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Article ANCIENT CRAFT MASONRY. Page 1 of 2 Article ANCIENT CRAFT MASONRY. Page 1 of 2 →
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Ancient Craft Masonry.
ANCIENT CRAFT MASONRY .
Response to the Toast " Ancient Craft Masonry , " at the Scottish Rite Banquet , Indianapolis , 7 th December 1897 , delivered by Wm . H . Smythe Grand Secretary Indiana . FREEMASONRY of every grade should go hand in hand . Its objects are the same , and its lessons and teachings should harmonise , and to have a proper understanding of all its symbols
every Freemason should be required to be a Eoyal Arch Mason , a Royal and Select Master , and a Knight Templar before being eligible to receive the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite degrees , and not only that—he should be required to maintain membership in the Lodge , at least , and when membership in the Lodge ceases , his membership in the Scottish Eite should also cease , and I
sincerly hope that I may live to see the day when the Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite will adopt such a regulation . The Supreme Council should keep pace with the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the United States of America , which , at its Triennial Conclave held in Pittsburg in October last , adopted a statute requiring Knights Templar to be affiliated with both Lodge and Chapter , or else forfeit membership
in the Coinmandery . The advanced thought of Masonic law makers and students of Masonry is tending in the right direction upon this question , and it is only a matter of time when the law will come . The advance step taken by the Grand Encampment will tend to make the Commandery the select Masonic organisation of this as well as all other cibies where Commanderies are stationed .
I believe , also , that the regulation requiring Masons to qualify themselves to "travel and work as such" should be made stronger , and a more thorough knowledge of the degrees of Entered Apprentice , Fellow Craft and Master Mason required than obtains to-day . A Master Mason unable to make himself known as such is unfitted for " advancement to the Grand
Masonic Army of Sublime Princes of the Royal Secret . " One possessed of knowledge sufficient only to procure advancement from one Lodge degree to another should not be disturbed by petitions for other degrees until he is thoroughly qualified for advancement . Many of the leading Scottish Rite Masons have been leaders in York Rite Masonry . It is true that there are , and
have been , exceptions to this rule . A Mason unacquainted with the laws , history or traditions of Freemasonry is deficient in Masonic education . That there are many who wear the figures 32 , and probably some who write 33 after their names , who are incompetent to make themselves known as Master Masons , none will deny or gainsay . There is no excuse for ignorance of the
history , laws and usages of the Fraternity . Masonic publications at a nominal cost , printed proceedings of Grand Lodges , Chapters , Councils and Commanderies containing reviews of the proceedings of sister Grand Bodies , brimming full of the best thought upon Masonic subjects , maybe obtained by Masons without money and without price , and yet how small and insignificant the number of Masons who apply for and read the absolutely free Masonic literature .
In cibies like Indianapolis the young man hears of the Scottish Rite , he hears of its social side , of the annex—the Shrine . These things are talked of in the home , office and counting room , and he is seized with an ambition to be a thirty-second—a Shriner and then a thirty-three degree Mason . He begins to quesbion his Masonic acquaintances as to the modus operandi of becoming a high-up Mason—the figures thirty-two and thirby-bhree and claws
and fez are his guiding star . " A desire of knowledge and a sincere wish of being serviceable to his fellow creatures" does not prompt him to take the step . He readily finds someone to present his petition to a Lodge , and he chafes under the restriction which requires his petition to lay over one month , and his chafing is increased when obliged to learn bhe rudiments required by the Lodge , and when he has received the degrees of what is denominated the Blue Lodge his joy knows no bounds .
The Mason who learns all he can of each branch of Freemasonry and advances as he obtains knowledge thereof , is to be commended . Such a Mason never loses sight of the answers to the questions propounded to him in bhe ante-room of the Lodge , when he presented himself for initiation . Having fixed these questions and answers firmly upon his mind , he enters upon bhe
work of erecbing his Masonic Temple in accordance with the designs laid down upon the Trestle Board of Freemasonry . Thus proceeding he is prepared for the reception of the beautiful and wholesome lessons of the great Fraternity , and having progressed step by step- in accordance with bhe plan of Freemasonry , his
building , when complete , will not be abandoned until ib is equipped and furnished with all the knowledge obtainable . The social side of the Fraternity should nob be neglected , neither should a banquet and a good time be the chief aim of our Masonic career . As was stated by our Illustrious Brother John Caven , upon a Masonic occasion several years ago , lay the foundation" deep , strong and broad "—so should it be the aim of every Mason to
Ancient Craft Masonry.
