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Article MASONIC ANTIQUITIES. ← Page 4 of 6 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonic Antiquities.
. " . 'I thankfully acknowledge the Honour done me by the illustrious Mandarin HANG CHI ; and tho ; I cannot prevail with myself to be Degraded , in the Manner required by the Laws and Constitutions of the Order of GORMOGONS , I approve and applaud , their judicious and strict Virtue , ' in admitting none but into the Fellowshiof the
whom Merit recommends , p OECUMENICAL YOLGEE Moreover , I propose the good Conduct and Regularity of the GORMOGONS , as a Pattern to the Free and A ccepted Masons , for the Future : And if I shall be enabled to make any useful Discoveries for the Service of the Brother - hood , they maydepend on my watchful Fidelity / . X .
" [ Thus far the il ^ mor PLAiN-DEALErw . J . ' f'M cannot guess why so excellent and laudable a Society as this of the GORMOGONS should think it worth their while to make it an Article to exclude the Free-Masons , or that they should condescend to take so much Notice of them ; Except there be any Truth in what I have heard reported , and to which I cannot give intire Credit , having never heard it from a Graduated Gormogon . The report is , that the Mandarin has declared , that many years since , Two unhappy busy
Persons , who were Masons , having obtruded their idle Notions among the Vulgar Chinese , of A . dam , and Solomon , and Hiram , and I can't tell who besides , being Crafts-men of pur Order , and offering to assert , that Adam was the first Man , which in China , is , 'it seems , received as a Heterodox Notion , and that the great CIiin- 0 m ^ 'K y-Po , the Institutor of the Order of Gormogons , was of later Date , many Centuries , than that Patriarch ; and having besides branded a venerable Gentlewoman , under the Notion of making her an Hiramite ( as they called it ) they were taken up and , obliged to recant , in Publick , their Absurdities , and
afterwards , with Characters on their Breasts , denoting the , Offence , were hang d , Back to Back , on a Gibbet , erected for that Purpose , 60 Foot high , in the middle of a spacious ' Plain , some Miles from the great City Nan Icing , where their Bodies were left to be Food to the Fowls of the Air : And ever since , it hath been an
Article among the Gormogons , to exclude the Members of that Society , without they first undergo a solemn Degradation , kc . But this Story I leave as I find , for you to believe or reject as you please ; having never heard it , as I have said , from the Mouth of a Gormogon , Thd' methiriks , the Business of the old Gentlewoman , affords as our Weekly Politicians say , Mater * of Speculation ; and at the worst , I hope the inraged Matron went too far in her Evidence , and swore that she was branded rather in Despyte than in Truth .
" But however this may be ; the good Order and Regulations of the Society of Gormogons , have so much alarm'd the Masoiis , and convinc ed them of the Necessity of correcting the Abuses which have crept into their Fraternity , that we soon after had the Pleasure to read the following Advertizement , suppos'd to be published by them , in the Dally Journal , on which I shall leave it to you , Sir , to make what Remarks you think fit .
/ ' ' ON Michaelmas Day , being the 29 th of this Instant September , a New Lodge will be opened , at the St . Allan ' s Tavern , in St . Alban ' s Street , for regulating the Modern Almses , which have crept into the Ancient Fraternity of Free-Masons ; where ' tis desired , that all the old reed Masons will be present , to accompany their Founders , viz ., label , Jubel , Tubal Cain , and their Sister Nahama , also Nineveh , Marcus , Gracchus , Euclid , Hierom , Charles Martin , Athelstone , and their good friend St . Allan , who loved Masonry well .
% 'Tis desired , that all Fathers , Masters , and Wardens of Lodyes , who have discover'd no Secrets but to the Brotherhood , will be present . None under Seven will bo admitted , and such as come , are to enter the Lodge , on the bare Hand and Knee , as usual / < s Thus , Sir , have I given you all I know , or can collect , relating to this Affair ; and if ever you hear from me again on this Subject , it will be in a few Remarks
*
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonic Antiquities.
