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Article THE ENGLISH RITE OF FREEMASONRY. ← Page 2 of 2 Article WORK AND LECTURES. Page 1 of 2 →
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The English Rite Of Freemasonry.
tion on the 17 th Jnly 1751 . The attempt to trace theso Lodges to their creation would be useless . It is sufficient for us to know that the seceders organised themselves into Lodges and that in July 1751 there were six of them already iu full working order .
Thus , then , stands our theory . At the close of 1 / 35 the special privileges assigned to tho newly constituted Grand Stewards' Lodge caused such a commotion in Graud Lodge that tho question whether their grant should be confirmed or not had to be left undecided . It is reasonable , however ,
to suppose that tho angry feelings thus engendered did not die out , but that , on the contrary , they would bo fanned into a fresh flame every time that a fresh subject of strife , or an old one revived , made its appearance iu Grand Lodgo . " About 1738 "—or to give Brother Hughan ' s date , in
1739—the squabbles in Grand Lodge attained to such a degree of intensity that a large number of the brethren , rather than put up with the encroachments of Grand Lodge on the freedom of private Lodges , seceded and began , sooner or later after their secession , setting up
Lodges in defiance of the authority of Grand Lodge . This course of hostility progressed so far that in 1751 there were already six such Lodges fully constituted , to whose Masters was delegated the duty of granting dispensations and warrants , and acting as Grand Master . There was
also a Grand Committee with a Grand Secretary ( Brother Morgan ) , who may or may not have kept a record of the transactions that occurred ; and in December 1753 the schismatics elected Brother Robert Turner , of their Lodge No . 15 , to be their Grand Master . Brother Hnghan
has shown , as far as it is possible , that the differences of ritual between the regulars and schismatics were of no great account , while it is clear that the grant of special privileges to any particular body under Grand Lodge would involve a clear and emphatic departure from the
fundamental principles of the Society . Other causes of dissension would , as we know they did , arise from time to time , which would have the effect of slowly but surely widening the breach which the tendency on the part of Grand Lodge towards a more absolute and supreme
authority over the Lodges was causing , but to all such must be assigned a place among the effects . There had been " irregular makings " before 1735 , but the differences created by them had disappeared after a time , especiall y when there appeared to be anything like a tendency towards
conciliating the goodwill of the Craft . But the establishment of a Lodge such as the Grand Stewards ' , and its endowment with unheard of privileges , was au outrage on the principles of Freemasonry , and we find that , after its establishment , the grievance as to " irregular makings "
broke out afresh and was not amicably determined , as it had been previously . On the contrary , the authors of the grievance , so far from showing any disposition , as they had before done , to accept the censure of the authorities , boldly turned round and set them at defiance , and , as an illustration
of the length to which they were determined to carry their hostility , they claimed the right to form Lodges to such purpose that within a dozen years from the date ordinarily
assigned for the secession they had half a dozen Lodges fully organised , with a Grand Committee charged to administer their affairs , and a Grand Secretary to communicate its measures to the brethren . In the
circumstances as we have described them—and we have done our best to describe them as accuratel y as possible—we believe we are justified in formulating the theory that the great cause which led to the Schism was the errant of these special privileges to the Grand Stewards' Lodge in direct contravention of the principles of our Fraternity .
We trust Brother Hughan will excuse our having for the moment lost sight of the main purpose of this series of articles . Our excuse , and we hope he will allow its validity , must be that it is the collation of his " Premonitions of the Schism , " which has induced us to say a few words about the Schism itself . ( To be continued . )
Work And Lectures.
WORK AND LECTURES .
THE following sentences pertaining to the Ritual , which fell from t ho lips of the Graud Master of the Grand Lodge , J . Edward Simmons , in June last , were received with evident gratification by the largo assembly , moro especially as they felt tho importance and truthfulness of
the language which awoke a feeling of pride—Grand Matiter Simmons said , — "It cannot have escaped the notice of tho brethren that tho jurisdiction of New York ia the only one that has succeeded in making the State ritual a success . Yet such is the case , for go where you will
throughout the State you will find the several degrees represented in absolutely the same form , and that a brother from any Lodge in the State can take parfc in fche work according to the standard fixed by the Grand Lodge .
