-
Articles/Ads
Article THE POET BURNS AND FREEMASONRY. ← Page 2 of 2 Article Original Correspondence. Page 1 of 2 Article Original Correspondence. Page 1 of 2 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Poet Burns And Freemasonry.
evening Burns was created Poet Laureate of the Canongate Kilwinning Lodge , an honour which he highly prized" To please you and praise you , Ye ken your Laureate scorns ; The prayer still you share still
Of grateful minstrel Burns . He added the title of " Bard" to his signature , and appended his Masonic mark in the Bible he presented to Highland Mary , now treasured in the monument at Alloway kirk . On the a ist April his poems appeared , containing a list of
1 , 500 subscribers names , making up a list of a , 8 oo copies . Publisher , printer , portrait painter , and engraver of . the portrait , were a rare class of men—all characters in their way , and all Masons . During a tour through Scotland the poet was made a Royal Arch Mason at the
general encampment of St . Abb ' s Lodge , Eyemouth , on the 19 th May , and on the 25 th June he was present at a meeting of the Canongate Kilwinning Lodge when Lord Torphichen was elected Master , and Wm . Dunbar , Writer to the Signet , Depute Master— " rattling , roaring
Willie . Amongst the members of the Lodge to whom Burns specially attached himself were William Woods , tragedian , for thirty years the reigning dramatic favourite ; Louis Cauvin , teacher of French in Edinburgh , who afterwards left money to found an hospital for the education
and relief of the sons of poor teachers ; James Johnson , engraver , musicseller , & c , to whom thc "world is indebted in a large measure for the publication of many valuable songs ; Loid Monboddo , the first pioneer of the Darwinian theory j the Earl of Buchan , a literary celebrity of the day , & c .
Speaking of the poet ' s Edinburgh visits and associations , Robert Chalmers wr ites— " Allthe admiring , the disliking , and the indifferentmust , we think , admit that Burns , externally a peasant and of peasant breed , but internally a great man , had come through the crisis without
thc sli ghtest derogation from his true character . Intellectually a giant , he maintained his proportions in convivial scenes which too often caused a sacrifice of the inherent to the accidental , of the true to the false , of the great to the mean . The dignity of the whole picture , as it looms through
the saloons of the polite and learned world of Edinburgh , must indeed form a gratifying picture in the minds of all true men whatever . " " Masonry , " the author of the brochure adds , " was the keystone of the arch , and Burns was doubtless indebted to the brotherhood for his
brilliant reception in the capital , and the generous homage it called forth . If he had not possessed the mystic key to unlock the door of the inner sanctuary he might have had to wait longer for the recognition of his genius . All honour , then to the brotherhood who rallied round him
introduced him to their homes and families , and interested themselves in his fame . " After continuing faithful to his Masonic allegiance , Burns died on the 21 st July , 179 6 , and the author to whose execellent little work we are indebted for
the sketch which we have given , concludes as follows " Masonry was the undercurrent of many a poetical inspiration , and his heart ' s devout prayer in one of his very latest and noblest songs , sent to Thomson the year before his death : —
" For a' that , an' a' that , It ' s coming yet for a' that ; That men to men , the warld o ' er , Shall brothers be for a' that . " And so with a hearty " Amen" ends our slight framework of biography , in the hope that
a more extended and exhaustive work may follow . The Masonic life of Burns has yet to be written by some brother of the Craft competent to do it justice ; this stone to the cairn is oflered with all the alVection of brotherhood without its mysticism . "
SEI > AI > EXT . —The only guaranteed cure for Toothache . —This extraordinary application , marvellous in itselfects , gives immediate relief , without injuring tlie tooth , and forms a temporan- stopping is . i ^ d .: post free is . 3 d . TIICCURALITE Tiiu-rii PASTE , ' for cleansing and improving the teeth , imparts a natural redness to the Hums and gives brilliancy to Ihe enamel . Price is . fid . The KOYAL U- £ s * ri 5 Rltv ., prepared irom a recipe as used by her Majcstv , gives the teeth a pearl-like whiteness , ar . d imparts a delicious fragrance to the breath . Price is . 6 d . Sold by all chemists and perfumers , and by the proprietors , MESSRS . GAUKIF . L , the old-established Dentists , 12 , Ludgate-hill and j 6 , Harley-street , Cavendisli-siiuare , London .
Original Correspondence.
Original Correspondence .
SURREPTITIOUS RITUALS .
