"Dalcho's Orations."

never a body of architects , that is , they were not originally embodied for tho purposes of building . It must bo evident to every Mason , particularly those brethren who have received tho sublime degrees , that the situation of tho Lodge and its several parts are copied after the Tabernacle and Temple , and represents the Universe as the Temple , in which tho Deity is everywhere present . Our manner of

teaching is derived from the Druids , * * * our maxims of morality from Pythagoras , * * * many of our emblems aro originally from Egypt ; the science of Abraji , and tho characters of thoso emanations of the Deity , which have been adopted , are derived from Basilidi-s . The word Mason is derived from the Greek , and literary means a

member of a religions sect , or ono who is professedly devoted to the worship of the Deity . The term Free being prefixed , is probably derived from the Cmsades . * * * The term Accepted , is derived from the indulgences granted by the Pope , to all those who would confess their sins and join the enterprise for the recovery of the Holy Land . It is well known that immense numbers of Freemasons wero

engaged in the Holy Wars , and that their gallant and enterprising conduct gained them the esteem of the leaders of the army , who solicited initiation into tho mysteries of their Order . This subject is well understood by those brethren who have received tho 20 th degree . " I havo in a former paper quoted from Dr . Folger ' s history of the

high degrees , a pretension set np by the Charlostonian high degrees , about their rights of granting charters for Blue Lodges , whioh right they are pleased to waive for the present . In a note to appendix A , Bro . Dalcho says : " Although the Sublime Masons in this country have not initiated any into the Blue degrees , yet their councils possess the indefeasible

right of granting Warrants for that purpose . It is common on the continent of Europe , and may be the case here shonld circumstances render the exercise of this power necessary . The legality of this riant is derived from the highest Masonic authority in th © world , and enn be demonstrated to the perfect satisfaction of every Masonic judicial or legislative body . Throughout the Continent of Europe ,

England , Ireland , and the West Indies , every Sublime Mason is recognised as a lawful Past Master . In England , and in many States in America , the Grand Officers mnst he Royal Arch Masons . The Inspectors ( of the high grades ) have not as yet , insisted on it in this State , merely because they wished to have no interference with the symbolic degrees ; but they are at the same time fully convinced ,

that the Sublime Masons are as lawfully made Past Masters , under as regular and authentic warrant and Constitution as his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , who is Grand Master of England . " — " F . D . " The moral teachings in Bro . Dalcho ' s orations , made a very favonr . able impression on my mind regarding his high moral character ; but on reading the above note , I came to the conclusion that Dalcho was

after all a dovmright hypocrite . Daloho was initiated under the jurisdiction of either the Ancients or Moderns in South Carolina . At his initiation he took an oath to obey the laws and Constitutions of his Grand Lodge , those laws gave no power to a Sovereign Grand Commander to charter Blue Lodges . Dalcho was Master of a Lodge when he delivered the second oration ; at his installation to that

office he took another oath to obey the Constitutions of his Grand Lodge . The question naturally suggests itself , how , arid by what power did Bro . Dalcho deem himself absolved from obeying those repeated oaths of fealty to the Grand Lodge ? He says , that tbe legality of his right to grant charters for Craft Lodges " was derived from the highest Masonic authority in the

world . " Now , in the first place , where P when ? and by whom , was Frederick the Great invested with tho highest Masonic powers in the world ? Second , did Bro . Dalcho really believe , or could he believe , that the Almighty conferred upon Frederick the Groat the power of absolving him from his Masonic oaths ? And third , Frederick the Great was not a high degreer , he never sent Constitutions for the high

degrees to South Carolina . This pretended Frederick the Great Constitution was a Charlestonian high grader's fraud ; and if Dalcho himself was not a party to that fraud , he was too shrewd a man to havo been ignorant of the fact . Drlcho says , " that in England and in many American States , Grand Officers must be Royal Arch Masons . " Now , I never heard

of an American Masonic Constitution having such a law , I am certain the English Constitution did not have that law , and I doubt , whether even the Ahiman Rezon of the Ancients had that law . But suppose it was so , what has that to do with Dalcho ' s claimed right to violate his oaths of fealty to his Grand Lodgo ? Well , the only way I can account for the introduction of the subject of Grand

Officers being Royal Arch Masons , is this : The Past Master ' s degree ( since Thomas Smith Webb remodelled the American rituals of various degrees ) was conferred upon every aspirant for the Royal Arch degree . This Past Master's degree ( like tho Royal Arch ) was an invention of the Ancients , the Grand Lodgo of England did not incorporate that degree into the ceremony of installation of Lodge

Masters before 1813 . This Past Master's degree was designed to be confined to those only who are installed as Masters of regular Lodges , and those who receive the said degree aro bound as much by an OB to keep it secret , from all but Masters and I ' nst Masters , as they are bound to keep the secrets of a Master Mason from an Entered Apprentice . There is no doubt in my mind , therefore , that Masters

or Past Masters who participate in conferring the Past Master ' s degree in a Royal Arch Chapter , or who aro present when that degree is conferred there , are as guilty of perjury as they would have been had they been present nt an initiation of a Mason in an unauthorised Lodge . Now , instead of Bro . Dalcho rebuking the Royal Archers for their perjury , he took advantage of their offence to excuse

his own . First he went to work and conferred the Past Master ' s degree upon his Sublime Masons , and if this violation could be done Upon the alleged authority of Frederick the Great , why not grant charters for Blue Lodges also upon the alleged authority of Frederick the Great ? And in this way he excused himself for his pretended rights . Any amount of indignation was heaped upon the Grand Orient of

"Dalcho's Orations."

