of governments pure and uncorrupted, to spread themselves in different quarters of the globe, and to uphold their integrity inviolable, that then when better times dawn if not all, yet some one copy or other of this circular epistle, will be extant, which the society can adopt as a guide and rule of conduct, and by which when shaken to her very foundations, she can re-model herself, and if in danger of degenerating, or being estranged from her original aim and purpose, she can here be led back to the true spirit, which should guide and direct her. By this epistle, addressed to all true Christians, taken from the most ancient deeds, and from the memorials existing of the opinions, customs, and habits of our secret order, for the reasons aforesaid, we chosen ones, the masters of our orders, and all having one aim viz., the attainment of the true light, we do charge all those our companions in labor into whose hands this letter may fall, by their most sacred vow, "That they never renounce this witness of the truth hereby confided to them." We likewise certify and make known to the enlightened and unenlightened world, whose welfare lies near our heart, urging us to continue our work actively and zealously, the following: A. That the Fraternity, or the Order of Freemasons which is bound together by the sacred vows of Saint John, do not trace their origin from the order of Knights Templars, nor from any other spiritual or secular order of knighthood, neither from a single one nor from several united together. It has not the remotest association with any such either directly or indirectly; but it is more ancient than any orders of the kind, for it existed in Palestine and Greece, as well as in one portion or other of the Roman Empire, even before the Crusades, and before the time when the knights just mentioned went to Palestine. This has been proved to us from different documents and notoriously well authenticated ancient records. Our Fraternity existed at that period, when a large body of consecrated individuals, separated themselves from the contradictory ethics of the Christian doctrine, because they had had confided to them the true moral teaching and the most legitimate interpretation of religious mysteries. For at that period of their separation it was belived by those learned and engligthened individuals, who were Christians entirely free from heathen heresy, "That a religion polluted with heresy, could only cause and disseminate religious divisions and abominable wars instead of promoting peace, toleration, and love." They have therefore bound themselves by a sacred oath to preserve with greater purity, the fundamental doctrines of this religion, so greatly promoting that love of virtue inherent in the human race, devoting themselves entirely to the good work, that light may spring up in the midst of darkness, disperse the mists of superstition, and establish amongst mankind all the virtues of humanity, peace, and general prosperity. The Masters of this confederation were called the St. John's brethren, as they had chosen John the Baptist, the forerunner of the Light of the World, the first of the martyrs, who suffered for spreading this light, as their original and example. According to the usage of the times, those men who destinguished themselves by their superior knowledge in their writings, were called, "Masters." These chose for themselves from amongst the most experienced scholars, companions in their labors, whence arose the name "Fellowcraft;" the rest of those summoued, but not specially chosen, being according to fashion among the Hebrew, Greek, and Roman Philosophers, distinguished by the appellation of scholar or apprentice. B. Our confederacy as formerly, so now, consists of these three degrees of apprentice, fellow- craft, and master; these latter, likewise of elect and most elect masters. All other associations and fraternities, which admit of other denominations and divisions of their degress, or attribute to themselves another origin, interfering in political and ecclesiastical intrigues, and solemnly swearing to hate any one whatsoever, whether they assume the names of Freemasons or Brethren, who affirm that they are carrying out the sacred principles of St. John or of any other person, all such do not belong to our Order, but are denied and repudiated by us as schismatics. C. Amongst the teachers and masters of this Order who studied mathematics, astronomy, and other sciences, an interchange of their advance in knowledge took place when they were scattered throughout the whole earth. This led to the selection of one, from the body of elect Masters, who should assume authority over the rest, and be honored as the most noble and sublime Master or Patriarch, but known only as such to the elect Masters, so that this chosen one might be regarded as the visible and invisible head and guide of our Order. In pursuance of this stipulation, even in our day, a superior master and patriarch actually exists, though known to but few. After having demonstrated these facts, which we have gathered from the rich collection of ancient parchment rolls and deeds of our Order, we do hereby decree and command, with the permission, approval, and sanction of our patriarch, following the text of the sacred documents, which in future will remain under the faithful guardianship of our superior and his successor, the following. D. The conduct of our confederacy and the manner and method in which the rays of the flamming star shall be brought home and dispersed amongst the enlightened brethren, and the unitiated portion