THE Royal Arch degree was introduced into the North
American Colonies not very long after its invention or adoption in
The Grand Lodge of Ancients granted its first Warrant for a lodge in the colonies in the year 1758. In the same year, as will be seen hereafter, a chapter connected with an Atholl lodge was established. This alone would prove, if such proof were necessary, that the Royal Arch Masonry of Pennsylvania, where it first appeared on this continent, was derived from the “Grand Lodge of England, according to the Old Institutions,” and that the degree which was then worked was what is commonly known as Dermott’s Royal Arch.
Of course, the degree must have been conferred in a chapter working under a Master’s Warrant, as at that time no Grand Chapter had been organized.
The Grand Lodge of Ancients had always granted this
privilege to its lodges, and it was maintained up to the early years of the
present century by several of the American lodges. Thus as late as January,
1803, Orange Lodge of Ancient York Masons, an Atholl lodge in
The first Royal Arch Chapter in
The author of the Historical View, which has just been referred to, stated that it worked under the Master’s Warrant of Lodge numbers and that it was recognized by and had communion with a military Chapter working under a Warrant number 351 granted by the Grand Lodge of England, meaning, as the context clearly shows, the Atholl Grand Lodge or the Grand Lodge of the Ancients.
There can be no doubt of the truth of the statement that a chapter
of Royal Arch Masons was established in
But it is not easy to reconcile the statement that it held communion with a military lodge, numbered 351, granted by the Atholl Grand Lodge, with the facts of history.
Up to the year 1756 the Atholl Grand Lodge had granted only two military Warrants, numbers 41 and 52, one in 1755 and the other in 1756. In fact, at the end of the year 1757 the numbers on the roll of that Grand Lodge as accurately arranged by Bro. Gould amounted to only 68.
There was a military Warrant numbered 351, but it was not granted until October, 1810.
Indeed, number 351 is too high for the year 1758 roll of
either of the Grand Lodges of England, or of those of
What then was this military Lodge, numbered as 351, at a time when no such numbers could have been reached by
the existing registrations, and what was this Lodge number 3 on the
Bro. MacCalla, referring to the military lodges in
Again this military Lodge number 18 makes its appearance
in another official quarter. C. Downes, Past Master of Lodge number 141, on the
registry of
In his List of military lodges he also gives Lodge number 18, in the 17th Regiment, as third lodge in order of sequence as having been warranted by the Atholl Grand Lodge of England.
But he also gives a list of the lodges which had been warranted up to the year 1804, amounting to 65. How many of these had been discontinued, and what was the date of any of their warrants we can not learn from the List, which gives only the numbers and places and times of meeting.
The 8th
We have an authentic record that in 1767 there had been
and was a military lodge in an Irish regiment stationed at
The records of Lodge number 3, which have been copied in the Early History and Constitution of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, contained the following item:
“Dec. 9, 1767. The majority of (the) Body was of opinion that it would not be proper to admit Bro. Hoodless a member of this or to enter, pass, or raise any person belonging to the army, in this lodge, as there is a lawfull warranted Body of good and able Masons in the Royal Irish regiment.”
So much for the military lodge which is said to have introduced Royal Arch Masonry into the American Colonies, and through whose instrumentality the degree was first conferred in Lodge number 3.
Our next inquiry must be directed to the character and
position of this lodge, which, without rhetorical exaggeration, may be well
called the Mother of Royal Arch Masonry in
The Lists of the Atholl lodges show that the Grand Lodge
of the Ancients granted a Warrant for a lodge at
It is from the date of this Warrant that the organization of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania is reckoned.
Why the lodge warranted in 1758 should be designated as number 2, while that warranted three years afterward should be designated as number 1, can be accounted for in only one way. There was most probably a deputation accompanying the Warrant for number 2, which deputation must have organized a Provincial Grand Lodge which took the number 1. The Ahiman Rezon of Pennsylvanza, for 1825, referring to Lodge number 2, says that “the patents to Provincial Grand Masters were usually in force for one year, at the expiration of which, if a Grand Lodge was formed, it elected its Grand Master, Wardens, Secretary and Treasurer. . . If no Grand Lodge was constituted upon a patent, it expired, and another patent was issued as occasion required.”
The writer then concludes that “it is probable that no
Grand Lodge had been organized upon the first patent issued for
This conjecture is very plausible. The deputation which
accompanied the Warrant for number 69 in
organized, but which nevertheless took the number 1, while
the lodge which on the registry of the Atholl Grand Lodge of England bore the
number 69 was changed on the Pennsylvania roll to number 2. The Provincial
deputation which had been appointed in 1758 not having completely fulfilled its
functions by the permanent establishment of a Provincial Grand Lodge, another
Warrant for that purpose was issued in 1761, and that having been lost on the
way, a second was issued in 1764, and the Provincial Grand Lodge was formed. In
fact this must have been merely a continuation of the first lodge or
deputation, and the Lodge number 69, which had been originally transmuted into
number 2, retained that number, and, excepting the Provincial Grand Lodge, we
find no number 1 on the registry of
But though this deputation of 1758 did not formally and permanently organize a Provincial Grand Lodge, or if it did, has left no record of the transaction, it performed the functions of one by warranting another lodge, which received the number 3.
Of this fact we have the following evidence. When the Grand Lodge of Ancients granted its warrant for a lodge in 1758, no further notice of Pennsylvania was taken by it until it granted the Warrant numbered 89 on its register in 1761, which being lost was replaced by another of the same tenor issued in 1764, and which Gould calls number 1, at Philadelphia.
Between 1758 and 1764 it granted no more Warrants for the
establishment of lodges in
The first act of the Provincial Deputation, or Provincial
Grand Lodge, or whatever may have been the character and designation of the
authority existing in
There is no record extant of this Warrant but the author
of the Early History of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania says that in Lodge
number 3 of
This Lodge number 3 is the one which in 1758, with the concurrence and under the instruction of the military lodge in the 17th Royal Irish Regiment, introduced the Royal Arch degree into Pennsylvania and worked it, as all “Ancient” lodges at that time did, under the authority of its Master’s Warrant.
The absence of the records of early Freemasonry in Pennsylvania, which were lost or destroyed during the revolution, forces us to trust, more than is desirable in writing history, to conclusions mainly based on conjectures; but the conjectures are reasonable, sustained by the strongest evidence and entirely consistent with facts derived from the very few authentic documents that remain.
We are told in the Pennsylvania Ahiman Rezon that other Chapters were afterward established “upon like principles.” That is, they were established under the shadow of Master’s Warrants.
The writer of the Historical View of Masonry, contained in the 1825 edition of the Pennsylvania Ahiman Rezon, tells the story of the further progress of Royal Arch Masonry in that State in the following words:
“In November, 1795, an irregular attempt was made, at the instance of one Molan, to introduce innovations in the Arch degree and to form an independent Grand Royal Arch Chapter, under the Warrants of numbers 19, 52, and 67, held in the city of Philadelphia, and a lodge constituted by authority of the Grand Lodge of Maryland, and another holding under the Grand Lodge of Georgia. Chapter number 3 instituted an enquiry into these proceedings, which they declared, after investigation, to be contrary to the established uniformity of the Craft. The Grand Lodge, upon complaint made, unhesitatingly suspended the Warrants of numbers 19, 52, and 67, and having received the report of the committee raised for that purpose, resolved that Molan ought not to be received as a mason by the lodges or brethren under its jurisdiction. The offending lodges, by the mild and firm course of the Grand Lodges were convinced of their errors, and were received into favora having their Warrants restored to them.
“Throughout this controversy, the Grand Lodge acknowledged the right of all regular warranted lodges, so far as they have ability and number, to make masons in the higher degrees, but lest differences might exist, or innovations be attempted in such higher degrees, which for want of some proper place to appeal, might create schism among the brethren, they resolved that a Grand Royal Arch Chapter should be opened, under the immediate sanction of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania; and that all past and present officers of the Grand Lodge, having duly obtained the degree of Royal Arch, and all past and existing officers of Chapters of Royal Arch masons, duly and regularly convened under the sanction of a warrant from the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, to be considered as members of the Grand Rowral Arch Chapter; and that all members of the regular Chapters shall be admitted to their meetings, but without the right to vote or speak therein, unless requested.”
It has, from this record, been maintained that this was
the first Grand Chapter established in
But the truth is that the Grand Chapter established at
The Grand Chapter of Pennsylvania was merely an instrument of the Grand Lodge. That body alone could grant permission to hold a Chapter, and no Chapter could be held unless with the sanccion of the Warrant of a lodge, and it was expresslydeclared that the Grand Chapter was to be opened “under the immediate sanction of the Grand Lodge.”
Now all these prmcipies oil dependence were repudiated by Welbb and his associates. They expressly declared in the very outset of their labors of organization -no matter whether the statement was historically accurate or not - that no Grand Lodge could “claim or exercise authority over any convention or Chapter of Royal Arch masons.” In the first constitution which they formed they placed Chapters exclusively under the control of Grand Chapters, and by implication abolished all authority of Grand Lodges over them and at the same time denied the right of any Chapter to work under the Warrant of a Master’s lodge.
This system has ever since prevailed in the
The Grand Chapter established at
The Grand Chapter established in 1798 at
To the Grand Chapter formed at Hartford in 1798 must therefore in all fairness Ibe given the precedency of date as being the first independent Grand Chapter established in the United States - indeed we may say it was the first in the world, as the Grand Chapters previously established in England were like that of Pennsylvania, dependent instruments of the Grand Lodge.
The credit, however, must be given to
But during the succeeding years of the 18th century the degree, under various modifications, was introduced into other States, principally by Atholl, or as they were pleased most incorrectly to style themselves, “Ancient York Masons.”
The original system inaugurated by the “Ancients” was strictly followed, and as Thomas Smith Webb, the founder of the American system, has said, during all that period “a competent number of companions, possessed of sufficient abilities, under the sanction of a Master’s Warrant, proceeded to exercise the rights and privileges of Royal Arch Chapters, whenever they thought it expedient and proper, although in most cases the approbation of a neighboring Chapter was deemed useful if not proper.”
The degree practiced was that of the Grand Lodge of
Ancients from whom it was derived.
Joseph Myers was one of the deputies of M. M. Hayes, who had, under the authority of Stephen Morin, been engaged in the dissemination of the twenty-five degrees of the Rite of Perfection, which was afterward developed into the Ancient and Accepted Rite of thirty-three degrees.
Soon after 1783 Myers removed to
Among these degrees was the Arch of Enoch, which was really Ramsay’s Royal Arch. This degree, Dove says, was taught in
During the latter part of the 18th century
several Chapters were organized in
The Royal Arch degree was introduced into
Independent Royal Arch Lodge was warranted in December,
1760. Bro. John G. Barker, the author of
the Early History of Masonry in
But it is evident that the peculiarity of the name refers to the fact of its having been engaged in working the Royal Arch degree. I do not therefore hesitate to place, conjecturally, the introduction of that degree into the Province at a time contemporaneous with the organization of the lodge.
From
Chapters were successively formed in different parts of
the Province, each acting under the authority of a Master’s Warrant. One of the most important of these was
Washington Chapter in the City of
In 1798 a Deputy Grand Chapter was formed under the newly
adopted constitution of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of the Northern States,
and when in 1799 that body changed its title to that of the General Grand
Chapter,” the Deputy Grand Chapter of
In the
In that year the Grand Lodge of Scotland granted a Warrant
for a lodge under the title of “St. Andrew’s Lodge number 82.” In the same year,
if we may credit the statement of Bro. C. W. Moore, “the degree was conferred in
There is no positive information as to the original source
whence the ritual of the degree as it was practiced by the St. Andrew’s Chapter
was derived. Its introduction has been attributed to Moses Michael Hayes, who
is said to have introduced it from
But besides Hayes was one of the Inspectors appointed by Stephen Morin for the propagation of the Rite of Perfection which subsequently became the Ancient and Accepted Rite, and if the degree had been instituted by him, it would have assumed, which it did not, the form of Ramsay’s Royal Arch, or the thirteenth degree of that Rite, as it did in Virginia, where Royal Arch Masonry was introduced by Myers, who was one of the collaborators of Hayes.
But according to
The degree had no rapid growth in
The history of the introduction of Royal Arch Masonry into
In the year 1793 a number of the members of
An agent was accordingly sent to
Though called in the official records a Dispensation, the words of the instrument show that it was really a Warrant of Constitution. Its date is September 3, 1793.
The brethren proceeded under this Warrant to organize
Providence Chapter number 2. This was done on November 23, 1793, with the
assistance of certain Royal Arch Masons who had been invited from
As we learn from the records of this Chapter, the
essential officers were, a High Priest, King, Scribe, Royal Arch Captain, and
Zerubbabel, the latter officer evidently being the one now known as Principal
Sojourner. The fact that an inferior office was attributed to Zerubbabel
instead of the more exalted station of King, as is now the case, shows that the
ritual used in
Such a position for the “Prince of the Captivity” is more conformable to the ritual of the Sixteenth degree or Prince of Jerusalem, in the Rite of Perfection which afterward became the Scottish Rite, but altogether incompatible with the functions ascribed to him in the Royal Arch of the present day.
This circumstance would indicate that there is some foundation for the hypothesis that in its early introduction into the American Colonies, Royal Arch Masonry was to a considerable extent affected by the rituals of the Hautes Grades or High Degrees, which were brought over from France in 1761 by Stephen Morin as the Agent of the “Deputies General of the Royal Art,” for the purpose of “multiplying the sublime degrees of High Perfection.”
Morin appointed his Deputies, who spread over the West
India islands and the continent of
Charters for Mark Lodges were originally issued by Grand
Councils of the Prince of
When the Dispensation or Warrant had been issued by
Washington Chapter for the holding of a Chapter at Providence, the brethren to
whom it had been granted, feeling perhaps incompetents from their want of skill
and experience to undertake unaided the task of organization, invited the
assistance of the Royal Arch Masons who resided at Newport to give their
assistance in the ceremony. The invitation having been accepted, the lodge met
on Tuesday evening, October 29th. But “unavoidable necessity having
prevented the attendance of the brethren from
The evidence of the connection of these
“Our worthy and respectable Brethren from
There is another record in these minutes of the proceedings of Providence Chapter which is of far greater importance, as it shows, officially, the number, names, and sequence of the degrees which in the year 1793 and for some time before were considered asessentially preliminary to the reception of the Royal Arch.
At the meeting on October 5, 1793, when the Dispensation was received from
“Our M.W. having suggested that in order to confer the R A. Degree it would be necessary that the Brethren who were Candidates for the same should previously be initiated in Three Degrees which were between that of Master Mason and the R A., and to accomplish the business as soon as possible, proposed the immediate opening of a lodge for that purpose, which was done accordingly.
“Present, M. W. DANIEL STILLWELL, M.
W. JONA. DONNISON, S. W.
W. JACOB SMITH, J. W.
BR. WILLIAM MAGEE.
“And the Brethren whose names here follow after due preparation were regularly initiated in the degrees of Master lWark, Past Master, and Most Excellent Master.”
This record conclusively proves that Thomas Smith Webb was not the inventor of the Mark and Most Excellent degrees, an opinion that has been entertained by several Masonic writers Webb was not initiated into the symbolic degrees until about the year 1792; certainly not before, for having been born in October, 1771, he was not qualified by age to receive those degrees at an earlier period. The Royal Arch degree he of course obtained at a still later date, and it is certain that in October, 1793, he could not have been competent by skill or experience to invent a ritual, nor could he have had influence enough to establish it.
All that can justly be ascribed to him is that in 1798, and in the subsequent years in which he was engaged in teaching a ritual, he modified the degrees of the Chapter, as well as those of the lodge, so as to give them that permanent form which they have ever since retained.
But though it appears very satisfactorily from this record that about the year 1793 the system of degrees given in a Royal Arch Chapter was well settled in the Northern States, at least in New York and in New England, yet in other parts of the United States and in Canada there remained for a long time, even to the early years of the 19th century, a great diversity in the names and number of the preparatory degrees.
In Philadelphia, where Royal Arch Masonry made its first appearance, having been derived from England through a military lodge, warranted by the Ancient Masons, the system pursued by the
Atholl Grand Lodge appears to have adopted, and the Royal Arch immediately followed the Master’s degree. Such was the case in Royal Arch Lodge number 3, whose minutes, as far back as 1767, have been preserved.
This lodge was so styled because it conferred the Royal
Arch degree as well as the three symbolic degrees. In its minutes, so far as
they have been published, we shall find no allusion to any preparatory steps.
Indeed, the only reference to the degree in the earlier minutes is on December
3, 1767, when the important admission is made that the initiation into the
symbolic degrees of a candidate who had been Entered, Passed, and Raised by
three Royal Arch Masons acting without a Warrant was lawful. (2) There is no
evidence elsewhere, either in
It was, however, from the earliest period made the qualification of the Royal Arch degree that the candidate should have passed the chair either by election or by a dispensation from the Grand Master.
We learn from the minutes of Jerusalem Chapter number 3 that in 1783 the Royal Arch as given in Pennsylvania differed so much from that conferred in Scotland that Bro. George Read, coming from the latter country, where he had been made a Royal Arch Mason, “not being able to make himself known in some of the most interesting points, he was (in consequence of his certificate) granted the privilege of a second initiation.” Bro. Charles E. Meyer, when quoting this extract from the Minutes, in his History of Royal Arch Masonry and of Jerusalem Chapter number 3, as a proof that the rituals of Scotland and Pennsylvania were not alike, says: “It would be interesting to know what these points were that Bro. Read did not possess.”
