Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-08-30
MASONIC INTELLIGENCE.
The Royal Arch,

~ ~ AIENhAau.b VI AAAAuCApulhs
from the FreemasoH, published at St.
Louis. Bro. Hyneman is a Hebrew,
and for some years published a Masonic
newspaper. Affirmation, negation, dis
cussiOn,-these are the only mode Of at
tanning to the truth. Whose loves it
must hear all sides
As some Of the readers of the Free
mason with whom l am in fraternal cor
~respondence seem to misapprehend my
views in regard to the Royal Arch, |
will eudeayor in this communication to
present them in the c~learest light posi-
bic. Promising that | accept what can
not be avoided, that there is a degree
called the Royal Arch, that is no evil
denee that l believe that degree to be a
part Of Ancient Freemasonry indeed,
| know it is not, excepting the essential
part of it, which was taken from the
Master Mason's degree.
The history Of the Royal Arch is as
follows Sometime about the year 1875,
certainly before 1873, in addition to
otner innovations in altering the work
in the L. A. and F. C. degrees, the es-
sential part of the NJ. NJ. degree was
taken from it, and a kind of honorary
degree formed out of the part distracted,
to which the name of Royal Arch was
given. 1t was not at that time consider
ed a degree, but only an honorarium con-
ferred upon Masters of Lodges elect who
had served one year in the Oriental
Chair. 1t was a simple ceremonial, IL
Illustrating the finding of that which was
supposed 10 be lost. and it was that
which was recovered which was the es-
sential part of the NJ. NJ. degree and
that, and that only, Invested Of all ira
dition, was the hOnorarium conferred
upon the Master at the expiration of the
time for which he was elected. The os-
tenslble motive, however, was a theologi-
Gal one. As, according to a mythical
tradition, the omnifc word had been at
one time lost, it was to prevent a like
occurrence, and, as it was considered too
sacred q word TO be communicated to all
Master Masons, it was given to be pre-
served to those who had filed the Sole
monisn chair. But prior TO 1875 every
Master Mason was invested with the So
called omnifc word.
In the course Of time additions were
made to the simple ceremonial Of invest
ing the Master elect with the omnifc
word, until the Royal Arch has grown
into a system, embracing the modern de-
grees Of Mark and Most Excellent. and
some jurisdictions, including the
Royal and Select Masters degrees. As
the essential part of the Master Mason's
was taken away from it, some
thing had to be substituted in its place
The part substituted was the introduce
lon Of the legend which did not form a
part Of Ancient Freemasonry. The
whole Of the legend, with all the ira
dictionary portion, was interpolated in the
Master Mason's degree. 1t was all man
Ifactured to supply the place of that
which was taken away, and all Master
Masons since that time, as l remarked
n a former article, have had a deception
1racticed upon them. Before the intro
iuction of the Royal Arch the Master ;
Mason was a complete Mason, was in '
-ested with ali the secrets Of the Order.
was withheld from him. there ]
we're no higher degrees attached to Free q
Masonry. He was a Master Workman S
n the fullest sense He had served his I
ime as an Apprentice, worked as a Jour 0
eyman among the Fellow Crafts. and a
ad attained the position Of an equal bv c
is manifest skill and ability among the
laster Masons. b
The legend interpolated in the NJ. NJ. S,
betrays the source of its origin. 81
: well as the changes made in the two Sc
receding degrees and these we're the a,
Of the histories contained in the
723 and 1873 editions of what are OF
nown as Anderson's Constitutions. both al
lbllshed by authority aud order of the fe
ondon Grand Lodge. The principal r
'mpilers of these constitutions and the 2
stories were Anderson, Desaguliers. al
ayne, and others, who were prominent c,
the formation Of the London Grand OF
in l7l7. That Grand Lodge was la
It only a revolutionary body, because tn
ere was a Grand Lodge existing In
at the time, but it did many tn
IS in violation Of the constitution and Sc
Of the institution, as Preston, re
his " History Of Masonry" has most pl
ncluslyely shown. The introduction al
tie legend was evidently the hands di
TX of the Doctors of Divinity, as 1t tn
S intended to be expressive of the alb fo
d dogma Of the resurrection of the or
ysical body. But without saying any
.ng as TO the incompleteness Of the le- trt
ID and its mythical character, | will ca
y observe that the above named in so
polstors and ~innovators were the pio- trC
in making fundamental changes sh
of the basic principles Of Ar &c
ut Freemasonry. Hutchinson and lel
yer, and other ID. DIS, followed them. ans
Webb and Cross, in introducing sec sht
an dogmas and manufacturing new vie
Toes. new rites, and adding to snd al TO
ng the ancient ritual, so that there is del
rcely a semblance of the original sys- but
left, except the name. Where the int
Of rites will end, and the tina
ing Of new degrees and making radi- woI
changes to conform to popular secta- Sec
creeds, to christianize the Masonic g
who can tell? tina
here are only three degrees of An not
{ Freemasonry, but when the Royal His
h was adopted, the Grand Lodge of of
land, in its declaration of what Pree- in I
oury consisted, added, Including said
Royal Arch" 1t maintains that sucl
arstiOn to this day, and so does the half
Lodge Of Pennsylvania. The olot
I'd Lodge Of England has, however, 9"
consistent, IN that it has never rec III p