Massachusetts And The Rite Of Memphis.

United States , and the Councils under their jurisdiction , tho Grand Encampment of the United States , the Grand Commanderies of the geveral States and Territories of the United States , and the Commanderies under their jurisdiction , the Supreme Councils of the

Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite for the Northern and Southern Jurisdictions of the United States , of which Henry L . Palmer and Albert Pike are M . P . Sov . Grand Commanders , respectively , and the various bodies under their jurisdiction ;

Now , therefore , ifc is hereby declared that any Mason who is hereafter admitted in this jurisdiction , into any other Orders , as Masonio , whether called the Rite of Memphis or by any other name , is acting nn-Masonically ; and for such conduct shall be liable to be expelled from all the rights and privileges of Masonry , and shall be ineligible to membership or office in this Grand Lodge .

Sect . 25 . —Any Mason in this jurisdiction who shall hawk and sell any of the degrees , so-called , hereinbefore forbidden , calling them degrees in Masonry , may be expelled from all the rights and privileges of Masonry .

Prior to taking the vote , remarks were made by a number of eminent brethren , and the following letters were read from distin . gnished Masons of other jurisdictions . These letters are interesting in themselves , and contain information worthy of permanently being placed on record : —

Letter of Brother E . T . Carson . I thank you for calling my attention to the proposed amendment to the Constitution of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts in relation to spurious Masonic systems , grades , & c . Your Grand Master puts the case in most elegant and forcible style , and I hope you may

succeed in adopting the proposed rule , though I anticipate thafc you will encounter stubborn opposition . Our Grand Lodge adopted a resolution , more than thirty years ago , against the conferring of side degrees in Ohio , and that resolntion has kept ont of Ohio all those Masonio charlatans who peddle the

" Eastern Star , " Heroine of Jericho , " " Master Mason ' s Daughter , " & o . & c . Then our Grand Commandery has substantially such a law as the one proposed , and it has done ns a " power of good . " It is the dnty of the ] Grand Bodies to protect the less-informed brethren from

being preyed upon by those Masonio buzzards , who are continually on the alert to turn an " honest penny " by selling so-called Masonio degrees . If Massachusetts adopts this rule it will give the idea a start , and a standing that will ultimately result in much good to genuine , honest Masonry . Truly and fraternally yours , E . T . Carson .

Letter from J . P . C . Cottrill , Past Grand Master of Wisconsin . Tho first difficulty we had in Wisconsin concerning these outside Bodies , claiming to be Masonic and yet ont of the pale , was in 1870 . Then certain Knights Templar concluded to unite with the Rite of Memphis . It is , of course , a perfectly spurious concern , nofc Masonic or known to Masonry . I was offered their rituals free several vears

ago by Harry J . Seymour , of New York , he understanding thafc I was a 32 ° Mason . I declined his offer . Tho action of our Grand Commandery abont it is found on page 46 , Proceedings of 1870 . Further action was had . See Grand Commandery Proceedings , 1872 , pages 53 and 56 ; 1873 , page 12 . This squelched the Rite of Memphis bnsiness .

In 1875 the Eastern Star bnsiness broke onfc here while I was Grand Master . I effectually broke that up . See my Address to the Grand Lodge , in its Proceedings for 1875 , page 11 . You will observe that I reported that your Grand Lodge , iu 1871 , took similar action , aud my decision was based in part upon that action . I hope you will suppress all these spurious concerns , and that your

constitutional amendment may be adopted . A Masonic Grand Lodge has in my opinion , the clear right to prevent , by discipline , if necessary the uniting by Masons with spurious Masonic Bodies , or Bodies calling themselves Masonic without authority , and to declare and determine just what are , and just what are not regularly constituted Masonic Bodies . Yours fraternally , J . P . C . Cottrill .

Letter from Bro . R . F . G Gould , author of " The Pour Olcl Lodges . " Here in England , we , i . e ., the Grand Lodge , affect not to know anything about degrees outside the Royal Arch . No Mason can wear any insignia in Lodge or Chapter beyond that of Royal Arch . . Of late years the influence of " high degree" Brethren has

increased , owing chiefly no doubt to the Prince of Wales being one ° f that class , but althongh our Craft rulers aro nearly all ( i . e ., in tho leading positions ) members of what is termed tbe A . and A . ¦"' ite , the avoidance of public displays , processions , & c , in this country results in no clashing occurring , " or my own part , thongh opposed very strongly on principle to

oi !? ' ' ; ension of tho Masonic system , I must admit that our leading « 3 men are most earnest and devoted Masons . « , M urray Lyon gives some facts respecting the introduction of the "high degrees" into Scotland . See his invaluable "History of ™ o Lodge of Edinburgh ( Mary ' s Chapel ) , No . 1 . " # In Ireland I believe , the Grand Master is always the head of all

* H ) ds of degrees . ¦ for my own part I have been ever of opinion thafc if we can adopt tl ?^ . ckildren , so equally can we adopt Masonic ancestors , and if ie thirt y-third degree by any process of reasoning can be termed asonic , so in similar fashion can the Ancient Mysteries . According to my view the so-called " high degrees " are pernici .

