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Article ESSAY ON MODERN PSEUDO-MASONIC RITES.* ← Page 8 of 9 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Essay On Modern Pseudo-Masonic Rites.*
ment lies before the writer ; and were it not for its length it might , with advantage , have been inserted here . To conclude this " strange eventful history , " it may be observed that , tired of civil broils , and unseemly as well as unfraternal contests , the G . O ., anxious to restore unity in heart , if not in ritual or ceremonial , consented to adopt all the Rites except the Misraitic . And in France , at this moment , some Lodges practise one Riteothers another ; and many by express
war-, rant hold meetings in several . It appears from the preceding pages that most of these Superior Grades have no pretensions to be a part of genuine Masonry ; but , on the contrary , are mere additions made at different times to gratify love of splendour , or to cloak evil designs . Yet it must not be inferred that all these grades are useless ; so far from this being the fact , some of them might with advantage be introduced into England . This
seemingparadox must now be explained . In the first place then , in England Masonry consists of three degrees only , including the Royal Arch , and in these is contained most of the science of Masonry which can be considered authentic . But how few are there whose time , inclination , or education , fits them to become perfectly acquainted even with the first degree ? Take , for instance , the lectures in which is contained the history of the Order—for many reasons these are little known by the great majority of Master Masons ; but go a step further , and without entering into what may not be written , it may be asked whether there is not a lapse of nearly 600
years utterly unaccounted for ? The perfect Mason , who has given his attention to the subject , is not ignorant of the events of this long period of six centuries ; but the present system of conferring the degree alluded to would make any unskilled Brother believe that there was not a lapse of twenty years . Now here might with much advantage be introduced two supplemental and intermediate * grades , by means of which the whole would be rendered more perfect . These are the Sth and 6 th of the Rite Moderne : they might be given as parts of the previous
degree , or as passes to the succeeding one , and not as absolutely distinct grades . By this means the twelvemonth would be far better spent ( for the intercalary grades should be given at an interval of four months from the two degrees they came between and from one another ) than it now is . The writer is sensible that the above is not very clear ; but the secresy imposed on him is his best excuse : it is hoped , however , that it will he understood .
In the next place , one or two of the Hauts Grades have a claim to be considered as authentic , and these might be conferred for the sake of honouring those Masons who had by their talent and zeal rendered service to the Order . For this purpose the 21 st grade of the Rite Ancien would be very well adapted , for it is very probably genuine , and those eminent Masons might examine it thoroughly . The possessor of this degree should be received with honour and respect in every Lodge , and should , in fact , possess certain privileges and rights . The members of this Hi gh Order might together form a Council , and be of very great use to our Fraternity .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Essay On Modern Pseudo-Masonic Rites.*
ment lies before the writer ; and were it not for its length it might , with advantage , have been inserted here . To conclude this " strange eventful history , " it may be observed that , tired of civil broils , and unseemly as well as unfraternal contests , the G . O ., anxious to restore unity in heart , if not in ritual or ceremonial , consented to adopt all the Rites except the Misraitic . And in France , at this moment , some Lodges practise one Riteothers another ; and many by express
war-, rant hold meetings in several . It appears from the preceding pages that most of these Superior Grades have no pretensions to be a part of genuine Masonry ; but , on the contrary , are mere additions made at different times to gratify love of splendour , or to cloak evil designs . Yet it must not be inferred that all these grades are useless ; so far from this being the fact , some of them might with advantage be introduced into England . This
seemingparadox must now be explained . In the first place then , in England Masonry consists of three degrees only , including the Royal Arch , and in these is contained most of the science of Masonry which can be considered authentic . But how few are there whose time , inclination , or education , fits them to become perfectly acquainted even with the first degree ? Take , for instance , the lectures in which is contained the history of the Order—for many reasons these are little known by the great majority of Master Masons ; but go a step further , and without entering into what may not be written , it may be asked whether there is not a lapse of nearly 600
years utterly unaccounted for ? The perfect Mason , who has given his attention to the subject , is not ignorant of the events of this long period of six centuries ; but the present system of conferring the degree alluded to would make any unskilled Brother believe that there was not a lapse of twenty years . Now here might with much advantage be introduced two supplemental and intermediate * grades , by means of which the whole would be rendered more perfect . These are the Sth and 6 th of the Rite Moderne : they might be given as parts of the previous
degree , or as passes to the succeeding one , and not as absolutely distinct grades . By this means the twelvemonth would be far better spent ( for the intercalary grades should be given at an interval of four months from the two degrees they came between and from one another ) than it now is . The writer is sensible that the above is not very clear ; but the secresy imposed on him is his best excuse : it is hoped , however , that it will he understood .
In the next place , one or two of the Hauts Grades have a claim to be considered as authentic , and these might be conferred for the sake of honouring those Masons who had by their talent and zeal rendered service to the Order . For this purpose the 21 st grade of the Rite Ancien would be very well adapted , for it is very probably genuine , and those eminent Masons might examine it thoroughly . The possessor of this degree should be received with honour and respect in every Lodge , and should , in fact , possess certain privileges and rights . The members of this Hi gh Order might together form a Council , and be of very great use to our Fraternity .