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THE MASONIC JOUllN
RARITY.
Ill dreams I found a wondrous land
Radiant with roses on each hand.
iSo grasses, trees iiur shrubs were there,
BiU roses blossoming eveiyvvhere.
(Ireat veivet-plated blossoms were these;
R d milUoas.trembled in each breeze.
T:iey sw'-pt toward the iiorizon’s verge
In many a splendid ample surge;
T :ey s])read on all sides one intense
Monotony ofmagniticence.
Tlj m suddenly, where my jiathway ran
Loomed the vague presence of a man.
And in nis c'as[), with strange delight,
1 saw one daisy, glimmering white.
Such daisies bloom in slender sprays
By thongs among June’s meadowed ways.
Yet ail 111}'soul at tins weird hour,
Leaned out to that one simple flower.
For chastely delicately fliir,
And, better still, supremely rare.
U wore a p:istoral charm so sweet,
This lovely lissom J/arguerite,
That seeing it was like clear repose
To me. wiiose whole iieart loathed arose.
From tlie Lyi.chbrrg Star.
tuary.
PART THIRD.
Chapter ol Ro.se Croix, v?hiah consists
of two degrees, to wit; Knight of the
East and West (17th deg.)' This is a
degree of chivalry, unconnected by its
history with Freemasonry. The Knights
assert that upon their return from the
Holy Land, in the age of the crusades,
their ancestors organized this order, and
that in 1118 the first knights, to t)ip
number of eleven, took their vows of
secrecy, friendship and discretion be
tween the honor of Garinus, Patriarch
and Prince of Jerusalem.
This degree, like all others in Mason
ry is symbolical. Based upqn historical
truth and tradition it is still an allegory.
the leading lesson of this degree is fidel
ity to obligations, and constancy and
perseverence under difficulties and dis
couragement.
Masonry is engaged in her crusade
against ignorance, intolerance, fanati
cism, uncharilableness and error. She
does not sail upon a smooth sea, bat
meets with and must overcome many
opposing currents, baffiing winds and
dead calms.
Masonry teaches that God is a Pater
nal Being, and has an interest in His
creatures, such as is expressed in the title
of Father. Masonry teaches that of all
the events and actions that take place
in the universe of worlds and the eternal
succession of ages there is not one, even
the minutest, which God did not forever
foresee, with all the distinctness of im
mediate vision, combining all, so that
man’s free will should 'oe His instru--
ment, like all other forces of nature.
Prince Rose Croix, (18th deg.)—This
is one of the most important and gen
erally diffused of the high degrees of
Masonry it is to he found in several
of the principal rites and even in those
in which it does not exist by name; its
place is, for the most part, supplied by
some other whose symbolic all'csions do
not differ mateiially from it. Thus,
although it is not known in the York
rite, an excellent substitute for it is
found in the Royal Arch, while it con
stitutes the 18th degree of the Ancient
and Accepted or Scotch Rite, the 7th
degree and last of the French rite, and
the 4,7th of the rite of Misraim among
European Masons, where all these rites
are practiced, the degree of Rose Croix
is consequently well known ; and even
this country a though its possession is
circumscribed to those brethren who
had made some advancement in the
Scotch rites, it is also spoken of, that its
name, at least, is familiar to almost
every Mason of inteligence, and much
curiosity is often expressed in relation to
its history and character. The degree
is known by various names; sometimes
its possessors are called “Sovereign
Princes of Rose Croix;” some times
“Princes of Rose Croix de Heroden,” and
some times “Knights of ' the Eagle and
Pelican.” In relation to its origin Ma
sonic writers have made many conflict
ing statements ; some giving it a much
higher antiquity than others, but all
agreeing in supposing it to be one of
the earliest if not the very| earliest of
the higher degrees. The name has, un
doubtediy, been the cause of much of
the confusion in relation to its history,
and the Masonic degree of “Rose Croix”
has, perhaps, often been confounded
ing its young, which occupies the other
side of the Jewel. As this bird was
formerly suppiosed to wound its own.
breast that it might with its own blood
feed its young, so has it been adopted
as an emblem of the Saviour who shed
His blood for the salvation of the human
race. Ragan says that “in the hiero-
glvpbic monuments, the eagle was the
svmbol of a wi.s.e man and the pelican
of a benevolent man, and therefore he
thin'-s that the eagle and pelican of the
Rose Oroi.x are intended to symbolize
perfect wisdom and perfect charity.—
Explanatioms not at all iacoLsislent with
each other.