There are , however , some peculiarities about the work that have excited unfavourable comment , and the question of a revision of the ritual has frequently been considered by Grand Lodge . " Grand Master Simmons then announced thafc in
pursuance of a resolution adopted at the preceding Session of the Grand Lodge , ho had appointed a Special Committee of seven , consisting of Bros . R . T . Griggs , C . T . McClenachan , Reon Barnes , Floyd Clarkson , Robert Bouynge , Charles W . Brown , and William Sherer , who
with the Grancl Lecturer , George H . Raymond , should make it their duty to carefully consider the whole subject of revising the ritual and report to the Grand Lodge . For six months that Committee faithfully discharged its duties , meeting frequently , holding lengthy sessions and thoroughly
digesting the entire subject . The result has been made known but nofc as yet felt , the advantages are coming . The exoteric portion was separated by the Committee from the esoteric , and the Grand Lodge in pursuance of a recommendation ordered the same to be printed for the use
of Lodges , for which a small charge is to be made . It is anticipated the aggregate will not immaterially benefit the Trust Fund . Absolute uniformity will result throughout
the State from this important step . The Committee reported that the present system of exemplification of the esoteric work would insure unanimity , and recommended that the Grand Lecturer be continued in his excellent
work . The Committee did not report that the ritual was without defects and faults , but that radical changes were not necessary aud the minor difficulties were important , that personal preferences had been yielded to the common
good and a hearty unanimous report was the result . No changes were recommended . The Committee trusted , however , that a less forcible symbolism would be exercised at the South , West and East gates . Furthermore , that while the Constitutions prohibited other than the Standard
Work under pains and penalties , many "honoured , studious , intelligent , and devoted members of the Fraternity at times practise work other than that approved and determined by the Grand Lodge . " And " inasmuch as ifc is desirable that brethren be permitted to teach moral and
instructive lessons in their own language that permission thereto be given under certain prescribed limits and conditions and in connection with the Standard Work , pro vided such teachings are in harmony therewith . " The Committee accordingly considered how liberty might be
given without endangering the Standard Work , and " earnestly recommended that authority be given brethren to point out moral , instructive or interesting lessons , provided such teachings or recitations are clearly in addition to , and not in conflict with , the Standard Work adopted and determined by the Grand , Locige . "
All these matters the Grand Lodge approved , and further , continued the Committee until the next Annual Session to the end that the Grand Lecturer may have the efficient support of said Committee in the enforcement of the will of the Grand Lodge regarding Work and Lectures .
It was a matter of great surprise to the Committee to discover that so few changes had occurred in the last two decades , while m consequence of Grand Locige differences many and important were the changes that had theretofore continually occurred .
Changes will naturally take place in time in the phraseology and illustration of the Lectures of the Lodge in order to conform to the advance of philology and literature in the many departments of learning , but the course pursued by the Grand Lodge at its last session has been
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The English Rite Of Freemasonry.
tion on the 17 th Jnly 1751 . The attempt to trace theso Lodges to their creation would be useless . It is sufficient for us to know that the seceders organised themselves into Lodges and that in July 1751 there were six of them already iu full working order .
Thus , then , stands our theory . At the close of 1 / 35 the special privileges assigned to tho newly constituted Grand Stewards' Lodge caused such a commotion in Graud Lodge that tho question whether their grant should be confirmed or not had to be left undecided . It is reasonable , however ,
to suppose that tho angry feelings thus engendered did not die out , but that , on the contrary , they would bo fanned into a fresh flame every time that a fresh subject of strife , or an old one revived , made its appearance iu Grand Lodgo . " About 1738 "—or to give Brother Hughan ' s date , in
1739—the squabbles in Grand Lodge attained to such a degree of intensity that a large number of the brethren , rather than put up with the encroachments of Grand Lodge on the freedom of private Lodges , seceded and began , sooner or later after their secession , setting up
Lodges in defiance of the authority of Grand Lodge . This course of hostility progressed so far that in 1751 there were already six such Lodges fully constituted , to whose Masters was delegated the duty of granting dispensations and warrants , and acting as Grand Master . There was
also a Grand Committee with a Grand Secretary ( Brother Morgan ) , who may or may not have kept a record of the transactions that occurred ; and in December 1753 the schismatics elected Brother Robert Turner , of their Lodge No . 15 , to be their Grand Master . Brother Hnghan
has shown , as far as it is possible , that the differences of ritual between the regulars and schismatics were of no great account , while it is clear that the grant of special privileges to any particular body under Grand Lodge would involve a clear and emphatic departure from the
fundamental principles of the Society . Other causes of dissension would , as we know they did , arise from time to time , which would have the effect of slowly but surely widening the breach which the tendency on the part of Grand Lodge towards a more absolute and supreme
authority over the Lodges was causing , but to all such must be assigned a place among the effects . There had been " irregular makings " before 1735 , but the differences created by them had disappeared after a time , especiall y when there appeared to be anything like a tendency towards
conciliating the goodwill of the Craft . But the establishment of a Lodge such as the Grand Stewards ' , and its endowment with unheard of privileges , was au outrage on the principles of Freemasonry , and we find that , after its establishment , the grievance as to " irregular makings "
broke out afresh and was not amicably determined , as it had been previously . On the contrary , the authors of the grievance , so far from showing any disposition , as they had before done , to accept the censure of the authorities , boldly turned round and set them at defiance , and , as an illustration
of the length to which they were determined to carry their hostility , they claimed the right to form Lodges to such purpose that within a dozen years from the date ordinarily
assigned for the secession they had half a dozen Lodges fully organised , with a Grand Committee charged to administer their affairs , and a Grand Secretary to communicate its measures to the brethren . In the
circumstances as we have described them—and we have done our best to describe them as accuratel y as possible—we believe we are justified in formulating the theory that the great cause which led to the Schism was the errant of these special privileges to the Grand Stewards' Lodge in direct contravention of the principles of our Fraternity .
