-
Articles/Ads
Article THE MASONIC PRESS AND GKAND LODGE. ← Page 5 of 5 Article HISTORY OF THE ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED RITE. Page 1 of 4 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Masonic Press And Gkand Lodge.
and ' of sound judgment' by weighing deliberately for ourselves the arguments of all , by sifting the gold from the dross , and giving our verdict honestly , without fear or favour towards any man or body of men . " Thus will our Order flourish—thus will Harmony be restored , and thus will be defeated any attempt to divert to the purposes of a party that Masonry which was intended for the benefit of Mankind , "
History Of The Ancient And Accepted Rite.
HISTORY OF THE ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED . BITE .
BY A" SUBLIME PRINCE OP THE HOVAI * SECRET .
The question is often asked , "What will be gained by receiving the High Degrees ? I have enough of Preemasonry in the three Degrees of the Blue Lodge , which is the only sort of Masonry I have any faith in . " To give a suitable reply , in all its amplitude , to this inquiry , would involve a full history of all the Degrees , ancient and modern , that are now cultivated — a task that does not
come within our province in this our present paper . The good and faithful Brother , orthodox in his creed , revering
old landmarks , and abominating innovations in Preemasonry , after reading Anderson ' s " Book of Constitutions , " which designates by name no Degrees or Orders , except those of Entered Apprentice , Pellow Craft , and Master Mason , as belonging to ancient Masonry , will , we fear , be startled , on perusing this history , at finding more than ten times that number .
Every Brother , w ho has impartially devoted any time to the investigation of the subject , will acknowledge , that although the germ of all true Masonry , whether of antiquity , the middle ages , or of modern times , is to be found in what is technically termed Ancient Craft Masonry , and which , it is almost universally
conceded , had its rise , or was restored to its pristine purity , at the building of that " orbis miraculwn "—the Temple of Solomon ; yet that many legends , allegories , symbols , parables or fables , conveying useful instruction , have grown out of this original germ , and have been faithfully preserved in the breasts of the faithful and true , and handed , with more or less corruption , down to the
present day . Now every intelligent Brother knows that by a Degree , or grade , we mean nothing more nor less than a step , if we may so speak , taken on the Masonic ladder- —a degree of wisdom and knowledge in the esotery and-exotery of our mystic Order . All our traditions could not , by possibility , bo communicated , or if communicated to the ear , during several weeks' continuous sitting , would not and could not be retained in the memory , much less l ) o fully understood and appreciated by the recipient . The study
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Masonic Press And Gkand Lodge.
and ' of sound judgment' by weighing deliberately for ourselves the arguments of all , by sifting the gold from the dross , and giving our verdict honestly , without fear or favour towards any man or body of men . " Thus will our Order flourish—thus will Harmony be restored , and thus will be defeated any attempt to divert to the purposes of a party that Masonry which was intended for the benefit of Mankind , "
History Of The Ancient And Accepted Rite.
HISTORY OF THE ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED . BITE .
BY A" SUBLIME PRINCE OP THE HOVAI * SECRET .
The question is often asked , "What will be gained by receiving the High Degrees ? I have enough of Preemasonry in the three Degrees of the Blue Lodge , which is the only sort of Masonry I have any faith in . " To give a suitable reply , in all its amplitude , to this inquiry , would involve a full history of all the Degrees , ancient and modern , that are now cultivated — a task that does not
come within our province in this our present paper . The good and faithful Brother , orthodox in his creed , revering
old landmarks , and abominating innovations in Preemasonry , after reading Anderson ' s " Book of Constitutions , " which designates by name no Degrees or Orders , except those of Entered Apprentice , Pellow Craft , and Master Mason , as belonging to ancient Masonry , will , we fear , be startled , on perusing this history , at finding more than ten times that number .
Every Brother , w ho has impartially devoted any time to the investigation of the subject , will acknowledge , that although the germ of all true Masonry , whether of antiquity , the middle ages , or of modern times , is to be found in what is technically termed Ancient Craft Masonry , and which , it is almost universally
conceded , had its rise , or was restored to its pristine purity , at the building of that " orbis miraculwn "—the Temple of Solomon ; yet that many legends , allegories , symbols , parables or fables , conveying useful instruction , have grown out of this original germ , and have been faithfully preserved in the breasts of the faithful and true , and handed , with more or less corruption , down to the
present day . Now every intelligent Brother knows that by a Degree , or grade , we mean nothing more nor less than a step , if we may so speak , taken on the Masonic ladder- —a degree of wisdom and knowledge in the esotery and-exotery of our mystic Order . All our traditions could not , by possibility , bo communicated , or if communicated to the ear , during several weeks' continuous sitting , would not and could not be retained in the memory , much less l ) o fully understood and appreciated by the recipient . The study