XIII. remained an active

and zealous member of the Ordei during his life time. Freemasonry is still protected by the crown, and is, therefore, one of the most respect- able institutions in the country.
SWITZERLAND. The intro- duction of the Order into Switzer- land began in 1737, by warrant from the Grand Lodge of England, to Sir George Hamilton, as Provincial Grand Master, by authority of which he established a Provincial, Grand Lodge at Geneva. In 1739 the Duke of Montacute, Grand Master of England, granted a wan-ant to a number of English nobleman to establish a Lodge at Lausanne. Masonry flourished for a short time, when it was prohibited by the civil authorities of Benie. The lodges remained closed for nearly twenty years, when the old Lodge at Lausanne was revived, and nour- ished for a short period. But soon the old prohibition was again issued against the Order. Internal dissen- sions also entered the bodies, which, for a time^ threatened its total de- struction. Four distinct organiza- tions, in spirited opposition to each other, existed at the same time iu the republic. During the stormy political events between 1793 and 1803 the lodges remained closed. When Neueuburg and Geneva were ceded to France, the Grand Lodge of Geneva censed to exist, and all the lodges placed themselves under the Grand Orient of France, which immediately founded new lodges in various parts of the country. Peace, with its harmonious influences, was restored, and Masonry immediately revived. In 1822 a treaty of union was agreed upon between the Grand Orient and the English Provincial Grand Lodge, which assumed the name of the Grand Lodge of Switzerland. In 1814, through the efforts of the powerful and in- fluential Masons of Switzerland, delegates from all the lodges met at Zurich, when the treaty of union was ratified for the newly- founded Grand Lodge under the name of "Alpina." Switzerland displays in the present day great Masonic activity, and the Fralernitj therein is much esteemed.
OEXEIIAL FTP'rOT^Y OF T'REEMASO'NTJY.
TENNESSEE. Previous to Dec. 27, 1813, the lodges in the State of Tennessee were held under charters from the Grand Lodge of North Carolina, except one which was iield under the authority of the Grand Lodge of Kentucky. Pur- suant to m tice, a convention of delegates from the several lodges in the State assembled at Knoxville in December, 1811, for the purpose of establishing a Grand Lodge, when the following resolutions were adopted: "•Resolved, That, in the opinion of this convention, the number of lodges of Ancient York Masons in this State, as well as the state of society, require the forma- tion of a Grand Lodge within the same, for the better regulation and extension of the Craft. Resolved, That a committee be appointed for the purpose of drawing up an address to the Grand Lodge of North Carolina, soliciting their as- sent to the establishment of a Grand Lodge in the State of Tennessee." Other resolutions were adopted, of similar effect to the foregoing, and the convention adjourned to meet Dec. 27, 1813, when the Grand Lodge was organized, the officers elected ajid installed. Thomas Clairborne was elected the first Grand Master.
TEXAS. The introduction of Masonry into Texas began by dis- pensation from John H. Holland, Grand Master of Louisiana, under the name of Holland Lodge, Dec. 17, 1835, at Brazoria. Soon after hostili- ties broke out between Mexico and Texas, when the Lodge was obliged to close its operations. Brazoria was abandoned; Gen.Urrea, commander of the Mexican forces, entered the city and took possession of the books, jewels, and everything be- longing to the Lodge. „ Meanwhile the Grand Lodge of Louisiana had ; issued a charter for Holland Lodge No. 3G, and the Lodge was reopened in Oct., 1837, at the city of Houston. Soon after two other lodges, with charters from the Grand Lodge of Louisiana, were established in I Texas — Milam, at Nacogdoches, and McFarlane, at San Augustine. Delegates from these, and from Holland Lodge, met in convention at Houston, in the winter of 1837-8,
and the Grand Lodge of the repub- lic was formed. By advice and direction of this body, the three subordinate lodges transferred theii allegiance from Louisiana to theii own Grand Lodge, surrendered their charters to Louisiana, and received others from Texas. Anson Jones was elected the first Grand Master. Such is the brief sketch of the first establishment of Free- masonry in Texas. It was founded, like our political institutions, amid the stern concomitants of adversity and war; but its foundations were laid broad and deep, and upon them has been raised a superstruc- ture of strength and beauty, sym- metrical in its proportions and vast in its dimensions, and which will continue as a beacon to guide and cheer worthy Masons on their jour- ney of life.
