evidence that it had any warrant , or existed under any other authority than that of its brethren who formed it . The 'Stock Account' is

given , and while it shows a payment for the book itself , there is no item of payment for any warrant , or of any sum whatever for expenses of organisation . " Benjamin Franklin was a member , and we have no doubt that he was made a Mason in it in the early part of 1731 .

" William Allen was also a member , and his account is given . It affords conclusive evidence that on 24 th June 1731 , the Lodge knew nothing of Daniel Coxe as Grand Master , for the account is headed ' William Allen , Esq ., Grand Master . ' In the ' Stock Account , ' William Allen as

* Grand Master . ' In the ' Stock Account , ' William Pringle , also , is designated ( 24 th June 1731 ) as ' Deputy Master . ' "The Pennsylvania theory has been that in 1732 Allen

waa elected Grand Master to succeed Coxe , but here we have evidence that on 24 th June 1731 , WilliamAllen was recognised as Grand Master , and William Pringle as his Deputy , and this , too , when the Lodge first took on the form of permanent organisation .

"The discovery of the book settles that , so far as is known , the first Lodge organised in permanent form in this country existed in Philadelphia , but it also shows that the Lodge recognised William Allen as Grand Master ; of

course it did not recognise Coxe as Grand Master at the same time , and therefore could not have existed under the authority of Coxe . "—Committee on F . 0 . of the 0 . L . of Maine 1884 .

We sincerely congratulate Bro . Drummond on his very important discovery , and we presume that our esteemed confrere , Bro . MacCalla , will be overjoyed to learn that

Philadelphia had a veritable Grand Lodge a year before he or any one else ever supposed , and the next centennial of the " Mother of American Freemasonry " will doubtless be celebrated in 1931 instead of 1932 .

Brother Drummond deserves to be richly rewarded by the Pennsylvania brethren for making their Grand Lodge a year older than their most sanguine partizan advocates ever dreamed of , and the least they ought to do is to petition their Grand Lodge to confer upon Bro . Drummond

the title of P . G . M . of Pennsylvania , for surely every one must admit that Brother Drummond ' s discovery is worth more than all the discoveries ever made either by Brother MacCalla or his friends upon the question of the " Mother of American Masonry . " Indeed , we do not know which

to congratulate most , whether Brother Drummond or Bro . MacCalla and the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania . However , upon mature reflection , we come to the conclusion to congratulate all parties concerned , including the Grand

Lodge of Massachusetts , for while the latter is undoubtedly the Mother of American regular chartered Freemasonry , to Pennsylvania may be ascribed the honour of being an older American Masonic mother , but a MOTHER of illegal and unchartered Masonry .

And now , this important question being amicably settled , we propose that three cheers be given in all our American Grand Lodges for all the mothers , grandmothers , and mothers-in-law , too , in the United States of America . — Masonic Truth .

Royal Arch.

ROYAL ARCH .

OLD KING'S ARMS CHAPTER , No . 28 . THE first Convocation , for the present season , of thia Chapter waa held at tho Freemasons' Tavern , Great Queen . Street , on Monday last , 6 th inst . Tho business of the evening consisted of exalting Bro . E . W . Parkes , P . M . Finsbury Lodge , No . 861 , who waa proposed by Comp . Pritchard , and seconded by Comp . Farnfield P . Z . Thia ceremony was performed in a very careful manner by the various Officers , and seemed to make a very favourable impression on tbe candidate . After the usual business communications from the

Scribe E ., the Chapter was closed in the usual manner , and the Companions retired for refreshment . The Officers of the Chapter are Comps . T . Thomas Z ., Watson Thomas H ., Baron Ferriere J ., Miller P . S ., Pans S . E ., and T . Money S . N ., with Colls and Farnfield P . Z . ' s . The following visitors wore present : Comp" . Eev . Jos . Vautrhan , St . Michaels , Deptford , Dr . Corrie Jackson J . 534 , T . Griffiths P . Z ., and Sudbrook .