“The rose, in ancient -rAythology, was
consecrated to Hai-poorates, the God of
.Silence; and in the mysteries tire, hiero
phant wore a crown of rase.s.—Hence,
this flower was consecrated as an emblem
of silence iinii secrecy, and when any-
19th Degree—This degree is occupied ,
an examination of the Apocalyptic m "
teries of the New Jerusalem, which^d
illustrates and eh leavors to explain T
teaches the Mason to labor for the be '
efit of tho.se who are to come after hi”'
and for the advancement and improy'^.’
merit of his oider and that it is s
, . . , ’ “ poor
ambition that contents itself with the
limits of a sin le life.
Grand Master of all Symbolic Lod
30th deg.—Among the trr
served by the possessors of
ges,
pre-
this degree
is one which states that after the third
temple was destroyed by Titus, the sot
of 'Jespasiaii, the chief of Free Y
asons
with l-he ..abalistioal and alchemical sect
of Rcsicruceans or Brothers of the Rosy
Cross, amongst whose adepts the names
of such men as Roger Baco.i, Faiacehuis,
and Elias Ashmole, the celebrated anti
qaary, are to be found, notwithstanding
the invidious attempt of Baniel, and
other foes of Masonry, to cenfuund the
two Orders There is a great distinction
between them. Even their names, ai-
theugh similar somewhat in sound, are
totally different in signification. The
P.osecracians, '.vho were 'alchemists, did
rsot derive their name, like the Rose Croix
Masons, from the emblems of the rose
and cross, for ihey had nothing to do
■with the rose, but for the Latin ros, sig
nifying tfeio, which was supposed to be of
all natural bodies the most pov/erfu!
solvent of gold, and crux, the cross, a
chemical hieroglyphic of light.
There is a tradition among the Masons
of Scotland that after the dissolution of
the Templars many of the Knights re
paired to Scotland and placed them
selves under the protection of Robert
Bnree, and after the battle of Bannock
burn, 'whicb took place on St. John the
Baptist’s day in the year 1314 this mon
arch instituted the Royal Order of
Heredon and Knights of the Rosy Cross,
and established the chief seat of the
Order at Belwenning. From that Or
der, it seems to us by no means im-
thing was intended to be kept secret i
was sure to be delivered sub rosa, or ‘un
der the rose.'
The cross, of course, alludes to Chri.s(.s'
death, and-as in the Book of Oantiole-,
he is called "the'Rose of Sharon." ' The
rose on the crn.ss is th'sr.cforc an emblem
or
the
s ns
.f r,
eview
ke strictest
The docu-
of the death cf the Sc.vit
of mankind. From [his
the symbols of the Rose,
be evident the*', it is, in
sense, a Christian degiss
ments of this det^ree ai.-,oiy:s commence
with these words : “In the name ■ of the
Holy and Uroiivid.-/.' Trinityd and ends
with the sa!ut.',tio:i “in the. peaceful un
ion of the sacred nuin’.'ti3." The mem
hers place R'.'X at he end of their
names. This meat,, of course, mark
as one of oompara.tive mod-em origin,
because nil of the anoi-e:;; 'bogi-ees are of
universal appliaa'.ion a.s X .".jligioii.
The Rose Croix is imlmjd an attempt
to christianize Free Masonry; to appL
the rites, and symbols, and traditions cf
Ancient Craft Masonry to the last and
greatest dispensation to add to the fi;.,'.
tfemple of Solomon and the second of
Zerubabel, a third tc thai. to which
Onrist alluded when he said “Destroy
this temple and in three days will I raise
it up.”
