The Antiquity Of Masonic Degrees.

a poor opinion of the historical pretensions and claims of that degree . In previous pages of THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE that opinion is expressed in clear and decisive terms . I am now , I wish to observe , only speaking of the Templar Ritual , as it is practised under the authority of the Grand Conclave . Of the Ritual of tho Baldwin

Encampment at Bristol , I can say nothing ; nor of the Ritual in use in Scotland ; nor of the Ritual observed b y the French members of that Templar body which claims " direct succession from Jacques de Molai . But of the preseut English Templar Ritual I can safely say , that it has been revised within the memory of man , that it is entirely modern in its language and

modern in its arrangement ; and , still more , whatever it may really be , it cannot be that Ritual of Templar secret reception of which we find traces in their examinations in Paris and in England . Indeed , not lops ; ago I heard it openly stated , that an eminent brother had made some wonderful discoveries as regards the present Templar ritualand that

, a revised and amended form was preparing under his direction . How , then , can " Rosa Crucis" gravely assert , that , a century before 1813 , the same Templar Ritual was in full force in this country ? Even if it were , it would prove little or nothing , as regards the point in dispute ; and , if it be not the identical ritual which the Knights

Templar used , it is worthless for the purposes of this controversy . And that it certainly is not . I have seen , indeed , in another country , and in a foreign tongue , a ritual which professes to have been the secret ritual of the old Knights Templar ; but if it be , as it well may be , it bears not the slightest resemblance , nor has anything ; in common , with that which the Masonic Templars in England now use .

Neither is it surprising that this should be so ; for , if even the Scotch tradition of Templar continuation may be relied on , which , I confess , seems to me more than doubtful , not only are there no proofs forthcoming , no evidence adducible , that the English Knights Templar after their suppression ever subsequently carried on their secret meetings at York , but there is a

vast amount of evidence at hand to prove incontestable * , not only that this is an improbability in itself , bub an actual impossibility from the facts of the case . There may , indeed , be warrants for Templar Encampments , a most modern name , dating back to about 1725 ; but , even if this authority is admitted , though Dr . Leeson seems to question itit would only prove

this—, that English Masons had already then , unfortunately , adopted a supplemental system of foreign manufacture . Now we are often told , with an exuberance of expression which would be quite overwhelming if it were not so hopelessly absurd in itself , that numberless proofs abound of Templar working at York . We have a

touching picture drawn for us of Knights Templar met in secret conclave , in York Minster crypt , to carry on Masonic ceremonies . Alas , all this is but the baseless fabric of a delusive dream ! Abundant evidence is at this moment forthcoming , as regards the dispersion of the actual Templar "bod y , and especially of tho Templars of the northern

provinces at York . In Rymer ' s " Foedera , " as all students know , we have successively set out in their proper dates , and which all can verify for themselves , both the Papal Bulls and the Royal Mandates for the arrest , examination , temporary imprisonment of the persons , and eventual confiscation of tho property , of that celebrated and maligned Order . The registei-s of the archbishops , still in York , give us many details relative to the Knights Templar . We find still , in chronological order , all the proceedings

The Antiquity Of Masonic Degrees.

of Archbishop Greenfield in respect to them , so often alluded to by " Delta " and others . The Ecclesiastical Council held at York , under that archbishop , decided that all the Knights Templar then forthcoming—a few are mentioned by name as having escaped—should be dispersed amongst the Yorkshire monasteries .

In most cases , indeed in almost every case , not more than one knight was sent to each monastery . We have the names oi : the Templars given to us , and the monasteries they were sent to . So entire and so systematic was the dispersion , that not one single Templar , we are told , was allowed to remain in York , or in any monastery even , iu York itself .

Will " Rosa Crucis " or " Delta " dispute or disprove these facts ? If they wish it , not only are the actual names of the knights preserved , but the enforced abode of each ; and the same can easily be given in THE MAGAZINE . But how , I would ask them , could these dispersed knights—not allowed to leave their separate abodes of

honourable seclusion without express license , and where most of them lingered and died—have been assembled to carry on their Masonic working , whetherin the crypt of York Minster , or the chapter rooms of York monasteries ?

The whole theory is , as I have shown , I hope , a pure absurdity—a pretty but idle myt-h—a hobby which some few amongst us just now are riding to death . Discontented with the humbler claims of Craft Masonry , they must perforce find a knightly source or a chivalric origin . And so the } ' think it no wrong to undervalue and to inveigh against the common ritual of Hint Alma Mater ,

whose children they were , before they were so wise or so grand as to become knights of some ineffable degree . I know full well that there are many most excellent and able Masons who belong to the Templar body . I quarrel with no man ' s opinions , and with no man ' s preferences . I concede to others , ex ammo , the right of looking on the present Templar Order as a spiritualif

, not actual , continuation of a noble and unjustly condemned Order of Chivalry . If they find good in it , as they may—if they receive satisfaction iu its observances , as is morethan possible—no one whatever has a right to question their views , or find fault with their decision . But when the alleged superior antiquity of the

Tem-] ilar Degree is made use of by partisans and by the interested , who throw discredit , and worse than discredit , on the claims and ritual of Craft Masonry ; when our admiration of both is openly challenged and our reverence for both rudely disturbed , it becomes the imperative duty of all who , like myself , claim , despite the sneer of " Rosa Crucis , " to be well educated gentlemenand yet

, believers in Craft Masonry , manfully to say our say , thus publicly to avow our convictions , and then to leave the decision to the spber judgment of thoughtful , honourable , and intelligent Masons . I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , October 24 th , 1863 . EBOH .

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A GOOD MAN ' S WISH . —I would rather , when I am laid in the grave , that some one in his manhood should stand over me , and say , " There lies one who was a real friend to me , ancl privately warned me of the clangers of the young . ' So one knew it , but he aided me in time of need . I owe what I am to him . " Or would rather have some widow , with choking utterance , telling her children , " There is your friend and mine . He

visited me in my affliction , and found you , my son , an employer , and you , my chuiijhter , a happy home in a virtuous family . " I would rather that such persons should stand at my grave , than to have erected over it tho most beautiful sculptured monument of Parian or Italian marble . The heart ' s broken utterance of reflections of past kindness , and the tears of grateful memory shed upon the grave , are more valuahle , in my estimation , than the most costly cenotaph ever read .