Free Masonry - The Masonic Trowel

160 ROYAL ARCH MASOXfti.
every gopd thing to a high state of perfection, epable the
gentlemen of England in some points, to surpass the business
men of our Republic; and it could not be doubted
that Free Masonry would receive deserved attention in the
metropolis of Europe.
Soberly I resolved upon it: " the institution appears hollow
and senseless ; yet it is sustained by judicious and substantial
men. I have undertaken to investigate it, and
London will afford a field rich with satisfaction to my
doubts. To London let me go."
While meditating on this matter, and shaping my purposes
in due season to accomplish it, I happened in another
metropolis to meet an excellent grand master of the Grand
Lodge , and challenging him upon the outrageous
pretensions of our fraternity, he soon put me at rest upon
the score of obtaining more satisfactory information in London.
What! not be able to take a degree of Masonry in all
Great Britain higher than the third, or sublime degree of
master Mason ? How must the masonic reader be surprised
to hear it: it is not credible: yet the most excellent
grand master affirmed that it was so.
" How do they manage in the master's degree, where
our lodges give a substitute for the lost word ?"
"They give the word at once," he replied, "andthe
chase ends there. 9 ''
, I have heard that the British have a portion of good
sense, and was inclined to believe this true friend of Ancient
Free Masonry; but the affair was too important to
rest upon individual testimony. He kindly referred me to
the second article of the unibn Of the Grand Lodge of
England with the Dissenters, headed by the Duke of Athol,
ratified in London, 27th December, A. D. 1813; copies of
which were sent to each of the Grand Lodges of the United
States of America. I can never obtain that, which declares,
according to my grand master, that afl ancient Free
Masonry is contained within the lodges of Master Masons.