Ancient & Primitite Rite Of, Misraim.

ANCIENT & PRIMITITE RITE OF , MISRAIM .

As we intimated last tveek , the Bective Sanctuary of Levites Avas inaugurated on the 28 th ult , by three Conservators-General of the Rite , viz ., the Right Hon . the Earl of Limerick , Sigismund Rosenthal , and

R . Wentworth Little . In the unavoidable absence of Colonel Francis Burdett , Hep . Sov . Grand Master , and Regent ad interim , Avho Avas unfortunately confined to his bed by a bronchial attack , the chair of H . P .

Avas filled by Bro . Little , and Major E . Hamilton Finney Avas duly received as a Conservator General . The admission of brethren as Levites then followed , and Ave regret that Ave have not a complete list

of the names , but in consequence of the very large attendance at the meeting , a considerable number of those present were unable to sign the sheets provided for that purpose , besides Avhich one sheet is missing .

HoAvever , amongst those obligated AVC noticed as representatives of the Premier Conclave of the Red Cross Order , Bros . W . H . Hubbard , H . Parker , G . Kenning , H . C . Levander , M . A . ; G . Powell , H . G . Buss , T .

Cubitt , J . Taylor , M . Edwards , T . B . Yeoman , G . A . Taylor , E . Sillifant , A . J . Codner , A . B . Donnithorne , J . G . Marsh , J . Coutts , J . W . Barrett , J . T . Moss and W . Dodd ; of the Plantagenet Conclave , No . 2 , J . Boyd ,

J . Brett , C . Hammerton , J . L . Thomas , E . H . Thiellay , D . R . Still and C . P . Ward , M . D . ; of the Rose aud Lily Conclave , No . 3 , J . Terry , W . Mann , D . D . Beck , and J . Gilbert ; of the Roman Eagle Conclave ,

No . 6 , J . Weaver , T . L . Fox , W . Carpenter , A . A . Pendlebury , W . C . Luccy , M . D ., \ N . \ V Anderson , C . P . Haigh , S . G . Foxall , W . F . N . Quilty , J . R . Foulger , W . B . Hambly and D . R . Adams ; of thc Villiers

Conclave , No . 9 , F . Walters , T . Smale , H . Allman and E . Clark ; of the Mediterranean Conclave , No . 1 , Captain H . Lyon Campbell , 74 th Highlanders ; of the St . Andrew ' s Conclave , No . 15 , J . Tanner , F . H . Gottlieb ,

J . P ., W . Scott , Raynham W . Stewart , R . Kenyon , D . M . Dewar , W . J . U . Copeman , W . Roebuck , H . W . Hunt , W . Jones and W . B . Johnston ; of the St . George ' s Conclave , No . 18 , H . Thompson and E .

Shaughnessy ; and also Major E . IT . hnmcy , E . H . Finney , jun ., T . W . White , D . C . M . Gordon , W . Smeed and T . Lancaster , who arc not members of thc Red Cross Order . At thc conclusion of the ceremony , the II . P .

announced that with thc sanction of the Earl of Bective , Grand Sovereign , thc Rite would be attached to the Red Cross Order , and that his lordship had accepted the post of Sovereign Grand Master , Avith Col . Burdett

as Deputy and Regent pro . tent . It was also announced that thc Right lion , thc Earl of Limerick would be Senior Grand Superintendent , and another eminent brother , Junior ; while letters of adhesion

had been received from more than lift }' noblemen and other brethren , AVIIO also expressed great regret for their inability to attend the inauguration of the Bective Sanctuary . Thc election of six brethren

for thc 66 \ thc next grade Avorked , Avas then proceeded with , Avhen thc choice of thc brethren fell upon Bros . J . Brett , Donald C . M . Gordon , J . Lewis Thomas , John Boyd , George Kenning and Raynham W .

Stewart The alms having been collected , thc Sanctuary Avas closed in solemn form , and between thirty and forty brethren adjourned to supper , and a pleasant evening

Avas spent . The toasts given were , " Tho Queen and the Order , " " The Earl of Bective , SOA \ Grand Master-nominate , " " Co ! . Burdett , Regent , with better health to him , "

Ancient & Primitite Rite Of, Misraim.

" The Earl of Limerick and the Supreme Council-General , " for Avhich S . Bros . Rosenthal , 90 , and Miijor Finney , 90 , ably responded ; " The elected Members of the 66 ° , " for which Bros . Boyd and Kenning

returned thanks . W . Bro . Carpenter , 33 , in his usual felicitious style , proposed " The health of S . Bro . Little , 90 ° , " which Avas exceedingly well received , and briefly responded to , after which the evening ' s proceedings terminated .

It may be as Avell to state , that in all probability the Rite—beautiful and philosophical as it is—would not have been openly Avorked in England by the feAV members Avho Avere scattered here and

there , had it not come to their knoAvledge that certain unauthorised persons Avere about to start it in the metropolis on their OAvn account , and thus add another Masonic Jurisdiction to those alreadv existing . The

members thereupon sought and obtained powers to form a Avorking body , offered to annex it to the Red Cross Order for administrative purposes , and commenced operations Avith the success AA'hich AVC haA'e now the pleasure of placing on record .

