Benjamin Franklin,

His social qualities and intelligence at first dreAV around him a few congenial spirits , and a literary club Avas formed for mental improvement . While in London he had become familiar with the existence of the various clubs and other social

societies that existed there , and the organisation of Freemasonry had no doubt come under his observation . This Institution there Avas then just emerging from a situation which the common observer might have regarded as a system of

voluntary social clubs , and its pretentions to antiquity , it moral and scientific basis , and its written rules and regulations , had lately been given to the public in a quarto volume called "Anderson's Constitutions . " These had been accepted there by a part

of the Fraternity as their governing code of rules , Avhile others still adhered to the immemorial rights and usages of Masons when convened . There can be very little doubt but that Franklin brought home with him some knowledge of the Fraternity ,

although not an initiate into its mysteries . As the limits of this sketch will not allow a detail of all the incidents of Franklin ' s private and public life , however interesting and instructive they may be , we shall pass over many of them , and confine our consideration more to those which

show his character as a Mason , and the influence which his connection with this Fraternity may have had on his after life . This we do more especially from believing that all ivhich concerns the personal history of our representative men should be fairly considered as a part of our national character , and from a belief that the Masonic character and

connection of our public men , of the last century , has been unwarrantably lost sight of , in the history of our country . Perhaps this has arisen from an undue prejudice Avhich writers may have had against the institution of Masonry , or from an ignorance

of its principles and influence . With Franklin , Avhatever induced scientific research , and strengthened the fraternal bonds that thus bound society together , had especial value ; and when he found that Freemasonry embraced in

its teachings the highest moral rectitude , founded on the Fatherhood of God as a common parent , and the brotherhood of man as his offspring * , and that it inculcated a study of his perfections as revealed 121 the lvorks of nature as Avell as in his

Avritten word , he at once became a devotee at its altar . No record has come doAvn to us of the time and place where he first received Masonic light . It Avas not the custom of the Fraternity in the early

part of the last century to preserve written records of its meetings when convened for work ; besides , when warranted lodges Avere first established iu America they little knew hoiv much interest would in time be felt in their early history . The brief

records they may have written have , in many cases , too , been destroyed or lost . It is not knoAvn how or when the first lodge of Freemasons was instituted in Philadelphia . A feiv brethren who had been made Masons in the old country may have

met and opened lodges from time to time , and initiated others , without keeping any record . The earliest notices Ave find of Masonic lodges in that city are in the public neivspapers of that day , which shoAV the meetings of the Fraternity there

in 1732 , where they give the name of William Allen , the recorder of the city , as their Grand Master . They met at that time at the Tun Tavern , and one of the oldest lodges in Philadelphia Avas formerly called Tun Lodge , in allusion to

the place of its early meetings . There is no known record of Franklin ' s being a member of the Fraternity previous to this ; but in 1732 he ivas Senior Warden under William Allen .

We jaass over three years more of Franklin ' s life , during which he was engaged as a printer and stationer — and in which he commenced the publication of his "Poor Richard ' s Almanac " —and find him receiving * a written warrant

from Henry Price , Provincial Grand Master of Massachusetts , constituting him Master of the lodge , and probably of all the Masons in Philadelphia . The exact date of this authority from Price cannot be given . Massachusetts

authorities say it was June 24 th , 1734 , while Pennsylvania authorities say that on that day the brethren in Philadelphia celebrated the festival of St . John the Baptist , under their old organisation , and having accepted the authority of St . John ' s

Grand Lodge at Boston , they ratified the choice of Franklin as their Master ( or Grand Master , as . they chose to term him ) . This apparent discrepancy in the date of Franklin ' s authority from Price , and his commencing his official duties

under it in Philadelphia , both being given as the same day , probably arose from Price having granted to Franklin a deputation previous to June 24 th , and that at the festival which was held simultaneously in Boston and Philadelphia on that day , the act of Price was ratified by the Grand Lodge at Boston , and Franklin ' s commission