How much influence did the Masonic fraternity have on the creation of our system of government?
In 1717, in England, local Masonic lodges created a system whereby they sent representatives to a body called the Grand Lodge, which governed them all. The Grand Lodge then elected its own Grand Master. The experiment, which began in this country in 1788, is one in which states send their representatives to a Congress. And if Brother Alexander Hamilton had prevailed, the Congress would be electing the President of the United States. Sound familiar? A number of authorities report that General George Washington’s staff looked like a Masonic convention. The list of American Masons in Washington’s service included many of his Generals. Other revolutionary heroes included Patrick Henry, Nathan Hale, and John Paul Jones, just to name a few. The record shows that by 1800 there were 347 lodges in the United States.
