Masonic Antiquities, Documents, &C . Jerusalem. Encampment, Manchester.

Christian Knights ; that the Knights were obliged to employ Pagan builders , and that , Avith the intention of converting them to Christianity , they established the three first symbolic ceremonies . " There can be little doubt that the Grand Lodge established in London , by Dr . Desaguliers and others , in 1717 Avas the legitimate representative of the London Operative Lodges of Freemasons ,

more particularly the Lodge of St . Paul ' s , and , if our Masonic traditions and documents are to be relied upon , the General Masonic Assemblies must have had certain speculative , or symbolic , ceremonies , for Ave are informed that Sir Christopher Wren Avas made an Accepted Mason , at St . Paul ' s , in 1691 , he having been Grand Master and Warden of " Operative Freemasonry" long

oelore ; according to Andersons Constitutions . We are also told that Sir Richard Steele Avas a Member of the Ancient Lodges , and in 1709 he alludes to Freemasons having certain signs and Avords as emblems of affiliation ; and the RaAvlinson papers allude , in 1724 , to a number of orders and degrees ; but the reader is entitled to his OAVII opinion as to Avhether there Avere certain

symbolic ceremonies , transmitted from time immemorial , exclusively connected Avith and conferring peculiar privileges on the different grades of the builders of our Churches , etc ., or Avhether the name and organization of the building fraternities Avas used by Ashmole , and others , to continue a totally different society . It appears certain from the minutes of the Freemasons Lodges of Scotland

that Dr . AndersoTi stamped a very different character upon their proceedings Avhen he visited Edinburgh in 1722 , though "Ancient " Masonry according to the Royal Order of Scotland , "H . R . M . and R . S . Y . C . S ., " claims to be of ancient date in that country . The former , according to Bro . Donald Campbell ' s Calendar being , the Ancient Scottish Ceremony of Master , and the latter an Order

of Knighthood , under the protection of Robert Bruce , amalgamated Avith the Templars Avho fought at Bannockburn ; to Avhich battle the Templars sent , it is said , three thousand of their body , and hence the preservation of their title in connection Avith the Order of St . John . As Edward had put an end to the English Order of the Temple , in 1327 , by the amalgamation of their estates Avith the Order of St . John , so it is nossihle that Bnir . fi ma . v »/ 1

— x ~ — - ~~ j have connived at or aided the continuance of the Order . It is said that he gave three of the Templar preceptories in Scotland to Sir Reginald More , from Avhom they passed to his son William . Scotland Avas in a very distracted state , and nearly half a century after this Ave find a William More , styling himself Master of the Hospital of St . JohnAvhen Seatonthe legitimate Mastertakes

, , , proceedings at law , deprives him of the estates , and obtains compensation . Some writers assert that the Order of St . J ohn became military by the addition , or affiliation , of the nine first Members of the Order of the Temple under Hugho de Pajanes . There is also a charter , dated 19 th October , 1488 , and signed by James , King of Scotland , whereby the gift of the lands pre-