The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1895-08-29
MASONRY.

MASONRY.
Masonry calls ITSELF "Ancient
Free and Accepted Masonry" II
It be not an ancient order then its
name contains lie, II is sailing
under false colors, Is a wilful de.
ceiver, and all the men who are or
have been members of the
order have helped to
propagate y falsehOod and stand
convicted before the world az false
men and deceivers. II its claim to
antiquity be false, then 1t should be
condemned by every honest heart
ed man in the land.
The world is not agre ed that the
Cyclopedia Britannica Is reliable
Indeed it is being condemned at
this very time by a large section Of
this country, who claim that 1t does
them a gross injustice and falsefies
history, lit does this in one in.
stance, may it not do it in others?
l am prepared to show by reliable
authority that its Masonic history
is false.
Masonry certainly existed prior
to TIT. Tread from the Peoples
Cyclopedia: "The year 1850 is that
assigned for the revisiOns OF the
constitutions under Edward I'LL"
"June "a (St. Johns day. 1902 it lays
the foundation of Henry WHIPS
Chapel in Westminster Abbey"
"After the beheading of Charles /
Masonry took political bias and
was employed by the partisans Of
the Stuarts." Charles l. WAS be.
headed in 1919. "Charles II and
William III were Masons." Char
les III died in 1886 and William III
in 1902. All Of these dates proceed
I'LL and 60 to show that the theory
of that date Is not correct. Grand
Lodges as now constituted were or
ganized in the year I'LL, but men
who are not MasOns do not know
tho difference between Grand
Lodges and Masonry, and eager In
their opposition TO the order they
fall into the blunder of talking
about things of which they know
nothing. Here is where the Brit.
tanica and 1t friends have strayed.
On page 8l6 Of Masonic Text
Book Of Tennessee, Edition Of 1868,
the date and organization Of the
first Grand Lodge is given, also
this statement: "Previous to I'LL
an annual assembly and feast was
held, at which all the brethern who
saw fit were present and at which,
when required a Grand Msster
was elected" This shows that Ma.
sonry existed prior to I'LL. People
of common sense will be slow to be-
lieve that n "Mas0nlc Journal run
in the interest of Free Masonry
would pronounce 1t or any part o.
1t ian imposture and a swiodle.'
It lacks the force Of reason. 1t Il
not doubtful that a genuine ana
sonic Journal making such state
ment would be hard to find. One
s. T. Parvin, claimed to be a Mason
of high standing is made to testify
against the order, and in the Gloss
Of his testimony to reproach it with
Benedict Arnold, the Traitor. Thu
ear marks of this man are sus
picious. No man in sympathy
with the order will reproach it
Once he may have been a Mason
but at this time he may have be-
come like man who has fallen Out
with his church or some Education
al Institution of his church because
everything does not come his way
apdwhat he once befriended he now
seeks to destroy. This mans testi
mony is malicious to say the least
of 1t. do not see how the Bene
dict Arnold case refers to the an
tiquity Of Masonry. 1t is only slip
ped in for a reproach both by Mr.
Parvin and the man who uses him.
l do not know that Arnold was
nor that he was not, a Mason. Ont
thing / do know that he was bOrr
and raised in Connecticut.
Wilkins Tannehill was man oil
pure soul and spotless character
No man ever held the love ant
confidence of Tennessee peopl,
more than he. He was not maj
to mislead nor deceive any one,
man of eminent ability and scholar
ship. Seven times he was Gran,
Master Of Tennessee. read from
his manuel in his own words
sunless all history be a romance,
tissue of fabulous legends Masonr,
certainly, existed in Britain whel
it was conquered by the legions o
Imperial Rome. The old COnstitu