Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Observations On The Degree Of "Rose Croix."
well known in the north of Ireland and Scotland , called the " Priestly Order of the Temple , " or " Holy Order of Knight Templar Priests , " but which , whatever be its origin , is a very useless affair . We have said before , that the Royal Order is perhaps the only genuine order of Masonic knighthood . Although the " Masonic Templars" had been instituted by Freemasons , there is nothing about Masonry in it ( unless in a spiritual sense ) ancl it can have little claim to that name :
, but it is well known that the ancient Templars were not Masons—at least , their order was not a Masonic one . It was extinguished , in every sense of the word , in England , Ireland , and on the Continent , except in Portugal , where , however , it lost its caste by ceasing to be a secret order , ancl taking the name of the Order of Christ . In Scotland , Edward was about to put it down , but only two Templars could be got , and Bruce advancing with his army , Edward thought no more
about them . Public documents prove that the genuine Templars did exist in Scotland till the time of the Reformation , ( about 1650 );—but about thirty years after that a body , composed , in all probability , partly of Esquires , partly of the Knights who had become Protestant , attached themselves to a Mason Lodge at Stirling . Although they met in the old abbey of Cambus Kenneth , not in any Masonic Lodge-room , the people gave them the name of cross-legged Masons hut it is not
; absolutely certain that even they had more pretensions to Masonry than the being a secret society , like the Masons . By degrees , however , they spread into England and Ireland , and , as Masons , elected Masters and Grand Masters of their own , which they could not have done as a
chivalric body . This , indeed , is partly the reason why , in England and Ireland , they showed themselves as Masons , and called themselves by no other name ; while in Scotland a Grand Master was elected from time to time over the chivalric remnant and their successors , till near the end of the last century , when the Acts of Parliament against secret societies , and the attempts of the Masonic Templars , got the two so far combinedthat it has beensince thenno easy task to disengage them .
, , , It is much to be regretted that the Templars of England and Ireland clo not coalesce with the Scotch ones , have but one Grand Master over all , and throw aside their aprons . Were that done , all connection between the Templars and any order of Masonry might cease : and to those Master Masons who wished a Masonic order of knighthood , the Royal Order would always be open .
In conclusion , we may observe , with regard to Masons creating Princes ! that this is undoubtedly a French addition to the Rose Croix of 1747 . Long ago every knight could give the accolade or knighthood to another person , and even a baronetcy of Nova Scotia was a title conferred by a subject ; but that a subject could ever create Princes ! and Sovereign Princes ! is too idle a question for any one to entertain . Some say they are only Masonic Princes ; but how Masons have greater power than other men in creating dignities , we cannot imagine . Such
may suit the vanity of our volatile nei ghbours , who during the last century considered no sum too great for the purchase of these Masonic titles , —thus benefiting the pockets of many needy adventurers , who accordingly increased their stock in trade ad libitum ; but such ought to provoke a smile from our own countrymen , —or if kept up by us through curiosity , ought to be granted and estimated at no higher than their real value . Sci-UTATOIl . 17 OCT . A . O . R . , 520 . VOL . I . : ! r
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Observations On The Degree Of "Rose Croix."
well known in the north of Ireland and Scotland , called the " Priestly Order of the Temple , " or " Holy Order of Knight Templar Priests , " but which , whatever be its origin , is a very useless affair . We have said before , that the Royal Order is perhaps the only genuine order of Masonic knighthood . Although the " Masonic Templars" had been instituted by Freemasons , there is nothing about Masonry in it ( unless in a spiritual sense ) ancl it can have little claim to that name :
, but it is well known that the ancient Templars were not Masons—at least , their order was not a Masonic one . It was extinguished , in every sense of the word , in England , Ireland , and on the Continent , except in Portugal , where , however , it lost its caste by ceasing to be a secret order , ancl taking the name of the Order of Christ . In Scotland , Edward was about to put it down , but only two Templars could be got , and Bruce advancing with his army , Edward thought no more
about them . Public documents prove that the genuine Templars did exist in Scotland till the time of the Reformation , ( about 1650 );—but about thirty years after that a body , composed , in all probability , partly of Esquires , partly of the Knights who had become Protestant , attached themselves to a Mason Lodge at Stirling . Although they met in the old abbey of Cambus Kenneth , not in any Masonic Lodge-room , the people gave them the name of cross-legged Masons hut it is not
; absolutely certain that even they had more pretensions to Masonry than the being a secret society , like the Masons . By degrees , however , they spread into England and Ireland , and , as Masons , elected Masters and Grand Masters of their own , which they could not have done as a
chivalric body . This , indeed , is partly the reason why , in England and Ireland , they showed themselves as Masons , and called themselves by no other name ; while in Scotland a Grand Master was elected from time to time over the chivalric remnant and their successors , till near the end of the last century , when the Acts of Parliament against secret societies , and the attempts of the Masonic Templars , got the two so far combinedthat it has beensince thenno easy task to disengage them .
, , , It is much to be regretted that the Templars of England and Ireland clo not coalesce with the Scotch ones , have but one Grand Master over all , and throw aside their aprons . Were that done , all connection between the Templars and any order of Masonry might cease : and to those Master Masons who wished a Masonic order of knighthood , the Royal Order would always be open .
In conclusion , we may observe , with regard to Masons creating Princes ! that this is undoubtedly a French addition to the Rose Croix of 1747 . Long ago every knight could give the accolade or knighthood to another person , and even a baronetcy of Nova Scotia was a title conferred by a subject ; but that a subject could ever create Princes ! and Sovereign Princes ! is too idle a question for any one to entertain . Some say they are only Masonic Princes ; but how Masons have greater power than other men in creating dignities , we cannot imagine . Such
may suit the vanity of our volatile nei ghbours , who during the last century considered no sum too great for the purchase of these Masonic titles , —thus benefiting the pockets of many needy adventurers , who accordingly increased their stock in trade ad libitum ; but such ought to provoke a smile from our own countrymen , —or if kept up by us through curiosity , ought to be granted and estimated at no higher than their real value . Sci-UTATOIl . 17 OCT . A . O . R . , 520 . VOL . I . : ! r