Degrees Of Masonic Knighthood V. The Red Cross Of Rome And Constantine.

world . But this was not earlier than A . D . 1780 ; and the learned Mason , Dr . Henry Beaumont Leeson , on referring to this Encampment ( Freemasons' Magazine , August 2 , 1862 ) , declares "it was founded by French Masons , who had brought it from Canada towards

the close of the last century" —a fact of which he was certain , as the original boots were in bis own possession . The Grand Conclave of London was not established until A . D . 1791 , under tbe patronage of his Royal Highness Prince Edward . The Encampments

existed in either Scotland or Ireland at an earlier date . ' Now , what can be said of the Masonic degree of Red Cross of Rome and Constantine ? A minutebook is still in existence which commences about the same date , as the document of the Baldwyn—viz ., A . D . 1783—unquestionably establishes the fact of its

being worked by the leading Masons of the latter part of the ei ghteenth century . This book I have seen and perused ; hut , as my notes are rather meagre , and my friend Bro . R . W . Little has written an excellent history of this Order in the Freemasons '

Magazine , in which these records are mentioned , I must refer the reader to it for fuller details , and shall content myself with a brief summary of the chief points of interest . The regular revival of the degree occurred A . D . 1788 , when a Grand Master was elected ,

and Bro . William White ( Grand Secretary ) , Bro . James Heseltine ( Grand Treasurer ) , and other prominent members of tho Grand Lodge of England received the degree . In A . D . 1790 Bro . Thomas Dunckerley was admitted , and subsequently became tbe head of both the Templars and the Red Cross

degrees . In A . D . 1796 Bro . tbe Lord Rancliffe was chief in command of all the degrees outside the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge , alter which Bro . Walter Rodwell Wright became Grand Master ; and in A . D . 1809 Bro . his Royal Hi ghness Prince Edward

was installed Grand Master of the Kni ghts Templars , and declared Royal Grand Patron of the " Illustrious Order of the Red Cross . " Ifc can he proved by documentary evidence ( and , indeed , ifc has been by Bro . Little , in bis series of articles on the Order ,

which some might do better by reading than by asking anew for what is therein contained ) that the degrees of Masonic Knight 3 Templars and the Red Cross " were kept strictly separate , " although the members of each worked amicably and harmoniousl y

together . Records of several of its meetings are still preserved , which abundantly confirm this statement . During the last decade of the eighteenth century tbe ' * noviciate cross" was commonly given to the members ; but the " Grand Cross" was only reserved for distinguished Masons , or those qualified by age as

noviciates . To show that the Red Cross was distinct from Knights Templars , it will be sufficient to mention

that the late Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of England , the beloved Bro . W . Henry White , although he was created a Grand Cross of the former degree on the 13 th March , A . D . 1809 , he was not eligible to he p , Knight Templar until the 14 th March , 1811 , beingtwo years after Bro . W . H . White ' s appointment aa Grand Chancellor of the Red Cross . On the loth

December , 1810 , Bro . the Rev . Samuel Hemming , D . D ., the well-known and learned Freemason , joined the Order . About this time the seal was made , which still exists , and is used by the Grand Recoi'ilei . Bro . William Williams , Prov . G . M . for Dorset , and the indefatigable iler of the Book of

Consticomp tutions , A . D . 1815 [ aud 1827 , had tbe Cross of the Order conferred upon him on the 13 th April , 1813 . Subsequently Bro . his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex became chief in authority-. The accomplished Mason , Bro . Hyde Clarke , received the noviciate

cross from Bro . H . da Costa , who was a member of tbe Grand Council under Bro . his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex some thirty years ago , and the latter gave the degree to the several original members of the present revived Order . After the revival of the Red Cross of Rome and Constantine , Bro . Hyde

Clarke gave valuable assistance to the Grand Conclave , under the deservedly-esteemed Mason Bro . the Lord Kenlis , M . P ., P . G . M . Westmoreland , and was appointed Grand High Chancellor of the Order . 01 late , however , be seems to have been " crossed in love , " or some such thing , with respect to this degree ,

as in the Freemasons' Magazine for April 11 th , in reply to an anonymous correspondent , lie appears to hold his allegiance to the Grand Sovereign with r very light hand , and I hear is an advocate for the connection of the degree with the ex-King of Maples . Beyond doubt the so-called " William Harris " is of

the same opinion , as is also tbe writer of tho article on the Order of St . Constantine ( page 341 ) . I rausu confess to be surprised at tbe manner in which some who oppose the claims of the Order have referred to Bro . R . AY . Little . The articles of that well-known

and efficient brother remain unanswered to the present day , and , instead of their Keeking to disprove them in any way , these correspondent's seem only - capable of petty attacks and weak personalities , Away with such methods , and let us tic afc aueb conduct as unworthy of Masons .

In conclusion , I claim to have fulfilled my privwuso at the outset , and consider that I have proved that the Masonic degree of the End Cross of Koine and Constantine is legitimately worked by the present * Grand Imperial Council , ano that consequently I ' m

the Lord Kenlis is nofc only de facto , but aLo uojuro , the chief of the Order , according to the ' * Articles of Union" and the laws of the Red Cross of Rome and Constantine .