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Article THE HIGH DEGREES OF FREEMASONRY. ← Page 2 of 5 →
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The High Degrees Of Freemasonry.
but he has thirty more before him , and until times and circumstances have placed him on that favourite elevation , the labour of love has not perfected the good work . These , the higher degrees of the Order , have been much neglected in this country in modern times . Many reasons have contributed to cause this result . The principal reason was , however , the unfortunate dissensions that arose during the last century between the bodies styled
"the Ancient York or Athol Masons " and the " Modern Masons . " These dissensions became the favourite topic of the different parties ; and the valuable time of our brethren was wasted in such discussions rather than in the investigation of those fundamental landmarks of the Order on which its unity and philosophy depends . Although these discussions have happily been ended by the union of the two bodies ; yet that event itself caused much bitterness of feeling , and although
there was not the public scandal of open dissension to be charged against the Order , yet , for many years after that event , the mode and manner in which it had been brought about , continued a favourite subject of complaint and discussion . It is to be hoped that this as well as the open dissension itself is for ever buried in oblivion , and that a happier time for those who really wish well to the' Order is dawning on our land . Onethereforeof the principal reasons why greater attention has hot
, , been paid to tlie hi g her degrees ofthe Order has been pointed out ; there were several others , but within the space we have allotted for ourselves at present , it would not be possible to investigate them . In saying that" the higher degrees ofthe Order have been neglected in this country , we must hot be mistaken as to the meaning intended to
be conveyed . We do not mean that they have been entirely abandoned , but that the treasures there to be found have not been sought for with the avidity which their intrinsic value warranted . Undoubtedly much of the true light of the higher degrees was to be found in many parts of the country , as witness the meetings of Chapters of Rose -j- ; but yet the attention of erudite Brethren ofthe Order being directed to other subjects , the ignorant and unlearned presided , and gross interpolations arid material symbols usurped the place of our sacred mysteries .
On the other hand , it is not intended to be stated that the higher degrees of the ancient and accepted rite ever existed in this country fully and complete . That was an impossibility , for at the time that the greatest attention was being paid to this subject elsewhere , that is , between the years 1740 and 1790 , the foolish dissensions , above spoken of , between the York and the . Modern Masons were existing in their greatest
bitterness ; English Masons , therefore , could not assist m perfecting the good work , and it was to tlie ' great Frederick of Prussia that weare indebted for cementing , together the materials previously existing , -and making that perfect which was complete in all other respects , except Its system of . government .. It appears that between the years ; 1740 a [ nd'l 7 S 0 a thorough ; examination of all the degrees pf Free arid Accepted Masohs was . undertaken'in Prussia , under the'sanction of the Princes' bf the Royal Secret' its consistory nuhibering at that tiriife' the most'learned
, Masons' in Europe ! . " Tne result of such deliberations was ' a solemn deelarationy . fhat'frue ' Freemasphry consisted of the thirty degrees , '' -known " asi . ' the ;' ancient , and ' accepted rite , together with ' tne " other " two 'degrees , . ' called ' degrees of dignity , viz ., the Grand Inquisitor Oomma'ri'def ' s Degtee , ' and ' the 'Coiisistpry ofPrinces of the Royal'Sbcreit'f-Tfre ' resdlu' tionVc" 6 m ' e to were then formed into constitutions ;' arid al'graivd Miisohic
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The High Degrees Of Freemasonry.
but he has thirty more before him , and until times and circumstances have placed him on that favourite elevation , the labour of love has not perfected the good work . These , the higher degrees of the Order , have been much neglected in this country in modern times . Many reasons have contributed to cause this result . The principal reason was , however , the unfortunate dissensions that arose during the last century between the bodies styled
"the Ancient York or Athol Masons " and the " Modern Masons . " These dissensions became the favourite topic of the different parties ; and the valuable time of our brethren was wasted in such discussions rather than in the investigation of those fundamental landmarks of the Order on which its unity and philosophy depends . Although these discussions have happily been ended by the union of the two bodies ; yet that event itself caused much bitterness of feeling , and although
there was not the public scandal of open dissension to be charged against the Order , yet , for many years after that event , the mode and manner in which it had been brought about , continued a favourite subject of complaint and discussion . It is to be hoped that this as well as the open dissension itself is for ever buried in oblivion , and that a happier time for those who really wish well to the' Order is dawning on our land . Onethereforeof the principal reasons why greater attention has hot
, , been paid to tlie hi g her degrees ofthe Order has been pointed out ; there were several others , but within the space we have allotted for ourselves at present , it would not be possible to investigate them . In saying that" the higher degrees ofthe Order have been neglected in this country , we must hot be mistaken as to the meaning intended to
be conveyed . We do not mean that they have been entirely abandoned , but that the treasures there to be found have not been sought for with the avidity which their intrinsic value warranted . Undoubtedly much of the true light of the higher degrees was to be found in many parts of the country , as witness the meetings of Chapters of Rose -j- ; but yet the attention of erudite Brethren ofthe Order being directed to other subjects , the ignorant and unlearned presided , and gross interpolations arid material symbols usurped the place of our sacred mysteries .
On the other hand , it is not intended to be stated that the higher degrees of the ancient and accepted rite ever existed in this country fully and complete . That was an impossibility , for at the time that the greatest attention was being paid to this subject elsewhere , that is , between the years 1740 and 1790 , the foolish dissensions , above spoken of , between the York and the . Modern Masons were existing in their greatest
bitterness ; English Masons , therefore , could not assist m perfecting the good work , and it was to tlie ' great Frederick of Prussia that weare indebted for cementing , together the materials previously existing , -and making that perfect which was complete in all other respects , except Its system of . government .. It appears that between the years ; 1740 a [ nd'l 7 S 0 a thorough ; examination of all the degrees pf Free arid Accepted Masohs was . undertaken'in Prussia , under the'sanction of the Princes' bf the Royal Secret' its consistory nuhibering at that tiriife' the most'learned
, Masons' in Europe ! . " Tne result of such deliberations was ' a solemn deelarationy . fhat'frue ' Freemasphry consisted of the thirty degrees , '' -known " asi . ' the ;' ancient , and ' accepted rite , together with ' tne " other " two 'degrees , . ' called ' degrees of dignity , viz ., the Grand Inquisitor Oomma'ri'def ' s Degtee , ' and ' the 'Coiisistpry ofPrinces of the Royal'Sbcreit'f-Tfre ' resdlu' tionVc" 6 m ' e to were then formed into constitutions ;' arid al'graivd Miisohic