A German View Of Bro. D. Murray Lyon's History Of Mother Kilwinning.

corporation ( or handicraft ) knew only Apprentices , Fellows ( who with the handmark , the mark instead of tbe signature , signed themselves ) , and Masters . Apprentices were also often chosen as presidents at their meetings . The information or education of the

members can be best judged of in this way , that , as scribe or clerk , a sworn notary was chosen , and , instead of the signature , often only the mark was used .

" 5 . The erection of tbe Grand Lodge at Edinburgh was , without restriction , decided upon in 1736 ; and the separation which took place soon after did not arise from any radically-deviating dogmatical ideas , but from an offended sense of honour , on account of

a refusal of the chief position on the roll , as well as tbe re-establishment of subordination under tbe Grand Lodge upon tbe sole ground of the precedency of age . I " 6 . It is waly siara tha -middle of tlvs last ceataMy '

that the building lodge at Kilwinning was completely changed into a Freemason lodge ; and still , in constituting new lodges , it made use of the old laws of tbe corporation , without giving any importance to tbe socalled Speculative Masonry .

" 7 . The naming of single daughter lodges , St . Andrew , has no other meaning than that of the respect of a lodge in the vicinity to a holy church consecrated to the patron saint of Scotland , and undoubtedl y involve nothing of a higher Gnosis . Even tbe lodge in Dublin , uuder tbe name of Temple Knights of Ireland , was nothing more than a John ' s Lodge .

"S . In Kilwinning fche hi gher so-called Scotch degree or grade did not arise , and the lodge itself has never had anything to do with higher steps than those of the Sfc . John ' s degree . Still ifc cannot be questioned that in Kilwinning , as elsewhere , single members , in

later times , from Ireland and France , spread abroad the so-called High Degrees , and adopted them , hut without exercising or gaining any legitimate influence on tbe views of tbe brethren . "

Degrees Of Masonic Knighthood V. The Red Cross Of Rome And Constantine.

DEGREES OF MASONIC KNIGHTHOOD v . THE RED CROSS OF ROME AND CONSTANTINE .

BY BEO . WILLIAM JAMES HUGHAN , W . M . 131 , Truro , & c . It will be perhaps as well to consider bow Masonic degrees of Knighthood are ri ghtly constituted or sanctioned before entering upon the historical position

of tbe Red Cross of Rome and Constantine . So we intend glancing at the antecedents of tbe Masonic Knights Templars , and therefrom to endeavour , by a parity of reasoning and analogy , to establish the

legitimate position of the "Red Cross" in question , so far as its antiquity and Masonic character are concerned . We do not enter upon tbe debated point as to whether degrees of Kni ghthood in England within the pale of Masonry are of any utility or partial benefit ; neither shall we seek to prove the

regular continuity and succession of the degrees from their commencement down to the present time . Tbe former would be superfluous , and the latter a waste of time . We shall take it for granted —( 1 ) that , if it can be established that any degree of Knighthood was worked during the last century—the latter partand before the Union of 1813 , it is ipso Jacto entitled to the benefit of tbe second clause of the "

Articlesof Union between tbe two Grand Lodges of Freemasons of England , " which expressly states that , in deciding what is " pure and ancient Masonry , " it is not " intended to prevent any lodge or chapter from holding a meeting in any of the degrees of tbe orders of Chivalry , according to tbe constitutions of the

said orders" ( page 2—articles hy Bro . T . Harper ) . And in consequence maintain —( 2 ) that the degree of " Masonic Kni ghts Templars was worked antecedent to the Union , and during the last century , and thereforeis legitimately sanctioned by the Grand Lodge ,

although of course not recognised ( 3 ) that all other chivalric degrees worked in connection with Masonry are ipso jure entitled to the same privileges if they can produce the same evidence of their age and nature ; ( 4 ) that all other degrees are contrary to the laws of tbe United Grand Lodge of England ,

although they may be tolerated , and consequently are spurious or illegitimate ; ( 5 ) and that , therefore , if the Red Cross of Rome and Constantine can produce similar evidence for its being legitimately sanctioned

in England as the Masonic Kni ghts Templars have , it is entitled to tbe same position among tbe chivalric degrees in this country as that degree now enjoys and deserves . Now , what is the age of the degree of Masonic Knights Templars , or , rather , when was it revived , and when was tbe Masonic Red Cross of

Rome and Constantine revived ? The former cannot be traced before the latter part of tbe eighteenth century , The eighth decade of that century witnessed its introduction at the Grand Lodge of York , and certainly not earlier either in London or Bristol . A certificate exists in draft , at York , mentioning the

" Knight Templar" of the date 29 th November , 1779 . None of tbe Time Immemorial Encampments under tbe present Grand Conclave can or have produced minutes of their meetings before A . D . 1770 or A . D . 1780 ; and the one claiming to be the oldest—viz ., the Baldwyn , of Bristol—has no documents earlier

than A . D . 17 S 0 . This Encampment has tbe distinction of forming tbe first Supreme Grand and Royal Encampment of Masonic Kni ghts Templars in the