“It appearing by good authority that Bro. John Hoodless has been duly and lawsfully entered, passed and raised at Fort Pitt in the year 1759 by our brethren, John Maine, James Woodward and Richard Sully, all Royal Arch Masons.” Minutes of Royal Arch Lodge, No. 3.
I think it very probable that there was a difference in the rituals of the two countries at that time, as there is at the present day. But the proof of it from this record is not positive, since the question may very naturally arise, whether the difficulty in this case arose from the difference of ritual or from the ignorance or forgetfulness of the candidate, who had possibly not retained in full the lesson which he had been taught.
In May, 1795, we have the first record of the adoption of the Mark as a preparatory degree, though Bro. Myers thinks it was doubtless previously conferred as a side degree.
The first record of the Most Excellent Master’s degree in
the minutes of Jerusalem Chapters is on November 5, 1796, and from that time
the three preparatory degrees have been conferred in
In Virginia, the Royal Arch was introduced as we have already seen by Myers, and was not the degree practiced either by the Ancient Masons of England or by the Chapters of this country. It was the Thirteenth degree or Royal Arch of Solomon, contained in the series of degrees of the Rite of Perfection. Dislocated from its proper place in the original Rite to which it belonged, it was made to follow the Third degree, without the interpolation of any preparatory step.
Subsequently the Virginia Chapters introduced preliminary degrees, derived from other sources. In the minutes of the Grand Chapter, as late as 1808, we find references to the degrees of “Most Excellent Master,” and of “Arch and Royal Arch Excellent and Super-Excellent Masons.” (1)
In
There was not, however, absolute
uniformity. According to Wheeler (“Records of Capitular Masonry in Connecticut,”
p. 21), the minutes of Solomon Chapter No. 5 at Derby contain no notice of the
Past Master’s degree until January, 1796, and the Mark and Most Excellent
Master are not mentioned until a later period. But in Vanden Broeck Chapter, at
We have already seen that the names and ranks of the officers of Chapters in the 18th century differed from those now used. For instance, Zerubbabel, who now occupies one of the prominent places in our modern ritual, was formerly placed at the bottom of the list.
The by-laws of Hiram Chapter, at
“It shall be the duty of the High Priest to preside at every meeting, to direct the business and to give occasionally a lecture; of the King to preside in the absence of the High Priest, and to assist him in his duty; of the Scribe, to preside in the absence of both, to cause the Secretary to enter in a fair and regular manner the proceedings of the Chapter in a book provided for that purpose, to summons the members for attendance at every regular and special meeting and also to administer the obligation; of Zerubbabel, to superintend the arrangements of the Chapter; of the Royal Arch Captain, to keep watch at the Sanctuary; of the three Grand Masters, to watch the vails; of the Treasurer, to receive the monies, to keep an account thereof and to pay none but on the warrant of the High Priest, and to render an account at the meeting previous to the annual election; of the Secretary, to keep the minutes under the direction of the Scribe, to receive the fees for admission, and to pay the same to the Treasurer; of the Clothier, to provide and to take care of the clothing; of the Architect, to provide and take care of the furniture.”
The Royal Arch was probably introduced into many of the
Southern States, as it had been into the Northern, either by
possessors of the degree coming direct from
Chapters were, however, not organized as independent
bodies, but the degree was, until some time after the beginning of the 19th
century, conferred both in
Many years ago, while investigating the history of Royal
Arch Masonry in
I have in years past made the acquaintance of several Royal
Arch Masons in the upper part of
The manuscript Minutes of Royal Arch Chapter number 1, under the sanction of Forsyth’s Lodge number 14,” are now, or were, some years ago, on the Archives of the Grand Chapter of Georgia. For an examination of these interesting records I was indebted to the kindness of the Grand Secretary, Comp. B. B. Russell.
The Chapter met in the City of
These records state that the chapter at
“If there is any rule or by-law that requires a Royal Arch Chapter to apply for a special dispensation or Warrant, it is unknown to us. We conceive that the Warrant given to Forsyth’s Lodge was sufficient for the members thereof to confer any degree in Masonry agreeable to the ancient usages and customs.”
The same usage was pursued at the same time in South Carolina, where, as has been previously stated, Orange Lodge number 14 in 1796 adopted a resolution to “sanction the opening of a Royal Arch Chapter under its jurisdiction, and again in January, 1803, resolved “that the privilege of the Warrant of this lodge be granted for the use of the Royal Arch Chapter of Charleston.”
That this usage was not confined to the Atholl lodges is
seen from the fact that while Orange Lodge in
The first Chapters in these States, under the constitution
of the General Grand Chapter, were established in 1805 at Beaufort in
The Grand Chapter of the former State was formed in 1812; that of the latter in 1816.
But reverting to the subject of the early ritual of Royal
Arch Masonry and to the differences which prevailed toward the end of the 18th
century in the names and character of the degrees, we shall meet with some
interesting information in these Minutes of the Royal Arch Chapter at
The business of electing candidates for the Royal Arch having been accomplished in an informal meeting of Royal Arch Masons. a Master Mason lodge was opened, when, the qualification for exal tation being to “pass the chair,” they were made what are now called “Virtual Past Masters.”
We find this in the records of the first meeting of the Chapter of which the following is an exact transcript made by me from the original manuscript.
“At a meeting of the subscribers, Royal Arch Masons at Forsyth’s Lodge room the 29th February, 1796.
“Read a petition from Brothers Joseph Hutchinson, William Dearmond, and John McGowan, Master Masons of Forsyth’s Lodge, praying to become Royal Arch companions; and the same being agreed to, a Master’s lodge was then opened.
“Present: Thomas Bray, Master; Thomas Davis, S.W.; D.B.
Butler, J. W.; Joseph Hutchinson,
“Brothers Hutchinson, Dearmond, and McGowan were regularly passed the chair and obtained the degree of Past Master, and returned thanks for the same. The lodge was closed.
“A Royal Arch Chapter was then opened in ancient form.
“Present: Thomas Bray, H. P.; Thomas Davis, C.S.; D.B. Butler, K.
“Bro. Hutchinson (attending) received the preparatory degree; also Brothers Past Masters Dearmond and McGowan. They were then in rotation raised to the super-excellent degree of Royal Arch Masons, and returned thanks for the same.”
Subsequent minutes are of the same character, except that the election of the candidates took place in a Master’s lodge and not as in the first in an informal meeting of Royal Arch Masons. But, of course, we are to suppose that all the Master Masons present were not only Past Masters but also Royal Arch Masons.
But what were the preparatory degrees? That question is answered by the Minutes of November 29, 1796 these degrees are for the first time given. The record is as follows:
“At an extra meeting of Forsyth’s Lodge, convened by the order of the W. M. and held at the court-house on Tuesday 29 November, 1796.
“Present: Thomas Bray, Master; Thomas Davis, S.W.; William Dearmond, J. W. pro tem.
“A Master’s Mark lodge was opened for the purpose of conferring the degrees of Fellow-Craft Mark and Master Mark on Brothers John McGowan, Lawrence Trotti, and John B. Wilkinson, when they, attending, received the same and returned thanks to the lodge; which was then closed. A Past Master’s lodge was then opened.
“Present: Thomas Bray, M.; Thomas Davis, S.W.; William Dearmond, J. W. pro tem., John McGowan.
“The lodge was opened for the purpose of conferring the degree of Past Master on Brothers Lawrence Trotti and John B. Wilkinson, when, they attending, were regularly passed the chair and obtained the degree of Past Master, and gave thanks for the same. The lodge was then closed in ancient form. The Royal Arch Chapter was then opened.
“Present: Thomas Bray, H. P.; Thomas Davis, C. S.; John McGowan, K.; William Dearmond, R. A. C.
“The minutes of the last Chapter were read. The M. E. H. P. informed the companions present that the Chapter was called for the purpose of conferring the Super-excellent degree on Brothers Lawrence Trotti and John B. Wilkinson, who were then attending. Bro. Trotti was then duly prepared and received the preparatory degree of R. M. and R. A., also Brother Wilkinson. They were then raised to the super-excellent degree of Royal Arch Mason, and returned thanks. The Chapter was then closed by order of the M. E. H. P.”
These records supply us with several interesting and
important facts relating to the ritual and the organization of Royal Arch
Masonry in
The Chapter degrees were then, as has been already shown from other sources, conferred under the sanction of the Warrant of a Master’s lodge, but the body in which the Royal Arch degree was given was called a Chapter.
Nine Royal Arch Masons were not then deemed necessary to the opening of a Chapter or the conferring of the degree.
The only officers mentioned are a High-Priest, Chief
Scribe, King, Royal Arch Captain, Treasurer and Secretary, and the Scribe
appears to have taken precedence of the King. The officer called “Zerubbabel”
in the Northern Chapters, is not mentioned in the Southern. In the latter it is
probable that the same officer was called the “Royal Arch.” The Royal Arch
Captain could not have supplied his place, for both officers are recorded in
the Minutes of the Providence Chapter in
It was always deemed an indispensable qualification for
the reception of the Royal Arch degree that the candidate should be a Past
Master. This practice, established in
At first, as is shown by the minutes of February 29, 1796, the ceremony was performed in a Master’s lodge. The same usage was observed at several subsequent meetings, but on December 26, 1796, for the first time it is recorded that the Master’s lodge was closed and a Past Master’s was opened for the purpose of conferring what had then become, not a mere qualification, but a preparatory degree.
Other preparatory degrees are mentioned in the earliest Minutes, but their names are not given until a later period. From the later minutes we learn what these degrees were. They are recorded in the November minutes as having the following names and being given in the following order:
Past Master, Fellow-Craft Mark, Master Mark, R.M., and R.A. These last two degrees are never recorded otherwise than by their initials, but we have every reason to believe, from other authorities, that they were Royal Master and Royal Ark, or Royal Ark Master.
Samuel Cole, writing in 1826, says of these two degrees that “they are considered as merely preparatory and are usually conferred immediately before the solemn ceremony of exaltation.” Cole’s work received the sanction of the Grand Lodge of Maryland, and it is hence evident that these two degrees were at one time conferred in the Chapters of the State. They were not known to or practiced in the chapters of the Northern States.
It will be noticed also, as a further evidence of the want
of uniformity in the rituals of the 18th century, that the Minutes
of the Chapter at
Passing over from the
In the year 1856 the members of Ancient Frontenac Chapter, attached to the St. John’s Lodge number 491, English Register, situated at Kingston in Canada, published a history of the Chapter from its organization. From this little but interesting work may be gleaned a very satisfactory statement of the character and condition of Royal Arch Masonry at the end of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th century.
Ancient Frontenac Chapter, which is or was the old Chapter in Canada West, was established at Freemasons’ Tavern, in the town of Kingston, on June 7, 1797, under the sanction of a Warrant which had been granted to Lodge number 6 on November 20, 1795, by R. W. William Jarvis, at that time Provincial Grand Master of Canada, under the Atholl Grand Lodge of England.
Master’s lodges in
Until the year 1809, the three principal officers of the Chapter were designated as “1, High-Priest; 2, Solomon, King of
Israel; and 3, Hiram, King of Tyre.” Judging by this, we must conclude that the
ritual used in Frontenac Chapter differed very materially from all the various
systems which prevailed at the time in other parts of
The earliest records of the Chapter do not show any recognition of preparatory degrees. The “Most Excellent” was first conferred on April 17, 1807, and the “Mark” on July 20, 1818. These degrees were not, however, even then obligatory, but appear to have been taken or not, at the action of the candidate; and as there was an attendant expense, few of the brethren availed themselves of the opportunity of receiving them. The Past Master’s was, however, a prerequisite qualification toward exaltation, and, as elsewhere, it was always conferred in the Master’s lodge to which the Chapter was attached.
Up to the end of the last century, many candidates were exalted when only seven Royal Arch Masons were present, the mystical number nine not being then required to constitute a quorum for conferring the degree.
Capitular Masonry seems to have been separated in Canada from Lodge Masonry in 1806, for on January 18th in that year a decision was received from the Provincial Grand Master for holding a Chapter at Kingston, which, says the pamphlet from which I have been quoting, was “the first step towards this Chapter working under a warrant separate from that of the Craft lodge.”
On February 10, 1818, the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Upper Canada was established, and on March 25th of the following year Frontenac Chapter number 1 received its Charter as one of its constituents.
The extracts given in the preceding pages, from the records of Chapters working at the close of the last and the beginning of the present century, have been sufficient to show that there prevailed at that time, in the different parts of the American Continent, a very confusing variety in the ritual of the Royal Arch and in the number of preparatory degrees, which clearly demonstrates that the conflicting systems must have been derived from different sources.
What these sources were it is impossible to precisely say, at least in every instance, in consequence of the unavoidable scantiness of the records. The general drift of history leads us to believe that among these sources were the Grand Lodge of Ancients, in England, and at a later period the Grand Lodge of Moderns, both of whom disseminated the degree through their military lodges, the Grand Lodge of Scotland, or rather the Royal Arch Masons of that kingdom, who practiced the degree without the recognition of their Grand Lodge, and as in Virginia and the Southern States the possessors of the “Sublime degrees,” as they were called, which had been introduced into this country from France by Stephen Morin and his emissaries or deputies.
The result of borrowing rituals from so many different sources inevitably led to a deplorable diversity in the ceremonies, which led the Royal Arch Masons in some of the Northern States to attempt the laying of a firm foundation on which a uniform system might be established, and the constitution of a superintending authority which should maintain that uniformity, and give to Capitular Masonry a symmetry and shapeliness which should secure to it a permanence and success such as had been previously given to Craft Masonry by the ritualistic labors of Desaguliers and his associates in the second and third decades of the 18th century.
This work of reformation and of purification, in which the dross was rejected and the pure ore only retained, was finally accomplished by the institution of the General Grand Chapter of the United States, which was one of the most important events in the Masonic history of the United States.
To this event we must therefore next direct our attention. But the extent and interest of the subject demand a separate chapter for its consideration.
As the system of Royal Arch Masonry which is practiced in the United States of America is really indebted to the organization of the General Grand Chapter for its existence and popularity, no history of that body could be complete without some account of the Masonic life of Thomas Smith Webb, who was the founder of both the system and the General Grand Chapter.
I shall therefore precede the history of the origin of the General Grand Chapter by a brief sketch of the Masonic services of that distinguished ritualist.
Thomas Smith Webb was the son of English parents who had
emigrated to this country a few years before his birth, and settled at
Having received an elementary education in the public schools, he was bound as an apprentice to the art of printing, or perhaps of book-binding. There is some uncertainty about this question, but the testimony preponderates in favor of the former. It is, however, not material as, in after life, he did not pursue either calling.
Having soon after removed to
Subsequently he removed to
Arch Masons and a Commandery of Templars. We may also
suppose that while living in
It was about this time that Webb commenced his career as a
Masonic ritualist and teacher. In 1797 he published the first edition of his
Freemasons’ Monitor, or Illustrations of Masonry. In the Preface to this
work he acknowledges his indebtedness to
About 1801 he removed to
His labors in the constitution of a Grand, and afterward a General Grand Chapter, will be hereafter referred to.
While continuing his interest in the manufacture in which
he was engaged he did not neglect his Masonic labors, but in 1816 visited the
Western part of the
He died at
As to Webb’s Masonic character and services, I see no reason to say otherwise than what I have already said on a former occasion.
His influence over the Freemasons of this country is to be ascribed almost wholly to his personal communication with them and to his oral teachings. He has made no mark in Masonic literature of any importance. His labors and his reputation as an author are confined to a single work, and that one of but little pretension. It is, indeed, only a meager syllabus of his Lectures. He seems, though the author of a Masonic system now universally practiced in the United States, to have been but very inadequately imbued with the true philosophical spirit of symbolism. He was an able workman of the ritual which he had invented, and an effective teachers and to this he owed his popularity. The deficiencies of his system are to be regretted, but Webb undoubtedly deserves commendation for his devotion and perseverance in the establishment or a system of ritualism which has been productive of such abundant fruit.
The Freemasons of America have generally attributed to him
the invention of the preliminary degrees of the Chapter. But of this fact we
have no satisfactory evidence, while there is much to the contrary. It has been
seen in a preceding chapter that the Mark and Past degrees, as well as the Most
Excellent, though probably under a different name, had been conferred in
Chapters before Webb had been exalted in
But what Webb really did, was to change the rituals of these degrees and to give to them the form which is now universally adopted in the Chapters of this country.
For instance, the Mark Master’s and the Most Excellent Master’s songs, which now constitute essential parts of the working of those degrees, and are indispensably connected with their most important ceremonies, were composed by him and first published in his FreeMason’s Monitor. They could therefore have been introduced into the work only after his composition of them.
In short, Webb can be deemed the founder of what is now called the “American Rite” only in so far that he modified the degrees which had previously existed, and gave to them not only a new and improved form, but established them in a legitimate sequence which has ever since been recognized by the constituted authorities.
Previous to his teaching, there was no regularity in the management of the preliminary degrees. In some Chapters they were conferred as preparatory to the Royal Arch; in others they were omitted, and the Royal Arch immediately followed the Third degree. For the permanent regularity now existing, we are certainly indebted to Thomas Smith Webb.
With this brief sketch of the Masonic life of this popular ritualist, we are now prepared to direct our attention to that portion of his labors which were especially given to the establishment of Royal Arch Masonry on a plan peculiar to this country.