The great discovery which was made
in the Royal Arch ceases to be of value
in this degree ; for it. another is substi
tnted of more Christian application.—
The Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty,
which supported the ancient temple,
are replaced by Christian pillars of Faith,
Hope, and Charity ; the great lights of
course remain, because they are of the
very essence of Masonry, but the three
lesser gave way to the thirty-thfee,
which allude to the years of the Mes
siah’s sojourning on earth. Viewed,
probable, that the present degree of
Eoso Croix de Heroden may have taken I then, in this light, as a comparitive
its origin. ' ! modern invention, and as forming no
The ceremonies and history of a Chap- | part of Ancient Freemasonry, we can
ter of Rose Croix are of snch a nature I not fail to admire it as an ingenious
as to render it impossible to give any I and beautiful adaption of a universal
account here. | system to a more contracted principle;
The Jewel of the Rose Croix is very j and a pardonable if not praiseworthy,
attempt to e-pply the sublime principles
who were in the Holy Land, being filje^
with aorro'.v, departed from home wit],
the determination of building a fourth
(the‘ net,- to be a spiritual one,)'and that
dividing themselves into several bodies
disperse ! over the various parts of Eal
rope. The greater number went to Scot-
h;:id, ami repaired to the town of Ki].
willing, where they established a lodge
and built an abbey, and where the rec-
ords of the order were depo.sited.
Noachite or Prussian Knight, 21st
deg.—In thi.s ilegree the knights eele-
lirale the destruction of the To'xer of
Babe’, ami for thi,s purfiose they meet on
!ne night of the full moon ot each month.
No other light is permitted in the lodge
than what proceeds f-om [hat salelite.
T'ne Noajhites of other days, called Pros-
sian Knights, are desceruhuit.s of PpIpu
ciiief archifpcr of fi e tower of Baliel.
Tr,traivi tlie.ivi.gin .! timir orih r to a
-.icr.' ancioir date than the dpyoeiidfints
of ilir.aiQ, for the'Imvci- of ILbei ,vaa
j h.lilt iH'iny ages before the Ternnle of
I Solomon.
Knight of E.oi'iil Axe, or Pi'iuce of
Lehaniip; twi-nty-secomi degres.—It
was instituted to reco;"l thiee memora-
i.le services rendered to Masorirv by the
“mighty cedar of Lebanor,'' and its his
tory furni.sbe.s some interesting informa
tion on the subject of the Siiloni,ui arch-
itect.s.
Chief of the Tabernacle; twenty third
degree.—It cemnemorates the institii-
ticn of the order of priesthood in .4aron
and his sons Eieazar and Ith.amar.
Prince of the Tabernacle; twenty-
fourth degree.—This degree is intended
to illustrate the directions given for the
buihding of the itabernacle, the particu
lars of which are recorded in the 25th
cl.apter of Exodus.
Knight of the Brazen Serpent; twen
ty-fifth degrqg.—The history of this de
gree is founded upon the circumstances
related in Numbers, chapter xxiv, 6 to
9th vs. The Knights say that this de
gree was io'.inded in the tim e of the Cru
sades, by John Ralyh, who established
the Order in the Holy Lan i as a military
and monastic society, and gave it the
name of the Srazen See'pent, beOiniise it
was a part of their obligation to receive
and gratuitously, nurse sick travelens, to
protect them safely to Palestine; thus
appropiately selected as a symbol of Christ
in His divine character, bearing the
children of his adoption on his wings,
teaching them with unequalled love and
tenderness to poise their unfledged
wings and soar from the dull corrup
tions of earth to a higher and holier
sphere; and for this reason the eagle
displayed in the Jewel is very signifi
cantly repre.sented as having his -wings
displayed as in the very act of flight.
The same allusion to Christ, but more
significant, is found in the pelican feed-
of our all-tolerant Order to the ilhistran
tion of that last and most perfect dis-
pen.sation under which we are now liv
ing.
TART FOURTH.
A council of Knights of Hadosh is
composed of eleven degrees, from the
IPth to the 30th inclusive, and are call
ed the Philosophical and Ct-ivalrio de
grees.
Grand Pontiff or Sublime Ecosals,
alluding to the healing and saving vm
tues of the Brazen S-irpent among tk®
children of Israel in the Vv'iidorneh.?.
Prince of Mercy, or Scottish Trinita
rian ; twenty-sixty degree.—A philoso
phical degree, whose ceremonies are
very impressive. It speaks, in the course
of its instruction, of the triple covenant
which the Eternal made first with Abra
ham by circumcision, next w'ith the L
raelites in the Wilderness by the in
termediations of Moses ; an.l lastly, with
all mankind, by the death of Jesus
iio '-/•ciii-rijijiaj ijiu-ii:
maivt; iiKHi- gyauviiiHn hi&u luumi ins iu4ar iJiiriVTne,