Metropolitan Chapter of Improvement . — This eminunc Chapter of Instrnction or Improvement , which baa for many years held its quarters at the historic old Jamaica Tavern , in tho neighbourhood of Cornhill , has been compelled to seek a new home , in consequence of the old structure being doomed to destruction , and on Tuesday night found a new resting place at the White Hart

Tavern , in Cannon-street ( corner of Abohurch-lane ) , tho well known hostelry of Bro . Chard . The dnty of finding new quarters for the meeting of the Chapter was , in May last , entrusted to a Committee , and after a most anxions and willing inquiry , they succeeded in obtaining a most admirable room for the purpose at tho place above stated . As this Chapter of Improvement has been the means of

giving the most important instruction to all seeking advancement in this Supreme Degree , anything concerning its welfare was naturally looked to with considerable interest . Accordingly , on Tuesday last , for the first time the Companions met at the room which for some time will be their place of occupation ; it was well attended , and amongst those present were Comps . Lilley Z ., Gillard H ., Perrin J ., Webb S . N .,

and Beedell P . S . There were also present Comps . Walls , Smart , Catterson , Child , Bing , Turner , Stanton , Brooks , Haynes , Braine , Newton , Fraser , Appleby , Daniel , Daviea , Maidwell , and Franka , Comp . Brown occupied his usual place aa Preceptor and S . E . The ceremony of exaltation was rehearsed , Comp . Child being the

candidate . Comps . Brooks and Davies were unanimously elected members of the Chapter of Improvement . The votes of the Chapter were accorded to Comp . Lilley , who is supporting the case of Henshaw , a candidate for one of the Masonio Institutions . There being no further business , the Chapter was closed , and the convocation ' waa adjourned until Tuesday evening , the 14 th October , at half-past six o ' clock .

The monthly meeting of the General Committee of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , was held at Freemasons' Hall on Saturday last . Bro . J . L . Mather V . P . occupied the chair . Amongst those present were Bros , ft . W . Stewart P . G . D ., W . Paas , C . F . Matier , T . Cubitt ,

W . Roebuck , R . Berridge , H . Hacker , C . F . Hogard , Rev . Dr . Morris , L . Ruf , G . P . Gillard , W . A . Scurrah , A . E . Gladwell , E . M . Money , G . P . Britten , 0 . H . Webb , 0 . Daniel , H . S . Goodall , and F . Binckes Secretary . The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed , and those of the House Committee read for information . Two

petitions were submitted ancl accepted , and two grants of £ 5 each for outfits were made . Two notices of motion for the Quarterly Court on Monday next were given—one by Bro . Raynham W . Stewart to except the month of September from the operation of Law 36 ; and the other by

Bro . J . L . Mather , on behalf of the House Committee , to the effect that three boys , in addition to the 27 already announced , be admitted by election on Monday ; this , if carried , will raise the number of vacancies to be ballotted for to 30 . Notice was given of the withdrawal of Leo

Kretschnian , No . 55 , from the list of candidates , and information was given that Bro . G . Plucknett , Treasurer , had received and paid into the London and Westminster Bank the sum of £ 50 , being the amount of a legacy , free of duty , handed over from Mr . C J . Kilpin .

Bro . Seymour-Smith announces that his Annual Benefit Concert will take place at the South Place Institute , South Place , Moorgate Street , E . G ., on Saturday , 18 th October . Bro . Smith has secured the services of Madame Agnes Ross , the Misses Matilda Roby , Maud

Cameron , Meta Russell , Helen Heath , Mesdames Worrell and Raymond ; Bros . Lester , Walter Pritchett , G . T . Carter , C . A . White , W . V . Leonard , Arthur Thompson , James Budd , W . G . Hazelgrove , and Chaplin Henry . For Instrumentalists : Madame Brett and Miss Evelyn

Seymour-Smith ( Pianoforte ) ; Mr . W . Morrow ( Cornet ) , and Bro . Richard Bkgrove ( Concertina ) . The Entertainment will be conducted by Bros . Michael Watson , Turle Lee , and Seymour-Smith . As usual , Brc . Smith has

secured a most energetic Board of Stewards , and we anticipate this reunion of " old friends , " who we look forward to see at these popular gatherings , will not be the least pleasant in which we have taken part .