The supplement of the Master’s degree, which had been introduced by the Seceders into the English system, about the middle of the last century, was not long after imported into this country. This importation has been generally attributed to the military lodges which worked under the regime of the Atholl Grand Lodge, and which had received, at the time of their constitution, the instructions and the privileges of the Royal Arch.
It has been seen that the first American Chapter was
instituted at
At a somewhat later period in the century the Royal Arch
degree was conferred in many lodges in the
But in the Northern States, the control of the Royal Arch was assumed by independent Chapters at an earlier period.
From the records of the General Grand Chapter it appears that St. Andrew’s Chapter was instituted at Boston, in 1769; King Cyrus Chapter at Newburyport, Mass., in 1790; Providence Chapter at Providence, R. I., in 1793; Solomon Chapter at Derby, Conn., in 1794; Franklin Chapter at Norwich, another of the same name at New Haven, Conn., and Hudson Chapter at Hudson, N. Y., in 1796.
On October 24, 1797, a convention of Royal Arch Masons was
held in
At this convention delegates from three Chapters were
present: St. Andrew’s, of
This convention, probably in consequence of the small number of Chapters represented, did no more than issue a circular addressed to the various Chapters in the Northern States, recommending a future meeting to be held at Hartford.
In this circular the delegates at
On January 24, 1798, a convention of delegates from seven
Chapters assembled at
At this convention the following Chapters were
represented: St. Andrew’s, of
The States represented were, therefore,
It was then unanimously resolved that the delegates should establish a Grand Chapter for the States of New Hampshire,
On the next day, delegates from
On January 26, 1798, a constitution was adopted and immediately afterward the officers were elected.
The preamble to this constitution ordains and establishes the body as “The Grand Royal Arch Chapter for the Northern States of America,” a title under which jurisdiction was assumed over the States of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, and New York.
In each of these States there was to be under the jurisdiction of the Grand Chapter a Deputy Grand Chapter, over which a Deputy Grand High-Priest was to preside, assisted by a Deputy Grand King and a Deputy Grand Scribe.
The Grand Chapter was to be composed of its officers elected for the time, of the Past Grand High-Priests, Kings, and Scribes, and of the first three officers of the Deputy Grand Chapters.
The Deputy Grand Chapters were to be composed of the elected officers, of the Past Deputy Grand High-Priests, Kings, and Scribes, and of the High-Priests, Kings, and Scribes of the subordinate Chapters.
The Grand Chapter was to meet biennially and the Deputy Grand Chapters annually, and the first meeting of the former body was to be held at Middletown, Conn., on the following September.
In this Constitution the nomenclature and precedency of the Capitular degrees, which had hitherto been somewhat unsettled, was finally determined, so that the names and order of sequence should remain forever thereafter as they were then established.
This arrangement has ever since remained unchanged and makes the Mark Master, Past Master, and Most Excellent Master essentially preliminary degrees, to be followed by the Royal Arch degree as the consummation of the system.
This constitution gave to the Grand Chapter an exclusive power to hear and determine all controversies between Chapters within its jurisdiction, and an appellate jurisdiction over all the proceedings of the Deputy Grand Chapters.
As far as regards the States of Massachusetts,
Chapters in
The convention then proceeded to the first election on the newly adopted constitution, which resulted in the following choice of officers:
Ephraim Kirby, of Connecticut, Grand High-Priest; Benjamin Hurd, Jr., of Massachusetts, Grand King; Thomas Smith Webb, of New York, Grand Scribe; William Woart, of Massachusetts, Grand Secretary;
Rev. Abraham Lynsen Clarke, of
Stephen Titus Hosmer, of
It will be seen that the meeting here described was only
that of a convention to take the preliminary steps for the organization of a Grand
Chapter. The first meeting of the “Grand Chapter of the Northern States,” after
that organization, was holden on October 19, 1798, at the city of
No other business was transacted, and the Grand Chapter
adjourned to hold its second meeting on the second Wednesday of January, 1799,
at
The Grand Chapter accordingly convened at
At this Convocation some important changes in the regulations were made, and the constitution was revised.
The title of the Grand Chapter was altered to that of the “General
Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons for the six Northern States of
Thus, the internal regulations of the State Grand Chapters and their subordinates are all directed by this Constitution. It prescribed the method of granting charters, the number of petitioners, the fee to be paid, the titles of the officers, the time of election, the price of the degrees, and the rule for receiving candidates, with several other points, all of which have always been implicitly obeyed.
In a word, the Constitution of the General Grand Chapter has been received as, in some sort, the common law of Royal Arch Masonry in this country. This law, derived from and formulated by that body, has universally been accepted, and it is admitted that it cannot be repealed or rescinded in any of its parts by any inferior body.
If the General Grand Chapter had accomplished no other good result by its organization, this alone would furnish a sufficient defense of its institution, and an answer to those discontented spirits who from time to time have sought for its dissolution.
The third convocation was holden at
An oath of allegiance was also for the first time prepared, and every officer of a lodge or Chapter under the jurisdiction of the General Body was required, on assuming office, to swear that he would support and maintain the General Grand Royal Arch Constitution.
The exclusive right of issuing charters to subordinate Chapters, in States where there were Grand Chapters, was conferred by this constitution on those bodies, while the General Grand Chapter reserved to itself the right of issuing warrants for Chapters which were to be established in States where no Grand Chapters existed.
The next septennial convocation of the General Grand Chapter should have taken place in 1813. But at that time the United States were engaged in a war with Great Britain, and the situation of the country incidental to such a cause was such as to prevent the General Grand Chapter from convening.
A special session was called in 1816 at the city of
this too liberal action has been found to be productive of some trouble.
Indeed, in the very inception of this proceeding there was
an evident irregularity. The Grand Chapter of Maryland proposed to enter the
This was reported to the General Grand Chapter by the Committee of conference, which recommended the admission of the Grand Chapter of Maryland, “under a consideration of all the circumstances,” which of course must have referred to its request to continue its peculiar mode of working. The terms of the report were agreed to by the Maryland delegates, and accepted by the General Grand Chapter, which immediately afterward resolved that the Grand Chapter of Maryland and the District of Columbia be admitted under its jurisdiction, “subject to the Constitution and Regulations of the said General Grand Chapter.”
It is very difficult to discover the real meaning and
result of this action. The acceptance of the report permitted the
The
In 1829 the General Grand Chapter recommended that these degrees, which have always been under the control of independent organizations, known as Grand Councils, should be conferred in Royal Arch Chapters, but in 1853 it retraced its steps and declared that the Mark, Past, and Most Excellent Master were the only captular degrees, thus returning to the original arrangement of Webb.
In 1870 another attempt was made by several of the Grand Chapters to get the two degrees of Royal and Select Master incorporated as preparatory steps in the Capitular system, but it did not succeed, and most probably never will.
According to adjournment another session of the General
Grand Chapter was holden inthe city of
The sixth session of the General Grand Chapter was holden
at the city of
Probably the most important event that occurred at this meeting was an attempt made to dissolve the General Grand Chapter. This was the first effort at a suicidal policy which has since been several times repeated, but always without success.
The attack was made by the Grand Chapter of Kentucky, which presented a memorial, copies of which had previously been transmitted to the different Grand Chapters with the hope that they would unite in the action.
In this memorial the Grand Chapter of Kentucky set forth at great length its reasons for desiring a dissolution of the organization. They are the same arguments which have since been advanced at different times.
The objections urged against the General Grand Chapter were its nationality, the danger of its usurping the functions and destroying the sovereignty of the State Grand Chapters, the existence in it of life members, whose voice and numbers might become more potential than the votes of the elected delegates who would soon be in a minority, and, finally, the great expense of supporting such an organization.
But the arguments, plausible as they might have appeared,
had no weight with the Grand Chapters, nearly all of which expressed their
opposition to any such movement. When the question was submitted to the
convocation, only two votes, those of the delegates from
It is “passing strange” that an institution whose utility has been proved by ample experience, should ever have met with opposition to its existence. We have already seen that to it we are indebted for that common and universal law, which has done so much good in the establishment of an organized system.
When we remember the discordant condition of Royal Arch Masonry at the close of the last century, when the number of the degrees, their names and the order of their sequence, which varied in every State and sometimes even in adjacent Chapters, when there was no positive and generally recognized principles of Masonic law, and no authority to which to appeal for the settlement of controversies in ritual or in custom, and when we view the uniformity which now prevails in all parts of the country, which is undoubtedly owing to the weight and influence of the General Grand Chapter as a well-organized head, it can not be denied that all American Royal Arch Masons owe a debt of gratitude to the founders of that institution which thus wisely brought order out of chaos.
It is not worth while to extend this history beyond the
period at which we have arrived. From the year 1826 the General Grand Chapter,
now placed on a stable foundation, has continued to meet triennially at different cities of the
Its jurisdiction now extends over the whole of the
The following list of all the Presiding officers of the body since its organization will be of interest as an historical document. It will be seen to embrace the names of some who have been distinguished in Freemasonry or in political life:
1798, EPHRAIM KIRBY, of
1799, EPHRAIM KIRBY.
1806, BENJAMIN HURD, of
1816, DEWITT
1819, DEWITT
1826, DEWITT
1829, EDWARD LIVINGSTON, of
1832, EDWARD LIVINGSTON.
1835, Rev. PAUL DEAN, of
1838, Rev. PAUL DEAN.
1841, Rev. PAUL DEAN.
1844, Rev. PAUL DEAN.
1847, ROBERT P. DUNLAP, of
1850, ROBERT P. DUNLAP
1853, ROBERT P. DUNLAP.
1856, CHARLES GILMAN, of
1859, ALBERT G. MACKEY, of
1865, JOHN L. LEWIS, of
1868, JAMES M. AUSTIN, of
1871, JOSIAH H. DRUMMOND, of
1874, ELBERT H. ENGLISH, of
1877, JOHN FRIZZELL, of
1880, ROBERT F. BOWER of
1883, ALFRED F. CHAPMAN, of
1886, NOBLE D. LARNER, of
1889, DAVID F.
1891, JOSEPH P. HORNOR, of
1894, GEORGE L. MCCAHAN, of
1897, REUBEN C. LEMMON, of
1900, JAMES W. TAYLOR, of
1903, ARTHUR G. POLLARD, of
1906, JOSEPH E. DYAS, of
1909, NATHAN KINGSLEY, of
In Deo Fiducia Nostra.
Or .’. of
THE GRAND COMMANDER OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL FOR THE SOUTHERN
JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED STATES:
To the Free-Masons of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite
throughout this Jurisdiction
The Masonic Text-books written by him for the Symbolic Lodge, the Chapter of Royal Arch, and the Council of Royal and Select Masters, his Treatises on Masonic Jurisprudence, on Parliamentary Law as applied in Masonry, and on Symbolism, his Lexicon and Encyclopaedia of Free-Masonry, and the Masonic Periodicals at different times edited by him, have made his name as an Author widely and well known in this and in other countries. He stood, indeed, at the head, facile princeps, of all the Masonic writers of the world. A ripe scholar and an accomplished writer as well as an educated physician, he would have won even a larger fame in other and wider fields of literature.
Bro.’. Mackey was Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of
South Carolina for many years, a Commander of Templars, Grand High Priest of
the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of the State, and General Grand High
Priest of the General Grand Chapter of the
Bro.’. Mackey had lived all his iife among gentlemen, and had the manners and habits of a gentleman. Tall, erect, of spare but vigorous frame, his somewhat harsh but striking features were replete with intelligence and amiability; he conversed well, and was liked as a genial and companionable man, of a cheerful, tolerant and kindly nature, who if he had quarrels with individuals, had none with the world. Idolized by his wife and children, he loved them devotedly, and suffered intensely when, one after another, his two intelligent and amiable daughters died. He had many friends, and made enemies, as men of strong will and positive convictions will always surely do. He plotted no harm against any one, and sought no revenge, even when he did not forgive, not being of a forgiving race, for he was a McGregor, having kinship with Rob Roy.
Masonry will not soon lose as great a man, and she may well put dust upon her head and wear sackcloth in her Lodges, where, in Masonry, his heart always was.
Of course, as he grew old, he had his crosses and troubles, and fortune was not kind to him. Adversity may be profitable; but the world goes too hardly with too many of us; and Sallust truly says:
‘In luctu argue miseries mortem arumnarum requtem, non cruciatum,
esse:’
‘In grief and sorrows, death is a rest from troubles, and not a misfortune.
A great man hath fallen in Israel; and, in the words of Pushmataha the Chahta Chief, it is like the falling of a huge oak in the woods The fall will be heard afar off, and the sound be re-echoed from many and far-off lands.
Upon the reading of this letter in the Bodies of our Obedience, the altars and working-tools will be draped in black, and the Brethren will wear the proper badge of mourning during the space of sixty days. And may our Father Which is in Heaven have you always in His holy keeping!
Albert Pike 33d,
Grand Commander.
Supreme Council, 33d, A.’. A.’. S.’. Rite, For the
Northern Masonio Jurisdiction of the
Offiice of the the M.’. P.’. Sov.’. Gr.’. Commander,
The M.’. P.’. Sovereign Grand Commander, to all Free Masons of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of the obedience of the said Supreme Council.
Sorrow ! Sorrow ! Sorrow !
With profound sorrow I announce to you the decease of our Illustrious
Brother ALBERT GALLATIN MACKEY of the A.’.A.’.Scottish Rite of the Southern
Masonic Jurisdiction of the U. S. He died at Fortress Monroe, Virginia, on the
20th of June, 1881. Bro.’. MACKEY was born at
For a full half century he had been an active, zealous
Mason, always laboring where his work was most needed, to elevate and dignify
Masonry and enlarge the sphere of its usefulness. During his long and active
masonic career he honored many exalted official stations, the duties of all of
which he discharged with signal fidelity. He was for many years Grand Secretary
of the Grand Lodge of South Carolina, “a Commander of Templars, Grand High Priest
of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of the State and General Grand High
Priest of the General Grand Chapter of the
In the Ancient Accepted Rite he was the Dean of the Supreme Councilof the Southern Masonic Jurisdiction, and at the time of his decease and for many years prior thereto, the Grand Secretary
General of our sister Supreme Council. A ripe scholar and an accomplished writer, his taste naturally led him to enter the literary field of the craft, in which his labors were of immeasurable value to the Great Brotherhood he loved so well. The various works he prepared and published, and without which no masonic library is complete, have rendered his name a household word among the fraternity everywhere, and constitute a fitting monument of his love for masonry and his patient and intelligent labor in its behalf. After a long and useful life he has been called to rest, his departure leaving a void to be filled - when ? by whom ? Others may indeed extend and enlarge the work he commenced, but it was he who laid the foundation, and first reared the superstructure. In addition to the various text books prepared by him for the use of Lodges and Chapters, and his other works of a more general character, the Fraternity are more indebted to him than to any other one man for its present admirable system of masonic jurisprudence. When such a man falls, it is meet that his brethren, who alone can appreciate his entire worth, should deplore his loss.
While we tender our sincere sympathy to our Brethren of the Southern Jurisdiction, who were more immediately connected with our deceased Brother, we also feel the loss we have all sustained, and mingle our tears with theirs.
Let these letters be read in all the Bodies of our obedience at the first meeting thereof held after its receipt, and let the altars and working tools be draped with the usual badge of mourning for the space of sixty days.
Given at the Grand Orient, the day and year aforesaid.
ROYAL ORDER OF
IN CRUCE
Washington, 24 June, 1881, A. O. 568.
The Brethren of the Provincial Grand Lodge of the
He was Forn at
the badge of mourning of the Order, on account of the death of this Veteran Brother and Knight, during the space of thirty days from the receipt of this letter.
Morte detur aliquando otium Quiesque fessis.
THE HISTORY OF THE INTRODUCTION
UNITED STATES
WlLLIAM R. SINGLETON, 33D
PART THREE
THE HISTORY OF THE INTRODUCTION
UNITED STATES
THE death of Dr. Albert Gallatin Mackey, June 21, 1881, prevented the completion of his great work on the “History of Freemasonry.”
The preceding chapters, ending on page 1302, were all
written by him, and, as he had contemplated continuing his labors until the
whole history of the Masonic Orders and Degrees should have been completed, his publishers have complimented the present
writer by selecting him to do, imperfectly as it will appear, what so able a
writer as Dr. Mackey would have done, had his life been spared a little longer.
Dr. Mackey’s long and useful career as a Masonic savant and writer had endeared
him to all Masonic students over the wide world of Masonry. Wherever the English language is spoken may be found the
Masonic works of our distinguished brother. In the conclusion of the admirable “Historical
Sketch of the Order of Knights Templar,” by Theodore S. Gourdin, of
G. Mackey, of
The rapid and continued increase of the membership of the Templar Order has kept pace with the growth of the population of the United States, and the progress in all branches of human knowledge, in science, and arts, as we shall demonstrate when we give a history of the Order and show in each particular State, what is the present membership, and the great field for usefulness laid open and the prospect before us, for the great battles which are yet to come, between truth and error, light and darkness, ignorance and enlightenment, crime and obedience to lawful authority, fanaticism, bigotry, and persecution against toleration, liberality and freedom of thought.
The Templars, in the Crusades, for two hundred years fought with material armor against the Infidels and Turks of Syria, but our modern Templars are engaged against more powerful and insidious foes, scattered everywhere in our midst. The Templars of the Crusades were carried from the West to the East, to fight for the Christianity as then known and practiced, a system of ignorance, the great parent of superstition, bigotry, fanaticism, intolerance, and persecution; these are the elements which finally culminated in the Middle Ages, in the Inquisition; and by which the Templar Order, for so many centuries the instrument of the Church of Christ in oppressing mankind, was totally destroyed, and the leaders burned at the stake by Clement V. and Philip the Fair, after they had no further use for them.
