The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-03-31
THE SCOTTISH RITE MASONS.
ROSE CRoIx CHAPTER NO. 3 on
SERVES MAuNDAY THURSDAY.
Piled to Mnsonry-Irhc Banquet
and Tonsts.

Rose Croix chapter No. 3, Ancient and
Accepted Scottish Rite Masons, had their
annual observance last night OF Moundy
Thursday at their hall on Congress avenue,
opposite the court house, when all Scottish
Rite Masons in good standing not under
the eighteenth degree. were present, unless
prevented by sickness. as no other excuse
win be accepted for non attendance upon
this ceremony.
or all the feast days celebrated by the
Ancient aud Accepted Scottish Rite oil
Free Masonry, that held on the Thursday
before Easter. or Maundy Thursday, is re-
garded as the most solemn. While the
preparations for its celebration are some
what similar to those made by tho Jews
for their Passover yet the ceremony at
tending It Is tho nearest approach tho
Scottish Rite makes In teaching the duc-
4 trlne OF Christianity, its tenets being Ia
strict accord with the mandate of Jesus to
I His disciples when, after His last supper,
/ He washed their feet in token OF His affec-
/ ton toward them, saying: "a new com
mandment / give unto you, that you lows
/ one another US | have loved you" And IA
tho ceremonies OF this rite In its various
/ degrees shadow forth the sacred doctrines
/ of all the ancient mysteries as the peculiar
/ form In which truth has been demon
/ strated in different ages TO the world SO In
| this ceremony it combines that of the Mo-
hammedan, the Jewish and the Christian
religions. leaving each Of Its members free
! to interpret them according TO his own
particular faith and creed Scottish Ma
/ sonry breaches one God one first great
and eternal cause, and thus expresses the
heartfelt creed of all men OF all races and
| religions and enjoins It's members TO fol-
low the law OF love and liberation. per-
/ hitting the disciples OF each sect or re-
|, ligion the free practice of their own forms
!, of worship.
The title OF "Maundy," applied to the
Thursday before Easter according to the
latest and most approved etymology, is
merely a corruption Of Mandate Thursday.
or Dies Mandate as 1t was anciently
4 called that is n command day. Consr-
quently for the Christian Mason It refers
to the commandment which Jesus gave to
, His disciples to commemorate his last sup
J per, which He this day instituted after the
celebration of the Passover, and for the
. Jewish Mason it symbolzes the Passover
E or thanksgiving feast OF unleavened bread
c which Ia n statutory ordinance based on
. positive divine command.
The ceremonies incident to the ceebra-
tion of the Maundy Thursday banquet ar,
performed only in a chapter, and all pres
ent must be eighteenth degree Masons, eN
=. cept that OF eXtlnguishing the seven lights
Those not members may be permitted t,
witness this part OF the interesting cere
mony, after which the knights. with sucl
guests as may have been invited repai
8 to q room whore Is served formal ban
t quet. The statutes of the order requir
that Rose CroiX chapter shall hold meet
lngs on Maundy Thursday and Easter Sun
: day sickness alone excusng knight from
, non attendance Even II a knight Ros
CrolX he nlone in place he must IN splrl
, at least feast on Maundy Thursday witt
his brethren. A young lamb or kid a
, part OF one, roasted, is 20 be eaten ~ thi
feast. II brother be travelling and NEE
Y another brother on the road they ar
, obliged to 70 to some convenient place
q and perform this duty II two knights lIy
within twenty miles of each other tho,
{ must meet each other and celebrate tn
e mystic banquet.
/ Ceremonies as outlined above were OBJ
served last night by Rose Crolx chapter
No, 3, after which the banquet was served
with DR.. J. s. Wilson. thlrty-thlrd degree
Hon, deputy inspector general. acting a.
toastmastor and announcing the sentiment,
which were proposed and responded to a:
q follows:
\ To the supreme Council OF the Ancient
% ana Accepted Scottish Rite. responded tc
s by q ". Kidd, thlrty-secoud degree.
To the knights of Rose Crolx of the
Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite Ma.
sons, responded to by Wise Master J. II
Rothweil, eighteenth degree
u To the Scottish Rite Masons wherever
* Dispersed Throughout the World respond
It ed 10 by Max Taub, thirty-second degree
\ To the Grand Encampment, knights
II Tomplars responded 10 by General Ii. u
stoddard. thirty-seoond degree, OF Bryan.
To the Grand Commandery, responded /,
by G. A. Gibbons thirty second degree.
To the Grand Chapter, responded to b,
;, w. l., Lane. thirty-seoond degree
II To the Blue Lodges. responded TO by ]
10 Nj, Blair, thirty-seeond degree
10 To the President Of the United States re
n sponded to by II. l.. Fox. eighteenth de
@ gree.
a To the Inspector General OF the state o
N Texas, responded to by j. s. Wilson
thirty-third degree, Hon.
To our Fraternal Dead, response by @
W. Kidd, thirty-second degree.