Skip to main content
Museum of Freemasonry

Masonic Periodicals Online

  • Explore
  • Advanced Search
  • Home
  • Explore
  • The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine
  • Jan. 31, 1863
  • Page 6
  • MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES.
Current:

The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine, Jan. 31, 1863: Page 6

  • Back to The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine, Jan. 31, 1863
  • Print image
  • Articles/Ads
    Article THE ANTIQUITY OF MASONIC DEGREES. ← Page 4 of 4
    Article THE ANTIQUITY OF MASONIC DEGREES. Page 4 of 4
    Article MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES. Page 1 of 2 →
Page 6

Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

The Antiquity Of Masonic Degrees.

you could proceed thus to write ' God save the Queen . ' * " In fighting with a Mason , and that a zealous one , there is this disadvantage . The Mason , in respect to certain points , cannot admit what has been said , however correct his antagonist may be , his vow of secresy would be violated—thentoohe will not admit for a

, , moment , the correctness of any inference , however logical , from certain data . A person thus treating Masonic dogmas is , in the eyes of Masons , like a man walking into the Mosque of Omar with his shoes on . If a Mason tells me that I am wrong as to such and such a ritual , how , though I know perfectly well that

I am right , am I to reply to him ? ' Ton , ' he would say , ' are not initiated , you were never in a lodge , how do you know ? ' Well , though I do know , I cannot tell him , because on this point I am' close tyled . ' I must not tell how I got at these matters . "As far as I can learnthe Knights Templar of

, Jerusalem , the Knights of the Desert , & c , had a good deal to do by adajrtation , in an attempt to extend the influence of the Church of Rome . As the office of these knights was to protect pilgrims , so there would easily be found a connection between their ceremonies and Masonry , which has so much tc do with the

Temple . "To fight a good fight I ought to have the Maconnerie Adonhiramiqne devoilee : the work of the Abbe Barruel ; Des Errears et de la Verite , which last book I have read , is ' at least a Talmud among the Freemasons of France . '

"I will take care of Mr . Cooke's letter and return it very soon , together with the book . When I have a little more time I willj let you into some of the rituals and then I think you will see what a little enthusiasm and management can do with very slender data . Now , as it appears to me , a very authentic account might be invented as to why Masons use

swords so much in their ceremonial . Suppose I was a Master Mason addressing a candidate , just admitted I might say , — ' No doubt you wonder to see , among the members of a societ }* - professing brotherly love , such a weapon of destruction as a sword ; but it is a time-honoured custom and has its origin from the

necessity forced on Masons ; in troublous times , when each Mason was compelled to work with the trowel in one hand and a sword or spade in the other . ' " As Aristotle , in his Rhetoric , tells us a man is ' disposed ' to be angry with those who treat slightingly what he takes a serious interest in , so I perceive my

' romance' has shocked the Masonic respect of Mr . Cooke . " And so Cornelius Agrippa is claimed ? This just accords with the opinion I expressed . But Cornelius Agrippa has been claimed by others besides Masons . An old clergyman , now dead , knowing that I had a

copy , begged the loan of it ; after some time he returned it , with a note , expressing the interest he had taken in it , stating that he well understood all that Agrippa had said , having , in his youth , studied what would now be called Mesmerism . " I observe that Mr . Cooke has either J for the stamp

is rather indistinct , only one leg of the compasses over the square , or loth under it . In the latter case he is only an apprentice , in the former , no further advanced than a fellow-craft .

The Antiquity Of Masonic Degrees.

" Did I tell you ofthe ' maralli , ' as they were called , found at Dover some years ago ? They were leaden medals having the five poined star upon them , and were said , by some Masonic writers , at the time , to have been given to wandering Masons , by tlie heads of Monasteries , & ., as a certificate of merit for work doneand the possessor of one of them was entitled

, to a fortnight's maintainance at any [ monastery at which he might present himself . Some of them had a dot in each angle and a G , for geometry , in the centre . I am sorry that I have lost the paper containing the account , but all this agrees with Craft Masonry . But how , because a certain king had ' a

Master Mason , ' proves the speculation of modern , so called , Masons not to be for the most part , myths , I do not see , any more than ' architect to the Queen ' might go to prove , in future times , that the Queen patronised Freemasonry . " The Rabbisas I showeddo not think that

, , ' Enock' was a city hut , merely , a residence , as the Welsh word 'Tref' signifies , but the Masons abonce assume it to be a city and built by a regular staff of Masons .

" Seeing thattheMasons have collected their emblems from so many sources , it would be wonderful , indeed , if they did not find theu * counterparts in places , whence in all probability they were derived . The Parfait Macon JEcossais of the Parisian Lodges , must have seen a pretty numerous collection of these sort of things .