The Templars, now only such in name, may be the
instruments of God, in turn, in the next century, to deliver His true children
from the fangs of the monster who for so many ages has kept mankind, so far as
they could be, within his power, in total ignorance of the TRUTH as it was, and
is yet, in Christ the Lord, for whose sake and in whose name the original
Templars fought, bled, and died upon so many hard-fought battle-fields of
Syria. Let this thought be in the mind of every Knight Templar of the present
day and in the future, whose eyes may see these words, written in the year 1899:
That this great country, beginning with a few emigrants from several European
nations, bringing with them to Virginia, first, at Jamestown, the descendants
of the pride and chivalry of Old England; then the Puritans in New England
-while these differed greatly in their method of interpreting the Scriptures,
they were yet agreed in the great principles therein inculcated, viz.:
EQUALITY, FRATERNITY,
These, the descendants of the Reformation, have grown from
the original Thirteen Colonies, despised and looked down upon by the great
monarchies of Europe and
We therefore say to the Commanderies, Preceptories, and
Encampments, and also to each private member of the Knightly Order of the
“Magna est Veritas, et prevalebit.”
In our examination of various authors who have written on
Templarism, we have found it very difficult, if at all possible, to determine,
categorically, when the American Rite of the “ Commandery “ was really
formulated. We learn from ancient as well as recent writers that the Knights of
the Red Cross of Rome and Constantine, Knights of the Holy Sepulcher, Knights
of St. John the Evangelist, and Knights of the Grand Cross were of a much
earlier date than the Knights of the Templar Order. The Knights of the Red
Cross of Rome and Constantine was the first Order of Christian Knights. The
Knights of the Red Cross, which is the first degree conferred in the Commandery
of Knight Templars in the
The real history of the present American degree of the Red Cross is, that it is composed of the 15th and 16th degrees of the A.’. A.’. S.’. R.’.; and the incidents commemorated therein are located at the time of the captivity of the Jews, after the destruction of King Solomon’s Temple, and the return of the Jews to Palestine by direction of Cyrus, and after him by Darius the Persian monarch.
The original symbol of the red cross, which is a Christian
symbol, has no place in the Ritual of the Commandery degree of Red Cross, which
relates to the Jews in captivity and the Persian Court of that date. The first
red cross of
The night before the battle between himself and Augustus
Maxentius the sign of the cross appeared to him in the heavens, with the
inscription “In hoc signo vinces.” This battle has been called “of Saga Rostra,”
which was an ancient station on the “Flaminian Way,” eight miles north of
Having been successful in defeating his opponent,
The Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher, some
writers say, “was instituted by
The same writers say: “After the death of Constantine (337) the popes of Rome claimed, and exercised, sovereign authority over the Order throughout Christendom, delegating to the Papal Nuncios and Cardinal Princes, at the various Catholic Courts, the right to nominate candidates fos the Order of Knights of the Red Cross of Rome and Constantine. Samuel Cole, in the Freemason’s Library, gives a list of the various Masonic degrees and says:
“In a later publication, 1816, we find the following list of Masonic degrees, which the author states are conferred on the Sublime Grand Lodges in Charleston, S.C., in the city of New York and in Newport, R. I.: No. 9 is Knight of the Red Cross; No. 10, Knight of Malta; No. 11, Knight of the Holy Sepulcher; No. 12, Knight of the Christian Mark; No. 13, Knight Templar. The degrees
enumerated amount to forty-three. Besides these degrees there were ten others which were in the possession of most of the Inspectors given in different parts of the world, and which they generally
communicate, free of expense, to those brethren who are high enough to understand them -such as Select Masons of 27, and the Royal Arch, as given under the Constitution of Dublin; six degrees of
Maconnerie d’ Adoption , Compagnon Ecossais, le Maitre Ecossais, et le Grand Master Ecossais, etc., making, with the regular number of forty-three, in the aggregate fifty-three degrees.
“It will be well here to notice that the Select Masons of 27, which the Grand Chapter of Virginia alone retains in her curriculum and confers prior to the Royal Arch, was designed, by the Consistories of the Ancient and Accepted Rite of the last century, and by the Supreme Council of the A.’. A.’. A.’. S.’. Rite of 1802, to follow the Royal Arch. A great many of our distinguished Masons think that the Select of 27 should precede the Royal Arch, as, by its chronology, it does; but they forget that the same chronological circumstances occur in the present arrangement of the Mark degree, which not only follows the Fellow-Craft but also the Master’s degree, while chronologically the events of the first section were prior to the completion of the Temple.”
Cole thus refers to the Knight of the Red Cross: “ After having, as we had supposed, satisfactorily shown that the Order of Knights Hospitalers of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, who were
afterwards called Knights of Rhodes, and now Knights Templars
and Knights of Malta, is indisputably the oldest order of knighthood in the
world, we are suddenly transported into the distant regions of Persia, and
instructed to believe that the Order of the Cross was instituted 520 years
before the birth of Christ, namely during the reign of Darius.” (1) This was
written prior to 1826, and he continues: “This Order has not, until late years,
been practiced in
Cole does not seem to have been aware that the 15th and 16th degrees of the A.’. A.’. S.’. R.’. were the materials for the so-called Red Cross, which has no connection historically with the Templarism of Christianity.
The Caleph Muez destroyed the church of the Holy
Sepulcher, which was rebuilt by the Red Cross Knights and Knights of the Holy
Sepulcher, in 969. In 1093 Philip
From A.D. 337 to 1094 the Popes exercised sovereign authority over the Orders. In 1099 there was held a Grand Conclave of the Orders of the “Knights of the Red Cross and Knights of the Holy Sepulcher.”
“An obscure cavern had become a marble temple paved with
precious stones and decorated with splendid colonnades. To the east of the Holy
Sepulcher appeared the Church of the Resurrec tion, in which they could admire
the riches of Asia, mingled with the arts of
“As soon as the people of the West became converted to
Christianity, they turned their eyes to the East. From the depths of
“Illustrious families of
At the Council of Clermont in
“ Nation beloved by God,” said he, “ it is in your courage
that the Christian Church has placed its hope. It is because I am well
acquainted with your piety and your bravery that I have crossed the
As Urban proceeded, the sentiments by which he was
animated penetrated to the very souls of his auditors. When he spoke of the
captivity and misfortunes of
“When Jesus Christ summons you to his defense, let no base affections detain you in your homes. See nothing but the shame and the evils of the Christians; listen to nothing but the groans of Jerusalem, and remember well what the Lord has said to you: He vho loves his father or his mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; whoever will abandon his house, or his father, or his mother, or his wife, or his children, or his inheritance, for the sake of My name, shall be recompensed a hundred-fold, and possess life eternal.”
At these words the auditors of Urban displayed an enthusiasm that human eloquence had rarely before inspired. The assembly arose in one mass as one man and answered him with the unanimous cry, “ Dieu le veut ! Dieu le veut ! “It is the will of God ! It is the will of God!” “Yes, without doubt, it is the will of God,” continued the eloquent Urban; “you to-day see the accomplishment of the word of our Saviour, who promised to be in the midst of the faithful when assembled in His name. It is He who has dictated to you the words that I have heard. Let them be your war-cry, and let them announce everywhere the presence of the God of armies.” On finishing these words, the Pontiff exhibited to tne assembled Christians the sign of their redemption. “ It is Christ himself,” said he to them, “who issues from His tomb, and presents to you His Cross. It will be the sign raised among the nations, which is to gather together again the dispersed Children of Israel. Wear it upon your shoulders and upon your breasts. Let it shine upon your arms and upon your standards. It will be to you the surety of victory or the palm of martyrdom. It will unceasingly remind you that Christ died for you, and that it is your duty to die for him.”
When Urban had ceased to speak, loud acclamations burst
from the multitude. Pity, indignation, despair at the same time agitated the
tumultuous assembly of the faithful. Some shed tears over
Joseph Francois Michaud, in his Historyof the Crusades,
states: “To the feudal Princes, assembled in the
In 1100 the Crusaders of every country carried the banner of the Order of Knights of the Red Cross of Rome and Constantine.
A Grand Conclave of that Order assembled in
Emperor Michael Angelo Comnenus was chosen Sovereign Grand Master.
The Sovereign Grand Council issued an edict limiting the active membership of Knights of the Grand Cross to fifty
Sir Knights in each kingdom or independent country, and that a Grand Cross Knight shall have precedence, in all assemblies of Sir Knights of the Red Cross, immediately after the Sovereign Grand Master.
Pope Innocent
Order of Knights of
Baron Hunde states: “The great and rapid progress of
Freemasonry on the European Continent is largely due to the efforts of the
Knights of the Red Cross of Rome and Constantine.” He also credits the Knights
of the Red Cross as being the true Templars and as the only Order of Christian
Knighthood that has had a regular succession since it was instituted in 312.
After the Royal Arch degree was introduced into English Freemasonry prior to
1760. Many companies of the Royal Arch, in
At
The history of the Order of the Red Cross of Rome and Constantine and also of Masonry being both silent as to the first connection of these two, there is some authority in the statement of the Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Masons of England, that (in 1788) all the Grand Officers of the Grand Lodge of England and Scotland received the Order of Knight of the Red Cross of Rome and Constantine on their election, and before being installed as a Grand Officer. The retiring Grand Master, if he served two or more terms, receiving the Order of Knight of the Grand Cross on retiring from the Grand East. Masonry and Knights of the Red Cross evidently became closely allied early in the 17th century. All of the above extracts, referring to the Knights of the Red Cross of Rome and Constantine, Knights of the Holy Sepulcher, and Knights of St.
John, have been taken, with some slight alterations of language, from a small pamphlet, issued by C.L. Stowell, K.T. 33d, Sovereign Grand Master of the Knights “of the Red Cross of Rome and
Constantine,” and Thos. Leahy, K. T. 32d, Grand Registrar General which pamphlet is an addition to the literature on the subject of the Knightly “Appendant Orders,” and shows the chronological sequence of those degrees from their origin and present connection with freemasonry through the degree of Knights of Malta - which at present is conferred after the degree of Knight Templar.
Peter Heylinl in his Cosmography of the World (1660), says:
“The Chief Orders of Knighthood in this Kingdom (
“1. Of the Sepulcher, said to be instituted originally (A.D.
314) by Queen Helena, the Mother of Constantine the Great, by whom the
2. Of
“3. Of the Templars, instituted by Hugh of Pagennes, Anno
1113, and confirmed by Pope Euggenius. Their ensign was a red cross, in token
that they should shed their blood to defend Christ’s
Order being dissolved, the lands thereunto belonging were
given to the Knights Hospitallers or of
Hugo de Paganis, after arriving in
Godefroi de St. Aldemar, Roral, Gundemar, Godefroi Bisol, de Montdidier, Archibald de St. Aman, Andrew de Montbar, and
the Count of
(1) In consequence of the services to the Christians
performed by the “Poor Fellow Soldiers,” Baldwin II., King of Jerusalem, gave
them for a habitation, for hitherto they seem to have had no fixed place of
abode, “ the palace or royal house to the South of the
(2) Mosque of Omar or Kubbet es Sakra (Dome of the Rock). This building, which is on the Platform or Original Site of Solomon’s Temple, is an Octagon of 66 feet to each side, having four porticoes and a range of pointed windows incrusted with beautifully colored Persian tiles. Within are two concentric ranges of columns and square pillars - the interior range supporting the drum of the magnificent dome, which is nearly too feet in height and over 60 feet in diameter. Within the central range is a rock 60 x 50 feet rising seven feet above the pavement -tradition saying that it was upon this rock Abraham was about to sacrifice his son Isaac.
Underneath this rock is a cave -a chamber 14 x 16 feet, in
which the Mohammedans now worship. The walls and the drum are covered with
beautiful Byzantine Mosaics of different dates, and the windows are filled with splendid sixteenth century colored
glass. It is supposed that this Mosque
was originally a very early Byzantine church. It was no doubt greatly improved
by Omar, when the Mohammedans occupied
From this palace, or “Solomon’s
Their fame and valuable services soon spread over all
Hugo de Paganis, the first Master of the Templars, visited
Robert de Craou, a nephew of Anselm, Archbishop of Canter bury, succeeded Paganis as Grand Master of the Order.
The Second Crusade was excited by the troubles and dangers
to which the Christians of Syria were exposed from the conquering arms of the
Turks, who defeated the Franks at
Philip Augustus, King of France; and Richard I. of England, were the Leaders of this crusade. In 1189 the Emperor of Germany set out first, but unfortunately died of a fever caused by imprudently
bathing in the
Frederick II., Emperor of Germany, in 1228 led the Fifth
Crusade, and it was ended by a treaty which he made with the Sultan of Egypt,
according to which
Louis IX. (
The Saracens became greatly alarmed, and an attempt was made against Edward by the prince of the Assassins, called the “Old Man of the Mountains.” He employed a fanatic, who, pretending to be a Christian convert, was admitted to the presence of Edward, aimed a dagger at his side, but stabbed him in the arm. Although wounded as he was, he overcame and killed the assassin before his attendants reached him. Being fearful that the weapon had been poisoned, for the wound turned black, when the Master of the Temple and the doctors recommended incision, the Princess Eleanora, agonized at what her lord had to suffer, cried and lamented, until his brother Edmund said: “My sister, it is better you should cry than all England weep.” Edward, holding out his arm, bade his surgeons “cut away and spare not, he would bear it,” and told his favorite knight, John de Vesci, to “carry the Princess away from a sight not fit for her to witness.” Sir John carried her away to her ladies, she shrieking and struggling all the time. The surgical operation was effectual, and, owing to Edward’s virtue of temperance and Eleanora’s tender care of him, he was convalescent in fifteen days.
The forces of Edward, having been greatly reduced by
sickness and want, prepared to leave the Holy Land, where his wife had given
birth to a daughter, celebrated under the name of “Joanna of Acre,” in which
city she was born, and who afterward married Gilbert de Clare, the first
nobleman of
This closed the era of the Crusades.
We might with some profit here pause, and reflect upon the wonderful effect that resulted from these vast and religious wars, between the Western Christian nations and the hordes of ignorant and benighted Mohammedan believers of the East, which successively followed from the First Crusade in 1096 No less than 275,000 men, mostly the dregs of the population of the various nations of Europe, were commanded by a religious fanatic, Peter the Hermit.
The first detachment, under Walter the Penniless, was
destroyed by the Bulgarians, a few only succeeding in reaching
Count Robert of Flanders; Bo’he-Mond, Count of Tarentum, with his cousin, the noble and illustrious Tancred; and Count Raymond of Toulouse; amounting to nearly 600,000 men.
This force, under these noble leaders, defeated Sultan Sol’i-man,
and took possession of his capital, Nice, in 1097, and afterward marched on to
Syria, and besieged and took Antioch, in 1098, after seven months’ siege;
during which time Peter the Hermit, with multitudes of others, deserted the
Crusaders. The Persian Sultan, having sent an immense army of Mohammedans to
aid the others, they were also defeated and routed. The Crusaders then marched
to
The
Then a Turkish Emir, who, having been made Governor of
Aleppo, had defeated the Franks at
The influence of these crusades, extending from 1090 to 1291, a period of two hundred years, was very evident upon the European nations who had so repeatedly furnished their contingents to supply the armies who fought so hard and through so many difficulties in that unfavorable climate of Syria. In reading the accounts of these various crusades we are constantly reminded that in nearly every successful battle the conduct of the brave and gallant Knights Templars insured a complete victory.
The great reputation which they gained caused a constant
increase of their numbers from the very best elements of the higher classes in
Among those who returned, and thus impressed at home the great improvement in manners and customs, none were more influential than the Knights of the several Orders. Their influence was greater by far than any others who were fortunate to return; and consequently, according to human nature everywhere, these Orders became distasteful to all classes by their arrogant and tyrannical conduct, both to high and low; until the King of France, Philip the Fair, and Pope Clement V., for their own selfish purposes, and to gain the wealth of these Orders, determined to suppress them, which resulted in, first, their imprisonment for several years, until the plot was ripe; then by their execution, after the minds of the people had become sufficiently reconciled to their suppression.
During A.D. 1118, some writers say 1188, according to a
Swedish Legend, “the Rose Croix came from the East into
To Ormesius, a priest of
The Order of the Templars, by the exertions of Baldwin, King
of Jerusalem, was greatly extended throughout
The enthusiasm which prevailed in favor of the Templars was
so great over
Hugo de Payens was succeeded by Robert de Craou, surnamed
the Burgundian, son-in-law of Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury in 1136, who
became a Templar after the death of his wife. The Templars were defeated in
several battles by Zenghis and Naureddin, and lost several towns, the principal
one being Edessa In consequence of these defeats application was made to the
Pope for assistance by the clergy of the Eastern Churches, and he commissioned
St. Bernard to preach the Second Crusade. In 1146 Everard des Barres, or de
Barri, succeeded; Lord Robert convened a general chapter at
It was a white standard, having in the center the blood-red
cross, the symbol of martyrdom. Reghellini supposes the origin of this symbol
to be of the highest antiquity. The Second Crusade having been a failure, the
Master returned with King Louis to
He was succeeded by a nobleman of illustrious family of
Bertrand de Blanquefort, of a noble family of
After this the Templars and Hospitalers became the guardians of the true cross - the former marched on the right, and the latter on the left of the sacred emblem.
