Bro. Benjamin Franklin’s Funeral Most brethren recognise Bro. Franklin as one most influential Founding Fathers of the United States, but many do not realize that he was also a freemason. In 1731, he joined the Lodge of St. John in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and helped to create the bylaws of his Lodge. By 1735 his hard work and dedication led him to the highest rank within the organisation: Grand Master. That year, he also published the first Masonic book printed in America, The Constitutions of the Free-Masons, which was produced in Philadelphia. Devoted to Freemasonry, Franklin remained an active member for over sixty years until his death in 1790 at age 84. In 1776, he was sent to Paris to serve as America’s diplomat to France. In France, he joined and became the Master of the Nine Sisters Lodge in Paris. brethren will Lodges (another story before forming the be aware that Bro. Ben Franklin was a very current United Grand Lodge of England). The active freemason. Moderns were brethren of a higher social standing and counted the more prominent Despite being a Past Grand Master, no mason- men of Philadelphia with political power. ic lodge took part in his funeral although indi- The new Ancient freemasons of Philadelphia vidual masons might have been part of the were more popular, open to more and adapt20,000 who watched the procession. The able. lodges of Philadelphia ignored the event completely because of institutional changes over When he returned from England, as a Modern the past 50 years while Bro. Franklin lived freemason he was not able to enter any Pennabroad. sylvanian lodge—in other words, the Grand Lodge he headed had ceased to exist. Unless During this time, a new set of men began to he converted (probably by joining as if he run the Craft in Philadelphia who were more was a gentleman from the outside world), in line with the new Ancients affiliation in this couldn’t change. As he was elderly, he England rather than the Modern of which Bro. was not likely to join! Franklin had been. This was related to the English dispute of the Grand Lodge dividing Sadly, they did not recognise him and they to become the Ancients and Moderns Grand did not attend.
Cross Keys February 2021
