>~) ■ ~3S^ 3> _3> '- ''^ ' ' -^. -^ -i>^ :>:) "^^3^" -3lIZ3^ ■ : ^ :0 13^ ^- >:> y^ . "^^ "^'^^r - T' •:> ^:3t> D» rs^' ^>:3^ >o ^J> >j>. ■ \:>r> 3& » )D "5!* S , -^ ' :> . ~>^> I LIB RARY OF CONGRESS.- 5 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, f 4 M. . ^ -' _J > > '^ ,J>t> .>^ ^- !>. . > ■'"> ...' "'.; ' .-'^ » • :>i> J23B* "5?~' " >.- ■" > ■' ■ ::m o i -^ ^^ 5^ > ■ > /^- -23 ■ •■" "i » V "^ > O J»> . i> J > '", > ~-j@> ■ > .■> > :3? ^Jfe*' ^J' ":S> • > .::3S>.-.. ■;>• > ,' > " ^ ■ ]li&:,*, ■ >;■■ ~ ^ "> ■' 3> ' ~3 > >" ^ ' :>>• vj» 3i> :> >> : :> > :'■> ^ >> ' '^ ^I3K> "">■> > . ->. . - '^ k ~ .> .Tj ^^ ;:~» •:;;2>>- ^^". t> ■ ''-^ ': .'^ r, <^<:: -'. ^^/ .=^-' ■ -r»^ .^ -^ ■■'■.:^.j^- ■_- > ■- _>' .» ■ ---_:>' ^>^> D> , -> z> 3> > 1 :> > 3. ^ > 5 f ^ ■■■^-'^ "!;>, .' > ■ ^ " ? P> ' ^ :: )->. ^ > •>• i > ^ > > , _:>->.. '^ ) ^' 3 > 3> 5> ,^- ,> ^''^ > "> - r^ yiL THE ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED SCOTTISH EITE, IN THIRTY-THREE DEGREES. KNOWN HITHERTO IJNDEE, THE NAITES OF THE " RITE OF perfection" THE " RITE OF HEREDOM" THE " ANCIENT SCOTTISH rite" THE " RITE OF KILWINNING" AND LAST, AS THE " SCOTTISH RITE, ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED." A FULL AND COMPLETE HISTORY, WITH AN APPENDIX, COXTAINn\G NUMEROUS AUTHENTIC DOCUMENTS, EELATING TO THE OKIGIN, PRO- GRESS AND ESTABLISHMENT OF THE RITE— EDICTS, CIRCULARS, PATENTS, REGISTERS, AND THE OPINIONS OF NUMEROUS AUTHORS — ILLUSTRATED WITH " TABLETS," - ROBERT B.' FOLGER, M. D., Past Master, 33d., EX-SECRETilRJ GENERAL, &C. PUBT^ISHEO BY THE AUTHOR. 1 8 G 2. ^€, <^o Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1862, By ROBERT B. FOLGER, M. D. In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, for the Southern District of New York. Stkreotyped by Prixtkd by VINCENT li. DILL, GEORGE W. WOOD, No. 128 Fulton Street. No. 2 Dutch Street. f DIEECTIONS FOE THE BINDEE. Each Number is composed of two parts, viz : the first part ^^History.'' — the second part ^^ Documents ^^^- — ^separated by a blank leaf. The binder will separate the two, placing each part according to the folio Plate 1st faces page 27. Plate 2d faces page 51. -^r'^^-^r""--)-^ Plate 8d faces page 91. Wf-«*^ ^'"'■^ Plate 4th faces page 281 .»'' The table of '•^Contents for the History^' is to be placed in the be- ginning, and the ^ Contents for the Aj^j^endix^^ at the end. TO THE OF FBEE AND ACCEPTED MASONS, NEW YORK CITY. The unwavering and long continued kindness received at the hands of Bro. G. W, Steinbrenner, your worthy President — the encouragement from members in preparing the work for publi- cation — and the many tokens of fraternal feeling which have been bestowed by the Society, induce me to dedicate to you, the first fruit of my labors as an Author. No pains have been spared in collecting together the mate- rials of which the work is composed. Doubtless there will be found in it many imperfections, yet it has been my earnest desire to make the history perfect and complete. Fully sensible that it is open to criticism in many particulars, and unable from the scarcity of authentic and reliable documents, to alter it in any way for the better ; I send it forth in the hope, that the value to the fraternity of the information which it contains, will cover most of its defects. Respectfully and Fraternally, , Robert B. Folger, M. D. New York— 1862. CONTENTS, CHAPTER FIRST. Intkoduction — Explanation of the Nature of the History — Plan of the Work — Author's referred to — Remarks. Page 11. CHAPTER SECOND. Origin and Progress of the Rite of Peefection — The doctrine of " Deriva- tion " advocated as the basis of all " legal Masonic bodies " — Formation of the Grand Lodge of France — Introduction of new degrees into the system of Masonry — Council of the Emperors of the East and West — " Lacorne Grand Lodge " — Eite of Perfection — The Council in which it is practiced unites with the Grand Lodge of France — Union of the Grand Lodge of France with the Grand Orient — Nature of the Grand Orient of France — Tablet showing the progress of the Rite — 1761 — Stephen Morin, his Patent or Power — Controversy between the Grand Orient and the Supreme Council of France, concerning the rights of the Grand Orient — St. Domingo — Stephen Morin's Patent annulled in 1766 — Establishment of the Supreme Council of Charleston, May 31st, 1801 — They adopt a "?iew; rite," and issue a Circular in 1802. Page 22. CHAPTER THIRD. The " Rite of Perfection " receives a new name, viz., " Ancient and Accepted " — Progress of Morin — Appointments made by him and his successors — John Mitchell and Frederick Dalcho — The Thirty-third degree how manufactured — New degrees added on — Commencement of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite — Review of the Charleston docu- ment of 1802— A Schedule of all the rites knoivn, with the dates of their origin, &c. — " Tablet " exhibiting their origin, progress and termination — Opinions of the Authors concerning the Ancient and Accepted Rite — Its false pretensions to Antiquity exposed — Its Blasphemy noticed —Frederick of Prussia — The " Vera Instituta Secreta," or the Secret Constitutions — Recapitulation of the claims set up by this document, and their falsity exposed. Page 36. 6 CONTENTS. CHAPTER FOURTH. Progress op the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite — A difficulty with the Grand Lodge of South Carolina averted — Progress — Augustus Provost — Pierre le Barbier Plessis — Wm. Moore Smith — Moses Seixas — Moses Cohen — John Gabriel Tardy — Abraham Jacobs, his exploits in Savannah and other parts of Georgia — J. J. J. Gourgas — Registers — Count De Grasse — He goes to France, and establishes the Supreme Grand Council Thirty-third degree, Ancient and Accepted Rite, in Paris in 1804 — Quarrel thereupon between the Grand Orient and the Supreme Council of De Grasse — Particulars— The claims of both — The Charleston Council in 1802 — Sublime Lodge and Council of Savannah, Georgia — How — and by whom formed— Charleston Council 1813. Page 76. CHAPTER FIFTH. Progress of the " Rite of Perfection," or Ancient Scottish Rite of Heredom — Establishment of the " Sovereign Grand Consistory " in New York city in 1807 by Joseph Cerneau — Acknowledgment by the Supreme Coun- cil of France, 1813— Also by the Grand Orient of France, 1816— Title of the Consistory, and the name of the " Rite " practiced — Joseph Cerneau — His character — A Review of the charges brought against him — Narra- tive of Jeremy L. Cross — Abraham Jacobs — His Register and Diary in full — Particulars of his proceedings — Emanuel De La Motta comes from Charleston to New York — His pretended Consistory of 1806 — His own account of his proceedings — He erects a Supreme Council in New York in 1813— He expels Joseph Cerneau, his" abettors and followers — Reply of the Sovereign Grand Consistory — Rejoinder of De La Motta — The end of the Supreme Council of De La Motta. - - - - , - Page 104. CHAPTER SIXTH. Further progress of the ''Ancient Constitutional Scottish Rite of Heredom" — Establishment of a Consistory in Rhode Island, 1813 — Also a Consistory in Louisiana, 1813 — Concordat entered into between the Grand Lodge and Grand Consistory of Louisiana in 1833 — Establishment of a Consistory in the city of Charleston, South Carolina — Joseph McCosh — P. Javain — The controversy — Establishment of a Consistory in Pennsylvania — List of Deputy In4)ectors General — Also a list of Representatives. Page 165. CHAPTER SEVENTH. Further progress of the " Ancient Constitutional Scottish Rite of Heredom " — From 1818 to 1828 — Disappearance of De La Motta — Gourgas Supreme Council — St. John's Hall — Henry Marsh — Edict concerning D'Glock d'Obernay — Withdrawal of J. Cerneau as Grand Commander, and becomes CONTENTS. 7 " Honorary " in 1821— Succeeded by Hon. John W. Mulligan as Grand Commander 1822 — Seth Driggs appointed a Deputy Inspector General for the island of Trinidad— Hon. John W. Mulligan resigns in 1823, and is suc- ceeded by the Hon. Dewitt Clinton as Grand Commander — Edict issued denouncing the Supreme Council of South Carolina — List of Consistories — The Marquis de Lafayette arrives in the United States and is exalted to the Sublime degrees in 1824 — Charter granted by the Sovereign Grand Consis- tory for a Sovereign Chapter Kose Croix, by title " Lafayette " — List of OBEicers — Kichard S. Spofford, M. D., of Newburyport, Mass., exalted to the Thirty-third degree, and appointed Deputy Inspector General for the State of Mass. 1825 — In 1826, David Jewett, an Officer in the Brazilian service, appointed Deputy Inspector General for the Empire of Brazil — 1827, Anti-Masonic excitement— 1828, death of Hon. Dewitt Clinton — Henry C. Atwood — Libels on Joesph Cerneau answered — Differences exam- ined between the Sovereign Grand Consistory of the " Ancient Constitutional Scottish Rite of Heredom," and the Supreme Council of (Charleston, of the " Ancient and Accepted Rite.'' Page 176. CHAPTER EIGHTH. Foundation in New York of the Ancient and Accepted Kite — 1827 — Anti- Masonic Excitement — William Morgan — David C. Miller — Convention of Seceding Masons — A Political move — Union of the two Grand Lodges of the State of New York — Effects of the storm — The exploit of J. J. J. Gourgas and the body at Charleston in 1828 — The establishment of the " United Supreme Council for the Western Hemisphere " in 1832 — Count St. Laurent — Proceedings of the Sovereign Grand Consistory — Proposition for a Union — Treaty between the Sovereign Grand Consistory and the Supreme Council for Terra Firma, South America, Mexico, &c. — Its Ratifi- cation — Treaty entered into with the Supreme Council for France, Supreme Council for Belgium, aud Supreme Council for Brazil, with the Constitu- tions of 1762, and the Secret Institutes of 1786 attached — Dissensions in the body — Lafayette Rose Croix Chapter — Henry Marsh, Henry C. Atwood, and Wm F. Piatt — List of officers of the United Supreme Council — Count St. Laurent returns to France — Ratification of the Treaty — Grand Lodge of the State of New York in 1837 — The Atwood difficulty — Particulars — Organization of St. John's Grand Lodge — Bodies chartered by that body — Henry C. Atwood — Correspondence of the Supreme Council of Brazil with the United Supreme Council — Dissolution of a branch of the United Su- preme Council in 1846 — The other branch of the Council takes its place and succeeds it — Supreme Council for Louisiana — James Foulhouze — Ex- tract from the Report to the Grand Orient of France — John Gedge — Albert G. Mackey — Grand Lodge of Louisiana — L. Ladebat's address — Dissensions in the Supreme Council for Louisiana — New Supreme Council formed there. The Consistory of J. Gedge. - - - Page 194. 8 CONTENTS, CHAPTER NINTH. Farther progress of the " Ancient and Accepted Rite " — History of the Supreme Council for the United States of America, their Territories and Dependen- cies, resumed — Henry C. At wood — The New Council — how formed — and the reasons — List of its Officers — J. J. J. Gourgas — General Grand Chapter — C. C. Sebring — The Maiden Edict of the Gourgas Supreme Council — Convention at Chicago — Eev. Bro. Walker — Lodge of Perfection in New York under Gourgas — Re-organization of the Supreme Council under Jeremy L. Cross — The terms aud conditions — List of its Officers — The Edict and Appeal — Reply to a previous Edict, and also to the present one, by the (j^ourgas Council — Masonic publications — Edict by the Charleston Council, denying the authenticity of the Patent of Jeremy L. Cross — Copy of the Patent, with the attestation of one of the signers — Resignation of Jeremy L. Cross — Reasons — Re-organization and Installation by the Illustrious Brother James Foulhouze, Sovereign Grand Commander for Louisiana — List of Officers installed — Treaty between the Supreme Council for the United States and the Supreme Council for Louisiana — Leblanc de Marcon- nay — General Mosquera — Resignations — List of Officers in 1856 — Petitions for new bodies — Death of Illustrious Brother Henry C. Atwood — List of Officers in 1857 — Supreme Council for the State of Connecticut — bodiec under its jurisdiction— Supreme Council for the State of California — Sov^h- reign Grand Consistory for the State of New Jersey — Sovereign Gra^..d Consistory for the State of Massachusetts — History of the Gourgas Counul established in 1848 — Split — Raymond Council — Recapitulation — Sublime Lodge of Perfection at Albany, (New York) — Giles Fonda Yates — A re- view of his speech — facts stated — Conclusionof the work of the Sublime Lodge. • Page 2iS. CHAPTER TENTH. Statistic Account, denoting the formation and Progress of the M. P. and Sovereign Grand Consistory of the Supreme Chiefs of Exalted Masonry, and of the Supreme Grand- Council of the Thirty-third degree. Page 287. CHAPTER ELEVENTH. An Epitome of Events and Occurrences, directly or indirectly connected with the "EzYe"— very full, and extending from the year 1700 to the year 1862. - PageS05. CHAPTER TWELFTH. Conclusion. The Author's Opinions— Explanation of Plate 2 and 3— Re- marks addressed to the Fraternity. . - \ - - Page 324. '•<^,}---« SCOTTISH EITE ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED SCOTTISH RITE, ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED CHAPTER FIRST. IntPwOduction. — Explanation of the nature of the History.*— Plaj? OF THE WORK. — »AuTH0R3 REFERRED TO.-— ReMARKS. The Author, in presenting the following History to the Masonic fraternity, proposes to give a succinct account of what is known among them as the ^^ High Degrees/' so far as that history may be connected with their introduction into this country, and their progress, up to the present time. His connection with, the Supreme CouBcil has been a long one, and during the time in which he was called upon to offici- ate as Secretary General of the body, the request was made, that he should prepare a history of the same. In accordance with that request, the work was commenced in 1853, and was carried on through a period of two or more yearSj during which time, all the printed documents and manuscripts accom- panying the history, were collected from the hands of scatter- ed members, together with translations from French and Ger- man Authors who had written upon the subject. The collation of the same w^as commenced at a time when Party Spirit ran high among the fraternity, and in the report which was then written and delivered to the Council, much matter found it^^ way, wnica, at the present time would be deemed objectioruv ble, and entirely out of place. Having been subsequently called upon by the Latomia So- ciety of Atlantic Lodge, of which he is a member, to read the Report before them, he undertook to remove from it all objectionable featiires, and place it in the form of a series of Lcctm-es, which were delivered before the Society daring the winter of I860. The favor with which the Lectures wer(j received,' and the expressed' wish of the Society that they should be published, have led him to re-wi*ite the Lectures' in the fornt of a History, in which shape it now appears. And it is hoped, that while it will throw some light upon many parts of the subject which have been hitherto dark, it will- also answer another very important objeet to the Fraternity ,- viz,, it will bring to light many documents which have been> generally unknown, will place in their hands many others which are Bot to be found at the present time*, being out of print, and preserve the whole in the form of a ''hand hook^^ for future reference. In collecting materials for the' History of the Subline de- grees, he has sought to avail himself of every source of authen-- tic, and valuable information, applicable to his design of ma- king the work both interesting and useful. How far these endeavors may have been successful, must be submitted to the deliberate consideration of the reader. In justice to himself he can truly say, tliat he &as avoided e?o reasonable labor to make the publication worthy the approbation of the Frater- nity, although he has fallen far short of satisfying himself, or of accomplishing all tMt he had anticipated at its commence- ment. His principal aim has been throughout, t€^ present a; brief, yet correct account of such matters in relation to the Sublime degrees, as he conceived best worthy of preserving,- and most likely to prove a repository of valuable historical and statistical information. He is however constrained to ac- knowledge that, bad he, in the commeneement^ been able' to realize in any considerable degree', the labor he was aboiit to assume, and the obstacles he encountered in his progress,, he would have been almost deterred from th-e undertaking. The peculiar condition and deficiency of many records, and the difficulty in obtaining those in possession of other persons, are two of the obstacles- among those to which he alludes INTRODUCTIO^" 13 It would be proper here to state, that the degrees, to which this history relates, have no conQectiGn whatever with what is known as ^\Ancient Craft Masonry ^^ whether derived from York, in England, or Kilwinning, in Scotland. That system consists of the first three degrees of Masonry, known as the Entered Apprentice, the Fellow Craft, and the Master Mason. with the appendage of what is now termed " the Royal JirchP^ These degrees form a system withia themselves, complete in all its parts, are of great antiquity, having beccmo hoary with age many centuries before the high degrees came into being. This simple system is, in fact, the basis of all other Masonic degrees, by whatever name they may be called- This is the system which has been received and practiced .upon in this Country, from the year 1730 up to 1800, at which time it took to itself a new form. Hitherto the Eoyal Arcli degree was conferred in Blue Lodges, under the appellation of a " Chapter ^^^ and the Mark degree was conferred in " Mark Lodges" which were distinct bodies. But when the work of the three first degrees had at that time become systematized, and placed in the form of " Lectures,'^'' the same sett of men were requested to revise degrees for the Chapter, and place them also in form. They accordingly met, took the Mark degree for the commencement, added the Past Master as the fifth, displaced a portion of the Royal Arch, and called it the " Most Excellent Master," and finished with the Royal Arch. These four degrees then became a system, and, with the first three degrees being added, form Seven, as the received system in this Country, styled, '^Ancient Craft Masonry." The degrees of Royal and Select Master, are still kept separate, although, strictly speaking, the system without them is incomplete. Subsequently, in 1811, the Orders of Knighthood were systematized and introduced. There had been, as early as 1790 to 1795, Encampments of Knights Templar, but the bodies of that name conferred but one degree. Nor was it necessary for a man to be a Mason, in order to be entitled to it. The degree, then, had notliing to do Avith Masonry. But about this time the system was organized by a body of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish rite, Thej made the ''Knight 14 sconisn kite, ancient and accepted. of the Red Cross,''^ which is synonyrn'ous with ^^ Knight of the East " and " Prince of Jerusalem,^^ the first ; the " Knight TVm^Zar," which is synonymous with the ^^ Rose Croix ^^ and " Kadosh/' the second ; the " Knight of Malta " or " St. John of Jerusalem " (a detached degree), the third ; the " Knight of the Christian Mark/^ the fourth ; and " Knight of the Holy' Sepulchre,^^ the fifth and last. These were embodied as En- campment degrees, and were conferred at that time according to the ritual of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, from v»^hich the principal degrees were derived. The lecturers, liowever, soon took them in hand, shaped them according to their views, adopted a system of Lectures, and by the year 1816 they were' adopted, and placed where they now stand ; a General Grand Encampment was formed, and they virtually became part and parcel of Ancient Craft Masonry. This is the system adopted in this Country as legitimate Ancient Craft Masonry, and, as a natural ^consequence, no other system is sought after. It is not, however, known or practiced in England, Scotland, or Ireland. In all those countries they practice the first three degrees like ourselves, follow them with the Royal Arch, as of old, while the Templars' degree is altogether a separate matter. The Past Master's degree remains in the Blue Lodge, where it belongs ; and the Mark degree is conferred as a side degree pertaining to the Fellow Craft. Europe differs from us altogether, many portions of it, as well as South America and the islands, adopting the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. Like us, they begin with the first three degrees, after which comes in thirty degrees, beginning with the Fourth, or Secret Master, and terminating .with the Thirty-third. While they leave out the Chapter and Encamp- ment degrees (as known in the system which we now practice), they give the same degrees in another form and name, and with many additions and extensions. Thus the Royal Arch degree is synonymous with the Thirteenth and Fourteenth, the ''Red Cross '' with the Fifteenth and Sixteenth, the " Templar " with the Eighteenth and Thirtieth, while the remaining degrees are all of them disconnected. In France they have condensed INTRODUCTION, 15 the first eighteen degrees into seven, the Rose Croix bekig the Seventh, and it is now known all over the world as the *' Modern French Rife.