-
Articles/Ads
Article Untitled Page 1 of 1 Article Untitled Page 1 of 1 Article Untitled Page 1 of 1 Article Untitled Page 1 of 1 Article THE FUTURE OF FREEMASONRY IN IRELAND. Page 1 of 2 Article THE FUTURE OF FREEMASONRY IN IRELAND. Page 1 of 2 Article THE FUTURE OF FREEMASONRY IN IRELAND. Page 1 of 2 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ar00600
NOTICE . The Subscription to THE FREEMASON it now JOS per annum , post-free , payable in advance . Vol . I ., bound in cloth 4 s . 6 d . Vol . 11 ., ditto ; s . 6 d . Vol . III ., ditto 15 s . 6 d . Reading ; Cases to hold 52 numbers ... 2 s . 6 d . United States of America . THE FREEMASON is delivered free in any part of the United States for 12 s per annum , payable in advance .
Ar00604
NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS . The Office O / 'THR FREEMASON is -now transferred to 19 8 , FLKKT-STRKKT , E . C . All communications for the Editor or Publisher should therefore be . forwarded to that address .
Ar00605
Ilnsfocrs to Contsponbents . Ml coTimmii cations i ' nrThe Freemason should be written legibly on one side of the paper only , and , if intended for insertion in the current number , must be received not later than 10 o'clock a . m . on Th unlays , unless in very special eases . The name and address of cveryswrlter must be sent to us in confidence .
Ar00606
The F r e e m a s o n , S ATURDAY , F KHRVARY 24 , 1872 . The Freemason is published on Saturday Mornings in lime for the early trains . The price of the Freemason is Twopence per week ; annual sulist . jptinnf tos . ( payable in advance . ) All communications , letters , Sec , to be addressed to the Kditnr , 19 S , Fleet-street , K . C . The Kditnr will pay careful attention to all MSS . entru-ted to him , hut cannot undertake to return them unless accompanied by postage stamps .
The Future Of Freemasonry In Ireland.
THE FUTURE OF FREEMASONRY IN IRELAND .
BV BllO . Jostl'll WoOIIWOHTIt , P . M . Co . VIMrilCIAl . I . OIKU-, No . 245 . (( 'uiilinuiiljh ) in page 7 , ; 6 , I ' tdume 4 , ) THIRD ARTICLE .
By a resolution of Grand . Lodge , bearing date February 1 , 18 44 , that bod y " strictly prohibits as unlawful all assemblies of Freemasons in Ireland , under any title whatsoever , purporting to be
Masonic , not held by virtue of a warrant or constitution from this Grand lodge , or from the Masonic bodies recognized b y and acting in unison with the Grand Lodge of Ireland . "
To this rule , the framers of the new law-s which are about to be submitted to our discussion have thought fit to add a clause of the most objectionable character , to which I shall have
occasion hereafter more particularly to refer . The " bodies recognized by and acting in unison with the Grand Lodge of Ireland , " alluded to in the above rule , were :
The Grand Royal Arch Chapter . The Grand Encampment of High Knights Templar . The Grand Council of Rites for Ireland .
I say were advisedly , for the last named , "The Grand Council of Rites for Ireland , " has ceased to exist , and has , for the first time , this year , disappeared from " The Freemasons' Calendar and Directory , " published " under the sanction and by
The Future Of Freemasonry In Ireland.
the authority of the Worshipful the Grand Lodge of Ireland . " In lieu of it we find " The Grand Chapter of Prince Masons of Ireland , " ( for the first time ) ,
and the "Supreme Council of Ireland , 33 rd Degree . " Now , as neither of these bodies have thought fit , as far as I am aware , even to notify
their existence to Grand Lodge , they are not , of course , " recognised " by it , and are therefore unlawful , and their meetings are " prohibited . "
How they came to be officially included among the Masonic Bodies of Ireland , in a Calendar published " under the sanction and by the authority of the Grand Lodge , " is a question that
might be asked . We are indeed told that the change that has taken place in the internal arrangements of the "High Degrees" here , is only a nominal one ,
that the same body conies before us under a different title . Let us see if such is the ease . The constitution of the "Grand Council of Rites of Ireland , " as given in the " Ahiman Rezon , "
is thus stated . " 3 . The Grand Council of Rites for Ireland shall consist of the Grand Inspectors General , . 5 , 5 ° ,
the Officers of the Council , and the three Superior Officers of all the several High Degrees of Freemasonry in Ireland ( above that of High Knights Templar ) or three representatives from each
( duly accredited ) , who shall be summoned to assist at all its meetings and deliberations ; that is to say , the three Superior Oificers of
"The Princes of the Royal Secret , 32 nd . " The Grand Inspectors Inquisitors Commanders , , 31 st . " The Order of Mi / raim .
