The daily gazette., 1880-01-19
From the N. Y. World.
WhUt N. Y. Freenasons Say.


THE EVIDENCE OF THE oBELIsK SUPPLY
ING THE MOST IMPORTANT LINK IN
THE CHAIN OF MAsoNiC HISTORY.
Among the Masonic fraternity in this
city are men who have made the origin
OF the order q study of their lives and
among these men are several theories as
TO when and where Masonry was born.
One prominent Mason, Who has visited
every country whereis Masonry is prac-
tised, said yesterday that from his re-
searches he wassatisfed that the Masonic
order originated In an island OF the Gre
clan Archipelago aud was afterwards
employed in Egypt by the priests.
General Charles Roome, Grand Mas
ter OF Masons in this State. said "Thi-
discovery will be great thing for Ma
sonry. That Commander GOrrnae ~
night when he says he has found Masonic
en- mDlems cannot for a moment be doubt
ed, and now savanfs will continue 10
trace the order back until they will find,
az believe, that II began in The East
thousands VI years before the Christian
era"
Charles T. McClenachan,a "A th,riy-tbird
degree Mason of the Ancient and Ac-
cepted Scottish Rite and well known as
student of Masonic antiquities, had
considered the matter well before the e.
porter saw him. "This does not surprise
mt, J" said he, "and IL Commander Cor
rInge has not made a mistake he will
help TO solve one Of the most difficult
problems that has ever bothered search
ers after the origin OF Masonry. 10 all
my researches have neve- been able to
trace the legend of The life and death of
Hiram Abiff beyond the fourteenth GEN.
tury, although from such books as Forts
Antiquities of Freemasonry,' and
hughdn's papers on the subject, there IL
all inference that the lgebd is of older
date. The Essences wore the arc of three
secret societies among the Jews, to
which belonged John the Baptist and IL
| IL supposed that Christ also was brought
up within their mystic rules. Their man
ner of comforting their degrees was NOT
unlike ours. They had similar tools and
wore aprons. Many Masons claim their
origin from this society. Ii II should
turn out that there is some papyrus in
side the pedestal of the obelsk or any
hieroglyphics on the emblems that will
associate them with the Essenes, then
he discovery will, indeed, be valuable.
For as The Essenes, according to history,
had been organized for 900 years before
Christ. we shall have proof conclusive
bat King Solomon was one of tue firsi
NJ astsrs of the order, and that space be-
tween the building ofthe Temple and the
thirteenth century will be completely
filed"
II have found that many men who
enter the order do not understand it,"
said the Rev. +. q. Ever, ID. D., "it
takes what might call a catholic man
to fully know what there is In Masonry.
The mblems discovered by Commander
Gorringe aIe not sufficiently explained
III they are tHols they may be the mark
of who built the cornerstone with,
out any Masonic significance. 1t Is my
idea that Masonry first began In the
dark ages of persecution, under the pro-
lection of the Church. Ecclesl astica
history reads that when persecution be-
gan many converts returned to their
first faith rather than suffer. This made
IL necessary tof the Christians to form
secret societies. NJ lem bers were tried for
" ars before they were admitted and il
was only after many years eff probation
that the chosen were told Of tho Trinity
Incarnation, Real Presence and Baptis-
NAL Rege neration. The Lords Prayer
was also secret. IL was custnm TO
have certain services, called Pro-Anap-
bora, for the pubic, after which the
church was cleared, guards put at the
iOor and only the chosen, the illuminate
allowed TO enter. But after the conver-
SION of 81. Augustine, A. ID. 325 there
was no more necessity for secrecy, and
the yigor of the Church subsded. Bnt
fr lm this first 81 cIet bedy there sprung
another baud of chosen people who, to
my mind, were the founders of Freema-
sonry."
EllwoOd f. Thorne, Past Grand Mas
ter of NJ asohs, said that he had no doubt
that the discovery was another impor
tant addition to the history of the an
tquity OF Masonry. For years he has
studied this matter, but like most Mason
c aDtiquarians he has been baked after
,earching back to the thirteenth century.
"1here were many secret bodies he
said, "at the time of Christ and before
his advent from which Masonry may
have emanated, but all savants have 10 /
the thread, and If the emblems can be
proved beyond doubt to be Masonic
the mystery Is solved, and the discovery
that Masonry was one of the first relig-
ions of the world will follow. There is
no doubt of It's antqulty-the ceremon-
les are so much like those used In the
ancient mysteries. All that is wanted is
the connecting link, and the corner
stone of the American obelisk may sup
ply IT,"
John w. Simmons, Past Grand Mas
ter of the State, said that the news was
not yet detailed enough for a full dis
cassion. The discovery of Masonic en-
hems in such position would be of
the very highest Importance to the Graf
and having that date as a landmark the
antiquarian could search further back
with better hopes of defiri;e results.
When the drawings arrived the matter
wonld be fully discu' u'sed by the Masonic
bodie'.