Early History Of Freemasonry In America.

EARLY HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY IN AMERICA .

BY CLIFFORD P . MAO CALLA . IN an article Avhich appeared in the January number of "Tlie Masonic Magazine , " entitled "Statistical

Account of Freemasonry in America , " I mentioned , incidentally , the origin of Freemasonry in the United States . For both statements I furnished

authorities . The best evidence—the proceedings of the various Grand Lodges—Avas cited for the statistics ; but the best eAddence of the origin of the Craft has in large measure disappeared ,

OAving to the lapse of nearly one hundred and fifty years , the troublous times of the Revolution , and the little care Avith which lodge Avarrants and minutes Avere formerly preserved . Some of the

older Grand Lodges have lost their charters , others their early minutes , and still others both . Massachusetts lias , in these respects , been less unfortunate than any other sister jurisdiction , for its records extend back to the year

1733 , and contain a recital of the deputation of Lord Viscount Montague , G . M . of England , to Henry Price , as Provincial G . M . of Masons in NBAV England . True , the authenticity of this document has been denied , OAving to a variation

between its recorded date and its recited date in the petition for tlie first Lodge in Boston , ( which original petition is still in existence ) , but I think it is attacked Avithout sound reason . Bro . Jacob Nortonof Boston

, , m a paper entitled as above , which appeared in the April number of "The Masonic Magazine , " questioned tlie statement of the origin of Freemasonry HI America m my statistical article in

the January Number , and denied the genuineness of the Montague Deputation to Price . The decided , and yet fraternal statement of his difference of opinion , has led me to review both of these questions in the lig ht of all the

original and authenticated documents to which a somewhat industrious search could give me access ; and I feel prepared now to give an opinion , not , as before , upon the allegations of many of the approA-ed text-writers and popular

Masonic historians , but upon the existing orig inal evidence so far as it remains , some of which supports , but as often contradicts these assertions . In making this restatement , I am free to confess that beforein several particularsI Avas

, , in error ; but eA ery sincere . Masonic student labours , not to justify preconceived opinions , but to uphold the truth at all hazards . Such are both my inclination and determination .

The Montague Deputation to Price I believe to have been genuine , and its true date April 30 , 1733 . The ground of Bro . Norton ' s scepticism concerning it is , that the original petition for the first Lodge in Boston ( a facsimile of

Avhich appears in the Massachusetts Grand Lodge Proceedings for 1871 , p . 296-7 ) , recites its date as April 13 , 1733 , whereas Viscount Montague Avas not installed as G . M . of Masons in England until April 19 th 1733 and

, , therefore could not have granted a Deputation to Price six days earlier . It appears to the Avriter that it is more reasonable , as Avell as more fraternal , to suppose an accidental mistake , a

mere clerical error , m the recited date , rather than a perversion of the truth in the recorded date of the original Deputation , as it appears among the official records of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts in its first Record Book .

To suppose that Price possessed no legitimate authority from the Grand Lodge of England to act as Provincial G . M . of New England in 1733 , but palmed off a forged document upon his Brethren , when it is known that the Grand Lodge of England afterwards repeatedly A 2