The Virginia Gazette

Copies of an apologizing Letter, wrote by a Free-Mason; are made publick, alledging, That the Views the Free-Masons propose to themselves are the most pure and inoffensive, and tend only to promote such Qualities in them as may form good Citizens and zealous Subjects; faithful to their Prince, to their Country, and to their Friends:

That the Name of Free-Mason is far from being an insignificant Title: That the Duty it prescribes to those that bear it, is to endeavour to build Temples for Virtue, and Dungeons for Vice.: That he is by no means afraid of violating the Secret imposed upon them in publishing, That that their principal Design is to restore to the Earth the Reign of Astraea, and revive the Time of Rhea. He assures the Fair, that the whole Brotherhood is full of Respect and Veneration for them; but that these Sentiments are not exempt from Fear: and that this Fear Obliges the Free-Masons to exclude the Sex from their Assemblies: Which, he concludes, ought not to provoke the Indignation of those who are the Objects of it: To prevent such an Effect, they need only recollect from whom Adam received the Apple: Sad. Present! Since had it not been for that fatal Apple, Adam would have remained the first FREE MASON.