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Article TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1 of 1 Article AIDS TO STUDY. Page 1 of 1 Article AIDS TO STUDY. Page 1 of 1 Article AIDS TO STUDY. Page 1 of 1 Article BRO. LESSING AND HIS MASONIC CONVERSATIONS. Page 1 of 2 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Table Of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Aids to Study 395 Bro . Lessing and his Conversations 39 S Dedication of a Masonic Hall at Haverfordwest 39 6 CORRESPONDENCE : — A Pleasant Day with the Freemasons 307
A P 397 Israelitism and l- ' reemasonry 307 The Royal Ark Mariners Degree 397 Masonic Progress 398 CRAFT MASONRY : —
A . etropohtan .... „ 399 Provincial 399 I ROYAL ARCH : — Provincial 400 JIARK MASONRY : —
Provincial 401 Presentation to Bro Richard Woof 401 The Grand Master Mason of Scotland 402 Masonic Meetings for next week 402 Advertisements 393 , 394 , 402 , 403 , 404
Aids To Study.
AIDS TO STUDY .
BY BRO . WM . CARPENTER P . M . & P . Z . 717 VII .
The division of history into ancient and modern is purely arbitrary ; and , hence different writers have taken a different epoch at which to make the division . The more general division is placed
at the Nativity of Christ , but some writers include in ancient history all the events to the overthrow of the Western Empire by the " barbarians . " Others do not begin what they term
modern history , until the time of Clovis ' s victory over the Romans , and the foundation of the French Monarchy . There are others , again , who bring down ancient history so far as the reign of
Charlemagne , while they designate the period between that epoch , and the capture of Constantinople by the Turks , under Mahomet IL , the Middle Ages , whence , to the present time , they reckon their modern historv .
History , as a whole , is divided into three great periods , ( 1 ) , from the Creation to the Deluge , whicii age is reckoned uncertain , because we have only the abridged account given of it in the
writings of Moses . ( 2 ) , From the Deluge to the first Olympiad , ( A . M . 3328 5 B . C . 776 ) , which , from the multitude of feigned stories related of
it in profane history , is called the Fabulous Age . ( 3 ) , From the first Olympiad to our own times is denominated Historical ; because the actions performed in it are recorded by writers of strict
veracity . Our knowledge of very early history , excepting what we find in the writings of Moses , whicii relate to the Hebrews only , and notice
other people only as far as they are brought into relation with them , is very scant and imperfect . The prevalence of national vanity , more or less , induced the suppression of every thing important
to other peoples ; and the Greeks , perhaps , had more of it than any other people . They despised all foreign history , as is evident , from the fact of their never adverting to it , further than
was unavoidable for the elucidation of the subject in hand ; and even then it seems rather introduced to adorn and operate as a foil to their own character , than to transmit useful information to posterity . Their treatment of the Persian re-
Aids To Study.
cords , when they became masters of that empire , is a demonstration that they chose rather to consign the remembrance of that once powerful
monarchy to oblivion , than to have it stand as a competitor with themselves in the annals of fame . No Grecian historian , that we know of , ever consulted those records with a view to their
continuation and completion . After being for a time neglected , they were finally destroyed . It is but just , however , to exempt from this general censure of the Greeks , Eratosthenes , Hecataeus ,
Abderus , and Menander the Ephesian , whose good sense got the better of their national prejudices . Certain foreigners , also , as Berosus of Babylon , Manetho the Egyptian , and one or two
others , were , at different periods , encouraged to write the histories of their respective countries ^ for the use of the Greeks ' , - but it is certain that they were but little esteemed , for not one of them has been handed down to modern times .
