Correspondence.

also was ignorant of a Philadelphia Lodge of 1730 , or of another Lodge No . 79 . Pine made a further improvement to Smith's list by adding , as far as he could ascertain , the dates of Constitutions to each Lodge . I have reason to believe that the news from Boston about the Lodge did not arrive in England before July or August 1734 . Pine's list seems to have been then nearly finished . Hence ,

Lodge Dnke of Marlborough , Petticoat Lane , constituted 5 th Novem . ber 1734 , whioh is on Smith ' s list as No . 126 . In Pine's list the Boston Lodge is No . 126 . Another Lodge in Flanders is No . 127 , and the Marlborough Lodge is in this list 128 . Here , then , we have three independent English compilers of Lodge lists , each of whom doubtless had access to the highest authority in the

Grand Secretary ' s quarters , to the records , 4 o . ; and each and all contradict the statement made by an unauthorised Dnblin reprinter of Smith ' s " Pocket Companion" of 1735 ; and friend Hnghan wants me to believe that an unknown Dnblin reprinter was better informed about No . 79 on the English register than Rawlinson , Smith , and Pine together .

Further , be it remembered , that in 1735 Masonry in Dnblin was only about five years old . The Dublin reprinter of the " Pocket Companion " was probably a Mason of yesterday—a-novice— who may never before have seen a printed Lodge list . Indeed , I do not know whether any Lodge lists had ever been printed before 1735 . They had engraved lists , but I am not aware that any were printed before 1735 . I can

readily imagine that to such a novice the blank to No . 79 was a puzzle , and as he probably heard of a Lodge at the Hoop at Philadelphia , so , Masonic fashion , he jumped to the conclusion that the Philadelphia Lodge without a number must belong to a number on the list without a Lodge ; and so he put this and that together and made it into one . Surely there is nothing improbable in such a Masonio blunder .

We all now laugh at the Masonio luminaries of a recent age who reasoned thus , " Yon cannot deny that Pythagoras had mysteries . We Masons have also mysteries , therefore , onr mysteries undoubtedly descended from the Pythagorean mysteries , and , therefore , Pythagoras was a Brother Freemason . " Now , wherein does that mode of reasoning differ from the reasoning of onr Philadelphia Keystone

editor P He says , " You cannot deny that Coxe got a deputation in 1730 , and yon cannot deny that Allen , Franklin , and others had a Grand Lodge in Philadelphia in 1732 , therefore , Allen and Co . must have received their authority from Coxe , " & c . Now I do not deny either Coxe ' s deputation of 1730 , or the Grand Lodge in Philadelphia in 1732 , but I deny that there was any connection between Coxe's

deputation of 1730 and the Philadelphia Masonry of 1732 . We have not a particle of evidence that Allen or Franklin knew anything , either about Coxe or about his deputation , or that Coxe knew any . thing about the 1782 Philadelphian Masonry , and certainly no Grand Secretary of England had ever heard of Coxe or his Masonry after he returned to New Jersey , where he died in 1739 .

Bro . Hnghan quoted the letter of Henry Bell of 1754 . I will frankly state here that , with very few exceptions , whenever an American Grand Master is discussing a question which touches his state pride or his religious prejudices , I would not believe his statements without corroborative testimony . In 1873 this Bell ' s letter was cited by the orator at the dedication of the Philadelphia Temple , the

said orator , Bro . P . G . M . Lamberton , however , added , " Thedispensation of this Lodge was doubtless issued late in 1730 or early in 1731 , */ granted at all . " Here there was at least an "if . " Bro . MacCalla of the Keystone turned the if into an " undoubtedly . " I have since then endeavoured to learn where that letter was , and how and by whom it was preserved since 1754 and where the remaining part of

, the letter was , & o ., but no effort was made to satisfy my doubts ; the late Bro . Leon Hyneman , a P . M . of a Philadelphia Lodge , told me he did not believe in the letter , and he wrote the same to Bro . Nickerson of Boston . I ask , therefore , why do the Philadelphia brethren enshroud that letter with so much mystery ?

The truth is , the Philadelphia Grand Lodge of 1732 was a selfconstituted affair . In 1734 Franklin endeavoured to get Henry Price of Boston to grant him a dispensation or charter . Franklin was evidently dissatisfied with Price ' s pretension to the title of G . M . Anyhow , there is no authentic evidence that Price acknowledged Franklin's assumed title of G . M . Bro . MacCalla furnished from the

newspaper evidence , that at Philadelphia they annually elected Graud Officers from 1732 to 1741 . Between 1741 and 1749 nothing is known abont the Pennsylvania Masonry , but a record preserved at Philadelphia informs ns , that on 10 th July 1749 , Thomas Oxnard of Boston , Provincial G . M . of North America , " appointed Benjamin Franklin , Esq ., Provincial Grand Master of Pennsylvania , with

authority to appoint other Grand Officers , " & c . And , on the 5 th September following , Franklin held his first Grand Lodge under Oxnard ' s deputation , appointed his Officers , and granted a charter for a new Lodge at Philadelphia . And at a communication of the Grand Lodge , held 13 th March 1750 , William Allen presented his commission from the Grand Lodge of England , appointing him Provincial Grand