The Templars conquered the Assassins in 1172, and their chief, “the Old Man of the Mountains,” was forced to sue for peace. Near Ascalon, in a battle (November 1, 1177), “the Infidels were defeated. Odo with eighty Knights broke through the famous guard of Mamelooks, slew their commander, and forced Saladin to fly, almost naked, on a fleet dromedary.” At the battle of Jacob’s Ford, “where there was much hard fighting, the Master of the Hospital, covered with wounds, having fled, and the Count of Tripoli also, the Templars were all killed or taken prisoners and the Master Odo de St. Amand fell into the hands of the enemy. The fortress was burned down, and all the Templars taken in the place were sawn in two except the most distinguished.”
During the difficulties between Philip, King of France, and Boniface VIII., the Templars coincided with the Pope. The King had issued coin below the proper standard, which caused a rebellion, and as the rents of the Templars were very great, they were thought by the King to be the instigators of the disaffection. The King determined to be revenged, and was not long in finding someone suited to his purpose. The evidence of the party who, to obtain the royal pardon, gave his testimony, was merely “hearsay,” but two apostates from the Order, who were expelled and condemned to imprisonment for their crimes, corroborated this testimony. This information was treasured up by the King, to be made use of at the right time. Clement, an unprincipled man, in order to gain the summit of his ambition, had pledged himself on the holy sacrament to comply with a condition of which he was then ignorant. He became the instrument of the vindictive and wily monarch This Order, which had been for one hundred and seventy years the admiration of all Christendom, its members having shed freely their blood, and given thousands of lives to defend Christianity, and lavished their treasures in defense of the Cross against the Infidels, were declared to be heretics and apostates; they were accused of the blackest crimes, all of which were impossible. All the Templars in French dominions were simultaneously arrested and cast into prison. Tortures of every kind were unsparingly applied. Some, to escape these horrible pains, confessed these crimes and absurdities imputed to them, in hopes of obtaining pardon. Most of these, after being restored to liberty, renounced their confessions and solemnly declared that the excessive torments to which they had been put alone induced them to confess that which they knew to be false. They were then treated as relapsed heretics and cast into the flames. Neither age nor rank could escape of those who persisted in denying the guilt of the Order. Some languished in loathsome dungeons for years and perished from neglect disease, and starvation. Others, more robust, were in time restored to liberty, to wander about the world with mutilated limbs, to gain a living as best they could.
It would seem that these events, so well known to the
nations of
Let us now complete the history of the Templars of the Crusades. One recent author says: “The last scene of this dreadful tragedy was yet to be enacted. The four most noble victims were reserved for the last. James de Molay, the Grand Master; Guy, the Grand Preceptor; Hugo de Paralt or Peraldes, the Visitor General. and Theodore Bazile de Merioncourt, who had returned from the East (1307), when summoned by the Pope, and who had languished In prison for five years and a half, were (March 11, 1313) led out to a scaffold which had been erected in front of Notre Dames publicly to avow confessions which the Grand Master had declared were forged. The confessions were read, their assent was required. Two were silent, and were condemned to be incarcerated for life. “But the Grand Master raising his arms, bound with chains, toward heaven, and advancing toward the edge of the scaffold, declared, in a loud voice, that to say that which was untrue was a crime, both in the sight of God and man. ‘I do,’ said he, ‘confess my guilt, which consists in having to my shame and dishonor suffered myself, through the pain of torture and the fear of death, to give utterance to falsehoods, imputing scandalous sins and iniquities to an illustrious Order, which hath nobly served the cause of Christianity. I disdain to seek a wretched and disgraceful exist ence by engrafting a naked lie upon the original falsehood.’ He was here interrupted by the Probo and his officers, and Guy, the Grand Preceptor, having commenced with strong asseverations of his innocence, they were both hurried back to prison.”
King Philip was then informed of the occurrence, and in
his blind fury ordered them to be immediately executed. This took place at four
o’clock the same day,
While the work of completion was going on, the Grand
Master solemnly declared the innocence of his brethren, and then prayed as
follows: “Permit us, O God! to remember the torments which Jesus Christ
suffered to ransom us, and to imitate the example which he set us in enduring,
without a murmur, the persecutions and tortures which injustice and blindness
prepared for him. Pardon, O my God! the
false accusations which have caused the total destruction of the Order of which
They were then hurried off to the stake, the executioners of the King being fearful of an insurrection of the people. Small fires were kindled under their feet. “This hellish torture was borne with fortitude and resignation, without cries or groans, imploring the mercy of God and maintaining the innocence and purity of their beloved Order to the last. At length De Molay, when his body was almost consumed, having yet command of his tongue, looking at the crowd before him, exclaimed:
“You who behold us perishing in the flames shall decide our innocence! I summon Pope Clement V. to appear in forty days, and Philip the Fair in twelve months, before the just and terrible throne of the ever-living God, to render an account of the blood which they have unjustly and wickedly shed!”
The fires burned lower and lower, and in time became extinguished! The mortal parts of James de Molay and Guy had been reduced to ashes - their spirits had returned to their creator!
Vertot and L’Histoire de l’ab. de l’Ord. both doubt the truth of this tradition. The manuscript of Knights Hospitalers, the manuscript of Knights Hospitalers of de la Hogue, and the degree of Novice of the Order of Unknown Phil. Judges state that De Molay made this prediction just before he was placed on the funeral piles.
Vertot, in his account of the origin of the Order of Knights Templars, states that “A Templar and a citizen of Breziers, having been apprehended for some crime, were committed together to a dungeon; for want of a priest, they confessed each other; that the citizen, having heard the Templar’s confession, in order to save his own life, accused the Order to Philip, King of France; charging them, on the authority of what his fellow-prisoner had told him, with idolatry, sodomy, robbery, and murder; adding that the Knights Templars being secretly Mahomedan, each Knight, at his admission into the Order, was obliged to denounce Jesus Christ, and to spit on the Cross, in token of his abhorrence of it. Philip, on hearing these accusations, pardoned the citizen, and disclosed to the Pope this extraordinary confession, with a request that their Order should be suppressed.” - Cole, “ Masonic Library,” p. 286. Vertot says that “In Germany the historians of that nation relate that Pope Clement having sent his bull for abolishing the Order to the Archbishop of Metey, for him to enforce, that prelate summoned all his clergy together, that the publication might be made with greater solemnity; and that they were suddenly surprised by the entry of Wallgruffer, Count Sauvage, one of the principals of the Order, attended by twenty other Templars armed and in their regular habits. The Count declared that he was not come to do violence to any body, but, having heard of the bull against his Order, came to insist that the appeal which they made from that decree to the next Council and successor of Clement should be received and published.
This he pressed so warmly that the Archbishop, not thinking it proper to refuse men whom he saw armed, complied. He sent the appeal afterward to the Pope, who ordered him to have it examined in a Council of his province. Accordingly a synod was called, and after a lengthy trial, and various formalities which were then observed, the Templars of that province were declared innocent of the crimes charged upon them.
Notwithstanding this verdict of innocence it does not appear that either their government or their possessions were restored to them as a distinct order. Their estates in the German Empire were divided between the Knights of Malta and the Teutonic Knights. Many of the Templars joined themselves to the Knights of Malta; and some writers hold this to be probable, for prior to this time the habit of the Knight Templar was originally white; but they now distinguish themselves by the same color as the Knights of Malta, viz., black.
“The fate of the persecutors of the Order is not unworthy
of notice. A year and a month after the horrid execution, the Pope, Clement V.,
was attacked by a dysentery, and speedily hurried to his grave. His dead body
was transported to Carpentras, where the Court of Rome then resided. It was
placed at night in a church which caught fire, and the mortal remains of the
Holy Pontiff were almost entirely consumed. His relations quarreled over the
immense treasures he left behind him and a vast sum of money, which had been
deposited for safety in a church at
“The chief cause of the ruin of the Templars,” justly
remarks Fuller, “was their extraordinary wealth. As Naboth’s vineyard was the
chiefest ground of his blasphemy, and as in
King Philip IV., the Pope, and the European sovereigns
appear to have disposed of all the personalty of the Templars, the ornaments,
jewels, and treasures of their churches and chapels, and during the period of
five years over which the proceedings against the Order extended they remained
in the actual receipt of the vast rents and revenues of the Fraternity. King
Philip IV. put forward a claim upon their lands in
Extracts from writings of Edward Manning, Cardinal Archs
bishop of
“The south of
“So far, however, the Freemasons were really working
stonemasons; but the so-called Cologne Charter (the genuineness seems certain),
drawn up in 1535 at a reunion of Freemasons gathered at Cologne to celebrate
the opening of the Cathedral Edifice, is signed by Melanchthon, Coligny, and
other ill-omened. Nothing certain is known of the Freemasons - now evidently
become a sect during the 17th century, except that in 1646 Elias
Ashmole, an Englishman, founded the Order of Rose Croix, Rosicrucians, or
Hermetic Freemasonry, a society which mingled in a fantastic manner the jargon
of alchemy and other occult sciences with Pantheism. This Order soon became
affiliated to some of the Masonic lodges in
“As we know it now, however, Freemasonry first appeared in
1725, when Lord Derwentwater, a supporter of the expelled Stuart Dynasty,
introduced the order into
From this extract some of our recent writers have thought that “this connection exists just so far as the Templary of our own day clings to its knightly practices, and is true to its Templar Dogmas of the Christian faith and teaching.”
The same spirit of Clement V. is here shown by this famous Manning.
From the various high-grade systems which sprang into existence in Europe
during the middle and latter past of the 18th century came the
Templary on the continent of
The principles in all of the several rites wherein is to be found the Templar degree, are dogmatic utterances, and “squared with the words of that Ancient Landmark, God’s Holy Word.” The lessons of duty found in our modern Templarism are to be applied and practiced in our daily life, and he who follows faithfully all the teaching of our Order will be a “Christian in deed and in truth, and in whom there is no guile.”
History says Philip died a few weeks after the martyrdom
of De Molay, and
By the execution of the principal officers of the Templar
organization their enemies supposed that the Order was destroyed for all time; “
but the Eagle of St. John was merely scorched -not killed. From the ashes of
the old
After the execution of De Molay and the dispersion of the Templars, in all the nations of Europe, their possessions were confiscated and divided among various other Orders; the survivors were compelled to leave their homes, discard their garb of Templars, and mingle again with the world.
If traditions can be relied upon, some preserved their “Order
of the
From tradition, after the death of De Molay, in 1313, the Templars were divided into four parties, viz.:
1. The Templars in
2. Those who accepted Peter d’Aumont as the successor of De Molay.
3. Those who asserted that John Marc Larmenius was his successor.
4. Those who refused to accept either Larmenius or D’Aumont. Passing by the first, second, and third classes, our sketch need only to refer to the fourth - as Modern Templarism is supposed to be derived from the fourth class, which may be divided into two classes -the Scotch and English.
Edward having debarred the Templars from taking refuge
either in
By the death of De Molay, the Order of the
Their assemblies were forbidden under severe penalties,
and at one time six Knights were banished from the island for having been at
one of the meetings. There was no ritual of the Order, hence the ritual now
used, which is a very beautiful and impressive one, is entirely modern. Gourdin
says: “ From ignorance of the true causes which forced some of the Templars to
enter the Order of Malta has arisen the highly reprehensible practice of
dubbing the candidate ‘ a Knight of the most valiant and magnanimous Order of
Knights Templars and Knights of Malta of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.’
This ritual was once in force in the
1. The Order of Christ. When the Templars were suppressed
in
2. The D’Aumont Templars. They professed the system of (1) “Acta Latomorum,” tome i., p. 299.
“Strict Observance,” which its opponents declare to have
been organized in Prussia by Baron Hund, who derived his knowledge of the
doctrines in the Chapter of Clermont, in Paris, he being a member in 1754. (1)
This system is exclusively used in
3. The Larmenius Templars. James de Molay, foreseeing the
evils by which the Order was threatened, nominated as his successor John Mark
Larmenius, of
There has been a difference of opinion among the brethren
as to the authenticity of these legends relative to D’Aumont, Beaujeau, and
Larmenius, and the relics. Some writers have asserted that De Molay had
appointed four Grand Chiefs of the Order in Europe: at
4. The fourth were the Templars, who did not recognize
either of (1) “Acta Latomorum,” tome i., pp. 68, 328. “Historical Landmarks,”
vol. ii., p. 45. The system of Ramsay was known in
1. The Templars in
“From the General Regulations of Royal Arch Masons of
Scotland, it may be inferred that the preservation of a remnant of the Templars
in
In 1785 the Order of H.R.D.M. resumed its functions at
Edinburgh, the presiding officer being styled Wisdom. The body at
Rebold has it that the Grand Lodge of Heredom of Kilwinning united together with all the subordinates to the St. John Grand Lodge of Edinburgh.
2. Those who entered the Order of Knights Hospitalers. In
3. The English Templars. It is supposed, that with the
exception of the Encampment of Observance, all the encampments in the United
States and England owe their origin to the three original is Encampments of
Baldwin,” established at Bristol, Bath, and York. (2) Oliver says: “ In
“The Order of Knights Templars has existed in
“Nothing is known here of the Order of the
“I will shortly endeavor to explain the difference between the Encampment of Baldwyn and the Grand Conclave.
“The Duke of Sussex, having been installed as Knight
Templar at
“In the mean time, of the three Original Encampments of England, the genuine representatives of the Old Knights of the Temple, two had expired, those of Bath and York, leaving Bristol the sole relic of the Order with the exception of those encampments which had been created in various parts of the country, not holding under any legitimate authority, but raised by Knights who had, I believe, without exception, been created in the Encampment of Baldwyn at Bristol.
“Under these circumstances, the Knights of Baldwin felt
that their place was at the head of the Order, and though willing, for the
common good, to submit to the authority of Colonel Tynte, or any duly elected
Grand Master, they could not yield precedence to the Encampment of Observance
(the Original Encampment of the Duke of Sussex) derived from a foreign and
spurious source, the socalled Order of the Temple in Paris, nor could they
consent to forego the privileges which they held from an immemorial period, or
to permit their ancient and well-established ceremonies, costume, and laws to
be revised by persons for whose knowledge and judgment they entertained a very reasonable
and well grounded want of respect. The
Encampment of Baldwyn, therefore, refused to send representatives to the Grand
Conclave of England, or to acknowledge its authority in
Gourdin, from whose admirable Historical Sketch of Knights Templars we have made many extracts, says, in continuation of the matters referred to in the above letter: “While we approve of the noble conduct of the Encampment of Baldwin, and trust that it may soon attain the eminent position to which it is entitled as the sole surviving preserver of our Ancient Mysteries in England, during many centuries of trial.”
Some writers have contended that the Masonry of modern
times “originated in the
It is very certain, from the best histories of the Templar Order, that, in addition to the open ritual for the reception of a candidate for the Order, there was a secret ritual, and no one was admitted within their quarters during the ceremony of reception. This does not, however, prove that, whatever secret ceremonies were used, they were in any manner connected with the Freemasons. Recent examinations by our most advanced Masonic scholars, such as Wm. James Hughan, Robert Freck Gould, and others too numerous to mention who are members of the Lodge Quartuor-Coronati in England, and the Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Scotland, D. Murray Lyon, that, prior to the formation of the Grand Lodge of England in 1717, there was no ritualistic observance in the reception to Masonry. Nor have any indications been found anywhere in the world, that our modern rituals of the various degrees of the Lodge, Chapter, Council, and Templar Order, had any ancient formulas whatever. To the careful student, every one of these ritualistic formulas bears intrinsic evidence of the modern era in Masonry. In the three degrees of the Blue Lodge, the want of congruity and manifest errors as to the facts at the building of King Solomon’s Temple, the topography itself of the site of the Temple, and the situation of the City of Jerusalem - all concur in the conclusion that the ceremonies are all symbolic and allegorical, and consequently so much the more valuable to the student of symbolism and the philosophy contained in these degrees - and this can be said also of all the other degrees.
The Knights of Malta being at the present day incorporated in the Order of Knights Templars, we deem it necessary that this sketch should include some important matters connected with that Order, which, from our preceding notices of them, it will be seen succeeded the Knights Hospitalers, or Knights of St. John, and so called Knights of Rhodes.
Pilgrims and traders from the West to
The great increase of pilgrims required another hospital
which was raised near their church, having a chapel dedicated to St. John
Fleemon (Almoner), a canonized Patriarch of Alexandria, who was the son of the
King of Cyprus in the 6th century. He was elected Patriarch and
founded a Fraternity in
Gerard, as before mentioned, presided over the
In 1130, from the Bull of Pope Innocent II., we have the first authentic notice of an intention of the Hospitalers to have any connection with military affairs. This Bull gives information that the Hospitalers retained, at their own expense, a body of foot-soldiers and horsemen to defend the pilgrims in going to and returning from the Holy Places. The Hospitalers had resolved to add the protecting to the task of relieving pilgrims.
In 1168, the first year of Philip of Nablous as Grand
Master of the Templars, the King of
From this period there was an entire change in the Order
of the
The Order of the Holy Sepulcher was instituted at the same period as the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, and for the same causes.
