Benjamin Franklin,

and have no principles or practices that are inconsistent with religion and good manners . " Although ^ the excitement had run so high in Philadelphia that during the trial of those who had been engaged in duping the young man Avith

pretended Masonic degrees every Mason Avas challenged from the jury-box , yet Franklin ' s popularity did not suffer . He was then postmaster ofthe city , and clerk of the Provincial Assembly , and he coi £ tinned to hold these offices for many years . In

1747 he was elected a member of the Assembly , and held the office by re-election for ten years . In 1740 the old authority from Henry Price to Franklin in 1734 was superseded by a new warrant to him from Thomas Oxnard , Provincial

Grand Master of all North America , constituting him Provincial Grand Master of Pennsylvania , with power to charter new lodges . There still exists a correspondence between one Christopher Sowrs , a German printer in

GermantoAvn , and Conrad Weiser , in which the the former complains bitterly of the efforts of Franklin and the Freemasons generally to establish free-schools . He says : "The people who are promoters of the freeschools are Grand Masters and Wardens among the Freemasons , their very pillars . "

The loss of old Masonic records makes it impossible to determine the lodge membership in Philadelphia at this time , but enough remains to show that it embraced the first men in the city .

Congress sent Franklin in 1776 a commissioner to the Court of France , and no diplomatist at "Versailles was able to perforin his duties with greater ability . He was Avell known in France at that time for his varied scientific attainments , and

lis plain Republican manners rendered him a dignitary of a new light . His residence was continued in France until 1785 , and during this time he held intimate Masonic intercourse with the Masons of . that country , and became affiliated , either as a special or honorary member , with the Grand Orient ¦ of France .

Franklin ' s official life closed iu 1788 , for his great age and infirmities rendered him unable to longer serve his country in a public capacity ; but amid much suffering he survived for two more years , and died at Philadel phia , April 17 , 1790 ,

in the eighty-fifth year of his age . He was buried on the 21 st , in Christ Church yard , in that city , and more than twenty thousand persons , it was

Benjamin Franklin,

said , attended the funeral . The highest dignitaries of the State were present on the occasion , ancl both the State and National Government decreed that badges should bo Avorn in token of the loss all had sustained in the death of so

greata man . It has been asked why so distinguished a Mason as Franklin Avas not interrred with Masonic rites . The reader will remember that his Masonic connection in Philadelphia had been Avith the so-called Moderns , Avhose organisation

there had been superseded during the absence of Franklin in Europe , by another denomination of Masons , called Ancients ; and at his death , the Grand Lodge of ivhich he had been the Grand Master was extinct . His name , hoivever , and his

virtues , have ever been kept in high veneration by Masons throughout the world , ancl Avith that of Washington are household Avords wherever the Craft is found .

Festivals Of St. John, The Baptist, And St. John The Evangelist.

FESTIVALS OF ST . JOHN , THE BAPTIST , AND ST . JOHN THE EVANGELIST .

The following very able address was delivered at the Masonic festival at Adrian by Bro . Cornelius Moore , of Cincinnati . "As Freemasons we have our festive days in commemoration of illustrious historic names . The saints in our calendar , hoAvever , are but two—John tho Baptist , and John the Evangelist—whose noted days we celebrate , of and the 27 th of

respectively on the 2 'tth June December . "We point to these two eminent mon as our exemplars . We gather wisdom from their instructions , and we are excited to noble deeds by their examples . Men teach , by examples as ivell as words , and the former are often more effective than the latter . The first great practical lesson we learn from John Avas "

unflinching fidelity to his trust . " No motive could induce him "tD violate his vows or betray his trust . " Whatever he undertook in obedience to the demands of duty , that he performed , both in letter and spirit . It was no holiday task to go out into the world with a new and unwelcome message ; to face and grapple with the prejudices of a thousand years , hardened and fossilized

as were those of the Jewish people , it required much of nerve and stern resolve , and unfaltering perseverance , and self-abnegation ; but John was equal to it all , and a story of moro devoted and heroic life has never been 1 'Sr . d Cl' V / rittC" : Shall we not profit , brothers , by the example of this eminent patron of Masonry r The duties required of yon as Masons , do not conflict

with your other duties as citizens , husbands , fathers , sons , or brothers—duties ivhich you may owe to your God or to your country . But in addition to these Masonry has laid upon you its injunctions and in their fulfilment are involved both social and moral interests—your own and others '—affecting tlie present , and reaching far out into the future . In meeting these responsibilities all that

Masonry demands is , " Unflinching fidelity to your trust . " This she expects of every brother and in realising that expectation ivill not fail in her reward . Perhaps another lesson we may learn from the teaching and example of John is nob less important than tho foregoing , and that was his moral courage . He dared do right without reference to the opinions or wishes of others .