Jenks's Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland [Me.]) 1799-1802, 1800-12-15
ULUMINATI.
AYR CIRCUIT COURT-ssptember IS.
IcoNcLuDrD rRoM THE LAST oAzrrrr.l
Evid-Hrs in Enca(bafi0n.

EUideHrs IN ErrH(bzti0r.
TOHN MCLURE Jun. IN Kirkland Hill, ftij
u he was a member of theRoyal Arch Lod G,
Maybole was admitted knight Iempar
long with Qnintin Stewart, aud took the ath,
which was to conceal the fecrets Of th-
Knights Templars, treaton and murder ONLY
excepted John Andrew adminlteted III
oath. There was no political cOnveriati5r IL
the meetings of the Knights Templars WI
Jam Hamilton was under lodge T anisl w hav
ing chile ia adultery, and left he lodge after
that. Gave an account Of the ceremonies oil
ajmdion does not remember Of pttol beng
fred that night; ana nothing VA, fad about
putting him to death ftw buih and a can
Ole burning in it ; was deGred 10 look. and fee
the candle burning and the bufh not contumed F;
fJme piece of icripture va, read, viz. The third
chapter OF Elk dus; WAS led round the room,
and after that the Obligation was taken.
2pyRioH b M Conrt. Was any thing done
after he was led round th= room Au)7U A
human ikull was dilc0vered, and all Knights
Templars were to drink out Of H. He put il To
his lips. He was dubbed 10 the name Of the
FatBer, Son, and Hoiy G5ol
John MCure, Schoolma1er, at Craigencroy
faid be IS a knight TemPlar; was made il
Maybole, alo0g with feven more was preient
at Quntin Sew arts admihion The witnels
took an oath reuemb-rs little Of The obliqa-
ton in ID. Murder and treafon were excepted
n It, the fIme as in he Matter Mlon's oath,
that IS 70 { mccall tie Mater Malon's fecrets,
murder and treafor excepted, and that he fup-
Poled hmlelt at ibetty to reveal mur CIR and
treaion. re did not think The ceremonies had
a tendency to riIoule religion, as III f.rva-
tons were luch as good Chr'i;aa might make !;
ara he heard nothing hottie to religion or
government.
Many o,her Wirnea:s coroborlted thefc
IA 1,.
hlr. Orwaid ro(- and addreGed The Tu-y "A
the pat q The prolecut on after making me
jldiciou5 remarks on the nature OF l35itiun. he
neat adverted 70 the proceedings and ceremo-
mes which had taken place as p,o,ed By he
evidence which had been adducci thele he
couhdeTed had a tendency 10 ri5icule rel gon,
and the Jury had the taGs before them, they
could therefore well form their conditions on
their import, and religion is proreaed by the
law, and IS part Of the common law, the efore
the iidiculing Of il j. an offence, for which a
verdia muIt be returned againt the pannels, if
The Jury are tatisEed that they have been gull
ty otit.-Theie and many other oblerva5ions,
Mr.. O.wald ttated with great force of Tea-
loning.
Mr.. Clerk, Council for the Pannels, rofe n
reply. He iaid, he conidered this cafe as a
very extraordinary one, as near FIVE years had
eiaPfed ilnce the facts charged were faiI u
have been carried on and the profecution had
originated in difPute which took place between
two Mafon Lodges il Maybole.
Lord Jutice Clerk fummed up the whole evi
dence with great PeriPcUity and canIor-His
LordihiP oblerved, that he could have wifRed
that this Profecution bad been brought f5oner,
but this could not be imputed to tn prof Gu
tor. tor 1t did not appear that he had DELAYED
bringing his acton after he got the infoIma-
ton. Tho this lPecics Of crime may have
occurred in our law before, fill the law may
be applied TO remedy Il when il does occur
he ipecial law enacted in regard to It does
not infringe on the law as it Good before The
oath IS not innocent, even as limited by I've
vi a ehcs for the Pannels, and tho there IS no
proof that the P4nnels had entered into de-
ign OF leading the perlons they admitted
into their iociety q le1 nous practices, yet
the oath may be employed for that purpole.
His LordihiP taid, he could not believe that
any iuch ceremonies were employed in other
Naion Lodges, beoaule they are 10 abominablt
and imPous it rather appeared that this was
new oath Introduced BY the PANELS, and
not in uEe before in admitting Nations.
VERDICT OF THE JURY.
All in one voice find the facts Gbelled-Not
Proven.
The Pannels were therefore aGoilizsd and