The following is a list of the Patriarchs of Jerusalem, A.D. 1099 to 1187, from De Vogue:
Diambert )
Arnulphe ) 1099 to 1107
Ebremard )
Gibelin 1107 to 1111
Arnulphe 1111 to 11118
Gorman 1118 to 1128
Etienne (Stephen) 1128 to 1130
Guillaume (William) 1130 to 1146
Foulcher 1146 to 1157
Amanry 1157 to 1180
Eraclius (Heraclius) 1180 to 1190
In 1847 the Pope re-established the Patriarchate of Jerusalem in the person of Bishop Velerga. He only had authority to confer the Order of Knights of the Holy Sepulcher. This was done in the apartment styled the Chapel of the Apparition, where Jesus is said to have appeared to Mary after his resurrection. The Candidate, kneeling before the Patriarch, is asked the traditional questions, and is then girded with the sword and spur of King Godfrey. We have in a former part of this sketch explained the union of the Knights of the Red Cross of Rome and Constantine with the Knights Hospitalers and Knights of the Holy Sepulcher, so that, when these Orders, after the Crusades had ceased, had been driven successively from Cyprus and Rhodes and found refuge in the island of Malta, Which was tendered to them by Charles V., King of Spain, and when the Order of the Templars was suppressed and many of them found a home with the Order of Malta, the junction of the two Orders was formed. We presume that when the modern Order of Knights Templars was formulated, the ritual of Malta was added to that of Knight Templar, and we consider the association much more consonant with the history of these two Orders than the degree of Knight of the Red Cross of Persia and Syria, which has evidently been mistaken for the Red Cross of Rome and Constantine, as before explained.
This Order has been known at different periods by the title
of the Knights of
It was here that the illustrious Villars died in the seventieth year of his age and the fourteenth of his Grand Mastership. In justice to his distinguished merit, the following epitaph was inscribed on his tombstone: “Here lies Virtue victorious over Fortune.”
On December 15, 1542, after a tranquil occupation of this island for more than two hundred years, they were finally ejected from all their possessions by the Sultan Soliman the Second.
After this disaster they successively retired to Castro,
This island was formerly called Melita, from the vast
quantities of honey which it produced. The Romans gained possession of it when
they conquered
The Order now took the name of the Knights of Malta, by
which title they have ever since been designated. Here the organization of the
Order was as follows: The chief of the Order was called “Grand Master of the
Holy Hospital of St. John of
1. The Chief of the language of
2. “ “
3. “ “
4. “ “
5. The Chief of the language of
6. “ “
7. “ “
8. “ “
From the time that the
In 1565 the
On June 9, 1798, the
In 1841 Ferdinand I., Ernperor of Austria, issued a decree
restoring the Order in
In Chapter XXIX. of this work, p. 258 et seq., Bro. Mackey
reviews the history of the Templars in
Lawrie, in his History of Freemasonry in
Little is known of the history of the Knights Templars from
the time of Alexander II. until the 14th century, except that all
their privileges (which we have omitted) were continued to them by succeeding
kings, who directed their piety and their bounties toward the religious Orders.
The possessions of the Fraternity were so extensive that their lands were
scattered ‘over the whole
At the time of the persecution of the Order in other
countries correspondently the Templars of Scotland suffered spoliation, but it
is to be remarked, to the credit of the people of
The Knights of St. John had also been introduced by David
I. into
A union was effected, at the beginning of the reign of James IV., between the Knights Templars and the Knights of St. John, and their lands were consolidated. The precise period of this union is nor known. but the fact is established by the charter of King James, October 19, 1488, confirming the grants of lands made by his predecessors to these two Orders in Latin, which is thus translated: “To God and the Holy Hospitalers of Jerusalem and to their brethren of the Soldiers of the Temple of Solomon.” Both Orders were then united and placed under the charge of the Preceptor of St. John, and there can be no doubt that such an arrangement was political and natural.
It was in
From the era of the Reformation these two Orders, combined, appear in Scotland only as a Masonic body; but the late Mr. Deucher averred that so early as 1590 a few of the brethren had become mingled with the Architectural Fraternity, and that a Lodge at Stirling, patronized by King Jamest had a Chapter of Templars attached to it, who were termed cross-legged Masons, and whose initiatory ceremonies were performed, not in a room, but in the old Abbey, the ruins of which are still to be seen in the neighborhood. The first authentic notice we can find on the subject is in M.
Thory’s excellent Chronology of Masonry, wherein it is recorded that about 1728 Sir John Mitchell Ramsay, the well-known author of Cyrus, appeared in London with a system of Scottish Masonry, up to that date perfectly unknown in the Metropolis, tracing its origin from the Crusades, and consisting of three degrees, the Ecossais, the Novice, and the Knight Templar. For further notice of this subject we refer our readers to Chapter XXIX., ante.
During the 18th century the Scottish Order can
be but faintly traced; though Mr. Deucher had, in 1836, the assurance of
well-in formed Masons that, thirty or forty years previously, they knew old men
who had been members of it for sixty years, and it had sunk so low at the time
of the French Revolution that the sentence which the Grand Lodge of Scotland
fulminated in 1792 against all degrees of Masonry except those of St. John, was
expected to put a period to its existence. Soon after this, however, some
active individuals revived it, and with the view to obtaining documentary
authority for their chapters, as well as avoiding any infringement of the
Statutes then recently enacted against secret societies, adopted the precaution
of accepting Charters of Constitution from a body of Masonic Templars, named
the Early Grand Encampment, in Dublin, of whose origin we can find no account,
and whose legitimacy, to say the least, was quite as questionable as their own.
Several charters of this description were granted to different Encampments of
Templars in
They further determined to entreat the Duke of Kent, the
Chief of the Masonic Templars in
By a provision in it Mr. Deucher, who had been nominated by the brethren, was appointed Grand Master for life.
Mills, Southerland, De Magny, Dumas, Burnes, Gregoire, and others show that the Order of Knights Templars, although
suppressed, was never dissolved in
The persecution of the Templars in the 14th
century does not close the history of the Order; for though the Knights were
spoliated, the Order was not annihilated. In truth, the Cavaliers were not guilty, the brotherhood was not suppressed, and, startling
as is the assertion, there has been a succession of Knights Templars from the
12th century even down to these days; the chain of transmission is
perfect in all its links. James de Molay, the Grand Master, at the time of the
persecution, anticipating his own martyrdom, appointed, as his successor in
power and dignity, Johannes Marcus Larmenius of
The brotherhood has been headed by the bravest Cavaliers in
The history of Sir William Sidney Smith’s connection with the Order of Knights Templars is well substantiated, and is brought very near to our period, as will appear in the following extracts from John Barrow’s Life and Correspondence of Admiral Sir W. Sidney Smith.
From the end of 1815, Sir Sidney mostly made his residence
in
The following is Sir Sidney’s own account of his obtaining this cross, which he wore during his life, and which is now in
possession of the Convent of the Order of
Sir Sidney wrote a letter to a friend from
“I am most anxious to leave
“In the exercise of my duty, representing the King in his dignity, as his Minister Plenipotentiary at the Ottoman Porte, and being decorated by Sultan Selim with his imperial Aigrette, and with a commission to command his forces by sea and land, on the coast of Syria and Egypt, consequently representing that Sovereign in his authority, in the absence of the Grand Vizier (his highness being the one to exert it, when present), and as the Captain Pasha was expressly put personally under my Orders, I thought it my duty to land at Cyprus, for the purpose of restoring subordination and the hierarchy of authority, on a sudden emergency, which arose from the bursting out of an insurrection of Janissaries, Arnants, and Albanians, in the year 1799, after the raising of the siege of Acre.
“On visiting the Venerable Greek Archbishop afterward at the
capital (
In all writings, sketches, and theses upon any particularly important subject, it is eminently proper to draw conclusions there upon, that those who read may learn and duly appreciate the value of such examinations upon the subject-matter under consideration.
The old philosophers suggested that upon all valuable
questions, or propositions, there should be, first, the affirmation; second,
the denial; third, the discussion; fourth, the conclusion. We have, in preceding pages, endeavored, by quotations and deductions
from the most approved authors, shown, we think, the tme history of the
Organization, the progress, triumphal success, decline, and final destruction
of the most glorious, chivalnc, and magnanimous Order of Knights which the
world has ever witnessed In the day of their successful and triumphant battles
of Truth against Error over their Saracen and Turkish opponents, they excited
the wonder of their friends in the West and the highest admiration of their
enemies. They were enthused by their zeal for the cause of Christ, as were also
the Crusaders of every rank who suffered every inconvenience, toil, dangers,
from their human foes, and the more insidious foes found in the climatic
conditions of the countries through which they passed and were more than
decimated by the peculiar local circumstances which accompanied and surrounded
them, in their journeys, marches, and camping-grounds; yet they faltered not,
nor ever ceased in their persistent efforts, which many times were so eminently
successful in repelling all attacks, and in the forward movements to conquer
and possess the strongholds of the Infidels. In the First Crusade, after untold
misfortunes due to the special conditions of the country, diseases of the
climate, and attacks of their foes, they, with a mere handful compared with the
vast numbers with which they crossed the Hellespont, at length conquered and took
Does history repeat itself? What shall we say of the
events at the close of the 19th century, as to the war between
Our limits will not admit of the many extracts from
various writers, in continuation of the history of the Knight Templar Order in
France, England, Scotland, and Ireland, which could be made to show that, up to
the close of the 18th century, and some years in the present
century, the Order was in a measure intact in Europe, and consequently, when
Masonry was introduced into the United States, very many of the brethren
belonged to the Templar Order, and from them we may surmise that the several
encampments which are mentioned in the history of Masonry in this country can
trace their origin. This particular matter will engage our attention when we
write the history of the Knights Templars in the
1. Hugho de Payens, 1118.
2. Robert de Craon, 1136.
3. Everard des Barres or Barri, 1146.
4. Bernard de Tremelay, 1151.
5. Bertrand de Blanquefort, 1154.
6. Philip of Naplous (Native), 1167 to 1170.
7. Odo de St. Amand, 1170.
8. Arnold de Torroge or de Troy, 1180, Chief Preceptor; while
St. Amand was a prisoner the Chief Preceptor died at
9. Gerard de Riderfort, 1185. Taken captive near Brook Kishon, 1187; surrendered October 2, 1187; seat removed to ancient Tyre, successfully defended against Saladin; Grand Master released, 1188; eleven cities given up as a ransom; Grand Master fell at siege of Acre, October 4, 1189.
10. Brother Walter, 1189. During four years of siege of
11. Robert de Sable or Sabloil, 1191. Great battle of
Ramlah was gained and city of
12. Gilbert Horal, or Erail, 1195. Many strong fortifications were built; most celebrated was Pilgrims’ Castle, which would hold a garrison of four thousand men.
13. Philip Duplesseis, 1201. King John of
14. William de Charters became Grand Master. The Grand
Master died at siege of
15. Peter de Montague, Grand Preceptor of Spain, the
Veteran Warrior, 1218.
18. Reginald de Vichier, Grand Marshal, 1152. King Louis,
after his release from captivity, aided in placing
19. Thomas Berard, 1256. The country was in a miserable condition.
The Bibars or Benocdar, the Sultan of
Egypt, with 30,000 cavalry, had invaded
20. William de Beaujea was elected, May 13, 1273. Lists of Strict Observance give Robert , who died in 1277, and then Pierre de Beaujeu.
This closed the Seventh and last Crusade An effort was
made by the Pope to raise another crusade; having, however, died in the
meantime, with him all hopes of assistance from
In 1291 the city of
Acre was besieged on April 4th of the same year
by Sultan Kahlil with 60,000 horse and 140,000 foot, and
Addison says: “so the garrison, which plainly saw they could not hold out long without a commander that was skilled in the art of war, elected Brother Peter Beauieu, Grand Master of the Templars, a general of great experience, who had grown old in the command of armies, to be Governor of the place Necessity of State, the truest interpreter of merit, made them offer the command to him and it was done even with the consent of the King of Cyprus himself, who on a juncture of such importance and so full of danger was well contented to forget the title, which he had always affected, of King of Jerusalem.”
Beaujeu was killed on May 18, 1291, and the three hundred
knights who had fought their way to the
The Grand Master, however, and a few companions, with the
treasure of the Order and ornaments of the Churchs May 19th, at
night, made their escape through a secret postern, and safely reached
The rest of the Knights were buried beneath the ruins
of “the Tower of the Master” when it fell, victims to their resolution to
protect, at all hazards, the Christian women from insult and violation by the
ruthless Infidels, and to their jealous devotion to the religion of the Cross.
The power of the Latin Church in the East was extinguished by the destruction
of the city of
James de Molay, Preceptor of England, was elected Grand
Master by a general Chapter of the Order in 1297. He is thus described by an
enemy of the Order, a French writer: “Molay was the younger brother of one of
the most distinguished houses of the ‘Comte’ of
He was a lord of true merit; brave, of high intellect, of a mild and amiable character; his morals were pure, and his character without a reproach. He had always appeared with distinction at the Court of France, and had been fortunate enough to merit the favor of the King, who, in 1297, had selected him to hold, at the baptismal font, M. Robert, his fourth son. He was still held in such high esteem, when all the lords of the Court, who were yet ignorant of the hatred of the King. and his fatal determination against the Order, concerning which he preserved the most profound secrecy, aided in the election of Molay, even believing that they were affording a pleasure to that prince.”
An endeavor was made by the Grand Master to recover
The clergy were also in constant dispute with them, and the Pope had been compelled to intervene. By some means Philip had become manifestly displeased with the Templars, and it is asserted that his need of money, and his own avarice, prompted him to suppress the Order, that he might enjoy the benefits to be derived from the confiscation of their riches and estate.
GRAND MASTERS OF THE ORDER OF
1099 TO 1799.
1. Gerard Tunc, installed, 1099; died, 1118.
2. Raymond du Puys, installed, 1118, died, 1160
3. Otteger Balben, installed, January, 1160.
4. Arnaud de Comps, installed, 1162.
5. Gilbert d’Ossaly (De Sailly), installed, 1163; drowned 1170.
6. Castus, installed, 1170
7. Joubert (De Osbert), installed, 1175; died, 1177
8. Du Moulin (Roger de Moulin), installed, 1177; killed, May 1,
9. N. Gardiner, installed, 1187; died at Askalon, 1187.
10. Godfrey de Duison, installed, 1192; died, 1201.
11. Alphonsos installed, 1202; abdicated.
12. Godfrey Lo Rath, installed, 1205; died, 1208.
13. Gawen de Montacute, installed, 1208; died, 1231.
14. Bernard de Texis, installed, 1231.
15. Girino, installed, 1232; died, 1236.
16. Bertrand de Comps, installed, 1236; slain in battle, 1241
17. Peter de Villebride, installed, 1241; slain in battle, 1243
18. William de Chateau-neuf. installed, 1243; died, 1259,
19. Hugh de Revel, installed, 1259; died, 1278
20. Nicholas de Lorgne, installed, 1278, died broken-hearted, 1289.
21. John de Villiers, installed, 1289; died, 1297
22. Otho de Pins, installed, 1298
23. William Villaret, installed, 1300; died, 1306
24. Fulk de Villaret, installed, 1307; deposed, 1319
25. Helion de Villannoba, installed, 1319; died, 1346
26. Deodate de Gozon, installed, 1346; died, December, 1353
27. Peter de Cornillan, installed, 1354; died, 1355
28. Roger de Pins, installed, 1355
29. Raymond de Berenger, installed, 1365; died, 1374.
30. Robert de Julliac, installed, 1374; died, 1377
31. Heredia Castellan d’Emposta, installed, 1377
32. Richard Caraccioio, installed, 1383; died, 1395
33. Philip de Naillac, installed, 1396; died, June, 1421
34. Antony Fluvian, installed, 1421; died, October 26, 1437.
35. John de Lastic, installed, 1437; died, May 19, 1454
36. James de Milly, installed, 1454; died, August 17, 1461
37. Peter Raymond Zacosta, installed, 1461; died February 14, 1467
38. John Orsini, installed, 1467; died, 1476
39. Peter D’Aubusson, installed, 1476; died, June 30, 1503
40. Almeric Amboise, installed, 1503; died, November 8, 1512.
41. Guido de Blanchefort, installed, 1512; died, 1512
42. Fabricius Carretto, installed, 1512; died, January, 1521.
43. Philip Villers de l’Isle Adam, installed, 1521; died, August 22, 1534
44. A. del Ponte, installed, 1534; died, November, 1535
45. Desiderio di s. Jalla, installed, 1536; died, September 26, 1536.
46. Homedez, installed, 1536; died, September 6, 1553
47. Claudius de la Sengle; installed, 1553, died, August, 1557
48. John de Valetta, installed, 1557; died, August 21, 1568
49. Peter del Moate, installed; 1568; died, January 20, 1572.
50. Cassiere, installed, 1572
51. Verdale, died, 1595
52. Garzes, installed, 1595; died, February, 1601
53. Wignacourt, installed, 1601; died, 1622
54. Vasconcellos, installed, 1622
55. De Paul, installed, 1622; died, 1636
56. Paul de Lascaris Castellar, installed, 1636; died August 14, 1657
57. Redin, installed, 1657; died, February 6, 1660
58. Clermont de Chattes Gessan, installed, 1660; died, June 2, 1660
59. Raphael Cotoner, installed, 1660; died, 1663
60. Nicholas Cotoner, installed, 1663; died, April 29, 1680
61. Caraffa, installed, 1680.
62. Wignacourt, installed, 1690; died, September 4, 1697.
63. Perrellas, installed, 1697; died, February, 1720.
64. Zondadari, installed, 1720; died, 1722.
65. Anthony Manoel de Vilhenas installed 1722; died, 1742.
66. Pinto de Fonseca, installed, 1742.
67. Ximenes, installed, 1773; died, November, 1776
68. Rohan, installed, 1776, died, 1797.
69. Hompesch, installed, 1797.
I. Godfrey de Bouillon, crowned, 1099; died, July 11, 1100
II. Baldwin I., crowned, 1101; died, 1118.
IV. Foulques (Fulk), Count
V. Baldwin
VI. Almeric, crowned, February 18, 1162; died, 1174.
VIII. Baldwin V., crowned, 1184; died, 1186.
IX. Sibylla and her husband, Guy de Lusignan, crowned 1186; Sibylla died, 1192; Guy abdicated, 1192.
X. Henry, Count of Champagne, crowned, 1192, killed by accident, 1194.
XI. Amauri, King of Cyprus, crowned, 1194; died, 1205
Urban II., 1088. Promoted the First Crusade from 1096-1099.
