Mackey A G - Encylopedia of Freemasonry - The Grand Masonic ...

264 FESTIVALS
FIDES
Grand Lodge Royal York of Berlin, consisted
of nine degrees, as follows :
1 . Entered Ap sntics .
2 . Fellow-Cra
3 . Master Mason .
These differ but slightly from the same degrees
in all the Rites and are followed by six
other degrees, which he called the higher
knowledge, namely :
4 . The Holy of Holies .-This degree is
occupied in a critical exposition of the various
hypotheses which have been proposed as to
the ongin of Freemasony ; as, whether it
sprang from the Templars, from the Cathedral
of Strasburg, from the Rose Croix of the
seventeenth century, from Oliver Cromwell,
from the Cathedral of St . Paul's at London,
from that of the Palace of Kensington, or from
the Jesuits .
5. Justification .-Critical examination of
the origin of certain of the high degrees, such
as the Ecossais and the Chapter of Clermont.
6 . Celebration .-Critical examination of the
four following systems : Rose Croix, Strict
Observance, African Architects, and Initiated
Brothers of Asia .
7 . True Light.-Critical examination of the
Swedish System, the System of Zinnendorf,
the Royal Arch of England, of the succession
of the Mysteries, and of all systems and their
ramifications .
8. The Country .-Examination of the origin
of the Mysteries of the Divine Kingdom, introduced
by Jesus of Nazareth ; of the exoteric
doctrines communicated by him immediately
to his disciples, and of those which sprang up
after his death, up to the time of the Gnostics .
9 . Perfection.-A complete critical history
of all Mysteries comprehended in actual Freemasonry.
Both Clavel and Ragon say that the rituals
of these degrees were drawn up from the
rituals of the Golden Rose Croix, of the Rite
of Strict Observance, of the Illuminated
Chapter of Sweden, and the Ancient Chapter
of Clermont . Fessler's Rite was, perhaps
the most abstrusely learned and philosophical
of all the Masonic systems ; but it did not have
a long existence, as it was abandoned by the
Grand Lodge, which had at first accepted it,
for the purpose of adopting the Ancient York
Rite under the Constitutions of England .
Festivals . In all religions there have been
certain days consecrated to festive enjoyment,
and hence called festivals . Sir Isaac Newton
(on Daniel, p . 204) says : "The heathen were
delighted with the festivals of their gods, and
unwilling to part with these delights ; and
therefore, Gregory Thaumatur_ gus, who died
in 265, and was Bishop of Neociesarea, to
facilitate their conversion, instituted annual
festivals to the saints and martyrs. Hence it
came to pass that for exploding the festivals
of the heathens, the principal festivals of the
Christians succeeded in their room ; as the
keeping of Christmas with joy, and feasting,
and playing, and sports, in the room of the
Bacchanalia and Saturnalia ; the celebrating
of May day with flowers, in the room of the
Floralia; and the keeping of festivals to the
Virgin Mary, John the Baptist, and divers
of the apostles, in the room of the solemnities
at the entrance of the sun into the signs of the
Zodiac, in the old Julian Calendar." The
Masons, borrowing from and imitating the
usage of the Church, have also always had
their festivals or days of festivity and celebration
. The chief festivals of the Operative or
Stonemasons of the Middle Ages were those
of St . John the Baptist on the 24th of June
and the Four Crowned Martyrs on the 8th of
November. The latter was, however, discarded
by the Speculative Masons ; and the
festivals now most generally celebrated by the
Fraternity are those of St . John the Baptist,
June 24th, and St . John the Evangelist, December
27th . These are the days kept in this
country. Such, too, was formerly the case in
England ; but the annual festival of the Grand
Lodge of England now falls on the Wednesday
following St . George's day, April 23d, that
saint being the patron of England . For a
similar reason, St . Andrew's day, November
30th, is kept by the Grand Lodge of Scotland .
In Ireland the festival kept is that of St . John
on December 27th .
Feuillans . An androgynous system, found
in Fustier's collection and governed by the
statutes of St . Bernard.
Fidelity . (See Fides .)
Fidelity of Baden Durlach, Order of .
Instituted in 1716 by Charles Margrave of
Baden Durlach . The members of the Order
were knighted, selections being made only
from the nobles of ancient family . The
reigning princes were hereditary Grand
Masters .
Fides. In the Lecture of the First Degree
it is said that" our ancient brethrenworshipped
deity under the name of Fides or Fidelity,
which was sometimes represented by two
right hands joined, and sometimes by two
human figures holding each other by the right
hands." The deity here referred to was the
goddess Fides, to whom Numa first erected
temples, and whose priests were covered by a
white veil as a symbol of the purity which
should characterize Fidelity . No victims
were slain on her altars, and no offerings made
to her except flowers, wine, and incense . Her
statues were represented clothed in a white
mantle, with a key in her hand and a dog at
her feet . The virtue of Fidelity is, however,
frequently symbolized in ancient medals by a
heart in the open hand, but more usually by
two right hands clasped. Horace calls her
"incorrupta fides," and makes her the sister of
Justice ; while Cicero says that that which is
religion toward God and piety toward our
parents is fidelity toward our fellow-men .
There was among the Romans another deity
called Fidius, who presided over oaths and
contracts, a very usual form of imprecation
being "Me Dius Fidius adjuvet," that is, so
help me the god Fidius. Noel (Dict. Fab .)
says that there was an ancient marble at
Rome consecrated to the god Fidius, on which
was depicted two figures clasping each other's