acquire a complete knowledge of Ancient Craft Masonry—by so doing—each for himself will be prepared to erect a figurative Masonic Temple upon a foundabion that time cannot shake , and which will enable him to express himself upon Masonic topics in an intelligenb manner . If a chemical analysis of the brain of " rapid fire" Masons could be made , the result would no doubt
show a banquet room with all bhe trimmings , and in bhe background a Masonic dude in claws and fez astride a camel riding for dear life to get as far from his Masonic Lodge as possible , for fear he might be called upon bo preform some real Masonic duty . The leading workers of the Ancient and Accepbed Scobbish Ribe , as has been stated before , have also been workers in the York Rite . To
establish this statement I need only to menbion Nicholas R . Ruckle , an active member of the Supreme Council , third officer in that Supreme body , a Past Master of Cenbre Lodge , No . 23 , aud Penbalpha Lodge , No . 564 , a Past High Priest of Keystone Chapter , No . 6 Royal Arch Masons , Past Eminenb Commander of Raper Commandery , No . 1 Knights Templar , Past Grand
Commander of the Grand Commandery and Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge F . and A . Masons of Indiana ; Brother Joseph W . Smith , an active member of the Supreme Council , Past Masber of Mysbic Tie Lodge , No . 398 , Pasb High Priesb of Keystone Chapter , Past Eminent Commander of Raper Commandery , Grand Treasurer of the Grand Commandery , and
the present efficienb Secretary of the Scotbish Rite bodies in this city ; and Brother Jacob W . Smith , Past Master of Mystic Tie Lodge , No . 398 , Past High Priest of Keystone Chapter , Past Eminent Commander of Raper Commandery , present Secretary and Recorder of the two bodies last named , Past Grand High Priejt of the Grand Chapter of Eoyal Arch Masons of Indiana , and
honorary member of the Supreme Council and the present Commanderin-Chief of Indiana Consistory ; and I mighb extend this list to greater length than your patience would permit . The names here suggested are sufficient for the purpose I have in view—which is to impress upon the minds of the younger members of the Rite the importance of giving bo Ancienb Crafb Masonry bhe thought
and sbudy bhat the corner-sbone and foundation of Freemasonry deserves . Withoub a knowledge of whab is denominated Blue Lodge Masonry ib is impossible to understand even the rudiments of Scottish Rite Masonry . A knowledge which simply enables a man to pass from one degree to another is so superficial as to make a well informed Mason blush bo see such an one with a
thirty-two degree charm , as large as the ear of a mule , attached to his watch chain . The less Masonic knowledge the iarger the charm . A man may be able to rattle off the ritual of Freemasonry , and yet his ignorance of the meaning of the symbols may be very pronounced . Masons with every word of the ribual firmly fixed in their minds may be totally ignorant of the laws , usages and customs of the Fraternity .
Candidates have been rushed through the ceremonies of Ancient Crafb Masonry and have been pub forward in the ceremonies of the beaubiful degrees taught in this Temple house , as brilliant men and bright Freemasons , whose lack of thought and ignorance of the rudiments of Freemasonry was so painfully apparent as to bring a blush to the face of friends , personal and otherwise .
Motives of a mercenary character should not prompt anyone to advance in Masonry . Freemasonry is too sacred , and its aims , purposes and lessons should be so firmly impressed upon our minds , bhab we may lose sighb of the show , fuss and feathers , and grasp the ripe fruit and helpful mind food and digest it thoroughly , thereby enabling us to broaden our minds , enlarge our hearts , and
open our purses to aid bhe weary and worn , bhe destitute and helpless , and , by so doing , convey to our Brebhren , our friends and our families , that the time , labour and money expended in Freemasonry has made us better citizens , bebber husbands , and better fathers . Freemasonry , from Entered Apprenbice to Sovereign Grand Inspector General of the thirty-third and last
degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Ritey is a noble Institution . Let us , then , my Brethren , thoroughly understand its lessons and principles . Let us study and learn all bhere is to know about the corner-stone , the foundation , the great bulwark , the fountain head—Ancienb Craft Masonry—the Blue Lodgethe helper in time of need—bhe dispensary of Masonic charity .
There are , no doubt , Freemasons under the sound of my voice who could not make themselves known as an Entered Apprentice , must less a Master Mason—some perhaps who have never crossed the threshold of a Lodge of Master Masons since they were raised . What does such a Mason know about the aims , designs and purposes of Freemasonry ? Does such a Freemason ever hear the " call of want or the piteous wail of sorrow ? " Does he
remember that he was ever taught to whisper a word of good counsel into the ear of a falling Brother , and in the most tender manner remind him of his faults ? Has he not forgotten that he ever heard , or that he was ever instructed to contribute to bhe relief of a disbressed worbhy Brobher ? Does he even have au indistinct recollection that he ever heard the words—to relieve the distressed is a duty incumbent upon all men , but more
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ancient Craft Masonry.
