Today marks an extraordinary anniversary for us!
July 30th, 1733, the day Freemasonry took root in New England. On that summer Monday so long ago, a gathering of brethren in colonial Boston created something truly historic. They established what would become the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, lighting the first beacon of organized Freemasonry in America. In this blog post we journey back to that moment and reflect on the legacy of Freemasonry that lives on today.
The Founding at the Bunch of Grapes Tavern
Picture yourself in Boston in 1733. The city is abuzz with commerce and colonial life, and on King Street (now State Street) stands the Bunch of Grapes Tavern, a popular gathering place. It was here, in an upstairs room of Brother Edward Lutwych’s establishment, marked by a sign with three gilded clusters of grapes swinging above the door, that Brother Henry Price assembled a group of Masons on July 30, 1733. Brother Price had just returned from London that Spring with a special charge: a commission from the Viscount Montagu, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of England, appointing him Provincial Grand Master of New England. This was Brother Price being given the authority to establish regular Freemasonry in the New World.
With his deputation in hand, Henry Price and ten brethren (all already Freemasons from overseas lodges) convened that day to make Masonic history. Among them were men whose names remain in our records: Andrew Belcher, Thomas Kennelly, John Quann, Henry Hope, Frederick Hamilton, John McNeal, Peter Hall, Matthew Young, John Waddell, and Edmund Ellis. Together with Price, these ten brethren formed St. John’s Grand Lodge, the first Grand Lodge in North America.
What happened during that inaugural meeting? The old minutes tell us that Henry Price presented his Grand Commission to the brethren, formally linking the new lodge to the established Grand Lodge of England. With proper authority confirmed, they proceeded to elect Grand Lodge officers to assist Price in governing the Craft. Notably, Brother Andrew Belcher was chosen as the Deputy Grand Master, supporting Price’s leadership. Finally, and most importantly for the brethren on the ground, a charter was granted to constitute a new Lodge in Boston. This lodge was simply called “1st Lodge” being the first Masonic lodge in New England and it would later take on the name St. John’s Lodge (by which it’s still known today). The constitution of this First Lodge, also took place on that day at the Bunch of Grapes Tavern. In effect, July 30, 1733 is not only the birthday of our Grand Lodge but also of St. John’s Lodge, the oldest Masonic lodge in the Americas.
Contemplate the scene: men in their aprons and regalia (perhaps modest compared to today’s jewels), gathered in a tavern’s private room with the late-afternoon sun slanting through the windows. They likely opened a Bible, invoked the blessing of the Grand Architect of the Universe, and cemented a Fraternity that would span continents and centuries. Henry Hope was elected the first Master of First Lodge, with James Gordon and Frederick Hamilton as his Wardens.
By the time the night was over, New England had its first duly constituted Masonic lodge, and a Provincial Grand Lodge to oversee the growth of the Fraternity. Those Brothers could not have fully foreseen what they had begun. Yet, they must have felt the significance.
Legacy and the Future
From that intimate gathering of eleven men, Freemasonry flourished in America. As you know, my Brother, the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts today stands as the oldest Grand Lodge in the Western Hemisphere and the third oldest in the world. (Only the Grand Lodges of England, and Ireland are older.) Consider this: when our Grand Lodge was founded, George Washington was just a one-year-old infant, the American Revolution was four decades in the future, and the notion of an independent United States was unimaginable. Yet the fraternity born that day would soon count founding fathers among its members and play a pivotal role in the formation of nations. Indeed, Massachusetts Masons went on to establish new lodges up and down the eastern seaboard, and by the time of the Revolution, famous patriots like Paul Revere, John Paul Jones and Joseph Warren were carrying our banners forward.
What themes emerge from July 30, 1733 that are relevant to us today? When we say our Lodge is ancient, it’s not just a phrase. It is a statement of fact and honor. Our records and stories, remind us that we have traversed two hundred and ninety-two years. The rituals we perform in our meetings and the obligations we uphold in our hearts are direct links to that first Lodge. In an ever-changing world, the stability of our principles of Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth, are reassuring and needed.
Another key theme is unity. The founding of our Grand Lodge was an exercise in uniting men of diverse backgrounds under a common ideal. In 1733, those brethren were immigrants from England, Ireland, and elsewhere, some merchants, some tradesmen, some gentlemen – all coming together on the Level. Ever since, Freemasonry has been “breaking down barriers… and causing men to meet on the level where all other measures have failed”. Think of the unity it took in 1792 for Massachusetts Masons to heal a division when two rival Grand Lodges – St. John’s Grand Lodge and the Massachusetts Grand Lodge merged to form the cohesive Grand Lodge we know today. That spirit of unity, of fraternal love, is our guiding light. We address each other as “Brother” because we truly share a bond stronger than any differences in nationality, religion, politics, or creed.
Finally, consider the theme of faithfulness to principles and values. The brethren in 1733 pledged “to be true to each other, to God, and to their king... A vow reflecting the values of their time. Over the years, as society changed, Freemasonry held fast to its core values while adapting in other ways. We no longer toast loyalty to a monarch, but we steadfastly affirm loyalty to country and our democratic institutions. We cherish freedom of conscience and champion equality; principles that, in part, found fertile ground in Masonic lodges of the eighteenth century and carried into the founding of this nation. The Grand Lodge of Massachusetts has been a custodian of those values from the Colonial era to the present day. Our archives hold stories of Masons who were generals, governors, pastors, craftsmen, and everyday heroes; each striving to live up to the motto of making “good men better.” As you read this, Brother, remember that you are also a part of this living legacy. The way you conduct yourself and uphold our landmarks today is a continuation of what Brother Henry Price and his compatriots began in 1733.
A Personal Reflection – Then and Now
In writing to you directly, I invite you to put yourself in the shoes of those early brethren and also to take stock of your own journey in this Fraternity. Imagine walking into that tavern room: the sound of chairs shuffling on wooden floorboards, the murmur of friendly voices using words of recognition, the weight of the apron tied around your waist. Brothers about to embark on something new, unsure perhaps if it would succeed. Yet, they were filled with Hope. Henry Price, modest in appearance but exceptional in dedication, reads aloud the Grand Master’s warrant. The room falls silent in respect. When he finishes, cheers and “huzzahs" might have erupted because they knew: we are regular now! We have the Grand Master of England’s blessing to work the Craft here openly and proudly.
Now, fast-forward to today. When you attend a lodge meeting, you wear similar lambskin aprons, practice the same age-old traditions, and share in the fraternal love that those men kindled. You are part of an unbroken chain stretching back to 1733; in fact, even further back to 1717 in London and to the lodge rooms of the Middle Ages in a kind of historical sense. Each time we gather in a lodge room, we honor Henry Price’s mandate. Each initiation, passing, and raising honors that first chartering of the 1st Lodge. Consider that and let it inspire you to continue to answer the call.
Conclusion
My Brother, July 30th is more than a date for us. It’s a celebration of who we are. When Henry Price and his brethren formed our Grand Lodge, they ignited a flame. That flame still burns today. It burns in the lodges; it burns in the hearts of Masons volunteering in their communities; it burns in our socials when we raise a glass to toast the good works of our Brethren.
So today, lets celebrate. If you have a chance, visit the site of the Bunch of Grapes Tavern in Boston. pause by the plaque that reads: “Here on 30th of July 1733, was instituted under charter from the Grand Lodge of England, the first regularly constituted Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons in America…” and feel the connection across time. Or simply take a moment wherever you are to reflect on our Brethren past, who carried the torch. We honor their memory best by living out the values they passed on to us: faith, hope and charity.
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