Our American Correspondence.

I number them in the order of their ages , note their respective periods of establishment , and the number of their constituting lodges , according to latest advices . 1 . Massachusetts , March 8 fch , 1777 140

2 . Virginia , October 30 th , 17 SS 223 3 . Maryland , July 31 st , 1781 ' 126 4 . Pennsylvania , September 25 th , 1786 ... 250 ' 5 . Georgia , December 16 th , 1786 300 6 . New Jersey , December 18 th , 1786 .- 76 7 . New York , 1787 611

5 . South Carolina , March 24 th , 1787 150 9 . j \ orth Carolina , December 16 , 1787 240 10 . New Hampshire , Jnly Sfch , 1789 62 11 . Connecticut , July 8 th , 1789 26 12 . Rhode Island , June 25 th , 1791 22 13 . Dermont , October 19 th , 1794 53

The above Lodges sprung from the various Provincial Grand Lodges in existence here at the -close of the Revolutionary War . 14 . Kentncky , October 16 th , 1800 406 15 . Delaware , June 6 th , 1836 ... 20

16 . Ohio , January 2 nd , 1809 375 17 . District Columbia , February I 9 th , 1811 . 20 18 . Louisiana , July 11 th , 1812 175 19 . Tennessee , December 27 th , 1813 326 20 . Indiana , January 13 th , 1 S 18 336 21 . Mississippi , August 25 th , 1815 250

22 . Maine , June 24 th , 1820 131 2-3 . Missouri , May 4 th , 1821 246 ¦ 24 . Alabama , December 11 th , 1821 325 25 . Illinois , 1823 400 26 . Michigan , July 31 st , 1826 189 27 . Florida , July 5 fch , 1830 50

28 . Texas , August 16 th , 1838 288 29 . Arkansas , November 25 tli , 183 S 169 -30 . Wisconsin , December ISfch , 1843 161 31 . Java , January 8 th , 1844 213 32 . California , April 19 fcli , 1850 181 33 . Oregon , September 23 rd , 1851 38

34 . Minnesota , February 23 rd , 1853 50 35 . Kansas , March 17 th , 1856 40 . 36 . Netratha , September 23 rd , 1857 9 37 . Washington , December , 185 S 12 38 . Colorada , August 2 nd , 1861 10 39 . West Virginia , 1864 7

40 . Nevada , January 16 tli , 1865 5 41 . Montana , April 24 th , 1866 6 6 , 7 S 6 La Grange , Kentucky , Sept . 14 th , 1867 .

New Masonic Hall, Inverness.

NEW MASONIC HALL , INVERNESS .

The following concise but graphic address on the nature and objects of Masonry was delivered -by the Rev . Bro . Macgregor , of the West Church , Inverness , Chaplain to the St . Mary's Lodge of

Freemasons there , on the occasion of consecrating a new hall for that body on the 14 th ult : — In calling your attention to the nature and objects of Masonry , we would crave your indulgence for a few minutes . Freemasonry is the

term applied to the organisation of a society calling themselves Free and Accepted Masons . According to its own peculiar language , it is founded on "the practice of social and moral . virtue . " Its origin , we believe , is buried in

oblivion , but we know that ifc extends back to the earliest ages . It has spread over most , if not all , the countries of the world . It would be difficult to point out a spot on any inhabited part of the globe wherein Freemasonry is not to be found .

Go to all the countries of Europe , it is there ; go to the Indian territories , it is there ; go to distant China , it is there ; go to the regions of dark Africa , or to the Australasian isles , or to the American continents , and you will find it in all . As the

handmaid of Christianity , we believe—although it is wonderful to be said—that you will find ifc in regions wherein Christianity has not as yet found a footing . May it not , therefore , under the providence of God , be the breaker of the way to the

religion of Jesus , and the forerunner , as ifc were , of that bright era when the worshippers of false gods wiLTeventually cast their dumb idols to the moles and the bats ? It would not suit our present purpose to trace Masonry back to its early stages

in the East , but it may not be uninteresting to state that ifc was introduced into Scotland by the architects who built the Abbey of Kilwinning , nearly 400 years ago . Much about the same time Freemasonry was introduced into England , and

York was its birthplace . After the establishment of the Kilwinning and York lodges , the principles of Freemasonry were rapidly diffused throughout both kingdoms , and several lodges were erected in different parts of the island . It may be

observed , however , that long before this era , and even as far back as 1 , 600 years ago , the fraternity of Masons existed in Britain . Ifc is maintained that the brethren received a charter from King Athelstane , aud that his brother Edwin summoned

all the lodges to meet at York , which formed the first Grand Lodge of England . But then ifc is believed that the fraternity was confined to those only who were skilled in the craft of Masonry ; but in the reigns of Henry VI . of England , and James I . of Scotland , the brethren were selected from all classes , and every Grand Master was