"The Council of Knights of the Sun . "The Colleges of Philosophical Masons , or Knights , K . H .
"The Chapters of the 1 Most Excellent the Knights of the Eagle and Pelican , Princes Grand Rose Croix :
" And of all Past Commanders and Past Sovereigns of Philosophical Masons , and of ihe Chapters of Prince Masons , respectively , so long as they are subscribing members to a
College or Chapter . It is with the bod y so constituted that Grand Lodge formed a compact , and that body is expressly declared to be the " governing body of
the degree of Prince Grand Rose Croix ; the governing body of the Superior Masonic Grades being the Supreme Council of the 3 . 3 rd Degree " ( Rule 1 ) .
It is quite true that the Grand Council of Rites retained the ri ght , " with the concurrence of two-thirds of the members present at any regular quarterly meeting , at any time hereafter
to revise , repeal , amend or alter" their constitution , on proper notice being previously given ( Rule 31 ) , and various changes have accordingly been gradually made in the internal arrangements
of the "High Degrees , " and a new set of "Rules and Constitutions" were promulgated to take effect from the 21 st of March , 1866 , by which the control of the Rose Croix degree was
practicall y taken out : of the hands of the Supreme Council , and the degrees superior to that of " Prince Mason , " and vested in a body designated the "Council of Rites for Ireland . " The reason for adopting this course it is unne-
The Future Of Freemasonry In Ireland.
cessary just now to dwell on . It was at all events a move in the right direction , and had the members of the Prince Masons Chapter there and then severed their connection with the degrees
above them , and come before Grand Lod ge for recognition , there would probably not have been a word said against it , but , instead of doing so , they thought proper to go on as usual towards
those of the " inferior" degrees , until the present year , when they officially burst upon cur view as an "independent Grand Bod } -, " exercising the
government over the Prince Masons Chapters , formerly vested in the "Grand Council of Rites , " with whom alone Grand Lodge , rightly or wrongly , formed a compact .
It is not to the point that the change made has been a gradual one . The alteration in the organisation and government of the , " High Degrees " here is equivalent to a revolution in their
character , and if one effect has been to give a proper independence to the Rose Croix degree , such as its antiquity and respectability entitle it to , another effect has been to strengthen the position
and consolidate the authority of the " Supreme Grand Council of the 33 ° , " and to hand over to it , as a matter of right , the government of all the degrees superior to that of the Rose Croix .
In order to understand the position properly , it is necessary to go a little into the ori gin and history of this " supreme" degree , and in doing so let it be understood , once for all , that I mean no disrespect
whatever to the present holders of the thirtythird degree in Ireland . They are , many of them , otherwise , eminent as true Masons , having " the good of the fraternity at heart , " and if the degree
were what it assumes to be , the summit of Freemasonry , and the " elective , " instead of the " selective" principle was the means by which brethren attained it , probably most , possibly all .
the brethren who at present hold it , would occupy the same position . Especially , I distinctly disclaim anything like a reflection on the masonic character of the brother who has for nearly sixty
years so worthily presided over our fraternity , and whose character , both inside and outside the order , rests upon an unchallenged eminence , but 1 do not recognize the principle that respect for
individuals should blind us to the defects of a system to which they may happen to beloiv , and I will not be prevented , by either mistake or misrepresentation , from exposing and attacking
errors and perversions which have in the past done much , and may in the future do much more injury to our ancient order , unless we take steps
to neutralize their action , and limit the spheie within which their mischevious tendencies have room to play .
I have no desire to raise , unnecessarily , the veil that is supposed to conceal from our gaze the internal history of the " High Degrees " in Ireland . There is much in that history , that
it ts expedient should " sleep in the shade " and 1 trust that their possessors will see the wisdom of avoiding any conflict that might
render it necessary to look more closel y into their antecedents , or call in question their present claims and authority .
