Philadelphia, The Premier Masonic City Of America.

" extended over all America , " & c . —( Vide Bro . McCalla ' s History of the subject . ) 2 . These points having been established , I quite agree with " Philadelphos " in his capital letter of the 30 th ult .,

that " Freemasonry undoubtedly established itself in Philadelphia before it did in any other City of the United States . " Indeed , until these statements are disproved , I shall not trouble to defend them in any way .

3 . The question , however , is , was a Warrant ever granted by the G . L . of England , or by the Prov . G . Master Coxe ( which means the same thing virtually ) , between the years 1730 and 1734 , for Philadelphia , and was it ever on the engraved lists ? . That one or more Lodges were

granted by Bro . Coxe is certainly almost proved from the foregoing . Whether he , as Prov . G . M ., sent on the notices of Charters thus granted , I cannot say , and do not know who can . Bro . Price , as Prov . G . M . of Massachusetts , granted a Warrant in 1733 to the St . John ' s Lodge ,

Boston , and by a notice being sent to London , it was placed in the engraved list of 1734 as No . 126 . If the Warrant was paid for in London , we are not aware of any record thereof , and Bro . Gould , after searching to 1738-39 , was unable to find any account thereof . It was ,

however , as we know , duly constituted . In the numeration before 1740 , it is evident that No . 79 , if granted to a Lodge in England , would be dated ( say ) 1731 . The numbers 81 to 83 were of that year . Brother Gould kindly searched for me as to this matter some time since , and

found the payment , noted in the G . L . Records , of two guineas , by 79 Castle in Highgate , London , for a Constitution . This was on the 21 st Nov . 1732 , when a Grand Lodge was held , and is carefully chronicled in the " Four Old Lodges , " p 82 . The author declares it to have been

constituted in 1731 . I wonder if this really were the case . It may have been occupied by another Lodge in 1731 , and given to the one at the " Castle " in 1732 . At all events , if the " Castle " were theirs * to hold 79 , it was late in paying for its constitution , for many of its juniors

paid the fee in 1731 and early in 1732 . However , assuming that No . 79 was originally granted to the " Castle , " London , in Dr . Rawlinson ' s List of 1733 the number is vacant . I quite concur with Bro . Gould in placing this list at 1733 ( the latter part ) , and that , in all probability ,

it is a transcript of one of the engraved lists of 1733 . The engraved lists of 1730 , 1731 , 1732 , and 1733 are missing , unfortunately , and so all is conjecture on these points , unless confirmed by the Grand Lodge records . It is also

vacant m the Engraved List of 1734 . That of 1735 is missing . Those of 1736-8 have 79 credited to a Lodge at St . Martin ' s Lane . In the "Four Old Lodges " it can be traced as follows—79 ( no date ) 1736 List . In 1740 it became 68 and dated 1730 ! In 1756 it

was raised to 42 , in 1770 to 35 , in 1781 to 31 , and in 1792 to 29 ( still in London ) . By our " Masonic Register " it will be found located at Deal in 1814 as 44 , and became 39 in 1832 , soon after which it again collapsed . 1730 was said to be its date from the List of 1740 down toi 832

but it is quite evident that it was not so . There was sometimes more than one edition of an Engraved List in the same year . We have seen two of 1725 , the second issue having four more Lodges added . During the period of 1734 to 1754 there were Pocket Companions published

with Lists of Lodges . These were , of course , copies mainly of the regular Lists issued by the Grand Lodge . They do not , however , any time say from what edition their Roll of Lodges is taken , and so when they contain Registers of Lodges which are not in the Engraved Lists preserved , all

things being equal , it is fair to presume that they were made from Editions now missing . As a case in point , 1734 List of Lodges in " Smith ' s Companion , " has 79 vacant ; but in another " Pocket Companion , " printed in Dublin for the year 1735 , which has a Roll of Lodges for

the year 1733-4 , that number ( 79 ) , is filled by " The Hoop in Water St ., in Philadelphia , 1 st Monday . " Now , I have been asked to believe that my discovery of this fact is of no value , and that there never was such a Lodge granted for that City . I answer , why not ? Admitted

that it is a puzzle , it is not the only puzzle as to old Lodges , for on that subject let any one consult the " Four Old Lodges , " and they will see it is

not even so great a puzzle as some others . Bro . Gould asks me to explain how it is that 79 is full in one of the copies , and vacant in the other . I cannot do so , and apparently he camot , for be assured , if he could he would

Philadelphia, The Premier Masonic City Of America.

whether it favoured his view or otherwise . But though we cannot explain why they differ , that they differ , there is no doubt ; and therefore why should it not be accepted as fairly probable , if not actually certain , in the light of the foregoing statements , that 79 was for a short while located

to Philadelphia , in response to the petition of the brethren in that city , who however relinquished it for the charter given them by Bro . Coxe ? Surely , the compiler of the

1735 " Pocket Companion" at Dublin , did not imagine the name of tho Inn , the place , and the day of meeting of No . 79 ? Why should not he be credited with as much consideration as that of the 1735 work , in which tho

number is left vacant ? I agree with Bro . Gould's able statement of the negative view of the subject , but in the absence of evidence , the affi ) "mative side is equally as strong , and beyond question

has in its favour the fact that in a List of Lodges printed in 1735 . No . 79 is located at Philadelphia . I beg to thank Bro . Gould and Bro . " Philadelphos" for their fraternal criticisms , and if it is all the same to them , we will let the matter rest as not proven until more facts are discovered .

