Benjamin Franklin,

Avas much commented on by the public press of that city . It appears , from the civil records and public journals of that day , that in 1737 a few thoughtless individuals attempted to impose on an ignorant young man and persuade him that by

submitting to some ridiculous ceremonies he might become a Mason . He submitted to all they required , and was by them invested Avith sundry pretended Masonic signs , and told he had taken the first degree . The principal perpetrators of

the farce appear not to have been Masons , but they soon after communicated to Franklin and others an account of their practical joke , and told him they might be expected to be saluted with the signs they had given to the young man when they

met him . Franklin did not approve of their imposition , bat laughed heartily at the ridiculous farce they had played , and thought no more of it . Not so with the active parties in it ; for they determined farther to dupe the young man , and for

this purpose induced him to take a second degree , in ivhich they blindfolded and conducted him into a dark cellar , where one of the party was to exhibit himself to him disguised in a bull ' s hide , tlie head and horns of which were intended to represent the devil ; Avhile the others were to play a

game they called snap-dragon , which consisted of picking raisins from a dish of burning * fluid . When the bandage was taken from the young man ' s eyes , and he had gazed for a moment on the scene before him , one of the party

thoughtlessly threw upon him the pan of burning fluid , which set fire to his clothes , and so burned him that he lingered for but three days and then died . This occurrence caused great excitement in Philadelphia , and the guilty parties were arrested and

punished for manslaughter . As it appeared at the judicial investigation that Franklin had been made acquainted Avith the first outrage on the young man after its perpetration , although he had no knowledge that a second

attempt was to be" made , and disapproved of the first , many ignorant or excited citizens , knowing his Masonic position , sought to cast odium on him and the Fraternity of Avhich he was a leadingmember . A personal attack was also made on the

character of Franklin by a newspaper in Philadelphia , accusing him of conniving at the outrage . This Avas promptly denied by him , and the denial Avas verified by the oaths of those who Avere acquainted Avith the Avhole affair . The Grand Lodge also deemed it its duty to express its

disapprobation of such proceedings , and the Grand Officers appeared before the authorities in Philadelphia and signed the folloAving : — "Pennsylvania , s . s . —Whereas some ill-disposed persons in this city , assuming the name of

Freemasons , have , for some years past , imposed upon several well-meaning people Avho ivere desirous of becoming * true brethren , persuaded them , after they had performed certain ridiculous ceremonies , that they had really become Freemasons ; and

have lately , under pretence of making a young man a Mason , caused his death by purging , vomiting , burning , and the terror of certain diabolical , horrid rites ; it is , therefore , thought proper , for preventing such impositions for the future , and to avoid any unjust aspersions that may be thrown on this ancient and honourable

Fraternity on this account , either in this city or any other part of the world , to publish this advertisement declaring the abhorrence of all true brethren of such practices in general , and their ignorance of this fact in particular , and that the

persons concerned in this wicked action are not of our Society , nor of any Society of Free and Accepted Masons , to our knowledge or belief . " Signed iu behalf of all the members of St . John's Lodge in Philadelphia , 10 th day of June ,

1737 . ' THOS . HOPKIKSOI-, G . Master . " War . PLUMSTED , D . G . Master . " Jos . SHXPPEH , ' } -nr 7 „ ( . „ ' [ Wardens . " ' * HEXKY PRATT , J

The knowledge' of the outrage that had been perpetrated in Philadelphia in the name of Freemasonry , and the attack on Franklin ' s character , soon came to his parents in Boston , and his mother , Avith true maternal feelings , induced his

father to write to him on the subject , and make inquiries respecting the society which ivas then agitating the public mind . To these inquiries Franklin replied under date of April 13 th , 1738 * . " As to the Freemasons , I knoAV of no Avay of

giving my mother a better account of them than she seems to have at present ; since it is not alloAved that Avomen should be admitted into the secret society . She has , I must confess , on that account , some reason to be displeased with it ;

but for anything else , I must entreat her to suspend her judgment till she is better informed , unless she will believe me ivhen I assure her , that they are in general a very harmless sort of people ,