Ail that remains of them consists of a few extracts preserved byjosephus , Julius Africanus , Eusebius , and Syncellus . The history which Moses has left us , is not
only the oldest , but if the most rational , consistent , and orderly that exists , pertaining to the ancient world . Whatever of history the Egyptians had is lost , or is veiled under their
hieroglyphics , more of which , we may one day , perhaps , read with some degree of certainty ; but , at present * the early history of Egypt is unknown . Herodotus went hither , to gather up any fragments of
it lhat could be found j but all the information that he gives at second-hand , needs to be tested by other lights , " Such as think the tales told
by the Egyptians credible , " he says , " are free to accept them for history . For my own part , I propose for myself , throughout my whole work , faithfully to record the traditions of the several
nations . ( Herod IL , 123 . ) As in India , and China , so in Egypt , a fabulous antiquity was claimed for the beginning of the nation . The reign of the gods , for ages
before that of human kings , is supposed to indicate a primasval hierarchy . Manetho prefixes to his list of purel y human dynasties , reckoned from Menes , a period of about 2 5 , 000 years , for
the reigns of gods , demigods , heroes , and manes , ( the souls of the departed ) . The lists of Maneto , the statements of the priests to Herodotus and Diodorus , and the inscriptions , all agree in
making Men or Menes the first man who reigned in Egypt ; and the very name suggests a mythical impersonation of the human race , like the Indian Menu , the Greek Merinyas or Minos , the
Etruscan Menerfa , and the German Mannus . His claim to historical existence fails before the only proper test ; for the hieroglyphics of his name are not contemporanj . The priestly
tradition connected him with the widest range of Egypt ' s dominion , placing his birth and early kingdom at This , in Upper Egypt , his great ¦ works at Memphis , and his conquest and death
in Ethiopia . ( See Smith ' s" Ancient Asia , " B . I ., Ch . 2 . ) That the dynasties of Manetho are in part contemporaneous , and not successive and continuous , is a thing now pretty well settled .
Times , places , and inscriptions are found to be quite inconsistent with -the latter assumption . Bunsen and Renan still stand b y the long chronology ; but its difficulties are insuperable .
Aids To Study.
The whole history of Egypt is now grouped under the following broad divisions : —( 1 ) , the old Monarchy , which had its capital at Memphis , in Lower Egypt , but probably ruled over the whole
land . ( 2 ) , the Middle Monarchy , and the foreign dominationof the Shepherd kings . ( 3 ) , The New Monarchy of Thebes , under which Egypt was re-united and raised to thc acme of its power .
( 4 ) A period during which power was held by various princes of Lower Egypt , till the establishment of a second foreign domination—the Ethiopian . ( 5 ) , The later SaTte Monarchy , which
re-united Egypt till it was conquered by Cambyses . ( 6 ) , The Persian domination , with one episode of recovered independence , down to the conquest by Alexander . ( 7 ) , The Hellenist
kingdom of the Ptolemies , till Egypt became a Roman Province . ( 8 ) , The Roman Province of Egypt , till the conquest of the country by the Arabs .
[ ERRATA . —In last No ., page 365 , co \ . 1 , four lines from the bottom , for " presenting , " read "prosecuting'" ; col . 2 , line 9 , for " Annuals , " read " Annals , " and for " memories , " read
" memoirs " : line 10 , for " revelations , read " revolutions " ; line 15 , before fabulous or true , insert " sacred or profane " ; col . 3 , line 24 , for " is the , " read " in the . " ]
Bro. Lessing And His Masonic Conversations.
BRO . LESSING AND HIS MASONIC CONVERSATIONS .
BYWAY OF COMMENTARY . —PARTTIIE FOURTH . Bv BRO . CRYPTONYMUS . " I come no more to make you laugh .- things now ,
That bear a weig hty and a serious brow , Sad , high , and working , full of State and woe , Sucli noble scenes as draw the eye to flow , We now present . " SHAKSPERE .
In my last paper , I observed that it was probable some of my brethren mig ht become controversially interested in the present portion of my theme . 1 have to tread over ground of the most delicate nature , and am environed with
intricacies on every hand . Fortunately for my purpose , I can appeal to documentsoftheutmostauthenticity , andstraightforwardly meet all such questions as those ofthe Collegia Fabrorum , the Institution of Numa
Pompilius , and the Association of the German Steinmetzen . Dust ! veritable undeniable dust , are the annals of the Masons anterior to Sir Christopher Wren , in the sense accepted by
modern Speculative Masons . It will be my duty to establish this theory , by a series of cumulative facts , in the most rigid manner , and if there appear any reiteration in the argument , I must claim the reader ' s best indulgence and
consideration . Anterior to the promulgation of Speculative Freemasonry , there had never existed any doubt that associations of builders , of a more or less intimate nature , had been formed j that these
builders were connected by certain protective , trade regulations , and finally , that in common with other trading fraternities they had their " mystery ; " but what a number of working and
wandering men could have to do with the esoteric truths of Freemasonry , is truly an enigma ! That fact of the erection of the vast edifice of St . Paul ' s , gives us a clue , although not a final clue , to a solution of this question .