Prov. Grand Lodge Of Oxfordshire.

PROV . GRAND LODGE OF OXFORDSHIRE .

THE annual meeting was held in the hall of the Apollo Lodge on Wednesday 10 th inst . H . R . H . Prince Leopold , the Provincial Grand Master , was unable to be present , and in his absence Bro . Reginald Bird , the Deputy Grand Master , presided . He was supported by Bro . Rev . H . A . Piokard , Past Grand Chaplain of England , Bro . F . P . Morrell , Past Grand Deacon of England , the Chaplains of the Lodge , and many Past Masters and Past Provincial Officers . The

minutes of the last meeting having been read and confirmed , the Deputy G . M . read the report upon the various Lodges in the Province and expressed himself satisfied at the progress that Freemasonry was making therein . The Treasurer ' s report was then read and showed the funds of P . G . Lodge to be in an excellent state . Bro . F . P . Morrell pioposed the re-election of Bro . Randall as Treasurer , which was

carried unanimously . Bro . Randall has held this appointment for upwards of a quarter of a century . Bro . H . A . Piokard read the report of the Charity Committee , and Charity Jewels were presented to Bros . T . E . Withington 357 , J . M . Dormer 340 , and S . P . Spiera 340 . Bars of the Jewels were presented to Bros . R . Bird 357 , Rev . H . A . Pickard 357 , F . P . Morrell 357 , F . Hedges 478 , J . Potts 599 , H .

R . Cooper Smith 357 , Rev . H . Deane 357 , T . E . Withington 357 , and C . Park 340 . The Deputy Provincial Grand Master then invested the Prov . G . Officers ns follow : —W . Parratt Senior Warden , C . A . Galpin Junior Warden , Rev . S . C . F . Angel Smith Chaplain , T . Randall Treasurer , E . L . Hawkins Registrar , A . Winkfield Secretary , W . N .

Glencross Senior Deacon , J . M , Dormer Junior Deacon , H . P . Symonds Sup . of Works , J . J . Calicut and J . Calicut Directors of Ceremonies , W . Wbatcoat Sword Bearer , W . R . Bowden Organist , S . Salter Pursuivant , Thomas Eley Asst . Pursuivant , W . P . Ellis , W . Adkins , J . R . Maguire , H . G . W . Drinkwater , E . R . Baynes , and H . M . Humfriea Stewards , and G . Norwood and Biggs Tylers .

From an Australian Exchange we learn that : — " The stay made by the Duke of Manchester R . W . Prov . G . M . Norths and Hunts in Hamilton was much shorter than had generally been anticipated . Early on Thursday morning , 16 th Sep . tember , accompanied by Sir Samuel Wilson , the Hon . R . Simson , Mr . T . Skene , Mr . Manson , and Mr . J . M'Kellar , he was driven out

to Redruth . There , a breakfast , such as the hostess of the Wannon Inn can so well prepare , was duly discussed , and a visit paid to the neighbouring falls , which , thanks to the recent rains , were seen in all their grandeur . His Grace was not slow in expressing his admiration of them , and like many others have been , was probably surprised upon coming so suddenly on so splendid a waterfall , the contour

of the country between Redruth and the precipice not leading a stranger to expect anything like so fine a sight . The Duke returned to Hamilton by the mid-day train , by which he took his departure for Melbourne . It had been expected he would visit Murndal and other properties in this greatly favoured portion of the colony , but this his time would not allow . In fact , there are a great many

Pastoral and Agricultural shows and other events taking place , and every district is anxious to secure a visit from a nobleman who has ever taken so active an interest in colonial affairs , and is himself a sheep-breeder of no mean repnte . Invitations without number are therefore pouring in upon him . It is , however , to be hoped that before he returns to England , His Grace will be able to make a tour through

the country between Hamilton and Casterton . He has expressed , admiration at the richness of the pastures through which he baa already travelled , but it may be fairly stated he has , as yet , seen nothing that can equal the hills and dales included in the Muntham , Strnan , Merino Downs , Murndal , and other estates which could be mentioned .

Our readers will regret to learn that Bro . Dr . Moore P . G . S . B . Eng ., of Lancaster , still lies in a critical state . The serious symptoms have not abated , and his condition causes considerable anxiety to his friends .