We have already seen , that a Chapter of Prince Masons , and a body of Kni ghts K . H . were recognized in Dublin in the last century , and that the latter body also existed in England , is shewn
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ar00600
NOTICE . The Subscription to THE FREEMASON it now JOS per annum , post-free , payable in advance . Vol . I ., bound in cloth 4 s . 6 d . Vol . 11 ., ditto ; s . 6 d . Vol . III ., ditto 15 s . 6 d . Reading ; Cases to hold 52 numbers ... 2 s . 6 d . United States of America . THE FREEMASON is delivered free in any part of the United States for 12 s per annum , payable in advance .
Ar00604
NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS . The Office O / 'THR FREEMASON is -now transferred to 19 8 , FLKKT-STRKKT , E . C . All communications for the Editor or Publisher should therefore be . forwarded to that address .
Ar00605
Ilnsfocrs to Contsponbents . Ml coTimmii cations i ' nrThe Freemason should be written legibly on one side of the paper only , and , if intended for insertion in the current number , must be received not later than 10 o'clock a . m . on Th unlays , unless in very special eases . The name and address of cveryswrlter must be sent to us in confidence .
Ar00606
The F r e e m a s o n , S ATURDAY , F KHRVARY 24 , 1872 . The Freemason is published on Saturday Mornings in lime for the early trains . The price of the Freemason is Twopence per week ; annual sulist . jptinnf tos . ( payable in advance . ) All communications , letters , Sec , to be addressed to the Kditnr , 19 S , Fleet-street , K . C . The Kditnr will pay careful attention to all MSS . entru-ted to him , hut cannot undertake to return them unless accompanied by postage stamps .
The Future Of Freemasonry In Ireland.
THE FUTURE OF FREEMASONRY IN IRELAND .
BV BllO . Jostl'll WoOIIWOHTIt , P . M . Co . VIMrilCIAl . I . OIKU-, No . 245 . (( 'uiilinuiiljh ) in page 7 , ; 6 , I ' tdume 4 , ) THIRD ARTICLE .
By a resolution of Grand . Lodge , bearing date February 1 , 18 44 , that bod y " strictly prohibits as unlawful all assemblies of Freemasons in Ireland , under any title whatsoever , purporting to be
Masonic , not held by virtue of a warrant or constitution from this Grand lodge , or from the Masonic bodies recognized b y and acting in unison with the Grand Lodge of Ireland . "
To this rule , the framers of the new law-s which are about to be submitted to our discussion have thought fit to add a clause of the most objectionable character , to which I shall have
occasion hereafter more particularly to refer . The " bodies recognized by and acting in unison with the Grand Lodge of Ireland , " alluded to in the above rule , were :
The Grand Royal Arch Chapter . The Grand Encampment of High Knights Templar . The Grand Council of Rites for Ireland .
I say were advisedly , for the last named , "The Grand Council of Rites for Ireland , " has ceased to exist , and has , for the first time , this year , disappeared from " The Freemasons' Calendar and Directory , " published " under the sanction and by
The Future Of Freemasonry In Ireland.
the authority of the Worshipful the Grand Lodge of Ireland . " In lieu of it we find " The Grand Chapter of Prince Masons of Ireland , " ( for the first time ) ,
and the "Supreme Council of Ireland , 33 rd Degree . " Now , as neither of these bodies have thought fit , as far as I am aware , even to notify
their existence to Grand Lodge , they are not , of course , " recognised " by it , and are therefore unlawful , and their meetings are " prohibited . "
How they came to be officially included among the Masonic Bodies of Ireland , in a Calendar published " under the sanction and by the authority of the Grand Lodge , " is a question that
might be asked . We are indeed told that the change that has taken place in the internal arrangements of the "High Degrees" here , is only a nominal one ,
that the same body conies before us under a different title . Let us see if such is the ease . The constitution of the "Grand Council of Rites of Ireland , " as given in the " Ahiman Rezon , "
is thus stated . " 3 . The Grand Council of Rites for Ireland shall consist of the Grand Inspectors General , . 5 , 5 ° ,
the Officers of the Council , and the three Superior Officers of all the several High Degrees of Freemasonry in Ireland ( above that of High Knights Templar ) or three representatives from each
( duly accredited ) , who shall be summoned to assist at all its meetings and deliberations ; that is to say , the three Superior Oificers of
"The Princes of the Royal Secret , 32 nd . " The Grand Inspectors Inquisitors Commanders , , 31 st . " The Order of Mi / raim .
