Freemasonry In Pennsylvania.

FREEMASONRY IN PENNSYLVANIA .

The custom in the North American jurisdictions by which the Grand Master at the annual communication of his Grand Lodge delivers a long and elaborate address , in the course of which he reviews all the principal events of the previous year , and fully

explains the reasons which prompted him to adopt a certain course of action under certain circumstances , is to be commended . Here where Grand Lodge holds its regular Quarterly Communications the need for such a course does not exist , or at

nil events does not exist to the same extent ; but many of thc Grand Masters of Provinces , where , the meetings are annual , have adopted the custom with advantage . Our Prov . Grand Masters , however , are generally briefer in their observations than

the American Grand Masters , who clearly love to amplify everything and introduce such a mass of details that their harangues , when published in the local press or in the Grand Lodge Proceedings , are decidedly heavy reading . Still , there is invariably

something of interest to be gleaned from them , while in the case of those which are delivered at the annual communications of the older Grand Lodges much valuable information is not infrequently to be obtained . In Pennsylvania , notwithstanding

that Grand Lodge meets regularly in quarterly communication , the address is delivered as usual on St . John's Day when the new Grand Officers are installed or invested , and on the 27 th December last Bro . MATTHIAS H . HENDERSON , G . M ., recounted

carefully the events of 18 95 . Most of what he said is of local interest only , but there are one or two subjects he referred to which may be noted . Thus as regards the Masonic Hall in Philadelphia , which is undoubtedly one of the finest buildings of

its kind in existence , full particulars were given by Bro . HENDERSON as to the cost of building , the manner in which the outlay was met , ancl the steps taken from time to time in providing for that outlay . The business is highly creditable to our

Z- ' ennsylvanian brethren , who seem to have laid their plans from the outset judiciously , and carried them out strictly . In 1 S 6 7 , when the ground on which the Temple stands was purchased , and preparations for erecting it were begun , the income of Grand

Lodge was , we are told , 65 , 000 dollars , and accordingly "The . Yen * Masonic Temple Loan " was authorised and placed on the market . Two years later , with a view to providing for the payment of principal and interest , it was resolved on the 7 th April ,

186 9— "That five per cent , of the current receipts of the Grand Lodge be and the same are hereby appropriated and set apart for the Redemption of the New Masonic Temple Loan . " But in order to make this provision more effective for the purpose , the initiation fees and dues were considerably increased in

amount , and it was agreed that they should so remain until the liabilities on the Temple had been reduced to 500 , 000 dollars . Ihe loan ultimately—in November , 1 S 74—reached 1 , 470 , 525 dollars , the interest on which , at 7 . 3 per cent ., amounted to

107 , 348 dollars . In December , 18 75 , the loan was reduced by the payment of 150 , 000 dollars , and the balance was funded at six per cent ., a substantial diminution of interest being the result . In September , 1880 , a further 41 , 025 dollars was paid off , and

the balance refunded at five per eent . In September , 1890 , 4 ' , loo dollars were paid off , the loan being thus reduced t ° 813 , 400 dollars , and this was funded , at four per cent . On September 1 st , 18 95 , a further reduction

was made b y the payment of 322 , 150 dollars , and the balance ' » ihe loan now stands at 491 , 250 dollars , the interest on which « it four per cent , is 19 , 650 dollars . Thus in the 21 years that ' ¦• ive elapsed since the full amount of the loan was reached

'rand Lodge has paid off 979 , 275 dollars of the principal , while the amount that has been paid annually in interest is stated as ' ' A 357 dollars , giving a grand total of payments amountingto 2 , 040 , 623 dollars . As the loan has been reduced to within 500 , 000

dollars , the lodges are relieved of the additional fees and dues 1 ( -v have been paying since 18 71 , and the Grand Master expresses his belief that the income of Grand Lodge is such as to Justif y the hope lhat in the course of the next few years , the

whole of the balance will be cleared off , a most notable achievement , and one of which , seeing that " no mortgage , judgment , or other encumbrance has ever been placed " on the roperty , the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania has the utmost reason 0 ) e proud . Indeed , the liquidation of the debt appears lo have

Freemasonry In Pennsylvania.

proceeded till now without any serious effect , the measures taken for its gradual extinction having sufficed for the purpose , and as there remains less than 500 , 000 dollars due bv way of principal , and the annual interest thereon is under 20 , 000 dollars , it seems

tolerably certain that Grand Master HEXDKRSOX ' anticipations that the whole will be extinguished at an early date will be realised . The credit of having accomplished this is ascribed by the Grand Master to the Finance Committee of Grand Lod <> e .

