"Antiquity Of Masonic Degrees" Once More.

degrees only , and as ho quoted in a previous paper from the Grand Lodge miuut-s of 27 th Nov . 1725 , wherein the words "Master ' s degree" is only leferred to , I infer therefrom that Bro . Gould believes that even on 27 th Nov . 1730 ,

Masons still had but two degrees . Ou the other hand , however , Bro . Gould cannot deny that in October 1730 , Masons did have throe distinct degrees . Nor can it bo supposed thafc the third degree was concocted after the

" Daily Journal " of 13 th of August made its statement , that only the Apprentice and Master ' s part existed at the above date , for if the third degree had been invented after the 15 th of August 1730 , Pritchard would havo known it , and would have made it known too .

That the third degree existed before 1730 may ho inferred from another fact . Viscount Kingston , after serving as Grand Master of England in 1729 , wns elected Grand

Master of Ireland early in 1730 . Aud if Lord Kingston did not bring with him tho third degree into Ireland early in 1730 , I should like to learn when , and by whom it was introduced .

Putting therefore these facts and inferences together , I think that Bro . Gould will not deny that tho third degree existed at least before 15 th August 1730 , hence tho evidence

of the Daily Journal of the abovo date to the contrary is worthless . Presuming that this question is settled , I now ask Bro . Gould , once more , fco answer the following questions : —

First . If Masons had two degrees before 1717 , that is , the Apprentice degree and " the Fellow Craft or Master ' s degree , " the last two having been in olden times "

convertible terms , why did the Grand Lodge—either in 1720 or In 1723—prohibit Lodges from conferring fche second degree ; and why did fche Lodges suffer the Grand Lodgo to deprive them of a time immemorial privilege ?

And second , I want Bro . Gould to inform me as to when " Fellow Craft and Masfcer" ceased to be "Fellow Craffc or j Masfcer " ? or , in other words , when did Fellow Craft and I Master cease to be convertible terms ? When did Masons \ find out that

1 arfd 2 I amounts to not a fraction less than 3 ? Or , in p lain English , when was fche third degree manufactured and adopted by the Grand Lodgo of England ? BOSTON , UNITED STATES , 15 th August 1890 .

Stat. 3 Hen. Vi. Ch. I. A.D. 1425.

STAT . 3 HEN . VI . Ch . I . A . D . 1425 .

BY BRO . R . F . GOULD . IN tho last number of the CHRONICLE , Bro . Jacob Norton in citing the above Statute , quotes its preamble as follows : — " Whereas , by yearly congregations and confederacies , made by the Masons in their general assemblies , " [ italics mine ] , & c .

The actual wording of tbe statute is , however : — "En primes come par les annuelx congregacions et confederacies faitz par les Masons en lour generalx chapitres assembles" & c . The phrase , " en lour generalx chapitres assemblez "—in their general chapters assembled—until the

authorised edition of the statutes in 1810 , was almost invariably translated " in their general chapters and assemblies . " Few commentators troubled themselves to consult the original Norman-French , and , as a natural consequenceeven when one did not copy directly from another , as was

probably the case in the majority of instances—the commentary or annotation was applied to a garbled or falsified version of the record it professed to explain . The earliest known translation of the Statute—Harleian MS . No . 4999—has assemblies , and in their allusions to the 3 Hen . VI . Ch . I .,

Doctors Plot and Anderson , Preston , Dalloway , Findel , and even Kloss , are content to use the same expression . Bro . Norton ' s reading of the Statutes of Labourers differs very materially from my own—to which having devoted a chapter ( VII . ) in my History of Freemasonry , I need do

no more than refer . But as our brother is responsible for a faulty quotation , I hasten to point it out to him , feeling assured thafc however discrepant may be our conclusions , ifc is his wish , equally with my own , to base them in all cases upon the besfc evidence thafc is procurable , and when citing authorities to give the exact words of the originals .

Ad00403

FUNERALS properly carried out and personally attended , in London and Country , by Bro . G . A . HUTTON , 17 Newcastle Street , Strand . W . C . Monuments erected . Valuations made .

The Source Of Masonic Symbolism.

THE SOURCE OF MASONIC SYMBOLISM .

