Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-08-30

oppized the Mark nor the Most Excel
lent degrees whilst the Grand Lodge OF
PENNSYLVANIA has not been consistent, IN
that il has recognized these degrees,
having granted charters for Marx Lodges
and permitted the Chapters to Introduce
the Most Excellent, although chapter
Masonry and the Grand Chapter exist
in this jurisdiction. by authority OF the
Grand Lodge. Itwould have been more
in harmony with the principles OF the
institution if the Grand Lodge had never
sanctioned the introduction of the Mark
and Most Excellent degrees. But 1t Is
bv this silent acquiescence that antago-
p;stic orders are introduced, and the
original system changed. The color OF
Masonic relation is given to innovations
and the cumulatiOn of degrees, as In the
case of the Knights Templar, by per-
hitting them 10 meet in the Masonic
Temple, and yet there are no two organ
nations that differ more widely than Ma
sonry and Templarism. They have moth
ing in common in their ritual, their OBJ
LEGATIONS, or their principles. There
would be more consistency in allowing
the Odd Fellows, DrGids or Red Men 10
meet in the Temple, because the prlnei-
pies of these Orders are substantially
the same as the Masonic in their cos
mOpolitan character.
The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania
has. in the work of Blue Masonry as it
WAS originally introduced in this juris-
diction, permitted less innovation than
any other Grand Lodge in the country,
and it ought never to have permitted
the Templar Order to meet in the Ma
sonic Temple, as by so doing it has given
to it a color of Masonic relation, which
Is all that the Knights Templar desire
at the present. Their ultimate aim is
to subordinate Freemasonry, and to alb
sorb it in the Templar Order. They
have been most persistent in their efforts
to accomplish this result. Originally
they claimed no connection with the
Masonic Order. Subsequently they
made it a qualification that applicants
must be Master Masons, afterwards they
made the Royal Arch a prerequisite, and
an attempt is now being made to make
Council Masonry a qualification. The
tendency of all this is to place Templar-
SIN at the head, and to ignore the basis
of Freemasonry and to give it the lowest
position.
| appeal to the members of Grand
Lodges to make every effort to restore
Ancient Freemasonry to its original
status, and not allow the 4. and A. Rite
nor Templarism to be associated with it
in any way, and if they, the Grand
Lodges, who are the authoritative bodies,
as eonservators of the principles of the
institution, will not take action in this
important matter, the time will not be
far distant when their membership will
be dictated to by other bodies, and they
will be compelled to occupy a subordi-
nate position. Surely the Grand Lodges
cannot, and ought not, desire to leave a
legacy to the next generation as an ele-
ment not only of destruction, but Of alb
sorption into a seetarian Christian order.
Ancient Freemasonry has within it liv-
ing elements of enduring vitality. No
or institution in the world was
ever established upon such noble and
exalted principles, calculated to endure
for all time, and to bless mankind with
its humanizing aims in elevating and i'm
proving the condition of the race. And
shall We, as FreemasOns, in this nine
teenth century, with willful indifference
look on and make no efforts to prevent
this noble Institution from being totally
subverted by a crafty jesuitical order
whose aim is its destruction? Let the
of Freemasonry and of man con
slider if they are willing that this noblest
and best of institutions shall hereafter
only known in name as something
hat once existed.