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Article THE ANTAGONISM OF MASONIC RITES. ← Page 2 of 2 Article H.R.H. THE PRINCE OF WALES Page 1 of 1 Article Multum in Parbo, or Masonic Notes and Queries. Page 1 of 1 Article A SHORT ANALYIS Page 1 of 3 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Antagonism Of Masonic Rites.
The system of administration might , however , we are inclined to believe , be brought more in accord with the spirit of the times , for true progress is not incompatible with
the careful conservation of all that is really necessary and just . We are far from saying that the present heads of the Rite are not eminently qualified for the dignified
positions they hold ; but the principle of selfnomination savours too much of the obsolete " close borough " system , and reminds one unpleasantly of the old Puritans who first
resolved that the earth belonged to the saints , and , secondly , that they—the aforesaid Puritans—were the saints . We cannot
do more than glance at the subject now , but in the interests of peace , and of that fraternal union which has ever been the
strength and support of Freemasonry , we would urge upon all parties concerned the exercise of mutual forbearance in the discussion of matters appertaining to the
Order . Above all , the use of personalities should be strictly avoided , as not only foreign to the point , but ungentlemanly and unmasonic . We have , unfortunately , within
our pale a few reckless reprobates , destitute alike of honour or good sense , whose only weapon is abuse , and who cannot rise above the level of mediocrity unless goaded by
malice and sustained by hate . To such men we have no remarks to offer , as they will never be allowed to pollute the pages of THE FREEMASON ; but to our
correspondents generally we appeal never to forget in the heat of argument that they are gentlemen and Masons—that the cause of truth is not advanced by sarcasms or jeers ,
but that all discussions and disputes on Masonic subjects , archaeological , historical , or ritualistic , should be conducted in the columns of the Masonic press with the same
decorum and sang froid that would be observed in the bosom of a Masonic lodge under thc eye of a vigilant Master . But we trust that we have heard the last of the •supposed antagonism of Masonic rites .
H.R.H. The Prince Of Wales
H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES
Thc following appeared in a letter of the Special Correspondent of the Daily Telegraph on Wednesday : — " I have now ascertained why the Review of the troops at thc Cttrragh was suddenly changed to the Phoenix Park . It appears that there is yet another
festivity looming in thc distance . Thc Freemasons of Dublin have from the first been anxious to pay some compliment to the Prince , and with some difficulty they have at last succeeded in bringing about an occasion of doing so . His Royal Highness , according to my present information , will be
installed on Friday evening in thc Grand Lodge room of the Masonic Hall in Molcsworth-strect as Patron of thc Freemasons of Ireland . The grand ceremony will commence at five o ' clock , ancl much to thc disappointment of the Freemasons , there will be a cercmonv , and nothing more ; for a
dinner party ancl thc Agricultural HaU interfere with any Masonic festivities . The officers of the Grand Lodge , thc Provincial Grand Masters , and the Secretaries , thc officers of all thc Irish lodges , and the Past Masters from thc Dublin lodges , will
be present . Thc numbers will be necessarily restricted , for I am told the Grand Lodge room will hold about 350 people . The greatest enthusiasm prevails among the brethren , and no bit of news has recently given such universal satisfaction . "
BOOTS of the Period at BI . AKEV ' , Limc-strect Liverpool ( under the Alexandra Theatre ) , —[ Advt . l
Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.
Multum in Parbo , or Masonic Notes and Queries .
—*—BRO . NORTON ' S CORRECTION . I should have thanked Bro . Norton for his correction of an error in my short article on the Massachusetts Grand Lodge . Proceedings
ere now , but really I have had little time to spare of late for anything . I thank him now , however ., and can explain the prefix of " Rev . " to be a printer ' s error , as my description was the R . W . Bro . C . L . Woodbury . AV . J . HUGHAN .
Was John Wesley a Freemason ? is _ a question that many have put again ancl again , and if you have room in the ensuing edition , I should be glad if some of your readers would settle the point . MOIRA .
MASONIC DATES . The York and French Rite Masons of the Old and New World , to the Christian era add 4 , 000 years , calling it Anno Lucius , or Year of Light ; thus the year 1871 would read
A . L . 5871 . All official documents pertaining to the first three degrees of Masonry are thus dated . York Rite Masons begin the year with January 1 ; French Rite , March 1 . Those practising in the Antient and Accepted Rites
use the Jewish calendar , whichadds 3 , 660 years , and call it Anno Mundi—A . M ., Year of the World . They sometimes use the Hebrew . year , beginning September 26 , or 1 st of Tisri ; using the initials , A . n ., Anno Hebraico , the Hebrew
year . Royal Arch Masons date from the building of the second Temple ,- 530 years before Christ . Anno Inventionis—A . Inv ., in the year of the discovery .
