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  • Nov. 8, 1884
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  • THE ENGLISH RITE OF FREEMASONRY.
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The English Rite Of Freemasonry.

THE ENGLISH RITE OF FREEMASONRY .

( Continued from page 274 ) . IN the progress of his investigations Bro . Hughan next finds it desirable to revert to the Seceders to whom he had already referred incidentally , and whose organisation is described in the Fifth Chapter . He considers this conrse

necessary , owing to the confusion existing in the minds of many brethren as to the different Grand Lodges which existed in the country during the middle portion of last century . Naturally enough , the spirit which chiefly inspired the schismatics , and made their secession so formidable has

tho first claim on Bro . Hughan ' s notice , and at the outset , therefore , of this Chapter we have a brief sketch of Laurence Dermott , who was appointed Grand Secretary of the Seceders on 5 th February 1752 , and was anthor of the " Ahiman Rezon " or their Book of Constitutions . That

Dermott , who seems to have been as little troubled with scruples of conscience as he was capable , should have been severe in his strictures on the "Regular " Masons will surprise no one . His principal object was to establish a character for the Seceders , and he succeeded in his

purpose . That he maligned the "Regulars" is equally true , and Bro . Hughan notes with effect the animadversions passed upon Dermott b y Lawrie in 1804 . Lawrie , for instance , has quoted Dermott as having written , " It is a truth beyond contradiction that the Free and Accepted

Masons in Ireland , Scotland , and the Ancient Masons in England , have one and the same customs , usages , and ceremonies , but this is not the case with the Modern Masons in England , who -differ materially , not only from the above , but from most Masons under Heaven . " This

which was first said in 1778 , is , as Bro . Hughan says , " a most glaring case of misrepresentation , " nor were there , as he remarks , further " sufficient grounds to justify him " ( Dermott ) " in declaring ( whatever the few variations may have been ) that the two Organisations 'differ

exceedingly in makings , ceremonies , knowledge , Masonical language , and installations / for , if so , it is most unlikely that tbe other Grand Lodges would have countenanced either party . The premier Grand Lodge was the source from which the ' Atholl Masons , ' in

common with all brethren at home or abroad , derived their knowledge of the three degrees , and therefore were not likely to make any violent changes ; on the other hand , had the Seceders departed materially from such ceremonies , the Grand Lodges of Scotland and Ireland would not have

had fellowship with them . " Again , though he spoke so slightingly of the Regulars in 1778 , Dormott had had no scruple about inserting the Regulations of 1723 , and the Old Charges from the 1738 Edition of Anderson , in his work of 1756 , thongh he did so without acknowledging the

sources from which he obtained them . As to the arms of the "Ancients , " which appear in the 1764 edition of the " Ahiman Rezon , " the author says , ' The arms by Dermott are so similar to those adopted by the ' Grand Chapter of All England ' ( York ) that we cannot resist the

conclusion that one was a copy of the other , the latter most probably being the original , " and in this view , which is not now presented for the first time , he would seem to be countenanced by Marvin , who writes , " I have no doubt of the correctness of Bro . Hughan ' s surmise that this was

The English Rite Of Freemasonry.

the true origin of the Ancients' Arms , the ' Grand Chapter' deriving them , of course , from the banners of the four principal tribes of Israel , while the Charges themselves are well known Biblical emblems—the 'learned Rabbi Jacob Jehudah Leoni' being perhaps Dermott's

mystical way of speaking of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter at York . Previous to this time the seal of the ' Ancients' contained simply the square and compasses , surmounted by a dagger , the motto , ' Virtue and Silence , ' occasionally rendered into Latin , and the inscription ,

' Grand Lodge of London . '" Bro . Hughan then refers to the Royal Arch , and gives the earliest references to the degree in the Atholl Records . The first is dated 4 th March 1752 , and reads as follows : — " Grand Committee . —A formal complaint was made by

several brethren against Thos . Phealon and John Macky , better known as ' Leg of Mutton Masons , ' for clandestinely making Masons for the mean consideration of a leg of mutton for dinner or supper . Upon examining some brothers , whom they pretended to have made Royal Arch men ,

the parties had not the least idea of that secret . The Grand Secretary had examined Macky , and stated that he had nofc the least idea or knowledge of Royal Arch Masonry , but instead thereof he had told the people he had received a long story about twelve white marble stones ,