^^ Perhaps this short sketch will show to the American Mason, the reason Tvhy so many foreign Masons are turned from the door of the 'Lodge when they apply for admission, on the ground that they are " Modern,^' or " Spuriousy They have all received the same thing, and in a manner quite as legitimate, but they have received them in a form differing somewhat from our own. This system, then, viz., the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, is the one of which this book purports to be a short history. It has been known under various names, as the " Lieffable,^^ the " SuUime,^^ the " Exalted or High degrees,^^ the ''Philosophical,^' the " Scottish System/' the " Rite of Perfection,'' the ''Right of Heredom of Kilwinning," and the " Jincient and Accepted Scottish Rite," now comprising thirty degrees in num- ber, beginning with the Fourth, or Secret Master, and termi- nating with the Thirty- third, or Sovereign Grand Inspector General, — the members of the last named degree constituting a Supreme Grand Council, which is the absolute ruler or gov- erning power of the Rite. This system has made its way to this Country, and is now firmly established among us. Until of late, its progress has been varied — sometimes being in a thriving condition, in certain locations, and sometimes being almost extinct. But Avithin a few years it has lifted up its head. It is established in South Carolina, Louisiana, New York, Massachusetts, Con- necticut, New Jersey, Ohio and Illinois, and bids fair to bo established in every State in the Union. It is to be regretted that, from its very commencement, its progress in this Countr}^ as well as in other lands, has been marked with bitter conten- tions and constant quarrels, for the simple reason that, hitherto, one system has been antagonistic to the other, by which botli Iiave become mixed and confused. In all these difficulties Masons of every degree have taken an active part. And it is lamentable, now, to look back and witness the manv serious mistakes which have been made fron Ifi SCOTTISH RITE, ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED. a mere want of knowledge concerning the history and events connected with the Rite. It is that which has led the author to a very close and careful examination of the subject, produc- ing in the end this history, which he offers for your encourage^ ment. Every Master Mason needs the information which it contains ; and it is intended for such, as well as for members of the High degrees. While the bodies working in Ancient Craft Masonry have the simple appellation of Lodges, those under this rite claim a greater antiquity, a purer ritual, and, above all, a controlling power — styling their bodies Chapters, Colleges, Areopagi, Consistories and Councils. They have made strong and long continued efforts to remove the ancient landmarks, that they might, if possible, supersede the old system, and replace it with the new. One party has claimed that the whole system is a ^Continua- tion " of Ancient Craft Masonry, as so many links in a chain, reaching from the bottom to the top of the edifice, one link of which being wanting, the whole would be useless and come to nothing — by such assertions deceiving the members of Ancient Craft Masonry into the belief that, their initiation into the High degrees was a necessity, if they desired to complete their Masonic education. Another party has been equally earnest in contending for the precedence of the Ancient and accepted Scottish Rite over the York Rite, and have endeavored to establish and constitute Symbolic Lodges of their own, with what they call a '' purer rite,^' thus superseding, or conflicting with the York bodies and the Grand Lodges from which they derive. While another party, which includes a large portion of th^ Fraternity, have discarded the Rite altogether. They have been educated in, and have lived under, the Ancient York Rite. They are satisfied with its teachings, usages, government, &c., and are quite unwilling to relinquish a system so generally received and practiced, for another of such questionable authority, and of which they know nothing. These controversies have been a source of annoyance and trouble, from the very commencement of the organization. INTKODUCTION. 17 They have been produced, in a great measure, by designing men, who have been so industrious and energetic, that they have succeeded, in numerous instances, in deceiving well-mean- ing brethren, who would not take the pains to inform themselves upon the subject. The exhibition of documents perfectly authentic, the respectability of members, the acknowledgment and correspondence of foreign and distant Councils, the testi- monials of ancient and younger members, and the records of the past, all seem to have lost their weight and influence ; and they have appeared in most instances to be ready to place implicit confidence in the statement and assertions of men, no matter how monstrous their pretensions, rather than examine the evidence which has been at all times open to their inspec- tion, and allow the simple truth to have its proper weight. It is for the purpose of imparting information, having a bearing upon these points, that this history is written, accom- panied with all the documents that could be obtained. Its plan will be very simple and easily understood, because it will be a relation of facts as they occurred. It will take up the degrees at their commencement in Europe, show the power as given to' Stephen Morin, the first Inspector for ^'foreign parts " initiated and appointed under this system, follow him from Paris to St. Domingo, and trace and designate his successors to the United States. It will give the particulars concerning the founding of the Supreme Council at Charleston, follow the emissary of that Council to Paris again, where a similar body is formed by him as a rival to the Grand Orient of France. Returning from St. Domingo, it will follow Joseph Cerneau, a successor of Morin, from thence to New York, and give the particulars connected with the founding of a Sovereign Grand Consistory of the Ancient Constitutional Scottish Rite of Heredom — having a Supreme Council in its bosom — trace its progress from the commencement to the end. Next, the United Supreme Council for the Western Hemisphere (Ancient and Accepted Rite) ] and last, the Supreme Councils of 1846 and 1848, up to the present day. In completing the European portions of the history, very 18 SCOTTISH RITE, ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED copious and full extracts have been given from the following French authors, viz. : Thory. — Acta Latamorum. Rag07i. — Orthodox Ma^onnique. Clavel. — Hist. Pitt, de la Franc Ma9. Kaufman and Cherpin. — Hist. Pbilos. de la Franc Mag. Rebold. — Hist. Gen. de la Franc Mac. Besuchet. — Precis Hist, de la Franc Mag. Levique. — Apergu General, &Q. Vassal. — Essai, &c. Vidal Fezendie. — Essai Hist, sur la Franc Mac. Chemin Duponfes. — Cours Pratique de Franc Mag. Boubee. — Etudes sur la Franc Mag. Bohrik des Etanges, and others. Also — Recuiel des Actes du Sup. Conseil de France. Report of Leblanc de Marconnay ; translated by Ladebat. And last, not least, a work written by Messrs. Lamarre and Ladebat^ of New Orleans. The authors of which have shown a depth of research, and a patience of labor, which is worthy of all praise. And, although the author cannot agree with them in many of their inferences, and would not attempt to examine into, or decide upon, the merits of the case which they attempt to plead, yet he is constrained to offer to them his thanks for the important facts which the production of their work has brought to light. That portion of the history connected with our own country, is derived from the records of the Sovereign Grand Consistory; from the Hon. John W. Mulligan, First Grand Commander of the Order, succeeding Joseph Cerneau ; from the register and papers of the late D. L. M. Peixotto ; from documents in possession of E. M. Spofford, M. D., Newburyport, Mass. ; from Seth Driggs, Esq. ; from the late Francis Dubuar, late Lewis Timolat, James Herring, Esq., and others. Some of the brethren above mentioned have died since the history was commenced. To those who are living, the author would return his thanks for the many acts of kindness he has received at their hands, while engaged in this work. The author will have occasion to say something in the INTKODUCTION. 19 history eoncerniug that sect of people denominated Israelites or Jews, partly in the way of qnotations from different authors, and partly on his own responsibility. As far as it regards the quotations, lie can only say that, he feels himself obliged to give the words of others precisely as they are written, if he gives them at all, and, of course, is not accountable for the sentiments which they entertain. But as far as he is individu- ally concerned, he would say that, he does not make use of the term " Jew " in derision, as some no doubt will suppose, but simply as a matter of justice to the degrees denominated the " Exalted or Sublime,^' numbering from the Seventeenth to the Thirty-third, inclusive. These degrees, or at least some of them, are founded upon, and promulgate the peculiar doctrines of Christianity, more especially the Divinity, Death, Resurrection and Ascension of the Messiah, our common Lord. The right of possession to all the degrees of Masonry, up to the Sixteenth of the Ancient and Accepted Rite, is claimed by all sects of people alike, because they are not based upon, and have no direct allusion to these doctrines. But the Statutes of the Order, as well as the moral sense of the members of the institution, require that a Jew should go no further in these mysteries, because he is not a believer in the doctrines which they assume to teach. It is most true, that the degrees spoken of, have been altered, interpolated, remodelled, and reconstructed in such a way as to accommodate themselves to the feelings of all concerned. It is true that, the opposers of these doctrines have put out of the way, the plainest and most impressive emblems, and, at the same time, have so covered up and mystified with science and philosophy, falsely so called, those symbols and emblems which they have suffered to remain, tliat it would noAv puzzle a wise man to find out, by careful study and deep investigation, what, if any, meaning attached to them. But with these degrees, so remodelled, we have nothing to do. The Sovereign Grand Consistory rejected them altogether, — taking its stand on the original or ancient ground (if any such ground there be), and issued the following edict, under date of November llthj 5>0 SCOTTISH RITE, ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED. " The Sovereign Grand Consistory Laving heard read a communication from our Representative for the State of South Carolina (Charleston) respecting the pretended Grand Council in the said State, and, having seriously deliberated on the same, has felt it a duty, thus promptly and expressly to caution all Councils and Chapters deriving their authority from under this Sovereign Grand Consistory, against having any connec- tion, or holding correspondence with any Councils or Chapters, or with any person or persons professing to be member or members of any Coun- cil or Chapter, located in the United States of America or elsewhere, particularly with certain * Societies ' under the assumed title of ' Kadosh,' whose members are unworthy of possessing the Sublime degrees of Philo- sophic Masonry, which are founded on the Christian Religion, to which they are enemies in principles, and not recognized by this Sovereign Grand Consistory ; all and every such Chapter being Spurious and Irregular, and their members * Imposters,' " &c. There is connected with this history a statistic account of the SoYereign Grand Consistory and Supreme Grand Council, from its commencement up to the present time. This account is an alDstract from the records of the Consistory, from the documents issued, from the documents in possession of many of the old members of the body, and from such other sources as have been presented to him by those surviving members of the old Council, — all of which are authentic and indisputable. He has endeavored to produce the simple facts as they stand recorded, and it is hoped they will be fairly examined. He has also given the documents in full, which have been issued by the opposers of the old Council and the present one, in order, not only to avoid the imputation of partial dealing, but also to give a fair opportunity to all concerned, that they may form correct opinions, as it regards the much abused Sovereign Grand Consistory and Supreme Council established by the " Peddling Jeweller, Joseph CerneauP If the history herewith submitted shall have the eifect of enlightening those who are in darkness, concerning the regularity of the Council, or of removing the prejudices of those who have, hitherto, conscien- tiously believed that the " Cerneau Council " was in the wrong, the desire of the writer will be gained. He is perfectly willing to leave the matter therCp CHAPTER SECOND. OKlGI^j^" AND PROGKESS 0^ THE RITE OF PERFECTION. The doctrine of " Derivation " advocated as the basis of all " legal Masonic bodies " — Formation of the Grand Lodge of France " — Introduction of new degrees into the system of Masonry— Council of the Emperors of the East and West — "Lacorne Grand Lodge " — Rite of Perfection—The Council in tvhich it is practiced, unites with the Grand Lodge of France— Union of the Grand Lodge of France With the Grand Orient — Grand Chapter Gen- eral of France unites with the Grand Orient — Nature of the Grand Orient of France — " Tablet," showing the progress of the Rite — 1761 — Stephen IkloRiN — His Patent, or Power — Controversy between the Grand Orient and the Supreme Council of France concerning the rights of the Grand Orient — St. Domingo — Stephen Morin's Patent annulled in 1766 — Estab- lishment of the Supreme Council of Charleston, May 31st, 1801 — They adopt a " new rite,^^ and issue a Circular in 1802. In order to arrive at a proper understanding, and 'to form just conclusions upon the subjects which are intended to be set forth in this history, it is highly uecessary to know from whence these degrees are derived, as well as the manner in which they have come to us. All known ^Masonic bodies which are, in reality, regularly constituted, derive their power for the performance of Masonic work, the conferring of degrees, '^of they F'ast&'West 1756 C L. of ih& mnqdoi 1756 nrv. "^meticed/the Symbolic \^£^rees only. 3^ Uniorv Underboh to compete tt/ith ' oppose the Grand \L od^e^ thelSngdoirv. I\iiights^ of the Fast. 251). ea,9. '9' Fmperors ofth& \Eastd West. SubhmsScotoh *Mother-Lodg^ 1760 Wegreesof "^erfeetioiy. " General Grand Chapte^r of Franeey. 1764 GratidbOnent ofFranct 1766 & 1799 JYbt acknOi thsG.'0..t)wf>tOi jIU Oie JUasonic heads of Easts ofFratvee wiite (tfonrv tJie Gr Orient, - K/hich jww^controts ail Wt^^nHnu^s-ineaistence^ rites of u/luite t/erMad. ' ^ tfw preservttirne. Plate 1. Sup.: Cbundl35 ^n&. :^^cc. . S.R. 1^04 & 1611 BCOTTISH ^ITE, ANCIENT ANt) ACCEPTED. 27 '• In consequence of these acts, the Grand Orient of France has thus gath» ered in its hands all the powers of these several authorities. It has thus become the laole legitimate possessor, and the mediate successor to the founders of the Rite of Ferfedion^ of the Consistorij of ike Princes of the Royal Secret, and of all ("ie Scottish System, Ancient and Accepted, which was practiced, not only ia the Councils of the Emperors of the East and "West, but also in the Scottish Coiisistories of Bordeaux, known under the title of Sublime Scotch Mother Lodge. Added to these, the Grand Orient controls the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Eite. This position she claims to occupy at th^ present day." Ragon, Orthodox Mac., says ; "1786 — February 27tk — The Grand Chapter General of France united wi:h the Grand Orient of France by treaty, by which it will be perceived that the Grand Orient has thus gathered in its hands, all the powers of these several authorities, and 1ms thus betjome the sole possessor, and the mediate successor, to the founders of the Rite of Perfection, of the Consistory of Princes of the Koyal Secret, and of all the Scottish System, Ancient and Accepted, which was practiced, not only in the Council of the Emperors of the East and West, but also in the Scotch Consistory of Bordeaux, known under the title of Sub" (wie Scotch Mother Lodged Accompanying tlii& statement^ the author has prepared a tablet, which will give at a glance the commencement and progress of this rite in France, up to the year 1800, and with- out which the mind would naturally become confused, as the subject is somewhat intricate at first sight. As a reason for being thus particular here, he would state that, he wishes to show the commencement and the regular succession of Masonic power in France — that, what the Grand Lodge of France was in 1761, containing the Council of the Emperors of the East and West in her bosom, and thus was the Grand East of all rites, so is tlie Grand Orient now, having gathered together and consolidated all those rites in herself, and so continues to be the sole East at the present day. [See Plate.] We will now proceed with the report : " The Ancient and Accepted Eite is nothing else than a modification of the ' J^ite of Perfection, which was practiced in the ancient Councils of the Emper- ors of the East and West, in the bosom of the Grand Lodge of France. It had then but twenty-five degrees, and was given to the Jew, Stephen Moriri) previous to his leaving France for St. Domingo, in 1761. We attach herewith, a full and perfect copy of the Patent and power given to him, together with a correct list of the degrees. And it will be found that the title of ' Grand 28 Jf^ITE GP PE^ECTION'. Inspector- ' is given to him in his Patent j but it should be remembered, that ttiis^ title is not a ^Masonic degree' (as has been vainly supposed by many), but a? function or title alone, and is still bestowed at this day on brethren commis- sioned to examine the work of Lodges, in ordfer to report rapon their regularity a;nd propriety. '^ [See Appendix, Doc. No='4.] There is also given a copy from' Ragon. As some have felt inclined' to dispute about the wording of the Patents, they are given, that tlie reader may judge for himselL The substance and signatures are the same in all. The opponei^ts of the Grand Orient, reason about Morin's Patent in the following manner. They say ^ " The Count of Clermont vs'as elected Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of France when it v^as the E-nglish Grand Lodge, holding and working from a charter ulider the Grand Lodge of England. It was exclusively a Symbolic Grand Lodge. Under that charter, and by that name, it worked from 1743 to 1756. Then it declared itself independent, as the Grand Lodge of France. When it first received its charter from England, it adopted regijlations which denounced and disowned all the Scottish degrees. It did not change the regu- lations when it became independent. When the Gravid Lodge of Lacorne was united with it, it sefems for a time to have admitted the superiority of the Scottish degrees, and administered or worked them ; but in 17'66, on the 2d of October^ it refused to establsh chambers of those degrees witMeJ itself." — Thory,! Actsj Lat., page 88. They continue : " 'I'he simple truth is, that it was always a Symbblic Gfand Liocrge ; an^ the Count of Clermont was Grand Master of the regular Blue Lodges and Sym- bolic Masons of France only. He may also have bfeen at the head of the Cbancil of the Emperors of the* East and West, or the Grand Council ; but tl>at was certainly only a nominal dignity, and, at any rate, it was not a part of his prerogative as Grand Master." The Grand Orient claims all that is deniefl in the' above,' viz. — The union of the Council of the fimperors with herself ^^ then the Grand Lodge ; the administration and working of the degrees, and the authority of the Count of Clermont's power, in precisely the same way as Prince Mwrat is now the' lioad of all Masonry in France. They continise : " All the different powers that granted Tetters of Constitution for bodies to? work in the Scottish degrees, were perfectly independent of the Grand Lodge. In 176G, it undertook to s^jippress them, but did not succeed, — Thory, Acta Lat.,^ SCOTTISH RITE, AXCIENT AND ACCEPTED. 29 p. -87. The Count of Clermont could only be Grand Master to such degrees as he had regularly received^ The Grand Lodge was composed of Representa- tives of Blue Lodges. Some of them had the high degrees and more had not. Of course the body, as a body, had no jurisdiction over them or concern with ihem. We do not know that the Count of Clermont had ever received any of the Scottish degrees. There is not the least reason to suppose that if he had, Oie had ever gone beyond those of the Rite of Perfection. Probably not one jnan in France had received all, or even hslf of the degrees which everybody was then manufacturing, and of course no one body eould have jurisdiction over all, nor any one Grand Master be at the head of them all. " The Patent of Stephen Morin emanated, therefore, from the Council of the Emperors of the East and West. Two questions, however, will naturally arise. First How could that Council be under the protection of the Grand Lodge of France, when we know that the latter recognized and worked the three Blue degrees only, .and that the Council of the Emperors was acting in competition with, and encroaching upon the rights of the Grand Lodge — Thory^ 1 Acta Lat., p. IS. Second. Bow could the name and seal of the Grand Master and Grand Lodge of the Symbolic degrees be used in a Patent, the object of which was to authorize Morin to propagate the Eite of Perfection, — a rite not recognized by the Grand Lodge ? " Our answer to these questions would be — That Lacorne, the private deputy of the Grand Master — who cared but very little, if any, for Masonic aSairs — took upon himself, and without any authority whatever, to use the name and seal of the Count of Clermont and of a Grand Lodge tliat was in opposition •to the genuine Grand Lodge. A proof, however, that in 1761 the Council of the Emperors was not united with the two Grand Lodges, or either of them, is, that it was merged eleven years afterwards, viz., 1772, into the Grand Orient hy a concordat." — 1 Precis Hist., p. 41 ; and Beport of Leblanc de Marconnay, p. 12 : English Translation. The Grand Ori-eiit aiid the Supreme Council have been at variance about this matter for long years.o Perhaps the mat- ter will clear up itself to the reader as we progress. With this power in his possession, in 1761, Stephen Morin set sail for St. Domingo, where he remained for some years, during which time he commenced the propagation of his Ma- sonic work in the Rife of Perfection — consisting of Twenty nve degrees. But in his career there he gave so much dissatis- faction, and propagated such strange and monstrous doctriues, coupled with bad faith and unmasonic conduct, that the Gr.and Lodge of France annulled his Patent, took from him the pow- er, and appointed another Inspector ^n his place, [See Docu- 80 RITE OF PERFECTION. ments Nos. 5 and 6 ; also, Ragon's view of the rite m its pro- gress.] The document annulling the patent of Morin^ and supersed- ing him Iby the appointment of another inspector — Martin, has been disputed. Some have gone so far as to say, that it was a false document, because none of the names af&xed to it in 1765 are found in 1761. But Ragon makes mention of the ''fact,^^ and the author of the Report from which it is copied, assumes to have copied it from the Archives of the body, in Paris. It is given as a part of the history, without attatching any spe- cial importance to the document itself. Let us now examine the powers conferred upon Stephea M orin. He is empowered to form and establish a Lodge, for the pur- pose of receiving and multiplying the Royal Order in all the Perfect and Sublime Degrees. What those degrees are, how many, &c., will be found inscribed on the Patent. They are Twenty-five in number, and are called the ^^Rite of Perfection. ^^ He is to take due care that the General and Particular Statutes and Regulations of the Grand and Sovereign Lodge be kept and observed. These Statutes, both General and Par- ticular, have been known from the commencement, and have been, at different times, published far and wide. They are not Secret, and the Grand Orient declares, that there are not now known, nor has there ever at any time been known, any such Statutes as Secret Constitutions, They are the same which govern all regularly constituted bodies of this kind, A compliance with them regularizes the body with the parent body, and with all other bodies of the like kind, on the habi- table globe. A departure from them, makes the trespassing body irregular, and illegal, wherever it may be located. The crime of treating these Statutes with contempt, and of invent- ing other Statutes of the most absurd kind, together with the so-called " Secret Constitutions,^' was laid to the charge of Stephen Morin and his associates. He is to govern properly the Lodge wtiich he creates, under the title of " Lodge of St. John/' and by surname " Perfect Harmony.'