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Article THE CRAFT DEGREES AND ROYAL ARCH. ← Page 3 of 7 →
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The Craft Degrees And Royal Arch.
In these marvellous constructions we recognize the palpable embodiment of a principle , and that principle is
DEVOTION . On the cape-stone of Masonry is engraven , "H OLINESS TO THE LORD . " Such is the spirit of piety and faith which animates all operative works of genuine Freemasonry . In taking a comprehensive view of the subject under considerationand of the scope and tendency of the various
, degrees , as practised at the present time , it is necessary that we should marshal them as they ought to appear under their respective operative and speculative characters . In this view of the case , the Ji 7-st and second degrees must be deemed operotive ; the third , with its appendants , speculative . The third degreeit is trueis usualldenominated one of the
, , y Craft degrees ; but it is not so in fact , ft is entirely spiritual . It was connected with ancient operative masonry , because from thence the principles and symbols of sacred architecture were derived . The craftsman might become
accomplished in all the scientific knowledge which was imparted in his degree , but as yet the " genuine secrets " were to him unknown . They were to be disclosed only in a degree which unfolded knowledge of a more sublime description . It was only in that far superior degree that he could become fully acquainted with those ineffable secrets upon which the
principles of his art were founded . The thii-d degree , then , though entirely spiritual , was so far essential that no craftsman , how skilful soever he might be in all that regarded mechanical science , could comprehend the genuine principles of design until he had fully attained the knowledge which that important degree alone
could confer . In attaining this , several gradations were necessary ; the skilful craftsman was first admitted with peculiar ceremonies ; afterwards he was enlightened , and the genuine secrets were imparted ; and it was then only , when fully instructed in this recondite knowledge , that , as a Master Mason , he was competent to draw designs , and lay down plans for the employment and instruction of the workmen .
This course of procedure seems to have been anciently adopted universally . The candidate for the mysteries was first initiated , or " accepted , " amongst the elect , and then by degrees the peculiar knowledge he sought was imparled .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Craft Degrees And Royal Arch.
In these marvellous constructions we recognize the palpable embodiment of a principle , and that principle is
DEVOTION . On the cape-stone of Masonry is engraven , "H OLINESS TO THE LORD . " Such is the spirit of piety and faith which animates all operative works of genuine Freemasonry . In taking a comprehensive view of the subject under considerationand of the scope and tendency of the various
, degrees , as practised at the present time , it is necessary that we should marshal them as they ought to appear under their respective operative and speculative characters . In this view of the case , the Ji 7-st and second degrees must be deemed operotive ; the third , with its appendants , speculative . The third degreeit is trueis usualldenominated one of the
, , y Craft degrees ; but it is not so in fact , ft is entirely spiritual . It was connected with ancient operative masonry , because from thence the principles and symbols of sacred architecture were derived . The craftsman might become
accomplished in all the scientific knowledge which was imparted in his degree , but as yet the " genuine secrets " were to him unknown . They were to be disclosed only in a degree which unfolded knowledge of a more sublime description . It was only in that far superior degree that he could become fully acquainted with those ineffable secrets upon which the
principles of his art were founded . The thii-d degree , then , though entirely spiritual , was so far essential that no craftsman , how skilful soever he might be in all that regarded mechanical science , could comprehend the genuine principles of design until he had fully attained the knowledge which that important degree alone
could confer . In attaining this , several gradations were necessary ; the skilful craftsman was first admitted with peculiar ceremonies ; afterwards he was enlightened , and the genuine secrets were imparted ; and it was then only , when fully instructed in this recondite knowledge , that , as a Master Mason , he was competent to draw designs , and lay down plans for the employment and instruction of the workmen .
This course of procedure seems to have been anciently adopted universally . The candidate for the mysteries was first initiated , or " accepted , " amongst the elect , and then by degrees the peculiar knowledge he sought was imparled .