Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Some Further Remarks On The Extracts From The Sheffield Chapter Of Paradise Minute Books.*
honour of the Union of the Ancient and Modern Masous . * One rather odd proceeding seems to have been the " bumble request in open chapter " for the R . A . Certificate , followed , on the petitioner ' s being found worthy , by the
recommendation of the Chapter to the three M . E . Principals of Grand Chapter that they should grant the same . The last point is the continued use of the word " Encampment ; "f and this long subsequent to the Chapter's
acknowledgement of and by the Grand Chapter .: ] When we consider that the Chapter seemed invariably to confer a degree , or degrees , preliminary to exaltation into the Holy fioyal Arch , it would seem as though the Chapteralthough under the Grand
, Chapter , were yet worked according to some other Constitutions than our own , possibly Scotch or Irish . In our remarks on the former portion of the extracts we suggested the latter , at all events , subsequent to May of the year 17 S 8 : with
which suggestion Brother Hughan agreed in his notes on the same portion . To this opinion we were inclined by the practise of conferring the Excellent and Super-Excellent degrees previous to the exaltation . On reconsideration , however ,
especiall y now that the extracts from the second minute-book speak of this preliminary step as the degree of "Super-Excellent Masters in ye Chair" and in another place speak of the preliminary degree of "Mark Masons , " and also that
the meetings of the Chapter are headed " Encampments" we should feel disposed to regard the working as Scotch , for the Scotch Masons contend that the Royal Arch with its subsidiary degrees , constitutes a part of Templar
Masonry . § Were we to have found an allusion of this kind but a short time back it might have struck us with no especial force ; but , since the recent publication of the Dedication to the " Lono-¦ levers " of Eugenius Philalethes || with the Wore than suspicion therein contained of
some hig her grades before the date of Ramsay ' s supposed innovations , it certainly seems as if this early quasi-evidence of the existence of Templary is worth at least a passing notice ; we say early because , although it is true that the
minutes date back only to the year 1783 , from the very opening entry itself with its list of 83 " Belongin " and its proportion of "Left" and " Dead , " it is apparent that it was no new thing . In addition to all this we find ( from the former extracts )
that " Brother Macel Roy , of the Grand Lodge of Ireland , was farther initiated in this Sublime Degree by Brother Michl . James Boyle . " * It is , of course , within the bounds of possibility that this Bro . Boyle might have himself
introduced all these novelties on his visiting the Lodge on May 22 nd , 1788 , but it is hardly within the bounds of probability that an old-establisbed Chapter , apparently well versed in working , would allowat all events without debatean
, , entire stranger to completely overturn the existing state of things , and of such debate , and on so momentous a topic , if there had been one , surely the minutes would have borne some witness : but there is nothing of the kindmerely a
, difference in the subsequent entries which may be sufficiently explained by the supposition that Brother Boyle found things ready to his hand and merely altered some few details .
We may perhaps be pardoned for returning for an instant , in conclusion , to the former extracts : —We must still demur to the "Z" after "B . O . A . " as being very unlikely to be so found , and indeed meaningless if there at all ; we much rather
incline either to our formerly expressed view of its being "Boarders" occupying the room , or else that a meeting of some " Board " was then being held . With regard to the prayer we had overlooked Brother Ellis' suggested correction
of the word " strait" — " strait , " ( i . e . narrow ) is , doubtless , the word intended to be used here—compare the text "Enter ye in at the strait gate ; " as well as our own word " strait , " still in use for a narrow strip of water joining two larger portions of sea .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Some Further Remarks On The Extracts From The Sheffield Chapter Of Paradise Minute Books.*
honour of the Union of the Ancient and Modern Masous . * One rather odd proceeding seems to have been the " bumble request in open chapter " for the R . A . Certificate , followed , on the petitioner ' s being found worthy , by the
recommendation of the Chapter to the three M . E . Principals of Grand Chapter that they should grant the same . The last point is the continued use of the word " Encampment ; "f and this long subsequent to the Chapter's
acknowledgement of and by the Grand Chapter .: ] When we consider that the Chapter seemed invariably to confer a degree , or degrees , preliminary to exaltation into the Holy fioyal Arch , it would seem as though the Chapteralthough under the Grand
, Chapter , were yet worked according to some other Constitutions than our own , possibly Scotch or Irish . In our remarks on the former portion of the extracts we suggested the latter , at all events , subsequent to May of the year 17 S 8 : with
which suggestion Brother Hughan agreed in his notes on the same portion . To this opinion we were inclined by the practise of conferring the Excellent and Super-Excellent degrees previous to the exaltation . On reconsideration , however ,
especiall y now that the extracts from the second minute-book speak of this preliminary step as the degree of "Super-Excellent Masters in ye Chair" and in another place speak of the preliminary degree of "Mark Masons , " and also that
the meetings of the Chapter are headed " Encampments" we should feel disposed to regard the working as Scotch , for the Scotch Masons contend that the Royal Arch with its subsidiary degrees , constitutes a part of Templar
Masonry . § Were we to have found an allusion of this kind but a short time back it might have struck us with no especial force ; but , since the recent publication of the Dedication to the " Lono-¦ levers " of Eugenius Philalethes || with the Wore than suspicion therein contained of
some hig her grades before the date of Ramsay ' s supposed innovations , it certainly seems as if this early quasi-evidence of the existence of Templary is worth at least a passing notice ; we say early because , although it is true that the
minutes date back only to the year 1783 , from the very opening entry itself with its list of 83 " Belongin " and its proportion of "Left" and " Dead , " it is apparent that it was no new thing . In addition to all this we find ( from the former extracts )
that " Brother Macel Roy , of the Grand Lodge of Ireland , was farther initiated in this Sublime Degree by Brother Michl . James Boyle . " * It is , of course , within the bounds of possibility that this Bro . Boyle might have himself
introduced all these novelties on his visiting the Lodge on May 22 nd , 1788 , but it is hardly within the bounds of probability that an old-establisbed Chapter , apparently well versed in working , would allowat all events without debatean
, , entire stranger to completely overturn the existing state of things , and of such debate , and on so momentous a topic , if there had been one , surely the minutes would have borne some witness : but there is nothing of the kindmerely a
, difference in the subsequent entries which may be sufficiently explained by the supposition that Brother Boyle found things ready to his hand and merely altered some few details .
We may perhaps be pardoned for returning for an instant , in conclusion , to the former extracts : —We must still demur to the "Z" after "B . O . A . " as being very unlikely to be so found , and indeed meaningless if there at all ; we much rather
incline either to our formerly expressed view of its being "Boarders" occupying the room , or else that a meeting of some " Board " was then being held . With regard to the prayer we had overlooked Brother Ellis' suggested correction
of the word " strait" — " strait , " ( i . e . narrow ) is , doubtless , the word intended to be used here—compare the text "Enter ye in at the strait gate ; " as well as our own word " strait , " still in use for a narrow strip of water joining two larger portions of sea .