^ SCOTTISH RITE, ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED. 31 He is to select such officers for the Lodge as he sees fit, or thinks proper. He is to be recognized by all Masters of regular Lodges wherever he may go, as " Worshipful Master of Perfect Har- mony Lodge.^^ He is authorized as Grand Inspector, to enforce the observ- ance of the Laws of the Order, and thus establish Perfect and Sublime Masonry in every part of the world. He is authorized to make Inspectors wherever tlie Sublime Degrees have not been established, (doubtless for the purpose of forming a Lodge like his own, and establishing the Degrees in regular form.) Tliese are the powers conferred. We do not find in the Patent, anything concerning the following powers he assumes, and for which, it has been said, he was recalled. He was not appointed Grand Inspector for life. If this had been the case they could not have taken his power from him. He was not empowered to make any other person an Inspect- or for life. No mention is made of either of these tilings in the Patent, and the Grand Orient explicitly states that it is perfectly foolish to suppose, or assert, that either the General, or Particular Statutes governing the Order, gave this power. He was not empowered to confer any Degrees, except those contained in the Rite of Perfection. These, as has been stated, are Twenty-five in number, and continued so until 1804, in France. But he did pretend to confer a great number of other Degrees, and by so doing brought himself into con- tempt. Further — it must be perfectly plain, that (if the document of his recall and the annulling of his Patent be true, and there is no reason to doubt its authenticity), all the powers which Stephen Morin possessed by the Patent, (and they are fully defined) lasted until 1766, and were legal. Subsequent to that date, he had no power whatever. Yet he not only as- sumed those powers, but took to himself many others, the re» suits of which the sequel will show. The document already quoted thus speaks ; 32 RITE OF PEEFECTIOX. " When Stephen Morin imported the Rite of Perfection, or his so termed ' Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite,' he somewhat attempted to disguise its origin, and to give it more importance than it really had. He consequently fathered the merits of the modification upon an absolute monarch, and extem- porized the law, which he arranged altogether to suit his own purposes. This bad use of the power given to Stephen Morin, caused the Grand Lo^ge of France to recall him in 1766." [Document No. 3.] Ragon, Orthodox Ma9., page 297, thus speaks : " Stephen Morin, on his arrival in St. Domingo, commenced the propagation of his Masonic work in the Rite of Perfection^ consisting of twenty-five degrees. He also created Inspectors, which titles did not designate tJie arbitrary powers and prerogatives that some silly writers have supposed, but merely the poivers of constituting Lodges. He also, notwithstanding the annulling of his Patents, and his recall in 1766, went on constituting Chapters and Councils in different parts of America. Between 1776 and 1782, the revolution progressed in the island, and the Rite of Perfection slumbered. But in 1783 it awakes with more degrees." Eagon is evidently in error concerning the year. It was not until 1801, that the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite ivas officially made known, as possessing thirty-three degrees. Aside from allusions like the above concerning Stephen Morin, history is silent. We nowhere find any details con- cerning his travels, nor is it known positively, at what time he was in America, or whether .he was here at any time. In fact, between the time of his leaving Franco in 1761 to the year 1802, we have but one definite allusion to his being in any other place than St. Domingo. That allusion is found in Ragon, who states, that in 1769 Morin was in Kingston, Ja-^ maica, where he had established a Lodge, or rather the Rite of Perfection. He then changed the name of the Kadosh de- gree, to that of the Knight of the Black and White Eagle. Therefore we are left to conjecture in this matter, and inas- much as Ragon has before said, that "between the years 1776 and 1782 the revolution progressed in the Island, and the Rite of Perfection slumbered ; but awakes again in 1783 in a new dress there,'' we may justly conclude, that Morin was chiefly in St. Domingo and the parts adjacent. This conclu- sion will be the more rational when we remember the troub- lous times in our land from 1773 to '81, when communication SCOTTISH RITE, ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED. 33 with distant parts by sea was precarious, on account 01 cruis- ers, the war of our own revolution being then in progress, and the small probability there was, that the attention of men would be directed greatly to Masonic matters. While at the same time, after 1781, the probability is that the intercourse was more frequent, and unaccompanied with danger, and nu- merous facilities were enjoyed for carrying out such plans as Morin entertained. From the testimony of JYicholas G. Boss, given under oath before the Committee appointed by the Legislature of Rhode Island, to examine Masons, &c., we learn the following : '' In 1761, the Grand Consistory convened at Paris, wlien authority was given to Stephen Morin, to found and establish the higher degrees in the New World. He resided in the "West Indies. " In 1763, Closes Michael Hays arrived in this country, with authority from Morin to establish them, — he being appointed Deputy Grand Inspector General. " About 1780, Mr„ Hays visited or resided in Newport, Ehode Island, and conferred the degrees on several persons who, at that time, were Master Masons. Among others on Peleg Clark and Moses Seixas, in 1781. His power, as Deputy Inspector General, was, to confer all the degrees after Master Mason, unless in a place where previously established. " In 1793, Peleg Clark, Moses Seixas, Thomas W. Moore and Mr. Stearnes, being Royal Arch Masons, met at Providence, to assist the Eoyal Arch Masons there to found a Chapter, which they did, under the name of ' the Providence Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, having a dispensation from the nearest Chapter, ^Washingtoii Chapter,' New York, dated 3d September, 1793.'" "The Grand Chapter of Rhode Island was formed in 1798, and by 1802 had granted warrants to two Chapters in Rhode Island." — Report of Rhode Island Committee, 1832, page 132. Be this as it may, we can only arrive tit any certainty 'from authors on the following points, viz. : That when Stephen Morin left France, he took with him the Rite of Perfection, -consisting of twenty-five degrees and no more, that he arrived at St. Domingo intending to travel over the vast continent of America, that in St. Domingo he practiced the Rite of Perfec- tion according to the power given him, and also vended to passing travellers and adventurers, the degrees which ho re- ceived. He also made Inspectors. Rago:i states distinctly, 34 RITE OF rERFECTIQN. ''The Council of tlie Emperors never imagined for a moment that siicli an audacious Jew and Juggler as he was, would take possession of the rite to make a profit out of it, they never dreamed that he would make it an article of traffic, and not only so, but that he would re-model the degrees, make new- ones, &c.'' That up to 1766, a period of five years he enjoyed this power uninterruptedly, manufacturing many new degrees out of the raw material, uttered many strange doctrines, and performed many curious things, at the end of which time his conduct had become so infamous, Masonically, in the eyes of those who gave him the power, that they recalled him and put another in his place. Nothing daunted by this reverse, he still goes on with his work. Three years afterward we hear of him at Kingston, Jamaica, as much interested as ever, that shortly after this the Revolution broke out on the Island, and went on for nine years, during which the rite slept, but awoke again at the end of that time in an entire new form, and with a new dress, after which it turns up at Charleston, South Carolina, say the next year in a Lodge of Perfection, and subsequently in 1801, as a Supreme Grand Council of the Thirty-third de- gree, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. History is silent upon what follows in Morin's course until 1802, when a document was issued by a Supreme Council in Charleston, South Carolina, in that year assuming to descend from, and to succeed Stephen Morin, and to have organized it- self May 31st, 1801. This document takes up the thread in Morin's history, which appeared to be lost, accounting for the manner in which the Exalted degrees found their way into this country. It has also become the foundation for Masonic writers, and a hand-book for all Supreme Councils of the present day, as it regards history, doctrines, traditions, &c. It is one of the most remarkable papers to be met with, on account of the bare face impositions and falsehoods which it contains and the doctrines which it inculcates. By its perusal we first get a history of Masonry from the 'primitive ages and a perfect epitome of the events which occurred before history was written by the hands of men. By it we learn the pretend-^ ed fact, that the Ineffable degrees of their body, irrespective of SCOTTISH RITE, ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED 35 Revelation, have been the depository of the Sacred name, lost to all other Societies of men. By it we are told that a Mas- ter of a Blue Lodge is not capable of presiding over his own body without an accurate knowledge of, and an acquaintance with, the Jewish Talmud, and the Hebrew language. In this notable paper is mentioned for the first time in all masonic history, as connected with these degrees, the name of Fred- erick of Prussia, as well as other notables connected with the Ineffable degrees, and the " Masonic Congress,^^ of 1786, hav- ing its East at Paris and " Berlin.'^ And we here first learn the nature of the powers given to all Inspectors, as " Sove- reigns in Masonry ^ And to sum up in a few words, by it we learn of the institution of an entire new rite in 1801, displac- ing and superseding all known rites which have preceded it, and denouncing as Spurious all who presume to gainsay any thing they utter. It would be proper to state here in direct terms, that no Ma- sonic author has ever made mention of those things set forth in this document, anterior to the year 1802. And subsequent to that date, many, among the number of whom may be men- tioned Dr. Oliver, have quoted this paper as authority. As a general thing, however, the majority of Masonic authors now openly contradict most of its pretensions. Even the records of the Council at Charleston, made during the years 1796, 1797 and 1798, by De Grasse and de la Hogue set forth clear- ly, many of its fabrications. The authorship, as far as writing is concerned, has been at- tributed to Dr. Dalcho, and there is little doubt that when he wrote it and put it forth to the world, he candidly believed much that it contained. But it is pleasing to be able to state, that at a later period of his life, he became another man in feeling, and publicly renounced the whole matter, taking every proper occasion to undo, if possible, the act which had misled so many, and was productive of so much evil. The document is given in full in the Appendix, to which the reader is especially referred, before commencing the next chapter. [See Appendix, Doc. No. 7.] CHAPTER THIRD. THE "RITE OF PERFECTION" RECEIVES A NEW NAME,. iz., "ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED." Progress of Morin. — Appointments made by him and his successors — John Mitchell and Frederick Dalcho. — The Thirty-third degree — how manu- factured. — New. degrees added on — Commencement of the " Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite." — Review of the Charleston document of 1802^ — A schedule of all the Rites known, with the dates of their origin, &c. — " Tablet " exhibiting their origin, progress, and termination. — Opinions of Authors concerning the Ancient and Accepted Rite. — Its false pretensions to antiquity exposed — Its blasphemy noticed — Frederick of Prussia — The " Vera Institdta Secreta," or the Secret Constitutions. — Recapitulation of the claims set up by this document, and their falsity exposed. We have seen how Morin came by his Patent from the Council of the Emperors of the East and West, the number of degrees which that Patent gave him power to confer, together with the name by which they should be called, viz : the Rite of Perfection, or of Heredom. We have followed him in his travels to St. Domingo, and we further learn from the authors that Morin did not pretend to propagate any other Masonry than that of Perfection in twenty-five degrees, that in 1769 Morin was at Kingston, Jamaica, where he changed the name of the degree of Kadosh, to that of the Knight of the White and Black Eagle, having before established the Rite of Perfec- tion there. Also up to the year 1801, no trace is to be found in America, including the West Indies, of aijy higher degree than the Twenty-fifth, that being " Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret," and its Inspectors denominated " Deputy Inspec- tors General.''^ This is all the information we can glean from history until we alight upon this piece of paper, or as the French Mason would style it " this piece of Architecture,^^ for such it most truly may be called. It assumes to take up the bistoiy where authors have left off, and says— RITE OF PEBFECTlOJr. 87 " Immediately ou his arrival in St. Domingo, Morin appofeted a ' Deputy Inspector Geoeral ' for North America. This high honor was conferred on M, M. Hays (a Jew), ' with power of appointing others where necessary.' " Now this is contradicted by the Register of Aveilhe, which was made out in 1797, and that of De la Hogue in 1798 and 1799, now deposited in the archives of the Supreme Council at Charleston. The Register of De la Hogue contains as its first entry, the filiation of the powers of 'the Bro. Morin as Inspector General. It states that he gave the degree of Grand Deputy Inspector to Bro. Frankin at Jamaica, he, to Bro. M. M. Hays, at Boston, Mass., he, to Bro. Spitzer, at Charleston South Carolina, all the Deputies Grand Inspectors (meaning themselves) in Sublime Council at Philadelphia to Bro. Moses Cohen, he to Bro. Hyman Isaac Long, and he at Charleston to Bro. De la Hogue, de Grasse, Magnan, St. Paul, Robin, Petit and Marie, to whom, on the 12th Nov. 1796 he gave a Chartci- of Constitution establishing a Sublime Grand Council of Princes of the Royal Secret at Charleston, South Carolina. The Register of Aveilhe, as well as other documents, confirm the above. The document goes on to state : "Brother Morin also appointed Brother Frankhn (a Jew) Deputy Inspector General for Jamaica and the British Leward Islands, and Brother Colonel Provost for the Windward Islands and the British Army. Brother Hays appointed Isaac Da Costa (a Jew) Deputy Inspector General for the State of South Carolina, who, in the year 1783, established the Sublime Grand Lodge of Perfection in Charleston. After Brother Da Costa'3 death, Brother Joseph Myers (a Jew) was apJ)ointed Deputy Inspector General for South Carolina by Brother Hays ; who, also, had previously appointed Brother Solomon Bush (a Jew) Deputy Inspector General for the State of Pennsylvania, and Bi'other Barend M. Spitzer (a Jew) for the same rank in Georgia ; which was con- fu-med by a Convention of Inspectors (of course meaning themselves) in 1781, in Philadelphia. " On the 1st of May, 1786, the Grand Constitution of the Thirty-third degree, called the Supreme Council of Sovereign Grand Inspectors General^ was finally ratified by His Majesty the King of Prussia, who, as Grand Com- mander of the Order of Princes of the Royal Secret, possessed the Sovereign Masonic power over all the Craft. In the new Constitution, this high power was conferred on a Council of nine brethren in each nation, who possess all the Masonic prerogatives in their own district that His Majesty individually possessed, and are ' Sovereign in Masonry.' " " On the 20th February, 1788, the Grand Council of Princes of Jerusalem S8 BOOTTIsn mm ANCIENT AND ACCIFPTED. M-as opened iu this city, at which were present Brother I. Myers, "Oeputy Inspector General for South Carolina ; Brother Barend M. Spitzer, Deputy Inspector General for Georg:ia ; and Brother A. Forst (a Jew, also), Deputy Inspector General for Virginia. '•On the 2d of August, 1795, Brother Colonel John Mitchell, late Quarter- rnuster General in the Army of the United States of America, was made a. l^eputy Inspector General for this State by Brother Spitzer, who acted in t:onsequence t)f Brother Myers' removal out of the country. Brother Mitchell was restricted from acting until after Brother Spit^er's death, which took place in the succeeding year. As many brethren of the eminent degrees had arrived from foreign parts. Consistories of Princes of the Koyal Secret were occasionally held for initiation aad other purposes, '' On the Blst May, 1801, the Supreme Council of the Thirty-third degree. for the United States 6t America, was opened with the high honors of Masonry by Brothers John Mitchell and Frederick Dalcho, Sovereign Grand Inspectors General ; and, in the course of the present year, the whole number of Grand Inspectors General was completed agreeable to the Grand Coustitutiofis." The examination of these points in the history will be the subject of this chapter, but before proceeding with it, we can learn what some of the proceedings of Stephen Morin and his coadjutors were. It would appear that he commenced after liis arrival at St. Domingo, the appointment of Deputy Inspec- tors General, and when the list was completed, as we find by this important document, there were ten professed Jews out of thirteen who were elevated to these high honors. These three exceptions were Colonel John Mitchell, Col. Provostj and Dr. Frederick Dalcho. Emanuel de la Motta, Abraham xilexander>, and Isaac Auld will make three more Jcvrs which will count up thirteen out of sixteen. No reason is given for this pecu- liar choice. But if history speaks correctly on this subject. we have every reason to conclude, that Morin and his coadju- tors in those day§ found the manufacturing of Masonic degrees and the sale of Masonic dignities, a very profitable and lucra- tive undertaking. They pursued it diligently, making all the money they could from the traffic. Acting upon this principle, Morin did not remain in one location on the islands for a long period of time, but knowing that the whole range of islands^ as well as the vast continent of America, were wholly unpro- vided with these almost " priceless gems,'' which he alone pos- sessed, he passes from place to place, disposing of them v/her- RITE OF PEEFECTION. 39 e^er lie could find a customer, and obtain a fair consideration, until lie had spread the whole broadcast over the soil which he came to cultivate. And his Jewish brethern in our own land, being better adapted than others for the sale of these commodities, entered into the scheme with equal zeal. The result shows for itself ; in all the Inspectors constituted by these travelling pedlers, the most of them are of the Jewish Faith. The opening and constituting this Supreme Council does not appear to have been honored with the presence of any properly authorized Inspector General to perform that work, nor with any written instrument or power, from any known body in the world. It is stated to have been opened by John Mitchell and Frederick Dalcho, botli of whom were initiated and appointed under these Jews who had received their powers from Stephen Morin. Now it would not be out of place to in- quire here^ where John Mitchell or Frederick Dalcho obtained the seven additional degrees and the last, making the Thirty three, and where the Jews — their initiators obtained them. For it has before been most clearly demonstrated and is gen- erally conceded to be true, by all authors, that Stephen Morin had only Twenty-five degrees, or the Rite of Perfection, that tliis rite continued as such on the islands until 1802, that all the Inspectors whom he initiated were only possessed of what he was possessed of, viz : .the Rite of Perfection, and that nothing was known in this country, of any degree of Masonry beyond the Twenty-fifth or Sublim.e Prince of the Royal Secret up to the opening of this Council in 1801. There is no one point, in all the controversies which have been iiad, upon the subject of the Ancient and Accepted Rite, which has been more earnestly argued and maintained than this, by the dis- ciples of that rite, Mr. Lamarre, in his very able pamphlet published in New Orleans, says : " After the Brother Morin came to America (meaning, of course, the Inspec- tor appointed by him.) he did not pretend to propagate any other Masonry than that of Perfection, in twenty-five degrees. Up to the year 1801, we find no trace in America, including the West Indies, of any higher degree than 40 BITE OF PERFECTION. the Twenty-fifth, or Sublime P'rince of the Royal Secret. We have several rituals of that degree as the Twenty-fifth, made out about that time. It is true that the rank of Deputy Grand Inspector General had gradually grown to be regarded and given as a degree ; but Grand Consistories, or Councils of Sublime Princes of the Royal Secret, vrere the highest and governing bodiea of the rite. " The register of Brother Aveilhe was made out in 1797> and that of Brother de la Hogue in 1798 and 1799, and in neither is there any hint of any higher power in Masonry than a Sublime (Irand Council of Sublime Princes of the Royal Secret. '•The register of de la Hogue states the confirmation of this. And in the register of Moses Holbrook, in the archives of the Supreme Council at Char- leston, is the copy of a Patent given by Barend M. Spitzer, Prince of Masons and Deputy Grand Inspector General, reciting his own creation as such at Philadelphia, on the 25th June, 1781, by a Convention of Inspectors, and cer- tifying that John Mitchell, of Charleston, had been raised to the degree of Kadosh, and further, to the highest degree in Masonry, and creating him Deputy Inspector General. This bears date April 2d, 1795. Then follows a Patent granted to Frederick Dalcho, on the 24th May, 1801, by John Mitchell, Kadosh, P. of the R, S., certifying him to be K. H., and P. of the R. S., and creating him Deputy Inspector General. " The register of de la Hogue contains a Copy of the Patents granted on the 12th November, 1796, by Hyman Isaac Long, to Brothers de la Hogue, de Grasse, Magnan, St. Paul, RobiUj Petit and Marie, creating each Pettriarch Noachite and Sovereign Enight of the Sun and of Kadosh, Deputy Grand Inspector Genaral, &c. " There is, also, in the same register, a copy of t\\c Charter of Constitutions granted on the 12th November, 1796, by the Brother Long^ to the same breth- ren, to establish a Lodge of Kadosh at Charleston, on tlfe continent of South America. In it the Brother Ijong thus describes himself—' We, Hyman Isaac Long, Grand Elect, Perfect and Sublime Mason, Knight of the East, Prince of Jerusalem, &c.. Patriarch Noachite, Knight of the SUn, and Kadosh and Deputy Grand Inspector General over all the Lodges, Chapters, Councils and (irand Councils of the superior degrees of Free Masonry, Ancient and Modern, spread over the surface of the two hemispheres,' To this is annexed a certifi- cate, showing that, under the Patent,, ' a Grand Sublime Council of Princes of the Royal Secret ' was established and installed at Charleston, South Caro^ Una, on the 15th January, 1797, and that it was recognized and approved and confirmed by the Grand Council of Princes of the Royal Secret, at Kingston, Jamaica, on the 10th of August, 1798. '• On the 26th May, 1797, the Grand and Thrice Puissant Council of the Valiant Princes and Sublime Masons of the Royal Secret, at Charleston, granted to Brother Jean Baptiste Aveilhe a Patent as Knight of the Sun and Kadosh, Deputy Grand Inspector General. RITE OF rERFP]CTieX. 