The Royal Arch Degree.

ceptable , bnt none moro so than tho one we publish to-day . In fact . Brother Norton , it seems to us , has , in his present contribution , added a very valuable leaf to the volume of Masonic History . The History of tbe Royal Arch Degree is even more obscure as to its origin than the history of Free

and Accepted Masonry of the purest and most unadulterated character . We must not , of course , be held to have adopted unhesitatingly the theory of our esteemed brother , but there cannot be a moment ' s question as to its value . He proves , at all events , that the introduction of the Royal

Arch Degree into the Masonic system of the so-called " Moderns" took p lace much earlier than is generally supposed , having regard to the statements of Bro . William Preston , the learned author of the " Illustrations of Masonry " as our guide . The late Brother Oliver , much as we

respect his enthusiastic devotion to the Craft , is not to be relied upon for bis facts , and it is by no means unlikely , as Brother Norton suggests , that our late reverend Brother consulted , not the " original records in Freemasons' Hall , " but only tbe " printed records , " such as " the several

editions of the Constitutions , the Ahiman Rezon , and Preston . " Be this as it may , however , Brother Norton has very creditably grasped tbe full value of tbe " find , " which , not long since , was announced in open Convocation of Grand

Chapter by Grand Scribe B ., and has deduced , from other circumstances which appear to have come to his knowledge , what must admittedly be accepted as a most reasonable conclusion .

Brother Norton very summarily disposes of Dr . Oliver s statement , to the effect that the Royal Arch Degree was " brought to England by the Chevalier Ramsay , who first offered it to the Grand Lodge of the Modems , but as that

Grand Lodge would have nothing to do with it , he next disposed of it to tho Ancients , " & c . As the Chevalier Ramsay died iu 1743 , and there was no Grand Lodge of tbe " Ancients " till ten years later , it is obvious that the distinction between " Modern " and " Ancient " Masons

did not exist during the Chevalier ' s lifetime , and hence he could not have offered it first to the one and then to the other of tbe two , at the time , non-existent bodies . The testimony of Brother Fifield Dassigny is quite supererogatory , and need not have been appealed to in support of a

statement so obviously inconsistent witb facts . Dassigny ' s evidence , however , which a short time since was routed out by Bro . W . J . Hughan , is of the greatest importance as to the introduction of the Degree in question into this country , supplemented , as it is , by the

confirmatory account of Bro . Gould in his " Atholl Lodges . Bro . Dassigny makes mention of a certain brother who propagated a " false system some few years ago in this city , " of Dublin—his " Inquiry " was published in the Irish Capital in 1744—and who " imposed , upon several worthy men

under a pretence of being Master of the Royal Arch , which be asserted he had brought with him from the City of Tork , and that the beauties of the Craft did principally consist in the knowledge of that valuable piece of Masonry . " It seems , however , that " his fallacious act was discovered

by a brother of probity and wisdom , who had some months before attained that excellent part of Masonry in London , and plainly proved that his doctrine was false . " From Bro . Gould we learn that Laurence Dermott , who may be described as the genius of the " Ancient" Masons , was

born in 1720 , initiated in Ireland in 1740 , and installed Master of No . 26 , Dublin , in the year 1746 . " On coming to England , be first joined a Modern Lodge , but was a member of Nos . 9 and 10 Ancients when elected G . Secretary , 5 th February 1752 . " It may be noted by way of

parenthesis , that , in our Grand Lodge Calendar , it is stated that for some time prior to the establishment of their Grand Lodge , the " Ancients " were governed by a sort of General

or Grand Committee , but it seems more than probable that it was not until Laurence Dermott joined the Seceders from the Grand Lodge of England that the distinctive denominations of " Ancients " and " Moderns " were

employed , ancl it seems equally probable that it is to him we are indebted for the establishment of the " Ancient" Grand Lodge as a rival of the " regular " Grand Lodge of 1717 .

And as Bro . Dermott would seem to have made the Arch a special feature of his section of the English Craft , it is not unreasonable to suppose that it was with that section it was in the first instance associated .

