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Article THE ROYAL JUBILEE. ← Page 2 of 2 Article THE ROYAL JUBILEE. Page 2 of 2 Article MASONIC CREDULITY. Page 1 of 2 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Royal Jubilee.
guineas should be charged for entrance to the assembly , the result of which would be to " produce a considerable
fund , by which our three Masonic Charities may be substantially benefited , as a suitable memento of the auspicious occasion . " Now , any movement which has for its object the benefit of our Charitable Institutions must commend
itseir to the hearty acceptance ot every member of the Order , though when we consider the unweai-ying efforts that are continuously being made in our Lodges everywhere in that direction , and the substantial sums which
are collected , in spite of the serious " depression " experienced in almost every department of commerce and industry , it may be deemed a question as to
whether the purses of the charitably-disposed can stand any further strain . We are perfectly aware that whenever any appeal is made for additional aid to any branch of our Benevolent enterprises there is a ready and spontaneous response by every member of the Craft who is in a position
to lend a helping hand ; and there can be little question that for the honour and pleasure of attending the " Commemoration Festival" there are thousands who will be ready to contribute the fee suggested , more especially as the fund so raised would be applied to some permanent memento of tho Jubilee from a purely Masonic standpoint . Whether or not the other proposal—namely , to strike a
special Jubueo jewel , " to be worn by all Freemasons who are subscribing members of some Lodge under the Grand Lodge of England on the 20 th June 1887 , when Her Majesty will complete the 50 fch year of her accession to the Throne of these Realms "—will meet with such ready and general approval is open to some suspicion of doubt . It has long been a prevailing impression that the number of jewels and decorations worn by members of the Craft
has reached its limit , and that any addition to our present collection is undesirable , save under very exceptional circumstances . It will , of course , be argued that this is par excellence a case of unusual importance ; yet , when it is considered that many of our brethren are so bejewelled that they find it necessary to reduce their ordinary decorations
to miniature size , a majority of Masons are inclined to think there is no predisposition to increase the number of
personal adornments . As an evidence of this feeling , it is wellknown that miniature jewels are to be procured by brethren who find it inconvenient to carry such a weight of bullion about with them : and when men crowd on
special distinctive marks for mere trivial services renderedwhen we see young Masons who have scarcely been advanced to office sporting half a-dozen jewels on their breasts—the question naturally arises , " Where is all this
accumulation of Masonic hijouterie to stop ? " Anyhow these are the points considered by some of the Lodges at which Lord Carnarvon ' s Circular has been read ; and , without venturing any decided opinion of our own , we would rather leave it to the verdict of our correspondents , whose views
on the subject will be most acceptable . Another important feature in relation to this matter is , that while " devotion to the Craft" is to be exemplified by the raising of a fund for the benefit of our " Charitable Institutions , " at the same time " loyalty to
the Throne should be encouraged in connection with the " Jubilee Commemoration . " Thus it is pointed out that as it is right that all Freemasons should have an opportunity of showing their loyalty to the throne , and their personal affection and respect for His Royal Highness their Grand Master , in a manner which will
represent alike the feelings of good citizens and true Masons , the national memorial—which is distinguished from all local memorials—it is proposed to raise in Her Majesty ' s honour by the people of this country should form part of the programme under review . It is therefore suggested for the consideration of the members of the various Lodges that a voluntary subscription , not to exceed one guinea per head , be raised in each Lodge for
the purpose of contributing to the erection of the proposed " Imperial Institute" to which we have already made reference . This Institute , which originated in the proposals of our Grand Master , and has his warm sanction and approval , will record both the national memorial of her Majesty ' s Jubilee and also the personal
interest which his Royal Highness the Grand Master has taken in the work ; and Lord Carnarvon does not doubt " that for such an object a sum worthy of the Craft of England , and of tbe loyal and patriotic feelings of its members , will be contributed . " This is another important point which the members of Lodges are asked to consider
The Royal Jubilee.
and express their views upon ; and we need hardly point out how desirable it is that these opinions should be returned to the proper quarter as early as convenient . Every one of us must rejoice that an event of such vast
importance in our national history is being so heartily and spontaneously taken up by the various institutions of which tho English-speaking community is composed , and we feel assured that the Masonic body will not yield one jot in the genuino feelings of loyalty , patriotism ,
and love that during the present year will be on every lip and throb in every heart , that our most gracious Soverign Lady the Queen , " happy and glorious , " may yet be spared " Long to reign over" us . "
Masonic Credulity.
MASONIC CREDULITY .
