Through the Key Hole - RoseCroix.org.au

125
WILLIAM MORGAN
By Keith Stockley
To most, if not all, Freemasons in the United States, the name of
William Morgan will conjure up some form of story although to the
remainder of the Masonic world he remains unknown.
It is not my intention to repeat the many stories, myths and rumours
that surround Captain William Morgan, but merely to recount in
abridged form, the circumstances in which he was the leading character,
circumstances that resulted in the almost annihilation of Freemasonry
in America.
Whether he was ever a Freemason at all remains doubtful as no
record of his raising or of his lodge membership has ever been
found. After the disastrous results of what happened who would
blame a lodge for erasing every reference to him in its records? It
was certainly not the first time that such action had been taken by a
lodge ( Benedict Arnold’s lodge took this action when it was learned
that he had defected to the British).
Maybe perhaps he was never a Mason at all? It is alleged that he
did at one time receive Masonic charity which may perhaps be an
indication that he was in fact a member?
It is, however, a recorded fact that he was received into the Royal
Arch in Western Star Chapter RAM No., 33 of LeRoy, Mew York. If
he was not a Master Mason then he could only have infiltrated this
Order in the same way he apparently did when he lied his way into a
Lodge in Rochester, however, apart from this reference to membership
in the Royal Arch, there is no evidence of his Masonic membership.
In any event, he did indeed visit lodges, made Masonic speeches,
took part in ritual work, but ultimately the regularity of his membership
was questioned and he was excluded from some activities and
this created within him an enmity of the craft. (It did cross my mind
that to be “excluded” you must first be “included?”)
51
THE ROYAL SOCIETY– A SECRET
MASONIC LODGE?
By Keith Stockley
There is no doubt that many Freemasons prominent in scientific
and cultural circles of the day, were amongst the founders of the
Royal Society, perhaps all of them were.
In his book “The Invisible College”, author and historian Robert
Lomas sets out to prove that the Society was indeed started by
Freemasons and established according to Masonic principles.
It is also very likely that initially, with the political and religious intolerance
that was prevalent at that time, that the Royal Society
was kept a secret until one of its founders, Sir Robert Moray ( a
prominent Scottish Freemason), succeeded in obtaining the open
support and approval of the king ( Charles II ) .
It is believed that prior to its actual formation, a nucleus had been
in existence for several years. As early as 1645 weekly meetings
were being held in London by worthy persons who were interested
in natural philosophy and other areas of human learning and it appears
that there is little doubt that these worthy individuals were in
fact the self-same group that established what John Boyle described
as “The Invisible College”.
The names of its founders, who attended the meeting on 28 November
1660, at which it was decided to establish a “College for
the promoting of Physico-Mathematicall Experimentall Learning”
were Lord Boucher, Robert Boyle, Sir Robert Moray, Sir Christopher
Wren, Sir Paul Nielle, Dr John Wilkins and Messrs Petty, Ball,
Rooke and Hill all of whom are considered to have been Freemasons.
The Royal Society was to attract to its membership only outstanding
men in various fields of learning, science and discovery
and included Captain Cook, John Dryden, Elias Ashmole, Sir
Isaac Newton, Francis Bacon and Benjamin Franklin allof whom
were Freemasons.
I believe that the very nature and substance of Freemasonry