ANCIENT CRAFT MASONRY .
Response to the Toast " Ancient Craft Masonry , " at the Scottish Rite Banquet , Indianapolis , 7 th December 1897 , delivered by Wm . H . Smythe Grand Secretary Indiana . FREEMASONRY of every grade should go hand in hand . Its objects are the same , and its lessons and teachings should harmonise , and to have a proper understanding of all its symbols
every Freemason should be required to be a Eoyal Arch Mason , a Royal and Select Master , and a Knight Templar before being eligible to receive the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite degrees , and not only that—he should be required to maintain membership in the Lodge , at least , and when membership in the Lodge ceases , his membership in the Scottish Eite should also cease , and I
sincerly hope that I may live to see the day when the Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite will adopt such a regulation . The Supreme Council should keep pace with the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the United States of America , which , at its Triennial Conclave held in Pittsburg in October last , adopted a statute requiring Knights Templar to be affiliated with both Lodge and Chapter , or else forfeit membership
in the Coinmandery . The advanced thought of Masonic law makers and students of Masonry is tending in the right direction upon this question , and it is only a matter of time when the law will come . The advance step taken by the Grand Encampment will tend to make the Commandery the select Masonic organisation of this as well as all other cibies where Commanderies are stationed .
I believe , also , that the regulation requiring Masons to qualify themselves to "travel and work as such" should be made stronger , and a more thorough knowledge of the degrees of Entered Apprentice , Fellow Craft and Master Mason required than obtains to-day . A Master Mason unable to make himself known as such is unfitted for " advancement to the Grand
Masonic Army of Sublime Princes of the Royal Secret . " One possessed of knowledge sufficient only to procure advancement from one Lodge degree to another should not be disturbed by petitions for other degrees until he is thoroughly qualified for advancement . Many of the leading Scottish Rite Masons have been leaders in York Rite Masonry . It is true that there are , and
have been , exceptions to this rule . A Mason unacquainted with the laws , history or traditions of Freemasonry is deficient in Masonic education . That there are many who wear the figures 32 , and probably some who write 33 after their names , who are incompetent to make themselves known as Master Masons , none will deny or gainsay . There is no excuse for ignorance of the
history , laws and usages of the Fraternity . Masonic publications at a nominal cost , printed proceedings of Grand Lodges , Chapters , Councils and Commanderies containing reviews of the proceedings of sister Grand Bodies , brimming full of the best thought upon Masonic subjects , maybe obtained by Masons without money and without price , and yet how small and insignificant the number of Masons who apply for and read the absolutely free Masonic literature .
In cibies like Indianapolis the young man hears of the Scottish Rite , he hears of its social side , of the annex—the Shrine . These things are talked of in the home , office and counting room , and he is seized with an ambition to be a thirty-second—a Shriner and then a thirty-three degree Mason . He begins to quesbion his Masonic acquaintances as to the modus operandi of becoming a high-up Mason—the figures thirty-two and thirby-bhree and claws
and fez are his guiding star . " A desire of knowledge and a sincere wish of being serviceable to his fellow creatures" does not prompt him to take the step . He readily finds someone to present his petition to a Lodge , and he chafes under the restriction which requires his petition to lay over one month , and his chafing is increased when obliged to learn bhe rudiments required by the Lodge , and when he has received the degrees of what is denominated the Blue Lodge his joy knows no bounds .
The Mason who learns all he can of each branch of Freemasonry and advances as he obtains knowledge thereof , is to be commended . Such a Mason never loses sight of the answers to the questions propounded to him in bhe ante-room of the Lodge , when he presented himself for initiation . Having fixed these questions and answers firmly upon his mind , he enters upon bhe
work of erecbing his Masonic Temple in accordance with the designs laid down upon the Trestle Board of Freemasonry . Thus proceeding he is prepared for the reception of the beautiful and wholesome lessons of the great Fraternity , and having progressed step by step- in accordance with bhe plan of Freemasonry , his
building , when complete , will not be abandoned until ib is equipped and furnished with all the knowledge obtainable . The social side of the Fraternity should nob be neglected , neither should a banquet and a good time be the chief aim of our Masonic career . As was stated by our Illustrious Brother John Caven , upon a Masonic occasion several years ago , lay the foundation" deep , strong and broad "—so should it be the aim of every Mason to
Ancient Craft Masonry.
