coal from the altar, and I could not but exclaim: Glory to God in the highest."" (He is only practising the Masonic "Arte of wunder wurkynge." Vide F. M. L. p. 11.) “In the royal arch Mason's degree, I beheld myself exalted to the top of Pisgah, an extensive scene opened to my view of the glory and goodness of the most excellent high priest of our salvation. I dug deep for hidden treasures, found them, and regained the omnific word:" (" visible in the temple in St. Jerome's time, written in the ancient Samaritan characters.") The same word which the British Masons give in the third degree, our panting brethren must chase to the top of the sublime degree of master Mason, and thence to the bottom of the ninth arch. This is a great improvement of Free Masonry. It returns the English compliment to Yankee ingenuity in the construction of laboursaving machines: the hungry manufacturers prefer their own handy-work to a Brewster. The impiety of this extract from the preface of the Free Mason's Library, should not have been left unnoticed a moment. I abominate it; and copy it here to the discredit of Free Masonry, by the hand of her faithful servant, the Grand Lodge of Maryland. (Vide their sanction to the Free Mason's Library, p. 3.) O, it is laughable what a confusion the masonic degrees are in. The book of Constitutions of Massachusetts, giving "a true idea of Masonry," says: "three classes are generally admitted, under different appellations:" (p. 121.) which is a plain intimation that less than three are sometimes admitted without falsifying the true idea of Masonry. We have already seen in this chapter how many authors treat of Free Masonry as contained wholly within the three degrees. (Vid. p. 161.) Cole's Free Mason's Library, with the sanction of the Grand Lodge of Maryland prefixed, giving a brief sketch of the respective degrees of ancient Free Masonry, says: "There are (I am bold to assert) but four degrees in ancient Free Masonry. This opinion accords [hear, hear!] not only with the sentiments of the oldest and best informed Masons, with whom I have conversed, but is, also, agreeable to written and printed documents in my possession; some of the latter of which are almost as old as the art of printing itself. They are as follows: "1. Entered Apprentice. "2. Fellow Craft. "3. Master Mason. "4. Royal Arch Mason." Free Mason's Library, p. 318. This is a capital witness. He makes one more degree than the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, in their Book of Constitutions, and the Masons of Britain admit but hear him. "The following orders, which have within a few years past been manufactured into degrees, are merely elucidatory of the second, third, and fourth degrees, viz. Past Master, Most Excellent Master, Ark Master, or Noachite," (These have been manufactured within a few years past; it is not many years, since Mr. Cole's fourth degree, the Royal Arch, was also manufactured.) Free Mas. Library, p. 318. Now, by turning to the Grand Circular of the Most Puissant Sovereign Inspectors General of Free Masonry, found in Dalcho's Orations, p. 78, we shall see a list of the names of the masonic degrees to the number of thirty-three: manufactures flourish. They are all enumerated in this volume. Again! "List of the various masonic degrees. "In a late publication, 1816, we find the following list of masonic degrees, which the author states are conferred in the Sublime Grand Lodges, in Charleston, S. C., in the city of New-York, and in Newport, R. I. ;" and then follow the names of forty-three degrees!-(Free Mas. Library, p.317.) What a beautiful structure is Ancient Free Masonry! so consistent in its plan; so harmonious in its parts; so finished in its execution! Generally, it is three stories high, sometimes less, oftentimes four, and then seven, seventeen, thirty-three, and forty-three; yet it is always the same superb edifice; never too narrow on the ground, never too high in the air; and never containing more or less than "the whole duty of man as a moral being; comprising a summary of principles conformable to the very nature and fitness of things."-Town's Spec. Free Masonry, p. 23. 66 Thy strength shall support it, till nature expire; "And when the creation shall fall into ruin, "Its beauty shall rise through the midst of the fire."