. " . 'I thankfully acknowledge the Honour done me by the illustrious Mandarin HANG CHI ; and tho ; I cannot prevail with myself to be Degraded , in the Manner required by the Laws and Constitutions of the Order of GORMOGONS , I approve and applaud , their judicious and strict Virtue , ' in admitting none but into the Fellowshiof the
whom Merit recommends , p OECUMENICAL YOLGEE Moreover , I propose the good Conduct and Regularity of the GORMOGONS , as a Pattern to the Free and A ccepted Masons , for the Future : And if I shall be enabled to make any useful Discoveries for the Service of the Brother - hood , they maydepend on my watchful Fidelity / . X .
" [ Thus far the il ^ mor PLAiN-DEALErw . J . ' f'M cannot guess why so excellent and laudable a Society as this of the GORMOGONS should think it worth their while to make it an Article to exclude the Free-Masons , or that they should condescend to take so much Notice of them ; Except there be any Truth in what I have heard reported , and to which I cannot give intire Credit , having never heard it from a Graduated Gormogon . The report is , that the Mandarin has declared , that many years since , Two unhappy busy
Persons , who were Masons , having obtruded their idle Notions among the Vulgar Chinese , of A . dam , and Solomon , and Hiram , and I can't tell who besides , being Crafts-men of pur Order , and offering to assert , that Adam was the first Man , which in China , is , 'it seems , received as a Heterodox Notion , and that the great CIiin- 0 m ^ 'K y-Po , the Institutor of the Order of Gormogons , was of later Date , many Centuries , than that Patriarch ; and having besides branded a venerable Gentlewoman , under the Notion of making her an Hiramite ( as they called it ) they were taken up and , obliged to recant , in Publick , their Absurdities , and
afterwards , with Characters on their Breasts , denoting the , Offence , were hang d , Back to Back , on a Gibbet , erected for that Purpose , 60 Foot high , in the middle of a spacious ' Plain , some Miles from the great City Nan Icing , where their Bodies were left to be Food to the Fowls of the Air : And ever since , it hath been an
Article among the Gormogons , to exclude the Members of that Society , without they first undergo a solemn Degradation , kc . But this Story I leave as I find , for you to believe or reject as you please ; having never heard it , as I have said , from the Mouth of a Gormogon , Thd' methiriks , the Business of the old Gentlewoman , affords as our Weekly Politicians say , Mater * of Speculation ; and at the worst , I hope the inraged Matron went too far in her Evidence , and swore that she was branded rather in Despyte than in Truth .
" But however this may be ; the good Order and Regulations of the Society of Gormogons , have so much alarm'd the Masoiis , and convinc ed them of the Necessity of correcting the Abuses which have crept into their Fraternity , that we soon after had the Pleasure to read the following Advertizement , suppos'd to be published by them , in the Dally Journal , on which I shall leave it to you , Sir , to make what Remarks you think fit .
/ ' ' ON Michaelmas Day , being the 29 th of this Instant September , a New Lodge will be opened , at the St . Allan ' s Tavern , in St . Alban ' s Street , for regulating the Modern Almses , which have crept into the Ancient Fraternity of Free-Masons ; where ' tis desired , that all the old reed Masons will be present , to accompany their Founders , viz ., label , Jubel , Tubal Cain , and their Sister Nahama , also Nineveh , Marcus , Gracchus , Euclid , Hierom , Charles Martin , Athelstone , and their good friend St . Allan , who loved Masonry well .
% 'Tis desired , that all Fathers , Masters , and Wardens of Lodyes , who have discover'd no Secrets but to the Brotherhood , will be present . None under Seven will bo admitted , and such as come , are to enter the Lodge , on the bare Hand and Knee , as usual / < s Thus , Sir , have I given you all I know , or can collect , relating to this Affair ; and if ever you hear from me again on this Subject , it will be in a few Remarks
*