Masonic Bibliographical Notes

members necessary to constitute a perfect lodge , who would doubtless on such occasions bring their heads with them . Shoultl such a suggestion not be acceptable to all his readers , he suggests that the description applies to the " seven steps . " At page is the method of thc reception of "the potir deluded candidate " is most giaphirally described , bur it

would not do to reprint these wonderful revelations without permission , for if they led many to keep from our societv from their perusal how sad it would be . However , to speak frankly , my time is scarcely at my command sufficiently to write out such stuff , and , inelted , were it otherwise , and any gentleman was led to determine never to enter a Masonic lodge because of his belief in the

statements maele in the pamphlet , or in any other stupid expose * , 1 shoulel . consider that a positive benefit hael accrued to our society , as there would bc one weak-minded individual the less in our ranks , ami thc Oreler would be the gainer by the result . From page 19 to page 23 the author seeks really to show there is no mystery really in Freemasonry , or his

argument falls to the ground as to its being the Babylon mentioned in Revelations . Thc writer is evidently well informed of the movements of his Satanic Majesty , as he ravely tells us that " whenever two or three Masons arc met together to celebrate their mysteries , there the devil is essentially in thc midst of them . " The crime of murder , it seems , is quite an ordinary event

amongst the Freemasons , " and to this terrible charge may be added a strong attachment to the diabolical art of necromancy . " The author asks of the distinguished men who patronise the Craft " When shall the time come that an English alderman , like a Roman citizen , shall be contented with his frugal meal of turnips ? " On this subject we are not

able to offer an opinion . Ihe last division of the pamp hlet is devoted to show that all those who adhere to the abominations of Masonry will be damned . Finally the writer implores the brethren to " Be not any longer the wicked instruments of bringing upon children yet unborn the honors of temporal , anti upon their dclueled fathers eternal misery . "

The work is numbered S 37 in Bro . Carson's most excellent " Mason Bibliography , " and ttyled by him " an exceedingly scarce pamphlet . " His copy was published in London , and thc Dublin edition appears still scarcer . Of course many answers were forthcoming , not the least curious being one entitled " Masonry Vindicated : a Seimon , wherein is clearly and demonstratively proved that

a Sermon entitled ' Masonry the way to Hell is an entire piece of thc utmost weakness and absuielily , " & : c . ( Lonelon , 17 O 8 ) ; and another , known by the startling title " Masonry thu Turnpike lloael to Happiness in this Life , and Eternal Happiness Hereafter " ( London 17 G 8 ) . All these pamphlets are scarcely ever heard of now , but Freemasonry continues to increase in prosptiity and usefulness .

Masonic High Grades In Canada.

MASONIC HIGH GRADES IN CANADA .

( From thc I'rescott Messenger , Feb . 14 . ) In writing upon Masonic High Graelcs , I wish , as a preliminary , to be distinctly understood as meaning , bj the term , a variety of degrees , conferred by a variety of rites , and which degrees arc in effect not strictly , but merely quasi Masonic . They arc not strictly Masonic , for the

reason that thc Craft Giauil Loelge , the ruling body in pure , ancient and symbolic Masonry , of which every Master Mason ' s lodge is a component part , entirely ignores them . It—the Grand Lodge—does not forbid them ; it docs not acknowledge them ; it simply knows them not . Every Master Mason is well aware that all thc bene fit that he can personally derive from the Order , all the relief and

assistance that those near ami dear to him can claim , in shoit all Masonic utility , emanates either from the Craft lodge- or Grand Lodge . Hence all useful , practical , and beneficial Masonry begins and ends in the Master Masai ' s lodge , anil the Master Mason himself—being raised to the Sublime Degree—is the peer and equal of any Mason upon cailh . This being the case , all the " High Grades , "

processing lo bc Masonic , cannot in strictness bc considered as properly so ; they are only , as before stated , quasi Masonic . It is true that there is no real harm in any Mason taking any or all of them ; they arc in most cases amusing , in sonic instructive ; tbey are the toys or recreations of an idle heiur , in which many Masons , being but children of a large growth , find pleasure

by indulging 111 . 1 hey arc generally harmless , always useless , and in truth are valueless excrescences upon the boely Masonic . With this declaration of what is generally held to be the sound Masonic law upon the subject , I will proceed to notice the manner in which thc " High Grades " arc used and sometimes abused in Canada . The rites claiming to possess them are as follow -.

