THE miserable condition of the sick and dying immigrants of 1849, for a long while met neither sympathy nor assistance. Individual aid at best could have accomplished little; yet that little, men found neither time nor inclination to offer. Fortunately, however, the eminent usefulness of those great institutions, which like the arteries, veins and sinews of the living body, concentaneously ramify themselves throughout the minutest parts of our organization,-each subservient to its own great and distinct purpose, yet with the common object of the preservation of life, health and happiness, was here practically demonstrated; and chiefly through them, and subsequently through the more local associations, designed for a similar ultimate end, the great good was accomplished that residents of the time alone can appreciate. The success, efficiency, and permanency of these institutions, like our political existence, depending mainly upon their great national scheme of organization, a complete history of each can only be sought in their own voluminous records, and must be studied there with all their relative parts-not here. The general character of the times has been fully discussed; the vast improvement in the present as contrasted with the past has been noted; and beyond a few dates and names, which would seem necessary to make our history complete in all that regards San Francisco, and identify with the finished structure, every nail, lath and brick that have built it, we cannot now pretend to go. The fraternity of FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS, though few in number, very early determined upon devising means to alleviate the distress and promote the comfort of the destitute of their brotherhood. In October, 1849, a convention assembled in San Francisco and organized a lodge under a charter, which on the preceding 9th of November, had been granted by the "Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia" to Messrs. Levi Stowell, Wm. Van Voorhies, and B. F. McDonald, that they might accomplish this object when they should arrive in California. This was entitled "California Lodge, No. 1," and consisted of about twenty members, whose first officers were: Levi Stowell, Esq., of Washington City............ Worshipful Master. Col. Jno. W. Geary, of Westmoreland Co., Pa. ....Junior Warden. Dr. John H. Gihon, of Philadelphia..... A. A. Selover, Esq., of New York.. Secretary. They rented rooms for meeting in the third story of a house in Montgomery street, paying for their use, two hundred and fifty dollars per month. They immediately commenced work, eagerly sought out their destitute brethren, whom they conveyed to private boarding-houses or hospitals, and furnished with medical aid or whatever else their necessities demanded. Some of these recovered to bless the Order, and subsequently returned to their families after a successful business or mining career. Others died and received decent interment, and their friends were apprised of the circumstances. The first funerals of the city, after the discovery of gold, at which any number of persons attended, or which were conducted with any degree of propriety or solemnity, were those of the masonic fraternity. The expenses attending these acts of benevolence were enormous. The board and attendance of a sick brother averaged from fifty to a hundred dollars per week, and the funeral of one deceased cost from one hundred to two hundred dollars. On the 17th of April, 1850, a convention was called at Sacramento, of delegates from the California, Western Star, and Connecticut Lodges, by which a Grand Lodge was organized in due form under the following officers: Col. Jonathan D. Stevenson, . .....M. W. Grand Master. Several lodges, then working "under dispensations" from other grand lodges, received charters, and at the first annual meeting after its institution, the "Grand Lodge of California" numbered more than a dozen flourishing lodges under its jurisdiction. The "Davy Crockett Lodge, No. 7," subsequently styled the "San Francisco Lodge," came into existence shortly after No. 1, and in the summer of the same year (1850), "San Francisco Royal Arch Chapter" was also established, under a charter from the "General Grand Chapter of the United States," of which Col. John W. Geary was first High Priest, and Dr. John H. Gihon, first Secretary. In May, 1851, the French residents of the city organized "La Parfaite Union Lodge, No. 17;" and in 1852, the "Occidental Lodge, No. 22," and the "Golden Gate Lodge, No. 30," were established, at which date there were thirteen chartered lodges and seven "under dispensation" represented in the Grand Lodge. In October, 1853, "Mount Moriah Lodge." and in January, 1854, "Lebanon Lodge" were opened for work n San Francisco. Various lodges have been established over the whole State, to the number of about fifty, not only in the midst of the crowded cities, but amid the gulches and ravines of the sparsely-peopled mountains, and have enrolled among their members, the great portion of the most prominent public officials and business men of the country. In Sacramento, two lodges were established almost simultaneously with the organization of California Lodge; and a hospital was there founded by the Order in connection with the Order of Odd-Fellows, in the support of which about thirty thousand dollars were expended in little more than one year. In 1851, the brethren residing in Honolulu in Oahu of the Sandwich Islands, were, on due application, authorized to open a lodge in that city; and the success attending its operations has equalled the most sanguine expectations of its founders. At this date the king, the heir-apparent and brother, with several Hawaiian notables, have had an opportunity of joining it. In this year (1854), a number of masons residing at Valparaiso, solicited and received authority to establish a lodge in that place. This, however, has already withdrawn from the California jurisdiction. The "Knights Templars" opened an encampment, on the 20th of December, 1853, and a second "Royal Arch Chapter" is now working at Sacramento. The Grand Masters of the State have been successively, J. D. Stevenson, in 1850; J. A. Tutt, in 1851; B. D. Hyam, in 1852; Chas. M. Radcliff, in 1853; and Wm. H. Howard, now in office. The Order is in the most prosperous condition, embracing about four thousand members-all engaged actively in doing good. At the last session of the Grand Lodge, the education of orphans was one of the main features of their deliberations. Lands have been donated for a Masonic College, which will probably be commenced in the ensuing year, and trustees appointed to take charge of the property and receive donations. The INDEPENDENT Order of ODD FELLOWS dates its origin in this city from the same causes, for the same objects, and about the same time as the Masonic Order. In 1849, "California Lodge, No. 1," was established, and occupied the same thirdstory rooms in Montgomery street, paying the same sum for their use. Like the masons they extended their aid to the suffering members of their own Order, and like them accomplished an in credible amount of good. The Order now comprises twenty-one lodges,-five of which are located in San Francisco, one of these being composed principally of German residents,-embracing in all about one thousand members with over five thousand visiting brothers. On the 17th of May, 1853, the "R. W. Grand Lodge of California" was organized, with the following officers: The Patriarchal branch of the Order is under the control of D. D. Grand Sire S. H. Parker, and comprises three subordinate encampments in San Francisco, Sacramento and Stockton, numbering about one hundred and seventy-five members. A Degree Lodge has been likewise established in each of these cities. The Grand Lodge, of which J. F. Morse is the second and present Grand Master, has alone donated for charitable purposes since its organization, over $20,000, and the whole amount of money expended in the State, and the number of families, brethren, widows and orphans relieved, is enormous. Mr. S. Brannan, a member of "Templar Lodge, No. 17," has presented the Order a valuable lot of ground on the Mission Road, for a cemetery. Early in 1849, the Rev. T. D. Hunt organized a Temperance Society in San Francisco, which lived several months and accomplished some good by the dissemination of its peculiar doctrines, successfully relieving much of the distress of the times, by laying the axe to the root of the great producer of vice, poverty and wretchedness. During its existence, Mr. Hunt and others delivered a number of lectures, on which occasions some who needed the benefits of such an organization, were persuaded to sign the pledge of total abstinence. The work thus begun has since been more vigorously prosecuted by the Order of the SONS OF TEMPERANCE, of which there are almost forty subordinate divisions in successful operation in the State, scattered princi |