Sublime Degrees. Just the reverse. In this connection I shall make a few other extracts from the same oration of Dr. Dalcho. "I am well aware, my respected Brethren, that it is not in our power to alter any part of the blue degrees, and to restore them to their pristine excellence. But it is a source of infinite satisfaction to us, that we are enabled in the sublime degrees to arrive at the knowledge of the original system, and there to view with unceasing delight the development of those circumstances on which symbolic Masonry was established. They add dignity, strength and beauty to those degrees and prove them to have been originally elegantly contrived, and founded on facts worthy of our contemplation." G. F. Y. THE INEFFABLE DEGREES. "THE Ineffable Degrees," says a Masonic writer, "rest on evidences of doubtful authority; and they contain no typical references of any great value, either to improve the morals or amend the heart." The writings of the Rev. Dr. Oliver show the incorrectness of the above assertion. The most instructive lessons taught by the types, symbols and allegories of Freemasonry, which this learned writer has expatiated upon, with so much force and beauty, are drawn from these very degrees, the Ineffable. Witness among the symbols, the Key, the Triangle, the Circle, the Cherubim and others which I hope on some future occasion to particularize. Where do these legitimately belong but to that part of "the rite Ancient and Accepted," called "Ineffable Masonry ?" Where but in the Ineffable degrees, is to be found the most edifying part of the Cabalistic, Pythagorean and Essenean mysteries. With your permission, Mr. Editor, I shall ere long attempt to answer these questions somewhat in extenso, in a series of illustrations of these degrees. The Ineffable degrees are not subsidiary to any degree or degrees in the rite to which they belong; much less to any degree or degrees in any other rite, or branch, or department of Masonry. They are perfect and complete in themselves. In them and them only, Freemasonry of the first Temple is truly perfected; while the moral lessons they inculcate, are of such a character, as to leave nothing more to be desired. 66 Webb and others who have written about these degrees, did not profess to possess them. From spurious and execrable MSS. purporting to illus trate these degrees, they formed their opinions-erroneous of course; because as Dr. Oliver justly observes, no one without the key of initiation," and diligent study, can appreciate or understand the hidden riches and treasures concealed from vulgar gaze in the penetralia of our mystic temple. G. F. Y. THE CONVENTION AT WINCHESTER, VIR. [The following account of the proceedings of the Delegates assembled at Winchester, Va., on the 11th of May, was intended for our last number, but did not reach us in season. There not being a majority of the Grand Lodges represented, no business was transacted.] In pursuance of a Resolution of the Masonic Convention of Grand Lodges, held in the city of Baltimore, on the 8th day of May, 1843, A. L. 5843, in the words following, to wit: 66 Resolved, That this Convention recommend to the several Grand Lodges, that the next meeting of the Grand Masonic Convention of Free and Accepted Masons, be held in the city of Winchester, Va., on the second Monday in May, in the year 1846;" and which said resolution was concurred in by a majority of the Grand Lodges of the United States, Delegates from the Grand Lodges of North Carolina, Virginia, Iowa, Michigan and District of Columbia, met on the above named day, at the Masonic Hall in the city of Winchester, and having presented their credentials, adjourned over until to-morrow 9 o'clock, A. M. TUESDAY, MAY 12, 1846. The delegates present on yesterday met agreeably to adjournment, and organized temporarily by appointing Most Worshipful Br. Marsteller, of North Carolina, Chairman, and Br. H. C. Williams, of District of Columbia, Secretary. The Secretary having been directed to examine credentials reported the following Grand Lodges represented, viz: North Carolina, Br. Lewis H. Marsteller, M. W. P. G. Master. Virginia, Michigan, Iowa, Dist. of Columbia, Levi L. Stevenson, M. W. P. G. Master. R. W. Br. Frederic L. Billon, Grand Secretary, appeared and presented his credentials as delegate from the Grand Lodge of Missouri, and took his seat. Adjourned until to-morrow, Wednesday the 13th inst., by agreement, to afford further time to such as were not yet represented. WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 1846. The Delegates met pursuant to adjournment, present as on yesterday. This being the third day of attendance and no additional Delegates appearing to justify or warrant the transaction of any business by those present, they accordingly adjourned sine die. Signed, L. H. MARSTELLER, N. Carolina. H. C. WILLIAMS, Dist. Columbia. Winchester, Vir., May 13, 1846. ASYLUM FOR AGED AND DECAYED FREEMA. SONS-LONDON. THE following is a copy of a Circular recently addressed by order of the Trustees, to the Lodges under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of England, and to the friends of the admirable charity to which it refers. Our Brethren in this country, (for it is an institution in which Masons everywhere must feel an interest,) will regret to learn, that through the dishonesty of one of its Trustees, the charity has sustained a severe lɔss ; but they will at the same time rejoice to perceive, that the delinquent has been promptly removed, and that the pecuniary affairs of the institution are now in a healthful condition. WORSHIPFUL MASTER,-The Suit in Chancery, in which the Asylum for Aged and Decayed Freemasons has lately been engaged, being now terminated, the Committee feel it their duty to explain to the Craft the circumstances which compelled the Charity to adopt this last resource for the protection of their funds, and their due application, according to the intentions of their benefactors and subscribers. In the autumn of the year 1843, it came to the knowledge of the Committee that one of their provisional Trustees, Mr. Henry Rowe, who had previously refused to join in the appointment of permanent Trustees, and who had received dividends of the stock belonging to the Charity, to the amount of 1881. 