The Grand Mark Master Of England And The Scotch Mark Masters.

THE GRAND MARK MASTER OF ENGLAND AND THE SCOTCH MARK MASTERS .

( Io the Editor of The Freemason . ) SIR AND BROTHER , —Your Avidely-circulated journal contained a report on December 17 th , of some remarks made by me at the banquet held after the closing of the last Grand Mark

Lotlge . What I then said with reference to Scotch Mark Masonry in Lancashire has , I regret to find , given offence to the Lancashire Scottish Mark Masters . I am exceedingly sorry that my

remarks should have been so understood , and that they were not more carefully worded ; and I beg to take this opportunity of assuring both the brethren in question and all others who

may have read your report , that nothing Avas further from my intention than to Avour . d the feelings of the Mark Masters hailing from Scotland , or to imply the slightest want of respect to them .

I wish , then , to say now what my words , had they been more clearly expressed ; would have conveyed at tlie time , viz . : —That Scottish Mark Masters had been maintaining a definite principle in Lancashire ( in my opinion , of

course , a mistaken one ); the principle , namely , that the Mark degree could only lawfully be conferred under a Grand Chapter warrant . That they had no doubt hoped that all Mark Masters in Lancashire would have accepted this

principle , but that the contrary principle of an independent English jurisdiction having been so zealously maintained by a large number of Lancashire brethren , thc Scotch principle was found to be no longer tenable .

I need scarcely say that I never intended to imply that Scotch Mark Lodges would be unable to exist side by side with the English lodges . Knowing as 1 do th ; zeal and high character of the Scotch Mark Masters in Lancashire , such an idea would be simply ridiculous .

But what I desire to be understood as saying is : That tlie harmonious and united working of the degree under one jurisdiction being the object of thc Scottish Mark Masters no less

than of ourselves , and the former finding that a large body of English Marl ; . Masters would not accept the jurisdiction of the Grand Chapter of Scotland , and that a united body under Scot-

The Grand Mark Master Of England And The Scotch Mark Masters.

land was impossible , they were willing to enter into negotiations for union with the Grand Mark Lodge . In conclusion , I will only say that no one can more highly appreciate that willingness on the

part , both of the Grand Chapter of Scotland and the Lancashire brethren hailing from the Grand Chapter , than myself , or the honourable and truly Masonic spirit Avhich prompted it ; as no one can be more anxious than I am

that all past disagreements should be buried , ancl that the valuable and important body of Scottish Mark Masters in Lancashire , now dissevered from us , should , in union with us , place the Mark degree in the position Avhich it deserves to occupy . I am . Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , G . R . PORTAL , G . M . M .

The Ancient And Accepted Rite.

THE ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED RITE .

( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) " I will wash mine hands in innocency : So will I compass thine altar , O Lord !" It may be accepted as an axiom in all civilised countries , at the present day , that hereditary

right , the general suffrages of bodies corporate , and Parliamentary enactments alone confer the privilege of office , and that there is no such principle recognised as that of spontaneous clec-//(¦// , anymore than in physics that of spontaneous generation is received .

Where a small minority of nine men assumes to elect itself a Supreme Council mcro or propria moltt , such an act is a violation of all law and a direct usurpation of the rights of the majority . Such an act of spontaneous generation , as we may term it , is simply ridiculous in itself , and

would call for nothing but neglect and contempt were it not that a large majority of the Craft , who are unacquainted with the true origin of this Supreme Council of the 33 , suppose naturally that it has been established by general election ; and if not by election throughout the

Craft , then it is only the shadow of a mighty name , ancl simply confined to the affairs of the so called 33 rd Degree , which affairs , like the degree itself , are of a purely arbitrary origin , based upon gratuitous assumptions . In the name of common sense , what Mason , with the

true interests of the Craft at heart , or k nowing the facts of the case , will hesitate to repudiate pretensions so preposterous , where one elects tlie other among themselves , as in the late Manx " House of Keys "—an absurdity not to be tolerated by modern legislation . There can be ,

therefore , no subordination due to those who have set the example of insubordination by an usurpation of the rights of others . I regret to say that I was myself ensnared into the Kite of 2 , f by a flagrant misrepresentation ; but being so , and having paid my fees , I condoned the

offence , but refused to go further . But as I was admitted without law , so is the attempt made to unseat me wif / inul law ; but ex niliilo nihil fit , out of nothing nothing can be made . And if by this species of illicit election a spurious degree can be contrived , it is but a fanciful idea , and its

promoters can neither confer real rank nor take it away . Judgments with legal force cannot emanate from that the constitution of which is , in its very nature , illegal ; and the taint of fraud ( so to speak ) will vitiate every transaction in which it is found . Wherefore , by my own sole

authority , in a legal point of view , I have as much right to suspend the members of the so-called Supreme Council , and declare as a Commander of thc old ne plus ultra ( their 32 ) , that all their acts and functions , ab ini / io , are null and void , and absolutely abrogated , as they could have any right to fulminate any

personal decree against me . Supported by the great body of Freemasons , the Council and all its usurpations might be swept away by a legitimate exercise of our power , like some gipsy encampment surreptitiously attempting to invade the rights of commonage and to form an enclosure by stealthy occupation .