"Antagonism" In The High Degrees.

like the latter , requires no special profession of religious faith , and is open to all who simply acknowledge a Supreme Being , without reference to the mode of their worship or the peculiarities of their creed . But once we get beyond the R . A . Degree , and enter what is sometimes called

" Christian Masonry , " the sectarian element comes into play , and one of tbe most valuable and distinctive attributes of true Masonry is laid aside . Several of the " higher " ehivalric degrees are very beautiful and unobjectionable when

properly worked , but they are , after all , merely appendages to the "Ancient and Honourable Order ; " and while we differ as to the legitimacy and proper authority of the high degrees , as worked in various rites , we should be careful to

avoid bringing our quarrels where tbey would disturb the peace , love , and harmony that should always exist in true Masonry , and we should

distinctly and emphatically repress any attempt to enlist Craft Masonry in the fight , or " make Grand Lodge directly or indirectly the battle -ground , for the contending factions .

I the more distinctly emphasise this position because of the fact that our Irish Grand Lodge is in some danger of overlooking it . Readers " of THE FREEMASON are aware that several of our Irish brethren have gone over to England , and

taken many of the " high degrees " under the Ancient Templar Warrants , which confer the privilege of giving such degrees . This action on their part has evoked much unmasonic conduct on the part of certain brethren , who seem

to think that the exclusive possession of those high degrees is vested in them and those whom they " delight to honour " by " calling them up " to share their dignity . It is quite time such a fallacy should be exploded , and exploded it very

nearly is . Already the " movement" has borne fruit here , for a number of deserving Masons have been made " Irish Princes . " Since action was taken in the matter by the brethren who were not so fortunate as to come up to the

standard required by those who " pull the strings " in Rose Croix Masonry here , and probably nearly all of those recent additions to its ranks may thank the " Manchester Princes" for the honour that has been conferred upon them .

But we hear sundry ominous mutterings of punishments in store for those who have dared to trespass on the preserves of the "high and select" potentates of Irish Rose Croix Masonry , and who have had the great presumption to

accept the higher degrees from an authority more respectable and more legitimate than the mongrel rite underwhich they are worked in Ireland . Such brethren are to be suspended—they are to be expelled . Goodness knows what fate awaits

them , while those who give credence to and repeat those dreadful rumours seem quite oblivious of the fact that Grand Lodge has no power

whatever either to prevent , or to condemn , the course that they have taken , and that " divers and sundry " other " good men and true " may be preparing to follow .

It is quite true that another edition of the " Ahiman Rezon " is in course of preparation here , and that some of the new laws proposed might be twisted so as to bear on future transgressors in the same direction ; but until those

propositions are adopted and become the law , they , of course are of no effect , and I think it very likely that , whatever may be done in the direction of giving greater individual liberty to Irish Masons ,

an attempt to crush down or interfere with their right of private judgment and action , will be at once negatived , and that such attempted " mending " of the Constitution will be at once seen through and discarded .

There is one matter to which the attention of the " Law Committee " might be advantageously directed—namely , to the desirability of expunging from the " annals " appended to the " Constitutions" those references to the pretended

statutes of Frederick the Great , which the old edition contains . We have in those " annals , " gravely set out as historical facts , Frederick ' s Convention of the Princes of the Royal Secret , to give a patent to Bro . Stephen Morin , his

proclamation as Sovereign Grand Inspector-General 33 ° . and his ratification of " the Constitution ofSS . GG . II . GG ., 33 ° Ultimique Gradus . " I think too highly of the character and

Constitution of the Grand Lodge of Ireland to believe that it will knowingly lend its high name and its official sanction to the propagation of admitted falsehood , invented to back up a gross Masonic fraud .

To come back , however , to our text ,- the " Antagonism in the High Degrees , " we have to consider is it possible to do away with that antagonism , and to reconcile , without compromise of principle , tbe contending parties ? Clearly , as long as the " heads" of the A . and A . Rite

maintain the position they at present assert , such a reconciliation is impossible . Let them honestly imitate the Charleston Council , and throw overboard the pretended statutes of Frederick , and the supposed authority conferred thereby . Let them abandon the claim to exclusive control

over the Rose Croix , Kadosh , and other degrees , and recognise brethren who have obtained them under other rites . Let them stand forth as the governing body of a rite conferring 33 degrees , andputtingforwardtheirclaimstopreferenceabove

other rites , on whatever real grounds of merit they are able to adduce , and thus meeting on a " fair field " and " free from favour , " I see no reason why brethren holding particular degrees conferred under different rites should not meet in

those degrees , wherever they are worked under a responsible authority . Such a course would go a long way to bring about true Masonic feeling in the high degrees , and to bridge over the gap that now separates different bodies of high grade

Masons . If it should be thought necessary , it would be easy to adopt some slight distinction in the regalia of the orders . For instance , the Templar Rose Croix Masons might have their collars and aprons edged with black and white ,

the 1 emplar colours , and such distinctive tokens could be very easily settled . I would earnestly counsel the English high grade brethren to make some effort to obtain peace and union in the

matter . We Irish Masons are more or less " tied up , " at least in Ireland ; but there are many ways in which we could lend a helping hand , and many reasons why we would , be glad to see matters fairly and satisfactorily arranged .