Pascal II., 1099. Council of Clermont, 1095
Gelasius II., 1118.
Calixtus II., 1119.
Honorius II., 1125.
Innocent II., 1130.
Celestine II., 1143.
Lucius II., 1144.
Eugenius
Anastasius IV.,1153.
Adrian IV., 1154.
Alexander
Lucius
Urban
Gregory VIII., 1187.
Clement
Celestine
Innocent
Honorius
Gregory IX., 1227. Promoted the Sixth Crusade.
Celestine IV., 1241.
Innocent IV., 1243. Promoted the Seventh Crusade Alexander IV., I254.
Urban IV., 1261.
Clement IV., 1265. The eighth and last Crusade. (1)
Gregory X, 1271.
Innocent V., 1275.
Adrian V, 1276.
Vicedominus,
John XXI.,
Nicholas
Martin IV., 1281
Honorius IV., 1285
Nicholas IV., 1288,
Celestine V.,
Boniface VIII 1294
Benedict XI., 1303.
Clement V., 1305.
John XXII., 1316
As a comment upon the chronological confusion of the times we append from Dr. Barclay’s City of at Great King, a second Table of the Crusades:
Crusade II., 1147.
Crusade
Crusade IV., 1202.
Crusade V., 1217.
Crusade VI, 1238.
Crusade
Crusade VIII. 1270.
Dr. Barclay wisely adds: “The cessation of the Crusades was
not produced by any abatement of the love of arms, or of the thirst of glory to
the chivalry of
qualities, of that fanatical enthusiasm which inspired the Christian warriors of the 11th century, had been slowly but almost thoroughly dissolved.”
After the Seventh Crusade and the surrender of all the
places in
HAVING given in Chapter LI. a short history or the Knights Templars during the Crusades, and the suppression of that magnanimous and Christian Order by the Church of Rome, aided by its wretched and villanous adherents, the various sovereigns of Europe; and having also shown the remnants of the Order down to recent times, in England and France, it becomes a pleasing task to trace, as nearly as possible, the connection between those noble spirits, who gave their fortunes and their lives for the cause of Christianity against the Infidels and Mohammedans of Asia, and our modern Templars, who do not use the material implements of a carnal warfare, but employ the legitimate symbols of the Knightly Armor, to contend against the world, the flesh, and the devil.
All of our recent writers on the Order of the Temple agree, that there can not be found any direct connection between the ancient and present Templar systems; yet, like the sunken rivers found in many parts of the world, where we can trace the waters thereof, after they disappear on one side of a mountain, and discover where these same waters again appear, and proceed onward to the sea; the same flowing spirit which was manifested in the lives of the original Templars, from their origin in the 12th century until they disappeared beneath the obstructions placed in their path by the monarchies of Europe, and the succeeding prejudices of the peoples of each, we can now clearly trace in the Templar rituals of England and the United States the fundamental principles of the ancient Order, of ‘ Fidelity, Zeal, and Obedience,” without those superstitions which always have been the accompaniments of the Priestly Orders of the Romish Church. Those superstitions of the early Templars were abolished by them after the close of the Crusades. The Templars, very soon thereafter having learned the deceptions of priestcraft, failed to pay the required respect and obedience to the hierarchy; and, consequently were antagonized by the Church, and their existence as an Order soon thereafter terminated. The modern Templars pay due allegiance to, and worship, the risen Saviour, in spirit and in truth, with no unmeaning ceremonies.
We learn from hilarious writers thats in the progress of
Freemasonry in the American Colonies, somewhere about the latter half of the 18th
century, some of fixers of an Irish regiment claimed to be possessed of the
Knight Templar Order, and through them, several of our own Masons received the
several appendant degrees and the Order of Knight Templar. Patents issued to
such Knights, bearing dates as early as 1783, are now extant, notably one from
A book was published by Cornpanion Joseph K. Wheeler, of
As to the Templar degree ritual, it is entirely different from the English ritual, as the latter, at the present day, is different from the ritual of the last century at its close and the commencement of the present. We have a certified copy of that ritual made as early as 1801 from an older ritual, which is also a copy from a much older one, which was sent to Brother General Albert Pike, and by him given to the present writer.
The first authentic information that we have of the
Templar Order in the
Andrew’s Royal Arch Lodge, from the Grand Lodge of Scotland,
and the record of that date shows that the degree of Knight Templar was
conferred. (1) At that time, and somewhat later, the bodies were termed “Excellent,
Superexcellent, Royal Arch Encampments,” as before stated. The records of that Chapter show
that “ Brother William Davis came before the Lodge, begging to have and receive
the parts belonging to the Royal Arch Masons, which being read, was received,
and he unanimously voted in, and was accordingly made by receiving the four
steps, that of Excellent, Superexcellent, Royal Arch, and Knight Templar.”
In all the histories of the chapters in the New England States, the above
titles were first used; as also in the Chapter organized in the City of
Bro. Theo. S. Parvin says: “ In 1766 there were two
Military Lodges stationed at Boston: No. 58 on the register of England,
connected with the Fourteenth Regiment, and No. 322, register of Ireland,
attached to the Twenty-ninth Regiment. As early as 1762 St. Andrew’s Lodge, of
Some writers suppose that it was possible “that the degree of Knight Templar was conferred in Military Lodges and perhaps in other Lodges prior to the Revolutionary War.”
From about the years 1776 to 1783, during the War of Independence, but little attention was given to Masonic organization except in the military lodges After peace had assumed her sway and the country began to thrive in all material interests, and the various Grand Lodges of the separate States were organized, what were termed the “higher degrees,” which had been, up to that period always conferred in the lodges under the sanction of their Warrants, became the subject of a more independent character. We find from the various histories of the Royal Arch Chapters, especially in the New England States, that in various towns and cities independent bodies were organized, wherein the degrees of Royal Arch, Excellent, and Superexcellent Masters were attached to the Templar degree; and in some instances, the Red Cross, whatever ritual of that degree may have been used in its conference, was given.
“Few of these organizations have continued until the present time, and still fewer have left any records of the earlier years of their existence. An occasional discovery of an ancient diploma, or other fragment, has revived previously formed opinions as to which is the elder organization; but for the reason that bodies were self-constituted, and consisted of individuals who, being in possession of a degree, called to their assistance the requisite number of other qualified brethren, and gave the degrees to certain chosen spirits and then dissolved never to meet again, it is manifest that there can be no gathering together of the facts; and that beyond an occasional hint, received from the meager record of some old lodge-book, as it may be unearthed from its hiding-place, nothing further is to be looked for. As time passed on, and these occasional gatherings became more frequent, when the number of Templars had increased sufficiently, and more permanent organizations began to be made, out of these emergency bodies grew permanent ones.”
There has been much discussion in the various older
jurisdictions as to the first duly organized encampment (commandery), and we do
not know if the question has been finally settled. From the Proceedlngs of the
Grand Encampment of 1883 we learn from the Address of Grand Master Dean that
there was “Indisputable evidence that the degrees of Knight of the Red Cross
and Knight Templar were conferred in
“The South Carolina Encampment, No. 1, of Knights Templars and the Appendant Orders was established in 1780, as is evident from the old seal in our archives. But it does not appear from what source our ancestors derived their first Charter, all of our records previous to November 7, 1823, having been lost or consumed by fire.
It is clear, however that this encampment was in active
operation in 1803, and continued so until long after the date of our oldest
record, for, on December 29, 1824, it was “Resolved that, in consideration of the long and faithful services of our Most
Eminent Feast Commanders Francis Sylvester Curtis, who regularly paid his
arrears to this Encampment for more than twenty years, he is considered a
life-member of this Encampment, and that his life-membership take date from November,
1823.” (3) In artist of various Masonic degrees,” in Cole’s Ahiman Rezon,
extracted from a publication in 1816, the Knight of the Red Cross is termed the
ninth degree, the Knight of Red Cross is termed the ninth degree, the Knight of
Malta the tenth, and the Knight Templar the thirteenth, and they are said to be conferred in the Sublime
Grand Lodges in
June 24, 1824, M.E. and M.W. Henry Fowle, Deputy General Grand Master of the G. G. Encampment of the United States of America, granted a Charter at Boston (S. C.), countersigned by John G.
Loring, G. G. Recorder, to Benjamin Thomas Elmore, and
eleven others, to form, open, and hold Columbia Encampment, No. 2. Brother
Elmore was appointed the first Grand Commander, E. H. Maxey, Generalissimo, and
John Bryce, Captain General. The Charter is in the Archives of Richland Lodge,
No. 39, A.’. F.’. M.’. at
The number of members increased to thirty or more, their meetings continued about four years, and from some cause ceased to exist.
There was at that time no Grand Encampment in
“February 23d, 1825, the Encampment was informed that the three first officers had, in accordance with a previous resolution giving them discretionary power in the matter, recommended Georgetown Encampment to the G. G. Encampment for a charter.” (4)
As an interesting incident in the history of this encampment, we make the following extract:
“The members of South Carolina Encampment, No. 1, were
summoned to meet at
In consequence of a gap in the minutes from this time until January 26, 1827, no further information could be obtained concerning this very interesting occasion.
September 18, 1826, the Grand Encampment of the State of
During the year 1819, Beaufort Encampment of South Carolina, at Beaufort, was established, which continued about four or five years. The records were burned up.
Jos. M’Cosh, who was afterward an Ins. Genl. of the thirty-third degree, resigned November 28, 1827. He was the Recorder, November 7, 1823. During the year 1828, Sir James Eyland was Grand Commander. Many resignations took place.
In 1829, Sir James Eyland, G. Master, represented the Grand Commandery in the G.G. Encampment. He was elected that year G.G. Capt. General, and in 1832 was elected G.G. Generalissimo.
About this time the meetings of the S.C. Encampment were very poorly attended. May 12, 1830, there was not a quorum, nor in October 11, 1830. The encampment was adjourned to the stated meeting of December. The following note appears:
I certify that no quorum ever after assembled. I met one or two only after the above note of an attempted meeting. Sir J. W. Rouse handed me over the books and papers all for me to deliver up to this Encampment, some time in 1832, with a letter of resignation at the same time. The books and papers of Grand Encamp ment of S.C. and all were flooded when Sir John May’s workshop was burned. I received the remains in 1840.
(Signed)
P. Gr. Commander.
I.W. Rouse died 23 April, 1834 Past Gr. Master of Gr. Encampment of South Carolina. The record of the G.G. Encampment does not show any representation from the G. Encampment of South Carolina subsequent to 1829.
October 14, 1841, seven of the former members of South
Carolina Encampment, among them the Grand Commander J. S. Burges, met at Rame’s
Hall, in
January 27, 1842, it was Resolved that the degree of Red Cross should be conferred upon Sr. Knight Benjamin Greer, on his paying $5, with the condition of his becoming a member of this encampment, he having received the other degrees before in Europe.
A dispensation was issued to the encampment by Sir Jos. K. Stapleton, D. G. G. Master, May 17, 1843, to continue their labors, the Warrant having been burned up. This dispensation was brought to the notice of the encampment only on October 19, 1843, by Rev. A. Case, the G. Chaplain. In 1844, the G.C., Sir A. Case, represented South Carolina Encampment in the G.G. Encampment, and during this session a charter was ordered to that encampment free of charge, in consequence of the loss by fire of a former one. This charter was reported to the meeting, March 15, 1845, as having been received.
February 9, 1853, Joseph Hunter, P.D.G.M. of
In 1853, M.’.E.’. A. G. Mackey represented the encampment in the G.G. Encampment, and was elected G.G. Warden. (4) December 27, 1854, the encampment acted as an escort to the Grand Lodge of South Carolina at the celebration of the Centennial Anniversary of the formation of a Provisional Grand Lodge.
In 1855, South Carolina Encampment was the only one in existence in the State.
Continuing the interesting history of this, one of the oldest organizations of Knights Templars, we refer to the Proceedings of the Grand Encampment of theThe Grand Master states in his address that “on 8th
of December, 1880, I issued a dispensation to South Carolina Commandery, No. 1,
to appear in public in full Templar costume on the twenty-ninth day of
December, 1880, for the purpose of celebrating the one hundredth anniversary of
its organization. I also issued dispensations for a like appearance in public,
to join in the celebration to Columbia Commandery, No. 2, Georgia Commandery,
No. I, and
As the question of when the first encampment in the
“The proofs of what I have stated is contained in a small
compass but the testimony is irrefutable. I have in my possession a diploma,
written in a very neat chirography on parchment, with two seals in wax
attached, one in red, of the Royal Arch, and the other in black, of the Knights
Templar. The upper part of the diploma contains four devices within four
circles, all skillfully executed with the pen. The first device, beginning on
the left hand, is a star of seven points, with the ineffable name in the center, and the motto, ‘Memento Mori,’ the second is an arch
on two pillars, the all-seeing eye on the Key-stone, and a sun beneath the
arch, and ‘Holiness to the Lord’ for the motto; the third is the cross and
brazen serpent, erected on a bridge, and ‘Jesus Salvador Hominum’ for the
motto; and the fourth is the skull and crossbones, surmounted by a cross, with
the motto, ‘In hoc signo vinces.’ The reference of the three last devices is
evidently to the Royal Arch, the Red Cross, and Templar degrees. The first is
certainly a symbol of the Lodge of Perfection, and hence, connectedly, they
show the dependence of the Order of Templarism in the State at that time upon
the Ancient and Accepted Rite.” In the Proceedings is a heliotyped copy of the
diploma, which is here shown. The original was placed in the possession of the
Grand Master, Benjamin Dean, by the son of Bro. A. G. Mackey, the Hon. Edw. Mackey, to be presented, in his name, to the Grand
Encampment of the
“On the 6th of May, 1881, Sir Knight W. J.
Pollard, because of a conversation with him in Boston, wrote me a long and
interesting letter on the history of Freemasonry in South Carolina and Georgia,
in which he says: ‘I find in Charleston, from the South Carolina Gazette, that
at some period, not clearly defined, there was a Lodge established in West
Florida called St. Andrew’s Lodge, No. 40, and that it was moved to
“He also called my attention to the recovery by Sir Knight Jennison of valuable papers relating to the Encampment. Sir Knight Jennison also sent me copies of the papers. . . . A careful examination of the old diploma discovered on the Seal the words ‘Lodge No. 40’ These words and figures were not so prominent as the other legends on the Seal, and seemed to have escaped the attention of Brother Albert G. Mackey.
“A careful examination disclosed the remains of two ribbons, under those in sight, showing that there were originally four seals attached to the diploma; one of these ribbons is quite rotten.”
From an address delivered December 10, 1878, before the Grand Lodge of South Carolina by M. W. Wilmot G. De Saussure, P.G.M. of South Carolina, we quote “that the Warrant for No. 40 was granted to Brethren formerly of St. Andrew’s Lodge No. 1, West Florida, and then of Charleston, on the 12th of July, 1783.”
Brother Frederick Speed says:
In summing up the evidence, this writer is compelled to
regret the conclusions of Fratres Dean and Mackey, that there is “Indisputable
evidence that the degrees of Knight of the Red Cross and Knight Templar were
conferred in
“Resolved, That the M.’. E.’. Sir James C. Winters, together with the Recorder, be authorized to forward the necessary documents to prove the existence of this encampment prior to the year 1816, and obtain the desired recognition.’
Extract from the minutes. (Signed) JOSEPH McCOSH,
Recorder pro tem.
The question of in “Regularity” here presents itself as to the “Validity” of the Templar organizations as it does as to the “Vailidity” of the Capitular degrees, not only in the United States, but originally in Europe.
From the very first organization of the Grand Lodge of England in 1717, all Masons agree that no single individual has any prescriptive right or prerogative to communicate any knowledge of
a “Rite” or any part of its ritual, unless so authorized by the “Confistitution” under which said ritual is promulgated. The Altar obligations, of all the Rites, provide against any such violation of the “Constitution.” In the Section VIII. of the New Regulations of 1738 we find the following as an amendment to the Section VIII.
Of 1723, viz.:
“VIII. Every Brother concerned in Making Masons clandestinely shall not be allowed to visit any Lodge till he has made due submission, even though the Brother so admitted may be allowed.
“None who make a stated Lodge without the Grand-Master’s Warrant shall be admitted into regular Lodges, till they make due submission and obtain Grace.
“If any Brethren form a Lodge without leave, and shall irregularly make Brothers, they shall not be admitted into any regular Lodge, no not as Visitors, till they render a good Reason or make due submission.
“Seeing that some extraneous Brothers have been lately made in a clandestine manner; that is, in no regular Lodge, or by any authority or Dispensation from the Grand Master, and upon small and unworthy considerations to the Dishonour of the Craft:
“The Grand Lodge decreed, that no person so made, nor any concerned in making him, shall be a Grand Officer, nor an officer of any particular Lodge; nor shall any such partake of the General Charity, if they should come to want.”
