Early History Of Freemasonry In America.

honoured Price by not only similar but increased authority , is to suppose an absurdity . The date of the first Deputation to Price having been then , April 30 , 1733 , as Grand Master , Bro . William Sewall

Gardner , in an able address delivered before the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts on St . John ' s Day , 1871 , said : — " In the year 1734 , our records state , Price received orders from the G . M . of England to establish Masonry in all

North America , by John Lindsay , Earl of Craufurd . Craufurd became G . M . on March 30 , 1734 , and held office until April 17 , 1735 . On the 28 th of November , 1734 , Franklin addressed a letter to Price and the Brethren , a copy

of Avhich is appended , in Avhich he says : ' We have seen in the Boston prints an article of HBAVS from London , importing that at a Grand Lodge held there in August last , Mr . Brice ' s Deputation and poAver Avere extended over all North America . ' The files of Boston neAvspapers of this year are incomplete , and

the article referred to cannot be found . It Avas undoubtedly printed in some Boston print . " Observe the folloAving recognitions of Price ' s position and authority : In a letter , dated November 29 , 1768 , from

Thos . French , G . S . of Grand Lodge of England , to Price , the former says : — " The success of Masonry in America under your patronage Ave learn with pleasure ; " and previously he said : " I am ordered by His Grace , Henry

Somerset , Duke of Beaufort , our Most Worshipful Grand Master , and the Hon . Charles Dillon , his Deputy , to acknowledge the receipt of yours , dated 27 th January , 1768 , inclosing a letter from the Provincial Grand Lodge at

Boston to the Grand Lodge in England . " In a letter dated September 6 , 1769 , Jas . Haseltine , G . S . of Grand Lodge oi England , addressed Henry Price as P . G . M . for America , and enclosed documents for him " to forward to the Lodges in America . " Another letter , from the same to the same , is dated February 15 1770 .

The originals of all the foregoing letters are now in the archives of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts . In the Deputation to John EOAVB , from Grand Master the Duke of Beaufort of the Grand Lodge of England ,

appointing Eowe Provincial G . M ., and dated May 12 , 1768 , it is recited , in the way of a preamble : "Know ye that , Ave , of the great trust and confidence reposed in our Right Worshipful and well-beloved BrotherHenry PriceEsq .

, , , of North America , constituted Provincial Grand Master for North America by Viscount Montague , Grand Master , April 13 , 1733 . He resigning recommends John Bowe , Esq . We therefore do hereby constitute and appoint him ,

the said John Eowe , Esq ., Provincial G . M . for all North America and the territories thereunto belonging , where no other Provincial G . M . is in being , with full power and authority in due form to make Masons , and constitute and regulate Lodges , " & c . A copy of this Deputation is now on the records

of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts . Are not the foregoing recognitions of Price's valid Masonic authority entitled to our entire confidence 1 It is reasonable for us to doubt what the officers of the Grand Lodge of England have

never doubted . But , it is urged , the Grand Lodge of England did not meet in the year 1734 , when Price said his authority Avas enlarged . Bro . Hervey , the present esteemed G . S . of England explains this

, by the remark , that it was the prerogative of the Grand Masters to appoint the Provincial Grand Masters , and such appointments were not reported to the Grand Lodge , and do not , therefore , appear in the records of that Body .

And again , it is said Price ' s original Deputation of 1733 , although it recites " given under our hand and seal of office" —that is , inferentially , the seal of the Grand Lodge—it Avas not attested by the G . S ., who ordinarily affixes the seal . But the petition for the first Lodge in Boston recites that it Avas sealed with Grand Master Mon-