BY BRO . JACOB NORTON . HEATHEN mythology proves that in olden time even the highly educated and cultured classes were exceedingly credulous , and we , of course , laugh at their credulity . I think , however , that in a future generation OUT
descendents will have as much reason to laugh at us as we now have of laughing at the credulity of our predecessors . Take for instance our Masonic histories ; we find that from the earliest time to the present day writers were steeped over head and ears in superstitious credulity . Thus , legends that were invented by pre-1717
writers were not only embodied in later histories , but each successive historian invented new fables , and all these fables were palmed off as Masonic histories . Although strong efforts have been made within the last twenty-five
years , by honest historians , to enlighten the Fraternity by exposing the old errors , yet the papers reprinted in this paper from the Voice of Masonnj , and other American journals , prove conclusively that " the fools are not all
dead ! ' Indeed , if Masons had not been credulous the cock and bull story that Locke found a MS . in . the Bodleian Library , containing a dialogue between Henry VI . and some Masons , would never have been reprinted in
Masonic books so many times . And although the said story was exploded about forty years ago , yet it is repeated in the January 1887 No . of the Yoke of Masonry
as a fact , and it will probably continue to be repeated as a fact for " the Lord knows how long . " And if Masons had not been so credulous so many of them would not have been humbugged by high degree mongers .
Again , about forty years ago Dr . Leeson , an English high degree monger , asserted that in 1772 a book was printed in Brussels containing extracts from the records of the Grand Lodge of England , wherein is mentioned
Masonic Knighthood . This story was for many years repeated by high degree writers and lecturers , both in England and in America , as " Gospel truth . " The fact , however is , the Grand Lodge of England had no records
iu 1722 , and not a shadow of such a book was printed in Brussels in the above named year . Still again , owing to Masonic credulity Dr . Oliver ' s writings became famous both in England and America ; whatever he wrote was believed , without question or doubt ;
he asserted that the Royal Arch was once part of the Master ' s degree , and the best informed Masonic writers believed it . His " Antiquities of Masonry , " his " Johannite Masonry , " his Revelations of a Square , " & c , were quoted far and wide by English and American Masonic luminaries . Well , in 1873 I read an extract from Oliver ' s
" Freemason s Treasury , in Bro . Lyon s " History of Freemasonry in Scotland , " the purport of which was , that Desaguliers and Anderson got the Hiramic legend " from certain idle tales taken out of the Jewish Targums , which were published in London A . D . 1715 , from a manuscript in the University Library at Cambridge . " I then called Bro .
Woodford's attention to the paragraph in question , and urged him to make inquiry whether such a book was printed in London in 1715 ? and whether such a manuscript was ever in existence in the Cambridge Library ? And the answer I got from Bro . Woodford was , that no such book was printed in London in 1715 , and no
such manuscript existed in Cambridge . Now , Oliver's " Treasury" was printed in 1863 , but no one seems to have questioned the truth thereof before 1873 . I will mention another case to show how easily Masons can be imposed upon ; thus , a Rev . Bro . Kerr , in Canada ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Royal Jubilee.
guineas should be charged for entrance to the assembly , the result of which would be to " produce a considerable
fund , by which our three Masonic Charities may be substantially benefited , as a suitable memento of the auspicious occasion . " Now , any movement which has for its object the benefit of our Charitable Institutions must commend
itseir to the hearty acceptance ot every member of the Order , though when we consider the unweai-ying efforts that are continuously being made in our Lodges everywhere in that direction , and the substantial sums which
are collected , in spite of the serious " depression " experienced in almost every department of commerce and industry , it may be deemed a question as to
whether the purses of the charitably-disposed can stand any further strain . We are perfectly aware that whenever any appeal is made for additional aid to any branch of our Benevolent enterprises there is a ready and spontaneous response by every member of the Craft who is in a position
to lend a helping hand ; and there can be little question that for the honour and pleasure of attending the " Commemoration Festival" there are thousands who will be ready to contribute the fee suggested , more especially as the fund so raised would be applied to some permanent memento of tho Jubilee from a purely Masonic standpoint . Whether or not the other proposal—namely , to strike a
special Jubueo jewel , " to be worn by all Freemasons who are subscribing members of some Lodge under the Grand Lodge of England on the 20 th June 1887 , when Her Majesty will complete the 50 fch year of her accession to the Throne of these Realms "—will meet with such ready and general approval is open to some suspicion of doubt . It has long been a prevailing impression that the number of jewels and decorations worn by members of the Craft
has reached its limit , and that any addition to our present collection is undesirable , save under very exceptional circumstances . It will , of course , be argued that this is par excellence a case of unusual importance ; yet , when it is considered that many of our brethren are so bejewelled that they find it necessary to reduce their ordinary decorations
to miniature size , a majority of Masons are inclined to think there is no predisposition to increase the number of
personal adornments . As an evidence of this feeling , it is wellknown that miniature jewels are to be procured by brethren who find it inconvenient to carry such a weight of bullion about with them : and when men crowd on
special distinctive marks for mere trivial services renderedwhen we see young Masons who have scarcely been advanced to office sporting half a-dozen jewels on their breasts—the question naturally arises , " Where is all this
accumulation of Masonic hijouterie to stop ? " Anyhow these are the points considered by some of the Lodges at which Lord Carnarvon ' s Circular has been read ; and , without venturing any decided opinion of our own , we would rather leave it to the verdict of our correspondents , whose views
on the subject will be most acceptable . Another important feature in relation to this matter is , that while " devotion to the Craft" is to be exemplified by the raising of a fund for the benefit of our " Charitable Institutions , " at the same time " loyalty to
the Throne should be encouraged in connection with the " Jubilee Commemoration . " Thus it is pointed out that as it is right that all Freemasons should have an opportunity of showing their loyalty to the throne , and their personal affection and respect for His Royal Highness their Grand Master , in a manner which will
represent alike the feelings of good citizens and true Masons , the national memorial—which is distinguished from all local memorials—it is proposed to raise in Her Majesty ' s honour by the people of this country should form part of the programme under review . It is therefore suggested for the consideration of the members of the various Lodges that a voluntary subscription , not to exceed one guinea per head , be raised in each Lodge for
the purpose of contributing to the erection of the proposed " Imperial Institute" to which we have already made reference . This Institute , which originated in the proposals of our Grand Master , and has his warm sanction and approval , will record both the national memorial of her Majesty ' s Jubilee and also the personal
interest which his Royal Highness the Grand Master has taken in the work ; and Lord Carnarvon does not doubt " that for such an object a sum worthy of the Craft of England , and of tbe loyal and patriotic feelings of its members , will be contributed . " This is another important point which the members of Lodges are asked to consider
The Royal Jubilee.
