Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
What Was The Hermetic Society Of 1721 ?
And now to our great Master in Heaven , to Him who is the faithful Witness , and the first-begotten of the dead , and the Prince of the Kings of the Earth ; unto him that loved ns and washed us from our sins in his own Blood , and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father , to him be glory and Dominion for ever and ever . Amen . EuGENtrjS PlIIl . AIETHES , Jun ., F . R . S . March 1 st , 1721 . This would seem to be simple " Hermeticism , " the old transcendentalism
o £ the Alchemists , of which many similar examples might be given . Ancl then tbe fact remains , and has to be considered , that there was an " hermetic grade " of some kind in 1721 . What was it ? After much consideration , I have ha'd , with others , to reject the idea that we have in these words allusions to the Royal Arch Grade . It is quite clear that , to use a common expression , the words won't " carry " that . Therefore , we are reduced , it appears to me , to the conclusion that an Hermetic , Alchemical , Rosicrucian grade of some sort was in existence in 1721 , and in some way or other added on to Craft Masonry ; and admittedly so .
Many of the foreign writers , Darnty particularly , talk of high gracie theories as contemporaneous with 1 . 717 , or a year or two later ; but I never could understand what tbey meant , until it occurred to me that we may perhaps , have tbe explanation of it in the existence of an hermetic grade in 1721 . The curious fact connected Avitb it is that , if it existed , it must have died out , as , until tbe creation of a " Chapter of Heredom " in London , which
neA'er took great proportions , but of which evidence exists about 1770 , I know of no earlier eA'idence of high grade organization in the metropolis . Of course an Hermetic Society or Rosicrucian bod y may have existed , but , as I just now said , I am not aivare of any authentic evidence on tbe fact , Still the fact of the assertion of the writer of " Long Livers " is before nsand if we can get any confirmatory evidence of itwe shall bave
, , to allow to hermetic Masonry an earlier origin than is usua ll y ascribed to it . I hope that this little paper may lead to others on the subject , as some of my literary Masonic friends will see it is a very important question ancl strikingpoint which we must deal with in the correct history of Freemasonry .
A Lecture On The Antiquity Of Laying Corner Stones With Religious And Mystical Ceremonies.
A LECTURE ON THE ANTIQUITY OF LAYING CORNER STONES WITH RELIGIOUS AND MYSTICAL CEREMONIES .
DELIVERED BEFORE THE WINSLOW LEWIS LODGE OF FREEMASONS IN 1879 ; AND BEFORE THE A . A . A . IN 1880 . BY BRO . R . W . CHARLES LEVI AV 00 DBURY . ( Concluded from page 12 ) .
ARCHITECTS . THERE is something very striking to me in tbe social distinction in -which the Masonic Craft was held in Egypt . Burgsch , in his history of the Pharaohs ( vol . i ., p . 47 ) , says that tbe architects of tbe Pharaohs ( tbe mur-ket ) were often the kings' sons and grandsons , and often the kings gave them his
daughters for vrives . In tbe following page be gives a list of those of the first dynasty ; tliree appear to bave married daughters or descendants of the blood E 2
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
What Was The Hermetic Society Of 1721 ?
And now to our great Master in Heaven , to Him who is the faithful Witness , and the first-begotten of the dead , and the Prince of the Kings of the Earth ; unto him that loved ns and washed us from our sins in his own Blood , and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father , to him be glory and Dominion for ever and ever . Amen . EuGENtrjS PlIIl . AIETHES , Jun ., F . R . S . March 1 st , 1721 . This would seem to be simple " Hermeticism , " the old transcendentalism
o £ the Alchemists , of which many similar examples might be given . Ancl then tbe fact remains , and has to be considered , that there was an " hermetic grade " of some kind in 1721 . What was it ? After much consideration , I have ha'd , with others , to reject the idea that we have in these words allusions to the Royal Arch Grade . It is quite clear that , to use a common expression , the words won't " carry " that . Therefore , we are reduced , it appears to me , to the conclusion that an Hermetic , Alchemical , Rosicrucian grade of some sort was in existence in 1721 , and in some way or other added on to Craft Masonry ; and admittedly so .
Many of the foreign writers , Darnty particularly , talk of high gracie theories as contemporaneous with 1 . 717 , or a year or two later ; but I never could understand what tbey meant , until it occurred to me that we may perhaps , have tbe explanation of it in the existence of an hermetic grade in 1721 . The curious fact connected Avitb it is that , if it existed , it must have died out , as , until tbe creation of a " Chapter of Heredom " in London , which
neA'er took great proportions , but of which evidence exists about 1770 , I know of no earlier eA'idence of high grade organization in the metropolis . Of course an Hermetic Society or Rosicrucian bod y may have existed , but , as I just now said , I am not aivare of any authentic evidence on tbe fact , Still the fact of the assertion of the writer of " Long Livers " is before nsand if we can get any confirmatory evidence of itwe shall bave
, , to allow to hermetic Masonry an earlier origin than is usua ll y ascribed to it . I hope that this little paper may lead to others on the subject , as some of my literary Masonic friends will see it is a very important question ancl strikingpoint which we must deal with in the correct history of Freemasonry .
A Lecture On The Antiquity Of Laying Corner Stones With Religious And Mystical Ceremonies.
A LECTURE ON THE ANTIQUITY OF LAYING CORNER STONES WITH RELIGIOUS AND MYSTICAL CEREMONIES .
DELIVERED BEFORE THE WINSLOW LEWIS LODGE OF FREEMASONS IN 1879 ; AND BEFORE THE A . A . A . IN 1880 . BY BRO . R . W . CHARLES LEVI AV 00 DBURY . ( Concluded from page 12 ) .
ARCHITECTS . THERE is something very striking to me in tbe social distinction in -which the Masonic Craft was held in Egypt . Burgsch , in his history of the Pharaohs ( vol . i ., p . 47 ) , says that tbe architects of tbe Pharaohs ( tbe mur-ket ) were often the kings' sons and grandsons , and often the kings gave them his
daughters for vrives . In tbe following page be gives a list of those of the first dynasty ; tliree appear to bave married daughters or descendants of the blood E 2