The English Rite Of Freemasonry.*

THE ENGLISH RITE OF FREEMASONRY . *

BRO . HUGHAN is once again before the Masonic public as the contributor of much valuable information on one of those abstruse subjects whicb only he and men of like capacity and disposition are qualified to deal with comprehensively , It is no light task even for a man to go on consuming the proverbial midnight oil in studying a

subject which is not particularly intricate and not likely to evoke a storm of severe criticism , whatever the views he may adopt . But when he sets himself to the consideration of a much-vexed question , which will involve an almost endless amount of research , the task is far

heavier , far more responsible , and at times far less agreeable in its results . Yet Brother Hughan has most carefully and conscientiously dealt with several important questions , with considerable advantage to the Craft . He holds a foremost rank among the

pioneers of that school of Masonic thought which is averse from taking things on trust , merely because they have been handed down from periods more or less remote from the present epoch . He must first examine them well , weigh well tbe evidence on which they rest , consider them

exhaustively in all their bearings , and so build up the opinion which he considers is justified by the circumstances . Thus it has come about that his views are eagerly sought after , and when forthcoming are accepted , because it is known universally they are the result of long and patient

investigation , conducted methodically and without the slightest feeling of prejudice in favour of , or in opposition to , any particular theory . They may not always find favour with the experts , because many of these hypercritical gentlemen imagine they would lose caste with the world if they

did not exhibit some difference of opinion occasionally , while others , if they drifted ever so little from their preconceived views , would quickly find themselves utterly and hopelessly at sea . But they have been argued out carefully , and will be found invariably to harmonise with the principles of

common sense ; and though it may »» w and then happen that they cannoc in reason be upheld , the fault is not with Bro . Hughan ' s argument , so much as with the premisses on which it is based . We are not going to be so absurd as to proclaim the doctrine of Bro . Hughan's infallibility .

What we are anxious to point out is , that his treatment of an arguable question is not the outcome of mere guess work , and if he ventures to declare a theory on any subject , we may be sure he has grounds for doing so . This is manifest in his new work . The question of the origin of

degrees is , on the face of it , and having regard to the state of our Masonic knowledge , a difficult one to cope with . Bro . Hughan has coped with it boldly , deliberately , and , in our

opinion , successfully , as he has with other questions of a like character in his former works , and it will give us great pleasure to lay before our readers the views which have found expression in this volume .

Our friends will be able to judge from the following passage of the spirit in which the author has approached this inquiry . Says Brother Hughan : " We claim to be as

The English Rite Of Freemasonry.*

fond of the Craft , and as anxious to uphold its true history and principles , as the most devoted followers of Anderson and Oliver ; we acknowledge most heartily thafc the Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons is both ancient

and honourable—speculative as well as operative—even in the sixteenth century , which is almost as far back as its records take us ; but as there is no evidence which proves the antiquity of three or more separate degrees beyond the last century , we cannot consent to accept the assertions so

confidently made to us in our youth , and still promulgated by many , that degrees in Masonry had an existence long before the institution of the Premier Grand Lodge . " And then he adds : " The views we shall advocate were far from being popnlar some twenty years ago , but of late there have been considerable accessions to the staff of

Masonic students , and at the present time there are , happily , very many who prefer to follow where the facts tend rather , than as the fancies or wishes of others would lead them . " A little further on , he explains himself more fully still . Having expressed his astonishment that any

one who has read the works of Lyon and Gould can " cherish the fancy " thafc degrees were worked in the seventeenth century , he remarks : " Three grades there were , undoubtedly , in those early times—viz .: Apprentice , Fellow Craft , and Master Mason , being suggestive respectively of

apprentices , journeymen , and masters ; but so far as the Minutes of the Lodges testify , prior to the last century , or in fact any documents whatever , there were no separate degrees known , the only esoteric ceremony being a simple rite of initiation , its participants never being afterwards

excluded from any Masonic meeting because of degrees being worked additional to , separate from , or superior to the form of reception in which they took part on becoming apprentices . The Apprentices accordingly became Fellow Crafts or journeymen on their ' essays' or work

being passed by competent judges , and then Master Masons according to circumstances ; but never because of taking certain degrees until the last century . The three positions , or grades of the operative regime , even when speculatives

were admitted , are clearly exhibited in the Old Records , bufc separate and distinct degrees synchronize only with the period of modern Grand Lodges and the ascendency of Speculative Freemasonry . "

By way of fortifying himself in these views—though it is by no means necessary he should have gone so far—Bro . Hughan refers us to Gould , Lyon , and Mackay , and as the question which has been considered in this work is of the very greatest importance , we shall make no apology

for quoting from the testimony cited by the author on his behalf . Thus , after explaining his agreement with Findel , Lyon , & c , aa to there having been " only one " ceremony " in vogue np to , say , the end of the seventeenth century , " whilst it is beyond all doubt there were three in 1723 , Bro .

Gould is quoted as saying : — " Taking a broad view of matters , we find that shortly after the formation of the Grand Lodge ( 1717 ) the control of the society had passed into the hands of sundry non-operatives .

Contemporary with this , we also find that three separate degrees or ceremonies are for the first time unequivocally mentioned . It appears to me , therefore , that the rule of the Speculatives , and the added , forms of reception , represent cause and effect . "

The following is the passage referring to Lyon : — " Lyon emphatically declares that 'there were no Secrets communicated by Lodges to either fellows of Craft or