41 "Itthns appears in the most perfectly conclusive manner that, up to the year 1800 at least, the Rite of Perfection, ending with the Twenty-fifth degree, and having as its highest governing bodies Grand Councils of Princes of the Royal Secret, was the only Scottish Masonry worked in America. We find as yet no Thirty-third degree, and no Sovereign Grand Inspectors General. " I'he Inspectors, it is true, had assumed importance, and probably usurped powers. Originally they were subordinate provincial officers of the Sovereign Grand Council. In the provinces of France they could not constitute subordi- nate bodies, but only receive applications and report upon them. But in foreign countries they had the power of creating and constituting. They were required to report, it is true, but that was naturally very irregularly done, and they as naturally regarded themselves as superior even to the highest bodies which they created." Now the question naturally arises, viz : If these things be true, where did all these persons who constituted and opened the Supreme Grand Council get or obtain their degrees viz., : the seven additional with, especially, the Thirty-third? Neither Morin nor his coadjutors knew anything about them, in the year 1800. What other conclusion can we arrive at than a very simple one, viz : they manufactured them. Per- haps they may refer to the Constitution of 1786, but we shall speak more particularly upon that point directly. Meantime, let us see how Mr. Lamarre accounts for it. Page 24 — "It is true that, prior to 1801, these ofiQcials (Inspectors) had assumed, perhaps, a higher rank, and certainly a greater degree of independence than they were entitled to, and looked upon, and treated to some extent, the rank of Deputy Grand Inspector General as a degree ; and it was no doubt in consequence of this gradual assumption of power and prerogative, that they finally embodied themselves into Supreme Councils, and increased the number of degrees to thirty-two, besides the presiding degree, in order to set on foot a nevj rite, and enable them, by prescription and the assent of the fraternity of Scottish Ma.sons, to consolidate and legalize their power." Here, then, is a direct confession of the manner in which they formed themselves into a Supreme Grand Council by their own power. Ragon, in speaking of this Council, says : " In 1783, Morin and his coadjutors, notwithstanding the annulling of his Patent, and his recall in 1766, go on constituting Chapters and Councils in different places. In that year they erect in Charleston, South Carolina, the Grand Lodge of Perfection ; but the Prince Masons of Charleston, who wero 42 scorrisn eitk, Axciias'T and accented. all Jews, not satisfied with the Eite of Perfection, consisting of twenty-fi^of degrees, in 1801 erect eight degrees more, making in all, thirty-three degrees j and, on tJieir oiun authority, vjithout any legal Masonic right whatever^ constitut« themselves the Supreme Scottish Council of America and the French posses- sions. John Mitchell, Frederick Dalcho and Emanuel de la Motta, Abraham Alexander and Isaac Auld, are the five persons who create a Supreme Council of the Thirty-third degree in Charleston. Three of the above are Jews ; the other two had been inveigled into the concern. "On the 4th of December, this Supreme Council issues a circular, signed jiud purporting to come from the five beforementioned persons, defining the degrees which they practiced — in number thirty-three— and additional ones, making in all the enormous number of fifty-three degrees, but never once intimating in the whole of that monstroit,s and amazing document, the origin of their authority as a Supreme Council. This document received a large circulation among Masonic bodies over the two hemispheres, and the venerable Grand Lodge of Scotland, on receiving the same, refused to notice it or to recognize the body, with much severe remark upon their gross conduct. " The brethren who were thus constituted, were illegal in every respect, and could not lawfully establish the Rite of Perfection^ or make substitutes in any place." Here then is the commencement of the new rite imder the title of " Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rife.^^ Before the an- nouncement of this Council in 1802, all authors agree in say- ing, that no other Rite than that of Perfection, having' Twenty-five degrees and no more, and ending with the Sub- lime Prince ©f the Roj^al Secret, was practiced or known by Morin and his coadjutors, nor was the title " Ancient and Ac- cepted Scottish Rite" ever applied to any system of degrees, or practiced by any set of Masons. And this is the head and front of their claim to power in that rite because they are the founders and establisbers of the same in 1802. It is certain, that, as a general thing, this prominent and peculiar claim has not heretofore been allowed, or even well understood by Masons. On this account, as well as for prool that they do actually make such a claim, we quote from their own defenders, perhaps largely, but still, with profit to the reader. Lamarre, page 3, says : " A rite is a regularly arranged scale or series of degrees, forming a hier- archy, in which each lower degree introduces the neophyte to the one immedi- EITE OF PERFECTION. 43 titely above it. One rite may differ from another, either in having more or less degrees, leaving out or adding degrees, or working the same degrees differently. " The Eite known at this day as the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Kite, consists of thirty-three degrees. Of the origin of many of these degrees we know nothing whatever. Undoubtedly most of them, as isolated degrees, or parts of other systems, were worked by different Masonic bodies in Europe established near the middle of the Eighteenth Century. " We admit that, if one were to take a rite consisting of a large number of degrees, and add or take away one or two degrees, making no other changes, and give it, with that diminution or addition, a new name, it would not, in good faith, be another or new rite. But, if the change made were substantial, if the existing degrees were re-arranged, and several new ones added, and especi- ally if higher ones were created, and the scale so arranged became consolidated by time, and grew up to be a power in Masonry, regularly established and administered, it would be simply absurd to deny it the name of a rite. "In 1758, and for many years after, the Rite of Perfection or of Heredom consisted of twenty-five degrees. It began with the three Symbolic degrees, — with the Eighteenth reached the Rose Croix, and with the Twenty-fifth the Prince of the Royal Secret. At some time between 1783 and 1801 — (why not say at once in 1801, as he has before proved,) — some one or more persons took the Rite of Perfection and expanded the seven degrees above the Eighteenth to fifteen degrees, leaving the first eighteen untouched, and more than doubling the residue ; ending with a degree above the highest of that rite, created a superior governing power, and called the new rite the ' Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite: " Again, page 6 : " The word rite has acquired in Masonry a perfectly well settled technical meaning. When out of the mass of perhaps two hundred degrees, with their six hundred variations, somebody has selected twenty-five, arranged them, made them to some extent harmonize, induced bodies of Masons to accept and work them, and under that system to establish Masonic government, administration, offices and dignities — that is a rite. When another takes those sam« twenty-five degrees, retains the first eighteen, adds to the last seven, eight others — selected out of the eight hundred degrees and variations, or invented for tlw occasion — arranges and harmonizes the thirty-three thus obtained, — provides a governing body, a rank, office and dignity higher than before, induces Masons to accept the new system, or improved system, and so sets it going, and it goes on and works, is administered, and becomes a substantive and existing organization and power in Masonry — that is a rite. " Among the degrees added to the twenty-five of the Rite of Perfection, to make up the thirty-three of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite now prac- ticed, were the Chief of the Tabernacle, Prince of the Tabernacle, Prince of Mercy or Scotch Trinitarian, Knight of the Brazen Serpent, and the Knight CJommander of the Temple. 44 SCOTTISH RITE, ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED. *' All these degrees did not exist in France until 1804. There was never auj such degree known in France until 1804, as Sovereign Grand Inspector Gene- ral — superior to the Prince of the Royal Secret. And it is perfectly well- known to all Masons who have at all examined the subject, that no such degrees as Chief of the Tabernacle, Prince of the Tabernacle, Knight of the Brazen Serpent, and Prince of Mercy, are to be found in the nomenclature of any of the old degrees existing prior to the year 1804." Here, then, we have the plain declaration of the origin of this new rite. But the opposers of this now rite speak in a different lan- guage. They are willing to allow this style of reasoning about the nature of a rite, to be correct, while at the same time they demur to the statements made, first concerning the Eite of Perfection. They say in substance as follows. Here, then, we have the whole storj, in regard to the origin- ality and newness of the rite which they claim, and after read- ing the long argument, of which this short abstract forms only a very small part, one would suppose that the originators and founders of this new rite, had labored with untiring diligence, and for a long period of time, in examining the rituals, &c., of the various rites, by whatever names they might be called, and had selected such of the number as were free from objec- tions, the most in accordance with their views, and by re-indit- ing, pruning, transposing, and manufacturing, they had put to- gether a series entirely new, and one to which they could lay a just and fair claim. This, however, is very far from being the case. It is not true. But let us examine for a moment this pretension. It is clear that Stephen Morin brought the Rite of Perfection in its pure state, from France to St. Domingo, that it consisted of Twenty- five degrees as before named, that he conferred those degrees upon the inspectors — that they conferred them upon others — and that these degrees, or this rite of Heredom in its purity, was carried back to France from Port au Prince, St. Domingo, in the year 1803, by Germain Hacquet, and by him sold to the Grand Orient of France, which body, in gratitude to him for bringing back the rite unadulterated, made him the President of their chamber of rites ; that there was no other rite known RITE OF PERFECTION. 45 up to 1801, in tills country, and to 1803 in the West Indies. All tliis is true to the letter. Now the Schedule of the degrees which Morin brought with him, are named in his Patent. And the degrees which Ger- main Hacquet carried back in 1803, were precisely the same, no alteration in a single letter or number. The Charleston Jews declare, that they did" in the year 1801, establish a new rite in Masonry, under the name of the An- cient and Accepted Scottish Rite in Thirty-three degrees. But what were these degrees? Simply the Kite of Perfection, or the Rite of Heredom, received from Stephen Morin — unaltered in a single letter (until late years), and which will at once be evident by placing the two schedules together. Let any one examine for himself and be satisfied. There he will find the twenty-five degrees without a letter or a symbol altered, not- withstanding the great display of words which are uttered by the defenders of that right. Altered they may be at this day. for it is nearly sixty years since they made this bold preten- sion, and during that time they have passed through many hands for correction and emendation. So much for that part of the new rite, making twenty-five degrees of the thirty-three. [See Schedule to Stephen Morin's Patent, Doc. No. 6.] But there are eight other degrees added, in order to make the thirty-three. And what degrees are these ? We shall pres- ently see. We quote again. "In May, 1797, Louis Claude Henri de Montniain was conferring at Char- leston, South Carolina, a detached degree, by name — ' The Commander of fhe Temple Mason.' This degree had been conferred upon de la Hogue and the Count de Grasse." By a bargain made with Montmain, they purchased the com- modity, and crowded it into their system as the Twenty- seventh. They also pick up a number of side degrees, viz. : the Chief of the Tabernacle, Prince of the Tabernacle, Prince of Mercy, and Knight of the Brazen Serpent, making them the Twenty-third, Twenty-fourth, Twenty-fifth and Twenty- sixth, all of which have nothing whatever to do with tlicir system, if there is any system about it ; then make the degree of Kadosh Twenty-ninth, and three out of the Prince of the 46 SCOTTISH RITE, ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED. Eoyal Secret, viz. : Thirtieth, Thirty-first and Thirty-second, and on the top of -the whole they manufactured the Thirty- third out of new material altogether. [See the circular of the body, Doc. No. 7.] They leave out altogether the " Knight Ecossai," or, Knight of St. Andrew, and " Sovereign Judge or Inquisitor Command- er," which were not added until nearly twenty years afterward. As it regards the whole of them, except the Commander of the Temple, they assert that they were not known in Europe, or in any Masonic rite until 1801, which is very clear evidence if it be true, that they were manufactured then. Now, the question is. Does this make a new rite of it? Will it make a new substance by dividing a piece of cloth twenty-five inches long originally, into several pieces with a knife, and then adding five or six more pieces, and sticking all together closely, so that a body is formed thirty-three inches long instead of twenty-five. If it be a fact, that the simple addition of these degrees, unimportant in themselves, and irrelevant to the subject, makes a new rite, and that ground is maintained, then we have no security in any Masonic rite which we practice and venerate at the present day ; on the same ground, why could not a Royal Arch Chapter take up the Royal, Select, and Super Excellent Master degrees, crowd them in between the Most Excellent and Royal Arch degrees, then de- clare a new rite, with a new name, and at once turn round, and not only denounce a Regular Chapter, and all regular Chapters, but also expel the whole body of the old rite as the Charleston Supreme Council has done, and deny all inter- course with them. If this were a true position, and could be sustained, then all known Masonic rights could be superceded and denounced in a dav. This document proclaims a most gross falsehood when it deck-res that the Masons called Sublime, were in possession of the Word, lost by the assassination of our Grand Master, and had preserved it through all succeeding generations, down to the present time. As there are as many different words, as there are degrees, in their system, which have the same mean- RITE OF PEBFECTION*. 47 lug, it would have been well to have stated, which one of the words they had particular allusion to. It is not necessary, however, to waste any time in arguing this matter, as the whole assertion in its length and breadth, will be controverted by the relation of simple, well authenticated, historical facts, which will prove how far from the ages of antiquity the Sublime Masons have transmitted this renowned word, or any other important matters connected with Masonry. We have seen that Masonry was not known in France in any of its rites whatever in the year 1700 of the Christian Era, that in 1725 the first Symbolic Lodge was formed, and that the Ineffable or Sublime degrees were not known until the year 1730, or there about. Beginning with 1730, the following rites were manufactured and introduced into France, and from thence to other parts of the world. Perhaps it would be proper to mention, that the three first degrees of Ancient Craft Masonry have nothing to do with this Schedule, as they were in practice on the island of Great Britain several centuries before this period. They, however, form the basis of most ot the systems. The rite ^^ de la Vieille Bru,^' or, of the Faithful Scotchman, was established at Toulouse, in France in 1748, and consisted of the three symbolic degrees, and six others, in all, nine. The Philosophical Scottish Rite, instituted in 1776, at Paris, by Brother Boileau, a Physician, and worked until 1826, and in Belgium ever since, consisted of twelve degrees in addition to the three symbolic, in all, fifteen. The Kite of Strict Observance conferred six degrees, begin- ning with the three Symbolic, in all, six. The Regime Reforme, or Rectifie of Dresden, had seven de- grees, including the three Symbolic, in all, seven. The Scottish Philosophical Rite of the Scottish Mother Lodge, which is to be credited to the body established at Marseilles prior to 1750. It consisted of eighteen degrees, the three first being the Symbolic degrees and the eighteenth the Knight of the Sun, eighteen. The Monhiramite Masonry of the Baron de Tchoudy consist- ed of thirteen degrees, ending with the Noachite or Prussian Knightj in all, thirteen. 48 SCOTTISH KITE, ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED. The Rite of Elect Coens, or of Martinez Pascluilis, consisted of nine degrees, it, as well as the Adonhiramite, beginning with the three Symbolic degrees, in all, nine. The Alchemical Rite of Pernety consisted of six degrees, be* ginning with the True Mason, and ending with the Knight of the Golden Fleece, in all, six. The Rite of Philalethes, established in 1773, had the three Symbolic and nine other degrees, in all, twelve. The Primitive Scottish Rite, or Philadelphi, established at Narbonne in 1780, had ten degrees of instruction, a degree there meaning a certain amount of instruction, and some of them including several Masonic degrees, in allj ten. [See Ap-^ pendix No. 8.] The Primitive Scottish Rite*, established at Namur in 1770, consisted of thirty-three degrees, many of which were differ- ent from any in the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, but are found in the Philosophical Scottish Rite, the Rite of Strict Observance and Adonhiramite Masonry, the Rite of Pernety, &c. The Rite of Martinism, of the Marquis of St. Martin, a dis- ciple of Martinez Pascalis, w^as at first composed of ten de- grees, and afterward, as the reformed Scotticism of St. Martir of seven, each beginning with the three Symbolic, in all, ten. The Rite of the Grand Lodge of the Three Globes, at Berlin, has ten degrees. Moreau in his Precis sur la Franc, Mag. page 17 says, it has seventeen — In all, ten. The Rectified Rite, .adopted in 1782 had five degrees, includ- ing the three Symbolic, in all, five. The Swedish Rite, had twelve degrees, beginning with the three Symbolic, in all, twelve. The Rite of Benedict Chastanier, had six degrees, in all, six* The Rite of Brother Henoch had four degrees, in all, four. The Oriental Rite, or, Rite of Mem'phis, had ninty-two de* grees, being a mere modification of the Rite of Misraim, in all, ninety-two. The Persian Philosophic Rite had seven degrees, in all, seven* The Clerks of the Relaxed Observance had ten, the tenth divided into five parts, in all, ten. KITE OF PERFECTION. 49 The Architects of Africa or African brethren had eleven, in all, eleven. The Rite of Swedenborg had eight, or according to Clavel, six, in all, eight. The Rite of Zinnendorfm Russia had seven, in all, seven. The Rose Croix Rectified of Schroeder, established in 1766 at Marburg in Hesse Cassell had seven degrees, in all, seven. The Rite of Schroeder of Hamburg, established after 1800, had three Symbolic degrees alone, in all, three. The System of Fessler, created about 1796, had nine degrees,, in all, nine. The Eclectic Rite, followed in Germany and Switzerland,, settled in 1783, has the three Symbolic degrees only, in all, three. The Rite of the Elect of Truth, created about 1779, had four- teen degrees in three classes, in all, fourteen. •' Id 1743, the Count of Clermont was elected Grand Master, and under his Grand Mastership the Grand Lodge of France was completely organized. In that year the Masons of Lyons invented the ' Petit Elu,' which was afterwards known as the Kodosli, and out of which were developed several other of the Elu. degrees. ' About the same time Philosophism composed several degrees, and among others the Knight of the Sun. The Jesuits, Clavel says, Hist. Pittoresque de la Franc, Mag. p. 166, composed the Kose Croix, which the Philosophers took possession of, and gave its symbols an astronomical interpretation. Soon after, the Kaballa, Magic, Evocations of Spirits, Divination, Alchemy, Her- meticism, Theosophy, and every sort of empty humbug, were worked up into degrees, and taught in the Lodges. The ineffable stupidity of most of the Eituals was a perfect antidote to the looseness of their doctrines. Taking the^ Rituals in the aggregate, the history of the human race does not present such a scene of shameless imposition, impudence, and folly on the part of a few Charla- tans, and 0^ pitiable stupidity on the part of the many who were gulled." " Rebold entitles the Masonry introduced into France by Dr. Ramsay, or better known as the Chevalier Ramsay ' the Primitive Scottish Rite.' It was composed of three Blue degrees and followed by the ' Novice,' the ' Ecossais,'' and the KnigJU of the Temple,' and a few years afterward was increased one degree, making seven in all, and was adopted by the English Grand Lodge." "The followers of Charles Edward Stuart, the son of the Pretender, opened Lodges without authority, and he himself chartered a Chapter of Rose Croix at Arras in 1747 (Besuchet). The Charter is given in full in Ragon. Clavel says that this was the first chapter or centre of administration of the High degrees in France and that the second was established in Marseilles in 1751 by a travelling Scotsman. 