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

70 APORRHETA
APPRENTICE
Aporrheta . Greek, aa6ppnTa . The holy
things in the Ancient Mysteries which were
known only to the initiates, and were not to
be disclosed to the profane, were called the
aporrheta . What are the aporrheta of Freemasonry?
what are the arcana of which there
can be no disclosure? is a question that for
some years past has given rise to much discussion
among the disciples of the Institution .
If the sphere and number of these aporrheta
be very considerably extended, it is evident
that much valuable investigation by public
discussion of the science of Masonry will be
prohibited . On the other hand, if the aporrheta
are restricted to only a few points, much
of the beauty, the permanency, and the efficacy
of Freemasonry which are dependent on
its organization as a secret and mystical association
will be lost . We move between
Scylla and Charybdis, and it is difficult for a
Masonic writer to know how to steer so as, in
avoiding too frank an exposition of the principles
of the Order, not to fall by too much
reticence, into obscurity . The European Masons
are far more liberal in their views of the
obligation of secrecy than the English or the
American . There are few things, indeed,
which a French or German Masonic writer
will refuse to discuss with the utmost frankness.
It is now beginning to be very generally
admitted, and English and American
writers are acting on the admission, that the
only real aporrheta of Freemasonry are the
modes of recognition, and the peculiar and
distinctive ceremonies of the Order ; and to
these last it is claimed that reference may be
publicly made for the purpose of scientific
investigation, provided that the reference be
so made as to be obscure to the profane, and
-intelligible only to the initiated .
Appeal, Right of. The right of appeal is
an inherent right belonging to every Mason,
and the Grand Lodge is the appellate body
to whom the appeal is to be made .
Appeals are of two kinds : 1st, from the decision
of the Master ; 2d, from the decision
of the Lodge . Each of these will require a
distinct consideration .
1 . Appeals from the Decision of the Master .
It is now a settled doctrine in Masonic law that
there can be no appeal from the decision of a
Master of a Lodge to the Lodge itself . But
an appeal always lies from such decision to
the Grand Lodge, which is bound to entertain
the appeal and to inquire into the correctness
of the decision . Some writers have endeavored
to restrain the despotic authority of the
Master to decisions in matters strictly relating
to the work of the Lodge, while they contend
that on all questions of business an appeal
may be taken from his decision to the Lodge .
But it would be unsafe, and often impracticable,
to draw this distinction, and accordingly
the highest Masonic authorities have rejected
the theory, and denied the power in a Lodge
to entertain an appeal from any decision of the
presiding officer .
The wisdom of this law must be apparent
to anyone who examines the nature of the or-
ganization of the Masonic Institution . The
Master is responsible to the Grand Lodge for
the good conduct of his Lodge. To him and
to him alone the supreme Masonic authority
looks for the preservation of order, and the
observance of the Constitutions and the Landmarks
of the Order in the body over which he
presides. It is manifest, then, that it would
be highly unjust to throw around a presiding
officer so heavy a responsibility, if it were in
the power of the Lodge to overrule his decisions
or to control his authority .
2 . Appeals from the Decisions of the Lodge .
Appeals may be made to the Grand Lodge
from the decisions of a Lodge, on any subject
except the admission of members, or the election
of candidates ; but these appeals are more
frequently made in reference to conviction and
punishment after trial.
When a Mason, in consequence of charges
preferred against him, has been tried, convicted,
and sentenced by his Lodge, he has
an inalienable right to appeal to the Grand
Lodge from such conviction and sentence .
His appeal may be either general or specific .
That is, he may appeal on the ground, generally,
that the whole of the proceedings have
been irregular or illegal, or he may appeal
specifically against some particular portion
of the trial ; or lastly, admitting the correctness
of the verdict, and acknowledging the
truth of the charges, he may appeal from the
sentence, as being too severe or disproportionate
to the offense .
Appendant Orders . In the Templar
system of the United States, the degrees of
Knight of the Red Cross and Knight of Malta
are called Appendant Orders because they are
conferred as appendages to that of Knight
Templar, which is the principal degree of the
Commandery .
Apple-Tree Tavern . The place where the
four Lodges of London met in 1717, and organized
the Grand Lodge of England . It was
situated in Charles Street, Covent Garden .
Apprenti. French for Apprentice .
Apprentice. See Apprentice, Entered .
Apprentice Architect . (Apprenti Architecte
.) A degree in the collection of Fustier .
Apprentice Architect, Perfect . (Apprenti
Architecte, Parfait .) A degree in the
collection of Le Page .
Apprentice Architect, Prussian . (Apprenti
Architecte, Prussien .) A degree in the
collection of Le Page .
Apprentice Cohen . (Apprenti Coen.) A
degree in the collection of the Archives of the
Mother Lodge of the Philosophic Rite .
Apprentice, Egyptian . (Apprenti, Egyptien.)
The First Degree of the Egyptian Rite
of Cagliostro .
Apprentice, Entered . The First Degree
of Freemasonry, in all the rites, is that of
Entered Apprentice . In French, it is called
apprenti ; in Spanish, aprendiz ; in Italian,
apprendente ; and in German, lehrling: in all
of which the radical meaning of the word is
a learner . Like the lesser Mysteries of the
ancient initiations, it is in Masonry. a pre-