Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-08-24

& !. !: ] j:
| %ZgzLSNSGIzI// plagued with curios-
| MsEgSEHkSAI/Mtx ity concerning Free
/ESEYH ESgSETHIIXL Masonry at this par
H&SM WI ticular time is an in
VII MW evitahle consequence
" wv of being in Boston,
| where on all sides
prepare tons, extern
| sive to the point of being aggressive, are
gorg en- in anticipation of the coming
| conclave of Knights Templar. Being thus
plagued to appeal for relief to Grand Re-
corder Severio D. Nickerson of the Massa-
chusetts Grand Lodge, was to apply at the
| fountain-head of authority In America, in
asmuch as Free Masonry in this county
had its inception in Boston. Here the
| first lodge was organized; here the first
Grand Lodge was organized, and here the
| national character of the institution was
| established when, after the battle of Bum
| ker Hill. the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts,
| declared independence of British jurisdic-
! ton. Grand Recorder Nickerson has held
| his present office in this historic lodge since
1SS2, having been grand master more than
| twenty years previous Thus the authority
| OF the lodge which established, preserved
and extended, Free Masonry over the west
ern hemisphere has become SO to speak,
| 1ncarnated in this venerable Official who
| is popularity known in New England as the
Nestor of the fraternity.
The Masonic Temple on fremont street
| always impressive because of Its imposing
architecture, inspired me not alone with
ave. but with fear as 1 approached it, be-
| cause of the likelihood of receiving on my
| presumptuous head a hammer or a plank,
| or even the whole Of the immense knights
Templar design that was in process of con-
struction over the door. Drawing this, how
| ever. as We'll as large placard in the hall
| upstairs. mo Visitors Admitted" 1 pushed
cautiously in through the door of the grand
recorders office, and by no means certain
OF the consequences, Informed the NeStor
Of Free Masonry that 1 had come to him
to learn all woman may know of the
| secrets of his ancient and united order
Some Questions Answered..
The smile with which this statement
was received instantly embodied in the
kindly old man before me the ideal Free
Mason of a woman whose father is men,
Der of the fraternity. In extenuation of
my curiosity. I pointed cut to Grand Re-
| cord%r Nickerson that while the news
papers all over the country are full of Ma
sonic references. consequent upon the gen.
eral movement of Knights Templar toward
Boston, not one person in hundred has
any intelligent grasp of the significance of
the most frequently recurring terms. For
instance l said. what is knight Temp
lariSm-a postgraduate course in Free Ma
sonry?" .-.'z.
1.-THE knights Templar have this sole
connection with Free Masons, answered
Mr.. NfckerSon; Ito become a knight man
must have taken the first three degrees of
Masonry. and have been admitted to
| chapter which covers four additional de-
| grees. Beyond this and essentially, the
| knights are a wholly Independent order, in
which men who have sufficient means and
corresponding tastes may enjoy the 'pomp
and circumstance of war with all the un-
pleasant features eliminated. The bond of
union is a social one"
Nevertheless" replied, cit has its base
! in Free Masonry. VIII you not tell me by
what means man procures the degrees
you mentiOned?"
Money, commonly"
| Are there not educational qualifications
necessary" 1 asked. Does not advance
| in Free Masonry mean a mans advance in
occult lore and the wisdom that was Sol
| omon's?"
1t Is Respectable.
''Nominally. yes." answered the grand
| recorder, but l regret to say, few. few.
! very few Masons nowadays make serious
study of the principles of their order. In
! tegrity of character is made a condition of
! a mans entrance into the fraternity AZ
| forwards, he advances as he pays his dues
| and satisfies the formalities of the institu-
| ton. 1t is popular and altogether respect
| able to be Free Mason, and for these rea-
| sons chiefly man prefers this to other
| fraternal organizations"
"Why them" 1 exclaimed in diSappoint
ment, 'you are no different from any other
secret society. There is no real mystery
about your secret-nothing different from
| me-
| I wish I might put on paper the occult
smile with which the venerable Mason re-
ceived this assertion.
"Oh, yes, there is a difference" he an
swered. and, keyed to the highest pitch Of
| curiosity, blurted, What is it?
"A great many Masons would find it i'm
| possible to answer you, If they tried to-"
| he said.
| Still. this assurance that knowing nothing
at all, 1 would nevertheless know as much
| as some Masons, did not satisfy me. and
| tried another road to the coveted knowl-
| edge. What is the real purpose Of Free
! Masonry" 1 asked. Where, when and
how did 1t originate? Does Buwer's story
| of Zanoni and George Sands 'Consuelo' con-
| tain the essence Of your lore?"
mo one knows the origin of the order.
| There are numberless theories explaining it.
| but in truth its history Is without a begin
| ming, and all history contains its principles
| under different forms directed to different
| ends. On the continent of Europe it has
| played conspicuousy and powerfully in
politics, and the rise and development of
| Free Masonry in this country, was largely
due to political causes.
| The Bond of Union.
Naturally the colonists plotting indie
| pendence of the mother country. in danger
of their lives, were glad to have the pro-
|
| hood of Masons. No religious sect nor
| other non-sectarian organization exhibits
| such a bond. 1t saved many lives in col
| onial times. and I know personally of 1t
| bridging the difference between rebel and
| Yankee during the rebellion. One case in
| particular 1 recall-a man whom 1 made a
| Mason in 1861 at the attack on Fort Fisher
| was wounded, and making himself known
| as a Mason, firing was suspended and he
| was taken care Of until his subsequent
| exchange was arranged"
| In what does this marvellous bond of
union inflere?" asked, oh, so eagerly, but
| once more the grand recorders occult
| smile tantalized my curiosity to the point
| of bursting, and for momentary relief
I shifted to plain history. Then, tell me-
| please" 1 said, ''of the first Free Masons
| in this country"
| "A provincial Grand Lodge of Massachu-
| sets was formed on the LIST of July, 1733
| with Henry Price as provincial grand mas
| ter, his Jurisdiction extending through
| New England and over a portion of the
| British province. The first warranted
| lodge ST. Johns Lodge. which was in
| stituted in Boston in 1913, and exists in
| substantially its original form to the pres
| emit day. The original authority for the
| institution was received from Lord Mon
| tagu, grand master of the Masons of Eng
land. In 1756 Joseph Warren organized