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Article THE MASONS' SQUARE IN GLOUCESTER CATHEDRAL. ← Page 3 of 3 Article THE MASONS' SQUARE IN GLOUCESTER CATHEDRAL. Page 3 of 3 Article MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES. Page 1 of 3 →
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The Masons' Square In Gloucester Cathedral.
who can doubtless translate the same into good English , and with spirit" Sicines d ' appareils . — -On appelle ainsi des figures diverges tros-varies dont quelques-unes ressemblent a des lettres renversees , et que 1 ' on trouve gravees en creux sur les pierres d'appareil dans la plupart des edifices du midi de la France et dans beaucoup d ' autres
contrees . On croit communement que ce sont des signes de tacherons on de tailleurs de pierre qui auraient , a ce moyen , reconnu les pieces quils avaient degrossies . " J . D . T . NIBIETT . Tuffley , llth Jan ., 1870 .
Dear Sir , —I am sorry that Mr . J . D . T . Niblett should have been disappointed in not" eliciting an erudite reply" to his interesting letters upon the Mason ' s Square in the Cathedral . Three or four years ago I received a letter from Mr . "W . E . Shaw , then at Torquaybut now resident , I believein the
, , North of England , announcing his intention to publish an elaborate work on " Mason ' s Marks , " * and asking me to procure him a photograph copv of an etching of "The Mason ' s Square , " dated 1785 , which I had a short time previously disposed of to Mr . Soley , in Brunswick-road , in this city . Probably Mr .
Niblett can obtain through his bookseller a copy of Mr . Shaw's work , and which , if it fails to give the information sought , I can console Mr . Niblett by promising him that if he will join the Masouic Lodge to which I belong , ancl be initiated into our mysteries , liht will be thrown upon the " square " which has so
g far been veiled from his view . He will then have ample opportunities of prosecuting his researches into more hidden paths relating to other works at tbe Cathedral , which , as Freemasons , we claim as identified with the Craft . Iu the Pagan mysteries there were progressive degrees of initiation . In tbe
mysteries of Hmdostan there were four degrees , three m those of Greece , tho same number amongst tbe Druids , and two amongst the Mexicans . There are also several degrees in Freemasonry , and peculiar symbols restricted to each . I must not permit Mr . Niblett ' s appeal to " erudite " Masons , however tempting the complimentto induce me to say moreor I shall be
, , instructing him without passing through the usual ordeal into what forms a part of our apporeta , or secrets in Freemasonry . I may tell him , however , that Ms " Master Mason who is represented as an old man with an ample bifurcated beard , " notwithstanding his venerable appearancehad not attained to
, that sublime degree . If he has so informed Mr . Niblett , I denounce him as a " cowan . " I have "made eyes " at the old fellow , ancl find he was a mere tyro in the Masouic art , am ) , is very properly placed below his companions at the fool of the bracket . Mr . Niblett appears afield as to the date of the " Mason's
Square , ' ' and how it got into the Cathedral . I will hazard a speculation . Was it brought from the New Inn in North gate-street ? In the year 1849 I wrote an article on " Gloucester Hi gh Cross " in a little book published by Messrs . Davies and Son , entitled The
The Masons' Square In Gloucester Cathedral.
Pictwresgice Antiquities of Gloucester . In that work Mr . Niblett will find an etching of an angle post at the corner of New Inn-lane ( once called Pilgrim ' slane ) , which no doubt has escaped the notice of Archaeological Masons . Symbolical Masonry is there represented as it is on the " Mason ' s Square , in the Cathedral . " Probablthe " Square " and the " Angle
y post" were from the same studio . Erom a Masonic point of view , the door leading to the Crypt at the Cathedral is a very appropriate place for the " Square , " and the figures on the bracket are in harmony with its moral teachings , and so the good Monk doubtless thought who in all probability designed it and was
overseer among " Mark Blasters " in its execution . The upper figure on the bracket is represented as leading the way from the grave , in Masonic lauguage , " to those immortal mansions whence all goodness emanates , and where the World ' s Great Architect lives and reigns for evermore . " I am , dear Sir , yours truly , HENRY JEEPS , Spa , Gloucester , 20 th January , 1870 .
Masonic Notes And Queries.
MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .
THE GEEMAH THEORY . There is room for improvement in the German theory before it becomes the True theory . —W . P . B . THE THREE IITGEEDIESTS . An " Entered Apprentice" writing from a college
, at Oxford , need not fear to assert the Universality of Masonry . Natural religion is universal ; natural ethics are universal ; science is universal ; ancl natural religion , natural ethics , and science are the three ingredients of Masonry . —CHARLES PUIITOS COOPER .
SPEGTOA . TITE EREEMASOHRY IS CHIIIA . In Britain we are fighting strongly as to whether our Speculative -Freemasonry be nearer one century and a half or two centuries old . A . t page 106 , however , we perceive how far we are behind our brethren in the Bast—the source of light ; for we there read
about the origin , " now some 3 , 000 years ago , of the Society of Breo ancl Accepted Masons ; " and that Eing Solomon "invented those signs , tokens , and words , whereby , to this hour , we are enabled to guard ourselves against impostors . " Desaguliers and Co . have no chance in China . It appears to me that the
editor of the Magazine deserves an especial bumper to be pledged to his good health for treating his readers to this wonderful specimen of Masonic fancy all the way from China . —PICTUS .
