Origin Of Crypticism In Massachusetts.

Masonic missionary for planting everywhere Webb ' s rituals of all the then known degrees . Now it is very evident that to a professional Masonic travelling instructor the moro degrees he can teach the better it is for his busi

ness . Well , Bro . Gleason was naturally on the look out for acquiring new degrees , and he somehow got hold of tho Royal Master's degree . So , on 20 th July 1817 he organized in Boston a Council of Royal Masters , and

after making more Royal Masters without authority , he then thought that it would be better to apply for authority , so on the 27 th November 1817 he sent the following petition to New York .

" To the Officers and Decemvirs of the Council of Royal Masters in the City of New York . " This petition respectfully showeth that a Council of

Royal Masters has been established in the town of Boston within Ihe present year ; is duly organised , and in successful operation , having their regular meetings quarterly —the last Tuesday of January , April , July , and October .

They acknowledge with much respect the senior establishment in New York , and with their associates do honour the same . It is their wish to obtain a written sanction from your respected Council , thafc they may be confirmed in their Masonic labours , and be in fraternal correspondence with each other .

" In behalf of fche Boston Council , T am , Brethren and Companions , Respectfully and Fraternally yours , BENJ . GLEASON , Th . 111 . R . M . "

The New York Royals seem to have regarded the above application as a great compliment , and the request was of course granted . Now , on the 20 th of July 1817 , the Boston

Council of Royals , was organised by nine Companions . On the 20 th of September following , the Council opened with seventeen members , and at that meeting , four new men were Royalled .

" Special Council , May 15 th , Anno Regis , 2818 . —Most Illustrious B . Gleason was authorised to confer this degree on a number of Companions at Salem . —Report of the Council , that it is expedient to confer and cultivate in

this Council the degree of R . [ Royal ] Master , S . E . [ Super Excellent ] Master , S . [ Select ] Master of 27 , and K . of

R . T . " [ Knights of the Round Table ] . Now , here is another " feather " for a Boston Mason ' s cap . Thus , while Charleston and New York may pride themselves on having respectively added to our Masonic

stock the Select and Royal , to Boston belongs the distinction of first uniting the " Royal" and " Select " under one Council . For , according to Bro . Schultz , Jeremy L . Cross did not attach the Royal to the Select before 1819 ,

and according to the record of the New York Royals they did not unite with the Council of Selects before 1821 , and Boston was clearly the first in creation to have formed a

union of those degrees as early as 18 th May 1818 , while all other American Masonic jurisdictions merely followed in the footsteps of our Massachusetts Royal and Selects .

" 27 th January 1819 lectures on the degrees of Select Master of 27 , Excellent Master , and Knights of the Round Table were given to the members present by Companion B . Gleason , who received a vote of thanks from the Council . "

In 1822 , besides a Council of Royals , established by the Boston Council in 1818 , in Salem , there was a Council also in Newburyport in Massachusetts . How the Cryptic degrees-found their way to Newburyport no one knows . In June 1822 the Boston Council received a communication

" from the new established Council at Newburyport . " So we see that up to the above date Massachusetts had three Councils . But Jeremy L . Cross warranted a Council for

Selects only in May 1818 at Springfield , Massachusetts , and in January 1821 Springfield added to the Select the Royal degree . So here , then , we had four Councils of

Cryptics in Massachusetts . Bnt these are not all , foi

Councils of Cryptics somehow found their way into Brimfield , Princetown , and Greenwich . Some warrants were granted in 1824 and 1825 ; the New York Council also granted some warrants for some towns in Massachusetts .

In short , for a number of years the Masonic appetite for high degrees went on swimmingly ; and to show how the then high degreers of the various grades sympathized with each other , the Boston records of 25 th February 1823

inform me that at this meeting , being a public installation of Officers , the " Boston Encampment of Knights Templar , in full costume [ cocked hats , feathers , & c ] were introduced with martial music and other ceremonies

Origin Of Crypticism In Massachusetts.

peculiar to the Order of Knighthood . " And now for a brief insight , into the Royal Masters' ritual in 1823 , as published in the Proceedings . " Tho Lodge is called a Council of Royal Masters , and its meetings are called convocations .

OFFICERS . " 1 . The first Officer represents Solomon , King of Israel He is styled The Most Illustrious Master , and is seated on a throne in tho East .

" 2 . The second Officer represents Hiram , King of Tyre He is styled Illustrious Master , and is seated on the right hand of Solomon .

" 3 . The Senior Grand Warden stands in the West , and represents the noble Adonirara .

" 4 . Tbe Recorder at the foot of the throne on the left . " 5 . The Master of the Exchequer at the foot of the throne on the right . " 6 . The Master of the Gttards is stationed in the West , on the right .

" 7 . The Sentinel in the West on the left . "The Brethren are termed Associate Guards , and the Council Room the Sanctuary . " The Council is opened and closed by two , and twice three .

" This degree can be conferred only upon worthy Companions who have received the seven preceding degrees in due and regular form After the Sanctuary is duly prepared , King Solomon

solemnly recites a chapter from the Book of Revelation , which Book , therefore , must have existed in the days of King Solomon , and if so , St . John could not have been the author thereof . But I think the ritual maker of the Royals was mistaken , and Solomon never saw that Book .

February 8 th 5826 , pursuant to a circular issued by the Springfield Council , a convention of the Cryptics was held in Brimfield , and representatives were present from Medford , Boston , Springfield , Brimfield , Greenwich , and

Sutton , when they agreed to form a Grand Council of Cryptics for Massachusetts , and a Committee was appointed to draw up a Constitution for the new Grand Council . This grand Council continued its meetings till December

1827 , after which it seems that the anti-Masonic excitement put a stop to the whole thing . Anyhow , they have no records from the above date until March 1847 , when it was "Voted—that the Grand Council now resume its

labours , and hereafter hold its regular meetings as provided for by the Grand Constitutions . " And " Voted—that the Grand Council proceed to a reorganization by an election of Officers . " At this meeting they granted a warrant to

Companions living in a town in Rhode Island , and then it seems that no other meeting was held before December 1853 . From that time the meetings were regularly held . I must here add an amusing little blunder . Bro . William

Knapp was for many years Clerk in one of the Boston Law Courts ; he was also Graud Recorder of our said Council after 1853 . In 1855 he seems to have forgotten his location , and he thus finished the Proceedings of the Council , viz .,

—" A communication of the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters was held June 12 th 1855 . " There was no business before the Court .

" Attest WM . KNAPP , Grand Recorder . " At a convocation held 13 th December 1859 , instead of styling the Grand Master Most Illustrious , they changed the title to M . P ., and in December 1860 the Grand Master for the first time opened the meeting with a long address , in which he said :

" A slight diversity exists in several of the States as to the manner of the work , and also as to the order of conferring the degrees , but the differences do not appear material . In Massachusetts , Maine , and New Hampshire the

Select ; degree is conferred first in order , and we believe correctly so . In nearly all the other States the Royal Master ' s degree is first conferred , ancl those who thus confer it doubtless think that they are doing right . We

claim that the Select Master ' s degree should be first conferred , because it is the first in order of time , having been instituted by the trio , and that of the Royal Master ' s degree should follow , having been instituted by the twain , in honour and commemoration of their deceased associate ,