A lecture on the various rituals of Freemasonry from the 10th Century by Reverend G Oliver DD pass dpgm brought to you by Masonic audiobook Library Freemasonry is a moral order instituted by virtuous men with the praiseworthy design of recalling to our remembrance the most Sublime truths in the midst of
The most innocent and social Pleasures founded on liberality brotherly love and charity Brethren it is rather late in life for me to appear before a lodge of intelligent masons in the capacity of a lecturer and it is only the respect I entertain for masonry that could induce
Me to do so and even under the influence of that feeling I should scarcely have ventured to solicit your attendance this evening if I had not been under an impression that I could tell you something which is not generally known to the fraternity indeed I am satisfied
From the general tenor of my Masonic correspondence that there are many brethren in England who would travel over half the island and think themselves well paid for their trouble to acquire the information I am now about to communicate to you not only on the ancient rituals but on various signs
Tokens and observances used by the fraternity many years ago and now entirely forgotten during the last century several revisions of the ritual took place each being an improvement on its predecessor and all based on the Primitive Masonic lecture which was drawn up in the 10th century and attached to the York constitutions
This lecture to which I shall first call your attention was in dogal rhyme a kind of composition which was very popular amongst our Saxon ancestors in the time of athl stain about the latter end of the 14th century it was carefully translated from the Saxon for the use of
The York Grand Lodge and the MS of that date is now in the British museum this invaluable document contains copious rules and regulations for the observance of The Craft and is so curious that I shall give you a specimen of it to show the unchangeable character
Of the order it thus describes the duty of the master the first article of good masonry shows that the master must surely be both steadfast trusty and also true his place he never then shall rule he must neither for love nor dread of neither party to take me whether he Lord
Or fellow be of him to take no kind of fee but as a judge to stand stand upright and then his conduct will be bright it speaks thus of an e a p the master shall not for any Vantage make an apprentice under Ag and as you may
Plainly hear he must have his limbs both whole and fair for to the craft it were great shame to make a halfman and a lame for a man of Tainted blood would do the craft but little good this was a primitive observance amongst the craft for in the Constitutions of athl stain
The EAP was solemnly enjoined his master’s counsel to keep close lest he his confidence should lose the secrets of Brethren tell To None nor out of the lodge what there is done whatever you hear the master say be sure thou never do betray lest it cause in thee much
Blame and bring the craft to public shame here also we find the origin of a clause in our present Master Mason’s obligation it charges thee upon thy life not to corrupt thy Master’s wife nor thy fellows concubine as thou wouldst not have him do by thine full mckel care
Might thus begin from such a foul and deadly sin the obligation was thus constructed the 14th point is full good law to him that would be under awe a solemn oath he needs must swear to his master and fellows hat be there to be both steadfast and true also to all
These laws wherever he go and to his leeg Lord the king to be true above all other things th thus did our ancient Brethren lecture 800 years ago establishing a series of landmarks which are not yet overthrown in the reign of Edward I 3D a. 1357 the decrees of the
Order ran in the following form that for the future at the making or admission of a brother the ancient constitutions and charges shall be read that when the master and wardens preside in a lodge the sheriff if need be or the mayor or the alderman if a brother where the
Chapter is held shall be soate to the master that the fellowcraft shall travel honestly for their pay and love their fellows as themselves and that all shall be true to the king to the realm and to the lodge that if any of the fraternity should be fractious mutinous or
Disobedient to the Master’s orders and after proper admonition should persist in his Rebellion he shall forfeit all claims to the rights benefits and privileges of a true and faithful brother these charges conclude with the words so M it be the first catechism formula was introduced by Grandmaster
Sir Christopher Ren about the year 1685 and was called an examination it was very concise and might be gone through in 10 minutes or a quarter of an hour the obligation was short and simple and had no penalty for that which is now used as a penalty formed a portion of the
Examination as thus which is the point of your entry I hear and conceal under the penalty of having my throat cut or my tongue pulled out of my head I am inclined to think that Freemasonry at this time had only one degree you would probably like to hear a
Few passages from Sir Christopher’s ritual it commence thus Q peace be to all here a I hope there will Q what o’clock is it a it’s going to 6 or going to 12 Q are you very busy a no Q will you give or take a both or which you
Please Q how go squares a straight Q are you rich or poor a neither Q change me that the sign a I will Q what is a Mason a a man begot by a man born of a woman brother to a King fellow to a prince Q
In the Name of the King and holy church are you a Mason a I am so received and accepted Q where were you made a Mason a in a just and perfect Lodge Q how many make a lodge a God and the square with five or seven right and perfect Masons
On the highest mountains or the lowest valleys in the world Q where is the Master’s point a at the East window waiting the rising of the sun to set his men to work Q how is the meridian found out Q when the sun leaves the South and
Breaks in at the West End Of The Lodge this will be sufficient to show you in what Manner the Brethren worked 180 years ago the craft at that time had a series of signs to make themselves known to each other as Masons which are now Obsolete and I introduce them here as a
Matter of curiosity when meeting in the street they saluted each other by raising their hat with the thumb and two fingers only sometimes they would strike the inside of the little finger of the left hand three times with the four finger of the right or rub their right
Eye three times with two fingers or they would take up a stone and ask what it smells of the correct answer to which was neither of brass iron or any other metal but of a Mason Q what is your name a EAP P Lewis or caution a fc geometry