of mankind, is conferred upon the elect and chosen Masters. They have to guard and watch over this, that the brethren, of whatever rank and station they may be, may undertake nothing contrary to the fundamental principles of our confederacy. These directors have likewise to defend the association and to preserve and ensure its continuance. Should it be necessary, they must even protect the institution by the sacrifice of their worldly goods, and at the peril of their lives, against all assaults and attacks from without. E. We have no convincing testimony that this Fraternity of ours, bore any other name than that of the St. John's brethren before A. D. 1450 but as we gather from the documents, it first began to be called the Feemason's Fraternity at Valenciennes in Flanders, at the period when in some districts of the Hainault, Hospitals and Infirmaries commenced being erected, at the cost of the Brethren, for such poor people as were suffering from St. Anthony's fire. F. Although when exercising our benevolence, we are not accustomed to have regard to any religion or any country yet have we deemed it, till now advisable and safer not to admit any into our Order but such as in their profane life and in the world of the unenlightened have made a profession of Christianity. No bodily tortures are resorted to, when examining the candidates for initiation into the first degree, but recourse is had to such tests as will more clearly demonstrate what are the powers, inclinations, and principal characteristic of the novitiates. G. Amongst the duties strictly enjoined, and which must be accompanied by a solemn oath, are faithfulness and obedience towards the secular legally instituted authorities, who have command over us. H. The introductory laws guiding our actions, and all our efforts, into whatever channel they may be directed, are expressed in the two following precepts: "Love and cherish all men as you do your brother, and your blood relations." "Render to God the things that are God's, and to Caesar the things that are Caesar's.“ I. The secrets and mysteries, which conceal our purposes, are only with this one view, to do good unostentatiously and to carry out our resolutions to the very minutest details. K. Every year we hold a feast in honor of St. John, the messenger of Christ, and the protector of our Order. L. These and similiar solemnities belonging to our Order, are represented by certain signs or words, or some symbols or other known to the brethren, but differing entirely from ecclesiastical ceremonies. M. He alone is acknowledged as a St. John's brother or Freemason, who according to law, under the guidance and superintendence of an elect Master, assisted by at least seven brethren, is initiated into our secrets, and is able to prove his initiation by the use of those signs and words of recognition, practised by the brethren. With these are included those signs and words customary in Edinburgh and in the Lodges and "Bauhütten" affiliated with her, also in Hamburg, Rotterdam and Venice, whose functions and business, it is true, are carried out in the Scottish ritual, but whose origin, aim, and fundamental arrangement do not differ from those prevailing in our community. N. Our Order as a whole is governed by one single, universal superior, but the assemblies of the Masters, which essentially compose this confederacy, must be drawn together from many different countries and states, therefore nothing is more necessary, than that a certain degree of conformity should prevail in the lodges, scattered over the face of the whole earth, like single members of one great whole, and this can be effected by means of an animated exchange of correspondence and of emissaries, who shall in all places be of one mind, teaching one doctrine; wherefore, this writing, which records the character and form of our association, shall be transmitted to all the Masters, colleges of our Order, as many as exist. For these reasons this circular epistle, of which nineteen copies have been made verbatim, has been issued, confirmed and ratified by our names and signatures. At Cologne on the Rhine, in the year one thousand five hundred and thirty five, on the twenty fourth day of the month of June, rekoned according to the computation of time, styled the Christian era. Harmanus . Carlton. Jo. Bruce. Fr. von Upna. Cornelis Banning. Wormer Abel. Jacobus Huyssen. 2. The writings of Bobrik, Kloss, Schwetschke and Vaillant. Immediately after the publication of this Cologne document, the opinions both for and against its genuineness, were many and varied, and the matter was stirred up anew, with fresh vigor, when Br. Bretschneider sed on foot his inquiries as to the actual presence of Melanchthon in Cologne at the period mentioned. In 1835, a pamphlet entitled "Remarks upon the Cologne document" appeared. This was an attempt of Br. Fetscherin's, member of the lodge in Berne, to invalidate and refute by historical proofs, the doubts raised by many concerning the genuineness of this document, as if such an assembly as there described could not have taken place. But proofs of its authenticity are not adduced. (3) That (4) That In 1839 a translation and explanation of the document appeared in the Altenb. "Zeitschr. f. FrMrei" (1839. 