It may be safely admitted , that Elias Ashmole was in some way affiliated to the Masonic body , at a time antecedent to the commencement of the
eighteenth century , but I can positively assert , from proof in my hands , that the forms and ceremonies at present in use , were only in a rnde aud unformed state in his day , and long afterwards . All institutions of any complexity have been
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Table Of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Aids to Study 395 Bro . Lessing and his Conversations 39 S Dedication of a Masonic Hall at Haverfordwest 39 6 CORRESPONDENCE : — A Pleasant Day with the Freemasons 307
A P 397 Israelitism and l- ' reemasonry 307 The Royal Ark Mariners Degree 397 Masonic Progress 398 CRAFT MASONRY : —
A . etropohtan .... „ 399 Provincial 399 I ROYAL ARCH : — Provincial 400 JIARK MASONRY : —
Provincial 401 Presentation to Bro Richard Woof 401 The Grand Master Mason of Scotland 402 Masonic Meetings for next week 402 Advertisements 393 , 394 , 402 , 403 , 404
Aids To Study.
AIDS TO STUDY .
BY BRO . WM . CARPENTER P . M . & P . Z . 717 VII .
The division of history into ancient and modern is purely arbitrary ; and , hence different writers have taken a different epoch at which to make the division . The more general division is placed
at the Nativity of Christ , but some writers include in ancient history all the events to the overthrow of the Western Empire by the " barbarians . " Others do not begin what they term
modern history , until the time of Clovis ' s victory over the Romans , and the foundation of the French Monarchy . There are others , again , who bring down ancient history so far as the reign of
Charlemagne , while they designate the period between that epoch , and the capture of Constantinople by the Turks , under Mahomet IL , the Middle Ages , whence , to the present time , they reckon their modern historv .
History , as a whole , is divided into three great periods , ( 1 ) , from the Creation to the Deluge , whicii age is reckoned uncertain , because we have only the abridged account given of it in the
writings of Moses . ( 2 ) , From the Deluge to the first Olympiad , ( A . M . 3328 5 B . C . 776 ) , which , from the multitude of feigned stories related of
it in profane history , is called the Fabulous Age . ( 3 ) , From the first Olympiad to our own times is denominated Historical ; because the actions performed in it are recorded by writers of strict
veracity . Our knowledge of very early history , excepting what we find in the writings of Moses , whicii relate to the Hebrews only , and notice
other people only as far as they are brought into relation with them , is very scant and imperfect . The prevalence of national vanity , more or less , induced the suppression of every thing important
to other peoples ; and the Greeks , perhaps , had more of it than any other people . They despised all foreign history , as is evident , from the fact of their never adverting to it , further than
was unavoidable for the elucidation of the subject in hand ; and even then it seems rather introduced to adorn and operate as a foil to their own character , than to transmit useful information to posterity . Their treatment of the Persian re-
Aids To Study.
cords , when they became masters of that empire , is a demonstration that they chose rather to consign the remembrance of that once powerful
monarchy to oblivion , than to have it stand as a competitor with themselves in the annals of fame . No Grecian historian , that we know of , ever consulted those records with a view to their
continuation and completion . After being for a time neglected , they were finally destroyed . It is but just , however , to exempt from this general censure of the Greeks , Eratosthenes , Hecataeus ,
Abderus , and Menander the Ephesian , whose good sense got the better of their national prejudices . Certain foreigners , also , as Berosus of Babylon , Manetho the Egyptian , and one or two
others , were , at different periods , encouraged to write the histories of their respective countries ^ for the use of the Greeks ' , - but it is certain that they were but little esteemed , for not one of them has been handed down to modern times .
Ail that remains of them consists of a few extracts preserved byjosephus , Julius Africanus , Eusebius , and Syncellus . The history which Moses has left us , is not
only the oldest , but if the most rational , consistent , and orderly that exists , pertaining to the ancient world . Whatever of history the Egyptians had is lost , or is veiled under their
hieroglyphics , more of which , we may one day , perhaps , read with some degree of certainty ; but , at present * the early history of Egypt is unknown . Herodotus went hither , to gather up any fragments of
it lhat could be found j but all the information that he gives at second-hand , needs to be tested by other lights , " Such as think the tales told
by the Egyptians credible , " he says , " are free to accept them for history . For my own part , I propose for myself , throughout my whole work , faithfully to record the traditions of the several
nations . ( Herod IL , 123 . ) As in India , and China , so in Egypt , a fabulous antiquity was claimed for the beginning of the nation . The reign of the gods , for ages
before that of human kings , is supposed to indicate a primasval hierarchy . Manetho prefixes to his list of purel y human dynasties , reckoned from Menes , a period of about 2 5 , 000 years , for
the reigns of gods , demigods , heroes , and manes , ( the souls of the departed ) . The lists of Maneto , the statements of the priests to Herodotus and Diodorus , and the inscriptions , all agree in
making Men or Menes the first man who reigned in Egypt ; and the very name suggests a mythical impersonation of the human race , like the Indian Menu , the Greek Merinyas or Minos , the
Etruscan Menerfa , and the German Mannus . His claim to historical existence fails before the only proper test ; for the hieroglyphics of his name are not contemporanj . The priestly
tradition connected him with the widest range of Egypt ' s dominion , placing his birth and early kingdom at This , in Upper Egypt , his great ¦ works at Memphis , and his conquest and death
in Ethiopia . ( See Smith ' s" Ancient Asia , " B . I ., Ch . 2 . ) That the dynasties of Manetho are in part contemporaneous , and not successive and continuous , is a thing now pretty well settled .
