The Moral And Religious Origin Of Freemasonry:

persecutions of Clement V . and Philip the Fair ( of France)—monsters for ever execrable—than the overthrow' of the Order and the cruel death of the innocent Jacques Burg de Molay , whose name is incessantly recalled to him b y the initials of the sacred words of the three symbolic grades . The recipiendiary ancl the formula of reception , the doffing of armour , the taking off of clothes , the body half naked , the clank of arms ancl of chains , and

all the texts ancl concurrent ceremonies are for him ( the recipient ) but the image of the miseries , the vexations , and the torments which his brothers have suffered . The wealth of the Order caused its ruin by exciting the envy and the cupidity of the ruling powers ; this is why the recipients are divested of all the metals , emblems of corruption . The examination and the interrogatory of the aspirant for Masonry represent to him the indicatory interrogations which must be submitted to the Knights of the Temple .

The "Three Voyages which the aspirant is compelled to pass through transfigure the voyages or travels of the Grand Master Molay , who had set out from the head-quarters , or " generalat , " established in the Isle of Cyprus , to proceed to Paris , to repair from Paris to the Court of Rome , in defence of his Order , ancl afterwards sent back by the Pope for his judgment . The grade of Master , respecting which every notion of tho heart announces human frailtywas meant to recal to the initiated the shortness of lifethe

, ,, obligation of well fulfilling his lot and his career upon earth—ancl the necessity of death—irrevocable fiat—in imparting to them ( the initiated ) that grand hieroglyph of nature , and it was disposed of in this manner so formidable to the unthinking . It is merely an allegory as to the death of Molay under the name of Hiram . Here it is then : there is the Master who was assassinated —his murderers are Philip the FairClement V . and Squin cle Florianthe

, , ; search for the body of Hiram is nothing more than the seeking for and carrying off whicli took place of the dead bod y of this last Grand Master of the Order of the Temple , whose flesh left his -bones—whicli is expressed in the sacramental words "M . - . B . - . M . - . "

This deportation was effected by nine brothers , disguised as Profane Masons , in the number of whom was the Chevalier Aumont . The Three Strokes of the Reed , during the three journeys repeated in these grades , as well as the Memento Mori , represent allegoricall y the accusal , the judgment , and the death of the Grand Master . The grades of the Elected wdiollrefer to for the mart of

y vengeance yrs persecution , ancl sufficiently explain themselves , so as to need no further interpretation . I cannot help here making a note . There has been a Chevalier Aumont in almost every phase of French history , from the bridge of Montereau , illustrated by Tanneguy du Chatel , down to the present . Many descendants of the famil y are self-consolers here in London , individually adopting the motto of Le

Moustier , " Quand on n ' a pas ce qu ' on aimefant aimer ce qu ' on a . " Members of the Perfect Elect of the Scotch ancl of the Architect and Royal Arch were the most important degrees of the ancient initiation . Therein was explained to the Adept the dogma of the existence of God as the primal movingpower ; therein also they raised the initiated to the dignity of High Priesttaught him to render to the Sovereign Master a worship pwre and disinterested , devoid of all

superstition . Such have been the grades which earned for the unfortunate Kni ghts Templar the uncalled-for ancl gratuitous accusation of impiety and _ idolatry . It is true that , faithful to their oath—faithful to the doctrine which they had received from the Priests of Egypt—they practised secretly- this sacred culture or observance in subterranean cells , or places known to the initiated alone . But to them it was less an act of reli gion than an homage paid to the most ancient mysteries of the world , in which besides they