Old Warrants.

Old Warrants .

We have pleasure in publishing the following from our esteemed correspondent , Bro . Jacob Norton : — BOSTON , 14 th June 1876 . MY DEAR BROTHER CONSTABLE , —I thank you for publishing : the Old Warrants , especially those of the Ancients , and with pleasure I hasten to contribute some documents emanating from the said

organization . Tho following introdnction , by Bro . Joseph Fletcher Brennan , in his " History of Masonry in British America , " omitting only some erroneous statements oF tho author , will be read with interest : — "In 1758 there were received at Halifax , by Erasmus James Phillips , who afc that time was a member of the first General Assembly of Nova Scotia , a Provincial Grand Warrant and two

Lodge Warrants , written by Laurence Dermott , as Secretary at London of the Grand Lodge , organised by him bnt two years previously [ that is an error ] . Thoso Lodgo Wan-ants are numbered respectively No . 2 and 3 . The Provincial Grand Warrant bears the No . 65 * * * There is no doubt of the receipt of thoso Warrants at Halifax , as all three are to bo found in the archives of tho

fraternity of the present day in that city . Except in the statement quoted from , and nothing in that , thero is no evidence that any of them were ever used . Two of them , tho Provincial Grand Warrant and the Lodgo Warrant No . 2 , are Avritten on parchment , apparently by the hand of Laurence Dermott himself , and stamped

Avith a slightly oval seal of wax , having on tho superior portion thereof a square and compass , and beneath a naked dagger , the whole partially surrounded with the word , " Virtue and Silence . " The following is a copy of the Grand Warrant , and it ia very strange that Bro . Dermott spelt the name of tho G . M . Blesinton , instead of Blesaington : — No . 7 .

BLESINTON , GRAND MASTER . WM . HAWORD , D . G . M . ROBT . GOODMAN , S . G . W . W . Af . OSBORN , J . G . W . Co nil fobont it nroj ) concern . No . 65 in England 1 No . 1 in Nova Scotia ) Wo tho Grand Lodge of tho Most Ancient

and Hon'blo Fraternity of Freo and Accepted York Masons in ample form assembled , viz . the Eight Worshipful and Eight Honourable William Stuart Earl of Blesinton ( in the Kingdom of Ireland ) Grand Master in England , William Halford Esqr . Depnty Grand Master , Mr . Robert Goodman , Senior Grand Warden , and Mr . William Osborn Junr . Grand Warden , by and Avith the approbation and consent of

Forty-soven Regular Lodges held in the cities and suburbs of London and Westminster Do hereby authorize and empower our Trusty and Well beloved Brethren that aro UOAV or hereafter may become inhabitants in the said Province of Nova Scotia to form and hold a Provincial Grand L < xlgo in tho said Province independent of any former Dispensation , Warrant , or Constitution granted by ns or our

Predecessors to Now England or elsewhere and we do hero nominate , constitnto , ancl appoint onr Trusty and Avell beloved Brother the Right Worshipful Erasmus James Phillips , Esqr ., to be our Provincial Grand Master ( in Nova Scotia afforesaid and territories thereunto belonging ) , our Worshipful Brother Alexand Murray Esquire , Depnty Provincial Grand Master our Worshipful Brother Mr . George

Frenchvillo Senior Grand Warden , and our Worshipful Bro . — Le Compte Junior Grand Warden & c ., and AVO do hereby authorize and empower our said Right Worshipful P . G . M . ( of Nova Scotia ) to grant Dispensations , Warrants , and Constitutions for the forming and holding of Regular Lodges Avithin his Worship ' s jurisdiction afForesaid , and in his or such other Lodge or Lodges

duly congregated , to admit , enter , and make Masons according to the Ancient and Hou'ble Custom of the Royal Craft in all Agea and Nations throughout tho Known World . Wo also authorize and impower onr said Worshipful P . G . Lodge to hear and determine all matters relating to tho Craft within the territories afforesaid , requiring all our worthy brethren Avithin the jurisdiction afforesaid

to be conformable to all and every of the good rules , Orders , Issues , and Decrees , that shall from time to time be issued , ordered or decreed by said Worshipful P . G . Lodge of Nova Scotia . And lastl y Ave do further authorize and impower our said Trusty and Well Beloved Brethren Erasmus James Phillips , Esq . Prov . G . M . Alexander Murray Esq . D . P . G . M . Mr . George Frenchville P . S . G . W . and Mr . —¦

Le Compte P . J . G . W . ( with their lawful assistents , to nominate , chuse and iustal their successors & c . & c . & c . such Iustalations to bo upon or near each St . John the Evangelist's day during tho continuance of this Lodge for ever , Providing that the above named Brethren and their successors always pay duo respect to this IU . Worshipful Grand

Lodge of Freo and Accepted York Masons , London , otherwise this Warrant to be of no force nor virtue . Given under our Hand and Seal of tho Grand Lodge this Twenty Seventh day of December . Anno Dom . 1757 Anno Lap . 5757 LAU DERMOTT Gd . Secretary .