Royal and Select Masons frequently use Anno Lucis . But they should date from the completion of Solomon's Temple . This would add 1000 to the Christian Era . Anno Depositiones—A . Dep ., in the year ofthe Deposit .
Knights Templar date from the organisation of th . e Order , i * r 17 . Anno Ordinis—A . O ., in the year of the Order . Those of the Rite of Misraim , add four years to the usual computation of the age of the world .
To find the date for the York Rite , add 4 , to the present year ; for the Ancient and Accepted Rite , add 3 , 760 to the present
year ; for the Royal and Select Masters , add 1 , 000 to the present year ; for the Knights Templar , subtract 1 , 118 from the present year ; ofthe Rite of Mizraim , add 4 , 004 to the present year .
uow TO MAKE A MASON . M . W . Bro . Samuel Lawrence , Grand Master of Masons in Georgia , uses the following wellconsidered language on this important topic : — " To take a candidate , and pass him hurriedly
through the ceremonies of the degrees with the bare recital of the ritual lectures , ancl too often with a moderate modicum only of these , will serve to make a member of a lodge , but can hardly be expected to make a Mason . You
place in his hands a key to a lock of most intricate contrivance , and many wards , ancl you fail to instruct him in the use of the key . What marvel that he never enters the door ? The ' open sesame' has never been imparted to him .
Something more is required . You must enlighten him on the principles of Masonry— its great moral beauty and final saving ' object . It will not do to say , ' 0 , he is already prepared in his heart ; ' for that heart , if you confine it to barren
pasturage , will soon fall into leanness , and at length die out . No ; you must clothe the body of Masonry with its garments of beauty , you must make it inviting to thc eye and refreshing to the soul . This cannot be done by unaided
human genius . Genius may array it in the most graceful or the most gorgeous habiliments , but without the light from within their lines will remain leaden and dull . And that light must be
caught from the source opened in our first great light itself . The rays of Divinity must shine in , and out of , and over it , or it will be darkness , and not light . "
A Short Analyis
A SHORT ANALYIS
nv Proceedings at a Conference on the Mark Degree ,
HELD AT LONDON , APRIL 3 RD & 4 TH , 1871 , At which the Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter of Scotland , the Grand Chapter of Ireland , and the Grand Lodge of Mark Masters were represented . s 1 The report is most valuable and inte-( a ) ... 1 ' esting .
The D . G . M . for Ireland , in wishing for the * x ( b ) " ^ rst ste P >" ' * will never take a second , 3 ' s if the first is to be a sine que non , as the Grand Lodge of England , according to the
opinion of most English Masons who have thought on the subject , will never recognise the Mark Degree . It went out of its way to adopt the Royal Arch in A . D . 1813 , and it is likely will never again add to the " Three Degrees . "
In Bro . Mackersy ' s lucid explanation of the , , present position of the Mark Degree is 4 ' ' a reference to " certain degrees which occupy a position between the degrees of Master Mason and the Royal Arch " in Scotland and Ireland . This is correct with respect to the
former , but not the latter . According to the last edition of the Constitutions for Ireland , no degrees are necessarily worked as intermediate to the two mentioned ; and , what is more to the point , the Grand Chapter of Ireland does not in
these Regulations declare the Mark Degree to be a prerequisite for Royal Arch Masonry , and their warrants do not provide for the working of the Past and Excellent Master Degrees . We beg to draw attention to these important
facts , as they will be found to affect the arguments very considerably of some of the worthy representatives .
Strange to say , this error is often made , and therefore we must beg most positively to state that many Royal Arch Masons under Ireland have not received the Past and Excellent Master
Degrees , and some have not had the Mark Degree : so that Ireland is on a par almost with England in that respect , J these degrees not being generally worked in that country . Bro . Mackersy ( the esteemed Grand Scribe E .
of Scotland ) states that an Irish companion could attend a Scotch chapter without being requested to retire during any portion of the preparatory ceremonies , but an English It . A . Mason would
have to leave ; whereas the fact is , that both English and Irish members cannot be present during the whole of the ceremonies , unless otherwise instructed than their Constitutions provide for .
I take it , then , as established that the Grand Chapters of Ireland and Scotland are not identical in working , although they are virtually declared to be so in the Report . Respecting the Bon-Accord Chapter , No . 70 ,
,,, of Aberdeen , a letter appeared in the " ' ' Freemasons' Magazine for June , 1855 , page 3 68 , by the Z . of the chapter . Bro . James Rittie , in defending the action of his chapter , observed that the Grand Chapter of Scotland
denuded itself of the right to grant Mark warrants on March 12 th , 1848 , by resolving " That the power of granting these degrees [ Mark and Past Master ] shall be vested in chapters only , as formerly declared by a resolution of the Supreme
Chapter , dated 16 th September , 1846 . " How can this resolution be sufficient to justify the introduction of Mark Masonry into England
by the members of No . 70 Chapter , Aberdeen ? Certainly , such a position can never logically be held by the Mark Grand Lodge , who has all along objected to the invasion of EnglandfMasoni-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Antagonism Of Masonic Rites.