Or Square a MM cassia or Gabon Q how old are you aeap under seven years amm above seven years when in a mixed company the token was to turn down their glass after drinking and if anyone saw a brother misconduct himself he exhibited his disgust by placing his open right hand
On his upper lip which served as a check to further indiscretion the operative Fraternity in these ages had certain private signals which must have been very convenient for instance if a master wanted one of his workmen from the top of a steeple he would catch his eye and
Then touch the calf of his right leg if from any other part of the Church the left ankle if from any secular edifice he put his right hand behind his back if he wanted a man at the house of rendevu he put his left hand behind there were
Many others of a similar nature which are now obsolete as masonry increased in popularity under the patronage of noble and influential Grandmasters during the 18th century many improvements were made on the Primitive ritual at different periods the Reformation was commenced by brothers desagulier and Anderson about the year 1720 and their ritual mentions
For the first time a master’s part there was no Master’s part before 1720 and here also the obligation is accompanied by the penalty but not a syllable is mentioned about a substituted word on the contrary it asserts that the Lost word was actually found I shall give you
Specimens of this formula in each of the three degrees merely premising that in those days the office of Deacon was unknown entered apprentices degree Q where stands the senior EAP a in the South Q what is his business a to hear and receive instructions and welcome strange Brothers Q where stands the
Junior EAP a in the north Q what is his business a to keep out all cowens and eavesdroppers Q if a Cowen or a listener is catched how is he to be punished a to be placed under the eaves of the house in rainy weather till the water runs in
At his shoulders and out at his heels Q what do you learn by being an operative Mason a to Hue Square mold Stone lay a level and raise a perpendicular Q what do you learn by being a gentleman Mason a secrecy morality and good Fellowship Q
Have you seen a master today a I have q how was he clothed a in a yellow jacket and blue pair of britches fellow crafts degree Q how high was the door of the Middle Chamber a so high that a cow could not reach to stick a pin into it Q
When you came to the Middle Chamber what did you see a the resemblance of the letter G Q what did that g denote a one that’s greater than you Q who is greater than I that am a free and accepted Mason and master of a lodge
A the grand architect and builder of the universe or he that was taken up to the top of the Pinnacle of the Holy Temple Master Mason’s degree Q from whence came you a from the East Q where are you going a to the West Q what are you going
To do there a to seek for that which was lost and is now found Q what is that which was lost and is now found a the master Mason’s word q what is the name of a Master Mason a cassia is my name from a just and perfect Lodge I came a
Master Mason raised most rare from the diamond ashler to the square the next reviser of the ritual was Martin Clare a deputy Grand Master and he executed his task so much to the satisfaction of the Grand Lodge that his lectures were ordered to be used by all the Brethren
Within the limits of its jurisdiction in accordance with this command we find the officers of the Grand Lodge setting an example in the provinces and in an old minate book of a lodge in Lincoln dated 1734 of which sir cile Ray the deputy provincial master was the master there
Are a series of entries through successive Lodge nights to the following effect that two or more sections as the case might be of Martin Clair’s lectures were read when the master gave an elegant charge went through an examination and the lodge was closed with songs and decent Mart the following
Extract from these lectures may be acceptable Q what is the covering of a masonic lodge a a Celestial canopy of divers colors Q how do we hope to arrive at it a by the help of a ladder Q what is it called in scripture a Jacob’s
Ladder Q how many rounds or staves in that latter a rounds or staves innumerable each indicating a moral virtue but three principal ones called faith hope and charity Q describe them a faith in Christ hope in Salvation and to live in charity with all mankind Q where
Does that latter reach to a to the heavens Q what does it rest upon a the holy book 30 years after the great schism which split the society into two divisions conventionally distinguished as ancient and modern viz in 1770 bro dunkerly was commissioned by the Grand Lodge to compile an improved ritual in
All the three degrees which he accomplished to the universal satisfaction of the fraternity for bro dunkerly was a very distinguished Mason in his version The three principal steps of the Masonic ladder were referred to the Christian doctrine of the three states of the Soul first in its Tabernacle the body as an illustration
Of Faith then after Death in Paradise as the fruits of Hope hope and lastly when reunited to the body and Glory about The Throne of God as the sacred seat of universal charity the original hint at a circle in parallel lines as important symbols of the order has been ascribed
To him here the doctrine of a substituted word was formally announced for the true word had been transferred to the Royal Arch which he introduced into the Grand Lodge as a legitimate degree of masonry as a specimen of his lecture take the following extract Q how do masons know each other
In the day a by seeing a brother and observing the sign Q how in the night a by feeling the token and hearing the word q how blows a Mason’s wind a favorably due east and west Q for what purpose a to cool and refresh the men go
At and from their labor Q what does it further allude to a to those miraculous winds which first blew East and then West and proved so essential in working the happy Deliverance of the children of Israel from their Egyptian bondage and also the overthrow of pharaoh and his
Host in their attempt to follow Q what time is it a high time Q bro J W what is to be done at High Time a to call the men from labor to refreshment to see that they keep within hail and come on again in due time that the master may
Have pleasure and profit thereby I pass over the lectures of calcott and Hutchinson because they were not adapted to Lodge practice the exemplifications of York Masonry were completed by the celebrated bro Preston who constructed a ritual which contains a satisfactory survey of the system as it was
Undoubtedly used by the York lodges in 1777 when the lodge of antiquity of which bro Preston was a past Master seceded from the London Grand Lodge and avowed an alliance with the Grand Lodge at York
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