The New Masonic Hall At Philadelphia.

from the boAved and worshipping multitude tho refrain , "Ifor Ho is good , for His mercy endureth for over . " Three thousand years have gone since that memorable day . Tyre , A > diosc "

antiquity Avas of ancient days , " " Avhose merchants were jirinccs , and whoso traffickers Avere tho honourable of the earth , " has become " a place for the spreading of nets ; " " the noise of her songs has ceased , and

the sound of her harps is no more heard . " Jerusalem has boon tho prey of tho spoiler , oppressed and made desolate , and oA er her sliinos tho palo light of tho crescent . The ancient and chosen people have been peeled

and scattered among the nations . The Temple has vanished , the sanctuary has boon trodden doAvn , the Shekinah has departed , but Ho to Avhom tho prayer of Solomon Avas offered still lives , the same yesterday , to-day , and for oA cr . Him wo reverently and devoutly adore . He has guided and protected our fraternity during

the ages of the past , preserving it amid persecution and Avhen beleaguered Avith enemies , keeping it pure amid corruption , free under oppression , and faithful among the faithless . With His ancient people Are acknoAvledgc his goodness and mercy , and

as wc . dedicate this house in His name , it is meet that AVO entreat that His eyes may be open toAvards it night and day .

It is Avithin the lore of no man living to SIIOAV by satisfactory evidence the beginning of Freemasonry . It has been sought in A ain by tho antiquary , and has eluded the search of the archteologist . EA ' our

own esoteric traditions , transmitted to us orally for many generations hoary Avith age , impressed Avith the marks of earliest times , carrying us so far back that tho memory of man runneth not to the contrary , speak

not of its birth , but of a remote period when in A'igorous ' existenee it Aras performing its works . Well said , our eminent Brother , De Witt Clinton : " Its origin is lost in the abyss of antiquity . No

historical records , no traditionary accounts , can Avith certainty point out tho precise time , tho place , or the particular manner of its commencement . " On this occasion it Avere idle to indul ge

in vague conjecture as to that which is Avrapped in mists of obscurity , or to theorize Avith Anderson , Preston , Oliver , Pin . del , Woodford , Mackay , and others of our distinguished scholars as to Avhat cannot

be proved . Bather let us , as poAvorful in members and influence AVC establish this Temple as tho centre of our Jlasonic system hi Pennsylvania , recall a few pages of tho history of Ereomasonry in this Commonwealth , Avith mention of the names that are Avritten therein .

A Masonic lodge Avas in existence in Philadelphia certainly in 1732 , for in that year , from a contemporaneous account of tlie fact , William Allan , Becorder of this city , Avas elected " Grand Master . " It has

been generally supposed that such lodges as existed before 1734 wore not Masonically constituted , but Avere formed by voluntary associations of our brethren . But there is persuasive evidence that at

least one of these lodges iras duly organized . On the 5 th of Juno , 1730 , His Grace , Thomas , Duke of Norfolk , Grand Master of England , granted a deputation to Daniel Cox , ProA'incial Grand Master of

" the ProAdnces of Now York , Now Jersey and Pennsylvania , " Avith full power and authority to constitute the Brethren ( free accepted Masons ) UOAV residing , or Avho hereafter shall reside in those parts , into one or more regular lodge or lodges as he

shall think fit , to cause them to keep tho Feast of St . John the EA'angclist , and dine together on that day , and conferred upon him generall y all the customary prerogatives under like appointments . Althoug h

no record remains of his acts , yet he seems , contrary to the hitherto accepted belief , to have exercised his official functions . In a letter still in existence , dated November