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Article A CENTURY OF FREEMASONRY. ← Page 9 of 10 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
A Century Of Freemasonry.
for the Papal States , in Avhich death and confiscation of property , Avithout hope of mercy , Avas the penalty . Similar measures bad been -taken in Sweden and the Netherlands . Even in Malta , some Knights of St . John were banished for being Freemasons ; a fact which corroborates the assertion respecting the Avide distinction there was made between the Craft and the other
societies to which the Middle Age had given birth . Spain , Zurich , and many other places , followed in the track of persecution . On the other hand , the enlightened mind of Frederick II . of Prussia saw the beauty of Masonic principles , and determined , come what might , to shield and defend the Order from the
attacks of the prejudiced monarchs of other countries . In Prussia at least should be found one continental " city of refuge " for the Freemasons ; and it was a proud and important day for the Craft that Avitnessed the opening of the Lodge at the palace of Charlottenburg , on the 20 th of June , 1740 . This influenced the wavering opinions of some of the other princesand among
, those who aided Frederick in his work , Ave find the Margrave of Bayreuth . Even in France brighter days seemed on the daAvn ; the Order was more " graciously entreated" respecting a projected meeting of Masons of all nations at Paris , in 1741 * The bull of Clement XII ., if it failed in its intention of doing away with the Craft , had one totally unexpected effect ; this was
the institution of the Order of " Mopses . " Its ceremonies are obscure ; but some of them may be found in the " Franc-Macon Trahi" ( 1745 ) . There Avas no oath , only a word of honour given . The society is more important for being the cause of the admission of females to the Order in France , than for any intrinsic merits known to the Avorld . Kloss says , that even to
the present time the Avife of a Freemason is sometimes called a " Mopsa . "f In 1742 also we find M . de Chambonnet founding the " Ordre de la Felicite , " for both men and Avomen , an Order Avhich does not appear to have borne the highest moral character ; and the " Ordre de PAncre" ( 1745 ) seems to have been a similar institution , originating in the other . Adoptive Masonry
dates , it is said , from 1730 ; but all these caricatures and distortions of the true Fraternity appear to have dwindled away to nothing a few years only after their origin . A significant fact is it for the worth and actuality of the ancient Fraternity , that all these excrescences , all these unfruitful suckers from the great root , grew up and withered away , leaving tbe immutable principles of justice and integrity , as developed in the system of
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
A Century Of Freemasonry.
for the Papal States , in Avhich death and confiscation of property , Avithout hope of mercy , Avas the penalty . Similar measures bad been -taken in Sweden and the Netherlands . Even in Malta , some Knights of St . John were banished for being Freemasons ; a fact which corroborates the assertion respecting the Avide distinction there was made between the Craft and the other
societies to which the Middle Age had given birth . Spain , Zurich , and many other places , followed in the track of persecution . On the other hand , the enlightened mind of Frederick II . of Prussia saw the beauty of Masonic principles , and determined , come what might , to shield and defend the Order from the
attacks of the prejudiced monarchs of other countries . In Prussia at least should be found one continental " city of refuge " for the Freemasons ; and it was a proud and important day for the Craft that Avitnessed the opening of the Lodge at the palace of Charlottenburg , on the 20 th of June , 1740 . This influenced the wavering opinions of some of the other princesand among
, those who aided Frederick in his work , Ave find the Margrave of Bayreuth . Even in France brighter days seemed on the daAvn ; the Order was more " graciously entreated" respecting a projected meeting of Masons of all nations at Paris , in 1741 * The bull of Clement XII ., if it failed in its intention of doing away with the Craft , had one totally unexpected effect ; this was
the institution of the Order of " Mopses . " Its ceremonies are obscure ; but some of them may be found in the " Franc-Macon Trahi" ( 1745 ) . There Avas no oath , only a word of honour given . The society is more important for being the cause of the admission of females to the Order in France , than for any intrinsic merits known to the Avorld . Kloss says , that even to
the present time the Avife of a Freemason is sometimes called a " Mopsa . "f In 1742 also we find M . de Chambonnet founding the " Ordre de la Felicite , " for both men and Avomen , an Order Avhich does not appear to have borne the highest moral character ; and the " Ordre de PAncre" ( 1745 ) seems to have been a similar institution , originating in the other . Adoptive Masonry
dates , it is said , from 1730 ; but all these caricatures and distortions of the true Fraternity appear to have dwindled away to nothing a few years only after their origin . A significant fact is it for the worth and actuality of the ancient Fraternity , that all these excrescences , all these unfruitful suckers from the great root , grew up and withered away , leaving tbe immutable principles of justice and integrity , as developed in the system of