and express their views upon ; and we need hardly point out how desirable it is that these opinions should be returned to the proper quarter as early as convenient . Every one of us must rejoice that an event of such vast
importance in our national history is being so heartily and spontaneously taken up by the various institutions of which tho English-speaking community is composed , and we feel assured that the Masonic body will not yield one jot in the genuino feelings of loyalty , patriotism ,
and love that during the present year will be on every lip and throb in every heart , that our most gracious Soverign Lady the Queen , " happy and glorious , " may yet be spared " Long to reign over" us . "
Masonic Credulity.
MASONIC CREDULITY .
BY BRO . JACOB NORTON . HEATHEN mythology proves that in olden time even the highly educated and cultured classes were exceedingly credulous , and we , of course , laugh at their credulity . I think , however , that in a future generation OUT
descendents will have as much reason to laugh at us as we now have of laughing at the credulity of our predecessors . Take for instance our Masonic histories ; we find that from the earliest time to the present day writers were steeped over head and ears in superstitious credulity . Thus , legends that were invented by pre-1717
writers were not only embodied in later histories , but each successive historian invented new fables , and all these fables were palmed off as Masonic histories . Although strong efforts have been made within the last twenty-five
years , by honest historians , to enlighten the Fraternity by exposing the old errors , yet the papers reprinted in this paper from the Voice of Masonnj , and other American journals , prove conclusively that " the fools are not all
dead ! ' Indeed , if Masons had not been credulous the cock and bull story that Locke found a MS . in . the Bodleian Library , containing a dialogue between Henry VI . and some Masons , would never have been reprinted in
Masonic books so many times . And although the said story was exploded about forty years ago , yet it is repeated in the January 1887 No . of the Yoke of Masonry
as a fact , and it will probably continue to be repeated as a fact for " the Lord knows how long . " And if Masons had not been so credulous so many of them would not have been humbugged by high degree mongers .
Again , about forty years ago Dr . Leeson , an English high degree monger , asserted that in 1772 a book was printed in Brussels containing extracts from the records of the Grand Lodge of England , wherein is mentioned
Masonic Knighthood . This story was for many years repeated by high degree writers and lecturers , both in England and in America , as " Gospel truth . " The fact , however is , the Grand Lodge of England had no records
iu 1722 , and not a shadow of such a book was printed in Brussels in the above named year . Still again , owing to Masonic credulity Dr . Oliver ' s writings became famous both in England and America ; whatever he wrote was believed , without question or doubt ;
he asserted that the Royal Arch was once part of the Master ' s degree , and the best informed Masonic writers believed it . His " Antiquities of Masonry , " his " Johannite Masonry , " his Revelations of a Square , " & c , were quoted far and wide by English and American Masonic luminaries . Well , in 1873 I read an extract from Oliver ' s
" Freemason s Treasury , in Bro . Lyon s " History of Freemasonry in Scotland , " the purport of which was , that Desaguliers and Anderson got the Hiramic legend " from certain idle tales taken out of the Jewish Targums , which were published in London A . D . 1715 , from a manuscript in the University Library at Cambridge . " I then called Bro .
Woodford's attention to the paragraph in question , and urged him to make inquiry whether such a book was printed in London in 1715 ? and whether such a manuscript was ever in existence in the Cambridge Library ? And the answer I got from Bro . Woodford was , that no such book was printed in London in 1715 , and no
such manuscript existed in Cambridge . Now , Oliver's " Treasury" was printed in 1863 , but no one seems to have questioned the truth thereof before 1873 . I will mention another case to show how easily Masons can be imposed upon ; thus , a Rev . Bro . Kerr , in Canada ,