The system of administration might , however , we are inclined to believe , be brought more in accord with the spirit of the times , for true progress is not incompatible with
the careful conservation of all that is really necessary and just . We are far from saying that the present heads of the Rite are not eminently qualified for the dignified
positions they hold ; but the principle of selfnomination savours too much of the obsolete " close borough " system , and reminds one unpleasantly of the old Puritans who first
resolved that the earth belonged to the saints , and , secondly , that they—the aforesaid Puritans—were the saints . We cannot
do more than glance at the subject now , but in the interests of peace , and of that fraternal union which has ever been the
strength and support of Freemasonry , we would urge upon all parties concerned the exercise of mutual forbearance in the discussion of matters appertaining to the
Order . Above all , the use of personalities should be strictly avoided , as not only foreign to the point , but ungentlemanly and unmasonic . We have , unfortunately , within
our pale a few reckless reprobates , destitute alike of honour or good sense , whose only weapon is abuse , and who cannot rise above the level of mediocrity unless goaded by
malice and sustained by hate . To such men we have no remarks to offer , as they will never be allowed to pollute the pages of THE FREEMASON ; but to our
correspondents generally we appeal never to forget in the heat of argument that they are gentlemen and Masons—that the cause of truth is not advanced by sarcasms or jeers ,
but that all discussions and disputes on Masonic subjects , archaeological , historical , or ritualistic , should be conducted in the columns of the Masonic press with the same
decorum and sang froid that would be observed in the bosom of a Masonic lodge under thc eye of a vigilant Master . But we trust that we have heard the last of the •supposed antagonism of Masonic rites .
H.R.H. The Prince Of Wales
H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES
Thc following appeared in a letter of the Special Correspondent of the Daily Telegraph on Wednesday : — " I have now ascertained why the Review of the troops at thc Cttrragh was suddenly changed to the Phoenix Park . It appears that there is yet another
festivity looming in thc distance . Thc Freemasons of Dublin have from the first been anxious to pay some compliment to the Prince , and with some difficulty they have at last succeeded in bringing about an occasion of doing so . His Royal Highness , according to my present information , will be
installed on Friday evening in thc Grand Lodge room of the Masonic Hall in Molcsworth-strect as Patron of thc Freemasons of Ireland . The grand ceremony will commence at five o ' clock , ancl much to thc disappointment of the Freemasons , there will be a cercmonv , and nothing more ; for a
dinner party ancl thc Agricultural HaU interfere with any Masonic festivities . The officers of the Grand Lodge , thc Provincial Grand Masters , and the Secretaries , thc officers of all thc Irish lodges , and the Past Masters from thc Dublin lodges , will
be present . Thc numbers will be necessarily restricted , for I am told the Grand Lodge room will hold about 350 people . The greatest enthusiasm prevails among the brethren , and no bit of news has recently given such universal satisfaction . "
BOOTS of the Period at BI . AKEV ' , Limc-strect Liverpool ( under the Alexandra Theatre ) , —[ Advt . l
Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.
Multum in Parbo , or Masonic Notes and Queries .
—*—BRO . NORTON ' S CORRECTION . I should have thanked Bro . Norton for his correction of an error in my short article on the Massachusetts Grand Lodge . Proceedings
ere now , but really I have had little time to spare of late for anything . I thank him now , however ., and can explain the prefix of " Rev . " to be a printer ' s error , as my description was the R . W . Bro . C . L . Woodbury . AV . J . HUGHAN .
Was John Wesley a Freemason ? is _ a question that many have put again ancl again , and if you have room in the ensuing edition , I should be glad if some of your readers would settle the point . MOIRA .
MASONIC DATES . The York and French Rite Masons of the Old and New World , to the Christian era add 4 , 000 years , calling it Anno Lucius , or Year of Light ; thus the year 1871 would read
A . L . 5871 . All official documents pertaining to the first three degrees of Masonry are thus dated . York Rite Masons begin the year with January 1 ; French Rite , March 1 . Those practising in the Antient and Accepted Rites
use the Jewish calendar , whichadds 3 , 660 years , and call it Anno Mundi—A . M ., Year of the World . They sometimes use the Hebrew . year , beginning September 26 , or 1 st of Tisri ; using the initials , A . n ., Anno Hebraico , the Hebrew
year . Royal Arch Masons date from the building of the second Temple ,- 530 years before Christ . Anno Inventionis—A . Inv ., in the year of the discovery .
Royal and Select Masons frequently use Anno Lucis . But they should date from the completion of Solomon's Temple . This would add 1000 to the Christian Era . Anno Depositiones—A . Dep ., in the year ofthe Deposit .