To the Editor of The Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — I was pleased that attention was called in The Freemason of last week to the Ritual Advertising Dodge , as it is undoubtedly carried on to so great an extent . I may mention that
there is one purporting to be " as used in the Emulation Lodge of Improvement for M . M ' s , " The prospectus of which I received from a very unexpected quarter . This was followed by a notice of an illustrated volume by the same publisher ( Mr . A . Lewis ) promising a full
exposition of the various secrets . My object in writing , however , was to direct attention to another matter , viz ., the fact that a number of non-masons are in possession of a drinking sign which they use continually , and thus young Masons may inadvertently be led to give them
hints of knowledge . By giving publicity to this in your valuable paper , some at least may be put upon guard against these intruders , and I venture to submit that if one on two ofthe ordinary test questions be put , the ignorance of the pretender will generally be at once discovered . I am , yours faithfully , T . J . T ., P . M ., etc .,
READING THE SCRIPTURES . To the Editor of The Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , In reply to your Correspondent , J . D
F ., I beg to say that the passage of Scripture for the third degree is stated in your article of 23 rd August , it being there stated to be Ecclesiastes 12 , verses J to 7 . The three passages there mentioned are taken from the instructions
contained in Cross ' s chart , but Dr . Oliver says , that in the first degree " tho Volume of the Sacred Law " is usually unfolded at Ruth 4 , v . 7 ; in the second degree at Judges 12 , v . 6 ; and in the third degree at 1 Kings , 7 , v . 13 and 14 . These usages , however , are arbitrary , for we find , at different periods during the last century ,
that Genesis 22 and 28 were indifferently used for the first degree ; 1 Kings 6 , v- 7 , and 2 Chronicles , 6 , for the third , lt is , however , a matter of little importance , provided the passage corresponds with thc structure of any part of thc degree . Yours fraternally , HENRY T . BOBART . P . P . G . S . B .
MASONIC INTOLERANCE IN WESTERN INDIA .
To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — I was much surprised and pained to find , on looking over the Alasonic Record of Wes tern India , that the Editor , Bro . George Bease , has been subjected to most unwarrantable and unmasonic treatment from thc Provincial Prior
through the Prov . V . C . of Bombay . Bro . Bease inserted in his paper an article which appeared in The Freemason ( i . e ., this paper ) respecting the so-called letter of thc Grand Chancellor ' s , which many have doubted ; but up to this time , as it has not been contradicted , I
presumed was the production of that hig h official , Sir Patrick Colquhoun . Now , I have not a word to say at this time about the Grand Chancellor ' s letter . Those who have offered opinions on the subject condemn it most unmercifully , and have commented upon it quite as severely as the writer
of the article which appeared in The Freemason I will grant , for the sake of argument , that the article commenting on the letter was a mistake , or was too severe , or was ill-timed ( neither of which , however , 1 really admit ) , and that consequently an injustice was done j even then , so long as Bro . Bease , as Editor of the Record , considered
it a fair and legitimate review of its statements , he was thoroughly justified in giving it a place in his Magazine . Bearing in mind this fact , and remembering that Bro . Bease simply published what had appeared in The Freemason , what will our readers think of the Provincial Grand Prior for Bombay instructing his G . V . C . to write Bro . Bease , reminding him "whom he had lately ap-
Original Correspondence.
pointed to high office in the Provincial Priory " that , " whilst he admits that the acts of public men are open to criticism by the press , " he , the Prov . Prior , " repudiates the claim which he ( Bro . Bease ) , in his capacity as editor , made to a right to republish without comment such an article as
that under notice , " & c , & c . " Under these circumstances , it appears to the Provincial Prior that your opinions differ so widel y from his own that you cannot with any consistency continue to act as one of his officers . He , therefore suggests to you the propriety of your resigning the office of
Second Captain C . C . of the Provincial Priory , which he conferred upon you a few months ago . " To this intolerant document Bro . Bease has made a reply , in which hc states that " he would be very sorry indeed to continue to be a member
of any Preceptory under the rule of one who has betrayed such a vindictive and unchristian-like spirit , " as he presently proceeds to show . Other matters are introduced into the discussion , with which we have nothing to do -, but we think it worth while to present an exhibit of the treatment meted to Masonic Editors in India in
contrast to the kind spirit always evinced towards The Freemason and its staff in this country . It will also serve to illustrate what may follow in the socalled " lower degrees" if such intolerance is allowed to go unchecked in India , and for the time probably the Editor of The Freemason may as well
be content to keep away from that country . One writer in the Record ( evidently officially inspired ) speaks thus— " Whether the writer of that article is a Freemason or not , I earnestly trust he is not a Knight Templar . But my regret at this rebellious production has been greatly intensified at
its re-publication in the columns of a Journal edited by a Templar . " The same gentleman also styles the article a " malicious attack , " although he says not a word as to the character of the letter by the Grand Chancellor , which called forth the indignant reply in The Freemason . Bro . Bease
is also threatened with the possibility of " all good Templars in India deciding whether your journal ( the Masonic Record ) is deserving of their continued support . " What a sad exhibition of intolerance and decided attempt at persecution ! This Brother , I see , is called Tudor Trevor , and is an officer in the Provincial Priory of Bombay !
