Masonic Antiquities, Documents, &C.

Knights of Malta , their countrymen , m 1828 , and had Commanderies in England under their constitution , one at Liverpool , named the Jacques de Molay . At Stockport , Cheshire , during these years , there was an Encampment holding a Avarrant from the Duke of Kent , Avho succeeded Lord Rancliffe , Avhich did not require the preliminary Masonic ceremonies . On the other hand

an examination of the Craft Lodge books Avill SIIOAV that most of the Lodges conferred the degree of Knights Templar of St . John of Jerusalem , Palestine , Rhodes , and Malta , and granted certificates for the same , under the name of Black Masonry , and about this period " Band Encampments" were held , Avorking under a body styling itself the " Early Grand Encampment of

Lancashire ! ' A " Band " in connection Avith the " Social" Lodge , Manchester , conferred the Red Cross and other degrees besides the Templar of St . John , and met under a Craft Avarrant at the " Seven Stars , " Oldham Road , being composed chiefly of Scottish Masons , but in consequence of some misunderstanding with the ' Social" Lodge , they removed to Liverpool about 1826 . Band ,

Knights , and all admitted under Craft Warrants , this Conclave compelled to be re-made . As before stated , the minutes from 1811 to 1845 of the Encampment are missing , and the account from this period must therefore be made up from stray documents , old certificates , the memory of old members , and the books of the Priestly " Order of Melchisedek , " the latter including the signatures to a code of by-laAvs from 1813 , and the minute book from 1828 , the previous one having been lost .

This Priestly Order Avas revived in the Encampment , September , 1813 , with the assistance of brethren of the Forfar Militia , and the names of all admitted are appended to a copy of the bylaAvs ; these are twenty-one in number , and are eminently moral ; they are termed secret , . and only to be read in full to Knights Templar seeking admission . The degree itself is the most beautiful

and solemn in the Avhole system of St . John ' s Masonry , but the duties its elegant and striking ritual imposes by obligation upon its members tOAvards Knights Templar , are too solemn and binding to be trifled Avitb , and makes it a degree to be conferred with discrimination . As showing either its origin or the design of its foundersit may be mentioned that its ritual imposes customs

, similar to some folloAved by the Christians of St . John , or Mendeans of Syria , annually . These are reputed to be the folloAvers of St . John the Baptist , Avhom Brother Godfrey Higgins supposes to have been a Priest or Soldier of the Persian Mythras . The JeAvel of the Order is a Cross and Serpent , the latter being considered a symbol of priesthood in the Ancient Mysteries . The

before-mentioned " Early Grand Encampment of Lancashire , " also Avorked this degree of Priests after the Order of Melchisedek , but it is said somewhat differently from the York Avorking—the latter having nine officers possessing passwords , instead- of seven , Avhere two employed in the ceremonies did not rank as pillars—and