THE BUILDER SEPTEMBER 1925

Studies of Masonry in the United States
By BRO. H. L. HAYWOOD
PART X. THE FOUNDING OF A NEW GRAND LODGE IN MASSACHUSETTS

IN Part IX of these studies published in THE BUILDER June last, I
gave some account of the various Grand Masters that served the
first Massachusetts Grand Lodge. It now remains to give a short
sketch of the last Grand Master of that Grand Lodge, Bro. John
Rowe, and then to describe the rise of a new, and for a time a
rival, Grand Body.

In his The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine, Vol. XV, 1856, page 163,
Charles W. Moore wrote a thumb-nail biography of Rowe that may here
be quoted:

"John Rowe, Esq., who was Grand Master at the time of which we are
speaking, was also a distinguished Boston merchant and proprietor
of what in our younger days was called 'Rowe's Pasture,' lying
between Bedford and Essex streets, but now covered with costly and
elegant dwellings. 'Rowe's wharf,' in the vicinity of 'Fort Hill,'
was also his property and place of business and still bears his
name. Like most of the leading men and Masons of his day, he was an
efficient actor in the early scenes of the Revolution. His name is
borne on the noted Memorial of 1760, and it also stands next after
that of the patriot Samuel Adams (who was the first signer) on the
Memorial to the Governor and Council, of Dec. 18, 1765, against the
longer continuance of the closing of the courts of law. He was
likewise chairman of the committee appointed at a town meeting in
October, 1766, to prepare a subscription paper in which the signers
agreed to 'encourage the use and consumption of all articles
manufactured in any of the British American Colonies, and more
especially in this Province, and not to purchase, after the 31st of
December next, any of certain enumerated articles, imported from
abroad.' This was a bold measure, but it received the sanction of
the country. He was also one of the 'Sons of Liberty,' and the
intimate of James Otis, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Joseph Warren
and their associates.

"He was initiated into Masonry in the First Lodge (St. John's) in
July, 1740, and was chosen Master in 1748. In 1750 he was elected
Grand Treasurer, and again in 1766. And having previously sustained
the offices of Junior and Senior Grand Warden and Deputy Grand
Master, he was, in 1768, on the decease of M. W. Jeremy Gridley,
commissioned by Lord Beaufort 'Grand Master for North America and
the territories thereto belonging'; which appointment he held until
his death. on the 16th February, 1787. He was buried with Masonic
honors, the Grand Lodge and the lodges in Boston and Charlestown
attending in procession."

ROWE IS CHOSEN GRAND MASTER

Rowe was chosen for the office of Grand Master at the adjourned
meeting of Grand Lodge held at the Bunch of Grapes Tavern, Jan. 22,
1768. Henry Price, then serving as Grand Master pro tem, made the
nomination of Rowe who, upon the ballot being taken in the usual
manner, received twelve of sixteen votes and was thereupon declared
duly and constitutionally elected. Thereafter a committee of nine
was appointed for the purpose of petitioning the Grand Master of
England for a Deputation. In this petition, signed by all members
of the committee and dated Jan. 25, 1768, was a paragraph
containing some points of historical value, which read in this
wise:

"And, Whereas, Masonry in America originated in this Place Anno
5733, and in the year following, our then Grand Master Price
received Orders from Grand Master Craufurd to establish Masonry in
all North America, in Pursuance of which the several Lodges
hereafter mentioned have received Constitutions from us. We
therefore crave due Precedency, and that in Order thereunto, Our
Grand Master Elect may, in his Deputation, be styled Grand Master
of all North America, and your Grace's Petitioners as in duty
bound."

Price sent along with this petition a letter of his own addressed
to the "Right Worshipful Grand Master, Deputy Grand Master, Grand
Wardens and Brethren in Grand Lodge Assembled," in which he stated
that he had been first appointed Provincial Grand Master in 1733,
and that in 1735 this commission "was extended over all North
America." He went on to say that the said Deputations were never
registered though he had paid a fee of three guineas for the same,
and stated that "this Deputation was the first that the Grand Lodge
ever issued in any Part of America, and stands so now in all Lodges
on the Continent. Other Deputations have since been given to
different Provinces; but they cannot, according to Rule, take Rank
of mine."

The petition and letter were taken to the Grand Lodge of England by
Bro. William Jackson in person, a member of the committee. After
Grand Lodge officers had made their investigations a Deputation was
issued to Rowe in the name of "Beaufort, G.M.," and signed by
Charles Dillon, Deputy Grand Master, under date of May 12, 1768.
Jackson arrived, with his Deputation, at Boston, Sept. 30 of the
same year.

HE WAS INSTALLED WITH ELABORATE CEREMONIES

Elaborate arrangements were made for installation to be held Nov.
23 following. "Summonses to all the known and accepted brothers in
town" were issued by the Grand Secretary, and as a result a large
number of brethren attended, 148 being present at the dinner
provided on the occasion. Of it, Recording Grand Secretary Charles
H. Titus said:

"Thus was ended this grand solemnity, much to the honor of the
fraternity, as the like had never been seen in America before; what
from the richness of the jewels, badges, clothing and ensigns of
office, the good order and regularity of the procession, the
appearance of many honorable and respectable brethren, and the
uniformity of the clothing, the spectators of all ranks were struck
with admiration, except some few who called themselves brethren,
who had sufficient to raise their envy, for it appeared in the
countenances of several of them, as the procession passed through
the streets to and from church."