\ S previously mentioned , a successful attempt has been made to Yx establish on the Diamond Fields a " Local Correspondence Circle" in connection with the Lodge Quatuor Corona'i , No . 207 fi , London , which was established in London in January 1880 , with the object of enomaging and advancing Masonic and archaeological research . Tho foundation members were Bros . Sir Charles Warren , W . If . Uylniiils , It . P . GouM , Dr . A . P . A . Woodford , Walter Boaant ,

Or . P . HyliimlB , Major Pratt , W . J . iltigliau , and G . \ Y . Spsth Score , tary . At the first meeting of the KimbdrJoy Correspondence Circle , which was held in the Masonio Temple , under the banner of tho Cosmopolitan Lodge , with Bro . W . F . Cranswiok presiding , Brother Da Silva read a highly interesting paper on " Tho Sonrco of Masonic Symbolism , " in the coarse of which he said : — "In this age of

progress , when the pursuit of science ia the aim of almost every portion of civilised society , tho study of a science thafc tends to consolidate and intensify the spirit of religion and the trne essence of divinity , should be the one most studied by the grand mnjority . The various theories that havo been put forward of late years by professed philosophers , such as Tyndall , Spencor ,

Huxley , Darwin , & c , have tonded in some degree to destroy tho true and absolute religions belief of many , and the theory of evolution by itself must be considered a direct attack on biblical history . Ia it , therefore , to be wondered that a science such as Freemasonry , whose aim it is to " beautify and adorn the inward man , " should at the present day bo making such vast strides in its work of

propagation ? Freemasonry raises itself as a barrier against infidel science in aid of true religion , aud by its teaching serves to prepare the mind of man for the due appreciation of the intinite . Many of the un . initiated look upon Freemasonry as a kind of solemn farco , combined with fantastic orgies , but we who are initiated into its mystery know

thafc it is a system fall of intellectual beauties and moral precepts , and there are again many among us who , looking deeper below the surface , find in all its symbols greater beauties , greater truths , and still greater virtues . When the neophyte standing at the threshold acknowledges the belief in a divine creator , the spirit of religion is aroused , which is continued through each gradation of fche mystic

ceremony . Mysticism in every form , from the earliest days , has been associated with the propagation of religious ideas and theories . And there can bo no doubt thafc Symbolical Freemasonry , as a mystic science , has been bronght down from the various mystic doctrines of the tenth to thirteenth centuries . The studies of the Pythagoreans ,

as also the Eleusiuiau doctrines , had as their primary object the adoration of a Supreme Being . Tho great secret society of Islamiam , in the twelfth century , called the " Assassins , " had the worship of Allah continually enjoined on them . The Pythagorean theory , or rather belief , was that all things aro number , or that number is the essence of everything . Aristotle say , " the Pythagoreans seem to

have looked upon number as tho principle and so to speak the ' matter' of which existence consists . " They supposed the elements of numbers to be the elements of existence , and pronounced the whole heaven to be harmony and number . In addition they believed in a peculiar system of Astronomy , basing their ideas on the

existence of a central fire , round which moved the ten heavenly bodies known to science in thoso days . The principal object by which the Pythagorean theory is known in these days was their belief in the transmigration of souls ; this , however , need not concorn us here this evenins . The Bleusinian rites wero held at Athens

to commemorate certain events in Grecian Mythology . They had one great feature , apart from tha most inspiriting mysticism iu the dramatic symbolism which described the revivicatiou of the earth after the death of winter . This symbolism assumed forms which would explain their manning even to the uninitiated . The grand ceremony of initiation , & c , into thesa mysterious rites lasted nine days ,

and were attended only by those who had been previously initiated into the lessor mysteries . The whole of the inhabitants of Atheni attended some further ceremonies which lasted until the eleventh day . Many of these rites and ceremonies were adopted by the followers of Pythagoras , and became part of the Pythagorean creed . The Assassins were a military branch of that secret religious sect oi

Islamism , whose first Grand Lodge was held at Cairo at the commencement of the tenth century . The Assassins , being more advanced , left the main body of this Order , and migrated to Persia , where they obtained possession of a strong fortress , called Alamet , and under their Great " Sheik al Jebal , " or " Old Man of the Mountain , "

gained immmense power over the surrounding countries . The peculiar tenets of this body were marked by the distinctive feature of secret assassination against all their enemies , and this formed the essential characteristic of the sect . They wero ruled and governed on true Masonic lines . Under the Old Man of the Mountain wero three Grand

Priors , who rnled over the three provinces to which their power extended . Next came a body of Priors who were fully initiated into the mysterios ; but the main body were fcho Assassins proper ; these were kept uninitiated , and the blindest obedience was exacted and yielded by them . They it was who would perform long and arduous journeys to assassinate those who had offended their Order . Their

lives they considered as nothing , and thoy would resign them at a word from their Sheik . In order to preserve subordination in their ranks , the Islam aeligion was rigidly enforced . A long list ot their victims could be enumerated , and their power lasted nearly 200 year A In the year 1255 their stronghold was destroyed , and over 1200 wide i

Assassins were massacred , the rest were scattered far and many returned to Cairo aud Alexandria , where they , together witfl the other mystic societies , flourished side by side for many years . Although the Assassins could not in any way be called a Masor . it body , yet their system of organization , and some of their ceremonies were afterwards adopted by the Cabbalists , aud introduced into their

teachings . , Thus we find in Alexandria , during the Twelfth and Thirteen ^ Centuries , societies of religious teachings , Pythagoreans , Elt-usiim 1 " , Islamiatio , Jewish , and Pagan , each differing in creed , yet all basing