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Article THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. ← Page 7 of 14 →
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The Revelations Of A Square.
Grand Lodge to construct a new code of Lectures by a careful revision of the existing ritual , and a collation of all the ancient forms , he executed the task so well , that the Grand Lodge adopted it without alteration , and enjoined its practice on all the Lodges under its jurisdiction . " These were the palmy days of Masonry" said the S
, quare , exultingly , " and it is doubtful whether it has ever been in greater repute than under the direction of this learned and philosophical Brother . In one instance , he certainly laid himself open to the charge of building on another man ' s foundation , for he reconstructed Dermott ' s Royal Arch , and introduced it into the Grand Lodge of England . It was a bold
attempt ; but from the patronage of the duke of Clarence , united with his own influence in Grand Lodge , it was eminently successful . I cannot deny but it was an innovation , for it absolutely disarranged the Landmarks , by transferring the Master ' s Word to a subsidiary degree . And so it was generally considered at its first introduction . It was like grafting a crab upon an apple-stock . But time has effected wondrous changes . The crab has ripened into a most delicious fruit , and the improved Royal Arch Degree is now considered
the perfection of Masonry . " Bro . Dunckerley found amongst the Ancient Masons a French work , which , taken as a corollary to their professions of superior antiquity , constituted a curious anomaly that is deserving of a passing notice , its professed object being to rebut the claims of Masonry to a high antiquity , and to limit
its existence to the last two hundred years . The author confidently asserts that it was a purely English invention , never contradicted by the Fraternity when speaking with each other in confidence , and tacitly acknowledged by all foreign Lodges , which are nothing more than branches from this original stock . And he asks triumphantly , ' But what happy mortal
amongst the English has been able so to interest the heavens in his favour , as to gain the glorious title of founder of this Order ? There are few who will guess at him from the hints I have given , yet still fewer who , like him , could penetrate into the very heart of man , could trace all its windings , and draw from him all his thoughts ; fewer wholike himcould at one
, , glance discern the advantages of such an institution , the means of establishing it with success , and of making it useful to his political and religious designs . There are few whom ( as the poet says ) Jupiter eyes so partially , as suddenly to dispel the night which environs them , and bringing them into
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Revelations Of A Square.
Grand Lodge to construct a new code of Lectures by a careful revision of the existing ritual , and a collation of all the ancient forms , he executed the task so well , that the Grand Lodge adopted it without alteration , and enjoined its practice on all the Lodges under its jurisdiction . " These were the palmy days of Masonry" said the S
, quare , exultingly , " and it is doubtful whether it has ever been in greater repute than under the direction of this learned and philosophical Brother . In one instance , he certainly laid himself open to the charge of building on another man ' s foundation , for he reconstructed Dermott ' s Royal Arch , and introduced it into the Grand Lodge of England . It was a bold
attempt ; but from the patronage of the duke of Clarence , united with his own influence in Grand Lodge , it was eminently successful . I cannot deny but it was an innovation , for it absolutely disarranged the Landmarks , by transferring the Master ' s Word to a subsidiary degree . And so it was generally considered at its first introduction . It was like grafting a crab upon an apple-stock . But time has effected wondrous changes . The crab has ripened into a most delicious fruit , and the improved Royal Arch Degree is now considered
the perfection of Masonry . " Bro . Dunckerley found amongst the Ancient Masons a French work , which , taken as a corollary to their professions of superior antiquity , constituted a curious anomaly that is deserving of a passing notice , its professed object being to rebut the claims of Masonry to a high antiquity , and to limit
its existence to the last two hundred years . The author confidently asserts that it was a purely English invention , never contradicted by the Fraternity when speaking with each other in confidence , and tacitly acknowledged by all foreign Lodges , which are nothing more than branches from this original stock . And he asks triumphantly , ' But what happy mortal
amongst the English has been able so to interest the heavens in his favour , as to gain the glorious title of founder of this Order ? There are few who will guess at him from the hints I have given , yet still fewer who , like him , could penetrate into the very heart of man , could trace all its windings , and draw from him all his thoughts ; fewer wholike himcould at one
, , glance discern the advantages of such an institution , the means of establishing it with success , and of making it useful to his political and religious designs . There are few whom ( as the poet says ) Jupiter eyes so partially , as suddenly to dispel the night which environs them , and bringing them into