A copy of tho above , upon a sheet of cap paper , which Bro . Brennan thinks to be the handwriting of Charles Bearlock , G . S . of tho Ancients in 1780 , also exists in the Nova Scotia Archives , to which the following address is added : — " To the Right Worship ! til Brethren , viz ;

Erasmus James Phillips Esq . P . G . M . Alexander Murray Esq . D . P . G . His Excellency Charles Lawrence , Govr . of Nova Scotia , M . William Nesbett Esq . D . M . George Frenchville P . S . G . W . Mr . — Le Compte , P . J . G . W . & c ., & c , & c . " With the above , as already stated , came two Warrants for Lodge *

respectively numbered 2 and 3 . Ifc seems from the above Grand Warrant , as well as from a copy preserved in Philadelphia , that Bro . Dermott numbered his Deputations to Provincial Grand Masters for holding Provincial Grand Lodges among his list of Lodges . Having given the abovo Deputation as No . 65 in England , and No . 1 in Nova Scotia , I now give a copy of one of the Warrants , which baa merely tho No . 2 on it , without intimating its No . in England .

EOB ' GOODMAN , S . G . W . WJI . OSBORN , G . W . No . 2 . Seal of red We , the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted ( York ) wax dropped Masons in ample form assembled , viz ., ( tho Right Wortiehofllue Cupful and Right Honourable William Stuart Earl of and yellow Blesinton Grand Master . William Halford Esqr . Deputy ribbon . Grand Master . Mr . Robert Goodman Senior Grand

Warden . And William Osborn J . G . W . Avith the approbation and consent of forty seven Regular Lodges held Avithin the cities and suburbs of London and Westminster ) Do hereby authorize and im . power our Trusty and Well Beloved Brethren Robert Gillespie Master , Edmund Whitehead Senior Warden , and John Burlidge Junior Warden , ( with their lawful assistants ) to form and hold a Lodge of Freo ancl

Accepted Masons , afc the sign of the ROAVO Bargo in Georgo Street in Halifax in the Province of Nova Scotia and in said Lodgo ( when duly congregated ) Admit , Enter , and make Masons according to tho Ancient and honourable Custom of the Royal Craft in all ages and Nations throughout tho known world . And we do hereby further authorize and impower our said trusty and well beloved Brethren

Robert Gillispie , Edmund Whitehead , and John Burlridge ( with their lawful assistants ) to nominate , chuse , and instal their snecessors whom they are to invest Avith their power and dignity & c . and such snecessors shall in like manner nominate , chuse , and instal their successors & o . & o . & o . such Installations to bo upon or near every St . John ' s Day during tho continuance of tho Lodge for EVER .

Providing that the above named Brethren and their successors ahvays pay due respect this Right Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted ( York ) Masons , otherwise this WARRANT to be of no force nor virtue . Given under our hand and Seal of this Grand Lodge London this twonty-seventh day of December Anno Dom . 1757 . Anno Lap . 5757 . L AU . DERMOTT , G . Sec . No . 9 .

To Avhich Bro . Brennan adds : — " Except in the names , Wan-ant No . 3 is the same in every particular as Warrant No . 2 , the number and seal occupy tho samo position , John Keen , Edward Barron , and William Arlow , are written respectively in No . 3 for Master , Senior and Junior Wardens , ancl tho Deputy G . M . is blank , as in No . 2 . Tho

copy is Avritten in tho office of the Grand Secretary of the Ancients in Loudon , on a half sheet of cap paper , tho broad way , that is , from end to end of tho half sheet . Of course it bears no seal , the place being alono indicated by a circle Avith a pen , and " Grand Seal " written therein . This copy is in tho lower left hand corner , marked , "A true copy , attest , Jo . Gridley , Gr . Sec ' y . "

No . 8 . BLESINTON , GRAND MASTER . D . G . M .

The above copies , my dear Bro . Constable , will suffice afc present , Next Areek I shall forward some more if the All Wise permits . Yours sincerely and fraternally , JACOB NORTON ,

Albion Lodge, Quebec, And Origin Of Freemasonry In North America.

ALBION LODGE , QUEBEC , AND ORIGIN OF FREEMASONRY IN NORTH AMERICA .

BY BROTHER WILLIAM JAMES HUGHAN .

( From the " K EYSTONE . " ) I HAVE been much interested in reading Brother Jacob Norton ' s able letter in the Keystone of the 29 th April respecting tho claim advanced by the Square , that tho Albion Lodge , Quebec , was constituted A . D . 1721 , and , consequently , that Philadelphia must retire from its present position as the " Mother-City of Freemasonry

in America . ' Bro . Norton has done exceedingly well with the scanty materials furnished for his analysis , but not having all that is necessary to fully answer the erroneous claim , I herewith proceed to supply the information necessary to a complete understanding of the subject .

I have already sent to the Masonic Review a few particulars , which will doubtless interest your numerous readers , and enable them to arrive at a correct conclusion , and the following will supplement my communication to that excellent publication , Avherein I first noticed

the claim advanced by the Square . First of all let me say , that your editorial on tho subject was to the point , and in accordance Avith the facts of the case , the " Ancients " not having Avarranted any Lodges until after 1750 , and Albion Lodge being nnder that jurisdiction , 1721 clearly cannot be the year of its

origin . Unless New Jersey or New York can produce evidence of the existence of a regular Lodge prior to 1730 , I think the Keystone

State will remain in possession of her laurels ; and I hope yet to finally settle the matter . 1 . Bro . Norton refers to the Grand Lodge of England Masonic Calender of 1855 , which contains : " 17 . Albion Ledge . Quebec