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Article THE CRAFT DEGREES AND ROYAL ARCH. ← Page 5 of 7 →
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The Craft Degrees And Royal Arch.
The peculiar link which these degrees occupied in the ancient York rite was in strict accordance with the ancient customs of the Fraternity . The marks entrusted to the skilful craftsmen served not only to distinguish their particular work , but in a superior degree , when more fully
comprehended , were found to contain the elementary principles of design . Recent investigations have shown their great importance in an archasological point of view , and also in elucidating the continuous history of the Fraternity , inasmuch as the marks used by the ancient craftsmen ( all having some hidden symbolical reference ) are found amongst the
ruins of almost every important ancient building still existing on the face of the globe ; and we are by these means enabled from actual inspection to trace the connecting links existing in structures erected by our ancient brethren for a period looking backwards more than forty centuries . We seem thus to uplift the veil which throws the pall of its dark
shadow upon the past and to admit a ray of light which , though faintly visible serves to illumine the gloom left by the lapse of ages , and enables us to rediscover those broken links and scattered fragments which , when reunited , will constitute the perfect chain of true Masonic history . This , however , is a matter demanding separate and more
attentive investigation ; the results , I can testify from personal research , are highly interesting . In _ returning to the subject of the present chapter , and alluding to the degrees as at present practised , it will be necessary to advert to their peculiar arrangement ; but , first , let us consider the moral tendencies which the entire system assumes under its present aspect .
Our system is now purely spiritual , and yet it is perfectly evident , that the same principles are preserved and taught amongst us which formed the landmarks of the Fraternity when operative Freemasonry existed in the zenith of its splendour . The sphere of our operations is , however , now enlarged . No longer confined by the trammels which
operations merely mechanical impose , we can extend our symbolical system so as to embrace a far wider range , and render in a move spiritual and exalted sense every rite , signification , and observance of the ancient Fraternity . We do not now point to the operative building , the mere work of human hands , as evidence of Masonic skill ; but we refer to that spiritual working which erects the temple of
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Craft Degrees And Royal Arch.
The peculiar link which these degrees occupied in the ancient York rite was in strict accordance with the ancient customs of the Fraternity . The marks entrusted to the skilful craftsmen served not only to distinguish their particular work , but in a superior degree , when more fully
comprehended , were found to contain the elementary principles of design . Recent investigations have shown their great importance in an archasological point of view , and also in elucidating the continuous history of the Fraternity , inasmuch as the marks used by the ancient craftsmen ( all having some hidden symbolical reference ) are found amongst the
ruins of almost every important ancient building still existing on the face of the globe ; and we are by these means enabled from actual inspection to trace the connecting links existing in structures erected by our ancient brethren for a period looking backwards more than forty centuries . We seem thus to uplift the veil which throws the pall of its dark
shadow upon the past and to admit a ray of light which , though faintly visible serves to illumine the gloom left by the lapse of ages , and enables us to rediscover those broken links and scattered fragments which , when reunited , will constitute the perfect chain of true Masonic history . This , however , is a matter demanding separate and more
attentive investigation ; the results , I can testify from personal research , are highly interesting . In _ returning to the subject of the present chapter , and alluding to the degrees as at present practised , it will be necessary to advert to their peculiar arrangement ; but , first , let us consider the moral tendencies which the entire system assumes under its present aspect .
Our system is now purely spiritual , and yet it is perfectly evident , that the same principles are preserved and taught amongst us which formed the landmarks of the Fraternity when operative Freemasonry existed in the zenith of its splendour . The sphere of our operations is , however , now enlarged . No longer confined by the trammels which
operations merely mechanical impose , we can extend our symbolical system so as to embrace a far wider range , and render in a move spiritual and exalted sense every rite , signification , and observance of the ancient Fraternity . We do not now point to the operative building , the mere work of human hands , as evidence of Masonic skill ; but we refer to that spiritual working which erects the temple of