TRINIDAD, W. I. Henry Price, Provincial Grand Master of New England, in 1733, on his return to England in 1738, went by way of Antigua, where, finding a number of Masons from Boston, he formed them into a Lodge, gave them a aharter and initiated the governor and several gentlemen of high distinc- tion. In 1798 a charter was received from the Grand Lodge of France, for the Lodge United Brothers, which, in 1799, had its warrant renewed by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. This Lodge remain- ed under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania until 1814, when, in consequence of the war between the United States and Great Britain, communications being interrupted, the brethren petitioned the Grand Lodge of Scotland to take them under their protection, which request was com- plied with. This Lodge is still in existence, with the No. 251 on the registry of the Grand Lodge of Scotland. A Chapter of Royal Arch Masons has also been established there. The Grand Lodge of England has several lodges at work there. In 1814 a charier was granted by the Royal Grand Conclave of Scotland to the " Trinidad Grand Assembly of Knights Templar, No. 29." Masonry is now in a flourishing condition here.
GKXKT2AL HISTOKT OF KBEEMASON±«Y.
65
TURKEY. Freemasonry was in- troduced into the Ottoman Empire about 1830; but it soon ceased to exist. More recently several lodges have been established at Constan- tinople, Smyrna, and Aleppo, and particularly among the English set- tlements. The lodges are pros- perous, and an English Provincial Grand Lodge for Turkey has been established recently, with Sir Henry Bulwer as Grand Master.
URUGUAY. The first Lodge was established in this republic in the year 1827, by the Grand Orient of France, under the name of. " The Children of the New World. " This Lodge is still in existence, having, however, changed its name to that of "The Friends of the Country." There are several Spanish lodges in the republic, governed by the Supreme Council and the Grand Orient of Uruguay, which were established in the year 1855. The lodges under this authority, and the solitary one which retains its alle- giance to the Grand Orient of France, are working together in the utmost harmony. Notwithstanding the opposition of the priesthood here, Masonry is fully carrying out its great mission of love.
VERMONT. Of the first intro- duction of Freemasonry into this State we have, at present, no im- mediate knowledge, unless the first Lodge is that mentioned in the fol- lowing statement: "A petition from several brethren, dated at Cornish, (then claimed by Vermont, but now in New Hampshire,) was read in the Massachusetts Grand Lodge, Nov. 8, 1781, praying for the establishment of a Lodge in that place; where- upon, voted that a charter be issued accordingly. This Lodge met a few times at Cornish, but when that town was claimed by New Hampshire the Lodge removed to Windsor, Vt., on the opposite side of Connecticut river, and took the name of 'Ver- mont Lodge, No. 1.'" Jan. 17, 1785, the Massachusetts Grand Lodge granted a charter to a proper num- ber of Master Masons, residing at Manchester, Vermont, to establish a Lodge at that place. The Grand odge was organized Oct. 19, 1794.
6
The GKAND CHAPTEB was organ- ized Dec. 20, 1804. Jonathan Wells was elected the first Grand High- Priest. Reorganized July 18, 1849.
The GRAND COUNCIL of Royal and Select Masters was organized 1854. Nathan B. Haswell was elected the first Grand Master.
The GKAND COMMANDERY, Knights Templar, was organized 1825 — was dormant for several years — reorgan- ized Jan. 14, 1852.
VIRGINIA. Writers on the early history of Freemasonry in the United States, particxilarly of the time when they were colonies of the British government, are often em- barrassed in their researches, and are unable to furnish the "tangible proof" of the first introduction of the Order into certain well-estab- lished localities among the early settlements of this country. The historian is often sorely perplexed from the fact that the materials within his reach are in many instances only speculations, pre- sumptions, or the — too frequently questionable — statements of "the oldest inhabitant. " The difficulty, therefore, of preparing a continuous history of Freemasonry in America lies mainly in the presumptive char- acter of much of the evidence that makes up its record. That there is some cause for this lack of reliable evidence is beyond dispute. The many difficulties that surrounded the habitations of the first emi- grants; the wild and unsettled con- dition of the country ; the war of the Revolution, when the merciless foe burned and destroyed every kind of property within his reach; the frequent ecclesiastical and political persecutions which have from time to time been brought against the Order, and the slight interest taken by our predecessors in the preserva- tion of Masonic records — these, with other causes, will, in some measure, account for the scarcity of reliable Masonic data, at the present time. We are led to these reflections after examining the scanty materials which we find for the subject undei discussion as well as of that already disposed of. For the matter of this sketch I am indebted to a verj
GKNERAL IIISTC .Ri OF FE3RMASOKBT
ab!e and interesting address on the "History of the Grand Lodge of Virginia, by E. W. JOHN Dove,