Ar00100

Contents . PAGEThe Rise and Purposes of Speculative Masonry 63 The Hebrew Brethren of New York and the District Grand Master 03 How I Spent my Five Weeks' Leave 65 Masonic Jottings—No . 4 68 The Stuarts and Freemasonry 69

Masonic Notes and Queries 68 Correspondence ¦•¦ 70 Masonic Mems 73 CRAM LODGE MEETINGS : — Metropolitan 73 Provincial 74 Scotland 78 Royal Arch 78

Mark Masonry 78 Literature Science , and Fine Arts 78 Masonic Festivities 78 Reviews 79 Proposed Masonic Hall in Glasgow 79 Scientific Meetings for the Week 79 List of Lodge , & c ., Meetings for ensuing week 80 To Correspondents SO

The Rise And Purposes Of Speculative Masonry.

THE RISE AND PURPOSES OF SPECULATIVE MASONRY .

LONDON , SATURDAY , JANVABT 22 , 1870 .

By BRO . HENRI MURRAY , District G . M ., Ohina . An Address delivered to the Brethren of Zetland Lodge { No . 525 ) , Hong Zony : The subject of this address is a brief , and necessarily very imperfect , account of the rise

and objects of Speculative or Symbolic Masonry . My remarks will be , for the most part historical and descriptive ; detailed exposition of the beauties and moral tendencies of the science

scarcely falls within the scope of my present intention , but I will not let slip this opportunity of assuring my younger brethren that the more frequent their attendance at lodge , notwithstanding that it may be but to hear repeated the various

ceremonies until they pall or become almost tiresome , the stronger will grow their attachment to the Craft , and the better will they be enabled to appreciate its aims and aspirations . Our erudite brother Findel , in his valuable work entitled the

History of Freemasonry , says that " to England belongs most indisputably the merit of having spiritualised and elevated Operative Masonry to one of the- liberal arts , and established the Fraternity under its present form , by bringing

prominently forward the idea which it has ever professed , even when first instituted , and propagating that far and near . " This statement is undoubtedly true ; wherever practised in the present day , Speculative Masonry owes its inspiration to the revival which took place in London , A . D . 1717 . To Scotland is

The Rise And Purposes Of Speculative Masonry.

certainly due the credit of having maintained the Craft for many centuries upon a wider aud more fittingly organised basis than it ever attained in England prior to the period which I have just mentioned ; but since that time the English Grand .

Lodge has been the mother of Speculative Masonry , Indeed , it is doubtful whether , until much later , all the Scottish lodges dropped entire connection with the operative art , although during the fifteenth , sixteenth , and seventeenth centuries ,

they numbered the nobility and gentry amongst their members to au extent unknown in England , In that country , previous to the year 17 . 17 , the order was chiefly composed of operative masons , and although the Antient Charges ( many of which

there exists documentary evidence to show were extant and in use in the time of King Henry VI . ) proved that an exalted tone of morality has- ever been the Fraternity ' s rule of life and guiding star , it is yet certain that in former times the

symbolic attributes of the Craft Avere not , as at tbe present day , the primary objects of the brethren ' s profession ; few permanent lodges then , or bad

ever , existed , and it is made apparent by that one of the Antient Charges , whicii treats of Masters , Wardens , Fellows and Apprentices , their practice differed very greatly from the system HOW in force . The right of making Masons then pertained to

every brother of the Craft , no warrant , as now , being requisite to its exercise , provided that seven brethren ( the old formula has it that "three rule alodge , five hold a lodge , and seven form a perfectlodge " ) not more -than two of whom could ne

Entered Apprentices , met together , and in addition obtained the sanction of the nearest magistrate to their proceedings . The degree of Master Mason was conferred only in the Grand Lodge ( in

Scotland , on the contrary , it was given in the priv » . i-c lodges ) , and I should tell you that in those days the degrees of Master Mason and of Install c Master , together with the Order of the Holy Eova-I Arch , were to a certain extent one , and were

conferred in close connection with each other ; out present mode of raising , installing and exalting , at distant periods , aud in virtue of distinji qualifications , dating only from about 1725 . ( n other words , it would appear that prior to the

revival , no Fellow-Craft was raised until he In d been , in the language of the Antient Chargt .-, " chosen or appointed the Master or Overseer ol the work , " and that when raised , the secrets of the chair and of the Holy Eoyal Arch were coin-