50 SCOTTISH RITE, ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED. " In 1748 the Rite de Veilla Bru, or Faithful Scotsman, was established at Toulouse with nine degrees, the first three Symbolic, followed by the Secret Master J four Elu degrees, and the Ninth degree * Scientijic Masonry J'''' " In 1750 and 1751, a Lodge styled ' St. Jean de Ecossais ' was established at Marseilles, which afterwards assumed the style of ' Scottish Mother Lodge of France.' Its regime finally consisted of Eighteen degrees, of which the Scottish Mother Lodge of France at Paris afterwards borrowed Eight." " In 1752 a power of the Lligh degrees was established under the pompous title of * Sovereign Council, Sublime Scotch Mother Lodge of the Grand French Globe.' It afterwards called itself Sovereign Council, Sublime Mother Lodge of the Excellents of the Grand French Globe.' The ' Council of the Emperors of the East and West ' assumed that title also on the 22d January, 1780. — Ragon." " In 1754, The Chevalier de Bonneville established a chapter of the High degrees at Paris, styled the ' Chapter of Clermont.' In it the Templar system was revived, and the Baron de Hund received the High degrees, there and thence derived the principles and doctrines of his ' Order of Strict Observance ' — Thory and Leveque — Ragon says, The regime of the Chapter of Clermont at first comprised only three degrees, viz., the three Symbolic, followed by the Knight of the Eagle or Master Elect, Illustrious Knight or Templar, and Illustrious Sublime Knight — but that they soon became more numerous." " In the same year Martinez Pascalis established his rite of ' Elus C'oens ' with nine degrees. He did not carry it to Paris until 1767, where Martinism in ten degrees grew out of it." — Clavel. • " In 1757 M. de St. Gelaire introduced at Paris the ' Order of Noachites.' ^' In 1758 Leveque says : " Certain Masons styled themselves ' Sovereign Princes and Grand Officers of the Grand and Sovereign Lodge of St. John at Jerusalem ' founded at Paris a chapter of the Emperors of the East and West, in which they conferred on such Masons as were fond of many degrees, as many as Twenty-five Thory, Yidal, Fezandie, and Ragon, all confirm this statement.' " "In 1759 this Council established a Council of Princes of the Royal Secret at Bordeaux. Thory and Ragon. " In 1761, Lacorne, the dancing master, Special deputy of the Grand Master, and as such, real head of the order, enraged because the Grand Lodge refused to recognize him and its members to sit with them, established a new Grand Lodge. Both Grand Lodges, granted Charters and the Council of the Emperors of the East and West constituted at Paris and throughout France Lodges and Chapters. The old Grand Lodge denounced the new Grand Lodge under the cognomen ' Faction Lacorne,'' which nevertheless continued to thrive. In the midst of this confusion, Stephen Morin was commissioned." Thory, in his Acta Lat., mentions EightcRn different degrees of Apprentices Nineteen of Fellow Craft, Sixty-Four of Master Mason, Thirty-Six of the i RITE OF PERFECTION. 51 " Elm;' Sixty-Eight of the " Ecossais," Twelve of the " Rose Croix;' Twenty- Seven of the Philosophic degrees, and Six of the ' Kadosh; these Eight degrees alone furnishing Two hundred and Forty-nine rituals. In all, there have probably been some six or eight hundred degrees, and variations of degrees in practice." Annexed will be found a chart containing the most of these rites with the date of their commencement, their progress, and final concentration in the Grand Orient of France, and Supreme Council of France, the ruling and governing powers, there ; all being consummated by the year 1804 to 1810. This chart is embodied from Kloss and Ragon. The quota- tions are made from Thory, Rebold, Besuchet, Vassal, Ragon, Clavel, Des Etang, Chemin Dupontes, Bobrik, Leveque, Moreau, Boubee, Kaufmann and Cherpin, with numerous others, and will all be found engrossed in a pamphlet called, ** Lamarres Defence, o xi a -r V bouth America, Laguayra, ) in all of which States or Islands the Consistory had appointed Representatives, Deputy Inspectors General, residing therein. The perusal of this, in connection with other documents in the Appendix, will show the undying enmity, entertained by the Jew, De La Motta, toward all persons, who were in any way connected with the Sovereign Grand Consistory. The closing passages of the Edict are recommended to the brethren; the assertion being again repeated, concerning their recognition and acknowledgement, with an earnest appeal to the brethren, to abstain from all public controversy upon this subject. During the year 182i the officers continued the same. On the 15th of August, the Marquis De Lafayette landed in the city of New York. He was received as the nation's guest, and during this year was exalted by the Consistory to the Thirty-third and last degree of Masonry. And subsequently was made Honorary Grand Commander. On his return to France, he was received, acknowledged and proclaimed by the Grand Orient. On the 22d of November, the Consistory granted a Capitu- lary Charter for a Sovereign Chapter of Rose Croix, under the distinctive title of " LafayetteJ^ for the valley of New York. The following are the Officers named in the Charter : 111.*. Bro.'. Oliver M. Lownds, President, " " Garritt Morgan, Grand Senior Warden, " " Henry Marsh, Grand Junior Warden. (See Appendix, Document No. 14.) This Chapter met in the Consistory room semi-monthly, and has preserved its existence through storm and sunshine up to the present day. 180 SCOTTISH KITE, ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED. In 1825 there was no change in the list of officers. But an application was made to the Consistory during the month of January, by Eichard S. Spofford, M. D., residing at Newbury- port, Massachusetts, for exaltation, which request was granted, and at a subsequent meeting of the Consistory, Doctor Spof- ford was appointed Deputy Inspector General for the State of Massachusetts, and clothed with full power to open and con- stitute a Sovereign Chapter of Rose Croix, and also to form a Grand Council of Sublime Princes of the Royal Secret for that State. That Brother has acted in his official capacity in that State up to the present day. He is now advanced in life, and is one of the most respectable Masons in the State. For a copy of Patent, see (Appendix, Document No. 25.) In the month of November, 1826, Mr. David Jewett, Thirty- third, and member of the Sovereign Grand Consistory, an officer in the Brazilian service, was appointed Deputy Inspector General for the Empire of Brazil, with Consistorial powers. For the particulars of which the reader is referred to Appen- dix, Document No. 26. A Representative, and Deputy Inspector General for the State of Virginia was also appointed this year, in the person of the Illustrious Brother John P. Schisano, formerly Secretary General of the Consistory. His residence was Noi^folk, Vir- ginia, to which city he had removed. The offices continued to be filled by tlie same persons during the year 1826, and no event occurred worthy of note. The work of the Order progressed as usual, a great number of new members were received, and the present year may be consid- ered as the period when the Masonic institution in the United States enjoyed unprecedented popularity. 1827, A memorable year for Masonry throughout the North- ern section of the United States. The officers of the body were unchanged. The Anti-Masonic, or Morgan excitement broke out in the early part of this year, carrying desolation in its course. The Sovereign Grand Consistory suffered in com- mon with other Masonic bodies, and it appears by the records, that the labors of the body were brought to a close by com- SCOTTISH RITE OF HEREDOM. 181 mon consent on tlie 28th day of November of this year. Much of the furniture and properties were removed from the Consis- tory room to the care of Illustrious Brother Lewis B. Timolat, then residing in Pearl Street, near Broadway. The unpopu- larity of Masonry was so great, that it became dangerous to hold any stated meetings, and they were therefore secret, and known only to a very few members in the immediate vicinity. In 1828 the Consistory met with a severe loss in the death of the Hon. Dewitt Clinton, Sovereign Grand Commander for the United States. He died in the month of February, at Al- bany, his place of residence. A singular circumstance, in connection with our history, oc- curred four days before his demise. It was the time of the annual communication of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons at Albany, and Brother Henry C. Atwood being a delegate from his Chapter that year, and having previously been exalted to the Thirty-third degree, bore his Patent with him, and waited upon Mr. Clinton at his residence, in order to have it confirmed by his signature. Mr. Clinton was much out of health at that time, but being well acquainted with Brother Atwood, received him with great kindness, and cheerfully confirmed his Patent by his signature, remarking as he done so, that he was happy in being able to perform this service for an old friend, and that he might possibly live to see the day when that paper would be of great service to him. Four days afterwards Mr. Clinton was no more, and Mr. At- wood did live to see the day, when that paper proved the truth of the prophecy, uttered as it was among the dying words of that honored and illustrious man. We have now arrived at a period when it may be said, that the Sovereign Grand Consistory for the United States of America was brought to an end, in common with all other Masonic bodies in the land, having had an unbroken and unin- terrupted existence of twenty years. It was established in 1807, acknowledged by the Supreme Council of France in 1813, by the Grand Orient of France in 1816, renewed in 1820, and a continued correspondence kept up through its llepre- sentative, Germain Hacquet, until the year 1827, (November) 182 SCOTTISH RITE, ANCIMNT AND ACCEPTED. at which time the works of the Consistory ceased. This is a simple fact — it cannot be disproved, and needs not a single word additional, to contradict the base and false assertions made by De La Motta and " his successors. ^^ We repeat, that this is a matter of history, proved by its own records and documents, and corroborated in full by many living witnesses at the present day, among the number of whom may be mentioned Hon. John W. Mulligan, Joseph Bouchaud, Seth Driggs, Dr. Richard S, Spofford, and many others, whose names it is unnecessary to particularize here. How then do many of the denunciations appear which have been so freely dealt out concerning poor Mr. Cerneau, his abettors and fol- lowers ? In what light do their statements appear ? In Mr. Lamarre's pamphlet, page 90, we read — " But if our readers wish to know the acts of that ' notorious impostor, Joseph Cerneau,' than whom there never was a greater falsifier, except Mr, Foulhouze himself, we refer them to Clavel, Hist. Pit. de la Mac, page 270." Again, same page — *' Mr. Foulhouze, in his attempts to prove the genuineness and legitimacy of the self-styled Grand Consistory established June 19th, 1813, in New Orleans, by Joseph Cerneau, will take good care to conceal that the said Joseph Cer- neau's powers emanated from the Supreme Council of France, that all the Ma- sonic bodies established by him were demolished ; all his Masonic acts annul- led as irregular, and himself denounced and expelled, in 1813-14, as one unwor- thy of being a Mason, both by the * Supreme Council of Charleston,' and by the ' Grand Orient of France,' &c." We confess this to be altogether " newJ^ We were not aware before, that all Cerneau's powers emanated from " The Supreme Council of France/^ that all or any of the bodies estab- lished by Cerneau were demolished, or that he was ever de- nounced or expelled by the " Grand Orient of France.^' That these acts were perpetrated by the mountebank, De La Motta, on his individual responsibility, we knew before, and if the author of the above is disposed to make him " The Supreme Council of Charleston,^' we cheerfully accord him the privilege. M. Samory also says, page 21 : " On the 21st of September, 1813, Y. E., the two Supreme Councils of the United States of America (viz., Charleston and New York,) denounced Cer- SCOTTISH RITE OF HEREDOM. 183 neau, who had the pretension to establish a Supreme Council in New York, and the consequence of this denunciation was, to unmask an impostor trading in Masonry." JYote hy Author. — The denunciation here spoken of is by De La Motta. If M. Samory is disposed to apply the name of " two Supreme Councils of the United States '' to this travelling pedler, he is welcome to the privilege. The denunciation of which he speaks, is De La Motta's pamphlet, and may be referred to in the Appendix. How much of a Supreme Coun- cil there was in the city of Charleston at this period we have already shown. And as it regards the Supreme Council at New York, the records of the present Charleston Council declare that De La Motta made a Council there in January, 1815, nearly two years later.. If M. Samory 's assertion be correct about the date, it falsifies the Charleston record, and PROVES that De La Motta did, in the month of August, 1813, elevate Sampson Simson, M. L. M. Peixotto, J. J. J. Gourgas, and Richard Riker to the Thirty-third degree, and form them into a pretended Supreme Council, as Ragon has already said. But further — *' The Supreme Council of Cerneau had but a short existence, but his numer- ous victims have not forgotten his impostures, even at this day, " In 1827, another attempt to revive the Supreme Council of Cerneau, was made by Henry C. Atwood. This did not succeed. However, this usurpation of the rights of the Supreme Council of the Northern Jurisdiction of the United States of America, was immediately denounced in a protest, under date of August 6th, 1827, and singed by J. J. J. Gourgas as Most Puissant Sove- reign Grand Commander. " The Supreme Council of Atwood, which appointed J. Cross to succeed him, was unable to resist this denunciation, and ceased its labors." We make no comment upon the first paragraph. The merit of that, the reader can determine for himself. But to the second, we say that the Sovereign Grand Consistory of Cer- neau, which contained the Supreme Council within itself, in precisely the same way as the Grand Orient of France contains her Supreme Council, did not cease its labors until the month of November, 1827, therefore there could be no attempt to REVIVE it. Furthermore, Brother Atwood was not a member of the Supreme Council in 1827, nor was Gourgas a Comman- 184 SCOTTISH RITE, ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED. der, except in his bed-room. So the whole of this statement is " Tnanufacturedy Mr. Cross did not succeed Mr. Atwood until the year 1851, a period of twenty-four years after this date — viz., 1827. Mr. Atwood had been Grand Commander for eight or ten years be- fore this period. Gourgas did not become a Grand Commander until 1848, and the denunciation to which M. Samory alludes, was not issued until after Mr. Cross became Grand Comman- der — viz., 1851. " The Supreme Council of Atwood,^^ as he is pleased to denominate it, is at this present writing — 1862 — in existence ; is in a very healthy and flourishing condition, and has been so from its commencement, as we shall shortly see. So much for the correctness of this part of the statement made by M. Samory. But again, same page — " Another Supreme Council sprung up also in New York, under the Presi- dency of Ellas Hicks : it had hut a nominal existence. It was likewise de- nounced as having no legal authority" We confess ourselves at a loss to understand what the author of the above means by a " nominal existence.^' The Supi-eme Council to v/hich he alludes, commenced in 1832, and contin- ued its existence until 1846, a period of fourteen years, as the records show. It Avas acknowledged by the Supreme Council of France, at which the Representative Lafayette was located, the Supreme Council of Belgium, and the Supreme Council of Brazil with all of which powers the United Supreme Council was united by treaty. See Document 28, part 2d. As it regards the assertion that " it was denounced, ^c," every Mason who is at all acquainted with the subject, knows, that not a single body on the face of the habitable globe '' denounced " that Council, always excepting the Supreme Grand Council of Charleston, South Carolina, and all well informed Masons have long since determined the standard, by which the denunciations of that body are to be judged. It would be a needless task to correct all the mis-statements made by different parties from De La Motta down to the present time. For the present we will desist, and go on with the history, but shall refer to them again as the occasion may require. SCOTTISH KITE OF HEREDOM. 185 We have shown, that duruig the time in which the Sovereign Grand Consistory had an existence, it had established subordi- nate bodies in many different States, in the Islands, and in South America, which bodies were all acknowledged, and con- tinue to this day to be recognized by the different Masonic powers in various parts of the world. The Charleston body, on the contrary, stood alone. Up to the year 1829 it had no acknowledgement or correspondence whatever, unless it be mentioned, that in the month of Decem- ber, 1813, the Supreme Council of France did acknowledge her, through the influence of Count De Grasse, who was after- ■wards expelled himself. The first recognition of that body by the Grand Orient of France, was in the year 1829 or 1830 — • after the Sovereign Grand Consistory had ceased its corres- pondence. And the recognition at this time was obtained by deception, w^iich we shall have occasion to speak of in its proper place. (See Chapter YIII.) Mr. Lamarre, in his book, page 64, says : " What is evident is, that since 1829 at least, its relations have been with the Grand Orient, and that it has 7iever maintained any with the Supreme Council of France, since its revival in 1821. It (the Charleston Council) was itself inactive for a long time, maintaining its organization, to be sure, and administering the rite at home, but very indolently, and not keeping up its corres- pondence with foreign bodies ; and it never took the trouble to examine into the questions discussed between the Grand Orient and the Supreme Council : and when it did take sides, it did so simply by allying itself with the Grand Orient.-' Here we learn the truth of what we have before stated, viz., that the Charleston body was of very little consequence as a body, during all the time that De La Motta was employed in performing his antics, viz., from 1814 to 1821, at wdiich time, says Lamarre, it was revived. In 1813 it consisted of five members. Between 1802 and 1822 not a single addition was made, and its number had dwindled down to five. In 1822 four members were admitted, one of whom was the Illustrious McCosh. And the revival was doubtless caused by the efforts of McCosh through the instructions of his teacher, De La Mot- ta, but no acknowledgement took place until the Sovereign Grand Consistory had ceased its correspondence, viz., 1829. 186 SCOTTISH RITE, ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED. We will now devote a short space to the examination of the two bodies, and point out the differences between them. The difference will be evident. First, in the " name.''' Thus, the body at Charleston claims to have established in 1801, an entire new rite, consisting of thirty-three degrees, and has given it the name of the " Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite.'^ They drop all other names, and declare this one to be the distinguishing feature of their system. It is quite unnecessary for me again to go over the ground, showing in what way this new rite is composed, and how it has been made up. That we know already. This name has been continued up to the present time. The body known as the "New York body,^' the " Cerneau CouncilJ^ the " Consistory, ^c," called its rite " The Ancient Constitutional Scottish Rite of Heredom.'^ This name, and style was taken up at the commencement in 1807, and continued, without variation, up to 1827, the period of its end, brought about by the anti-masonic excitement, as may be proved from all the published and written documents, emanating from that body, whether Tableaux, Circulars, Warrants, Patents, Records, (fee. The rite, like the other, consisted of thirty- three degrees, but were somewhat different in their arrange- ment, being derived from the Grand Orient of France, and not from the Supreme Council of France. It has before been ex- plained how the Grand Orient came into the possession of them, and how, and by what means the system was completed, and made known in 1805, at the rupture with the Supreme Council of France, at which time the Grand Orient established a Supreme Council of its own. The two degrees known as the " Knight of St. Andrew " and " Grand Inquisitor Commander " it had and possessed, long before they were known to the Charleston body. They were not mentioned by that body, in its Schedule or " claim,^' or taken up by them until tbey had manufactured their Secret Constitutions, in which they laid claim to them, and they were publicly inserted in their Schedule by De La Motta, after the year 1814. Up to that time Kadosch was numbered as the Twenty-ninth degree, and the Thirtieth, SCOTTISH RITE OF HEREDOM. 