Times , places , and inscriptions are found to be quite inconsistent with -the latter assumption . Bunsen and Renan still stand b y the long chronology ; but its difficulties are insuperable .
Aids To Study.
The whole history of Egypt is now grouped under the following broad divisions : —( 1 ) , the old Monarchy , which had its capital at Memphis , in Lower Egypt , but probably ruled over the whole
land . ( 2 ) , the Middle Monarchy , and the foreign dominationof the Shepherd kings . ( 3 ) , The New Monarchy of Thebes , under which Egypt was re-united and raised to thc acme of its power .
( 4 ) A period during which power was held by various princes of Lower Egypt , till the establishment of a second foreign domination—the Ethiopian . ( 5 ) , The later SaTte Monarchy , which
re-united Egypt till it was conquered by Cambyses . ( 6 ) , The Persian domination , with one episode of recovered independence , down to the conquest by Alexander . ( 7 ) , The Hellenist
kingdom of the Ptolemies , till Egypt became a Roman Province . ( 8 ) , The Roman Province of Egypt , till the conquest of the country by the Arabs .
[ ERRATA . —In last No ., page 365 , co \ . 1 , four lines from the bottom , for " presenting , " read "prosecuting'" ; col . 2 , line 9 , for " Annuals , " read " Annals , " and for " memories , " read
" memoirs " : line 10 , for " revelations , read " revolutions " ; line 15 , before fabulous or true , insert " sacred or profane " ; col . 3 , line 24 , for " is the , " read " in the . " ]
Bro. Lessing And His Masonic Conversations.
BRO . LESSING AND HIS MASONIC CONVERSATIONS .
BYWAY OF COMMENTARY . —PARTTIIE FOURTH . Bv BRO . CRYPTONYMUS . " I come no more to make you laugh .- things now ,
That bear a weig hty and a serious brow , Sad , high , and working , full of State and woe , Sucli noble scenes as draw the eye to flow , We now present . " SHAKSPERE .
In my last paper , I observed that it was probable some of my brethren mig ht become controversially interested in the present portion of my theme . 1 have to tread over ground of the most delicate nature , and am environed with
intricacies on every hand . Fortunately for my purpose , I can appeal to documentsoftheutmostauthenticity , andstraightforwardly meet all such questions as those ofthe Collegia Fabrorum , the Institution of Numa
Pompilius , and the Association of the German Steinmetzen . Dust ! veritable undeniable dust , are the annals of the Masons anterior to Sir Christopher Wren , in the sense accepted by
modern Speculative Masons . It will be my duty to establish this theory , by a series of cumulative facts , in the most rigid manner , and if there appear any reiteration in the argument , I must claim the reader ' s best indulgence and
consideration . Anterior to the promulgation of Speculative Freemasonry , there had never existed any doubt that associations of builders , of a more or less intimate nature , had been formed j that these
builders were connected by certain protective , trade regulations , and finally , that in common with other trading fraternities they had their " mystery ; " but what a number of working and
wandering men could have to do with the esoteric truths of Freemasonry , is truly an enigma ! That fact of the erection of the vast edifice of St . Paul ' s , gives us a clue , although not a final clue , to a solution of this question .
It may be safely admitted , that Elias Ashmole was in some way affiliated to the Masonic body , at a time antecedent to the commencement of the
eighteenth century , but I can positively assert , from proof in my hands , that the forms and ceremonies at present in use , were only in a rnde aud unformed state in his day , and long afterwards . All institutions of any complexity have been