France for her opening the doors of her Lodges to Ath ^ Uts . An Atheist , thoy say , has no conscience , and ho will , therefore , violato his OB , & o ., & c . I think , however , that' Dalcho ' s influence upon his associates was more pernicious than the influence of the most unscrupulous Atheist could havo been . For instance , if an Atheist had made an attempt to instil into the minds of tho brethren the doctrine

of a right to violate a Masonic oath , he would immediately bo hissed out of tho Masonic Associations . But when a religions man , liko the Rev . Bro . Dalcho , teaches a doctrino subversive of all morality , not only his immediate associates are apt to imbibo bis doctrine , but future generations will cling to it , because Bro . Dalcho sanctioned it . Indeed such has really been the case among the High Degreers :

thus Atwood , in 1837 , established a Grand Lodge of his own in New York , which existed until 1851 . The French nigh Graders in Louisiana have also a Grand Lodge of their own , and tho leaders of those High Rites , both North and South , though glorying in the Bible as a great Masonic Light , are not ashamed to affirm publicly

their right to control Grand Lodges , & c , but they merely waive that right . I therefore repeat that Dalcho did moro to sap the foundation of morality and honour among Masons than the worst Atboist could have done . And it is my opinion that the best service Dalcho ever rendered to Masonry was by his final secession from the Masonic Fraternity . Boston , U . S ., 9 th September 1881 .

Meeting Of The Lodge Of Benevolence.

MEETING OF THE LODGE OF BENEVOLENCE .

THE monthly meeting of the Lodge of Benevolence was held on Wednesday evening , at Freemasons' Hall . The three chairs were occupied by Bros . Joshua Nunn Senior Vice-President , Jam ° i Brett Junior Vice-President , and Samuel Rawson Past District Grand Master of China . Owing to tho holiday season there were but few members present , but among those who attended were the Grand

Secretary Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , A . A . Pendlebury , W . Dodd , G . P . Britten , C . F . Hogard , Arthur E . Gladwell , J . H . Matthews , John Constable , James Terry Socretary Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , George Lambert G . S . B ., Edgar Bowyer , W . Mann J . M . Case P . G . D ., Charles Dairy , C . A . Cottebrune P G . P ., John Mason , W .

Stephens , H . Garrod , and H . Massey . Tho brethren first confirmed the recommendations of last Lodge to the amount of £ 145 . There were twenty-one fresh cases on tho list . Four of these were postponed , and one was dismissed . The remainder were relieved in a total sum of £ 365 , in sums of £ 40 , £ 30 , £ 25 , £ 20 , £ 10 , and £ 5 .

We understand that the Right Hon . the Lord Tenderden , K . C . B ., Provincial Grand Master for Essex , has announced his intention of holding his Grand Lodge for 1882 at Chingford , under the banner of the Chigwell Lodge , No .

453 . The last time this Lodge received P . G . L . was in 1869 , when its headquarters were at Woodford . It is now located at the Forest Hotel , Chingford , on the borders of Epping Forest , one of the prettiest spots in Essex .

Last week , tbe Eastnor Lodge , No . 751 , Ledbury , consecrated their now Lodge Room , situated in the Highstreet . There was a strong attendance of the brethren , and the ceremony was very ably performed . Among those

present were R . W . Bro . Sir J . Russell Bailey Bart ., M . P ., Provincial Grand Master Herefordshire , and Bro . Thomas Jowitt Deputy Provincial Grand Master . The customary banquet followed .

At a meeting , on Wednesday last , of tbe Provincial Grand Lodge of Worcestershire , there was a large muster of the brethren , who assembled at the Talbot Hotel , Stourbridge , under the presidency of Right Worshipful Bro . Sir E . A . H . Lechmere , Bart ., M . P ., Provincial Grand

Master , among the visitors being Bro . Mix . Mclntyre , Grand Registrar . The Provincial G . Master announced that , owing to advanced age , Bro . Masefield Deputy Prov . G . M . had expressed a wish to resign his office , and that , at a meeting to be held in the course of a few months , he

proposed to appoint in his stead Bro . A . F . Goddard . The Prov . G . Master also announced , amid expressions of universal regret , the death of Bro . Bristow , Prov . G . Secretary , who had held the office for some twenty years , and to whose family and friends , on the loss they bad sustained , a

vote of condolence was unanimously passed . Bro . George Taylor , of Kidderminster , will be his successor . The brethren attended divine service at St . Thomas ' s Church .

where a sermon was preached by Rev . Bro . J . B . Wilson , Prov G . Chaplain . In the evening a banquet was served at the Talbot . Tho next meeting will be held at the Talbot .

. I . E . SHAHS & Co ., Wine Merchants ( Experts and valuers ) . Well fermented old Wines and maturctVSpirits . 2 Albert Mansions , Victoria-street , LondoD , S . W .