Massachusetts And The Rite Of Memphis.

ous . Still , many people think otherwise , and oura like yours is a free country ! In great baste , Yours truly and fraternally , R . F . Gould .

Letter from Brother J . G . Findel , author of the "History of Freemasonry . " Your friendly communications and the amendments to your Grand Lodge Constitutions I have received , and was very muoh rejoiced . It is a step in the right way . Under the present circumstances I must also approve the moderate , prudent and careful mode in which

the Grand Lodge is moving . Relating to your questions , I can inform you thafc there is no Grand Lodge in Germany , except the Grand Country Lodge of Germany ( Swedish Rite ) , at Berlin , whioh haa as suca any control over higher degrees . The Grand Lodgo of the Sun at Bayreuth ( Bavaria ) , thafc of Concord afc Darmstadt , the Eclectic Union of

Frankfort , that of Saxony , of Hamburg and Royal York afc Berlin , i . e ., six Grand Lodges of Germany , do not acknowledge at all any higher degree or practice any . They are only Symbolic Grand Lodges , and their subordinate Lodges work only in the three blue , or ancient degrees , in which , to our conviction , Masonry is contained and finished . There is no step higher than to be a Master Mason .

The Grand Lodge of the three Globes at Berlin , has , besides the Grand Lodge , a Scottish Directory , with some so-called Scottish degrees . But these higher degrees , separated from Grand Lodge , have not the significance of higher degrees , but serve only as a mode of information and instrnction . Many subordinate Lodges of the Grand Lodge of the Three Globes do not cultivate these Scottish

degrees . The essence of the Swedish Rite ( Grand Country Lodge of Germany ) , with nine degrees , yon may find described in my " History of Freemasonry . " Till now it was the only Rite practised in Sweden , Denmark , and Berlin , bufc at present there is a movement going on in Norway to put it aside , and to come back to pure ancient

Masonry , with its three degrees . The Grand Lodge of the three Globes , which has some instructing Scottish degrees , has , nevertheless , concerning the so-called Grand Constitntions of the Scottish Rite of thirty . three degrees , declared that they are " the grand lie of the Fraternity . " I suppose you have in your Library the English edition of my

" History of Freemasonry . " There you may find all you want . No higher degree of any name can prove its usefulness , or any legitimate historical source from which it has sprung . All higher degrees are a pious fraud and humbug . Your Grand Lodge will do a great service to the Craft when it stops the movement for higher degrees .

The Grand Lodge of Switzerland , "Alpina , has also none of these degrees , and works" only in the three degrees , also the Grand Lodge of Hungary . Hoping that these notes may be in some way useful to you , I send you , for your Grand Lodge , the best wishes , and I am , Most fraternally yours , J . G . Findel .

Letter from Bro . William James Hughan , Past Senior G . Deacon of the Grand Lodge of England . I see that your Grand Lodge is to consider the question of the " higher degrees , " as they are sometimes called , on fche 14 th prox . ; so I send you a brief account of the laws and customs in relation thereto , prevalent in England , Ireland , and Scotland .

1 . The Grand Lodge of England , established in 1717 , recognised no degrees beyond the " Master Mason " until December 1813 , when , for the sake of harmony aud tinion , ifc agreed to adopt the " Royal Arch , " as the concluding part of the third degree ( nofc as a fourth ) , which was so warmly adopted by the seceders or " Ancients , " from their origin , about 1750 , and , as you know , united them with the

latter Body . Thereafter we have had but the one Grand Lodge in this country , the York Grand Lodge , and its offshoot in London , having previously expired . The "Articles of Union" provided : "II . Ifc is declared and pronounced thafc pare Ancient Masonry consists of three degrees , and no more , namely , these of the Entered Apprentice

the Fellow Craffc , and the Master Mason , including the Supreme Order of fche Holy Royal Arch . But this article is not intended to prevent any Lodge or Chapter from holding a meeting in any of the degrees of the Orders of Chivalry , according to the Constitutions of the said Orders . " ( Hnghan's Masonio Register 1878 , P 15 ) .

The first part of this declaration is to be found in the present " Book of Constitutions " ( 1873 ) , as introductory to the first of the Rules . The second portion it is not easy now exactly to understand , and I must say it is rather feeely explained to mean all the degrees termed Masonic , other than the first three and the Royal Arch , which were working in A . D . 1813 .

Taking the example set by onr chief brethren , or at least very many of them , there are virtually four Masonic organisations quasi recognised by the Grand Lodge , but not actually so , and nothing is allowed to be worn in the Grand Lodge , or any subordinate Lodgo which appertains to degrees , other than those allowed by the Grand

Lodge , viz ., the three degrees , including the Royal Arch . I mnch lament the puerile rage after useless pseudo-Masonic decorations . ( a ) Grand Lodge Mark Master Masons , * of whom the Lord Henniker is the Grand Master , and of its Past Grand Masters may be named the Earl of Carnarvon Pro G . M . of England , the Earl of Lathom Dep . G . M . of England , and several Provincial Grand Masters , the