So far generally , and we think reasonably . Bro . Norton then goes on to show that a " Holy Royal Arch Chapter of Jerusalem , " which became the Grand Chapter in 1767 , must have been constituted in 1765 ; and as , in one of its

The Royal Arch Degree.

regulations , it was "Resolved , That tbe Companions belon g - ing to , and having been exalted in the Caledonian Chapter , or any Chapter in the country or abroad , being properly vouched for , shall be admitted visitors in this Chapter on

payment of 2 s 6 d each , ' Bro . Norton very naturall y argues that the said Caledonian Chapter must have preceded the said Jerusalem Chapter . Bro . Norton ' s contention is certainly an ingenious one . He points out that in February 1763 , a certain " William Leslie and other Scotch

Brethren residing in London , " petitioned the Grand Lod ge " for a Lodge Charter to be held in London . " This was very naturally and very properly declined by the Graud Lodge in question ; but Leslie " obtained a Dispensation from the Ancients , dated 20 th April 1763 , and Bro .

William Preston was the second person who waa initiated in this Lodge . " Through Preston's influence it shortl y afterwards passed under tbe banner of the : t Moderns , " and " was re-constituted 15 th November 1764 , at the Half Moon , Cheapside , by Lord Blaney , when it assumed the

name of ' ye Caledonian Lodge . ' " From this , Bro . Norton deduces that as the so-called " Ancients " practised the R . A . degree , the members of" ye Caledonian Lodge " were " familiar with it , " and that to them we are indebted for the introduction into "Modern " Masonry of the said degree .

This is not necessarily a sequitur , but it is a perfectly legitimate deduction . Be it added that , while the Caledonian Lodge still enjoys an honourable existence , the Caledonian Chapter passed away "two or three years after the Union . "

We have said we do not adopt Bro . Norton s theory , but it must be obvious to OUT readers that it famishes much palatable food for reflection . Doubtless , now that Bro . Norton has set the ball rolling , Bros . Hughan , Gould , and other curious students of our history , will help to elucidate the position he has taken up .

Masonry—Its History And Teaching.

MASONRY—ITS HISTORY AND TEACHING .

By Bev . Bro . Eaton W . Maxcy Grand Chaplain of Grand Zodge of Connecticut . THE history of Masonry is lost in an antiquity so remote , that it ia impossible to state its origin with positivenesa and accuracy . To say naught in reference to supposed traces of it iu the Orient , it is not unreasonable to believe that we see it in one of its early stages , in the colleges of builders instituted by Nnma Pompilins , 715 B . C .

These colleges were at first religions societies as well as fraternities of artizans . After the labours of the day , their members were accustomed to convene in their respective Lodges ( wooden houses erected near the edifices in course of construction ) where they determined the distribution and execution of the work . Here , too , the new members were initiated into the secrets and particular mysteries

of their arts . These initiates were divided into three classes : apprentices , companions or fellow-workmen , and masters , and they engaged themselves by oath to afford each other succour and assistauce . The Presidents , whose term of office was five years , were named masters or teachers ( magistri ) , and their labours in the Lodges were always preceded by religions ceremonies . As the membership waa

composed of men of all countries , and consequently of different beliefs , the Supreme Being was represented in the Lodges under a general title , and therefore was styled " The Grand Architect of the Universe , " the universe being considered the most perfect work of a master builder . These organisations were in fnll vigour almost to the fall of the

Roman Empire . Tbe irruption of the northern barbarians dispersed them and reduced their number . They continued to decline while those ferocious men worshipped their horrid deities , bnt when Christianity was accepted they again flourished . Many of these fraternities of builders who were with the Roman legions in the countries bordering on the Rhine , were sent by the Emneror Claudius , about the middle of the first century , into the

British Isles , to protect the Eomans against the incursions of opponents . The especial work of the Masonic corporations here and elaewhere in similar circumstances , was to construct for the leg ions the camps , which they surrounded with walls and fortifications , which in some instances were subsequently beautified with structures , rivalling

in attractiveness those in Rome itself . Portions of the native pop" - lation who aided the Romans in the work , were incorporated into the bodies of workmen and taught their art . Tbe intercourse thus P " duced , developed an intimacy which resulted in a great tolerance of religions and national peculiarities , and a feeling of brotherhood . Christianity , as it spread into Britain , gave the Masonic Lodges peculiar characteristics abont this period . Over the famed Roman roatts

constructed by the skill of the Masonic brethren , passed many a convert to the Christian faith , who believed it obligatory to impart the knowledge of the true religion . "When alone , these converts were exposed to bloody persecution in the towns and villages . Bat they were permitted to accompany unmolested the Ma . onio corporations , which , sometimes alone and sometimes accompanying the Rom legions , were constantly traversing that mighty empire . Happily , Britain at this time had more kind and humane governor