We have here the general principles upon which to base a judgment as to all legitimacy of Masonic work. The innocent parties; upon whom Masonic work has been commenced, are to be held blameless, and are to be admitted to fellowship, and those only are to be punished who were guilty of the irregular and clandestine work.
In the matter of the various parties, who without competent authority attempted to confer the degrees of the Commandery upon innocent Brethren, it appears, from all that we can learn from recent writers, that the several degrees of Red Cross, Knight Templar, and Knight of Malta were conferred, whatever may have been the severai rituals, at that early period, and they were assumed to be correct. These germs, however obtained, came in time to be the veritable means for establishing the bodies, by which finally, and however irregularly conducted, the several State Grand Commanderies were organized. We have seen that from these have grown up, in the United States, a system of Masonic Templarism which is the most extensive and influential body of men anywhere in the world, as we shall be able to demonstrate in the conclusion of this sketch.
We have carefully read and pondered over nearly all, if
not quite all, the writings of reliable authors who have, as far as possible,
culled from authentic documents and every source of legitimate information
every item which could add to our knowledge of the introduction of the Templar
and appendant orders into the United States; and we must deal with the subject
as we have found it. It is barely possible that the fountain was impure at the
beginning; but taking the system, as it is at the very close of the 19th
century, where else in the world can we find such a body of United Fraters,
Masons, distinguished gentlemen, of all the useful professions, arts, sciences,
and trades, as compose the Officers, Constituencies, and Members, scattered as
they are, in all the States, Territories, cities, towns, and hamlets of this
vast country? What is now the true status of Masonic Templary in the
In the admirable history of the Order by
Lieutenant-Colonel W. J. B. MacLeod Moore, he is very persistent in challenging the
Masonic Templary of the
Several pages are devoted to his view of these inconsistencies and discrepancies - too lengthy for our columns - and hence must refer our readers to his sketch.
In many things we must, of course, concur with him; but suppose we apply his method of criticism to our Modern Masonry, beginning with the early rituals of 1725 by Anderson and Desaguliers, all the way through the various Modifications of Martin Clare, Hutchinson, Dunckerley, and Preston, to the very last formed by the union in 1813 of the Modern and Ancient work of Hemmingway, which isthe present ritual of the United Grand Lodge of England, -and compare all of the various forms with well-known facts as we have them in the sacred writings and history - and where will the ritualism of the three degrees of the Blue Lodge stand? where the ritualism of the Mark degree, where that of the R A. Chapter ?
We say, let the question, as to Orthodoxy of American
Templarism, settle itself; all in good time; very very few Templars in the
We have among our Members distinguished Clergymen of all our Christian denominations, but we are not aware of a single descendant of Jacob who is a Knight Templar. Our ceremonies all conduce to the idea of a pure Christianity. Let us therefore be content to let matters remain as they are; that each individual Member shall for himself interpret the ceremonies, and apply him self to the consideration of Christianity as his instructions in Christianity have dictated, according to his “FAITH.”
It appears from all accounts of the introduction of the
Order of Knights Templars into the
We will endeavor, in our list of Commanderies, which were subsequently organized as such in the different jurisdictions, to give authentically the first efforts to establish the Encampment degrees chronologically, until the firm establishment of State Grand Commanderies (Encampments) and the General Grand Encampment in 1816. We may make some errors, but trust that in the main we shall be found quite accurate in dates. In the preceding pages of this chapter, we have quoted vanous writers as to the workings of the Order in the different States; but there have been vagueness and uncertainty as to the dates given.
M.E. William B. Hubbard, General Grand Master of the
General Grand Encampment of the
“It is to be regretted that we have no authentic and
reliable history of the first formation of the first Encampments, with the
governmental rituals, as we now have them. For these, if I may be allowed the
expression, are somewhat Americanized. I suppose that we owe the origin of the
introduction of Templar Masonry into the
The first notice of the Templar degree being conferred is found in the history of St. Andrew’s Chapter of Boston, and the dates given are August 28th and September 17th, 1769, by the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, Wm. Sewall Gardner, in his oration at the centennial celebration of that chapter, September 29th, A. L. 5869.
We will now give the dates referred to in the preceding
pages, in Chapters LI. and
1769.
1780 }
1783 }
1785.
1790.
1793.
1794. District of Columbia Ceased in 1799, renewed in 1804, ceased in 1898
1796.
1797.
1802.
1802.
1812.}
1814.}
1816. Organization of General Grand Encampment at
THE true origin of the Grand Encampment of Knights
Templars of the
“I have found it impossible to obtain a single set of the printed proceedings of this Grand Body from its origin. By the aid of our respected and distinguished former General Grand Recorder, Sir Charles Gilman, I succeeded in obtaining two printed copies of the proceedings of 1826, and more or less of these of each year up to 1847. By writing out from the original records the proceedings of 1816 and 1819, I succeeded in making two perfect copies of the proceedings up to and including those of 1856. One of these I sent to our M. E. Grand Master and the other I retained myself. These are, probably, the only perfect copies of our proceedings in existence, except the original written records in the office of the Grand Recorder. I respectfully suggest the propriety of having the proceedings up to and including 1856 reprinted. There are now no copies of the proceedings in my office anterior to 1847; only two of 1847, twenty-six copies of 1850, one hundred and four copies of 1853, and one hundred and thirty copies of 1856.’
In pursuance of instructions given to the General Grand
Recorder, “ What purport to be the Minutes of the ‘Formation of the General Grand
Encampment of Knights Templars of the
“I have recently had occasion to look more fully and deeply into the facts connected with the early history of the Order in this country, and with the formation of the Grand Encampment, and I submit some of the results of that investigation. None but the weak, or worse, will hesitate to make a frank admission of error of opinion, when discovered rather than obstinately adhere to a position proved to be untenable.”
“The Minutes of the Convention which formed this Grand Encampment, as first published in 1859, are a correct transcript from the manuscript on file in the Office of our Grand Recorder. How or why this entry was made. no living man can tell. That it is wholly inaccurate is perfectly demonstrable.
“The Official Minutes declare that the delegates from
eight different Councils and Encampments, therein specified, met in
“I have caused diligent search to be made for the records of the different subordinates mentioned. Some of them can not be found of a date early enough to throw any light on the subject; and of those still preserved there is no mention of any appointment of any delegates for the purpose named, nor any action indicating that the Council or Encampment had any part in the Work. The absence of any positive, affirmative Minute in matter of such importance is strong evidence that no such participation was had. But there exists not only negative proof that the subordinate sent no delegates to the Convention, but direct evidence that they did not.
“The Minutes of the Boston Encampment (Commandery), show
that on May 28, 1816, the Treasurer was authorized to lend to the Grand
Encampment (Commandery), the money in his hands to pay the expenses of the
delegates from said Grand Encampment (Commandery) to the Convention referred
to.
“Then we have the positive testimony of the Minutes of the
Grand Commandery of Massachusetts and
“Although this official record is of no greater weight
than that of our Grand Encampment, the corroborating and circumstantial
evidence renders it conclusive that our record is wrong and that of
“In addition to the Minutes referred to, more conclusive
evidence has been discovered amongst the papers of Thomas Smith Webb. These
papers were examined by our late Grand Master, W. Sewell Gardner, and by him
vouched for as authentic and in Webb’s handwriting. They consist of the
Credentials of the delegates appointed by the Grand Bodies of Massachusetts and
“The Encampments (Commanderies) of
“None of the early records of these bodies can be found, and the history of two of them is mainly traditional. It is quite certain, however, that neither of them belonged to the Grand Commandery of New York in 1816.
The truth of history requires of us to mention some things which may prove of interest, yet it will be found not to be very agreeable; yet like very much of the Ancient history of Masonry in all its branches, we will find great irregularities, according to our present ideas of how Masonic bodies should be organized.
“In 1802, Boston Encampment was organized by ten Knights of the Red Cross without a Warrant from any competent power.
“In the same year
“Darius Council of
In 1795 at
[TRANSLATION.]
Lux ex Tenebris.
From the Orient of the Very Great and Very Puissant Council of the Sublime Princes (of the Royal Secret), Chiefs of Masonry, under the C: C: of the Zenith (which responds) to the 20d 25’ N: Lat:
To our
We, Antoine Mathieu Dupotet, Grand Master of all the Lodges, Colleges Chapters, Councils, Chapters and Consistories, of the higher degrees of Masonry, Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Orient of Pennsylvania, in the United States of America; and of the Grand Lodge and Sovereign Provincial Grand Chapter of Heredom of Kilwinning, of Edinburgh, for America, under the distinctive title of the Holy Ghost, Grand Provincial of San Domingo in the Ancient Rite, Grand Commander or Sovereign President of the Th: Puissant Grand Council of the Sublime Princes of the Royal Secret, established at Port au Prince, Island of San Domingo, by constitutive patent of 16 January and 19 April, 1801, under the distinctive title of The Triple Unity; transferred to Baracoa,
Island of Cuba, on account of the events of war, Do declare, in the name of the Sublime and Th: Puissant Grand Council, do certify and attest, that the Very Resp: Gr: Elect Knight of the White and Black Eagle, Joseph Cerneau, Ancient Dignitary of the Lodge No. 47, Orient of Port au Prince Grand Warden of the Provincial Lodge, same Orient, Venerable founder of the Lodge of the Ancient Constitution of York, No. 103, under the distinctive title of the Theological Virtues, Orient of the Habana, Island of Cuba, has been regularly initiated in all the Degrees of the Sublime Masonry, from that of Secret Master to, and including that of Grand Elect Knight of the White and Black Eagle; and wishing to give the strongest proofs of our sincere friendship for our said Very Dear Bro: Joseph Cerneau, in recognition of the services which he has rendered to the Royal Art, and which he is rendering daily, we have initiated him in the highest, in the most eminent and final Degree of Masonry; we create him our Deputy Grand Inspector, for the Northern part of the Island of Cuba, with all the powers that are attached thereto, giving him full and entire power to initiate the Bros: Masons, whom he may judge (Worthy ?), to promote them to the Sublime Degrees, from the 4th up to and including the 24th; provided however, that these Masons shall have been officers of a Lodge regularly constituted and recognized, and in place only, where there may not be found Sacred and Sublime and regularly constituted Asyla; from which Bros: he will receive the obligation required and the authentic submission to the Degrees of the Sublime Princes; consulting, however, and calling to his aid the B: B: whom he shall know to be decorated with the Sublime Degrees; we give him full and entire power to confer in the name of our aforesaid Grand Council, the highest Degree of Masonry on a Kt:
Prince Mason, one only each year, whose virtues he shall recognize, and the qualities required to deserve this favor; and to the end that our dear Bro: Joseph Cerneau, so decorated, may enjoy, in this quality, the honours, rights and prerogatives, which he has justly deserved, by his arduous labors in the Royal Art, we have delivered to him these presents, in the margin whereof he has placed his signature, that it may avail him everywhere, and be useful to him alone.
We pray our Resp: BB: regularly constituted, spread over the two Hemispheres, with whatever Degree they may be decorated, whether in Lodge, Ch:, Col:, Sovereign Council . . . . . . . Sublime, to recognize and receive our dear Bro:, the Very Illustrious Sov: and Subl: Prince, Joseph Cerneau, in all the Degrees above mentioned; promising to pay the same attention to those who, in our Orients shall present themselves at the doors of our Sacred Asyla, furnished with like authentic titles.
Given by us, S: Sublime Princes, G: C: G: I: G’al: of our aforesaid Grand and Perfect Council, under our Mysterious Seal, and the Grand Seal of the Princes of Masonry, in a place where are deposited the greatest treasures, the sight whereof fills us with consolation, joy and gratitude for all that is great and good.
At
Signed, MATHIEU DUPOTET,
President, Sev:....G’al:
[A true copy :] Signed MATHIEU DUPOTET, President, S: G: I: G’al:
I certify that what is transmitted above and the other portions are conformable to my Register.
TIPHAINE,
S:P:R:S:,D:I:G’al:G:Comm:
The foregoing translation of the ancient copy in French has been correctly and faithfully made by me.
ALBERT PIKE
March 20, 1882.
The Grand Commandery of New York was organized in the following manner, as ascertained from the Official Proceedings. On January 22, 1814, the Sovereign Grand Consistory, Joseph Cerneau’s body, decreed the establishment of a Grand Encampment of Sir Knights Templars and appendant Orders for the State of New York, and immediately proceeded to its formation by choosing the Grand Officers thereof (1) who were all members of said Consistory. This was done solely by the action of the Consistory, without the concurrence of any Commandery, nor of any Knights Templars. This body, which it has often since been proved to have had no legal Masonic authority for its existence, as a Consistory, having been established by Joseph Cerneau alone, in 1807, a few months only after his patent from Mathieu Dupotet had been issued to him which gave him permission to confer one degree, the 25th of the A.’.
A.’.A.’.R.’. upon one person only each year, who was qualified by having received all the lower degrees of that Rite, in Cuba only, made his appearance in New York, and finding a total ignorance on the part of all Masons in New York as to the “Rite of Perfection,” induced a large number to receive, at his hands, degrees which he had no authority to give. From this beginning, he organized his
(1) Proceedings of the Grand Commandery of New York, 1800,
PP. 5, 6, from the paper by Sir Knight James H. Hopkins. Consistory. In 1816, Columbian Commandery in
It is not certain that any of those members, who formed this Grand Commandery of New York, had ever received the degrees of the Commandery in a regular body of Knights Templars, but that they
assumed the degrees of the Consistory as being the same as those in the Commandery. There is no evidence whatever that Cerneau, who went from Port Republican in San Domingo to Cuba, and from Cuba to New York, in 1807, ever saw a regular Knight Templar Mason, or ever was anywhere in the vicinity of a Commandery; hence we draw a fair inference, that the Knight of the Red Cross, and also of the Temple, were derived from the rituals of the 15th and 16th and 24th degrees of the A.’.A.’.A.’.R.’. The ritual of the Templar degree in the United States differs so essentially from the old ritual of England of 1801, now in the possession of the writer, and also from the present English one, that nave can presume that it was invented in the United States by those who took the degree from the possession of the Lodges and constituted the semblance of Commanderies (Encampments).
A Grand Convention of Knights Templars was held in the
Masonic Hall in the city of
It was “Resolved, That the Delegates and Proxies from the
Several Encampments to be represented in the Convention from the respective
States be called over. The following named Sir Knights produced their
Credentials under Seals of their respective Encampments as Delegates and
Proxies, and were admitted to take their seats in the Convention: Encampment
No. 1,
“Encampment No. 1,
“The Most Eminent Sir William McCorkle, of
“Most Eminent Sir Archibald Hamilton, of
“Most Eminent Sir Peter Dobb, of
Right Eminent George A. Baker, of
The foregoing account of the formation of this Freemason’s Grand Encampment in Philadelphia is taken from The Freemason’s Library and General Ahiman Rezon, by Samuel Cole, P.M., Edition of 1826, and we do not find any notice whatever of the Convention held in June, 1816, by those celebrities, viz.: Thomas Smith Webb, Henry Fowle, and John Snowe, who went to Philadelphia to confer with the above-mentioned Grand Encampment of Pennsylvania, “upon the subject of a general Union of all the Encampments in the United States under one head and general form of government,” pursuant to the resolution of the “Grand Encampment of the United States,” Massachusetts and Rhode Island Encampment being known as such.
Having failed in their mission to Philadelphia, they repaired to New York and being there joined by Thomas Lowndes, who had been appointed by the Grand Encampment of New York as its delegate to represent that body at a Convention of Knights Templars from different States of the Union, to be held in the City of Philadelphia, on Tuesday, June 11th, on the 20th and 21st of June. at Masons’ Hall. held “a Convention.” The records of this quartette’s proceedings describe them as “ delegates from eight Councils and Encampments,” all of which we have mentioned on page 1386 of this chapter.
GRAND MASTERS,
CONCLAVE,
II. 1819 New
IV. 1829 Claremont, N.H
V. 1832 Claremont, N. H
VI. 1835 Allen, Cayuga, N. Y.
VIII. 1841 Allen, Cayuga, N. Y.
IX. 1844 Troy, N. Y.
X. 1847 Hubbard,
XI. 1850 Hubbard,
XII. 1853 Hubbard,
XIII. 1856 Hubbard,
XIV. Washington, D. C.
XV. Washington, D. C.
XVI.
XVII.
XVIII.
1859
1862
1865
1868
1871
YEAR. NAME.
De Witt Clinton,
De Witt Clinton,
De Witt Clinton,
Rev. Jonathan Nye,
Rev. Jonathan Nye,
James Madison
James Madison
James Madison
Archibald Bull,
Wm. Blackstone
Wm. Blackstone
Wm. Blackstone
Wm. Blackstone
Benj. Brown French,
Benj. Brown French,
Henry L. Palmer,
Wm. Sewall Gardner,
J. Q. A. Fellows,
XIX. 1874 James Herron
XX. 1877 Vincent Lombard Hurlbut, Chicago,
XXI. 1880 Benjamin Dean,
XXIII. 1886 Charles Roome, New York, N. Y.
XXIV. 1889 John P. S. Cobin,
XXV. 1892 Hugh McCurdy, Corunna,
XXVI. 1895 Warren La Rue Thomas,
XXVII. 1898 Reuben Hedley Lloyd,
XXVIII 1901 Henry Bates Stoddard,
XXIX. 1904 George M. Moulton, Chicago,
XXX. 1907. Henry Warren Rugg,
XXXI . 1910 William B. Melish, Cincinnati, O