"If Mr . Cooke thinks any of my remarks worthy of a jrlace in THE FBEEMASOJS - S' MAaAzisE , he is perfectly at liberty to make use of them , though I dare say , the consequence will be a perfect swarm of wasps about my poor uninitiated head . Be it so . ' Lay on Macduff . ' I have not much time to spare ,

and , perhaps , cannot repossess myself of some of my sources of information . ' Mais ce m ' est egal . ' The amusement will be just the same . " I observe that Mr . C . says nothing of the five pointed star of the Jewish Masons . The Cheshire lodges have ordered it to be used byI thinkall their

, , Royal Arch Masons . I saw the order , but forgot whether it is confined to the Royal Arch " ... I have given the above without condensation or alteration , but I WHOLLY DISCLAIM on my own behalf .

any EESPOITSIBILITT for the VIEWS EXPEESSED . They are the freely written letters of a gentleman , a clergyman , and a scholar , and as such , I think will command the attention of every unprejudiced reader in the Craft . ? I * MATTHEW COOKE , 30 °

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

DR . KNIPE . In answer to Bro . Hyde Clarke , I bog fraternally to give him all the information I have been able to obtain with respect to Dr . Kuipe . Dr . Thomas Knipe was of Christ Church College , Oxford . But an allusion to Dr . Knipe occurs in a life of Elias Ashmole , prefixed to the History of Berkshire , published in 1717 , and which life was probably written by Aubrey . At page 165 there is what professes to be part of an important letter to care of the publisher from Dr . Knipe . Who was this Dr .

“The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine: 1863-01-31, Page 6” Masonic Periodicals Online, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 2 July 2025, django:8000/periodicals/mmr/issues/mmr_31011863/page/6/.
  • List
  • Grid
Title Category Page
THE ROYAL ARCH. Article 1
ROYAL BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION. Article 1
THE THREATENED SECESSION FROM THE SUPREME GRAND ROYAL ARCH CHAPTER OF SCOTLAND.—No. IX. Article 1
THE ANTIQUITY OF MASONIC DEGREES. Article 3
MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES. Article 6
CORRESPONDENCE. Article 7
GRAND LODGE PROPERTY. Article 8
THE MASONIC MIRROR. Article 9
ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS. Article 9
ROYAL BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION FOR AGED MASONS AND THEIR WIDOWS. Article 9
METROPOLITAN. Article 11
PROVINCIAL. Article 13
MASONIC FESTIVITIES. Article 16
SCOTLAND. Article 16
ROYAL ARCH. Article 17
KNIGHTS TEMPLAR. Article 18
ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED RITE. Article 18
PUBLIC AMUSEMENTS Article 18
Obituary. Article 18
THE WEEK. Article 18
TO CORRESPONDENTS. Article 20
Page 1

Page 1

4 Articles
Page 2

Page 2

1 Article
Page 3

Page 3

2 Articles
Page 4

Page 4

1 Article
Page 5

Page 5

1 Article
Page 6

Page 6

3 Articles
Page 7

Page 7

2 Articles
Page 8

Page 8

2 Articles
Page 9

Page 9

3 Articles
Page 10

Page 10

1 Article
Page 11

Page 11

3 Articles
Page 12

Page 12

1 Article
Page 13

Page 13

2 Articles
Page 14

Page 14

1 Article
Page 15

Page 15

1 Article
Page 16

Page 16

3 Articles
Page 17

Page 17

2 Articles
Page 18

Page 18

6 Articles
Page 19

Page 19

1 Article
Page 20

Page 20

3 Articles
Page 6

Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

The Antiquity Of Masonic Degrees.

you could proceed thus to write ' God save the Queen . ' * " In fighting with a Mason , and that a zealous one , there is this disadvantage . The Mason , in respect to certain points , cannot admit what has been said , however correct his antagonist may be , his vow of secresy would be violated—thentoohe will not admit for a

, , moment , the correctness of any inference , however logical , from certain data . A person thus treating Masonic dogmas is , in the eyes of Masons , like a man walking into the Mosque of Omar with his shoes on . If a Mason tells me that I am wrong as to such and such a ritual , how , though I know perfectly well that

I am right , am I to reply to him ? ' Ton , ' he would say , ' are not initiated , you were never in a lodge , how do you know ? ' Well , though I do know , I cannot tell him , because on this point I am' close tyled . ' I must not tell how I got at these matters . "As far as I can learnthe Knights Templar of

, Jerusalem , the Knights of the Desert , & c , had a good deal to do by adajrtation , in an attempt to extend the influence of the Church of Rome . As the office of these knights was to protect pilgrims , so there would easily be found a connection between their ceremonies and Masonry , which has so much tc do with the

Temple . "To fight a good fight I ought to have the Maconnerie Adonhiramiqne devoilee : the work of the Abbe Barruel ; Des Errears et de la Verite , which last book I have read , is ' at least a Talmud among the Freemasons of France . '