He is allowed to call the article in The Ereemasmi a " seditious attack ; " but Bro . Bease , for inserting thc communication , which was , after all , but a fair criticism of a letter which ought not to have appeared , is called upon to resign office , and threatened to lose a number of subscribers , if he is not coward sufficient to lead him to eat his own
words . We are glad to know that Bro . Bease had spirit equal to the occasion , and that his conduct under such tyranny and vexations circumstances was equal to the emergency , and consequently the meanness of his persecutors will go forth to the Masonic world in the true colours it
deserves . Yours fraternally , W . J . HUGHAN * .
THE DOUBLE TRIANGLE . To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — I have read Bro . Paton ' s letter in your last issue ; but though there is not much to reply to , I feel bound to say a few words . I admit that properly the Double Triangle is an
emblem of R . A . Masonry , but I cannot admit , therefore , that it does not belong to Craft Masonry . In our present arrangement , the R . A . is separated from Craft Masonry , but in treating of Masonic symbolism it would not have been out
of p lace to allude to that remarkable figure , which , symbolical as it is , has been made use of by the operative Masons from the very first . When Bro . Paton says , " Every Freemason knows that a Masonic mark must have an odd number of points , " I cannot profess to
understand what he really means . I never heard of such a rule , and I am not aware where it is so laid down , or how it is proved . I have studied the subject of " marks" for some time , and I have no hesitation in saying , that there is hardly a collection of Mason ' s marks in which
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Poet Burns And Freemasonry.
evening Burns was created Poet Laureate of the Canongate Kilwinning Lodge , an honour which he highly prized" To please you and praise you , Ye ken your Laureate scorns ; The prayer still you share still
Of grateful minstrel Burns . He added the title of " Bard" to his signature , and appended his Masonic mark in the Bible he presented to Highland Mary , now treasured in the monument at Alloway kirk . On the a ist April his poems appeared , containing a list of
1 , 500 subscribers names , making up a list of a , 8 oo copies . Publisher , printer , portrait painter , and engraver of . the portrait , were a rare class of men—all characters in their way , and all Masons . During a tour through Scotland the poet was made a Royal Arch Mason at the
general encampment of St . Abb ' s Lodge , Eyemouth , on the 19 th May , and on the 25 th June he was present at a meeting of the Canongate Kilwinning Lodge when Lord Torphichen was elected Master , and Wm . Dunbar , Writer to the Signet , Depute Master— " rattling , roaring
Willie . Amongst the members of the Lodge to whom Burns specially attached himself were William Woods , tragedian , for thirty years the reigning dramatic favourite ; Louis Cauvin , teacher of French in Edinburgh , who afterwards left money to found an hospital for the education
and relief of the sons of poor teachers ; James Johnson , engraver , musicseller , & c , to whom thc "world is indebted in a large measure for the publication of many valuable songs ; Loid Monboddo , the first pioneer of the Darwinian theory j the Earl of Buchan , a literary celebrity of the day , & c .
