An Analysis Of Ancient And Modern Freemasonry.

century , the Grand Lodge never once recognized the Royal Arch degree , but actually as late as the 21 st November , 1792 , in answer to a complaint of Bro . Sampson ' s , relating to certain acts of a Grand Chapter , constituted by members under the Grand

Lodge , resolved " That this lodge do agree with its committee that the Grand Lodge of England has nothing to do with the proceedings of Royal Arch Masons . " We thus take it as proved that the Grand Lodge of England until the " Union "

never recognized the Royal Arch degree . We do not say thus to depreciate its value , but only to place the degree in its proper historical position , and as it deserves every effort to elucidate it more completely than has been our wont . I am

determined to contribute to so interesting a subject . The Grand Lodge of Scotland , which from A . D . 1736 has refused to recognise more than three

degrees , including the " mark as the second part ¦ of the Fellow Craft" decided by a considerable majority , A . D . 1813 , that the Royal Arch degree ivas not a " real and intrinsic part of Master Masonry , " and that the latter degree ivas complete

Avithout it ( page 34 , F . Mag ., A . D . 1865 ) . Bro . Laurie , the Grand Secretary , in his valuable history of the Craft observes ( page 425 ) , " That the object of the Royal Arch degree is to supplement the third degree of St . John's Masonry , but this

is entirely unnecessary , as it is known to every intelligent Master Mason , that this order is complete in itself . " I cannot see though , how a Master Mason , under the Grand Lodges of England and Scotland can he complete without talcing the Hoyal

Arch in this epoch of the Craft ; for although before the Royal Arch was fabricated , a Master Mason was complete , surely since he cannot be , unless under authorities who work the ancient

system as m some lodges in Germany . Under what is called the English rite—ivhich ¦ came in force when the United Grand Lodge of England was formed—a Master Mason cannot obtain the secrets originally communicated in the

third degree until exaltation as a Royal Arch Mason . This arrangement must now continue , as any alteration in the present system would create a greater evil than it would seek to remedy . However , an intelligent Master Mason may even

noiv discover considerable light by perusing Dr . Oliver ' s History of the Royal Arch , and especially by referring to the ivorks issued from A . D . 1723 to A . D . 1760 . Some of the so-called " exposures" are curious , and particularly the

plates , many of which I have in my Masonic library , and value exceedingly , on account of their rarity and importance . The rituals of the third degree in my possession on or before A . D . 1750 , ivould also tend to establish the modern nature of

the Royal Arch , ancl of the alteration made in the sublime degree of a Master Mason , but ' obviously their production here would be out of place and inexpedient . In the introduction to the Lausano regulations

for the Government of the Order of Royal Arch Masons of Scotland , it is stated that the Royal Arch degree ivas " retained more immediately in connection " with the original Knights Templars , and to have "formed part of the ancient ceremonial . " It is likewise stated that the earliest

printed notice of it is an address by Laurence Dermott , A . D . 1764 . The former Ave cannot accept , and the latter is incorrect . The earliest writer on the English Royal Arch of Avhich we have any account is Bro . Fifield Dassigny , M . D ., author of

the "Impartial Answer to the Enemies of Freemasons , " Avhich ivork ivas issued some twenty years earlier than Dermott ' s notice . We may mention that the ivork itself , ivhich contains the reference to the Royal Arch , has been unknoAvn for

some time past . Bro . Findel mentions that "he sought in vain for the book in the British Museum . " and but for the quotation in the " Ahiman Rezon , " by Laurence Dermott , 2 nd edition , 1864 , we should have been in ignorance of its character , until I

became the fortunate possessor of a copy a few months ago . On comparing the quotation with the original I find that the whole of the

recommendation by Bro . Dr . Dassigny is not given , and therefore beg to present it to my readers in its entirety . " A serious and impartial enquiry into the cause of the present decay of Freemasonry in the kingdom of Ireland , " & c . Dublin , A . D . 1744 ,

page 32 . "As the landmarks of the constitution of Freemasonry are universally the same throughout all kingdoms , and are so well fixt that they ivill not admit of removal , hoiv comes it to pass that some have been led away with ridiculous

innovations , an example of ivhich I shall prove by a certain propagator of a false system some few years ago in this city , who imposed upon several very Avorthy men under a pretence of being Master of the Royal Arch , which he asserted he had .

brought with him from the city of York ; and that the beauties of the Craft did principally consist in the knoAvledge of this valuable piece of Masonry .