Price, the venerable father of the Grand Lodge, delivered an
inauguration address fortunately preserved in Grand Lodge
Proceedings; one quotation from his earnest and solemn words will
reveal the high moral plane upon which the Craft was then working:

"Therefore, Brethren, let me once more take my solemn leave of this
chair, by a word of advice to you. Let me recommend to you in the
first place, a proper deference to your new Grand Master; assisting
him with your advice and aid in carrying up that great building,
Charity! Regard yourselves as a Body of people the most
considerable in the world, selected into different departments, for
promoting all the good you can, in proportion to your abilities and
opportunities--not only to one another, but to all your fellow
creatures, in public obedience to the laws of God, and the
manifestation of the social duties we profess. Let each man then in
every such department study his usefulness; not to recline himself
in a round of selfish pleasures or associate for the purpose of
eating and drinking, without first paying a peculiar regard to the
great business of mankind, and to the use of our faculties as
reasonable beings."

A NEW BEGINNING IS MADE

Meanwhile a new beginning in organized Massachusetts Masonry had
been made in Boston, the upshot of which was the ultimate
establishment of a new Grand Lodge. In 1752 a group of Masons
gathered together in the Green Dragon Tavern and organized
themselves into a lodge. Inasmuch as the early records of this
lodge appear to be missing for the first four years of its
existence, it is difficult to learn much about its first members.
Their manner of organizing their lodge was open to question.
Instead of organizing on a warrant, as was required at the time by
the Grand Lodges of England and Scotland, they organized according
"to ancient usage," that is, a number of Masons voluntarily formed
themselves into an independent lodge unconnected with any Grand
Lodge.

Finding themselves handicapped by the anomalous position of their
lodge, the brethren, in 1754, sent a petition to the Grand Lodge of
Scotland for a charter. On Nov. 30, 1756, the Grand Lodge voted to
issue the charter but, for a variety of reasons, its issuance was
withheld for a season--perhaps largely because of doubts about the
Masonic regularity of the petitioners --so that the lodge in Boston
did not receive the instrument until Sept. 4, 1760. In this charter
its name was given as st. Andrew's Lodge.

By 1761 this lodge had grown to such proportions that the St.
John's Grand Lodge of Massachusetts took action to condemn St.
Andrew's Lodge by adopting the following resolution:

"Voted, That it be, and is hereby recommended and ordered by the
Grand Master, that no member of a regularly constituted Lodge in
Boston, do appear at the meeting (of the Lodge so called) of Scots
Masons in Boston not being regularly constituted in the opinion of
this (Grand) Lodge. The Master and Wardens of the several Lodges,
are desired to take notice of this Order at their next meeting."

Upon this action being taken St. Andrew's Lodge communicated the
fact to the Grand Lodge of Scotland. The Grand Master of that Grand
Lodge, the Earl of Elgin and Kincardin, sent a reply to the lodge
under date of June 4, 1762, in which, among other things he said:

"The last reason assigned by the Lodges in Boston for their unkind
behavior to you is, that the Right Worshipful Jeremiah [Jeremy]
Gridley, Esq., looks upon your Charter as an infringement of his
province as Grand Master of North America; it is my opinion there
may be some mistake in this; you say he saw, read and approved of
your Charter; if he had any objections, he certainly would have
signified them to you when you showed him your Charter. I am
confident my R. W. Brother Jeremiah Gridley, Esq., knows and
observes the principles of Masonry better, than to take offence
where there is not the smallest reason given for it. I do not doubt
nor dispute his authority as Grand Master of all the Lodges in
North America, who acknowledge the authority and hold of the Grand
Lodge of England, as he certainly has a warrant and commission from
the Grand Master of England to that effect. The Grand Master and
Grand Lodge of Scotland have also granted a warrant and commission
to our R. W. Bro. Col. John Young, Esq., constituting and
appointing him Provincial Grand Master of all the Lodges in North
America, who acknowledge the authority and hold of the Grand Lodge
of Scotland. These Commissions, when rightly understood, can never
clash or interfere with each other."

MEANWHILE ST. ANDREW'S HAD GROWN

Until 1766 St. John's Grand Lodge took no further interest in its
rival body. During that period, as Drummond writes:

"It had grown rapidly and already numbered among its members some
of the most active and influential men of the city. Many, who had
been made in the other Lodges, joined it. Then a Mason could belong
to more than one Lodge, and one receiving the degrees in a Lodge
did not become a member without a subsequent election to
membership. St. Andrew's Lodge admitted to membership, or as
visitors, members of all other Lodges: but the other Lodges did not
reciprocate. Its first Master under its charter was William
Burbeck, who was made a Mason in 'the first lodge' and had been its
Senior Warden; its second Master was Joseph Webb (afterwards Grand
Master of Massachusetts Grand Lodge) also made in 'the first
Lodge,' and Past Junior Warden of it, and up to 1767, its Masters
and Wardens, with scarcely a single exception, were Masons made in
Lodges subordinate to the Provincial Grand Lodge. Whether this was
merely accidental, or was done with the purpose of strengthening
the legality of the Lodge in the eyes of the Craft, is now only a
matter of conjecture."