18s. 2d., had never invested them in the names of the Trustees, and that the funds of the Charity were for that reason less than he had represented to the Secretary; and further that they had strong evidence that he, Mr. Rowe, had also received the proceeds of a theatrical benefit, to the amount of 120l. 7s. 8d., belonging to the Charity, which he had not paid over to the Treasurer. The Committee therefore called upon Mr. Rowe, by writing, to perform his duty of Trustee, by investing the dividends, and paying to the Treasurer the proceeds of the theatrical benefit. The only reply received to this application of the Committee was, that he, Mr. Rowe, would answer them when they commenced proceedings at law. The Committee therefore, as a preliminary step immediately adopted measures for preventing the receipt of further dividends by Mr. Rowe: but as this unavoidably locked up the funds of the Charity for an indefinite period, it became necessary to take some more decisive proceedings for preventing further loss, by removing him from the Trusteeship. They therefore called a General Meeting of the Subscribers, giving to Mr. Rowe at the same time an opportunity of explaining his conduct to the Meeting, and of paying over and investing the trust monies received by him. Mr. Rowe did neither, and the only course for the Meeting to pursue was, either to permit the funds of the Charity to remain useless, and the objects of the Institution entirely frustrated, or to take the only means in their power, by a Bill in Chancery, to remove him from his situation of Trustee. The General Meeting, without hesitation, adopted the latter alternative, and by their direction a Suit in Chancery was instituted against Mr. Rowe, for the investment and payment of the Charity monies in his hands, and to remove him from the Trusteeship. By this suit the Institution has obtained all that it sought, except the payment and investment of the monies in Mr. Rowe's hands, which was only prevented by his becoming a bankrupt. The Court immediately ordered the removal of Mr. Rowe from the Trusteeship, and the other provisional Trustees having most kindly and liberally offered to resign, in order to allow the appointment of permanent Trustees, the Court of Chancery has now appointed the following distinguished and valued Brethren Trustees of the Charity, viz., the Right Hon. the Earl of Aboyne, the Right Hon. Lord Southampton, Colonel the Hon. George Anson, M. P., B. B. Cabbell, Esq., F. R. S, and R. T. Crucefix, Esq, L. L. D., in whose names the Charity funds, amounting to 3353l. 18s. 11d. consols, have been invested. The result of the suit in Chancery is most satisfactory. The Society has now its funds clear of all interruption, and in the hands of a body of Trustees, whose names alone are a guarantee for their application in such manner as will best carry out the intentions of its benefactors and subscribers. Yet this benefit is coupled with the usual drawback of a Chancery suit, the costs, Mr. Rowe's bankruptcy preventing the Society from compelling their payment by him; and although the suit has been but of short duration, and comparatively light in its expense, yet your Committee regret to say that the costs will amount to nearly 350l., and this, with monies due by Mr. Rowe, makes a loss of nearly 7001. through his misconduct. This the Committee respectfully submit to the kindness and liberality of the Craft. They have struggled many years against difficulties arising, not only from misrepresentation and prejudice abroad, but the misconduct of one of their own body, but this is now all past. They have removed their delinquent Trustee, and they have reason now to believe that their motives and intentions are fully appreciated and understood, that prejudice is giving way before sincerity and truth, and that it is now generally felt that no Charity can surpass that which provides a shelter and a home for Aged and Poor Freemasons. The Committee will thank you to lay this letter before your Lodge. They have explained the causes for the extraordinary step of a suit in Chancery by a Masonic Charity, because they have been led to believe that their motives have been misconceived and misconstrued. Relying firmly on the soundness of the original plan, and the practical benefit to Masonry which must result from its development, they have never in all their difficulties and troubles swerved from their first design. They only hope that their perseverance will induce their fellow Masons to consider the subject earnestly and sincerely, assured that, the greater the attention bestowed, the more will all sincere Freemasons concur with them that no money can be so well bestowed as in providing a shelter and a home for the Freemason whose only faults are age and poverty. With Masonic