The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Thirty-three Digrees , which originated at Charleston , South Carolina , U . S . A ., 31 st May , 1801 . The Rite of Mizraim of Ninety Degre-es , which ori ginated at Milan , in Italy , in 1805 . Thc Rite of Memphis of Ninety-six Degrees , which originated at Paris , in France , 71 I 1 July , 1838 .

Ihe Ancient and Primitive Rite of 1 lmty-three Degrees ( being a condensation of thc Rite of Memphis of Ninetysix Degrees ) , which originated at Paris , in France , in 1862 . The manner in which these various tiles were primarily

constituted was this . During the latter half of the last century , a vast number—some hundreds—of pseutlo Masonic degrees were falnicatcd and set afloat in Europe , and were generally entitled " Side Degrees . " It at length eiccurreel to se . iue ctelerjuisiug Mtswis that il would bc both pleasant and profitable to congregate a quantity of these

Masonic High Grades In Canada.

Degrees together , to number them consecutively , beginning with the fourth ( leaving to genuine Masonry the questionable honour ot being the first , second , and third ) , and administer them to brethren who had a fondness for hi gh sounding titles , resplcnelant jewelry , and "fuss and feathers " generally , at a price . The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite , being first in the field , led off the game , and

the others followed suit , and they have continued up to the present time , sometimes flourishing , sometimes nearly dormant , their good or ill success chiefly depending upon the state of thc times , that is , as to whether money was plenty or scarce . The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite has been , by all odds , the most successful , and is at the present time by far the most wieiely diffused of all these

rites , but at thc same time it has shown itself to be in many cases the most intolerant and arrogant amongst them . Owing to its priority of origin , and some pretended charter of constitution , purporting to emanate from Frederick the Great of Prussia ( which most Masonic writers cf repute now consider forgeries ) , it seems disposed in some countries , of which Canada is one , to claim for

itself the sole right and title to propagate the " High Grades , " and to pt ckct the fees attendant upon such propagation . The most learned and distinguished member of this rite , the Hon . Albert Pike , Thirty-three Degrees , Chief of the Supreme Council of the United States—the Mother Supreme Council of the world—distinctly repudiates any such design on the part of himself cr his Supreme

Council , to practise this selfiish and illiberal policy . In a letter to the chief officer of the Rite of Memphis in Italy , bearing date 18 th February , 1877 , Bro . Pike says : "We have never interfered to prevent thc establishment within our jurisdiction of what is here called the Oriental Rite of Memphis ( which has been reduced by its possessors to thirty-three degrees ) , because we conceded to the fullest

extent the right of all Masons to practise any Masonic nte , ancient or modern , without hindrance from any one , and because we hold that each , our own included , ought to stand or fall , succeed or fail , upon its own merits . " Now , Bio . Pike is not only a distinguished Mason , but a distinguished jurist also , and as it is generally admitted that to his very ercat genius and ability the Ai . cicnt and

Accepted Scottish Rite owes almost entirely its present prominence among the rites , it must , therefore be evident to every impartial mind that this opinion of Bro . Pike , so liberal and truly Masonic in its principles , expresses thc law of his rite , and that in effect , airogancc or intolerance arc no real or fundamental part of its constitution , and that these objectionable qualities arc merely errors into

winch men 01 narrow minus and weak understanilingsinflated by imaginary distinctions—have unwillingly fallen . It may now be affirmed as a scttleel truth that the law of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite neither requires nor permits its members to intcrfeie wilh other rites , and those who have elone so have displayed not only intolerance but ignorance .