187 Thirty-first and Thirty-second was the Sublime Prince of the Koyal Secret. The " Commander of the Temple '^ was in possession of the Grand Orient for years before Montmain conferred it in Charleston as a detached degree. Second, In the government of the bodies. The body at Charleston declares itself to be a Supreme Grand Council of the Thirty-third and last degree, composed of Sovereign Grand Inspectors General, nine in number, which Council is the governing body of the whole order, of all Masonic degrees, Ancient and Modern. It claims to be a body of the last resort, and from whose decisions there is no appeal. The body at New York styled itself the " Sovereign Grand Consistory J^ It was composed of all the Chiefs of Exalted Masonry, Thirty-second and Thirty-third degrees. It was the governing body of the rite which it claimed to work, and did not meddle with any other. In other words, the name of Sovereign Grand Consistory was merely another term for *' Orient or East,^^ like the Grand Orients of France, Brazil and New Granada. They are Easts which have Supreme Councils in their " bosom,^^ as they themselves are pleased to speak. All the subordinate bodies are under their control. The Consistory conferred no degrees whatever, but occupied pre- cisely the same position as Grand Lodges occupy toward their subordinate Lodges. The Grand Consistory was vested with the sole power of administration and legislation, including that of granting Constitutions in all the degrees which appertain to Exalted Masonry. Third, In the powers granted to, and claimed by the Sove- reign Grand Inspectors General of the Thirty-third degree, in their individual capacity. The Charleston body declares, that each and every Sove- reign Grand Inspector General of the Thirty-third degree, is made so for life, and is a "Sovereign in Masonry'^ in his individual capacity, wherever he may be. Hence, he has the right to initiate members or to take men who know nothing of Masonry, and initiate them into the first three degrees, and so on, up to the last or Thirty-third (but not into Tliirty-third). Also to inspect the work of all Lodges, Chapters, Colleges and 188 SCOTTISH RITE, ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED. Consistories, and to direct the same. Also to constitute Blue Lodges, Chapters, Encampments, &c., in the face of any, or all other authority, and a variety of other things. They profess to be beyond the reach of accusation, trial or discipline, and are, in fact, the rulers of all Masonic bodies in their individual capacity. The Patents issued by that body contain the follow- ing words : "And we hereby authorize, and empower for life, our said Illustrious Brother, to Establish, Congregate, Superin- tend and Instruct, Lodges, Chapters, Colleges, Consistories and Councils, of the Royal and Military Order of Ancient and Modern Free Masons, over the surface of the two hemispheres, agreeable to the Grand Constitutions.'' They '' waive '' their right over the first three degrees, but can take it again when they please. The New York body declares, that the establishment of a Grand Consistory or East absolutely supersedes the individual authority of Sovereign Grand Inspectors General, in the regu- lation and government of the order. As to this degree of Sovereign Grand Inspector General, in rank the Thirty-third, the laws and regulations direct the manner in which the mem- bers, on whom it is conferred, shall be selected. It is a dignity granted as the reward of merit and experience. Those who are invested with it, do not possess the arbitrary and irrespon- sible power, which some, who profess to act under Secret Con- stitutions, imagine they are authorized to exercise. This body never pretended to have any control over the first three degrees. Fourth^ The Constitution and Laws which govern them. The Charleston body is based upon the Constitution and Institutes which have been attributed to Frederick of Prussia, said to have been made in 1786, and pretends to retain all the rights and immunities therein contained. We do not think it necessary to particularize. They are to be found in the Ap- pendix—Document 28 and 29. The New York body, in common with the Grand Orient of France, repudiates that Constitution, the Institutes, the whole history relating to Frederick of Prussia, and declares itself to be governed by the General Laws and Statutes of Free Mason- SCOTTISH RITE OF HEREDOM. 189 ry. It denies, in toto, the power of Individual Inspectors to initiate Masons, confer deg-rees, establish Lodges, or any other matters connected with Masonry, and holds firmly to the doc- trine of " derivation,'' without which, no Masonic body, what- ever its name or title may be, can be legal or correct. The doctrines and laws of the Sovereign Grand Consistory were entirely the reverse of those of the Ancient and Accepted Jlite. In every act of the Consistory from its very commencement to its end in 1827, in every circular it issued, in every Warrant it gave, in every power vested, the truth of this assertion will be clearly manifest. . Dr. Oliver, in writing upon this subject, says : " In America, the * hautes grades ' are protected under the authority of one Supreme Council, which professes to extend its authority over the two hemis- pheres, as they are technically called, comprising, however, only North and South America, Terra Firma and the Canary Islands. This Supreme Council possesses extensive powers, and delegates to Consistories and to individuals, the privilege of forming Lodges, Chapters, Councils, Colleges, Consistories and Grand Councils for practicing and admitting candidates to all the degrees of Free Masonry, which are known or acknovAedged throughout the whole extent of its territorial jurisdiction, and under this ample authority, the ' hautes grades,' to an incredible number, are conferred in the Xew World, (meaning the United Supreme Council for the Western Hemisphere.) " It should appear that the Supreme Council of the United States, was con- nected with the Rite Ancien of France (Supreme Council), but New York possessed a Sovereign Grand Consistory connected with the Grand Orient of France, and Brother Joseph Cerneau, a French Mason, held at one and the same time, the office of Honorary Member of the Grand Orient, Sovereign Grand Commander of the Grand Consistory of New York, and Sovereign Grand Commander for life, of the Supreme Council of the United States of America." Such were the powers claimed then by the Charleston body, and such are the powers claimed now, at this present day. And all their actions have been in perfect accordance with these powers. Leaving without repetition the proceedings of Stephen Morin, Frankin, Hayes, Da Costa, Myers, Cohen, Long, Bush, Spitzer, Forst and others, we will again refer to De La Motta, who used these powers quite as often and as boldly as the rest. He initiated all he could find. He exalted Sampson Simson, M. L. M. Peixotto, J. J. J. Gourgas, Richard 190 SCOTTISH RITE, ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED. Riker and Daniel D. Tompkins, and afterwards declared them a Supreme Grand Council for the Northern Jurisdiction, be- sides a host of other appointments which it is needless to mention. Of the history of Abraham Jacobs, and the manner in which he received the degrees, the reader is already informed. It ap- pears under his own hand, that all the Sublime degrees which he ever received, were conferred upon him by individuals, that he was never received into any regular body, and all the power or authority that he ever had, was this same individual power. From 1804 up to the day of his death, he resided in the city of New York ; and it is a well known fact, that whenever called upon, Jacobs never hesitated to confer the degrees upon all who would pay him well for them, holding himself accountable to no person, or body of Masons, and infringing upon the laws of the Order, as often as he could get a favorable opportunity. The reader is referred to the Circular of 1812, and to the Patents published in the Appendix, issued by the Sovereign Grand Consistory. Let us examine, for a moment, the Patent of Brother Seth Driggs. Firsts As a member of the Consistory, he is appointed Deputy Inspector General for the Island of Trinidad, to the end that he may establish in the town " Port of Spain,^^ Island of Trini- dad, a Grand Provisional Committee of Sublime Princes of the Royal Secret, and will call to his aid all the regular Sublime Princes of the Royal Secret in the island, and send to the Sovereign Grand Consistory a true account of his proceedings, in order to obtain the ratification of the same. The Grand Provisional Committee, thus established and governed by Brother Driggs, shall then solicit from the Sovereign Grand Consistory, a Charter for the establishment of a Sovereign Chapter of Princes of Rose Croix, and a Constitutional Patent for the establishment of a Grand Council of Sublime Princes of the Royal Secret for the said island of Trinidad, and to be careful that the Statutes and General Regulations of Exalted Masonry, and particularly those of the Sovereign Grand Con- sistory, are carefully observed. Second, That when the Grand Council of Princes of the SCOTTISH RITE OF HEREDOM. 191 Royal Secret shall be so established in the island aforesaid, full and absolute poiver shall be concentrated m that body. Third, Appoints him to the duty of inspecting the regularity of proceedings on all occasions, &c. But the Patent of Brother Spofford, of Newburyport, Massa- chusetts, is still more decided and clear — First, His regular membership with the Consistory is de- clared. Second, He is clothed with the dignity of Deputy Inspector General for the State of Massachusetts. Third, He is clothed with full power and authority to ele- vate seven Masons (already regularly admitted to the three first degrees), whom he shall deem worthy by their virtues and their zeal for the Royal Art, to all the degrees of Exalted Masonry, from the Fourth degree, or Secret Master, to the Thirty-second degree, or Sublime Princes of the Royal Secret, both inclusive, to the end that he may establish in the said State, a Grand Provisional Committee of Sublime Princes of the Royal Secret, and in doing which he is required to call to his aid, all the Sublime Princes in the vicinity thereof, whom he shall know to be regular, &c. Fourth, That as soon as a Grand Council of Sublime Princes of the Royal Secret, in and for the State of Massachusetts, shall be established, the individual and absolute power hereby abovementioned, vested in our said Brother Spofford, shall cease and terminate, and the same authority and power shall be and is hereby declared to be transferred, concentrated and confined to the aforesaid Grand Council for the State of Massa- chusetts. Fifth, The right of Inspection of Proceedings and Work is given him and made obligatory upon him as a duty. Added to these two Patents there are others — also we may mention every public circular and manifesto which emanated from the Consistory. These quotations are, however, deemed sufficient to show what powers were conferred upon Deputy Grand Inspectors, how long, and under what conditions they continued, and when they ceased. The charge so repeatedly brought against Cerneau, viz., 192 SCOTTISH RITE, ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED. that he acted as an individual Inspector and conferred the Exalted degrees on persons, and the same charge against the body itself, and against individual Inspectors, is entirely dis- proved. In all cases where the Sublime degrees were con- ferred, tlie applications were made in the proper and constitu- tional form, the same were brought before the General Com- mittee of Administration, passed upon, and referred to the proper bodies for completion. Where the applicants were residents, they were invariably obliged to pass through the subordinate bodies in regular succession, as in York Masonry, and then receive the remaining degrees as prescribed by the General Statutes. Where the applicant was a foreigner, or a resident abroad, the application passed through the same course, and arrangements were completed for the assembling of the Consistory on his arrival. But the work itself w^as always done by the subordinate bodies in a Constitutional manner, and the Diplomas, Patents, Powers, &c., were always passed upon, at the meeting of the Sovereign Grand Consis- tory, and confirmed. The records are full of applications of this kind, together with the votes upon the same. In the list of members of the United Supreme Council subsequently established, published in 1832, wdll be found many of the names which appear on the minutes. Those names were copied from the records of the Consistory. And we have in our possession the correspon- dence of two of the Deputy Inspectors General, residing in foreign lands, together with the replies made to their Petitions by the Consistory, through their Grand Secretary, Elias Hicks, in which he notiiies them that their applications had been regularly brought before the body, acted upon, confirmed, and requesting to know from them the certain date on which they would be present, in order that the Consistory should be full, and the members residing at a distance be notified to at- tend. So careful was the Consistory in this matter, that in one or two cases which occurred in 1825, the applicants were disappointed, and were obliged to remain in the city one or two weeks, in consequence of the absence of one of the mem- bers of the Grand Committee of General Administration. SCOTTISH EITB OF HEKEDOM. I93 Whatever, therefore, may have been asserted by others, con- cerning the proceedings of individual Inspectors, as far as it relates to the conferring of degrees, is entirely false. None of them ever pretended to have any such power themselves, and they, as well as all other members of Exalted Masonry, who are well informed upon the subject, ever believed that any Sovereign Grand Inspector General in his individual capacity did not possess the power to do any such work, al- ways excepting De La Motta and his coadjutors. They took the power and used it, to the disgrace of the Order and them- selves. CHAPTER EIGHTH. FOUNDATION IN NEW YORK OF THE ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED RITE. 1827. Anti-Masonic excitement. — William Morgan. — David C. Miller. — Con- vention of Seceding Masons. — A Political move. — Union of the two Grand Lodges of the State of New York. — Effects of the Storm. — The exploit of J. J. J. Gourgas, and the body at Charleston in 1828. — The establishment of the " United Supreme Council for the Western Hemisphere " in 1832 Count St. Laurent Proceedings of the Sov .-. Gr.*, Consistory. — Propo- ■sition for a Union — Treaty between the Sov .-. Gr .-. Consistory and the Supreme Council for Terra Firma, South America, Mexico, &c. — Its Rati- fication.— Treaty entered into with the Supreme Council for France, Supreme • Council for Belgium and Supreme Council for Brazil, with the Constitutions of 1762, and the Secret Institutes of 1786 attached. — Dissensions in the body. — Lafayette Rose Croix Chapter. — Henry Marsh, Henry C. Atwood ;and William F. Piatt. — List of Officers of the United Supreme Council. — Count St. Laurent returns to France. — Ratification of the Treaty. — Grand Lodge of the State of New York in 1837.— The Atwood difficulty.— Par- ticulars. — Organization of St. John's Grand Lodge. — Bodies Chartered by that Body. — Henry C. Atwood. — Correspondence of the Supreme Council of Brazil with the United Supreme Council.— Dissolution of a branch of the United Supreme Council in 1846. — The other branch of the Council takes its place and succeeds it. — Supreme Council for Louisiana. — James Foulhouze. — Extract from the Report to the Grand Orient of France. — John Gedge Albert G. Mackey. — Grand Lodge of Louisiana. — L. Lade- bats address. — Dissensions in the Supreme Council for Louisiana. — New Supreme Council formed there. — The Consistory of J. Gedge. The year 1827 was the commencement of a long night in Masonry. It was the year in which the Anti-Masonic excite- ment broke out, carrying everything before it in its course. It swept through the different Northern, Eastern and North- western States wit^ great violence and rapidity, and continued for a period of ten years without much abatement, subsiding altogether about the year 1840. To those Masons who were living, and " lived through " these dark and trying times to the Order, a mere mention of the SCOTTISH RITE OF HEREDOM. . 195 fact would be sufficient. But as a majority of the Masons now living have become connected with the institution, long after this excitement had passed away, and was, in a measure, for- gotten, we have thought proper to give a short sketch or out- line of the matter, that those of the Order who are unac- quainted with the particulars of the transaction, may under- stand the reason why that name was given, and the cause from which it had its origin. William Morgan was a native of the State of Virginia, and a mason by trade. Having by his industry, accumulated a fund sufficient for the purpose, he commenced business as a trader, or merchant, in Richmond, in that State. He here married his wife, and removed from Virginia in the fall of 1821, commencing the business of a brewer, near York, in Up- per Canada. The destruction of his establishment by fire, re- duced him from a comfortable situation to poverty, and ren- dered it necessary for him to resume his trade of a mason. With that intention, he removed to Rochester in this State, where he labored at that business for some time. From Rochester he removed to Batavia, in Genesee County, where he worked at his trade until a short time before he was carried away from his home and family. Some time in the year 1826, rumors were heard that Morgan, in connection with other persons, was preparing and intended to publish, a book which would reveal the secrets of Free Masonry ; and that David C. Miller, a printer in the village of Batavia, was engaged in putting the work to press. This rumor, like all others in which the community at large feel no interest, excited no attention from the respectable part of it, who supposed that the publication, whatever it might be, was intended as a catchpenny production for the supply of pedlers and hawkers. It was at last noticed by some of the citizens, that an excitement of some kind existed among certain persons in the village, in relation to the publication of the book, which, it was said, Morgan was engaged in compiling. And it was at length openly avowed by a number of persons who were mem- bers of the fraternity, that the suppression of the work was determined on, at all hazards. A large number of subscribers 196 SCOTTISH KITE, ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED. to Mr. Miller's paper suddenly withdrew their subscriptions : numerous suits were commenced against him to enforce the payment of small debts, and the collection was prosecuted in the manner most calculated to distress and embarrass him. On the 9th day of August, 1826, an advertisement was in- serted in a paper printed in Canandaigua, warning the com- munity against Wm. Morgan as a swindler and a dangerous man. This notice and caution was immediately copied into all the public papers printed in the Western part of the State. At the same time, both Morgan and Miller were industriously slandered, and abusive epithets heaped upon them, by a num- ber of individuals who alledged no particular crimes against them, and with whom they were not known to have had any recent connections or collisions whatever, that were apparent to the public at large. Miller now became fearful for his life, and declared to his friends that he was alarmed for his personal safety — that he feared an attack upon his office, and took measures to defend himself against secret or open violence. On the 25th of July, 1826, Morgan was committed to the custody of the Sheriff of the County of Genesee, and gave bail for jail limits. On the 19th of August, 1826, Morgan was seized with violence and taken at once to the County jail, without allowing him time or opportunity to procure other bail. In the month of September he was seized under feigned process of law, in the day time, in the village of Batavia, and forcibly carried to Canandaigua in another County. Con- cerning the contemplated publication, it was known, that meet- ings of delegates from the different Lodges in the Western Counties were held, to devise means for most effectually pre- venting the publication ; that the matter was a subject of anxious discussion in many and distant Lodges ; that the zealous members of the fraternity were angry, excited and alarmed, and threw out dark and desperate threats. They took Morgan to Canandaigua — after a mock trial he was discharged, but was immediately arrested and committed to prison on a fictitious demand. The next night, in the ab- sence of the jailor, he was released from prison by the pre- SCOTTISH RITE OF HEREDOM. 197 tended friendship of a Mason. Upon leaving the prison he was again seized in the streets of Canandaigua, and notwith- standing his cries of " murder,^^ he was thrust with ruffian violence into a carriage, and was forcibly carried, by relays of horses, through a thickly populated country, in the space of a little more than twenty-four hours, to the distance of one hundred and fifteen miles, and secured a prisoner in the maga- zine of Fort Niagara. Here all traces of him are lost. He has never been heard from since, except from the confessions of those who have turned '" States evide7ice" and they say he was murdered. Such appears to be the general opinion of the public. This is a simple relation of the facts as they stand recorded, as far as William Morgan is concerned, contained in as few words as can be written. And this forms the basis of the Anti-Masonic excitement. In the first part of these troubles the public mind was occu- pied in the search for Morgan, for his abductors, &c. Failing of success, they turned to the Courts of Law, and appealed to the Legislature of the State. A special Council was appointed by the latter body, with full powder to investigate ; mauy per- sons were arrested and tried, &c., but all efforts to elicit reli- able testimony, or to convict, proved fruitless. This part of the business was given up as hopeless labor. But the matter now began to assume a new complexion. The conviction became general among the people, that the safety of the government and religion, the rights of the citizen, and the impartial administration of justice, required that this insti- tution should be banished from our soil. Under this conviction the people began, publicly and freely, to discuss the matter ; meetings were held throughout the Western Counties of the State ; Conventions called ; the excitement spread like wildfire throughout our own State, Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maine, and ultimately through Pennsylvania and the Western States. The first Convention called, was by the " Saratoga Baptist Association,^' and was held at Milton, Septeniber 12th, 1827. It was largely attended, and " reasons " to the number of fifteen 198 SCOTTISH KITE, ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED. were passed, or adopted, for " dis-fellowshipping Free Mason rjJ^ The effect of this Convention was great. All, of this particular denomination, throughout the States beforemen- tioned, ultimately adopted these ^' reasons J^ and made it a standing rule in their churches — First, To excommunicate, or " dis-fellowship '^ every member who was a Free Mason, and v^ould not " renounce " the Order. Second, To refuse candidates for admission to the church who were Masons and would not renounce, and Third, To turn out every member who became a Mason. A General Convention of " Seceding Masons '' was held at Le Roy, February 19th, 1828, and July 4th, same year. In this Convention there were a very large number of the Bap- tist denomination, as might have been expected, and the notorious Solomon Southwick was Chairman thereof. Twelve of the Western Counties were represented. Among the names of the Representatives are to be found Millard Filmore, Henry E. Davies, Bates Cook, Thurlow Weed, Frederick Whittlesey, James K. Livingston, and many others, equally renowned. The result of the adjourned Convention in July, was the nomination of candidates for the offices of Governor and Lieut. Governor for the State. Thus it will be seen, that in less than two years, all the indignation manifested by the people, on account of Morgan's murder, had been forgotten, and the whole excitement ultimated in a grand political move- ment on the Anti-Masonic basis — or a party with but one idea. Eventually, all the States before mentioned became partizans in the same political movement, and a candidate was nomina- ted by them for the Presidency, and defeated. In the Eastern States, particularly Massachusetts, Yermont and Rliode Island, legislative enactments were passed, making the administration of " extrajudicial oaths " a penal offence. As a natural consequence of such laws, all Masonic meetings in the Eastern States came to an end. In Connecticut that law was not passed, but the effect was the same, one Lodge only continuing its stated meetings, more as a matter of form, than for the purpose of doing work. SCOTTISH RITE OF HEREDOM. 