Knights Templar date from the organisation of th . e Order , i * r 17 . Anno Ordinis—A . O ., in the year of the Order . Those of the Rite of Misraim , add four years to the usual computation of the age of the world .
To find the date for the York Rite , add 4 , to the present year ; for the Ancient and Accepted Rite , add 3 , 760 to the present
year ; for the Royal and Select Masters , add 1 , 000 to the present year ; for the Knights Templar , subtract 1 , 118 from the present year ; ofthe Rite of Mizraim , add 4 , 004 to the present year .
uow TO MAKE A MASON . M . W . Bro . Samuel Lawrence , Grand Master of Masons in Georgia , uses the following wellconsidered language on this important topic : — " To take a candidate , and pass him hurriedly
through the ceremonies of the degrees with the bare recital of the ritual lectures , ancl too often with a moderate modicum only of these , will serve to make a member of a lodge , but can hardly be expected to make a Mason . You
place in his hands a key to a lock of most intricate contrivance , and many wards , ancl you fail to instruct him in the use of the key . What marvel that he never enters the door ? The ' open sesame' has never been imparted to him .
Something more is required . You must enlighten him on the principles of Masonry— its great moral beauty and final saving ' object . It will not do to say , ' 0 , he is already prepared in his heart ; ' for that heart , if you confine it to barren
pasturage , will soon fall into leanness , and at length die out . No ; you must clothe the body of Masonry with its garments of beauty , you must make it inviting to thc eye and refreshing to the soul . This cannot be done by unaided
human genius . Genius may array it in the most graceful or the most gorgeous habiliments , but without the light from within their lines will remain leaden and dull . And that light must be
caught from the source opened in our first great light itself . The rays of Divinity must shine in , and out of , and over it , or it will be darkness , and not light . "
A Short Analyis
A SHORT ANALYIS
nv Proceedings at a Conference on the Mark Degree ,
HELD AT LONDON , APRIL 3 RD & 4 TH , 1871 , At which the Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter of Scotland , the Grand Chapter of Ireland , and the Grand Lodge of Mark Masters were represented . s 1 The report is most valuable and inte-( a ) ... 1 ' esting .
The D . G . M . for Ireland , in wishing for the * x ( b ) " ^ rst ste P >" ' * will never take a second , 3 ' s if the first is to be a sine que non , as the Grand Lodge of England , according to the
opinion of most English Masons who have thought on the subject , will never recognise the Mark Degree . It went out of its way to adopt the Royal Arch in A . D . 1813 , and it is likely will never again add to the " Three Degrees . "
In Bro . Mackersy ' s lucid explanation of the , , present position of the Mark Degree is 4 ' ' a reference to " certain degrees which occupy a position between the degrees of Master Mason and the Royal Arch " in Scotland and Ireland . This is correct with respect to the
former , but not the latter . According to the last edition of the Constitutions for Ireland , no degrees are necessarily worked as intermediate to the two mentioned ; and , what is more to the point , the Grand Chapter of Ireland does not in
these Regulations declare the Mark Degree to be a prerequisite for Royal Arch Masonry , and their warrants do not provide for the working of the Past and Excellent Master Degrees . We beg to draw attention to these important
facts , as they will be found to affect the arguments very considerably of some of the worthy representatives .
Strange to say , this error is often made , and therefore we must beg most positively to state that many Royal Arch Masons under Ireland have not received the Past and Excellent Master
Degrees , and some have not had the Mark Degree : so that Ireland is on a par almost with England in that respect , J these degrees not being generally worked in that country . Bro . Mackersy ( the esteemed Grand Scribe E .
of Scotland ) states that an Irish companion could attend a Scotch chapter without being requested to retire during any portion of the preparatory ceremonies , but an English It . A . Mason would
have to leave ; whereas the fact is , that both English and Irish members cannot be present during the whole of the ceremonies , unless otherwise instructed than their Constitutions provide for .
I take it , then , as established that the Grand Chapters of Ireland and Scotland are not identical in working , although they are virtually declared to be so in the Report . Respecting the Bon-Accord Chapter , No . 70 ,
,,, of Aberdeen , a letter appeared in the " ' ' Freemasons' Magazine for June , 1855 , page 3 68 , by the Z . of the chapter . Bro . James Rittie , in defending the action of his chapter , observed that the Grand Chapter of Scotland
denuded itself of the right to grant Mark warrants on March 12 th , 1848 , by resolving " That the power of granting these degrees [ Mark and Past Master ] shall be vested in chapters only , as formerly declared by a resolution of the Supreme
Chapter , dated 16 th September , 1846 . " How can this resolution be sufficient to justify the introduction of Mark Masonry into England
by the members of No . 70 Chapter , Aberdeen ? Certainly , such a position can never logically be held by the Mark Grand Lodge , who has all along objected to the invasion of EnglandfMasoni-