respect, I remain Worshipful Master, Very fraternally, your obedient Servant, JOHN WHITMORE, 125, Orford Street. Secretary, ad interim. PRESENTATION OF A MASONIC JEWEL TO HERR ALEXANDER. A SPECIAL Communication of the M. W. Grand Lodge of Ancient Freemasons of South Carolina, was held on Saturday evening, May 23, for the purpose of presenting, in behalf of the Masonic Fraternity of Charleston, a Jewel to Herr Alexander, as a token of respect for his liberal benefit to the Masonic institution on the 18th of April. After the Grand Lodge was opened, the Most Worshipful Grand Master, Brother J. C. Norris, informed the Brethren that the object of the communication was to exhibit to a foreign Brother a token of that Fraternal feeling to which his liberal and Masonic spirit entitled him, and after adverting to the manner in which Brother Alexander had volunteered his services in behalf of the Ancient Institution, of which he is a worthy member, he presented the Jewel to the Grand Secretary and directed him as Chairman of the Committee of Arrangements, to invest Mr. Alexander with it in due form. Brother A. G. Mackey, then turning to Brother Alexander, who had been brought by Brother Levin, the Grand Marshal, to the Pedestal of the East, thus addressed him : My Brother :-The Masonic Fraternity of Charleston, being desirous of testifying to you the feelings with which your liberal donation to them has inspired them, and fully appreciating the motives which induced you to give to our institution the advantages of your professional skill and labor, have resolved to bestow upon you some slight memorial of their Fraternal esteem. I need not assure you that in carrying out the object of my Brethren, I am performing a task grateful to my feelings as a man and a Mason. The Jewel with which it becomes my pleasing duty to invest you, is a five pointed star, between whose angles issue rays of light, on each of whose points is inscribed one of those cardinal characteristics of our Order-Friendship, Morality, Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth, whose centre is occupied by a representation of the All-Seeing Eye, and on the reverse is an inscription to the following effect: "To Brother J. C. Alexander, from the Masonic Fraternity of Charleston, S. C., A. L. 5846." Freemasonry, my Brother, as you are well aware, is in possession of a symbolic language, which pervades all the ceremonies of our Order, the implements of our labor, and even the furniture of our Lodges; a language in which Masons of all nations may converse with facility, and without fear of being misunderstood. It is not to be supposed that on an interesting occasion like this, we would dispense with the use of this symbolic language. Let me then claim your attention for a few moments, while I recall to your recollection the various sentiments which this jewel is intended to express, and those feelings which a sight of it must awaken in every Masonic breast. The Five Pointed Star is an emblem of those Five Points of Fellowship which constitute the practice of a Mason's morality. In this view the jewel will remind you, my Brother, that though among strangers, you are with Brothers, who will never grow weary in doing acts of kindness to him who can give them a Brother's claims to sympathy. It will tell you that as a body we invoke the blessings of an ever merciful God during the remainder of your pilgrimage; it will assure you that the feelings of your breast will be respected and cherished by Brothers' sympathies-and that in a Mason's keeping, your honor will be safe-it will inform you that in the supporting protection of your Brethren you will find an ample shield against every attack of calumny that may dare invade your character-and lastly, it will remind you that though a stranger, unacquainted with the language and unaccustomed to the habits of our country, you will yet find in every Mason you may meet a friend, who will not only advise you when you are in danger of committing error, but warn you of any approaching, and by you, unseen evil. The rays of light issuing from the angles of the star, are emblematic of that light which at the moment of Creation received its birth by the fiat of the Alnighty, and to which we reverently allude in the Masonic light which is shed upon each Brother in his adoption into our sacred mysteries. This " pure Masonic light," which though not religion is religion's handmaid, and which inculcates peace and loving kindness to all men, it is the sacred duty of every Mason to keep, like the fire of the ancient Vestals, ever bright and burning. To you, as to all of us, its guardianship has been confided—and I need hardly reiterate to you the cautions you have already received on your initiation. The words upon the points of the star are rich in meaning to every Mason. Friendship, Morality, and Brotherly Love, are in themselves three precious jewels-more rich than the diamonds of Golconda, and casting, like the gem in the eastern tale, a bright effulgence over the darkness of this world. May they be as beams lighting you on to temporal and eternal happiness. Relief and Truth are among the "grand characteristics" of our Order, and are well worthy of your attention. When, as we are sometimes wont to do, we compare our institution to a tall and beautiful column, we say that Truth is the firm and sturdy base which has supported it for ages, and will continue to give it stability in time to come, while Relief is that chaste yet ornate chapiter which adds grace and beauty to the structure. |