As to the claim of the S . G . C . over all the degrees of Masonry , although it may not be " tenable " in these countries , it is not so long since it was attempted to impose it elsewhere . I am informed that so late as 1 S 50 , Gourgas

addressed his claims , to various bodies , of jurisdiction over " all the degrees of Masonry , " and that according to the published proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Connecticut ( part 4 , page 157 , 1861 ) , that body found it necessary

to repudiate such a doctrine . I am also instructed that so late as 1844 members of the 2 , f actually went the length of expelling a member of the Grand Lodge of Louisiana , requiring that body to declare such brother

expelled " merely by reason of his expulsion by this Supreme Council . " Of course , such arrogant assumption was not submitted to , and the " Holy Emperor" " came to grief . " ( I am referred to Freemasons' Magazine , March 20

1862 , page 245 . ) As to the further suggestion in your leader , that the government of the A . and A . Rite should be brought into harmony with constitutional Masonry , by abandonment of the

selfnomination practice , such a change would doub tless be most desirable ; but that point is one for the consideration of the adherents ofthe Rite , and need not affect tlje settlement of the controversy in the manner I have already indicated .

I most cordially endorse your deprecation of personalities in this controversy . We have had too much of them already , and if peace cannot be made , the battle must be fought out . I do hope that the candidates on both sides will

import into the struggle some of the old cluval ric spirit , and wage the fight as becomes gentle men and Freemasons . AN IRISH H . K . T . Dublin , 12 th August , 1871 .

Reviews.

Reviews .

— $ — The Kingston Masonic Annual , 1871 . [ From the Die Banhiitte ( organ of the Society of German , Freemasons ) , Leipzig , January 7 th , 1871 ,

Not only because the proceeds of this annual are to be devoted to the Charity Fund of the Kingston Lodge must we wish it the widest circulation and best success , for it is , once for

ail , the most valuable and sterling Masonic work which has appeared , not only in England , but in the English language , during tbe last half century . We go even further : We see in the

appearance of this annual the commencement of a new era in the literature of Freemasonry , and in the Masonic life of England . Up to the present time there has always been more or less wanting

in the English Masonic magazines a careful sifting of the material to be published , comparatively worthless matter having been allowed to swamp more important ; they also lack a

recognisable standpoint and a scientific bearing , properties which distinguish this annual in a - praiseworthy manner . Although the editor has allowed the contributors perfect freedom , and

they have written without concert , still the various papers are of the same stamp , as they are all more or less alike in the seriousness of conception and relation , as in the free , critical spirit

with which the respective subjects are treated . In some points the different contributors agree almost literally , as for example , in the demand , perfectly justifiable , but hitherto almost unheard

in England and America , for the introduction of a printed ritual . But by far the most important thing about this annual is that the contributions are the substantial emanations and the result of

the mental activity of the Kingston Lodge , or of the Hull lodges , which set a brilliant example to all other English and American lodges . The old English custom of working on the brethren

by means of addresses and lectures , in addition to the often-wearying ritual , and of giving to Masonic meetings a special interest and value by intellectual appeals and instructive

discoursesthis good old custom , which in Germany has almost without exception become the rule , has in England fallen into disuse and oblivion . And as the Hull lodges revive , and with it break

through the slavishness and sterility of English Masonic life , they perform a service on which we cannot congratulate them too much . The consequences of such a movement cannot be

guessed ; they will appear in the future , and wake up the so long sleeping spiritual life of English Freemasonry . With this reform a more earnest and higher conception of the objects of

Masonry , a more searching study of the history and symbolism of our Fraternity , and a noble emulation into spiritual work must be brought about in English lodge-life which will be the

means of bringing still closer to us our brethren in England . We note with particular pleasure , and , as a sign of the times , that the editor ,

publisher , and several of the contributors are members , or corresponding members , of the Society of German Freemasons .

It is not our intention to go into details . We recommend the perusal of the annual to every brother . To the editor we can only say " God speed . " We shall greet the continuance of

the annual as a valuable addition to English literature , and as a means to elevate the tone of Freemasonry itself and to place it in a more favourable light before the new Masonic world .