"I will take care of Mr . Cooke's letter and return it very soon , together with the book . When I have a little more time I willj let you into some of the rituals and then I think you will see what a little enthusiasm and management can do with very slender data . Now , as it appears to me , a very authentic account might be invented as to why Masons use

swords so much in their ceremonial . Suppose I was a Master Mason addressing a candidate , just admitted I might say , — ' No doubt you wonder to see , among the members of a societ }* - professing brotherly love , such a weapon of destruction as a sword ; but it is a time-honoured custom and has its origin from the

necessity forced on Masons ; in troublous times , when each Mason was compelled to work with the trowel in one hand and a sword or spade in the other . ' " As Aristotle , in his Rhetoric , tells us a man is ' disposed ' to be angry with those who treat slightingly what he takes a serious interest in , so I perceive my

' romance' has shocked the Masonic respect of Mr . Cooke . " And so Cornelius Agrippa is claimed ? This just accords with the opinion I expressed . But Cornelius Agrippa has been claimed by others besides Masons . An old clergyman , now dead , knowing that I had a

copy , begged the loan of it ; after some time he returned it , with a note , expressing the interest he had taken in it , stating that he well understood all that Agrippa had said , having , in his youth , studied what would now be called Mesmerism . " I observe that Mr . Cooke has either J for the stamp

is rather indistinct , only one leg of the compasses over the square , or loth under it . In the latter case he is only an apprentice , in the former , no further advanced than a fellow-craft .

The Antiquity Of Masonic Degrees.

" Did I tell you ofthe ' maralli , ' as they were called , found at Dover some years ago ? They were leaden medals having the five poined star upon them , and were said , by some Masonic writers , at the time , to have been given to wandering Masons , by tlie heads of Monasteries , & ., as a certificate of merit for work doneand the possessor of one of them was entitled

, to a fortnight's maintainance at any [ monastery at which he might present himself . Some of them had a dot in each angle and a G , for geometry , in the centre . I am sorry that I have lost the paper containing the account , but all this agrees with Craft Masonry . But how , because a certain king had ' a

Master Mason , ' proves the speculation of modern , so called , Masons not to be for the most part , myths , I do not see , any more than ' architect to the Queen ' might go to prove , in future times , that the Queen patronised Freemasonry . " The Rabbisas I showeddo not think that

, , ' Enock' was a city hut , merely , a residence , as the Welsh word 'Tref' signifies , but the Masons abonce assume it to be a city and built by a regular staff of Masons .

" Seeing thattheMasons have collected their emblems from so many sources , it would be wonderful , indeed , if they did not find theu * counterparts in places , whence in all probability they were derived . The Parfait Macon JEcossais of the Parisian Lodges , must have seen a pretty numerous collection of these sort of things .

"If Mr . Cooke thinks any of my remarks worthy of a jrlace in THE FBEEMASOJS - S' MAaAzisE , he is perfectly at liberty to make use of them , though I dare say , the consequence will be a perfect swarm of wasps about my poor uninitiated head . Be it so . ' Lay on Macduff . ' I have not much time to spare ,

and , perhaps , cannot repossess myself of some of my sources of information . ' Mais ce m ' est egal . ' The amusement will be just the same . " I observe that Mr . C . says nothing of the five pointed star of the Jewish Masons . The Cheshire lodges have ordered it to be used byI thinkall their

, , Royal Arch Masons . I saw the order , but forgot whether it is confined to the Royal Arch " ... I have given the above without condensation or alteration , but I WHOLLY DISCLAIM on my own behalf .

any EESPOITSIBILITT for the VIEWS EXPEESSED . They are the freely written letters of a gentleman , a clergyman , and a scholar , and as such , I think will command the attention of every unprejudiced reader in the Craft . ? I * MATTHEW COOKE , 30 °

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

DR . KNIPE . In answer to Bro . Hyde Clarke , I bog fraternally to give him all the information I have been able to obtain with respect to Dr . Kuipe . Dr . Thomas Knipe was of Christ Church College , Oxford . But an allusion to Dr . Knipe occurs in a life of Elias Ashmole , prefixed to the History of Berkshire , published in 1717 , and which life was probably written by Aubrey . At page 165 there is what professes to be part of an important letter to care of the publisher from Dr . Knipe . Who was this Dr .

  • Prev page
  • 1
  • 5
  • You're on page6
  • 7
  • 20
  • Next page
  • Accredited Museum Designated Outstanding Collection
  • LIBRARY AND MUSEUM CHARITABLE TRUST OF THE UNITED GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 1058497 / ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2025

  • Accessibility statement

  • Designed, developed, and maintained by King's Digital Lab

We use cookies to track usage and preferences.

Privacy & cookie policy