Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
An Account Of The Vicissitudes Of The Neapolitan Masonry;
The dawn of liberty now appears ; the patriots reunite ; several lodges are established , and a great number of respectable persons of all ranks and professions are admitted to them ; so that in 1811 Neapolitan Masonry had reached the highest degree of splendour . The Masons , however , worked according to the French rite , which was very different from the Scotch ; and this difference separated them from the rest of the Masons of the universeexactly at the moment when advantage miht
, g have been derived from Masonry by those initiated in it . In order to remove this inconvenience , the lights of several lodges of the kingdom assembled at different times , but , not agreeing unanimously , the Lodges of Josephine , the greatest part of which were composed of the officers of lancers of the guard of Prince Murat , then King of Naples , changed their rite , and adopted the Scotch one . The other lodges , convinced of the disadvantage of such schismand being desirous of deriving the
, benefits which as military Masons they would enjoy from the uniformity of the signs of this extensive family , altered their rites also . The news of this change reached the ears of the king , who was their Grand Master ; he was surprised at it , even vexed , and employed every means in his power to discover the cause . But , despot-like , having trodden under feet the laws of justice , freedom , and fraternity , he immediately suspected that the Masons of the kingdom had established a correspondence
with those of England , which he feared might be detrimental to his interests . He thought therefore of surprising them , and that this surprise might produce the desired effect , Murat , one evening in the year 1812 , accompanied by General Dery , both dressed iu all the pomp of their grancl uniform , ancl covered with all their decorations , presented
themselves at the door of the Lodge of Josephine , and demanded admission . After all usual precautions , having regard to the Grand Master of the kingdom , and in order to let him know that they did not fear him , he was admitted with all the ceremonies due to his masonic degree . They let him pass the sword arch , and when he was at the foot of the altar of the venerable , who was an old Polish officer belonging to the lancers of the guard , the same said to Murat , that he must know
Masonry did not acknowledge all his profane decorations , and that when he came in different apparel , he would be received with great joy by all brethren , and with the honours due to his degree . Murat then retired , and returned in a few minutes in the dress of a civilian ; he was then received with all the pomp and splendour due to his attributes ; the venerable offered him the hammer , which he accepted for a few minutes ; but not having been able to discover anything ( as really nothing existed
of that which he had suspected ) , for the lodge had rendered him the honours of their degrees in the new rite , which wounded his self-love , and he left the temple much more enraged than when he entered . His suspicions , instead of being removed , or at least diminished , increased ; he declared himself their enemy , persecuted ancl suspended several of them , and others he dismissed from his guard under some pretext . The Masons , perceiving that the little of liberty which their country still
enjoyed , would disappear by degrees , and not being able to struggle , on account of their weakness , against government , nor being willing to admit the populace to the lodges ( though they were aware of the necessity to make known to the people the rights of men as the only means to rall y together all classes ) established a society , called the Carbonari , riiis society is the legitimate daughter of Masonry , and has for its aim , love of our fellow-men , liberty through means of faith , hope , and charity , VOL . vi . ! ¦ ¦
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
An Account Of The Vicissitudes Of The Neapolitan Masonry;
The dawn of liberty now appears ; the patriots reunite ; several lodges are established , and a great number of respectable persons of all ranks and professions are admitted to them ; so that in 1811 Neapolitan Masonry had reached the highest degree of splendour . The Masons , however , worked according to the French rite , which was very different from the Scotch ; and this difference separated them from the rest of the Masons of the universeexactly at the moment when advantage miht
, g have been derived from Masonry by those initiated in it . In order to remove this inconvenience , the lights of several lodges of the kingdom assembled at different times , but , not agreeing unanimously , the Lodges of Josephine , the greatest part of which were composed of the officers of lancers of the guard of Prince Murat , then King of Naples , changed their rite , and adopted the Scotch one . The other lodges , convinced of the disadvantage of such schismand being desirous of deriving the
, benefits which as military Masons they would enjoy from the uniformity of the signs of this extensive family , altered their rites also . The news of this change reached the ears of the king , who was their Grand Master ; he was surprised at it , even vexed , and employed every means in his power to discover the cause . But , despot-like , having trodden under feet the laws of justice , freedom , and fraternity , he immediately suspected that the Masons of the kingdom had established a correspondence
with those of England , which he feared might be detrimental to his interests . He thought therefore of surprising them , and that this surprise might produce the desired effect , Murat , one evening in the year 1812 , accompanied by General Dery , both dressed iu all the pomp of their grancl uniform , ancl covered with all their decorations , presented
themselves at the door of the Lodge of Josephine , and demanded admission . After all usual precautions , having regard to the Grand Master of the kingdom , and in order to let him know that they did not fear him , he was admitted with all the ceremonies due to his masonic degree . They let him pass the sword arch , and when he was at the foot of the altar of the venerable , who was an old Polish officer belonging to the lancers of the guard , the same said to Murat , that he must know
Masonry did not acknowledge all his profane decorations , and that when he came in different apparel , he would be received with great joy by all brethren , and with the honours due to his degree . Murat then retired , and returned in a few minutes in the dress of a civilian ; he was then received with all the pomp and splendour due to his attributes ; the venerable offered him the hammer , which he accepted for a few minutes ; but not having been able to discover anything ( as really nothing existed
of that which he had suspected ) , for the lodge had rendered him the honours of their degrees in the new rite , which wounded his self-love , and he left the temple much more enraged than when he entered . His suspicions , instead of being removed , or at least diminished , increased ; he declared himself their enemy , persecuted ancl suspended several of them , and others he dismissed from his guard under some pretext . The Masons , perceiving that the little of liberty which their country still
enjoyed , would disappear by degrees , and not being able to struggle , on account of their weakness , against government , nor being willing to admit the populace to the lodges ( though they were aware of the necessity to make known to the people the rights of men as the only means to rall y together all classes ) established a society , called the Carbonari , riiis society is the legitimate daughter of Masonry , and has for its aim , love of our fellow-men , liberty through means of faith , hope , and charity , VOL . vi . ! ¦ ¦