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Article MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES. ← Page 2 of 4 →
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Masonic Notes And Queries.
this subject , and as in my pile of communications under the Letter 0 , 1 have more than a score of requests to speak , or not to speak , upon it , I deem this a fitting occasion to clear up the tetter O aud my duty at the same time . ' If I understand the aim of your society from the
-several very excellent magazines with which I exchange , it is to organise sociality and benevolence . This you do by uniting yourselves together , secretly ,, electing such as you will to share iu your work , and guarding yourself by all lawful measures against imposition . All this you have a riht to do . Whether
g there is anything in all this requiring another society —seeing that Masonry does it as well as the hi ghest earthly wisdom could contrive it—or whether there is anything in your new and local institution to tempt members of our old and universal one to enter your ranks , is a matter that I do not pretend to
understand . My opinion is merely based upon what I see , and upon that observation I have long advised Masons to let it alone . If it is good , ours is better ; if not good , it ought not to be patronised at all . The objectionable features are these -. —The free use without ' permission and without acknowledgment of the Masonic Ritual . This extends— -1 . To the use of our symbols ; 2 . 0 ur technical phrases ; 3 . Our ' furniture and clothing .
To illustrate the first , read the following letter from one of the most enlightened Masons in the laud : — "I was greatly interested in the notice in the American Freemason by our Oregon brother , showing that the bundle of rods and axe ( the old Roman lictors' symbol ) isor wasand shouldthereforenow
, , , , be , an emblem of Masonry . As a curiosity , for even Masons sometimes are curious , a year or two since I purchased an Odd Fellows' Manual , filled , like Cross ' s Chart , with emblems , and of the large number contained in the book , I saw at once that all , except two , were taken from Masonry . Those two were the "bundle of rods " and the three links .
"In the course of a conversation with our mutual -friend , Bro . J . M . S ., I related the above circumstance to him , when , to my equal surprise , he gave me the following statement : — " That Bro . St . John , of Tuscan Ledge , Scgur , Ind ., had in his possession a Masonic Diploma , dated in the
year 1 S 1 G , having upon it all the Masonic emblems of Cross , and in addition thereto those of the bundle of rods and axo , the three links and key . Now Cross published his Hieroglyphic Chart in 1819 , three years later than the date of diploma , and let them off for the Odd Fellows to take up most appropriately . I
wish you , in the proper way , to make use of these facts , and press them home upon our brethren . Let us keep not only what we have , but get all that properly belongs to us . "Why have all of Cross ' s successors in book or picture-making followed him ? Why not rather
search out the hidden and lost treasures of our fathers and give them as a lawful heritage of their sons . " Second . In relation to technical phrases . You use the letters M . W ., R . W ., & c , just as we do . You call your associations Lodges ; you speak of work in the Masonic sense ; you install , lay corner-stones , & c , and , as a glance at your manuals prove , imitate everything that will bear imitation in Masonry , except the
perpetuity of the pledge andunchangeableness of the rites . Third . In relation to clothing , & c . You use our gavel , our apron , our altar , our three stations , & c . Now why appropriate these things ? Was it necessary to make the community believe that you
were quasi Masons ? Then , 'tis an imposition ; or would other phrases , furniture , & c , be expressive of your aims ' ? Then 'tis superfluous . In either case it is a wrong upon our Order , and every Mason who is not afraid to speak out says so . What I beg leave to suggest , then ( as I have
several times suggested before in former volumes ) , is that your Grand Lodge , which exercises the power of making the most radical changes in your rituals , & c , at discretion , should make one more , and leave Masonry and Masonic property to the votaries of Masonry . Chauge all your symbols , your technical phrases , and your paraphernalia into something which is unlike Masonry , and theii no one would have a right to complain of you . Is this too much to ask ?
Have I spoken plainly ? it was my desire . Unkindly ? it was not my wish . My words are only addressed to Masons . Outsiders are as much your property as ours ; and if you exceed us in the number and weight of your converts , I can only regret that Masonic votaries are less zealous in their works than you ; but for the sake of honour and
honesty , for the sake of the venerable mother who gave you birth ; for the sake of our common end and aim , work upon your own merits , and leave the Masonic possessions to Masons .
EIETEE 2 T POIXTS . Where do the annexed fifteen points come from ?—¦ W . G . C . The first point . Whoever would study and practise the Masonic art , was required fervently to love God and his Churchthe Master with whom he labours
, , and his Masonic Fellows ; for this is the genuine spirit of Masonry . The second point . The Mason shall work on working days to his full ability , so that he may enjoy his reward on holy days ! Labouring faithfully at his vocation he will merit the wages to which he is
entitled . The third point . The Mason must ever hold and conceal the secrets of his Master and Fellows in a faithful breast , divulging the arcana of the chamber and Lodge to no one . Whatever he sees and hears , the privacy of hall and habitation , he will keep
honourably scaled from every person . A failure in this would subject Masonry to contempt , and himself to stinging shame . The fourth point . The Mason is enjoined not to be false to the Craft , nor entertain iniquity against it . He must do no prejudice to his Master or Fellows
, and in like manner no prejudice shall be done to him . The fifth point . The Mason is instructed that when he draws his wages from the Blaster according to his contract , he must do it with meekness , and the Master is bound to notify him lawfully , in private , if he should no longer desire his services . The Mason
must not strive against the society if he would thrive in his Masonic vocation . The sixth point . If a case arises amongst the Brotherhood through envy or malice , a case of discord
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonic Notes And Queries.
