Notes On The " United Orders Of The Temple And Hospital."

When you wish to sleep , you will be ordered to watch ; when you will wish to watch , then you will be ordered to go to bed ; when you will wish to eat , then you will be ordered to do something else , " & c . ( To ie continued . )

Grand Chapter Of The Rose Croix Degree For Ireland.

GRAND CHAPTER OF THE ROSE CROIX DEGREE FOR IRELAND .

Report of the Vice President to ihe Convocation of Prince Alasons , held at Dullin , Alonday , April 17 , 1 / 1 , 1872 . ( Cmitinuvd fi'imi . Page 485 . ^ I am therefore perfectly certain that more and more warrants will be sought from the Grand Chapter . Most probably each

application will be made by men whose request it must seem ungracious to deny ; and it will always be an unpopular thing to appear to hesitate about establishing a new centre for the diffusion of this or of any Masonic Degree . But if we give a Rose Croix warrant , merely because a few zealous men would like to have one in

their neighbourhood—depend upon it we shall soon have Rose Croix warrants plenty enough . If you scatter them over the various country towns , you may be perfectly certain that all other Masonry than Prince Alasonry will soon lose its value and become insignificant ;

admissions to Prince Alasonry will become more and more numerous ; the Grand Chapter will lose its control over them , and when the Insignia ofthe Rose Croix are to be had for the mere asking—or , what is more likely still—are oflered to any who choose to accept them , as a vanity or a

novelty , Prince Masonry will cease to be even a novelty , ancl the name of Roise Croix will be as little regarded as are some other intermediate steps which it is not necessary for ine to name . You may ask me , what would you then have us to do ? That , unhappily , is just

what it is impossible for me to define with any degree of certainty . I wish sincerely I could so define a course for yon , or even for myself . I cannot , in reply , lay down a hard and fast rule to guide you in matters of discretion , on which it is not easy to form a fair opinion ; but

this I may say ; I woultl have yon grant new warrants with a very cautious hand having regard to a great many circumstances which would not be taken into account if you were to grant them , merely to to gratify a few individuals , however estimable in cnaracter or anxious for the extension of the

Order . We must not either withhold promotion from men who deserve it , nor make promotion too cheap , too easily had , too common to be thought very well worth having . I have stated thus much for your consideration , knowing , as 1

do , that I incur the risk ot displeasing many who may hear me , because it is my duty to point out a danger , and it will be yours to avert it , if you can , by good sense , discretion , and circumspection . The warrant lon »* since issued lo Lisbon is

still in the hands ot brethren there ; I have observed in the printed statement of our last year ' s accounts that they appear to be a good deal in arrear for fees ancl dues . But I doubt very much whether they are aware of transgressing our rules . Those who originally took the warrant must ,

most of them at least , have passed away ; it seems almost unaccountable that their . succes sors should desire to retain it . I have always understood that at the time when it was granted , the political state of Portugal was such that it was necessary to have recourse to Great Britain

or Ireland for a Alasonic warrant , which the civil powers wonld not allow . But that necessity cannot still exist , for there wcre , for several years past , two rival Alasonic Bodies in Portugal , each claiming to lie supreme in all Alasonic matters , both were united , happily , on the . 30 th October , 186 9 , as were also the Councils of the , 3 , ] rd

degree , which existed in each of them , in some way so much at variance with our own usage that I am unable to explain it . That junction litis now organised a single , regular , and supreme body for the government of Al .-soniy in Portugal , the style of which is " Grande Oriente Lusitauo unido , Supremho Conselho da Alaeoncria Portu-

Grand Chapter Of The Rose Croix Degree For Ireland.

gez . " I think it must follow , sooner or laten that the allegiance of the Rose Croix Chapter will be transferred to it . In fact , I wish it were so , because I think it an evil example to send warrants from one Masonic authority into the

dominion of another . However , I think we must consult the wishes of our Portuguese brethren in the matter , and , for my part , I would give them the most respectful attention . Some months ago , the Grand Chapter received an official communication from the Council of

the . 3 . 3 rd Degree in Ireland to the effect that the Council of that Degree in England had officially notified to them that an assembly , purporting to be masonic , but ' not recognised by the Council of the . 3 , 3 rd for England , had assumed a right to confer certain degrees , that of Rose Croix

included ; and that the degrees so conferred could not be acknowledged . You may not all be aware that the Council of . 33 rd for England is the governing body of the Rose Croix Order there , as the Grand Chapter is the governing body of the Rose Croix here : it is so , however ; and as

Grand Chapter , recognising and reciprocating thc amicable feeling which I am happy to say the Supreme Council of 33 rd for England always evinces towards us here , at once resolved that they , for their part , would not recognize the degrees which had been conferred by what the

Council of , 33 rd in England had pronounced to be au unauthorised and clandestine body , assuming , without any foundation of right , the powers properly exercisable only by the Council or by its authority . It was , you will observe , purely an abstract masonic question , not reflecting on ,

or inculpating any individual member ot thc Order , and 1 think the Grand Chapter decitled perfectly in accordance with Alasonic law in thc matter , for it is a maxim of Alasonic Law that no assemblage of Alasons or other persons , has a rig ht to constitute itself into an independent

