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Article THE ROSICRUCIAN CRUSADE. ← Page 5 of 13 →
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The Rosicrucian Crusade.
Bro . Ellis , in his letter of the 6 th of October , 1810 , contradicted these statements ; and for this letter he was arraigned before the Grand Lodge of Ireland on a memorial presented to that body by the Secretary of the Council of Rites ! Bro . Ellis attended in his place in the Grand Lodge of Ireland in the month of December 1840 , prepared , as he alleged , to disprove every charge brought against him ; but he was not allowed to utter a word in
his own defence . For , before the charge preferred against him was proceeded with , Bro . Ellis was ordered , by a vote of the Grand Lodge , to leave the Lodge room , and to remain in the porch . In that position he was able to hear the accusations , but was unable to reply to them . Three several times Bro . Ellis demanded , through the Grand Pursuivant , admission to his place in the Grancl Lodge , ancl permission to
defend himself , alleging that he was perfectly able to refute every charge : but the Duke of Leinster , who on that night occupied the chair , did not accede to this demand . Bro . Richard Martin moved the Grand Lodge that Bro . Ellis should be allowed to defend himself , but in vain . The late excellent Brother John Mitchell went up to the chair , and called upon the Duke of Leinster to admit Bro . Ellis to his place in the Grand Lodge , and to grant him a hearing , according to the usual
practice , but his grace declined to do so . It was then moved , that Bro . Ellis should be suspended for two years . And an amendment was proposed by Bro . John Norman , the Vice-president of the Council of Rites , that Bro . Ellis should be suspended during pleasure . The Duke of Leinster proceeded to put the question in the following manner : — " Those who are of opinion that Bro . Ellis should be suspended for two years will please lo go to the right—those who are
of opinion that he should be suspended during pleasure will please to go to the left . " Bro . Martin resisted this mode of putting the question , and showed that there was no place where those who were opposed to the infliction of all punishment could stand , and that by adopting this mode , all possibility of escape was denied to the accused ; but his resistance was unavailing , and the punishment of suspension for two years was inflicted
upon Bro . Ellis ; most of his friends voting for this sentence from a belief that it would prove the lightest , and being prevented , by the form in which the question was put , from voting against all punishment , ancl according to their inclinations . With respect to the third result to ivhich we desire to draw the attention ofthe Craft , namely , the declaration ofthe illegality of all British Chapters ofthe degree of S . P . R . C . We shall insert an extract from the work alluded to , containing the letter of the Duke of Leinster , which announced this decision of the Council of Rites .
" London , 14 th May , 1842 . " SIR—I have received your letter of the 12 th of May , and am happy to find I may be the means of promoting peace , love , ancl harmony . " Will you kindly send me the names of those Brethren you state to he Prince Masons , and an assurance that no more will be made until my proposals are accepted or rejected—viz . ' That the old books you state belong to your Chapter be handed to me ; that you will take a warrant from me , and conform to all the usages ancl customs thereof ;
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Rosicrucian Crusade.
Bro . Ellis , in his letter of the 6 th of October , 1810 , contradicted these statements ; and for this letter he was arraigned before the Grand Lodge of Ireland on a memorial presented to that body by the Secretary of the Council of Rites ! Bro . Ellis attended in his place in the Grand Lodge of Ireland in the month of December 1840 , prepared , as he alleged , to disprove every charge brought against him ; but he was not allowed to utter a word in
his own defence . For , before the charge preferred against him was proceeded with , Bro . Ellis was ordered , by a vote of the Grand Lodge , to leave the Lodge room , and to remain in the porch . In that position he was able to hear the accusations , but was unable to reply to them . Three several times Bro . Ellis demanded , through the Grand Pursuivant , admission to his place in the Grancl Lodge , ancl permission to
defend himself , alleging that he was perfectly able to refute every charge : but the Duke of Leinster , who on that night occupied the chair , did not accede to this demand . Bro . Richard Martin moved the Grand Lodge that Bro . Ellis should be allowed to defend himself , but in vain . The late excellent Brother John Mitchell went up to the chair , and called upon the Duke of Leinster to admit Bro . Ellis to his place in the Grand Lodge , and to grant him a hearing , according to the usual
practice , but his grace declined to do so . It was then moved , that Bro . Ellis should be suspended for two years . And an amendment was proposed by Bro . John Norman , the Vice-president of the Council of Rites , that Bro . Ellis should be suspended during pleasure . The Duke of Leinster proceeded to put the question in the following manner : — " Those who are of opinion that Bro . Ellis should be suspended for two years will please lo go to the right—those who are
of opinion that he should be suspended during pleasure will please to go to the left . " Bro . Martin resisted this mode of putting the question , and showed that there was no place where those who were opposed to the infliction of all punishment could stand , and that by adopting this mode , all possibility of escape was denied to the accused ; but his resistance was unavailing , and the punishment of suspension for two years was inflicted
upon Bro . Ellis ; most of his friends voting for this sentence from a belief that it would prove the lightest , and being prevented , by the form in which the question was put , from voting against all punishment , ancl according to their inclinations . With respect to the third result to ivhich we desire to draw the attention ofthe Craft , namely , the declaration ofthe illegality of all British Chapters ofthe degree of S . P . R . C . We shall insert an extract from the work alluded to , containing the letter of the Duke of Leinster , which announced this decision of the Council of Rites .
" London , 14 th May , 1842 . " SIR—I have received your letter of the 12 th of May , and am happy to find I may be the means of promoting peace , love , ancl harmony . " Will you kindly send me the names of those Brethren you state to he Prince Masons , and an assurance that no more will be made until my proposals are accepted or rejected—viz . ' That the old books you state belong to your Chapter be handed to me ; that you will take a warrant from me , and conform to all the usages ancl customs thereof ;