* To reason with intoxicated men, is useless; with madmen, is absurd vana sunt et risu digna: intolerable vanity is a fair object of ridicule; it is hardened against reason; satire alone can correct it. The writer is not unkind towards Free Masonry: even charity may laugh at folly, to make others laugh at it, and avoid it. That the Royal Arch is a degree of ancient Free Masonry, one hundred chapters in the single state of New-York are ready to testify, with Webb, Town, Cross, Cole, Dalcho, and a host of other authors, sanctioned by the highest authorities of Free Masonry. On the other hand, that it is not a degree of ancient Free Masonry, is asserted by the Grand Lodges of England and Scotland, and by all the legally constituted masonic authorities of Great Britain, supported by Preston, Lawrie, and the Book of Constitutions of Massachusetts. It dates from its beginning, which date is inscribed by the *Free Mason's Library, p. 233. Grand Lecturer, J. L. Cross, upon the prostyle temple, copied in this vol. p. 55, and sanctioned by the greatest names, and highest bodies of Masons in North America. Naming the grand officers, he says, "Elected 10th Sept. A. D. 1819. R. A. M. 2349." Nothing can be more certain, then, than that as A. D., the era of our Lord was A. D. 1819; so was R. A. M., the era of Royal Arch Masonry, R. A. M. 2349. So, Mr. Town, sanctioned by the Grand Chapter of New-York, and the greatest names of Masons, in a laboured attempt to show, "that ancient Masonry has been the medium through which the Pentateuch, or five books of Moses, have been preserved to the world," (Town's Speculative Free Masonry, second ed. p. 190.) clearly asserts, “We have a tradition descending from time immemorial, involving certain facts unknown to the world, that the sacred ark, together with the book of the law, was removed from the most holy place, under masonic direction, and so deposited as to escape that overwhelming destruction. which swept the whole land of Judea. From this tradition we learn where, and under what circumstances, the book of the law was found. The very name of royal arch has a significant allusion, well understood by every brother of that degree. The very foundation of that degree rests on this fact.”—(Ibid. p. 208.) This trifling pretension of Free Masonry is in the mouths of the disciples of the nocturnal school from Canterbury Green to Manlius Square, and is commonly urged upon Christians as a motive of gratitude to Free Masonry for the important service and distinguished favour thus conferred upon religion. "What claims of gratitude," cries Mr. Town and the grand chapter: "What claims of gratitude has ancient Masonry on the whole Christian world, as the angel of mercy in protecting the revelations of Grace!" "Gratitude!" O, how mistaken is Mr. Town. Does not ancient Free Masonry confess that she saved but the Pentateuch? "Quoth she, if you suspect my troth, "I'll pawn my word that I have done't." No doubt; but where were the books of the prophets and of the Psalms? Did the hussy in her haste leave them to perish? Such carelessness was unpardonable; true, these were saved, but no thanks to ancient Free Masonry; she left undone much the larger part of her duty, and is entitled rather to reproof than "gratitude." Now 530, the number of years before the Christian era that the foundations of the second temple were laid at Jerusalem, and that the fact occurred on which the royal arch is founded, added to A. D. 1819, the year when the "most excellent grand officers" were elected, exactly gives the era of royal arch Masonry, according to Mr. Cross. 530 A. D. 1819 R. A. M. 2349 "Five hundred and thirty-five years before the birth of our Saviour, the foundation of the second temple was laid at Jerusalem; at which time those peculiar circumstances occurred which gave rise to the royal arch degree." (Templar's Chart, p. 10.) On the other hand, Mr. Webb, second in Masonry to no other man, supported by the Grand Chapter of Rhode Island, giving the important tradition belonging to the Knights of the Arch, (Free Mason's Monitor, part 2. book 1. chap. 10. New-York, 1802.) states that Joabert, Stockin, and G., having, by the special favour of the Most High, been "permitted to discover the most precious jewels of Masonry," Solomon conferred upon them as a reward," the most sublime and mysterious degree of royal arch Masonry.' This royal arch is a "most mysterious degree," all will allow. Those only who take it are privileged to descant up |