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  • The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine
  • Oct. 23, 1869
  • Page 3
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The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine, Oct. 23, 1869: Page 3

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    Article AN INITIATION IN PARIS. ← Page 2 of 2
    Article AN INITIATION IN PARIS. Page 2 of 2
    Article OLD FREEMASONRY BEFORE GRAND LODGE. Page 1 of 2 →
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An Initiation In Paris.

The first proceeding was the reading of a full description of the profanes seeking admission , their names , ages , residences , professions , moral characters , and many details of their private life . They were then balloted for in a somewhat

peculiar manner ; to my astonishment I and other visitors were pressed to vote . During this time , as I afterwards learned , each profane was separately immured in one of the Cabinets des reflexionssmall chambers hung with black , and decorated with

the most sombre and awe-inspiring emblems . Here they had to write the replies to certain questions submitted to them , which replies were now brought into the lodge by the Expert in a peculiar manner . On being read out they proved

satisfactory , and the four profanes were at once admitted and placed in front of the Venerable , who put a number of questions to them , such as : — Why do you wish to become a Freemason ? What do you expect to learn ? What

benefit do you expect to derive ? What is your idea of the society ? Have you learnt anything about it ? If so , what , and from whom ? The profanes having answered all these to the satisfaction of the lodge ( without any prompting ) ,

and having pledged themselves to persevere through the ceremony , the Experts were directed to conduct them on their premier voyage , for a description of which I think I had better refer the curious to Bro . Clavel s "Histoire Pittoresque . "

Again seated , they were asked what impression the voyage had made on them , and what they supposed it was symbolically intended to convey to their minds ; after each had replied to the best of his ability , the Venerable explained the true

meaning of that portion of the ceremony . They were then sent on their second voyage , about which there was nothing remarkable , excepting that the brethren made a peculiar noise . Having regained their seats , they were cross-questioned at great

length by any one who choose to do so on all possible subjects—theological , political , moral , metaphysical . As a rule all these were answered in an able manner . Having passed through this , I think the most trying portion of their ordeal , they made

their third voyage amidst fire ( supplied by the frere terrible with the aid of the lampe a lijcopode ) . This explained to them , they were sent out of the lodge , and again balloted for , this time by show of hands . Before being obligated , each had his right hand hashed , and la coupe sacree presented to

An Initiation In Paris.

him . They were then sworn on a " flaming sword , with which the Venerable afterwards dubbed them Apprentice Freemasons . Instead of presenting the poor-box to them , they were told to inform the Hospitaller in an undertone

what sum they would that night give for charitable purposes . This was afterwards collected . The ceremony being over , various matter of business were discussed with the formalities of a legislative assembly , and the Hospitallers having

taken the poor-box round , the lodge was closed with the usual French accompaniment , la batterie manuelle . With the exception of the premier voyage , I was much pleased with the ceremony , and thought many portions of it , more especially the extemporaneous charges of the orator , preferable to our own .

Old Freemasonry Before Grand Lodge.

OLD FREEMASONRY BEFORE GRAND LODGE .

I have read with much attention and no little interest Bro . Yarker s interesting and able communications from time to time , and as a fellow Masonic student rejoice to find that there is much on which we can most heartily agree .

I agree , for instance , with him entirely in all that he says about the Master s Degree , as a recent theory—that it was fabricated in 1717—is , as he well puts it , not only " very unlikely , but is really , I make bold to say , so absurd , as hardly to merit discussion .

It is quite true , as Bro . Yarker reminds us , that the Master ' s Degree was given only lor the most part in the annual Grand Assembly or Grand Lodge , and there is plenty of evidence to prove that this custom was retained in the Ancient

Grand Lodge at York until a late period of the 18 th century . With Bro . Yarker , I quite think that " other evidence of a Master ' s Degree will eventually appear , both in England and Scotland , with the

progress of Masonic archasology . " But in his able paper of October 16 th , Bro . Yarker has made several statements , for which he may have authority from his own researches , but of which , in my studies for some years , I have not myself

been able to find the slightest valid evidence . I beg , in the first place , most respectfully to demur to his statement that a " system of seven or eight degrees , practised at York , in London ,