"The Council of Knights of the Sun . "The Colleges of Philosophical Masons , or Knights , K . H .
"The Chapters of the 1 Most Excellent the Knights of the Eagle and Pelican , Princes Grand Rose Croix :
" And of all Past Commanders and Past Sovereigns of Philosophical Masons , and of ihe Chapters of Prince Masons , respectively , so long as they are subscribing members to a
College or Chapter . It is with the bod y so constituted that Grand Lodge formed a compact , and that body is expressly declared to be the " governing body of
the degree of Prince Grand Rose Croix ; the governing body of the Superior Masonic Grades being the Supreme Council of the 3 . 3 rd Degree " ( Rule 1 ) .
It is quite true that the Grand Council of Rites retained the ri ght , " with the concurrence of two-thirds of the members present at any regular quarterly meeting , at any time hereafter
to revise , repeal , amend or alter" their constitution , on proper notice being previously given ( Rule 31 ) , and various changes have accordingly been gradually made in the internal arrangements
of the "High Degrees , " and a new set of "Rules and Constitutions" were promulgated to take effect from the 21 st of March , 1866 , by which the control of the Rose Croix degree was
practicall y taken out : of the hands of the Supreme Council , and the degrees superior to that of " Prince Mason , " and vested in a body designated the "Council of Rites for Ireland . " The reason for adopting this course it is unne-
The Future Of Freemasonry In Ireland.
cessary just now to dwell on . It was at all events a move in the right direction , and had the members of the Prince Masons Chapter there and then severed their connection with the degrees
above them , and come before Grand Lod ge for recognition , there would probably not have been a word said against it , but , instead of doing so , they thought proper to go on as usual towards
those of the " inferior" degrees , until the present year , when they officially burst upon cur view as an "independent Grand Bod } -, " exercising the
government over the Prince Masons Chapters , formerly vested in the "Grand Council of Rites , " with whom alone Grand Lodge , rightly or wrongly , formed a compact .
It is not to the point that the change made has been a gradual one . The alteration in the organisation and government of the , " High Degrees " here is equivalent to a revolution in their
character , and if one effect has been to give a proper independence to the Rose Croix degree , such as its antiquity and respectability entitle it to , another effect has been to strengthen the position
and consolidate the authority of the " Supreme Grand Council of the 33 ° , " and to hand over to it , as a matter of right , the government of all the degrees superior to that of the Rose Croix .
In order to understand the position properly , it is necessary to go a little into the ori gin and history of this " supreme" degree , and in doing so let it be understood , once for all , that I mean no disrespect
whatever to the present holders of the thirtythird degree in Ireland . They are , many of them , otherwise , eminent as true Masons , having " the good of the fraternity at heart , " and if the degree
were what it assumes to be , the summit of Freemasonry , and the " elective , " instead of the " selective" principle was the means by which brethren attained it , probably most , possibly all .
the brethren who at present hold it , would occupy the same position . Especially , I distinctly disclaim anything like a reflection on the masonic character of the brother who has for nearly sixty
years so worthily presided over our fraternity , and whose character , both inside and outside the order , rests upon an unchallenged eminence , but 1 do not recognize the principle that respect for
individuals should blind us to the defects of a system to which they may happen to beloiv , and I will not be prevented , by either mistake or misrepresentation , from exposing and attacking
errors and perversions which have in the past done much , and may in the future do much more injury to our ancient order , unless we take steps
to neutralize their action , and limit the spheie within which their mischevious tendencies have room to play .
I have no desire to raise , unnecessarily , the veil that is supposed to conceal from our gaze the internal history of the " High Degrees " in Ireland . There is much in that history , that
it ts expedient should " sleep in the shade " and 1 trust that their possessors will see the wisdom of avoiding any conflict that might
render it necessary to look more closel y into their antecedents , or call in question their present claims and authority .
We have already seen , that a Chapter of Prince Masons , and a body of Kni ghts K . H . were recognized in Dublin in the last century , and that the latter body also existed in England , is shewn