199 In Pennsylvania, Ohio, and others of the Western States, although no legislative enactments were passed, the Anti-Ma- sonic feeling prevailed with great intensity, and as it soon shaped itself into political matters, the party under its banner became powerful, and for a short time, carried all before it. The history of our country does not refer to any period of its existence, when "public frenzy was so high, or infatuation so general." In the State of New York, the Legislature had been petitioned in 1828, for the passage of a law concerning extra judicial oaths, much the same as that passed by the Eastern States. But the law was not passed. In the mean time, Gid- dings, into whose custody Morgan was traced, immediately renounced Masonry, and expiated the crime of participation in the abduction, by disclosing all he knew of the part acted by others, and as much as he pleased of that acted by himself, but has never disclosed what was the fate of Morgan, after he was left in his custody at the fort. Meetings were now called, and generally attended, and by this time the excitement had risen to a high pitch. " Dema- gogues and broken-down politicians now saw the affair was ripe for their use, and they accordingly took it in keeping." The Masonic fraternity were denounced as murderers and traitors to their country, and every Anti-Mason, from Myron Holley down to Thurlow Weed, with William H. Seward (then Weed's young protege) became regenerated from moral and political transgression, and were stamped as pure patriots. '' Bigots in the church now laid hold of it, to advance their cause and strengthen their power. Masonic members, who had ever walked worthy of their high vocation were excommunicated, unless they would renounce. Min- isters, against whom the breath of slander had never been heard, were Sis- missed, churches divided, and the members scattered. All who felt it their duty to live in peace with all men, to seek the spiritual welfare of mankind, and not to engage in party strifes, were excommunicated ; and none but those who could roll forth the thunders and pour out the vials of wrath on their flocks, were allowed to minister at the Altar of Peace. " Miller, from a poor, degraded, abandoned profligate, by means of the ex- citement, had become Clerk of the County Court. — Tracy had got a seat in the legislature ; Spencer, Special Council ; Thurlow Weed, a standing wit- 200 SCOTTISH RITE, ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED. ness, and Solomon Southwick the privilege of running for Governor. Nor- thon, another of the leaders, had got a snug seat in Congress, &c. Such suc- cess did blue light Federals and worn out politicians have in New York, in riding on the excitement into office, that they now began to use it as an article of export, and it was more or less extensively spread in several of the States. It denounced first the system, and then the men, as unfit for office, and unwor- thy of any countenance. It not only denounced the men, but also denounced all that would not denounce them. New York set the example, and some dis- appointed office seekers in Pennsylvania closely followed. At what was termed a ' State Convention ' at Harrisburg, in an address to the public, they said, * It will not be sufficient to withhold public favor from Free Masons alone — all their partizans should receive the same measure of justice. They have even less claims upon public favor than the sworn Fraternity themselves. Timid and time serving neutrality is more degrading to its votaries, and more dangerous to the public, than open and magnanimous error." It was not our intention, when we commenced to write a short sketch concerning the Anti-Masonic excitement, to go into any detail, as that would take up too much space, and perhaps be entirely out of place. We shall therefore show *' what effects " this excitement produced upon the institution of Masonry, in our own State and elsewhere. The Grand Lodge of the State, a divided body from the year 1823, seeing the storm approaching, settled all their diffi- culties and united in one body, in the month of June, 1827. Perhaps the Anti-masonic excitement had as much to do in bringing the two bodies together as /any other cause. They were drawn together by a desire for mutual protection, against the assaults of heartless bigots and madmen. But still the storm swept with great violence over the State. The Grand Lodge, in her June communication, registered over four hundred working Lodges in the State. But before the end of that year, every Lodge, with the exception of two in the city of New York, had ceased working. These exceptions were Lodge L' Union Frangais, (French language,) and Ger- man Union, (German language.) Most of the Lodges surren- dered their properties and Warrants to the Grand Lodge, and became extinct. The Chapters and Encampments followed, and by the end of the year 1827, not a Masonic body was to be found. We regret to be obliged to say, that the bare name of a Free Mason had become dangerous to a man's reputation, SCOTTISH RITE OF HEREDOM. 201 and those who had before borne a high character among the Fraternity, turned their backs upon the Order — were ashamed of its fellowship or acknowledgement, and left it to its fate. Not so with all, for there was left, through all those dark years of the Institution, a Spartan band, who never shrank from danger, but maintained their position and kept on until the cloud was past. In the Western part of the State, the" effects of the excitement were terrible in the extreme. Church members were excommunicated, property was destroyed, busi- ness ruined, employees discharged and left without the means of subsistence, the peace of families broken up, and worthy members of society driven forth, to find a new resting place among society where the blighting influence of this excitement was not felt. We have already mentioned that the meetings of the Sovereign Grand Consistory came to an end in Novem- ber of this year, the cause of which is fully set forth in the above relation. Like the rest of the Masonic bodies, the Con- sistory itself came to an end. This dark night of Masonry continued until about the year 1837, when the light again began to dawn, and by the year ISttO had risen upon tlie Institution. There are some interest- ing circumstances occurring during this period, and connected with the history to which we now shall direct the attention of the reader, and First, The proceedings of J. J. J. Gourgas, Grand Secretary General of the De La Motta body. It will be remembered that De La Motta instituted, what he called a Supreme Council in New York, in 1813, and of this Supreme Council Gourgas was Grand Secretary, and its leading spirit. Also, that this body became extinct a very short time after its formation, and its members were scattered abroad, so that by the year 1818, nothing more was heard of it. But Gourgas had not forgotten it. Acting upon the doctrine promulgated by the Charleston body, " that a Supreme Grand Council of the Thirty-third, once constitutionally established, is always considered in existence while a single member of that body remains alive, and that a lawful Sovereign Grand Inspector General of the Thirty-third, once appointed, is so 'for life' " he took advantage of this 202 SCOTTISH RITE, ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED. doctrine, and finding that Masonry in the Northern section of the country was extinct — that there were no Lodges, Chapters, Encampments or Councils in active operation, or likely to be in some years to come, he at once set himself to work and con- cocted the scheme in his bed chamber, of tricking the Grand Orient of France into an acknowledgement of his so-called Su- preme Council, over the Consistory of Cerneau, which, in con- sequence of its overthrow, had ceased its correspondence. In an extract from Oliver's Landmarks, (Yol. 2, page 70), it appears that in the statement of the document sent to Paris in 1827, to secure the acknowledgement of the Grand Orient, the author has made it to appear, and by it, they were led to be- lieve, that the Charleston Council and the Gourgas Council at New York were but one Council, styling themselves the " Su-« premE Council of America," and that the Grand Orient did believe, that they really did constitute the Supreme Council of America. This document was sent slyly, and was deposited in the letter box of the Grand Orient, with the remark written on the outside — " deposited by one who does not wish to he known in the transaction.^' Gourgas well knew that the Masonic bodies of the North were out of existence, and that there was no one to gainsay or contradict the falsehood which he was instrumental in forwarding to France. That there was no one to stand up and declare that the Gourgas body had been extinct for nearly ten years before that document was penned, and that the connecting of the Charleston body with the Gourgas body was a naked falsehood, because there was no such body as the latter in existence. Hence, in 1829, the Gourgas Council appeared in the annuals of the Grand Orient, and the Charleston Council in the year 1830. The letter addressed by Gourgas declared his Council to be in existence, and Supreme. The Grand Orient, supposing it to be a true document, and being altogether ignorant of the circumstances which led to the downfall of the Masonic institu- tion, gave the acknowledgement and opened a correspondence with Gourgas who, like his predecessor, tutor and bosom friend, Emanuel De La Motta, was Grand Commander, Grand Secre- tary, Grand Treasurer, Grand Keeper of the Seals, together SCOTTISH KITE OF HEREDOM. 203 with all the other small offices contained in the vocabulary, there being no one but himself to fill them all. This corres- pondence, although a deception, was industriously kept up. Having gained this point it rested there, as nothing whatever was done in Masonry for many years afterward. Nevertheless, the sequel will presently show that this smart transaction did not fully accomplish their designs. For when the affair came to the knowledge of the Supreme Council of France, it moved them to take the matter up. They averred that they had been tricked out of a correspondence which they judged belonged of right to themselves, whereupon they at once voluntarily entered into a correspondence with the Su- preme Grand Council, United States of America, by the hands of the Count St. Laurent, stated the whole matter, and solicited a connection with that body. On the arrival in New York city of the Count, it will be presently seen that the Su- preme Grand Council was convened, the despatches which were in his possession were laid before them, the union of the Council for Terra Firma, New Spain, &c., with the Sovereign Grand Consistory was consummated, the United Supreme Council for the Western Hemisphere was proclaimed, and a Treaty of Union and Friendship was entered into by the four bodies, viz., the United Supreme Council for the Western Hemisphere, the Supreme Council of France, the Supreme Council of Belgium, and the Supreme Council of Brazil. The Marquis de Lafayette was immediately appointed, and pro- claimed Representative near the Supreme Council of France, and continued so until 1834, when he died, and was succeeded by the Count St. Laurent. See pages 94 and 95, Extract from Dr. Oliver. Second, The establishment of a ^^ Supreme Council^' of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, in the year 1832, under the definitive title of the " United Supreme Council for the Western Hemispheres^ The year 1832 was one of the darkest for Masonic under- takings, that can be remembered. The Anti-Masonic excite- ment was at its height, and the city was depopulated, partly by the fear of the pestilence, and partly by the pestilence itself. 204 SCOTTISH RITE, ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED. It seemed at that time a strange thing, that any attempt should be made, just then, to gather together the scattered fragments of the ruins of our ancient temple. Ragon says, concerning this attempt : " In 1832, there arrived in New York city, the man of many names and titles, the Count St. Laurent, who took upon himself the title of Most Puissant Sovereign Grand Commander, ad vitarn, of the Supreme Grand Council of the Thirty-third degree, Supreme Chief of Ancient and Modern Free Masonry, for Newfoundland, North America, Mexico on both seas, the Canary Islands, &c. He found the old Supreme Council sleeping, in consequence of political and Masonic troubles, and he set himself to work to resuscitate it again. He searched around for the old surviving members, and finally succeeded in organ- izing the body with the 111 .*. Bro .-. Elias Hicks as Grand Commander. He fixed the name of the body as the ' United Supreme Council,' and intended that it should embrace all the Councils in the United States. He called to its aid all the Scottish Masons in America. This new body, composed of all the living members they could find, published and put forth a manifesto, in which it ex- plained in full its motives for the new organization. It contained a Treaty of Union, in sixteen articles, dated April 5th, 1832, and also a profession of its principles, of which the principal dogmas were, the independence of all Masonic rites, and Masonic toleration. This Supreme Council prospered for a while, but owing partly to the tone of public feeling, and partly to some dissatisfac- tion among themselves, in about two years or a little more its action ceased. At the end of this period the Count St. Laurent went to France." The whole of this quotation, although very general, is true to the letter. Dr. Oliver also remarks : " It should appear that the Supreme Council of the United States was con- nected with the Rite Ancien of France, but New York possessed a Sovereign Grand Consistory, connected with the Grand Orient of France, and Brother Joseph Cerneau, a French Mason, held at one and the same time, the offices of ' Honorary Member of the Grand Orient of 'France,' 'Sovereign Grand Com- mander of the Grand Consistory of New York,' and * Sovereign Grand Com- mander for Life of the Supreme Council of the United States of America.' This authority was confirmed in 1832 by a solemn treaty between Elias Hicks, Sovereign Grand Commander, Marquis Sant Angelo, Lieut. Grand Comman- der, and George Smith, Grand Secretary General to the Supreme Council of North America, and the Count St. Laurent, Sovereign Grand Commander for the Supreme Council of South America, Terra Firma and the Canary Islands. *' It was agreed that the style of every document issued by this Supreme Council should be as follows : T. T. G. 0. T. S. A. 0. T. U. Deus Meumque Jus. Ordo ab Chao. From the East of the World, and of the SCOTTISH RITE OF HEREDOM. 205 Grand and United Supreme Council for the Western Hemisphere, of the Most Powerful Sovereign Grand Inspectors General of the Thirty-third and last de- gree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Sublime Chiefs of the Royal and Military Order of Ancient and Modern Free Masonry over the two hem- ispheres, duly and lawfully established and congregated under the Celestial Canopy, &c. This treaty was ratified in the Golden Book of the Order." So much for the fact. It will not be forgotten' that the Sovereign Grand Consistory, established by Brother Cerneau in the year 1807, set up this name and form of government under the definitive title of " The Trinity " — that it existed under it for a period of twenty years — and in 1827, owing to unfortunate circumstances over which it had no control, it ceased. That the laws by which it was governed were entirely different from those of the Ancient and Accepted Rite, and that the powers of the officers of the Consistory were defined. The reader will therefore understand, that we consider this the first establishment by that body, of the Ancient and Accepted Kite. As a proof that this assertion is correct, the following ex- tract from the Eeport made to the Committee at the Union and Amalgamation of the Supreme Council of Terra Firma, with the Supreme Council of the United States of America is given : " Second, That the proposed Union and Amalgamation would prevent in future any of those fatal schisms of which the Supreme Council of the United States, &c., has of itself involuntarily most deeply sown the seeds by constitut- ing in South America, or by authorizing Mr. Cerneau to constitute in that quarter several Masonic bodies, that could receive no regular Constitution but from the legitimate power, long previously established for those countries ; and that they would not fail to avail themselves of those Constitutions, to resist and oppose any useful inspections and legitimate acts of the M .-. P .-. Sov .*. Gr .-. Commander, [ad vitam,) his Deputies, or Supreme Council within whose territorial jurisdiction they are established. — Page 5, Report, 1832. There was no Supreme Council in existence at that time in the Northern section of the country, and when the Count St. Laurent made his appearance fully clothed with power, not to establish a new body, but to raise up the old one in a new dress ; in the language of Ragon, he searched around for the old surviving members, and finally succeeded in organizing the 206 SCOTTISH RITE, ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED. body, not taking the office of Commander himself, but placing there Ellas Hicks as Grand Commander, and making up the body with all the old members, as will readily be seen by refer- ring to the list, (Appendix, Document 27.) A full account is there given, and it may be said with truth, that it contained not a single new member, except himself. It was virtually the old Consistory under a new name. Let us now examine the facts connected with the resuscita- tion of the Sovereign Grand Consistory. We have before stated that it had become extinct in 1827, and we meant to be understood by this expression, that in common with all other Masonic bodies, it was swept out of existence by the storm then raging throughout the Northern section of the land. The death of Hon. Bewitt Clinton, Sovereign Grand Com- mander, took place in 1828, and Brother Elias Hicks, then Lieut. Grand Commander succeeded to the vacancy. Circum- stances of an important character, which occurred in 1831, drew the members of the body again together. The following extracts from the proceedings will be interesting : " Extract from the Golden Book of the Ancient Supreme Council of Grand Inspectors General, Thirty-third degree, for the United States of America, their Territories and Dependencies. Ordo ah Chao, SITTING OF THE m DAY OF THE 12th 1. M., A. L., mi (FEBRUARY, 1832.) " The Supreme Council of the P. S. G. I. G., Thirty- third and last degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Kite of Heredom, for the United States of America, its Territories and Dependencies, sitting at the vertical point of the Zenith, corresponding to the 40th deg., 41 min., North Latitude, and 3 deg., 1 min., 13 sec, East Longitude from Washington City, was extraordi- narily assembled on this day, near the B. B., by order and under the Presiden- cy of the M. P. Sov. Gr. Com., [ad vitam) the M. 111. Bro. Elias Hidk " The labors commenced with the usual solemnities, the proceedings of the former sitting were read and sanctioned by the Supreme Council, and signed by the M. P. Sov. Gr. Commander ; the M. 111. Lieut. Gr. Com. and by the 111. Gr. Sec'y of the H. E. " The M. P. Sov. Gr. Com. read to the Supreme Council a despatch ad- dressed to him under date of the 2d day of the 3d M. Month, A. L., 5830, by SCOTTISH RITE OF HEREDOM. 207 the ' Supreme Council of France,' by which T. M. 111. Bro. Count de St. Lau- rent had made an authentic translation, which was therefore annexed ; also a file of printed documents relating to the transactions of that body. " The reading of these documents was listened to with the greatest attention, and the important fact which the said despatch revealed to the Supreme Coun- cil of the United States, &c., caused among the members the most serious re- flections. (See page 95.) "The subject was forthwith taken into consideration, and the Supreme Council unanimously decided that a Committee should be appointed by the M. P. S. Gr. Com. for the purpose of collecting information from the Archives, and preparing a reply to the Supreme Council of France, testifying its desire to entertain continually with them the most friendly and regular communica- tions, and also to tender our kind regards for the attentions shown to us in the transmission of those printed works. " The Supreme Council resolved, that the mentioned despatch and the printed works accompanying it, be deposited in the Archives. " In conformity with these Resolutions, the M. P. Sov. Gr. Com. named the M, III. Bro., the Marquis de Sani Angelo to assist him in the said researches, and collating the facts for the reply to the Supreme Council of France. " T. M. III. Bro., the Marquis de Sant Angelo, communicated to the Supreme Council a despatch from the P. Sov. Gr. Com., the Count de St. Laurent, by which he proposed to the Supreme Council for the United States of America, &c., to unite with them by a Treaty, of which he, at the same time, proposed the basis, and of which the object is the union of the two Powers, and of the Ancient Supreme Council of Mexico, already united to that of Terra Firma, South America, &c., in one self same Dogmatical and Administrative power of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite for every portion of America, com- posing their respective jurisdictions, and the Canary Islands. This proposition developed by the M. 111. Bro., the Marquis de Sant Angelo, was unanimously agreed to, and the Supreme Council resolved, that the M. P. Sov. Gr. Com. shall appoint a Committee of three members, to whom the necessary full powers shall be given to treat as Commissioners on behalf of the Supreme Council, with those of the Supreme Council of Terra Firma, &c., whom the M. III. and M. P. Bro. Count de Saint Laurent, shall designate to stipulate, make and sign the said Treaty. " According to this resolution, the M. P. Sov. Gr. Com. appointed as mem- bers of the said Committee, T. M. 111. Bro. Jonathan Schieffelin, 1st Lieut. Gr. Com.: T. M. 111. Bro. 0. de A. Marquis de Sant Angelo, Sov. Gr. Ins. Gen., and the M. 111. Bro. George Smitli, Gr. Sec. of the H. E., to whom all due and full powers were given to fulfil their mission. *' Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be fraternally directed to the M. 111. Bro., the Count de St. Laurent. '' The work of the day being terminated, the present record of the Supreme 208 SCOTTISH RITE, ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED. Council was inserted in the Golden Book, read, approved, and signed at the same time, and the sitting closed with the usual solemnity. " Made, signed and sealed this 23d day of the I2th Masonic month, A. L., 5831. Elias Hicks, Sov. Gr. Commander, {ad vitam,) Jonathan Schiepfelin, 1st Lieut. Gr. Commander, George Smith, Gr. Secretary of the H. E. COPY OF THE kbm d % CainmbsiaHtrs/' Ordo ah Chao. " From the E. of the W. of the Supreme Council of Sov. Gr. Ins. Gen., Thirty-third and last degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite for the United States of America, their Territories and Dependencies, sitting un- der the C. C. at the vertical point of the Zenith, corresponding to the 40th deg., 41 rain., North Latitude, and 3 deg., 1 min., 13 sec, East Longitude from Washington City. IBtVLH ^tnmqut Sus. " To our M. P. Sov. Gr. Ins. Gen., Thirty-third degree. Most Yaliant and Sublime Princes of the Royal Secret, Knights of Kadosch, Illustrious Princes and Knights, Grand, Elect, Inefiable and Sublime Masons of all degrees, Ancient and Modern, over the surface of the two hemispheres. To all those to whom these letters of Credence shall appear, and may concern: UNION, HEALTH, POWER. " Know ye, that having received an official proposition, dated the fourteenth day of the present month, from our M. 111. and P. Bro., the Count de St. Laurent, Gr. Com. (^ad vitam,) of the Supreme Council, Thirty-third degree, for Terra Firma, New Spain, South America, Porto Rico, Canary Islands, &c., &c., tending to unite by a solemn Treaty, that Do"-matical and Adminis- trative body, including all its subordinate sections, with the Supreme Council of the United States of America, its Territories and Dependencies, including all its subordinate sections, and hereby to consolidate and increase the power and prosperity of our Sublime Order, and more particularly the safety and welfare of our brethren throughout the whole world, and especially of our hem- SCOTTISH RITE OF HEREDOM. 