“The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine: 1869-10-23, Page 3” Masonic Periodicals Online, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 12 July 2025, django:8000/periodicals/mmr/issues/mmr_23101869/page/3/.
  • List
  • Grid
Title Category Page
Untitled Article 1
FREEMASONRY—PAST AND PRESENT. Article 1
AN INITIATION IN PARIS. Article 2
OLD FREEMASONRY BEFORE GRAND LODGE. Article 3
MASONIC DISCIPLINE AND THE RITUAL.—XXII. Article 5
LODGE MINUTES, ETC.—No. 8. Article 6
HISTORY OF VOTING BY BALLOT. Article 7
MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES. Article 9
CORRESPONDENCE. Article 11
MASONIC SERMON. Article 11
ARCHIVES OF THE GRAND LODGE OF HOLLAND. Article 11
Untitled Article 12
MASONIC MEMS. Article 12
ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS. Article 12
METROPOLITAN. Article 12
PROVINCIAL. Article 15
CHANNEL ISLANDS. Article 17
SCOTLAND. Article 17
IRELAND. Article 17
ROYAL ARCH. Article 17
MARK MASONRY. Article 18
REVIEWS. Article 18
PRESENTATION TO BRO. COLLEY, HOUSE SURGEON OF THE YARMOUTH HOSPITAL. Article 19
LIST OF LODGE, &c., MEETINGS FOR WEEK ENDING 30TH OCTOBER, 1869. Article 20
TO CORRESPONDENTS. Article 20
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

An Initiation In Paris.

The first proceeding was the reading of a full description of the profanes seeking admission , their names , ages , residences , professions , moral characters , and many details of their private life . They were then balloted for in a somewhat

peculiar manner ; to my astonishment I and other visitors were pressed to vote . During this time , as I afterwards learned , each profane was separately immured in one of the Cabinets des reflexionssmall chambers hung with black , and decorated with

the most sombre and awe-inspiring emblems . Here they had to write the replies to certain questions submitted to them , which replies were now brought into the lodge by the Expert in a peculiar manner . On being read out they proved

satisfactory , and the four profanes were at once admitted and placed in front of the Venerable , who put a number of questions to them , such as : — Why do you wish to become a Freemason ? What do you expect to learn ? What

benefit do you expect to derive ? What is your idea of the society ? Have you learnt anything about it ? If so , what , and from whom ? The profanes having answered all these to the satisfaction of the lodge ( without any prompting ) ,

and having pledged themselves to persevere through the ceremony , the Experts were directed to conduct them on their premier voyage , for a description of which I think I had better refer the curious to Bro . Clavel s "Histoire Pittoresque . "

Again seated , they were asked what impression the voyage had made on them , and what they supposed it was symbolically intended to convey to their minds ; after each had replied to the best of his ability , the Venerable explained the true

meaning of that portion of the ceremony . They were then sent on their second voyage , about which there was nothing remarkable , excepting that the brethren made a peculiar noise . Having regained their seats , they were cross-questioned at great

length by any one who choose to do so on all possible subjects—theological , political , moral , metaphysical . As a rule all these were answered in an able manner . Having passed through this , I think the most trying portion of their ordeal , they made

their third voyage amidst fire ( supplied by the frere terrible with the aid of the lampe a lijcopode ) . This explained to them , they were sent out of the lodge , and again balloted for , this time by show of hands . Before being obligated , each had his right hand hashed , and la coupe sacree presented to

An Initiation In Paris.

him . They were then sworn on a " flaming sword , with which the Venerable afterwards dubbed them Apprentice Freemasons . Instead of presenting the poor-box to them , they were told to inform the Hospitaller in an undertone

what sum they would that night give for charitable purposes . This was afterwards collected . The ceremony being over , various matter of business were discussed with the formalities of a legislative assembly , and the Hospitallers having

taken the poor-box round , the lodge was closed with the usual French accompaniment , la batterie manuelle . With the exception of the premier voyage , I was much pleased with the ceremony , and thought many portions of it , more especially the extemporaneous charges of the orator , preferable to our own .

Old Freemasonry Before Grand Lodge.

OLD FREEMASONRY BEFORE GRAND LODGE .

I have read with much attention and no little interest Bro . Yarker s interesting and able communications from time to time , and as a fellow Masonic student rejoice to find that there is much on which we can most heartily agree .

I agree , for instance , with him entirely in all that he says about the Master s Degree , as a recent theory—that it was fabricated in 1717—is , as he well puts it , not only " very unlikely , but is really , I make bold to say , so absurd , as hardly to merit discussion .

It is quite true , as Bro . Yarker reminds us , that the Master ' s Degree was given only lor the most part in the annual Grand Assembly or Grand Lodge , and there is plenty of evidence to prove that this custom was retained in the Ancient

Grand Lodge at York until a late period of the 18 th century . With Bro . Yarker , I quite think that " other evidence of a Master ' s Degree will eventually appear , both in England and Scotland , with the

progress of Masonic archasology . " But in his able paper of October 16 th , Bro . Yarker has made several statements , for which he may have authority from his own researches , but of which , in my studies for some years , I have not myself

been able to find the slightest valid evidence . I beg , in the first place , most respectfully to demur to his statement that a " system of seven or eight degrees , practised at York , in London ,

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