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Article A CENTURY OF FREEMASONRY* ← Page 14 of 15 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
A Century Of Freemasonry*
Article XXXVII . requires no comment : — "If a Brother have unfortunately committed any sin , either against religion , or the laws of nature , or any open treachery to the Order , and is convicted , he shall be excluded for ever ; his name shall be erased in all the documents , and burnt in the usual manner . "
Article XLIII . is far less kindly in tone and feeling toward the serving Brethren than the English regulation : — " The serving Brethren shall never have other light than the degrees of Apprentices and Fellow-craft , and no other office . They are admitted gratis , with a halter round their necks . They havo a place at the banquet assigned to them , when the last toast is drunk . "
This is , perhaps , the most singular of all the articles of this French constitution . Its unwonted severity is , no doubt , the consequence of the number of cases where serving Brothers had elevated themselves into Masters of the Lodges held at their taverns ; ancl we find in Anderson a somewhat similar article , providing
that"iNo master of any public house shall be suffered to own , or purchase , such jewels and furniture , for the purpose of having a Lodge constituted or held at his house , under the penalty ( if discovered ) of forfeiting such constitution . " * But the extreme measme was not found necessary in England . The halter used at their initiations is eiidently a relic of the
old slave-dealing times , ancl inapplicable to pure Masonry , which is as progressive as Christianit y , or any other vital institution . The last provisions of this article somewhat remind us of the detestable system of oppression and insult yet suffered by such gentlemen in our universities , whose means make it necessary for them to take the post of servitors
or bible clerks , if they desire to obtain that knowledge those Universities were freel y instituted to disseminate for the advancement of the dignity of man , and not for his degradation . It is a sad thing to see , that , however reassuring the general tone of these articles and regulations , the evils Avhich have crept in had not even here loosed then * hold . TAVO articles * f provide for the supremacy of the Scotch grades ; the first assuring them the right of sitting covered in Lodge , the second appointing them wardens and inspectors of the work : —
" For , " says Art . XLIL , "they alone are permitted to censure any errors in work . They have the right of speaking at any time , of being always armed and covered , ancl if they fall into error they can only be reprimanded by Scotch Masons . "
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
A Century Of Freemasonry*
Article XXXVII . requires no comment : — "If a Brother have unfortunately committed any sin , either against religion , or the laws of nature , or any open treachery to the Order , and is convicted , he shall be excluded for ever ; his name shall be erased in all the documents , and burnt in the usual manner . "
Article XLIII . is far less kindly in tone and feeling toward the serving Brethren than the English regulation : — " The serving Brethren shall never have other light than the degrees of Apprentices and Fellow-craft , and no other office . They are admitted gratis , with a halter round their necks . They havo a place at the banquet assigned to them , when the last toast is drunk . "
This is , perhaps , the most singular of all the articles of this French constitution . Its unwonted severity is , no doubt , the consequence of the number of cases where serving Brothers had elevated themselves into Masters of the Lodges held at their taverns ; ancl we find in Anderson a somewhat similar article , providing
that"iNo master of any public house shall be suffered to own , or purchase , such jewels and furniture , for the purpose of having a Lodge constituted or held at his house , under the penalty ( if discovered ) of forfeiting such constitution . " * But the extreme measme was not found necessary in England . The halter used at their initiations is eiidently a relic of the
old slave-dealing times , ancl inapplicable to pure Masonry , which is as progressive as Christianit y , or any other vital institution . The last provisions of this article somewhat remind us of the detestable system of oppression and insult yet suffered by such gentlemen in our universities , whose means make it necessary for them to take the post of servitors
or bible clerks , if they desire to obtain that knowledge those Universities were freel y instituted to disseminate for the advancement of the dignity of man , and not for his degradation . It is a sad thing to see , that , however reassuring the general tone of these articles and regulations , the evils Avhich have crept in had not even here loosed then * hold . TAVO articles * f provide for the supremacy of the Scotch grades ; the first assuring them the right of sitting covered in Lodge , the second appointing them wardens and inspectors of the work : —
" For , " says Art . XLIL , "they alone are permitted to censure any errors in work . They have the right of speaking at any time , of being always armed and covered , ancl if they fall into error they can only be reprimanded by Scotch Masons . "