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Article THE HISTORICAL DEGREES; Page 1 of 8 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Historical Degrees;
TO
OB , THE STO i ^ ( Continued front pageTllS ^)
We have already noticed the , ingenious proeeedings of the Chevalier Batnsay ^ ani rite of which we are on raising the ^ House of Stuart made in auxiliary to their was affirmed that the great legend of the Order death of Charles I ., and that Cromwelly Bradshaw , and Ireton were alluded to as the traitors the Masons were to condemn . New
degrees were invented in furtherance of the pro ] Master , Perfect Irish Master , & c , and all had a political bias . They doubtless were favourably received by those of the fraternity who were attached to the Jacobite cause ; and if they did not give Ramsay the idea , must have furnished him with materials and encouragement to set his great scheme on foot . These Irish degrees , like all worthless and spurious imitations of Masonry , soon died out ; but the
Ancient Bite which we are now considering , although its value is deteriorated , as we have shown , by some objectionable points , yefc , with the exceptions we have alluded to , these degrees are not to be considered innovations on pure symbolic Masonry , but rather as illustrations of it . Connected with them are many interesting traditions and instructive speculations which could hardly fail to be
useful in shedding light upon the character and objects of the institution . We have said that these degrees are not practised ; and we do not consider it advisable that they should be brought into use , for the most retentive memory is sufficiently taxed to accomplish all the present working ; indeed , of any brother who is perfect in these degrees it may well be « said that— -the wonder grew , That one small head should carry all he knew . "
Still , something might be made of this mass of historic lore ; the traditions and mysteries of this rite would furnish admirable subjects for lectures , when a Lodge has no work before it ; of course omitting VOL . iv . 4 II
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Historical Degrees;
TO
OB , THE STO i ^ ( Continued front pageTllS ^)
We have already noticed the , ingenious proeeedings of the Chevalier Batnsay ^ ani rite of which we are on raising the ^ House of Stuart made in auxiliary to their was affirmed that the great legend of the Order death of Charles I ., and that Cromwelly Bradshaw , and Ireton were alluded to as the traitors the Masons were to condemn . New
degrees were invented in furtherance of the pro ] Master , Perfect Irish Master , & c , and all had a political bias . They doubtless were favourably received by those of the fraternity who were attached to the Jacobite cause ; and if they did not give Ramsay the idea , must have furnished him with materials and encouragement to set his great scheme on foot . These Irish degrees , like all worthless and spurious imitations of Masonry , soon died out ; but the
Ancient Bite which we are now considering , although its value is deteriorated , as we have shown , by some objectionable points , yefc , with the exceptions we have alluded to , these degrees are not to be considered innovations on pure symbolic Masonry , but rather as illustrations of it . Connected with them are many interesting traditions and instructive speculations which could hardly fail to be
useful in shedding light upon the character and objects of the institution . We have said that these degrees are not practised ; and we do not consider it advisable that they should be brought into use , for the most retentive memory is sufficiently taxed to accomplish all the present working ; indeed , of any brother who is perfect in these degrees it may well be « said that— -the wonder grew , That one small head should carry all he knew . "
Still , something might be made of this mass of historic lore ; the traditions and mysteries of this rite would furnish admirable subjects for lectures , when a Lodge has no work before it ; of course omitting VOL . iv . 4 II