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Article GOEEESPONIJENCE, ← Page 4 of 4
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Goeeesponijence,
¦ % or weakening a powerful enemy . It may bribe an army to desert , or carry off a prince and his suite by violence ; therefore the petty larceny of two easy-minded brethren is consistent with Scotch legitimacy . There are , however , some facts inconsistent with such legitimacy , and these should be known by Anglo-Scotch Mark Masters . * Eirst , the Grand Chapter of Scotland is exactly forty years old , and no older .
Secondly , on Eriday , the 2 & rd day of September , 1842 , and not till then , this Grand body decided on the following resolution : — " The Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland having taken into consideration the best means of correcting the many irregularities in the ritual that exist in the Chapters holding of it , and of having one uniform method throughout , now enact that , from and after the 22 nct day of March , 1843 , at latest , all Chapters shall conform to the following regulations : Eirst , the degree of Mark shall be obtained previously to obtaining that of Past Master , and that of Excellent Master consisting of three steps before that of the R . A . itself . "
I will not trouble you with the remainder of the resolutions at length , but simply state that " rituals and instructions" were to be issued ; and then , after acknowledging as above their own want of regularity , and , further on , the existence of the Mark degree in Scotland in what they term < 'irregular lodges , " the " Supreme Chapter resolve that , in future , warrants ( for which the fee of 20 s . sterling shall be paid ) shall be issued by it , constituting Chair Master Lodges , to enable Mark and Past Masters to hold Lodges of those degrees , and to pass candidates therein , due care being taken to adopt no ritual not approved of by the Supreme Chapter . "
It was not , therefore , until the mature age of twenty-five years , that is , fifteen years ago , that the Scotch Grand Chapter can have issued its first warrant to hold a Mark Lodge , even in Scotland , whereas many Lodges under the English Grand Lodge of Mark Masters date from the last century . I would , therefore , in addition to impressing this point on those Anglo-Scotch Mark Masters whom the Grand Chapter of Scotland has induced to become its tributaries , desire to be informed what shadow of justice or propriety was there in the fallacious claim of legitimate Masonic authority which induced the two Brethren of the Kent Lodge to place themselves in the false position now under consideration .
On the general Masonic bearing of the issue of false certificates I will be silent ; you yourself have raised the true question , and will know best how to treat the answer—I am , Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , Alexander Ridoway , 4 th Jan ., 1858 . W . M . of the Mark Lodge , No . 4 .
Forms and Ceremonies . —Man is an intellectual , a spiritual being . But this spiritual being is also corporeal ; this intellectual being can receive impressions from an earthly source only through the medium of the outward senses . Whatever is to be addressed to man , with the design to affect his conduct and character , must be adapted to both portions of his compound nature . It must be suited to influence his thoughts and feelings , but it cannot reach these except through the avenues of sight and hearing ; to these faculties , also , it must be adapted . Religion , though in itself a spiritual thing , cannot dispense with external means for its communication and development . —Bullfinch .
Closing of Lodge . — -When the Lodge is closed , depart in peace , and let not your families or friends have reason to condemn Freemasonry as a means of interrupting domestic happiness , or interfering with the arrangements of a regular and well-conducted household . Should you be tempted to adjourn to other places of entertainment , and exceed the limits of sober discretion , you will bring a stain on Masonry , cause pain and regret in the bosoms of those whom you ought to hold most dear , and the consequences may be fatal to your comfort for ever . — Book of the Lodge ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Goeeesponijence,
¦ % or weakening a powerful enemy . It may bribe an army to desert , or carry off a prince and his suite by violence ; therefore the petty larceny of two easy-minded brethren is consistent with Scotch legitimacy . There are , however , some facts inconsistent with such legitimacy , and these should be known by Anglo-Scotch Mark Masters . * Eirst , the Grand Chapter of Scotland is exactly forty years old , and no older .
Secondly , on Eriday , the 2 & rd day of September , 1842 , and not till then , this Grand body decided on the following resolution : — " The Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland having taken into consideration the best means of correcting the many irregularities in the ritual that exist in the Chapters holding of it , and of having one uniform method throughout , now enact that , from and after the 22 nct day of March , 1843 , at latest , all Chapters shall conform to the following regulations : Eirst , the degree of Mark shall be obtained previously to obtaining that of Past Master , and that of Excellent Master consisting of three steps before that of the R . A . itself . "
I will not trouble you with the remainder of the resolutions at length , but simply state that " rituals and instructions" were to be issued ; and then , after acknowledging as above their own want of regularity , and , further on , the existence of the Mark degree in Scotland in what they term < 'irregular lodges , " the " Supreme Chapter resolve that , in future , warrants ( for which the fee of 20 s . sterling shall be paid ) shall be issued by it , constituting Chair Master Lodges , to enable Mark and Past Masters to hold Lodges of those degrees , and to pass candidates therein , due care being taken to adopt no ritual not approved of by the Supreme Chapter . "
It was not , therefore , until the mature age of twenty-five years , that is , fifteen years ago , that the Scotch Grand Chapter can have issued its first warrant to hold a Mark Lodge , even in Scotland , whereas many Lodges under the English Grand Lodge of Mark Masters date from the last century . I would , therefore , in addition to impressing this point on those Anglo-Scotch Mark Masters whom the Grand Chapter of Scotland has induced to become its tributaries , desire to be informed what shadow of justice or propriety was there in the fallacious claim of legitimate Masonic authority which induced the two Brethren of the Kent Lodge to place themselves in the false position now under consideration .
On the general Masonic bearing of the issue of false certificates I will be silent ; you yourself have raised the true question , and will know best how to treat the answer—I am , Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , Alexander Ridoway , 4 th Jan ., 1858 . W . M . of the Mark Lodge , No . 4 .
Forms and Ceremonies . —Man is an intellectual , a spiritual being . But this spiritual being is also corporeal ; this intellectual being can receive impressions from an earthly source only through the medium of the outward senses . Whatever is to be addressed to man , with the design to affect his conduct and character , must be adapted to both portions of his compound nature . It must be suited to influence his thoughts and feelings , but it cannot reach these except through the avenues of sight and hearing ; to these faculties , also , it must be adapted . Religion , though in itself a spiritual thing , cannot dispense with external means for its communication and development . —Bullfinch .
Closing of Lodge . — -When the Lodge is closed , depart in peace , and let not your families or friends have reason to condemn Freemasonry as a means of interrupting domestic happiness , or interfering with the arrangements of a regular and well-conducted household . Should you be tempted to adjourn to other places of entertainment , and exceed the limits of sober discretion , you will bring a stain on Masonry , cause pain and regret in the bosoms of those whom you ought to hold most dear , and the consequences may be fatal to your comfort for ever . — Book of the Lodge ,