DEATH OF OPERATIVE MASONEY ( p . 108 ) . Operative Masonry and social Masonry may have existed together in the 17 th century , but to affirm that " Operative Masonry , after a long illness , died early in tbe 18 th century , having previously made her will , and therebnamed Speculative Masonry her executrix
y and residuary legatee" is a pure Masonic speculation —a dream—an Arabian Nights' tale—which the marines may believe , but tbe sailors will have nothing to do with . The German writers had better try another tack , and spin a better yam next time . — "W . P . B .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Masons' Square In Gloucester Cathedral.
who can doubtless translate the same into good English , and with spirit" Sicines d ' appareils . — -On appelle ainsi des figures diverges tros-varies dont quelques-unes ressemblent a des lettres renversees , et que 1 ' on trouve gravees en creux sur les pierres d'appareil dans la plupart des edifices du midi de la France et dans beaucoup d ' autres
contrees . On croit communement que ce sont des signes de tacherons on de tailleurs de pierre qui auraient , a ce moyen , reconnu les pieces quils avaient degrossies . " J . D . T . NIBIETT . Tuffley , llth Jan ., 1870 .
Dear Sir , —I am sorry that Mr . J . D . T . Niblett should have been disappointed in not" eliciting an erudite reply" to his interesting letters upon the Mason ' s Square in the Cathedral . Three or four years ago I received a letter from Mr . "W . E . Shaw , then at Torquaybut now resident , I believein the
, , North of England , announcing his intention to publish an elaborate work on " Mason ' s Marks , " * and asking me to procure him a photograph copv of an etching of "The Mason ' s Square , " dated 1785 , which I had a short time previously disposed of to Mr . Soley , in Brunswick-road , in this city . Probably Mr .
Niblett can obtain through his bookseller a copy of Mr . Shaw's work , and which , if it fails to give the information sought , I can console Mr . Niblett by promising him that if he will join the Masouic Lodge to which I belong , ancl be initiated into our mysteries , liht will be thrown upon the " square " which has so
g far been veiled from his view . He will then have ample opportunities of prosecuting his researches into more hidden paths relating to other works at tbe Cathedral , which , as Freemasons , we claim as identified with the Craft . Iu the Pagan mysteries there were progressive degrees of initiation . In tbe
mysteries of Hmdostan there were four degrees , three m those of Greece , tho same number amongst tbe Druids , and two amongst the Mexicans . There are also several degrees in Freemasonry , and peculiar symbols restricted to each . I must not permit Mr . Niblett ' s appeal to " erudite " Masons , however tempting the complimentto induce me to say moreor I shall be
, , instructing him without passing through the usual ordeal into what forms a part of our apporeta , or secrets in Freemasonry . I may tell him , however , that Ms " Master Mason who is represented as an old man with an ample bifurcated beard , " notwithstanding his venerable appearancehad not attained to
, that sublime degree . If he has so informed Mr . Niblett , I denounce him as a " cowan . " I have "made eyes " at the old fellow , ancl find he was a mere tyro in the Masouic art , am ) , is very properly placed below his companions at the fool of the bracket . Mr . Niblett appears afield as to the date of the " Mason's
Square , ' ' and how it got into the Cathedral . I will hazard a speculation . Was it brought from the New Inn in North gate-street ? In the year 1849 I wrote an article on " Gloucester Hi gh Cross " in a little book published by Messrs . Davies and Son , entitled The
The Masons' Square In Gloucester Cathedral.
Pictwresgice Antiquities of Gloucester . In that work Mr . Niblett will find an etching of an angle post at the corner of New Inn-lane ( once called Pilgrim ' slane ) , which no doubt has escaped the notice of Archaeological Masons . Symbolical Masonry is there represented as it is on the " Mason ' s Square , in the Cathedral . " Probablthe " Square " and the " Angle
y post" were from the same studio . Erom a Masonic point of view , the door leading to the Crypt at the Cathedral is a very appropriate place for the " Square , " and the figures on the bracket are in harmony with its moral teachings , and so the good Monk doubtless thought who in all probability designed it and was
overseer among " Mark Blasters " in its execution . The upper figure on the bracket is represented as leading the way from the grave , in Masonic lauguage , " to those immortal mansions whence all goodness emanates , and where the World ' s Great Architect lives and reigns for evermore . " I am , dear Sir , yours truly , HENRY JEEPS , Spa , Gloucester , 20 th January , 1870 .
Masonic Notes And Queries.
MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .
THE GEEMAH THEORY . There is room for improvement in the German theory before it becomes the True theory . —W . P . B . THE THREE IITGEEDIESTS . An " Entered Apprentice" writing from a college
, at Oxford , need not fear to assert the Universality of Masonry . Natural religion is universal ; natural ethics are universal ; science is universal ; ancl natural religion , natural ethics , and science are the three ingredients of Masonry . —CHARLES PUIITOS COOPER .
SPEGTOA . TITE EREEMASOHRY IS CHIIIA . In Britain we are fighting strongly as to whether our Speculative -Freemasonry be nearer one century and a half or two centuries old . A . t page 106 , however , we perceive how far we are behind our brethren in the Bast—the source of light ; for we there read
about the origin , " now some 3 , 000 years ago , of the Society of Breo ancl Accepted Masons ; " and that Eing Solomon "invented those signs , tokens , and words , whereby , to this hour , we are enabled to guard ourselves against impostors . " Desaguliers and Co . have no chance in China . It appears to me that the
editor of the Magazine deserves an especial bumper to be pledged to his good health for treating his readers to this wonderful specimen of Masonic fancy all the way from China . —PICTUS .
DEATH OF OPERATIVE MASONEY ( p . 108 ) . Operative Masonry and social Masonry may have existed together in the 17 th century , but to affirm that " Operative Masonry , after a long illness , died early in tbe 18 th century , having previously made her will , and therebnamed Speculative Masonry her executrix
y and residuary legatee" is a pure Masonic speculation —a dream—an Arabian Nights' tale—which the marines may believe , but tbe sailors will have nothing to do with . The German writers had better try another tack , and spin a better yam next time . — "W . P . B .