& c , & c , and that the rainbow was the Royal Arch , with many other absurdities equally foreign and ridiculous . " In September of the same year it is stated in the minutes that " every part of real Freemasonry was traced and explained , except the Royal Arch , by the Grand Secretary , "

while , on 2 nd March 1757 , we have a resolution to the effect that " the Masters of the Royal Arch shall be summoned to meet in order to regulate things relative to that most valuable branch of the Craft . " Bro . Hughan also gives a reply , written by Bro . S . Spencer , Grand Secretary

of the " Moderns , " to an application for relief by one William Carroll , an Irishman , who , it is suggested , may have " sought to strengthen his claim by stating he was a Royal Arch Mason . " This reply , which appears in the records on 16 th December 1759 , is as follows : — " You being an

Ancient Mason you are not entitled to any of our Charity . The Ancient Masons have a Lodge at the Five Bells , in the Strand , and their Secretary ' s name is Dermott . Our Society is neither Arch , Royal Arch , or Ancient , so that you have no right to partake of our Charity . " This letter , as

Bro . Hughan remarks , was made good use of by Dermott . At the same time he is careful to point out that the idea of the Arch having originated with the " Ancients " is erroneous , as he has already indicated that it had been worked in England before the secession took place . Nevertheless ,

he attributes its official adoption by the Schismatics as having secured the success of the schism . These are his words : — " The official adoption of the Royal Arch , and the prominence given to the ceremony , were the main influences which promoted the success of the schism , which

success led to its semi-countenance by the ' Moderns , ' and its final recognition by the United Grand Lodge in 1813 ; but the degree itself , having been known to the regular Masons some years before the secession , it could not be the creation of either Dermott or the ' Ancients . '

By whom it was fabricated or arranged is a mystery , and so likely to remain . " With reference to Masters and Past Masters , who " alone had the right to be selected for exaltation ( save brethren going abroad ) according to the early 'Atholl' Regula-

“The Freemason's Chronicle: 1884-11-08, Page 1” Masonic Periodicals Online, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 11 July 2025, django:8000/periodicals/fcn/issues/fcn_08111884/page/1/.
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THE ENGLISH RITE OF FREEMASONRY. Article 1
MASONIC DEGREE PEDDLERS. Article 2
DOUGLAS, ISLE OF MAN. Article 3
CORRESPONDENCE. Article 5
INSTALLATION MEETINGS, &c. Article 6
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THE FIFTEEN SECTIONS Article 7
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HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY IN MARYLAND. Article 8
MARK MASONRY. Article 10
Obituary. Article 10
ROYAL ARCH. Article 11
Old Warrants(A). Article 11
DIARY FOR THE WEEK. Article 12
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

The English Rite Of Freemasonry.

THE ENGLISH RITE OF FREEMASONRY .

( Continued from page 274 ) . IN the progress of his investigations Bro . Hughan next finds it desirable to revert to the Seceders to whom he had already referred incidentally , and whose organisation is described in the Fifth Chapter . He considers this conrse

necessary , owing to the confusion existing in the minds of many brethren as to the different Grand Lodges which existed in the country during the middle portion of last century . Naturally enough , the spirit which chiefly inspired the schismatics , and made their secession so formidable has

tho first claim on Bro . Hughan ' s notice , and at the outset , therefore , of this Chapter we have a brief sketch of Laurence Dermott , who was appointed Grand Secretary of the Seceders on 5 th February 1752 , and was anthor of the " Ahiman Rezon " or their Book of Constitutions . That

Dermott , who seems to have been as little troubled with scruples of conscience as he was capable , should have been severe in his strictures on the "Regular " Masons will surprise no one . His principal object was to establish a character for the Seceders , and he succeeded in his

purpose . That he maligned the "Regulars" is equally true , and Bro . Hughan notes with effect the animadversions passed upon Dermott b y Lawrie in 1804 . Lawrie , for instance , has quoted Dermott as having written , " It is a truth beyond contradiction that the Free and Accepted

