Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Reviews.
In the introduction to the second period , Bro . Findel commences with the following modest bit of "bunkum" for Fatherland . "In the history of the world , " as one nation drops off another takes its place , so is it likeAvise in the history " of Freemasonry ; one takes upon him- " ( sic . ) " self the task of promoting " its further culture , where another , haA'ing fulfilled his" ( sic . ) " mission , has "just laid it down . The important position acquired by England in the former " period , belongs to Germany in this one . " It lvould be nauseous to follow Bro .
Findel through his series of detractions in this introduction , but for cool , unblushing assumption of the superiority of Germans , pages 397 and 398 are the richest example Ave ever met . Bro . Findel , in speaking of Lord Zetland ( p . 551 ) says : — "It is to be re" gretted that his Masonic knoAA'ledge , and his vieAvs upon the present system of " lodges in England , moving , as it does , constantly in the ancient grooves , arc " not more extended , so that ho cannot give affairs a fresh impetus , or stamp
" the whole Avith that animation Avhich is so desirable . If he has not actuall y " advanced to those fatal high degrees , yet he has not done anything to repress " the groAviag love for them which is fast gaining ground around him . " BraA'o ! Well done , Brother Findel . The high grades will certainly be the death of you . So ridiculous is the idea of any such powers of repression being inherent in Lord Zetland , that it is only to bo matched by the expressed regret of Brother Findel , that his lordship ' s Masonic knoAvledge is not more extended . Why , man , if it had been extended , but it is of no use speculating on a
blessing which never can or could have happened . In treating of the Constitutions of tho Ancient and Accepted Rite ( n . 726 ) , Bro . Findel drags in Bro . Kloss again for the purpose of telling us that the latter , after examining the history of those constitutions , " stamped them as the " grand lie of the order . " This AVC have frequently heard and seen before , but we arc not bound to maintain or defend the origin of those laws , all our business is "honestly , to obey them . Unfortunately for Bro . Findel ' s book , it is too
obscure and trifling to be dignified by any such rounded period as " a grand lie of the order . " It is merely unreliable ; and every unprejudiced brother will be able to see for himself that it is the most petty and one-sided compilation ever offered to the order by any brother in the whole Avorld . We have Avaded through the " reliable" History by Brother Findel . Our readers , if they should see it , will not enA'y us the infliction . Such a mass of second-hand talk—A apid talk—it has rarely been our lot to notice . There is
scarcely an original remark in the book , and Avhen such do occur they arc the very original ideas of Bro . Kloss . The book is full of printer ' s mistakes ; blunders appear on every page , and this " reliable " volume , if not thrown down in sheer disgust before the reader has advanced a tithe of its bulk , will serve to raise a laugh amongst the most sedate by reason of its intolerance , egotism , and hatred of those degrees its author is so ignorant of . AVo have seen many literary curiosities in our time , but anything so curiously absurd and unreliable as Findel ' s " reliable " History of Freemasonry AVO never met with before .
CoVETOUSNESS . —The covetous person lives as if the earth were made altogether for him , and not he for the earth ; to take in everything , and part with nothing . GRACE AT MEALS . —On the panel of a dining-room , in a house lately under repair near Ipswich , the following quaint lines were discovered : — He that sittcth down to meat And lettcth grace pass , Sittcth down to eat , like an ox And gettcth up , like an ass .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Reviews.
In the introduction to the second period , Bro . Findel commences with the following modest bit of "bunkum" for Fatherland . "In the history of the world , " as one nation drops off another takes its place , so is it likeAvise in the history " of Freemasonry ; one takes upon him- " ( sic . ) " self the task of promoting " its further culture , where another , haA'ing fulfilled his" ( sic . ) " mission , has "just laid it down . The important position acquired by England in the former " period , belongs to Germany in this one . " It lvould be nauseous to follow Bro .
Findel through his series of detractions in this introduction , but for cool , unblushing assumption of the superiority of Germans , pages 397 and 398 are the richest example Ave ever met . Bro . Findel , in speaking of Lord Zetland ( p . 551 ) says : — "It is to be re" gretted that his Masonic knoAA'ledge , and his vieAvs upon the present system of " lodges in England , moving , as it does , constantly in the ancient grooves , arc " not more extended , so that ho cannot give affairs a fresh impetus , or stamp
" the whole Avith that animation Avhich is so desirable . If he has not actuall y " advanced to those fatal high degrees , yet he has not done anything to repress " the groAviag love for them which is fast gaining ground around him . " BraA'o ! Well done , Brother Findel . The high grades will certainly be the death of you . So ridiculous is the idea of any such powers of repression being inherent in Lord Zetland , that it is only to bo matched by the expressed regret of Brother Findel , that his lordship ' s Masonic knoAvledge is not more extended . Why , man , if it had been extended , but it is of no use speculating on a
blessing which never can or could have happened . In treating of the Constitutions of tho Ancient and Accepted Rite ( n . 726 ) , Bro . Findel drags in Bro . Kloss again for the purpose of telling us that the latter , after examining the history of those constitutions , " stamped them as the " grand lie of the order . " This AVC have frequently heard and seen before , but we arc not bound to maintain or defend the origin of those laws , all our business is "honestly , to obey them . Unfortunately for Bro . Findel ' s book , it is too
obscure and trifling to be dignified by any such rounded period as " a grand lie of the order . " It is merely unreliable ; and every unprejudiced brother will be able to see for himself that it is the most petty and one-sided compilation ever offered to the order by any brother in the whole Avorld . We have Avaded through the " reliable" History by Brother Findel . Our readers , if they should see it , will not enA'y us the infliction . Such a mass of second-hand talk—A apid talk—it has rarely been our lot to notice . There is
scarcely an original remark in the book , and Avhen such do occur they arc the very original ideas of Bro . Kloss . The book is full of printer ' s mistakes ; blunders appear on every page , and this " reliable " volume , if not thrown down in sheer disgust before the reader has advanced a tithe of its bulk , will serve to raise a laugh amongst the most sedate by reason of its intolerance , egotism , and hatred of those degrees its author is so ignorant of . AVo have seen many literary curiosities in our time , but anything so curiously absurd and unreliable as Findel ' s " reliable " History of Freemasonry AVO never met with before .
CoVETOUSNESS . —The covetous person lives as if the earth were made altogether for him , and not he for the earth ; to take in everything , and part with nothing . GRACE AT MEALS . —On the panel of a dining-room , in a house lately under repair near Ipswich , the following quaint lines were discovered : — He that sittcth down to meat And lettcth grace pass , Sittcth down to eat , like an ox And gettcth up , like an ass .