A. And A. Rite In The United States Of America.

dulled . In 18 fi 4 Bro . Gardner wrote that brief history of tho A . an A . Rife , and I have no donbt that he negrofied Count de St . Lanreit npo n heresay evidence , probably given to him by Moore , of which , for reasons already given , I do not believe a word . The excite nient caused amongst Masons in those days is indescribable . 0 ; 1 friendships were severed ; Lodges , Chapters , & c . were divided into

factions of " Buzzard * " and "Pelicans , for so they styled oac ' other ; the animosities ran so high that some began to talk of constitnting another Grand Lodgo in Massachusetts . This would havo lui . l no effeot upon Moore , for with him it was either rule or ruin ; but thero wero ugly difficulties which stared in tho faces of other leading men .

Briefly , then , I may state that the Boston Temple was destroyed by fire in 1863 . The wiseacres who then ruled the Grand Lodge computed the cost of the erection of a temple at , say 350 , 000 dollars , but when , in 1865-6 , the temple was approaching completion , it was discovered that it would cost about double that mount . A nnrnberof the wealthy members had already advanced large sums of morey , or

endorsed the notes of the Grand Lodge . With a united Grand Lodgo , it was barely possible to bridge tho gap over ; but with a disunited jurisdiction the Grand Lodge wonld havo been bankrupt after the first six months' interest was duo . To save the Grand Lodge and tho parties interested from ruin , a union between the " Buzzards and Pelicans " began to be seriously entertained . The result was , a

union was effected , in 1867 , when each party declared the opposite party to have always been gonuine simon pures , and the saints of both parties were alike placed in holy niches as holy saints of tho Northern Jnrisdiction of the A . and A . Rite of North America , all which was wound np with a jolly feast , and any amoant of hand-shaking and embracing—all were happy , save and except Bro . Moore , who lost

his friends , his prestige , and finally lost his position as Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts . After that peace one wonld naturall y snppose that a Supremo Council of Cerneanites would never again exist in America . But snch is not the cas <> . We have now no less than three Cemean Supreme Councils in New York , besides the ono which adheres to the Union

of 1867 , nnd these continue to hurl against each other tho old orthodox A . and A . Billingsgate vocabulary . Ono of these bodies invaded the jurisdiction of Bro . Carson ( Ohio ) , and our good brother denounced them as "infernal Masonic Buzzards . " I suppose that is all right ; but I want to know why the others have not equal right to denounce Bro . Carson ' s faction as " infernal Masonic Buzzards ?"

And another of tho Cerneanite Councils established , last March , a Consistory in Boston , consisting of from soventy . fivo to one hundred members . Besides these , about two years ago the Memphis Rite was introduced into Boston , and one hundred and ten members at once joined it . The price was ten dollars , and for that sum the recipient got three times as many grandiloquent titles as the poor A .

and A . Rite can confer . This was getting too hot for Northern jurisdiotion dignitaries , and consequently they bethonght themselves of the necessity of somo reform . Now , no man can successfully elovate the intellectual or moral standard of society unless he is endowed with three qualifications , lst , He mnst be a man of reason and abilitv . 2 nd , He must be a man of sincere and good conscience , and

3 rd , He must be endowed with moral courage . If a man falls short of either of these three reqnisites he may not do harm ; but he never can accomplish any good . If , then , the G . L . of Mas 3 aohussotts had had a mau at _ its head fully endowed with the necessary qualifications , he would , if tho disease had not become too deply rooted , recommend to the G . L . to follow the example of the G . L . of Hamburg , viz ., to pass

a law to expel every Mason who belongs to any of the so-called Masonic bodies higher than Ihe M . M . degree . Bat if the disease had become too deply rooted , then he might assemble the grandees of those bodies , and thus frankly address them : — " Brethren , —The aim of the founders of onr modern or speculative Masonry was to make the Lodge a centre of union for all good and

true men ' be their religion what it may , ' ( providing they believe in tho G . A . O . T . U . ) Your so-called Masonry is , however , based upon sectarian creeds , which are directly antagonistic to the original idea of the founders . Your Masonry is therefore reall y and truly nothing more nor less than anti-Masonry . Second . Some of you claim that Frederick the Great absolved

yon from your obligations of feahy to your Grand Lodge . But who furnished Frederick with the power of absolving you from your oaths of obedience to this Grand Lodge ? Was Frederick a God , a prophet , or a Pope ? or do you believe that he was authorised by the powers above to do so ? But that is not all ; aro you not aware that the whole story of Frederick ' s charter was the invention of some

