Next Week's Festival.

As matters stand at present , the Institntion at Croydon is available as tangible evidence of what is being done , but is not the fact that nearly 400 other annuitants are receiving quarterly remittances , which they are enabled to spend

among their friends , equally attractive as a platform cry , and equally significant to tho thinking Mason . We believe so , and again we urge that tho time will arrive when it may be desirable to discuss the future of tho Croydon Asvlura .

The present may be deemed as hardly the best time to urge the desirability for a change , but , on the other hand , the Annual Festivals bring together a large number of Masons who have a personal interest in the welfare of the Charities , and it is not unwise to give them a topic for

fnture consideration . They should learn to recognise that their work is not complete when they have helped to erect the edifice , it has to be maintained , and there is always plenty of scope for activity , assistance and kindly consideration .

In conclusion , -we can but express tne hope that Earl Amherst and the body of Stewards who will support him on Wednesday will be able to produce such a result as will secure for the first Festival of 1891 the right to rank ns one of the grandest efforts the Craft has witnessed on hohalf of the distressed members of the Order .

To What Base "Uses We May Come.

TO WHAT BASE "USES WE MAY COME .

IT has been considered worthy of remark that the Brid ge of Sighs , in Venice , connected a palace and a prison . It is more worthy of remark when that which was onco a palace becomes degraded to be a prison . This happened once to a home of the Mason CiaFt , the first distinctive Masonic Hall erected in America .

In 1752 , tho Grand and First Lodges meeting in Philadelphia resolved to erect a " Building for tho accommodation of tho said Lodges , " and in 1754 the work was accomplished . Among the contributors to it were Bros . John Swift , Edward Shippen , Wm . Allen , Benjamin

Franklin , William Franklin , Daniel Roberdeau , Michael Hillegas , Samuel Mifflin , James Hamilton , William Plumstead , Dr . Thomas Cadwalader , Thomas Bond , and other leading Freemasons aud citizens . The year after the

comp letion of the Hall , in 1755 , when thero wero three Lodges subordinate to the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania meeting in Philadelphia , Bro . William Allen was Grand Master . Ifc will bo remembered that he was also the first Grand

Master of Pennsylvania , in 1732 , nnder the authority of fche earliest Grand Lodge of England , the so-called " Moderns " or " Free aud accepted Masons . " Afterwards , in 1758 , the so-called "Ancients" or "Ancient York Masons "the Dermott Grand Lodge of England , warranted a Loclgo

in Philadelp hia and also a Provincial Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania , and for some years the two constitntions of the Moderns and the Ancients co-existed ; but the latter gradually absorbed the membership of the former , aud since then the Craft in Pennsylvania havo been , in their mystic

nomenclature , Free and Accepted Ancient York Masons . The use of the title "Ancient York Masons" by the " Ancients " was clearly never justifiable , since they had no Masonic connection with York , but it was officiall y

adopted , and it came to us in Pennsylvania with the introduction here of Lodges by the " Ancients" in 1758 . In our title , and in our Lodge and Grand Lodge minntes , however , we now properly style ourselves simply Free and Accepted Masons .

The earlier Provincial Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania waa composed , to a considerable extent , of those who became loyalists during the Revolutionary era , while tbe

" Ancients" Grand Lodge was composed largely of patriots . This circumstance contributed to the snccess of the latter body , and to the failure of the former , and led to the unfortunate and remarkable event to which we are

about to advert . Philadelphia ' s first Masonic Hall , erected in 1754 , twenty-three years later , in 1777 , was used by the State of Pennsylvania as a prison ! It happened in this wise : The Quakers of the city were , on principle ,

noncombatants , and hence under suspicion . They were charged with issuing seditious publications , and the Provincial Council , on 3 rd Sept . 1777 , ordered Colonel Lewis Nicola , the town major , to arrest some forty of them , and imprison them in the Freemasons' Lodge ( the Masonic Hall above referred to ) , " and there confine them under guard till further orders . " Thia Hall was located on

To What Base "Uses We May Come.