Master , and Allen then appointed Franklin as his D . G . M . ; thus we see that only within eight or nino months after Oxnard appointed Franklin P . G . M . Allen ' s commission arrived from England . Tho inference therefore is , that when Bros . Allen and Franklin got older and wiser they got tired of playing bogus Grand Masters , and as they well knew that in the unauthorized state they were in the Grand

Lodge of England would not have acknowledged their Masonry , they therefore got Oxnard to whitewash it , and then , and not till then , did they apply to the Grand Lodge of England , when , of course , their request was granted . Had they been entitled to apply to the Grand Lod ge of England before Oxnard legitimised and legalised their Masonry , thoy would not havo waited till 1750 , bnt would doubtless have applied before . This is my opinion .

Respectfully and fraternally yours , JACOB NORTON , Boston , 22 nd January 1884 .

Correspondence.

OUR LATE GRAND MASTER PAYNE . To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I would refer Bros . Yarkerand Sadler to a cnrious query , by " Masonic Student , " nnder the heading " Dies Zovi , " on page 209 of vol . xiii . of the Freemason .

I remain , Yours fraternally , T . FRANCIS . 8 th February 1884 .

TEMPLE ACCOMMODATION . To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —The question of accommodation for the brethren assembling in Grand Lodge at the Freemasons' Hall is not by any means in a satisfactory condition . On the one hand , it is feared that the strict letter of the resolution arrived at on the 5 th December last may not be adhered to , and on the other , apprehensions

prevail that room will not be found for those who will most probably attend in March next and on subsequent occasions . There is no doubt about the bona fides of the committee appointed to carry out the work , and if they can see any method by whioh increased accommodation can be given without incurring any very serious liability , I am confinced that they would be indemnified for any outlay for whioh a good

return in comfort and convenience could be assured . I regret exceedingly that Grand Lodge resolved to proceed on such limited lines as the mere restoration of the old hall , and I am convinced that no arrangement for overflow meetings will long remain satisfactory If it were possible to divide tbe brethren into classes , so that those whose presence in the great hall was necessary should be able to

obtain admission according to the importance of the business each class had to transact , there would be some chance of appeasing the restless many , and of satisfying them with the power of voting only , As that is impossible , it seems a mockery to ask brethren to vote upon matters about which they know little , and who had been debarred from hearing what had been advanced for and against any particular

question . It will never do to have such an ugly rush as that of December last . I never saw anything more undignified in my life . If such a thing is again apprehended , I would advise the setting up of barriers , so that one brother afc a time may go in , and when the hall is full , to bar the entrance . This arrangement would be exceed * ingly unpleasant to those who might have special business on hand ,

but there can be no distinction when all have equal right to admission . The alternative for those who feel that they must be present will be to be early in attendance , secure their seats , and remain in them until they have discharged their obligations . The late comers must be content to sit , like cherubs np aloft , or to sit or stand in the ante rooms , where they can amnse each other with irregular discussions of

things in general , and of " nothing " in particular . Bro . Letohworth would meet the difficulty by excluding the Wardens . As I have passed out of the chrysalis state into a full , grown P . M ., I might let the matter go by the board , but I do not forget the time when I was a Warden myself , and I should be sorry to take away a privilege I myself so highly valued . Without venturing

to dwell upon the many reasons why such exclusion should not be adopted , I may say that the Wardens are among the best and hardest working members of the Craft . A P . M . is apt to get careless or indifferent , often negligent ; but a Warden has the future before him , and the hope to come quickens his sense of duty . I do not believe the exclusion of the Wardens would work well at all , for even if they

take little active share in the business of Grand Lodge , they make up a capital critical audience , and are able by their votes to determine its work . It will never do to exclude the Wardens , however great the pressure may be . Some other method must be found , and I believe it will have to be sought in an increase of accommodation

within four walls , where the whole of tbe brethren can see and be seen , and hear and be heard , if possible . What that means , I need not say . Circumstances often force results that common sense should have anticipated . I only hope my fears may not be realized j if they

are , I trust the blame will rest upon the right shoulders , althougn the cost will fall on the whole Craft . I am , Dear Sir and Brother , Yours faithfully and fraternally , P . M .

The following Festivals -were held at the Freemasons ' Tavern during the week ending 16 th February 1884 : — 11 th February—London Society Ball , St . George and Corner Stone Lodge , Leigh Lodge ; 12 th—Metropolitan Dairymen ' s Ball , Nobodys Friends , Jerusalem Chapter , Prudent Brethren Chapter , Urban Lodge ;

13 th—British Orphan Asylum , Lodge of Fidelity , Enoch Lodge , Manchester Lodge Ball , Royal York Chapter ; 14 th—Danes Bicycle Club Ball , Caledonian Society , Lodge of Regularity , Polish National Lodge , Pilgrim Lodge ; 15 th — Mizpah Lodge , Jordan Lodge ; 16 th—Tottenham House Ball .

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