Charleston high degree charlntans ? Third . Is there in existence a body of sane men ( save and except professional stage aotors ) who would lay claim to such ridicnlons titles as Sir Knights , Princes , Emperors , Thrice Illustriouses , " Ac , & c . Now , pray , what made you so very illustrious ? have you distinguished yourselves in arts , science , letters , statemanship ,

generalship ? or havo yon descended from a long line of illustrious ancestors who have improved the moral , social , or political condition of mankind ? Your grandiloquent titlo has not only made you a laughing stock to the outer world , but it reflects discredit upon tho intelligence of the whole fraternity . And fourth . If in spite of reason and remonstrance , you are still determined

to continue making fools of yourselves , do so to yonr jiearts content ; but yon mnst not hold yonr meetings in Masonic temples ; you must not decorate yourselves with your jewellery when yon are in a Masonic Lodge ; you must not spread over the coven of | lasc > uic publications your emblems , nor fill its pages with yonr nib-Dls , h ; and abnrc all , you must not style venrsrlres " M-rsonic Bodies . "

such an address from a Grand Master might have served to redeem a ° me of the hicjh graders from their folly , and might have prevented others from joining it . Bnt , nnft » rtmv . \ tnly . Mnssnrh » sc * ts never Hi W ' . 'md MiiHter who either could , ivon . bl , or dared talk c-wmnn . * *<>

A. And A. Rite In The United States Of America.

Grand Masters took to them as naturally as ducklings take to water , and I know that , at least for tho last fifty years , no ono could h * G . M ., G . W ., or receive the appointment of D . G . M ., who could not sport a cocked hat in a pnblic procession ; and since the mania for the A . and A . Rite set in , T donbt whether a man conld receive any office in tho Grand Lodgo nnless he was at least a thirty-second . How then could

a Massachusetts Grand Master talk common sense upon tho high degrees , when ho wallowed ( either willingly or unwillingly ) in tho same miro with the rest . But something had to bo done to stop the new rivals to high degreedom . So they adop ted an amendment to tho Constitution , which simply amounted to this . Masons under this inrisdiction may join and belong to Masonic humbuggery No . 1 ,

No . 2 , and so on , up to a certain number ; but if they should join Masonic hnmbnggeries beyond that number they are liable to expulsion , Ac . Be it farther remembered , that tho Grand Lodge of Massa . ehnsotts is not empowered by its constitution to control more thau the first three degrees . Snrno of its members , snch as Wardens of nountry Ledgeshave probably never taken either tho degrees of the

, Memphis Rite or tho Scotch Rite , and aro utterly ignorant of the historv , merits , or demerits of either of tho rival Scotch Riters , and these were called upon to vote which of those factions were legitimate , and -which were illegitimate . Bnt in spite of the amendment to the Constitution tho Memphisites held a Convention this month in Boston , consisting of sixty delegates

from various States of the Union Among the delegates were two clergy nen , whom thoy elected Officers for the United States , and tho Cerneanites had also advertised to hold a Session in Boston . What the resnlt will be of all this grasping remains to be seen . Tho fact is , high dogreedom rnles the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts as much as if it was a creatnre of the A . and A . Rite ; or , in

other words , the high dogreors play the fiddle and the Master Masons mnst danco in accordance with the fiddler ' s music . Tn glancing , therefore , back at the history of the high grades ( so-called ) in America , I can see any number of ills they havo inflicted on Craft Masonry , but I oannot point out a solitary particlo of good they have ever done or are ever likely to do .

Fraternity.

FRATERNITY .

FROM THE KEYSTONE . What though the crouds who shout the word , Pervert the meaning ifc should bear , And feel their hearts with hatred stirr'd ,

E'en while their plaudits load the air;—Yet shall not we . thou mightv THOUGHT , Despair thy triumph yet to see , Or doubt the good that shall he wrought In thy great name , FRATERNITY .

By prophets told , by psalmists snng , Preach'd on the M > nnt by lips snblime , The theme of every sago's tongno " For twice a thousand years of time ;

What happy progress hast thou mado ? What bliss to man has flow'd from thee ? What war and bloodshed hast thou stayed ? What peace affirm'd , FiUTKRNiTy .

Alas ! the years have fail'd to teach Tho obvious lesson to mankind , A myriad preachers fail'd to preach Conviction to the deaf and blind .

Still do we rush to furious war , Still to the slayer bend the knee , And still , most Christian as we are , Forget thy name , FRATERNITY ?

And shall we , cramrad with mutual hates , Despise our neighbour for a flaw ? Aud sneer , because he promulgates , Before he understands , thy law ?

No ! let us hail the word of might , Breathed by a nation of the free ; Thy recognition is a light—Thy name a faith , FRATERNITY .

The preacher may belie his creed , But still the truth preserves its flame j The sage may do a foolish deed , Yet wisdom shares not in the shame .

Be scorning hushed—be cavil dumb—Whatever ills the world may see , We'll look for blessings yet to come In thy great name , FRATERNITT .

The ceremonies of consecration and installation will be rehearsed at the Selwyn Lodcje of Instrnction , No . 1901 , East Dnlwfch Hotel , East Dalwich Green ( near Champion Hill Station ) , by Bro . James Terry Prov . S . G . "Warden

Norths and Hunts , P . Prov . Junior Wnrden Herts , P . M . 228 1278 1366 , Fe-efcnrv of the , TWnl Masonic Benevotent Instihifhn , ' ' . Tlinrsd-iy . _ f ! ! i October . Lodge will be opened at 0 Y 1--J for 7 precisely . Brethren to appear in full Craft clotl ' . fn ? .