32 LIFE AND CORRESFONDENCE OF THE [l/SO 



might be agreed upon. Such convention may also have power to notify 

 the Grand Master General of his election, present him his diploma, 

 badges of oftice, and instal with clue form and solemnity. 



To you who are so well learned in the Masonic Art, and acquainted 

 with its history, it need not be observed that one Grand Master General 

 over many Grand Lodges, having each their own Grand Masters, is no 

 novel institution, even if the peculiar circumstances of the Grand 

 Lodges in America, now separated from the jurisdiction from whence 

 they first originated, did not render it necessary. We have also a very 

 recent magnificent example of the same thing in Europe which may 

 serve, in respect to the ceremonies of installation, as a model for us. I 

 will copy the paragraph as dated at Stockholm, in Sweden, the 21st of 

 March last, as you may not perhaps have seen it. 



"The igih of this month (Mnrch, 17S0) will always be a memorable day to the 

 Freemasons established in this kingdom, for on that day the Duke of Sundermania 

 was installed Grand Master of all the Lodges throughout this kingdom, as well as those 

 of St. Petersburg, Copenhagen, Brunswick, Hamburg, etc. The Lodge at St. Peters- 

 burg had sent a Deputy for this purpose, and others had intrusted the diploma of the 

 instalment to Baron Leyonhrefrud, who had been last year to Copenhagen and in 

 Germany on this negotiation. Tliis instalment was attended with great pomp. The 

 assembly was composed of more than four hundred members, and was honored \\ith 

 the presence of the king, who was pleased to grant a charter to the Lodge, taking it 

 under his royal protection, at the same time investing the new Grand Master with an 

 ermined cloak ; after which he was placed upon a throne, clothed with the marks 

 of his new dignity, and there received the compliments of all the members, who 

 according to their rank were admitted to kiss the hand, sceptre, or cloak of the new 

 Grand Master, and had delivered to them a silver medal, struck to perpetuate the 

 memory of this solemnity, which passed in Exchange I Tall. It is said the king will 

 grant revenues for the Commanderies, and that this Royal Lodge will receive of each 

 an annual tribute. This solemnity hath raised the Order of Freemasons from a kind 

 of oblivion into M'hich they were sunk.'' 



What the particular authorities of the Grand Master of these United 

 States M^ere to be, we had not taken upon us to describe, but (as before 

 hinted) had left them to be settled by a convention of Grand Lodges or 

 their deputies. But this is certain, that we never intended the different 

 Provincial or State Grand Masters should be deprived of the election 

 of their own Grand Officers, or of any of their just Masonic rights 

 and authorities over the different Lodges within the bounds of their 

 jurisdiction. 



But where new Lodges are to be erected beyond the bounds of any 

 legal Grand Lodges now existing, such Lodges are to have their war- 

 rants from the Grand Master General, and when such Lodges become a 

 number sufficient to be formed into one Grand Lodge, the bounds of 

 such Grand Lodge are to be described, and the warrant to be granted 

 by the Grand Master aforesaid, who may also call and preside in a 

 convention of Grand Lodges when any matter of great and general 