this subject , and as in my pile of communications under the Letter 0 , 1 have more than a score of requests to speak , or not to speak , upon it , I deem this a fitting occasion to clear up the tetter O aud my duty at the same time . ' If I understand the aim of your society from the
-several very excellent magazines with which I exchange , it is to organise sociality and benevolence . This you do by uniting yourselves together , secretly ,, electing such as you will to share iu your work , and guarding yourself by all lawful measures against imposition . All this you have a riht to do . Whether
g there is anything in all this requiring another society —seeing that Masonry does it as well as the hi ghest earthly wisdom could contrive it—or whether there is anything in your new and local institution to tempt members of our old and universal one to enter your ranks , is a matter that I do not pretend to
understand . My opinion is merely based upon what I see , and upon that observation I have long advised Masons to let it alone . If it is good , ours is better ; if not good , it ought not to be patronised at all . The objectionable features are these -. —The free use without ' permission and without acknowledgment of the Masonic Ritual . This extends— -1 . To the use of our symbols ; 2 . 0 ur technical phrases ; 3 . Our ' furniture and clothing .
To illustrate the first , read the following letter from one of the most enlightened Masons in the laud : — "I was greatly interested in the notice in the American Freemason by our Oregon brother , showing that the bundle of rods and axe ( the old Roman lictors' symbol ) isor wasand shouldthereforenow
, , , , be , an emblem of Masonry . As a curiosity , for even Masons sometimes are curious , a year or two since I purchased an Odd Fellows' Manual , filled , like Cross ' s Chart , with emblems , and of the large number contained in the book , I saw at once that all , except two , were taken from Masonry . Those two were the "bundle of rods " and the three links .
"In the course of a conversation with our mutual -friend , Bro . J . M . S ., I related the above circumstance to him , when , to my equal surprise , he gave me the following statement : — " That Bro . St . John , of Tuscan Ledge , Scgur , Ind ., had in his possession a Masonic Diploma , dated in the
year 1 S 1 G , having upon it all the Masonic emblems of Cross , and in addition thereto those of the bundle of rods and axo , the three links and key . Now Cross published his Hieroglyphic Chart in 1819 , three years later than the date of diploma , and let them off for the Odd Fellows to take up most appropriately . I
wish you , in the proper way , to make use of these facts , and press them home upon our brethren . Let us keep not only what we have , but get all that properly belongs to us . "Why have all of Cross ' s successors in book or picture-making followed him ? Why not rather
search out the hidden and lost treasures of our fathers and give them as a lawful heritage of their sons . " Second . In relation to technical phrases . You use the letters M . W ., R . W ., & c , just as we do . You call your associations Lodges ; you speak of work in the Masonic sense ; you install , lay corner-stones , & c , and , as a glance at your manuals prove , imitate everything that will bear imitation in Masonry , except the
perpetuity of the pledge andunchangeableness of the rites . Third . In relation to clothing , & c . You use our gavel , our apron , our altar , our three stations , & c . Now why appropriate these things ? Was it necessary to make the community believe that you
were quasi Masons ? Then , 'tis an imposition ; or would other phrases , furniture , & c , be expressive of your aims ' ? Then 'tis superfluous . In either case it is a wrong upon our Order , and every Mason who is not afraid to speak out says so . What I beg leave to suggest , then ( as I have
several times suggested before in former volumes ) , is that your Grand Lodge , which exercises the power of making the most radical changes in your rituals , & c , at discretion , should make one more , and leave Masonry and Masonic property to the votaries of Masonry . Chauge all your symbols , your technical phrases , and your paraphernalia into something which is unlike Masonry , and theii no one would have a right to complain of you . Is this too much to ask ?
Have I spoken plainly ? it was my desire . Unkindly ? it was not my wish . My words are only addressed to Masons . Outsiders are as much your property as ours ; and if you exceed us in the number and weight of your converts , I can only regret that Masonic votaries are less zealous in their works than you ; but for the sake of honour and
honesty , for the sake of the venerable mother who gave you birth ; for the sake of our common end and aim , work upon your own merits , and leave the Masonic possessions to Masons .
EIETEE 2 T POIXTS . Where do the annexed fifteen points come from ?—¦ W . G . C . The first point . Whoever would study and practise the Masonic art , was required fervently to love God and his Churchthe Master with whom he labours
, , and his Masonic Fellows ; for this is the genuine spirit of Masonry . The second point . The Mason shall work on working days to his full ability , so that he may enjoy his reward on holy days ! Labouring faithfully at his vocation he will merit the wages to which he is
entitled . The third point . The Mason must ever hold and conceal the secrets of his Master and Fellows in a faithful breast , divulging the arcana of the chamber and Lodge to no one . Whatever he sees and hears , the privacy of hall and habitation , he will keep
honourably scaled from every person . A failure in this would subject Masonry to contempt , and himself to stinging shame . The fourth point . The Mason is enjoined not to be false to the Craft , nor entertain iniquity against it . He must do no prejudice to his Master or Fellows
, and in like manner no prejudice shall be done to him . The fifth point . The Mason is instructed that when he draws his wages from the Blaster according to his contract , he must do it with meekness , and the Master is bound to notify him lawfully , in private , if he should no longer desire his services . The Mason
must not strive against the society if he would thrive in his Masonic vocation . The sixth point . If a case arises amongst the Brotherhood through envy or malice , a case of discord