Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.

On the 24th of June, 1754, upon the petition of several brethren residing in Philadelphia, a warrant of constitution was granted by the grand lodge of Boston, for holding a lodge in that place; ap pointed the Rt. Worshipful Benjamin Franklin their first mas ter: which is the beginning of masonry in Pennsylvania.

The grand lodge of England granted a grand warrant. bearing date the 20 June, A. D. 1764, to the M. W. William Bell and others, authorising them to hold a grand lodge for the state of Pennsylvania.

The grand officers, together with the officers and representatives of a number of regular lodges under their jurisdiction, at a communication holden in the grand lodge room in the city of Philadelphia, on the 25th day of September, 1786, after mature and serious deliberation, unanimously resolved, "That it is improper that the grand lodge of Pennsylvania should remain any longer under the authority of any foreign grand lodge." And the said lodge did then close, sine die.

The grand convention thus assembled did then and there unanimously resolve, that the lodges under the jurisdiction of the grand lodge of Pennsylvania, aforesaid, lately holden as a provincial grand lodge, under the authority of the grand lodge of England, should, and they did, form themselves into a grand lodge, to be called "The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania and masonic jurisdiction thereunto belonging," to be held in the said city of Philadelphia.

Grand Lodge of Delaware.

At a grand communication of a majority of the lodges, esta blished in the state of Delaware, at the Town Hall, in the bo rough of Wilmington, on Friday, June 6, A. D. 1806, A. L. 5806, it was

Resolved unanimously, "That the several lodges of ancient masons in the state of Delaware, here represented by deputies properly authorised, consider it as a matter of right, and for the general benefit of masonry, that they ought to form a grand lodge within the said state; and do now proceed to form and organize themselves into a grand lodge accordingly, to be known and dis tinguished by the name of The Grand Lodge of Delaware,

The grand lodge of Virginia began its operations October 30, A. D. 1778. It meets annually, at the city of Richmond, on the second Monday in December. The mode of address is, "The Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Virginia, Richmond,"

The Grand Lodge of Kentucky was established on the 13th day of October, A. D. 1800, and has the following number of regular lodges under its jurisdiction:

The grand lodge of North Carolina was first constituted by virtue of a charter from the grand lodge of Scotland, A. D. 1771. It convened occasionally at Newbern and Edenton, at which latter place the records were deposited previous to the revolutionary war. During the contest the records were destroyed by the British army, and the meetings of the grand lodge suspended. The members of the craft convened at Hillsborough in this state, A. D. 1787, and compiled certain regulations for the govern ment of the grand lodge, and again set to work. In the same year they appointed a committee to form a constitution for their future government, which was accordingly done, and in the year following, the said constitution was formally adopted, and ratified at the city of Raleigh, at which place the grand lodge meets annu ally.

Grand Lodge of South Carolina.

The Grand Lodge of the State of South Carolina was institut ed and established at Charleston on the 24th day of March, A. D. 1787.

The general grand communication is holden in Charleston annually, on St. John the Evangelist's day; and the quarterly communications on the last Saturday in March, June and September, and on the next Saturday but one preceding St. John the Evangelist's day.

The Grand Lodge of Tennessee, has the following number of regular Lodges under its jurisdiction.

The Grand Lodge of Ohio was instituted b a convention of Delegates from all the lodges within the state, assembled at Chilicothe, on the first Monday of January, A. D. 1808-A. L. 5808, and elected their grand officers on the 7th of the said month. The first communication of the grand lodge was holden at Chilicothe on Monday the 2d day of January, A. D. 1809-A. L. 5809.

The Grand Lodge of Georgia is holden "by virtue, and in pursuance of, the right of succession, legally derived from the most noble and most worshipful Thomas Thyne, lord viscount Weymouth, grand master of England, A. D. 1750, by his warrant, directed to the right worshipful Roger Lacey; and by the renewal of the said power by Sholto, Charles Douglas; lord Aberdour, Grand master of Scotland, for the years 1755 and 1756; and grand master of England for the years 1757 and 1758, as will appear in his warrant, directed to the right worshipful Grey Elliott."

On the 16th day of December, A. D. 1786, a convention of the several lodges holden in the state, assembled at Savannah, when the permanent appointments which had been heretofore made by the grand master of England, were solemnly relinquished, by the right worshipful Samuel Elbert, grand master, and the other offi cers of the grand lodge; and certain regulations adopted, by which the grand officers are now elected annually by the grand lodge.

List of Lodges in Louisiana, formerly under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.