Blanchard J (anti-masonic) - Scotch Rite Masonry Illustrated Part I

IMPO5ITION OF PRBTRNDED 5CIRNTIFIO INSTRUCTION. 253HISTORICAL ANALYSISTWBLFIH Duouz OR GRAND MASTER A3OHITRO~.Masonic .Toua.Soolery and Sbam—The Imposition of Pretended SciantlieInatruetion—Objact inFalsifying History.Macoy (Note 107) declares this degree “purely scientific.”And, though the lodge is still called a Chapterby the clerical inventors, mathematical instrumentsand columns representing the five orders of architectureare introduced, and the lodge-master, now called “MostPowerful,” opens a case of instrumenti upon a tablesurrounded by members and says: “Let us work.”And after their going through some ceiemonial shams,says: “We will finish.” And all respond, “We finish ;“and put up their instruments. Now to see that thia ismere tom-foolery and sham, one has only to look on aMasonic procession and~see who compose it.Judge Daniel sH. Whitney, of Belvidere, BooneCounty, Ill., while Worshipful Master of Lodge No. 60in that place7wrole to the Grand Master of the GrandLodge of Illinois a letter dated July 6, 1861, in whichhe says:“I find myself associated as a Mason with drunkards,blackguards, loafers, gamblers, whore-masters and murderers.”And being tried for this and other statementi, JudgeWhitney gave in proof facts, from the criminal recordsof the county, etc. Now the town of Belvidere and itslodge, would compare favorably with other town, andlodges in the country, and Judge Whitney testified thatthere were upright citizens who were members of thatlodge; yet, to put mathematical instruments in thehands of any lodge in the United States, with a view tolearn or practice the science of geometry or architecturewould be simple bald imposture; an imposition whichwould justify the belief that the men who practiced ithad other, ulterior and sinister objects, which they wereseeking to conceal by so shallow a pretense.The only rational object and use of this Twelfth Depeeis that it gives a drill requiring the candidate b~give the signs of the French degrees from the Fourthup to the Twelfth; to unify and strengthen the imposture,an object kept constantly in view.It is noticeable that no prayer is inserted in this degree;not even to the “Grand Architect,” Adonai, orother impudent substitutes for..the Bible names of God,which appear in the prayers or this rite.It is noticeable also that The Most Powerful callsMasonry, “The Royal Art,” a title given it by CharlesII, (see Rebold, p. 54,) which leads Mackey (Note 110)to a dishonest attempt to disprove the true historicsource of that title, because, forsooth, kings who jointhe lodge are only “brethren.”And yet, Mackey himself, in his articles on Rameag,Stuart Masonry, etc., gives abundant proof that ourScottish Rite sprung up in France, where and when“the lodges were composed of Scotch conspirators andaccomplices of the Jeauits.” (Art. Stuart Masonry.)~That they by Masonry restored Charles and Popery tothe British throne, and that Ramaay altered Masonryto suit the French nobility, and that the title “Royal