In January of 1766 St. Andrew's Lodge dispatched its compliments to
the Grand Master and other Grand Officers of the St. John's Grand
Lodge. This friendly overture was not accepted with much
kindliness; on the 27th of the month, and evidently after much
deliberation, the Grand Lodge "voted" that brethren who had been
named "in the Constitution of the Lodge," naming nine, "were not at
the time of their application for it, or at the date of the said
Constitution, free and accepted Masons," and that their applying
for a charter had been an imposition upon the Grand Lodge of
Scotland.

Concerning this action Bro. Charles W. Moore, in his historical
account of St. Andrew's Lodge, made a comment that was also an
argument:

"The bad spirit in which these votes were written, is not their
most objectionable feature. The Brethren who composed the Committee
of the Lodge, with the exception of Ezra Collins were all made
Masons in st. Andrew's Lodge, under the authority of its Charter
from the Grand Lodge of Scotland and were therefore, as lawfully
made, and entitled to as much consideration and respect, as the
Grand Master who presided over these deliberations. The validity of
the Charter of the Lodge, and the lawful making of the petitioners
for it, were matters in which the Grand Lodge had no control or
right to interfere. Both subjects had passed beyond its reach.
Whatever may have been irregular in the proceedings of the Lodge in
the earlier days of its organization, had been Masonically
regularized and confirmed by the Grand Lodge of Scotland, under
whose authority it existed, and to which body it was alone
amenable. If the St. John's Grand Lodge had any grievances to
complain of it was to that body its complaints should have been
preferred."

St. Andrew's Lodge prepared a reply to the censures of the Grand
Lodge, and at the same time appointed a committee to convey it to
that body, which in turn appointed a committee to confer with them.
A conference of the two committees was held at the Royal Exchange
Tavern but little came of the proceedings except that the
controversy was narrowed down to a few points. On its side the
Grand Lodge committee acknowledged itself in error in having cast
aspersions on the Grand Lodge of Scotland; while the St. Andrew's
committee on its side admitted the irregularity of its
ante-constitution activities, in these words:

"They also acknowledge in behalf of said Lodge, that all the
proceedings of those persons before their application for a
Constitution from the Grand Master of Scotland were irregular and
wrong; but are fully of opinion, that the proceedings of said St.
Andrew's Lodge, after their Constitution have been regular and
just; and that although they, before their Constitution, were
irregular, yet the Grand Master of Scotland has a power of
dispensation, and can make irregular Masons regular; therefore they
think themselves regular."

These conferences poured some oil upon the waters but a full union
of the two groups was delayed for many years, as will be related in
the following chapter.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

Give a sketch of John Rowe. Explain how Provincial Grand Masters
were appointed at the time. Tell what you know about Henry Price.
What are the points of historical value in the paragraph quoted
from the petition for Rowe's Deputation? What would the account of
Rowe's installation indicate of the prosperity of the Craft in
1768? What is indicated concerning the moral ideals of the Craft at
the time of Price's speech?

When was the lodge that met at the Green Dragon Tavern organized?
In what sense was its organization irregular? Why do you suppose,
did this group petition the Grand Lodge of Scotland for a charter?
Why didn't it petition the Grand Lodge of England? Why did the St.
John's Grand Lodge oppose St. Andrew's Lodge ?

Was the institution of a lodge under Scotch charter a violation of
the territorial rights of St. John's Grand Lodge? If not, why not?

Could brethren at that period belong to more than one lodge at
once? Do you believe that such a privilege should now be permitted?

NOTES AND REFERENCES

On John Rowe see The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine, Charles W.
Moore; Boston, Vol. XV, page 161. Beginnings of Freemasonry in
America, Johnson; New York, 1924; consult index. The petition for
Rowe's Deputation as published in full in Proceedings of the Grand
Lodge of Massachusetts; 1871, page 327. The Deputation is given in
the same volume, page 352; and Price's speech at Rowe's
installation is given on page 372.

On St. Andrew's Lodge, see in particular The Lodge of St. Andrew,
and the Massachusetts Grand Lodge, Centennial Memorial Volume;
Boston, 1870. Also see Mackeys Revised History of Freemasonry,
Robert Ingham Clegg; Chicago, 1921, page 1570 ff. Proceedings of
the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts; 1869. A History of Freemasonry,
Robert Freke Gould; Philadelphia, 1889, Vol. IV, page 334 ff.
History of the Ancient and Honorable Fraternity of Free and
Accepted Masons, and Concordant Orders, Stillson and Hughan;
Boston, 1891, page 243ff
