, 1875-09-19
Rise and Fall Of the Egyptian
Rite of Memphis.
Information for an 1nquiring Friend
Instruction to Masons.
Programme Of the Grand Lodge Meeting
OF tlle 0dd-FelloWs.
4 New City Lodge-Personal Notea-An-
nouncements-Kuights Of Pythiaa
on Pilgrimage.
MASONIC.
THE RITE OF MEMPHIS.


THE RITE OF MEMPHIS
TO tie Editor Of The Chicaao Tribune:
CHICAGO, Sept. Ill an always pleased to
read your articles On secret societies iu each
Sundays issue, and Know that l echo the feel
inss Of large number of brethren OF the differ
enE degrees of Freo-Masonry when say thnt
you have their thanks for 50 freely devoting
your columns to matter so interesting to them
In connection with this subject may
/ ask through your columns what
has become OF the Egyptian Masonic
Rite Of Memphis that fourished for
short time in this city few yesrs ago, and Of
which Dr.. J. Adams Allen was Deputy Grand
Mastor, T.. T. Quincy, Charles E. Leonard,
Charles b. Brewer, E. B. Myers. Dr.. D. R.
DEche, Reuben Cleveland. and many other
prominent Masons wero members, not forgetting
the 1ate genial aad much lanented Samuel T..
Underhill Recorder OF Apollo Commandery. H..
". Bigeiow and Dr.. 81. n Hurlbut, whose
pames alone are and were tower of strength,
and added lustre to any association with which
they were connected.
I shoul1 think that unless the Rite was worthy
Of perpetuation such men as I have named
would not have entered into It,
and assuming that it WAS, why
has it been suffered to fall into abeyanca? Will
Of the brightest aud hest-lnformod Masons in
the country, be good enough to state what Is the
present status Of the Order, and why. with him
at the head OF it, occupying the prominent'poai-
Of the other kindred orders OF the Masonlc body
And that it is no leEs worthy. according to the
historical traditions OF the Order, need only re-
fer to the fact that it is acknowledged by Ma
sonic writers to be the most ancient OF all other
systems OF Masonry, and, as has been we'll writ
ron hF A ri a nf
the Scottish Rite:
The mythical legend which is connected with It's
mysteries is the Anetype Of tho Temple legend with
which all Nesons 80 familiar, and It's traditions
81 and ceremonies antedate more than thousand
years the age OF Solomon {eneral Aim Recon, 1858
pp. 195 and 196}s
Os1R1s-
ExprANAT1oH.-While Or. Allen is getting
ready his pen, and the other members Of the
Rite are bracing-up to explain their connection
with the now defunck institution, the following
history is vouehsafed:
About 1868, or perhaps 1864, Harry Seymour,
Of New York City, then = lender IN Scottish Bite
Masonry, went over to Frauce to obtain such
| further Masonic Light as might be gained
Shortly before his advent in France the Grand
Orient Of that country had shelged the Rite Of
Memphis, with its 1nnumerable degrees, and the
further comforting Of them was made Masoni-
ca1ly unlsuful. Notwithstanding this fact, 6ey-
mour succeeded in claudest,nely obtaining the
work Of the Rite, and returned with it to New
York. Here he formed q SORT OF copartnership
with aman named Burt, from New Jersey, and con-
fened the degreos on him. The object of the
precious pair appea1s to have been solely to
make money, and accordingly, they divided The
territory. Seymour staying East and Burt CON-
ing West. The latter came to Chicago among
other places, and, being plausible man and
weil-spcken- he gathered into the Rite some
thirty prominent Ma=ons, including those named
in Osir1s' letter and others. This wac about ten
years ago.
Within few months after Burt's advent these
came after him rumors derogatoEy to his reputa-
ton, and finally grand quaarel broke out be-
tween him and Seymour, the latter accusing the
former of being an expelled Master Mason, nnd
Of being guilty Of all sorts Of disgraccful prac-
tices.
Burt, on the other hand, accused Seymour of
fully us grave misdeeds, and there very
pretty war. During its continuance Seymour
came West and conferred the degrees, as he rep
resented them, on some seventy excellent Ma
sons known at that tune as lhe Seymour branch
of the faction.
The Chicago Mssons meanwhile proceeded to
investigate the charges mutually made, and
found them substantially true On both sides. 1t
Was proved On documentary authority that Burt
had been expelled for some SOFT OF misdong.
aud it was made just as clear that Seymour had
stolen the work OF the Rite. Por these reasons
the Burt fact1an quietly dropped.the Rite, not
without fear that they might be taken to task BY
tho Grand Lodge for holding Masonic intercourse
with an expelled Mason. The Seymour facslon
were taken in IN = body by Chicago Consistozy.
As near IS can be remembered. the whole
furry, from the time OF Burt's advent to the
ignoring OF the whole Rite, w2s about year add
half.
Il should be added that it this account Of the
rise and fall Of the Rite OF Memphis in Chicago
ia defective, as it is like to be il minor points,
any well-iuformed brother IL invited to add or
correct as the facts demand.
MASONIC INSTRUCTION..
Loomis' Masonic journal has the following
good adyice to members OF the Urder, which
should be read and observed:
70 our mind Of the greatest wants Of our crats
frequent instruction in the great principles on
which the foundation Of our present Masonic ta1kh Is
built. We do not mc2p the ritual 80 much, set j
closer study Of that would make 1t infinitely beter
but we Erefer especially TO the theory which
Of the Masters Of Lodges In this Jurisdiction how 1ny
dues during the past year hare the great principles
BEEN explained to the newly admitted brethren OF the
Craft. There many who would enjoy short lec-
g7ess Of Masonry, and there are In the State Masons
who By education and culture ire qualified to renter
such instruction. 6nd at the tina to make it In
restng to public audience OF the friends Of Mason
Lodges in the State Or good shaxo OF them
would signify their deare to hear such an
address, we know that some compe-
But while such addresses are to he densed, there is
much very much, which rests with the Master Of
Lodge to do toward enghtening the hrethren. be u
true Master OF his Loage. To those who are def
cent advise study aud consultation with enliSht-
The time is fast drawing near when the usual Ma-
comic elections to be held and sincerely hope
that no Lodge will iutcs On itself great punish
rnent as elevate to the East Mason who u not by
exnEDIe worthy fill highest place