Alasonic body , of any grade , 111 any country where there is an existing recognised Alasonic power in that country , in which body thc government ofthe grade is vested . It is also consistent with Alasonic law , ancl with good sense likewise that the recognized exercise ol authority is a

presumption of a right to exercise it . It is not competent to any mason or number of masons to put a governing Masonic botfy upon ' proof of its authority , merely to endeavour to subvert it ; and surely he who would question 1113 * title must found his claim on the validity of his own , not

on the weakness of mme , it it be weak . 1 hose arc the rules ol" natural justice . Moreover , the edicts of a Masonic , power , issued respecting a matter within its authority , are to be received without question , and presumed to be fair , well founded , and regular . The Council of , 3 , 3 rd in England would not question an order of our

Grand Chapter , and our Grand Chapter is reciprocally bound to respect an order of theirs , or of -any independent Alasonic . puissance . Since that event took place I have found the resolution of our Grand Chapter , to which 1 have just alluded , has been confirmed by the authority ofthe Council of , 33 rd for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States of America . 1 find

111 the official communication ol that Council , published in December last , that notice had been received by them from the sister Council in England that a meeting had been held in Manchester , under a warrant alleged to have been given to a Air . John Yarker , by two brethren named

Seymour and Hyam , claiming to have some authority as members of thc 3 . 3 rd Degree belonging to , or deriving title from , some Council or Councils in America . The Council of , 3 . 3 rd to Charleston forthwith promulgated an edict , dated iSth September last , signed by the

Commander , Albert Pike . It recites that certain botlies in England , not of the obedience of the Supreme Council of England and Wales and the Dependencies of the Brithish Crown , claimed and exercised the right of conferring , in some manner and form , to the Charleston Council

unknown , the Degrees ot Rose Croix ancl Kadosh ; and it . mentions that Alessrs Seymour and Hyam had constituted certain bodies in England ; and it then proceeds to enjoin and caution all Freemasons owing obedience to the Council at Charleston to have no communication with , or in any manner recognize as lawfully in

Grand Chapter Of The Rose Croix Degree For Ireland.

possession of the Rose Croix or other Degrees , any person coming from the jurisdiction of England and Wales ancl the dependencies of the British Crown , " unless he have evidence of his legitimate possession of such degrees by diploma from the Council of England and Wales , or some

body of its obedience . " Remembering that our Grand Chapter occupies here the same position with respect to the Rose Croix Order that the , 3 , 3 rd Councils do in the Southern States and in England , I think it plain that it acted in the matter with proper Alasonic feeling . What is

the use of a government that docs not govern ? Is it not the first duty of a government to portect its own subjects , who owe , and who pay allegiance to it ? And I do not hesitate to pronounce our Bro . Albert Pike the greatest

authority * on Alasonic matters that has ever appeared in any time , or in any conntry ; and I think it must be satisfactory to us all to know that we have the sanction of the proceedings of the illustrious Alasonic bod y whose councils he directs , as a guarantee for the propriety of our own .

I have gone somewhat farther than may be deemed necessary into this matter , not that I deem it necessary to vindicate our Grand Chapter from any imputation of personal jealousy or discontent , for no such feeling influenced its proceedings ; indeed , it was impossible that such

should be the case . I have been told , and I believe it to be the fact , that a few members of Irish lodges took the Rose Croix and some other degrees in thc unauthorised bod y disclaimed b y the English Council ; but certainly no member of the Grand Chapter , so far as I can judge ,

intended the least disrespect or discourtesy to them , while yet the Grand Chapter felt bound to vindicate the honour of this Order and its own dignity , neither of which should be compromised , even if its decision should be likely * to create a temporary feeling of dissatisfaction , which I

think a little calm reflection should dispel , if it ever existed . We cannot , as the wise Dr . Johnson said , blow up half-a-dozen palaces because one cottage is burning . I mention it onl y to impress upon those members of the Rose Croix Order , who hear ine , that it is a grave Alasonic offence to hold Alasonic communication

with any clandestine body—the name given to any unrecognised Masonic assembly , no matter how public its meetings or how ostentatious its proceedings . 1 also desire to warn all my younger hearers against the incongruity of going beyond ]•* the Alasonic jurisdiction of Ireland , to

obtain Alasonic Degrees elsewhere , merel y with the idea of thereby attaining an equality with those who have attained them here . Such an experiment has been tried more than once in my time , and has uniformly failed . There are many men whom we all would gladly enough receive

as visitors and friends , if they came to our hall doors in the ordinary way ; but if we caught them creeping up the back stairs— -I need not follow out the parallelism . What equality can there be where there is not sympathy ? Of what value is a distinction , not conferred as an honour , but snatched atrainstthe will of those who should

confer it r I have myself attained the highest Alasonic grade , and lean most heartily , solemnly and sincerely assure my brethren of every degree , lhat no Alasonic grade , no childish toys of ribbons , stars , or crosses , can ever compensate the person who attempts to introduce disunion

and dissension , disorder and insubordination , into our admirably constituted , and , on the whole , admirably administered society . That is indeed a poor ambition—worthy of pity , but that its effects may be so calamitous to the welfare of the order , if the contagion of such sorry vanity and weak desire of distinction , at

any price , should spread very widely amongst us . Promotion is very good , and as a reward ol service and of merit , very acceptable . But it may be too rapid . Give a man all the degrees he can attain—give them all in a day , or a week , and what will be their value in our eyes , ov even in his own ; Absolutely nothing : exactly what they would be worth .

Alany years ago I stiggestetl the revision of our Ritual ; the subject was not taken up until recently , and as it is still under discussion , it would be premature for me lo state what has been already done . This matter will not so far