Lodgo Alley , west of Second Street , and it was temporaril y used as a prison because the city prison was already full , Tho "Moderns" themselves were then nnder a cloud because they were generally loyalists , and their Lod gea were not at that time meeting in the Hall .

By tho favour of Bro . Charles K . Francis , of this cit y , we have before us a London book , printed in 1777 , which gives a full account of this transaction . It is entitled : —

An address to the Inhabitants of Pennsylvania , by those Freemen of the City of Philadelphia who are now Confined in tho Mason ' s Lodge , by virtue of a General Warrant , signed in Conncil by the Vice President of the Council of Pennsylvania . Philadelphia Printed . Loudon : Reprinted by James Phillips , 1777 .

This copy formerly belonged to the late Bro . Thompson Westcott , of this city , having been presented to him by the Hon . Benjamin Moran , then of London , now our Minister to Portugal . In the Address we find this statement , by the Quakers :

It is well known that at both , the times hinted at , contending armies were endeavouring , within the circle of their yearly-meeting , to proonre all persons that should come in their way to join them in military preparations . Tbe testimony of tho Quakers ia against all wars and fighting , and

against entering iuto military engagements of any kind ; surely then it was the right of the representatives of their society to caution their membera from engaging in anything contrary to their religious principles . But if it be an offence in those who were active in that

publication , what havo those of ns done who are not members of that society , who are of the Church of England ( which two denominations comprehend all of the subscribers ) , and who have published no testimonies .

Singularly , the Bev . Bro . William Smith , D . D ., Provost of tho College of Philadelphia ( now University of Penn . sylvania ) , was one of those arrested , being one of the " Church of England men " referred to above . He was a "Modern" Mason , but later became also an "Ancient "

Mason , and was elected Grand Secretary of the " Ancients " Provincial Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania , and waa the authorised compiler of the earliest ( 1783 ) Ahiman Rezon

of the Grand Lodgo of Pennsylvania . His name is mentioned on page 8 of the " Address , " and other names are those of the Fishers , Pcmbertons , Whartons , Robertses , Emlens , Gilpins , & c . In the "Address " the Episcopalians

say * . — And we who are of the Church of England are free to declare to yon and the world , that wo never have at any time during tho present controversy , either directly or indirectly communicated any intolligence whatever to tho commander of tho British forces , or any other person concerned in pnblic affairs .

Bro . Dr . Wm . Smith appears to have been early released , since his namo does not . appear in the later protests . Tho main body of prisoners met with a different fate . The reprint of ** Tbe Early History and Constitutions of tlio

Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania , " issued by the Library Committee , of which Bro . Charles E . Meyer is Chairman ( a most valuable publication , which every Pennsylvania Freemason who desires to bc well informed should possess ) tells us that the unfortunate Quakers

Were brought out of tho " Masons' Lodge where they had been confined . Carriages and waggons to convey theji and their bnggago wero ready . The City Troop and the detachment of City Guards ,

detailed for tho service , were waiting to receive them . Thoy took their seats in the vehicle ? , and with the sound of the drnm and fife this procession of exiles took their way throngh the City to the middle ferry .

Their place of exile , according to the "Address , " was Stanton , Augusta Co ., Virginia . This Masonic Hall , degraded from a Lodge Boom to be a prison , by Act of Assembly was sold in 1793 , and onethird of the proceeds of sale ( 1 , 533 * 57 dols . ) was given to

the City Fuel Fund of Philadelphia , to supply tho poor with fuel during the winter . Among the Brethren , members of the First Lodge , who in 1793 made this

charitable disposition of the funds , were Bros . Edward Shippen , John Swift , Matthew Clarkson , Michael Hillegas , Tench Francis , John Penn and William Smith—all notable citizens .

The moral of this transformation is : Be good Masons , attentive to all the interests of your Lodge , and be patriots , lovers of your conntry . Tho members of the " First Lodge " waxed cold in their allegiance to both their Lodge and their country . The result was , their Masonic Hall

became first a prison , and afterwards was sold under the hammer . The " First Lodge , " as a Lodge , went out of existence with its Hall , the members either connecting themselves with other Lodges , or , like Bro . Allen , they left tha eountry , departing for England . —Keystone .