We trust Brother Hughan will excuse our having for the moment lost sight of the main purpose of this series of articles . Our excuse , and we hope he will allow its validity , must be that it is the collation of his " Premonitions of the Schism , " which has induced us to say a few words about the Schism itself . ( To be continued . )
Work And Lectures.
WORK AND LECTURES .
THE following sentences pertaining to the Ritual , which fell from t ho lips of the Graud Master of the Grand Lodge , J . Edward Simmons , in June last , were received with evident gratification by the largo assembly , moro especially as they felt tho importance and truthfulness of
the language which awoke a feeling of pride—Grand Matiter Simmons said , — "It cannot have escaped the notice of tho brethren that tho jurisdiction of New York ia the only one that has succeeded in making the State ritual a success . Yet such is the case , for go where you will
throughout the State you will find the several degrees represented in absolutely the same form , and that a brother from any Lodge in the State can take parfc in fche work according to the standard fixed by the Grand Lodge .
There are , however , some peculiarities about the work that have excited unfavourable comment , and the question of a revision of the ritual has frequently been considered by Grand Lodge . " Grand Master Simmons then announced thafc in
pursuance of a resolution adopted at the preceding Session of the Grand Lodge , ho had appointed a Special Committee of seven , consisting of Bros . R . T . Griggs , C . T . McClenachan , Reon Barnes , Floyd Clarkson , Robert Bouynge , Charles W . Brown , and William Sherer , who
with the Grancl Lecturer , George H . Raymond , should make it their duty to carefully consider the whole subject of revising the ritual and report to the Grand Lodge . For six months that Committee faithfully discharged its duties , meeting frequently , holding lengthy sessions and thoroughly
digesting the entire subject . The result has been made known but nofc as yet felt , the advantages are coming . The exoteric portion was separated by the Committee from the esoteric , and the Grand Lodge in pursuance of a recommendation ordered the same to be printed for the use
of Lodges , for which a small charge is to be made . It is anticipated the aggregate will not immaterially benefit the Trust Fund . Absolute uniformity will result throughout
the State from this important step . The Committee reported that the present system of exemplification of the esoteric work would insure unanimity , and recommended that the Grand Lecturer be continued in his excellent
work . The Committee did not report that the ritual was without defects and faults , but that radical changes were not necessary aud the minor difficulties were important , that personal preferences had been yielded to the common
good and a hearty unanimous report was the result . No changes were recommended . The Committee trusted , however , that a less forcible symbolism would be exercised at the South , West and East gates . Furthermore , that while the Constitutions prohibited other than the Standard
Work under pains and penalties , many "honoured , studious , intelligent , and devoted members of the Fraternity at times practise work other than that approved and determined by the Grand Lodge . " And " inasmuch as ifc is desirable that brethren be permitted to teach moral and
instructive lessons in their own language that permission thereto be given under certain prescribed limits and conditions and in connection with the Standard Work , pro vided such teachings are in harmony therewith . " The Committee accordingly considered how liberty might be
given without endangering the Standard Work , and " earnestly recommended that authority be given brethren to point out moral , instructive or interesting lessons , provided such teachings or recitations are clearly in addition to , and not in conflict with , the Standard Work adopted and determined by the Grand , Locige . "
All these matters the Grand Lodge approved , and further , continued the Committee until the next Annual Session to the end that the Grand Lecturer may have the efficient support of said Committee in the enforcement of the will of the Grand Lodge regarding Work and Lectures .
It was a matter of great surprise to the Committee to discover that so few changes had occurred in the last two decades , while m consequence of Grand Locige differences many and important were the changes that had theretofore continually occurred .
Changes will naturally take place in time in the phraseology and illustration of the Lectures of the Lodge in order to conform to the advance of philology and literature in the many departments of learning , but the course pursued by the Grand Lodge at its last session has been