acquire a complete knowledge of Ancient Craft Masonry—by so doing—each for himself will be prepared to erect a figurative Masonic Temple upon a foundabion that time cannot shake , and which will enable him to express himself upon Masonic topics in an intelligenb manner . If a chemical analysis of the brain of " rapid fire" Masons could be made , the result would no doubt
show a banquet room with all bhe trimmings , and in bhe background a Masonic dude in claws and fez astride a camel riding for dear life to get as far from his Masonic Lodge as possible , for fear he might be called upon bo preform some real Masonic duty . The leading workers of the Ancient and Accepbed Scobbish Ribe , as has been stated before , have also been workers in the York Rite . To
establish this statement I need only to menbion Nicholas R . Ruckle , an active member of the Supreme Council , third officer in that Supreme body , a Past Master of Cenbre Lodge , No . 23 , aud Penbalpha Lodge , No . 564 , a Past High Priest of Keystone Chapter , No . 6 Royal Arch Masons , Past Eminenb Commander of Raper Commandery , No . 1 Knights Templar , Past Grand
Commander of the Grand Commandery and Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge F . and A . Masons of Indiana ; Brother Joseph W . Smith , an active member of the Supreme Council , Past Masber of Mysbic Tie Lodge , No . 398 , Pasb High Priesb of Keystone Chapter , Past Eminent Commander of Raper Commandery , Grand Treasurer of the Grand Commandery , and
the present efficienb Secretary of the Scotbish Rite bodies in this city ; and Brother Jacob W . Smith , Past Master of Mystic Tie Lodge , No . 398 , Past High Priest of Keystone Chapter , Past Eminent Commander of Raper Commandery , present Secretary and Recorder of the two bodies last named , Past Grand High Priejt of the Grand Chapter of Eoyal Arch Masons of Indiana , and
honorary member of the Supreme Council and the present Commanderin-Chief of Indiana Consistory ; and I mighb extend this list to greater length than your patience would permit . The names here suggested are sufficient for the purpose I have in view—which is to impress upon the minds of the younger members of the Rite the importance of giving bo Ancienb Crafb Masonry bhe thought
and sbudy bhat the corner-sbone and foundation of Freemasonry deserves . Withoub a knowledge of whab is denominated Blue Lodge Masonry ib is impossible to understand even the rudiments of Scottish Rite Masonry . A knowledge which simply enables a man to pass from one degree to another is so superficial as to make a well informed Mason blush bo see such an one with a
thirty-two degree charm , as large as the ear of a mule , attached to his watch chain . The less Masonic knowledge the iarger the charm . A man may be able to rattle off the ritual of Freemasonry , and yet his ignorance of the meaning of the symbols may be very pronounced . Masons with every word of the ribual firmly fixed in their minds may be totally ignorant of the laws , usages and customs of the Fraternity .
Candidates have been rushed through the ceremonies of Ancient Crafb Masonry and have been pub forward in the ceremonies of the beaubiful degrees taught in this Temple house , as brilliant men and bright Freemasons , whose lack of thought and ignorance of the rudiments of Freemasonry was so painfully apparent as to bring a blush to the face of friends , personal and otherwise .
Motives of a mercenary character should not prompt anyone to advance in Masonry . Freemasonry is too sacred , and its aims , purposes and lessons should be so firmly impressed upon our minds , bhab we may lose sighb of the show , fuss and feathers , and grasp the ripe fruit and helpful mind food and digest it thoroughly , thereby enabling us to broaden our minds , enlarge our hearts , and
open our purses to aid bhe weary and worn , bhe destitute and helpless , and , by so doing , convey to our Brebhren , our friends and our families , that the time , labour and money expended in Freemasonry has made us better citizens , bebber husbands , and better fathers . Freemasonry , from Entered Apprenbice to Sovereign Grand Inspector General of the thirty-third and last
degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Ritey is a noble Institution . Let us , then , my Brethren , thoroughly understand its lessons and principles . Let us study and learn all bhere is to know about the corner-stone , the foundation , the great bulwark , the fountain head—Ancienb Craft Masonry—the Blue Lodgethe helper in time of need—bhe dispensary of Masonic charity .
There are , no doubt , Freemasons under the sound of my voice who could not make themselves known as an Entered Apprentice , must less a Master Mason—some perhaps who have never crossed the threshold of a Lodge of Master Masons since they were raised . What does such a Mason know about the aims , designs and purposes of Freemasonry ? Does such a Freemason ever hear the " call of want or the piteous wail of sorrow ? " Does he
remember that he was ever taught to whisper a word of good counsel into the ear of a falling Brother , and in the most tender manner remind him of his faults ? Has he not forgotten that he ever heard , or that he was ever instructed to contribute to bhe relief of a disbressed worbhy Brobher ? Does he even have au indistinct recollection that he ever heard the words—to relieve the distressed is a duty incumbent upon all men , but more