The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-02-03
TIE MYTHS or MAsoNRY.
A Member of the Order Who Breaks Its
Emblematio Tools.

a Member OF the Oruef VINO BREAKS It's
Emblematic Tools.
From the New York Herald.
Colonel Thomas Picton was appointed,
in 1858, Secretary General Of the Celestial
Empire Of the Masonic Order Of Memphis
for America. He said that the day for
secrecy in Masonry in America is past. In
land in which. there was an established
religion secrecy was necessary, but in
America it was a detriment to the order.
"Indeed, fancy that Masonry does not
exist in America-that is to say, las it should
exist-for here 1t is benevolent society,
not philosophic institution. Instead Of
stimulating inquiry, Americans who style
themselves Masons throw veil over the
truth. They begin with myths and legends
and add to them with every successive de-
gree, and the higher they 60 the more lies
they tell" The Colonel threw in the
parenthesis that. probably there are not in
the United States six Masons who are
really educated in the history. OF their
order. Then he added; 1.-THE origin Of
modern Masonry can beattributed to Lord
Bacon. In the new Atlantis there is q
description OF Solomon and his house, and
it is there said that the King set apart
different days for prosecuting the arts and
sciences. The new Atlantis was excessi-
vely popular among the learned men OF
Bacon's day, and they tried to establish q
society, taking Solomon as an exponent OF
wisdom. 1t was encouraged by the Court
OF James l.. and his successor, Charles
l., until the Revolution broke out.
Then the royalists, after the death Of
Charles l., recognized their society for re-
ligious and political motives-the religion
for the re-establishment Of the Church, the
politics for the restoration Of the mon
archy. Next they invented what is called
the legend OF the third degree. Hiram
Abiir was the murdered monarch. Hi
ram, the King Of Tyre, was the King Of
France. Solomon was the Church.
Hiram's three assassins were the three
kingdoms, England, Scotland and Ire
land. The Masons OF that day, who were
the conspirators = the Jacobites - were
necessarily a secret society. They called
themselves, as the Masons OF the Euro
pean Continent do to the present day, the
Sons OF the Widow, inasmuch as the King
had been beheaded and his son
had not been recognized. After the
Restoration the leading men OF the
movement formed the Royal Society,
which exists to the present day, and they
openly continued the work Of the house
OF Solomon. The Jacobites in France
continued their benevolent organization.
In England, Immediately after the Restora-
ton d number OF those who had been previ-
ously affiliated conjoined with guild OF So
called operative Masons, a body OF free
men Of London, meeting in Mason's lane.
They then became Free and Accepted
Masons, In l747 there appeared to be
four lodges in London. They met in the
Appletree Tavern, placed the Oldest
Mason in the chair and proceeded 10
organize a grand lodge, electing Sir
Christopher Wren Grand Master. From
that body originate all the Masonic lodges
in this country.
"Oilate years on the continent OF Eu-
rope, and in France particularly, earnest
endeavors have been made to divest Ma
sonry OF all its fabulous legends and his
torical errors.' In conclusion Colonel
Plcton said that the square and compass
were rejected by all intelligent Masons
long ago, the All-Seeing Eye within the
triangle being the recognized emblem,
and that, whatever tho symbols may prove
10 befthat are on the stones that upheld
the obelisk in Alexandria, they will not
prove that Masonry as we know 1t existed
among the ancient Egyptians.