The New Masonic Hall At Philadelphia.

17 , 1754 , from Henry Bell , of Lancaster , to Thomas Cadwallader , of Philadelphia , this passage occurs : "As you Avell know , I was one of the originators of the first Masonic Lodge of Philadelphia . A party of us used to meet at the Tim Tavern , hi

Water Street , and sometimes opened a lodge there . Once , in the fall of 1730 , Ave formed a design of obtaining a charter for a regular lodge , and made application to the Grand Lodge of England for one , but

before receiving it AVC heard that Daniel Cox , of NCAV Jersey , had been appointed by that Grand Lodge as Provincial Grand Master of NBAV York , New Jersey , and Pennsylvania . We therefore made

application to him , and our request Avas granted . ' . Tho dispensation to this lodge was doubtless issued late in 1730 or early in 1731 . If granted at all , it must have been before the 24 th June , 1732 , for by the terms of the appointment of Daniel Cox , his power as an appointed Grand Blaster extended

but for " tAvo years from the Feast of St . Jolm the Baptist , " next ensuing the date of the deputation . On the 30 th April , 1733 , a deputation ivas granted by Anthony Browne , the sixth Viscouut Montague , Grand Master of

England , to B . W . Henry Price , as Provincial G . M . of NBAV England and dominions and territory thereunto belonging . On the 30 th July of that year , at the Bunch of Grapes Tavern in Boston , the B . W . G . M . Avas

duly invested and congratulated , and " St . John ' s Grand Lodge" Avas then formed . The lodges in Philadelphia , doubtless desiring to place themselves under the immediate jurisdiction of that Grand Lodge , accepted

and recognized the poAver of B . W . G . M . Price to appoint Benjamin Franklin as the Grand Master . Massachusetts authority gives as the date of this appointment the 21 th June , 1734 . From a contemporary

account , it is certain that on that day at the celebration of the Feast of St . John the baptist , he appeared as " Grand Master . "

Franklin evidently had doubt of the regularity of the poAvers of the lodge or lodges over which he exercised authority for signing himself as G . M . on the 28 th of November , 1734 , he Avrote from Philadelphia to the "B . W . G . M . and Most Worthy and

Dear Brethren in Boston , " referring to neAVS from London that at a Grand Lodge held there in August of that year , Mr . Price ' s deputation and poAver Avere extended over all America , congratulating Mm

thereon , and requesting , " in order to promote and strengthen tho interests of Masonry in this province ( which seem to Avant the sanction of some authority derived from home , to give the proceedings and determinations of our lodge their due Aveight , )"

that a deputation or charter be granted by the B . W . G . M . Price , "by virtue of Ms-commission from Britain , confirming the brethren of Pennsylvania in the privileges they at present enjoy , " and this he asked might be " accompanied Avith a copy of

the B . W . Grand Master ' s first deputation and the instrument by Avliich it appears to be enlarged . " In a private note sent ivith this letter he complained that there Avere some false and rebel brethren " about to set

up a distinct lodge hi opposition to the old and true brethren here , " and that "the craft is like to come into disesteem among us unless the true brethren are countenanced and distinguished by some such special authority as herein desired . " ( To he continued . )

POST OKFICE TELEGBAPUS . —Statement showing the total number of messages forwarded from postal telegraph stations in the United Kingdom during tho week eudod the 1 st November , and during the corresponding -week of 1872—November 1 st , 1873 , 335 , 859 ; November 2 nd , 1872 , 312 , 015 ; increase in the week of 1873 on that of 1872 , 23 , 814 .

THE weekly return of metropolilan pauperism shows that the total number of paupers last week was 99 , 417 , of whom 34 , 839 were in workhouses , and G 4 . 578 received outdoor relief Co npared with the corresponding weeks in the years 1872 , 18 71 , and 1870 , these litres show a decrease of 4 . 969 16 , 642 , and 32 , 090 respectively . Tim number ol ' vagrants relieved was 661 , of wliuin 433 wore men , 177 women , and 46 children under sixteen .