There is a further matter mentioned by the Grand Master to which we have great pleasure in referring . Some years ago the work of reprinting the minutes of Grand Lodge was undertaken ancl after a time abandoned . But Grand Master HENDERSON

appears to have laid great stress on the importance of continuing the work which has been taken in hand by the Library Committee and will be carried out completely . But as the volume which was published in 18 77 and the manuscript which had been

compiled for subsequent volumes were found on comparison with the original minutes to be very imperfect , the Committee have determined to ( liscard the work that had been done under the former scheme and prepare an entirely new work , which shall

in all respects be a truthful reproduction of the original records . One volume has already been issued , and others will follow , so that in due course the whole of the minutes will reprinted . The * price charged is no more than will suffice to cover the cost , while

those engaged in the work of compilation are doing their part without fee or reward , and the Grand Master very naturally hopes that such disinterestedness on their part will meet with thc appreciation and recognition to which they arc so justly entitled .

As for the statistics relating to lodges and their membershi p Bro . HENDERSON mentioned that between the 27 th December , 1 S 94 , anc * the corresponding date of last year the number of new lodges constituted was seven , raising the total to 425 . On

thc 27 th December , 18 94 , the aggregate membership was 48 , 472 , thc increase during that year having been 1076 , and he is probably correct in his estimate that on making up the returns for 18 95 , the number of subscribing members in the jurisdiction will be found to be not far short of 50 , 000 .

Our Larger Provinces-Kent.

OUR LARGER PROVINCES-KENT .

Our larger provinces are getting bigger still , year bv year . West Lancashire , with its 112 lodges ; East Lancashire , with ill ; West Yorkshire , with 77 ; and Kent , with 62 ; all exhibit

an increase during the past year , the greatest being in East Lanshire . Another quartette range from 41 , 4 6 , and 48 to 52 , being Surrey , Cheshire , Hants and Isle of Wi ght , and Devon respectively .

The " Freemasons' Manual for Kent , " published , with commendable promptitude , on the Sth January ( the earliest issue yet achieved ) , and ably edited by the veteran Craftsman , Bro . Thomas S . Warne , and by Bro . Frank Hitchens , affords an excellent insight into the workings of one of our large and most

prosperous provinces . There are 62 lodges , which return 3 8 71 members , being an average of over 62 per lodge , thus proving that the increase in the number has not been at the expense of the membership of the individual lodges , ln an excellent table ,

compiled by thc Editors , the number of members of each lodge , and the total of each year , 18 92-5 inclusive , exhibit a steady increase from 3521 , in the lirst column , to 3 8 71 , as aforesaid , in the latter .

Sometime since , I tested the average membership of each lodge in 27 provinces , and found that 897 returned 4 6 , 457 members , being an average per lodge of nearly 52 . Kent , it

will bc seen , averages 62 , some of the larger provinces having still more . Durham at the time was the highest with 72 , followed closely by North and East Yorkshire with 70 , Hants making a good third wilh 68 .

Ihe Kent Manual is in its 19 th year of publication , and was started b y Bro . T . S . Warne as Editor , my esteemed friend still continuing at the helm , and , after so many years of service , may now be looked upon as fully complete as to all such onerous

duties . Who the senior is ol the editorial corps I do not know , bull began as early as 186 5 with the '' Devon and Cornwall Masonic Calendar , " and shall be glad to be informed of those brethren who are still in the " land of the living , " and preceded me as Editors of Provincial Alasonic Calendars .