2. Part.) Kloss makes us remark the following: (1) That the passages in the introduction to the document and in the division F. relate to customs, which were not received into the French initiation ritual until 1731. (2) That the superior masonic degrees were nowhere known till 1725. none of the eighteen copied documents have ever been found; the document (1535) had no need to guard against a supposed tendency, contained in the Chevalier Elû Kadosch, as before 1741-1760 no Templar degree existed. (5) That venerandus (in the introduction) in 1535 would have been expressed by venerabilis, and that the expression Papam pontificem maximum would not have received the signature of Melanchthon, and the other Protestants present. (6) That in 1535, one who was not a Christian would not have ventured to have offered himself as a candidate, to the pretented society of Freemasons, if it had existed. (7) That some scruples cannot but be raised of the close investigator at the form of the introduction and of the conclusion, as well as the signatures, for it is striking that the chief lodges of the stone-masons in Strasburg, Zurich and Utrecht did not send any deputies, etc., etc. The writing by Br. Bobrik: "Text, translation and examination of the Cologne document" appeared in 1840; it brings the following remarks to bear upon the genuineness of the deed: (1) The motive for the supposed meeting does not exist. (2) The purpose of the document and the form in which it is carried out, do not agree together; for in order to refute a thing publicly, writing in cipher is resorted to, and conceal a matter the signatures are written in common italics. Neither can we conceive any documents legal without a seal. — (3) The signatures are suspicious in the highest degree. (4) The assembly of the nineteen individuals cited is extremely doubtful; for Hermann would have preferred the town of Bonn, to that of Cologne, where he had many enemies. (5) Melanchthon's participation is especially proble matical, as well as that of the other subscribers. (6) The records of 1637, which are cited, cannot suffice as proofs, as there is nothing to show that there existed a lodge Vredendall at that period. Br. Bobrik is of opinion that "Patriarch" is a hint at the General of the Jesuits, especially if we transfer the forgery to the year 1816, when the Jesuits, after their restoration in 1814, began to exert their influence anew, which in Holland could only be by indirect means. The title and the expressions congregati institutum, etc., he considers as evidences of its having had a Jesuit for its author. Br. Bellermann in Berlin raised new doubts upon the subject, by a pamphlet, only extant in manuscript, and in 1843, there appeared a fresh pamphlet against it, called: "Paleographic proofs of the spuriousness of the Cologne Freemason document of 1535." By Dr. Gustav Schwetschke. Halle. The author remarks in his introduction, that after a careful comparison of the signature of Jacobus Praepositus at the end of the document, and the handwriting existing of his and proved to be genuine, the most glaring discrepancy is apparent, as also the signatures of the Archbishop Hermann, and that here pointed out as his, are most dissi milar; he examines closely the way in which the document is written, and points out several differences between it and the one generally adopted, as for instance the different characters used for u and v, which was unknown before the middle of the 16th century; and that in the Cologne cipher, the K is wanting, which letter was to be met with in all the alphabets of the middle ages. More recently the following authors have pronounced against it: G. H. M. Delprat in the third part of the Bijdragen voon vaderlandsche Geschiedenis en Oudheidkunde. Br. J. P. Vaillant of the Hague, in an article published in the periodical "Acacia" (XI. 6) 1863, and called: "Eenige Opmerkingen betrefende de Keulsche Maç. Oorkonde van 1535." H. THE SPURIOUSNESS OF THE SO-CALLED CONSTITUTIONS, ETC., OF 1786 OF THE ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED RITE. (Declaration of the Grande Lodge of the 3 Globes at Berlin). These Statutes, Regulations, etc., (of the Anc. and Acc. Scottish Rite of 33 degr.) as translated by Albert Pike, in our opinion, bear internal evidence of their spuriousness, and we have on all proper occasions denied their authenticity. The last steamer from Europe brought us the result of the investigations of the Grand Lodge of the "3 Globes" as contained in its Protocol of Dec. 19th, 1861, which fully sustains us. The Protocol as translated, is as follows: "The Grand Master stated that W. Bro. Merzdorf of Oldenburg, the highly estimated honorary member of the Grand Lodge, had sent to the "Directory of the Order" (Bundes-Directorium) a lengthy critical examination of the Constitution and Statutes of the system of the 33 degrees. "The collection of these Constitutions, etc., has the title "Statutes and Regulations, Institutes, Laws and Grand Constitutions of the Ancient and Acc. Scotish Rite, compiled with notes from authentic documents for the use of the Order. By Albert Pike etc. NewYork 1859." "The Grand Master then gave the principal contents of the historicocritical examination of Bro Merzdorf, and mentioned particularly that the above named Constitutions and Laws, which formed at present a basis of a system of high degrees in America, France and England were attributed to King Frederick the Great, who is said not to have issued them himself, but to have approved and signed them at the Grand Orient of Berlin, on the 25th day of the 7th moth of the year 1762, and in May 1786. These documents are in the Latin, French, and English languages. The last of them, May 1, 1786, begins with the following introduction: "Nos Fredericus Dei Gratia-fecerunt" &c. The Constitutions have the following introduction: "Probante praesente, sanctiente-deli |