I have been led into this disejuisition upon High Grade Rites and their relations to each other by a recent perusal of the proceedings of the Supreme Council of the Aiicien and Accepted Scottish Rite for the Dominion ti Canada , ' at thc last session held in Mom real in October , 18 7 8 . In his address , the Presiding Officer , " Thc Most Illustrious and Most Puissant Sovereign Great Commander of The

Holy Empire "—( Great Ca ; sar , what a title ! the Brother of the Sun I and Father of the Moon ! and Lorel of a thousand while Eli phants 1 of Oriental fame , must pale and faele away before the lustre of this Magnifico 1)—This stupenduous Potentate , 1 say , took occasion to fall foul of some aspiring brethren in the small and iusi gficant village of Maitland , Ontaiio , who not having the fear of the

Supreme Council before their eyes , had the audacity and alrocity to obtain lawful authority to confer the Degrees of the Rites of Mizraim and Memphis , and thc Ancient and Primitive Rite , and to publish to thc Masonic world a very mild and modest register oi the various rites and degrees worked in that ambitious little village . For this act of so called rebellion against the " very superior persons" ( in a

Disraeli sense ) of the Supreme Council , these presumptions villageis were hauled oicr the coals most unmercifully , were calleel " prostiluters of Masonry , " and delie rs of the powers that bc , " traffickers in degrees , " iu shoit , a most unsavoury stream of mock Masonic Billingsgate was poured upon their defenceless heads . Perjury was plainl y intimated , and swindling , if not worse , hinted at . And why all this

swelling indignation , this letting loose of a tornado of wrath ? Merely because the Maitland brethren had done that which Bro . Albert Pike , the very highest authority in this same Ancient and Accepted Rite , had publicly proclaimed every brother had a' perfect right to do without molestation from any one . But as if to show the inconsistency into which a rage

for supremacy , combined with a greed for fees , will -hurry even " Sovereign Grand Inspectors General of the Holy Empire" ( I write this title with awe ) , it was deliberately resolved by the Supreme Council at this same session , that as the mountain wnultl not come to Mahomet , Mahomet must go to the mountain ; that as thc general insensible public would not so far appreciate the beautiful and

sublime Degrees of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite as to seek after them , that these Degrees must " go for " thc public , and that consequently emissaries must bc sent into the cities and towns of Canada to endeavour to stir up the enthusiasm of the Masonic fraternity , anil induce them to receive thc Degrees of Perfection—Fourth to the Fourteenth—at the rate of thirty dollars per head . The

" elenounced" of Maitland only published a Register of Degrees , anti that without a scale of fees ; thc " Illustrious" ones of the Supreme Council not only advertise their price , but in addition send out " Drummers " to eiispose of their wares . In this connection I feci irresistibly impelled to give a quotation from Pickwick . Mr . Alfred Jingle having eloped with Miss Rachel Wardle , and being desi-

Masonic High Grades In Canada.

rous of obtaining a marriage licence , consulted Mr . Weller —the immtirtal Sam . " Do you know-what's-a-namc—Doctor ' s Commons ?" said Mr . Jingle . " Yes , sir , " replied Sam . "Where it it ?" " Paul ' s Churchyard , sir , low archway on the carriage

side , booksellers at one corner , hotel on the other , and two porters in thc middle as touts for licenses . " " Touts for licenses ? " said Mr . Jingle . " Touts for licenses , " replied Sam . " Two coves in white aprons touches their hats as you walk in . License , sir , license ? Queer sort them , anil their masters , too , sir . "

As Jack Bunsby , another of Dickens' characters , would say , " The bearing of this here quotation lies in the application of it . " My application is this . Can a discriminating Masonic public draw a parallel between the " two coves in white aprons touting for licenses , " and two illustrious deputies of the Supreme Councils , also in white aprons , toutirg for thirty dollar fees through the towns and

cities of Ontaiio and Quebec ? As regartls the real value of these High Graele Degrees , I can speak with autheirity , being possesseel of about all of them . As I saiel before , some are interesting , some amusing , and all harmless . To a Master Mason they are of no practical utility , he already having all that Masonrycan give him , as regards rank , benefit , or position . Still

if he is possessed of Masonic curiosity and a spirit of research , if he can spare the time and can afford the expense , I can with good conscience recommend him to take them , if it can be elone conveniently , and he is not victimised by enormous f ' .-es . If they will elo nothing else for him , they will at least entitle him to affix certain mysterious numbers to his signature , to wear a variety of costly jewels , and to