Speaking of the poet ' s Edinburgh visits and associations , Robert Chalmers wr ites— " Allthe admiring , the disliking , and the indifferentmust , we think , admit that Burns , externally a peasant and of peasant breed , but internally a great man , had come through the crisis without
thc sli ghtest derogation from his true character . Intellectually a giant , he maintained his proportions in convivial scenes which too often caused a sacrifice of the inherent to the accidental , of the true to the false , of the great to the mean . The dignity of the whole picture , as it looms through
the saloons of the polite and learned world of Edinburgh , must indeed form a gratifying picture in the minds of all true men whatever . " " Masonry , " the author of the brochure adds , " was the keystone of the arch , and Burns was doubtless indebted to the brotherhood for his
brilliant reception in the capital , and the generous homage it called forth . If he had not possessed the mystic key to unlock the door of the inner sanctuary he might have had to wait longer for the recognition of his genius . All honour , then to the brotherhood who rallied round him
introduced him to their homes and families , and interested themselves in his fame . " After continuing faithful to his Masonic allegiance , Burns died on the 21 st July , 179 6 , and the author to whose execellent little work we are indebted for
the sketch which we have given , concludes as follows " Masonry was the undercurrent of many a poetical inspiration , and his heart ' s devout prayer in one of his very latest and noblest songs , sent to Thomson the year before his death : —
" For a' that , an' a' that , It ' s coming yet for a' that ; That men to men , the warld o ' er , Shall brothers be for a' that . " And so with a hearty " Amen" ends our slight framework of biography , in the hope that
a more extended and exhaustive work may follow . The Masonic life of Burns has yet to be written by some brother of the Craft competent to do it justice ; this stone to the cairn is oflered with all the alVection of brotherhood without its mysticism . "
SEI > AI > EXT . —The only guaranteed cure for Toothache . —This extraordinary application , marvellous in itselfects , gives immediate relief , without injuring tlie tooth , and forms a temporan- stopping is . i ^ d .: post free is . 3 d . TIICCURALITE Tiiu-rii PASTE , ' for cleansing and improving the teeth , imparts a natural redness to the Hums and gives brilliancy to Ihe enamel . Price is . fid . The KOYAL U- £ s * ri 5 Rltv ., prepared irom a recipe as used by her Majcstv , gives the teeth a pearl-like whiteness , ar . d imparts a delicious fragrance to the breath . Price is . 6 d . Sold by all chemists and perfumers , and by the proprietors , MESSRS . GAUKIF . L , the old-established Dentists , 12 , Ludgate-hill and j 6 , Harley-street , Cavendisli-siiuare , London .
Original Correspondence.
Original Correspondence .
SURREPTITIOUS RITUALS .
To the Editor of The Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — I was pleased that attention was called in The Freemason of last week to the Ritual Advertising Dodge , as it is undoubtedly carried on to so great an extent . I may mention that
there is one purporting to be " as used in the Emulation Lodge of Improvement for M . M ' s , " The prospectus of which I received from a very unexpected quarter . This was followed by a notice of an illustrated volume by the same publisher ( Mr . A . Lewis ) promising a full
exposition of the various secrets . My object in writing , however , was to direct attention to another matter , viz ., the fact that a number of non-masons are in possession of a drinking sign which they use continually , and thus young Masons may inadvertently be led to give them
hints of knowledge . By giving publicity to this in your valuable paper , some at least may be put upon guard against these intruders , and I venture to submit that if one on two ofthe ordinary test questions be put , the ignorance of the pretender will generally be at once discovered . I am , yours faithfully , T . J . T ., P . M ., etc .,
READING THE SCRIPTURES . To the Editor of The Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , In reply to your Correspondent , J . D
F ., I beg to say that the passage of Scripture for the third degree is stated in your article of 23 rd August , it being there stated to be Ecclesiastes 12 , verses J to 7 . The three passages there mentioned are taken from the instructions
contained in Cross ' s chart , but Dr . Oliver says , that in the first degree " tho Volume of the Sacred Law " is usually unfolded at Ruth 4 , v . 7 ; in the second degree at Judges 12 , v . 6 ; and in the third degree at 1 Kings , 7 , v . 13 and 14 . These usages , however , are arbitrary , for we find , at different periods during the last century ,
that Genesis 22 and 28 were indifferently used for the first degree ; 1 Kings 6 , v- 7 , and 2 Chronicles , 6 , for the third , lt is , however , a matter of little importance , provided the passage corresponds with thc structure of any part of thc degree . Yours fraternally , HENRY T . BOBART . P . P . G . S . B .
MASONIC INTOLERANCE IN WESTERN INDIA .
