The High Degrees And Bro. Manningham.

THE HIGH DEGREES AND BRO . MANNINGHAM .

TO THE EDITOR OF THB FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIO MIEROB . Dear Sir and Brother , —There will he at last an end of dispute relating to the origin of the so-called high degrees . From the Haag ( Netherlands ) I received the following letter of Bro . Hirtzveld , with an article on

" Freemasonry , its origin , & c , " a very interesting , diligent , and important lecture , printed in the " Freemasons' Year-book , " of which a translation into the German -will be published in the next issue of the " Annual Communications of the Union of German Freemasons . " As there are some corresponding

members of the union in England and Scotland , I do not doubt , a translation into English will be furnished to you for this Magazine . Yours fraternally ,

J . G . FINDEL . The letter runs on in this way : —¦ "Yery "Worsh . and dear Bro . —Your valuable " History of Freemasonry " has gained an unexpected confirmation in some of its most important points . A -witnesswhose honour and competence no one can

, dispute , has risen from his tomb after more than one hundred years' slumber , to testify to the truth of some historical facts . " By means of a happy event there has come into my hands a communication from the famous Deputy Grand Master of EnglandBro . Manninghamto the

, , then Grand Lodge of the Netherlands , dated London , 12 th July , 1757 , which proves ( 1 . ) that no higher degrees , with the only exception of the three Craft degrees , belong to pure ancient Freemasonry ; ( 2 ) , that before 1717 the now existing rituals have been worked j ( 3 ) , that the introduction of the so-called

high degrees took place after 1740 . " This estimable document , put down in the archives of our Grand Lodge , I have published , with other letters belonging to it , and my remarks and notes in the' Yrijmetselaars Yaarbookje . ' " Of your work I have made use to some extent , and you will be glad , I hope , to receive a copy of my lecture , " & c . Yours fraternally ,

" Bro . L . H . HEETZVELD , " Member of the Council of the L'Union Eoyal , & c . " "Haag , " 21 st April , 1868 . " "To Bro . J . G . Findel , Leipzig . "

The letter of Bro . Manningam to Bro . Saner , at Haag , runs on in this way : — "Sir and Bro . —I am quite ashamed that your obliging letter should lay by me so long unanswered , but I hope you will excuse me when I assure you it was not owing to neglect or disrespect ; but -want of

opportunity to satisfy myself on some points relating to the variety of Masonry , and you mention the name of Scotch Masonry . "I was determined to consult our brethren in Scotland , particularly our Bro . Lord Aberdour , who is son and heir to the Earl of Morton , and an exceeding good Mason , as such he has filled the chair in Scotland , and his lordship is now-elected Grand

Master in England , on the Marquis of Carnarvon's resignation . "Lord Aberdour and all the Scotch Masons ( or rather Scotch gentlemen that are Masons ) that I have conversed with—and I have made it my business to consult many—are entirely unacquainted with the

forms and titles you mention , and which you justly call the charlatanery of Masonry . Amongst some of our lowest brethren , J have met with , and frequently heard of such irregularities—irregularities I justly call them , because they deviate so much from our usual ceremonies , and are so full of innovations , that

in process of time the ancient landmarks will be destroyed by the fertile genius of brethren who will improve or alter , if only to give specimen of their abilities and imaginary consequence , so that in a few years it will be as difficult to understand Masonry as to distinguish the points or accents of theHebrew or Greek language , now almost obscured by the iudustry of critics and commentators .

" Three foreign gentlemen and Masons lately visited the lodge I belong to , and were introduced by me to the Grand Lodge and the Grand East ; by discoursing / with these gentlemen I find that in Germany , Holland , and Switzerland in some places have Orders of Masons unknown to us , viz ., Knights of the >

Sword , of the Eagle , of the Holy Land , with a long train of et ceteras . Surely these points of Masonry must be wonderful , I am certain they are very new ; . besides , these dignified and distinguished Orders , I find , have signs , tokens , & c , peculiar to their respective dignitiesand adorn themselves with different

, coloured ribbons . " I should be glad , with your assistance and tho assistance of the brethren in Holland , to settle these intricate and confused points , and wish to know ( especially from the brethren who distinguish themselves by the denomination of Scotch Masons ) from

whence they received their constitution ; the Grand Master of Scotland , who , I presume they acknowledge head of their society , being entirely unacquainted with their Order . To Lord Aberdour and several other Scotch noblemen and gentlemen that are good

Masons , I have to communicate your letter , likewise the information I received from those foreign brethren , one of whom was an officer in the Dutch service ; but from the strictest enquiries I can make , can only say they have racked their genius ancl endeavours to make Masonry unintelligible and useless . " These innovations are of very late yearsand I

, believe the brethren will find a difficulty to produce a Mason acquainted with any such forms , twenty , nay , ten years . My own father has been a Mason these fifty years , and has been at lodges in Holland , France , and England . He knows none of these ceremonies . Grand Master Paynewho succeeded

, Sir Christopher Wren , is a stranger to them , as is likewise one old brother of ninety , who I conversed with lately . This brother assures me he was made a Mason in his youth , and has constantly frequented lodges till rendered incapable by his advanced age , and never heardor knewany other ceremonies

or-, , words than those used in general amongst us ; such forms were delivered to him , and those lie has retained . As to Knights of the Sword , Eagle , & c , the knowledge of them never reached his ears till I informed him of them . The only Orders that we know are