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

HISTORICAL ANALYSISNINTH DEGREE OR MASTER ELECT OP NINE.Rage for a ilaltitude of Degveea—A Drill of Auaasalnatlon and Revenge—Turns Lyncb Law Into a ReligIon—John Qnlny Adam. op MusonloPenaliles—Sweara to “Revenge Masonry In General”—Masonlc MurdersProved in Conrt—”lbei we,, Not at all Aebamed.”We are still in the purlieus of Solomon’s Temple.The motives which made these degrees were: ‘I’herage of the French for a multitude of degrees; tlicirwillingness to pay for them, and the need of the Stuartpretenders for money. Ramaay went to Paris in 1710,seven years before Masonry was transformed from amechanic’s club to a rite of worship in the Londantavern. Ramsay took it at flood tide and it led him tofortune. He invented the Royal Arch degree, and twosystems were drawn from and made out of it by Dunkerlyand Dermott. Born of humble parentage Ramsaywas knighted by the Prince de Turenne. He in conjunctionwith Jesuits developed a rite of six degrees,called after himself. And, says Mackey, “that his highdegrees were afterwards expanded to an unreasonableextent, was not his fault.” And he adds that the RoyalArch “was adopted from Ramsay by the The Council ofEmperors of the East and the West and subsequentlypassed over to the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite,where it still remains the thirteenth degree.” MacketjArt. Ramsay. And w.hile the thirst for sccret degreesproduced them, as a good market produces its supply, it