To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — I was much surprised and pained to find , on looking over the Alasonic Record of Wes tern India , that the Editor , Bro . George Bease , has been subjected to most unwarrantable and unmasonic treatment from thc Provincial Prior
through the Prov . V . C . of Bombay . Bro . Bease inserted in his paper an article which appeared in The Freemason ( i . e ., this paper ) respecting the so-called letter of thc Grand Chancellor ' s , which many have doubted ; but up to this time , as it has not been contradicted , I
presumed was the production of that hig h official , Sir Patrick Colquhoun . Now , I have not a word to say at this time about the Grand Chancellor ' s letter . Those who have offered opinions on the subject condemn it most unmercifully , and have commented upon it quite as severely as the writer
of the article which appeared in The Freemason I will grant , for the sake of argument , that the article commenting on the letter was a mistake , or was too severe , or was ill-timed ( neither of which , however , 1 really admit ) , and that consequently an injustice was done j even then , so long as Bro . Bease , as Editor of the Record , considered
it a fair and legitimate review of its statements , he was thoroughly justified in giving it a place in his Magazine . Bearing in mind this fact , and remembering that Bro . Bease simply published what had appeared in The Freemason , what will our readers think of the Provincial Grand Prior for Bombay instructing his G . V . C . to write Bro . Bease , reminding him "whom he had lately ap-
Original Correspondence.
pointed to high office in the Provincial Priory " that , " whilst he admits that the acts of public men are open to criticism by the press , " he , the Prov . Prior , " repudiates the claim which he ( Bro . Bease ) , in his capacity as editor , made to a right to republish without comment such an article as
that under notice , " & c , & c . " Under these circumstances , it appears to the Provincial Prior that your opinions differ so widel y from his own that you cannot with any consistency continue to act as one of his officers . He , therefore suggests to you the propriety of your resigning the office of
Second Captain C . C . of the Provincial Priory , which he conferred upon you a few months ago . " To this intolerant document Bro . Bease has made a reply , in which hc states that " he would be very sorry indeed to continue to be a member
of any Preceptory under the rule of one who has betrayed such a vindictive and unchristian-like spirit , " as he presently proceeds to show . Other matters are introduced into the discussion , with which we have nothing to do -, but we think it worth while to present an exhibit of the treatment meted to Masonic Editors in India in
contrast to the kind spirit always evinced towards The Freemason and its staff in this country . It will also serve to illustrate what may follow in the socalled " lower degrees" if such intolerance is allowed to go unchecked in India , and for the time probably the Editor of The Freemason may as well
be content to keep away from that country . One writer in the Record ( evidently officially inspired ) speaks thus— " Whether the writer of that article is a Freemason or not , I earnestly trust he is not a Knight Templar . But my regret at this rebellious production has been greatly intensified at
its re-publication in the columns of a Journal edited by a Templar . " The same gentleman also styles the article a " malicious attack , " although he says not a word as to the character of the letter by the Grand Chancellor , which called forth the indignant reply in The Freemason . Bro . Bease
is also threatened with the possibility of " all good Templars in India deciding whether your journal ( the Masonic Record ) is deserving of their continued support . " What a sad exhibition of intolerance and decided attempt at persecution ! This Brother , I see , is called Tudor Trevor , and is an officer in the Provincial Priory of Bombay !
He is allowed to call the article in The Ereemasmi a " seditious attack ; " but Bro . Bease , for inserting thc communication , which was , after all , but a fair criticism of a letter which ought not to have appeared , is called upon to resign office , and threatened to lose a number of subscribers , if he is not coward sufficient to lead him to eat his own
words . We are glad to know that Bro . Bease had spirit equal to the occasion , and that his conduct under such tyranny and vexations circumstances was equal to the emergency , and consequently the meanness of his persecutors will go forth to the Masonic world in the true colours it
deserves . Yours fraternally , W . J . HUGHAN * .
THE DOUBLE TRIANGLE . To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — I have read Bro . Paton ' s letter in your last issue ; but though there is not much to reply to , I feel bound to say a few words . I admit that properly the Double Triangle is an
emblem of R . A . Masonry , but I cannot admit , therefore , that it does not belong to Craft Masonry . In our present arrangement , the R . A . is separated from Craft Masonry , but in treating of Masonic symbolism it would not have been out
of p lace to allude to that remarkable figure , which , symbolical as it is , has been made use of by the operative Masons from the very first . When Bro . Paton says , " Every Freemason knows that a Masonic mark must have an odd number of points , " I cannot profess to
understand what he really means . I never heard of such a rule , and I am not aware where it is so laid down , or how it is proved . I have studied the subject of " marks" for some time , and I have no hesitation in saying , that there is hardly a collection of Mason ' s marks in which