call himself by manificent titles , such as " Illustrious Brother , " "Sovereign Prince , " or " Sovereign Grand Inspector General . " To my mind , and in this I am sustained by most Masonic writers , the grades or degrees known as thc " Rose Croix " and " Kadosh " are by far the best , and singularly enough these are Templar Grades , properly belonging lo the " Order of the Temple , " and of which it

was somewhat surreptitiousl y deprived . They have no connection with and aic out of place in the hotch-potch aggregation of " Side Degrees , " which form the principal ingretliei ts in all thc High Grade Rites . The Order of the Templar , I may here observe , is not iu any sense a Masonic rite or Orcer , although the degree of a Royal

Arch Mason is now required as a pre-requisite for admission to it . Il is a Christian chivalric Order , and is generally considered to be a genuine , continuation cf the old knightly Order of thc Temple of the Crusades , and admission to its ranks is eagerly sought . alter and highly esteemeel . MAITLAND . Feb . C' . h , 1870 .

Freemasonry In China.

FREEMASONRY IN CHINA .

The Northern Lodge of China , No , . 1570 , held its anniversary meeting on the 27 th December , 1878 , in Shanghai , when thc Worshi pful Master was installed , and thc officers appointed for thc ensuing year . Thc loelge was opened at nine p . m . by W . Bro . H . S . Morris , W . M ., at which time there were about foity

brethren present , including Bros . Pemberton , W . M . ; Birt , P . M . 428 , S . C . ; Jansen , W . M ., Ancient Landmark , Am . Com . ; Koch , P . M ., Lodge Germania ; Weiller , S . D . G . W . ; Drummond Hay , D . G . Treasurer of the District Grand Lodge of Japan , and several well-kr . own brethren . At 9 . 15 p . m . the R . W . Distiict Grand Master , Bro . C . Thorne , entered the lodge , accompanied by Bros . Hart , D . G . J . W .

J . I . Miller , D . G . Registrar-, Thos . W . King-urn ! , ! , Pies . D . Board of G . Purposes ; Moore , D . G . Sword Bearer ; Orme , D . G . Secretary ; Evans , D . G . S . D . ; Fentum , D . G . Organist ; Brown , D . G . Pursuivant , and was received with the customary honours . Thc lodge having been openeel in the Second Degree , Bro . Morris , W . M ., requested Bro . Phonic to honour the lodge by performing the

installation ceremony , and Bro . Thorne , D . G . M ., having acceded to thc W . M . 's request , assumed the chair . Bro . Anderson , S . W ., who had been unanimously elected as Master for thc ensuing year , was then presented , and was duly installed in eluc and air . ient form . Thc lodge having been closed respectively in thc Third and Second Degrees , the W . M . invested his officers as follows : Bros . A .

Robinson , S . W . ; J . F . Holliday , J . W . ; Wm . White , Treas . ; J . D . Bishop , Secretary ; H . A . Johnston , S . D . ; J . Findlay , J . D . ; T . Hore , Tyler . After which the D . G . M . delivered addresses to the W . M ., Wardens , and thc lodge respectively . Thc W . M . then thanked the R . W . D . G . Master and his oflicers for their attendance and assistance in the working of the installation ceremony .

The R . W . D . G . M ., in reply , expressed the pleasure it afforded him to assist at all times in the working oi out ceremonies . He called the especial attention of the brethren to the necessity cf their making themselves conversant with our ritual , so that they might always be ready to aid the W . M . in thc working of the lodge , shoulel any of the officers , unfortunately , be absent ; he also urged them by

their conduct outside the lodge to uphold thc high character of our Masonic institution . The W . M . then thanked thc visitors'for their attendance , and ( after sonic Masonic business had been attended to , the loelge was closed in perlcct harmony at 10 . 45 p . m ., and the brethren adjourned

to the aeljoi : ing room , where a cold collation was spread . After ample justice had been done to the viands , and the loyal toasts hail been eluly honoured , Bro . Morris , P . M ., proposed "Thc M . W . the Grand Masters and Grand Officers ei Sister Grand Lodges , " which was responded to with honours . The W . M . then proposed " The R . W . D .