Masons in Ireland , Scotland , and the Ancient Masons in England , have one and the same customs , usages , and ceremonies , but this is not the case with the Modern Masons in England , who -differ materially , not only from the above , but from most Masons under Heaven . " This

which was first said in 1778 , is , as Bro . Hughan says , " a most glaring case of misrepresentation , " nor were there , as he remarks , further " sufficient grounds to justify him " ( Dermott ) " in declaring ( whatever the few variations may have been ) that the two Organisations 'differ

exceedingly in makings , ceremonies , knowledge , Masonical language , and installations / for , if so , it is most unlikely that tbe other Grand Lodges would have countenanced either party . The premier Grand Lodge was the source from which the ' Atholl Masons , ' in

common with all brethren at home or abroad , derived their knowledge of the three degrees , and therefore were not likely to make any violent changes ; on the other hand , had the Seceders departed materially from such ceremonies , the Grand Lodges of Scotland and Ireland would not have

had fellowship with them . " Again , though he spoke so slightingly of the Regulars in 1778 , Dormott had had no scruple about inserting the Regulations of 1723 , and the Old Charges from the 1738 Edition of Anderson , in his work of 1756 , thongh he did so without acknowledging the

sources from which he obtained them . As to the arms of the "Ancients , " which appear in the 1764 edition of the " Ahiman Rezon , " the author says , ' The arms by Dermott are so similar to those adopted by the ' Grand Chapter of All England ' ( York ) that we cannot resist the

conclusion that one was a copy of the other , the latter most probably being the original , " and in this view , which is not now presented for the first time , he would seem to be countenanced by Marvin , who writes , " I have no doubt of the correctness of Bro . Hughan ' s surmise that this was

The English Rite Of Freemasonry.

the true origin of the Ancients' Arms , the ' Grand Chapter' deriving them , of course , from the banners of the four principal tribes of Israel , while the Charges themselves are well known Biblical emblems—the 'learned Rabbi Jacob Jehudah Leoni' being perhaps Dermott's

mystical way of speaking of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter at York . Previous to this time the seal of the ' Ancients' contained simply the square and compasses , surmounted by a dagger , the motto , ' Virtue and Silence , ' occasionally rendered into Latin , and the inscription ,

' Grand Lodge of London . '" Bro . Hughan then refers to the Royal Arch , and gives the earliest references to the degree in the Atholl Records . The first is dated 4 th March 1752 , and reads as follows : — " Grand Committee . —A formal complaint was made by

several brethren against Thos . Phealon and John Macky , better known as ' Leg of Mutton Masons , ' for clandestinely making Masons for the mean consideration of a leg of mutton for dinner or supper . Upon examining some brothers , whom they pretended to have made Royal Arch men ,

the parties had not the least idea of that secret . The Grand Secretary had examined Macky , and stated that he had nofc the least idea or knowledge of Royal Arch Masonry , but instead thereof he had told the people he had received a long story about twelve white marble stones ,

& c , & c , and that the rainbow was the Royal Arch , with many other absurdities equally foreign and ridiculous . " In September of the same year it is stated in the minutes that " every part of real Freemasonry was traced and explained , except the Royal Arch , by the Grand Secretary , "

while , on 2 nd March 1757 , we have a resolution to the effect that " the Masters of the Royal Arch shall be summoned to meet in order to regulate things relative to that most valuable branch of the Craft . " Bro . Hughan also gives a reply , written by Bro . S . Spencer , Grand Secretary

of the " Moderns , " to an application for relief by one William Carroll , an Irishman , who , it is suggested , may have " sought to strengthen his claim by stating he was a Royal Arch Mason . " This reply , which appears in the records on 16 th December 1759 , is as follows : — " You being an

Ancient Mason you are not entitled to any of our Charity . The Ancient Masons have a Lodge at the Five Bells , in the Strand , and their Secretary ' s name is Dermott . Our Society is neither Arch , Royal Arch , or Ancient , so that you have no right to partake of our Charity . " This letter , as

Bro . Hughan remarks , was made good use of by Dermott . At the same time he is careful to point out that the idea of the Arch having originated with the " Ancients " is erroneous , as he has already indicated that it had been worked in England before the secession took place . Nevertheless ,

he attributes its official adoption by the Schismatics as having secured the success of the schism . These are his words : — " The official adoption of the Royal Arch , and the prominence given to the ceremony , were the main influences which promoted the success of the schism , which

success led to its semi-countenance by the ' Moderns , ' and its final recognition by the United Grand Lodge in 1813 ; but the degree itself , having been known to the regular Masons some years before the secession , it could not be the creation of either Dermott or the ' Ancients . '

By whom it was fabricated or arranged is a mystery , and so likely to remain . " With reference to Masters and Past Masters , who " alone had the right to be selected for exaltation ( save brethren going abroad ) according to the early 'Atholl' Regula-

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