209 isphere, aud having appointed Commissioners with full and ample powers to arrange and regulate all matters and things touching aud concerning the said Treaty : And whereas, we, the undersigned. M. P. Sov. Gr. Commander, and Sov. Gr. Ins. Gen., Thirty-third degree, duly and lawfully congregated, cheerfully reciprocate in the laudable proposition of our M. 111. Breathe M. P. Sov. Gr. Com. {ad vitam) of South America, &c., have appointed our M. 111. Brethren Jonathan Schieffelin, Gr. Ins. Gen. ; 1st Lieut. Gr. Com. 0. de A. Marquis de Sant Angela, Gr. Ins. Gen., and George Smith, Gr. Ins. Gen. and Gr. Sec. of the H, E., to meet in Convention with the Commissioners which our aforesaid M. 111. and M. P. Brother of South America shall judge proper to appoint, and thereby upon exchanging their powers, to arrange, regulate and establish all such matters and things concerning the said union of the two Sub- lime bodies with full and ample power to conclude such a connection or treaty, reserving to ourselves the ratification thereof. " To which letters of credence we have hereunto subscribed our names, and affixed thereto the Grand Seal of our Sublime Order, in open Council, near the B. B., under the C. C, this 23d day of the 12th M. Month, Anno Lucis, 5831 ; {Vulgo,) 23d of February, Anno Domni, 1831. Signed, ^^^■'^^ Elias Hicks, P. Sov. Gr. Com., {ad vitam,) \ ) Jonathan Schieffelin, 1st Lieut. Gr. Com., I ' C O. DE A. Marquis de Sant Angelo, 33d, v_Y-^ George Smith, Gr. Sec. of the H. E." " The Committees named as above, after friendly explanations mutually interchanged between them, being fully convinced the two powers being of the same rite, and same degree, hav- ing a like doctrine, being equally animated with a desire of attaining the object of their institutions, and both present, both willing to contract, both authorized so to do for the greatest possible interest of the Order, and especially that of our Sublime Rite, as well as for the benefit and security of the faithful brethren who observe its rules ; unanimously acknowledged, agreed and Resolved, that a Treaty may be concluded without violating that principle, which is the great " Palladium '"'" of the freedom and independence of all Masonic Rites, viz. : " " That no Dogmatic power of any Rite, can unite or amalgamate itself, by any means whatever, with any other Administrative or Dogmatic Power of any other Rite, nor even consent to become a part of, or dependent upon it, without violating the letter and spirit of the fundamental laws of the Order, without renouncing the object of its establishment, without forfeiting, ab ipso 210 SCOTTISH RITE, ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED. facto, its Supreme character, and ceasing to be a Power, or even a part of any Bite." Concluded on the 5tli day of the 2d month, A. L., 5832, a Treaty of Union and Amalgamation, of which the following is a verbatim copy : (See Appendix, Document 28, Part First.) '' Extract from the Records of the last sitting of the Supreme Council of the United States of America, their Territories and Dependencies, sitting on the VSth day of the second month, Anno Lucis, 5832. " By order of the M. P. Sov. Gr. Commander, the Supreme Council was this day extraordinarily and regularly assembled near the B. B., under the vertical point of the Zenith, corresponding to the 40th deg., 41 min.. North Latitude, and 3 deg., 1 min., 13 sec. East Longitude, from Washington City. " The proceedings of the sitting of the 23d day of the 12th M. M., having been inserted in the Golden Book, were read anew, sanctioned and signed. " T. M. 111. members of the Committee named in that sitting for the purpose of concluding with the Commissioners named on the part of the M. P. Sov. Gr. Com. of the Supreme Council for Terra Firma, &c., a Treaty of Union and Amalgamation mentioned therein, made a report of the proceedings of the two united Committees, and the result of their conference, &c. " On the proposition made by the M. P. Sov. Gr. Com., the Supreme Coun- cil resolved to ratify this treaty and the thirteen points of our Ancient doc- trines which are anew consecrated by it, so soon as they are ratified by the M. P. Sov. Gr. Cora, of the Supreme Council of Terra Firma, &c. " A grand deputation was forthwith named to transmit fo him this decision, and to invite him in the name of the Supreme Council to honor the present sitting with his presence. "The deputation proceeded to the fulfilment of its mission, and after a short absence returned, conducting the M. P. Bro. Count de St. Laurent, G. Com. {ad vitamc.) of the Supreme Council for Terra Firma, South America, Mexico, or New Spain, &c., &c., (from one sea to the other) Porto Bico, the Canary Islands, &c., &c., of the P. Sov. Gr. Ins. Gen. Thirty-third and last degree, of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Bite, accompanied by several members of his Supreme Council present in this Orient. " He declared himself ready to ratify the Treaty, and particularly the thir- teen special points of our Ancient doctrine which are anew consecrated by it. He signed it, and caused it to be countersigned ; returned it to the M. P. Sov. Gr. Com. [ad viiam) of the Supreme Council who, after having declared that the Supreme Council for the United States of America, &c., had sanctioned and ratified the said Treaty, signed it, and caused it to be signed by the Grand Dignitaries, and countersigned and sealed by the Gr. Sec. of the H. E. A simultaneous exchange of the Batifications, &c., was made by the two 111. and P. Colleagues. T. M. P. Sov. Gr. Com. {ad vitam) Count de St. Laurent, then said : In SCOTTISH RITE OF HEREDOM. 211 virtue of the extraordinary powers with which I have been invested by the Supreme Council of P. Sov. Gr. Ins. Gen. of the Thirty-third and last degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite for Terra Firma, South America, Mexico or Xew Spain, &c., (from one sea to the other) the Canary Islands, Porto Rico, Maine. Edward P. Burnham, J Hon. Newell A. Thompson, Maj. Gen. Wm. Sutton, John McClellan, N. B. Shurtleff, M. D., Charles A. Davis, M. D. Hon. Benjamin Dean, Mass. Fitzgerald Tisdall, Joseph D. Evans, New York. Rev. D. B. Tracy, Michigan. RoBT. H. Foss, Illinois. It should be stated that 111 .*. Andres Cassard was restored at this Communication, to all his former rights and privileges. Ill .*. Bro .*. Killian H. Yan Rensselaer, was elected Sove- reign Grand Commander in the place of 111. Bro. Edward A. Raymond, expelled. Ill .*. Bro .*. Josiah H. Drummond, was elected P. Lieut. Grand Commander. Ill .'. Bro .*. Benjamin Dean, of Mass. Grand Captain of the Guards. Wm. Field, Peter Lawson, George M. Randall, Charles S, Westcott, Siiid John A. Foster, werevisited with the ^^ extreme 'penalty " of the Grand Consistory, see Document No. 43. After having filled all the vacancies which had occurred in the body, the proceedings appear to have been harmonious to the end. A Committee was appointed for the purpose of pro- moting the unity of the A. and A. Rite in the Northern juris- diction ; after which this Supreme Council brought its labors to a close. For-a List of Officers, Active Members, &c., &c., See Document No. 44. On the withdrawal of the 111. Bro. Edward A. Raymood, Sovereign Grand Commander, from the Supreme Grand Coun- ■MIB SUPEEME COUNCIL— U. S. A. 269 cil, the same closed sine die ', it will be remembered that the 111. BB. Avho remained, proceeded with the work of the body as before. Whereupon 111. Bro. Raymond, assuming that he had full power centering in himself, according to the Constitution of 1786, at once tilled the of&ces of the Council which he considered had been vacated by this movement. The most, if not all the brethren with whom he made up the Council, appear to have been members of that body at the time, at least so far as the Sovereign Grand Consistory was concerned, and those of them who were only possessed of the Thirty-second degree he exalted to the Thirty-third. They assembled in Annual Session May 21st, 1861, and the proceedings published, give the following names as present at the opening of the body : M.-. P.-. Edward A. Eatmond, Sov.-. Gr.-. Commander, P.-. Simon W. Eobixson, Lieut.*. Gr.-. Commander and Gr. Trcas. Gen. 111.-. Peter Lawson, Grand Master of Ceremonies, '' William Field, " Cap.-, of Life Guards, " Eev. Geo. M. Eandall,. " Minister of State, " Lucius E. Paige, " Marshall. The office of the Grand Secretary General was declared vacant, and the Sovereign Grand Commander nominated and appointed 111. Lucius R. Paige, and duly installed him into office. He also removed Killian H. Tan Rensselaer fi'om the office of Deputy Inspector General for any portion of the Northern Jurisdiction, and appointed 111. Peter Lawson as Assistant Grand Secretary of the body. A document appears to have been issued by the Sovereign Grand Commander, December 20th, 1860, entitled " Order No. 2," which declares " that all documents purporting to come froni any other source than that emanating from Edward A. Raymond as Grand Commander, are spurious, void, and of no effect ; that the Sovereign Grand Commander re-calls and revokes the exequator of K. H. Yan Ransselaer as Deputy, and gives notice that all dues and revenues must be paid to the 111. Treasurer General, Simon W. Robinson, of Lexington, Mass., who is the only person authorized to receive them. 270 SCOTTISH KITE, ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED. A letter of " Caution^^ was also issued by the body, warning all loyal brethren not to visit any Lodge, Council, Chapter, or Consistory, within the jurisdiction, nor to hold Masonic inter- course with any BB .*. of the Ancient and Accepted rite, who do not acknowledge and yield obedience to this Supreme Grand Council. After organizing a Sovereign Grand Consistory, the M. P. Sovereign Grand Comraander delivered an address before the body containing in full, his views of the proceedings which led to the disturbance and separation, a brief outline of which we shall attempt to give. He states, after noticing in an appropriate manner the death of 111. and Rev. Bro. Paul Dean, that in accordance with the unanimous vote of the Council, at an Annual Meeting, the 111. BB.". Wm. Field, of Providence, R. 1. 5 the Hon. Peter Lawson, of Lowell, Mass. ; Lucius R, Paige, of Cambridge, and Rev. Geo. M. Randall, of Boston, Mass., have been unanmiously admitted to the Thirty-third degree, and that those four brethren have been duly appointed to offices in the Council, have been regularly installed in their several stations, and are now active members of the body. And that there are two vacancies yet to be filled. After alluding to the disorderly proceedings, he claims that the Supreme Council, since its location in Boston, has had no regular book of proceedings kept, and that the Grand Secre- tary General, for the last two years past, has withheld from him all official documents addressed to the body, or to himself as Secretary General, which has involved him in a seeming neglect of duty. Also the proceedings published after his closing the Council, which were clandestinely circulated in distant parts of the jurisdiction for weeks and months before they were circulated in Boston ; and, finally, that on the 20th December, several months after publication, he received a copy forwarded to him from a brother in a Western State. He complains of the statements therein contained as unfair, and calculated to mislead ; and that the meetings of the body after he had closed it, were altogether in open violation of the Constitution — a foul conspiracy, and productive of evil SUPREME COUNCIL— U. S. A. 271 results. He attempts to eater into particulars by stating that, " Previous to the Annual Meeting in 1860, the 111. Bro., R. P. Dunlap, died. That his body was hardly cold in the grave ere he received an application from K. H. Van Eensselaer soliciting the appointment of Lieut. Grand Commander in the place of 111. Bro. Dunlap. The indecent haste of the applica- tion disgusted him and he refused. This refusal mortified and chagrined Yan Rensselaer, he sought to overthrow the Council and erect another upon its ruins." At the Annual Meeting in May, the plot developed itself, but the business of the Annual Session having been finished, the Council was closed without further embarrassment. The following August a Special Meeting was called. Charges preferred against 111. Bro. Andres Cassard, were fully sus- tained, and he was expelled. The day following, an attempt was made by Yan Rensselaer to re-instate him by " simple resolution^ The Sovereign Grand Commander refused to entertain the motion. A communication from Cassard was then presented by the Secretary General. The Sovereign Grand Commander would not allow it to be read. The business being finished, the Commander declared the Council closed until the next morning at 10 o'clock. Yan Rensselaer (then not a member), openly announced that there would be a meeting of the body at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. This meet- ing was held. The next morning the Council met at 10 o'clock as adjourned ; and after finishing the business, the Commander closed the Council sine die, stating that there were strong and unmistakeable evidences of insubordination, &c. Again, Yan Rensselaer gave notice that a meeting would be held in the afternoon of the same day, and requested his friends to be present. They met, as per appointment, for several days, during which time they organized a Supreme Council, sent out their circulars, &c. 111. Bro. Raymond, attempts to justify his proceedings by the Constitutions of 1786, and declares that the Commander is Sovereign and Supreme ; that he does not receive his office by 272 SCOTTISH RITE, ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED. election, but is placed there by his predecessor, without a vote or confirmation, by virtue of his legitimate position. He is Commander, ad vitam. Here follows a review of the Constitu- tion of Frederick— a relation of the manner in which the body deposed and expelled him — the manner of constituting the Supreme Council — and closing by issuing a letter of caution, warning all brethren, &c. The proceedings are closed with a list of the officers of the body as follows : M. P. Edward A. Raymond, Boston, (P.G.M.), Sov. Gr. Com. ad vitam, P^ Simon W. Robinson, Lexington, (P.G.M.), Lieut. Gr. Commander, 111. Peter Lawson, Lowell,. (P.D.D.G.M.), Gr. Treas. Gen. H. E. " Lucius R. Paige, Cambridgep't, (P.D.G.M.), Gr. Sec. Gen. H. E. « Geo. M. Randall, D.D., BostoN, (P.G.M.), Gr. Min. of State, " Chas. T. McClenachan, New York, Gr. Mas. of Ceremonies, « Wm. Field, Providence, R. I., (P. G. M.), Gr. Cap. of Life Guards, " Wm.B. Hubbard, Columbus, Ohio, (P. G.M.), Sov. Gr. Ins. Gen. 33d " J. J. J. GouRGAS, N. Y., (P. Sov. Gr. Com.), emeritus, S. G. I. G. 111. Aaron P. Hughes, Nashua, N. H., (G.M.), S. G. L G., 33d degree, <' Deputy for New Hampsliire, " CiiAS. S. Westcott, New York, " " New York, " John A. Foster, " « a -^^^^ Jersey, " E. T. Carson, Cincinnati, Ohio, Sov. Gr, Ins. Gen., 33d degree And in the month of January, 1862, the Council issued an Edict of Expulsion, declaring Charles W. Moore and Killian H. Van Rensselaer to be no longer members of the Supreme Council or of the rite, and prohibiting all loyal Scottish Masons from holding Masonic intercourse with the parties. See Doc. No. 42 and 43. The Edicts of both Coun- cils, each expelling the members of the other, are placed side by side. " Behold how good and how pleasant it is, «&;c." It is believed that this is a plain statement of the facts given, which led to the disorderly proceedings and the separation, from which the reader can form his own conclusions. As both the Van Rensselaer and the Raymond bodies profess to be loyal to, and to be governed by, the Constitutions of 1786, they will be obliged to settle the difficulty between themselves, as other bodies professing the same rite, and ».cknowledged SUPREME COUNCIL— U. S. A. 273 from the very commencement as regular, have long since discarded all such instruments as unworthy of notice, and are, therefore, disqualified from giving a judgement in the premises. One thing, however, is certain, viz., that there are now two Supreme Councils in Boston and one Sovereign Grand Consis- tory, hailing from the Supreme Council of New York (Cerneau), all rivals to each other, and each having their subordinate bodies throughout the Western hemisphere. How long this state of things may continue it is not possible to foresee ; but the contempt and bitter reproaches which such proceedings bring upon the Order, cannot be too greatly magnified or too severely condemned. RECAPITULA TION. The following Supreme Grand Councils of the Thirty-third degree. Ancient and Accepted Rite, now exist in the United States .: "SUPREME GRAND COUNCIL OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, HER TERRITORIES, AND DE- PENDENCIES." New York. Renounces all rule over the first Three degrees. "SUPRIlME grand council of the NORTHERN JURISDICTION, U. S. A." Boston, Mass. " Waive'^ all right over the first three degrees. (Yan Rens- selaer, Grand Com.) "SUPREME GRAND COUNCIL OF THE NORTHERN JURISDICTION, U. S. A." Boston, Mass. " Waive " all right over the first three degrees. (Edw. A. Raymond, Grand Com.) "SUPREME GRAND COUNCIL OF THE SOUTHERN JURISDICTION U. S. A." Charleston, S. C. " Waive " all right over the first tliree degrees, "SUPREME GRAND COUNCIL OF LOUISIANA." Located at New Orleans, controls the first three degrees, and has over Twenty Blue Lodges under it. 274 SCOTTISH KITE, ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED. "SUPREME GRAND COUNCIL OF CALIFORNIA." Located at San Francisco, renounces all right over the first Three degrees. "SUPREME GRAND COUNCIL OP CONNECTICUT." Located at Bridgeport, renounces all right over the first Three degrees. Besides the above Councils, there are Consistories in the following States : NEW YORK CITY— Established by the Gourgas body^ A Rival to the Supreme Council. NEW YORK CITY— Established by the Raymond body— A Rival to both. BOSTON, MASS.— A Rival to both Supreme Councils there. NEW ORLEANS, LA.— Established by Charleston Council —A Rival to Supreme Council there. TRENTON, NEW JERSEY— A Consistory by Supreme Council of New York, (Cerneau). AND COUNCIL OF PRINCES OF JERUSALEM, AT ALBANY, N. Y. Having omitted in the history a particular notice of these bodies, and as there are many curiosities brought to light in the examination of this part of the subject, we feel it to be an act of duty to place what information we may be possessed of before the Fraternity, in order -that it may not be said that we have neglected altogether to make mention of them. It is pretended that the Lodge of Perfection at Albany was founded there by 111.*. Bro.*. Henry A. Feancken, one of the Deputies of Stephen Morin, 1767. The seal of this Lodge bears this date upon it. We have reason to doubt the authenticity of the date. SUPREME COUNCIL_U. S. A. 275 Francken was the first Deputy appointed by Morin after his arrival in St. Domingo. It is barely possible that Francken himself was made a Deputy before this date, and more than probable that the seal is his private one, containing the date of his commission from Morin, viz., 1767. As it was the invariable custom of Deputies to place their own seal upon all documents issuing under their hands, which seal always bore the date of their individual commission, we conclude this to be one of that kind ; and that the Lodge in Albany was not found- ed so early as 1767 by several years. Again, Francken ap- pointed Moses Michael Hays in the city of Boston, Mass., and we have nothing of the doings of Hays until 1780, although he had resided in Boston several years before that date. It is said that Morin himself established at Kingston, Jamaica, a Lodge of Perfection in 1769, which proves clearly that Morin resided in the islands at that time. But it is also said in the Register of Abraham Jacobs : •' That in 1774 Bro.-. Henry A. Francken established the Royal Orders in Jamaica, and continued at their head for several years, which afterwards fell and laid dormant." Here is a flat contradiction — but both statements go far to show that both Morin and Francken were residents of the West Indies, and that Francken did not reach this country so early as the date named on the seal. Moreover, Hays had been appointed by him for this country, and was a resident here. This point, however, is not a very material one. The Lodge was established in Albany, by Francken, at sometime between 1767 and 1781. How long it continued operations there does not appear. After a while it went to sleep, and its very existence appears to have passed out of the memory of the '^ oldest Inhabitant. ^^ In the meantime, Bro.*. Giles Fonda Yates appears upon the stage of action — becomes a zealous workman in Sublime Masonry; and, finally, M.*. P.*. Sovereign, Grand Commander of the Gourgas Supreme Council. At a meeting of that body in the city of Boston, Mass., in September, 1851, he delivered an address, from which the following extract is made ; 276 SCOTTISH RITE, ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED. " 1 turned my attention to the history of the Sublime degrees very soon after my initiation as a Mason. My intercourse, in 1822, with several old Masons in the city of Albany, led to the discovery that an Ineffable Lodge of Perfection had been established in that ancient city on the 20th December 1767. I also discovered, that not only the Ineffable, but the Superior degrees of our rite, had been conferred at the same time on a chosen few, by the founder of the Lodge, Henry A. Francken, one of the Deputies of Stephen Moriu of illustrious memory. It was not long, moreover, before I found the original warrant of this Lodge, its book' of Minutes, the Patents of 111. Bros. Samuel Stringer, M. D., Jeremiah Yan Rensselaer, and Peter W. Yates, Esquires, Deputy Inspectors General under the old system ; also the Regula- tions and Constitutions of the nine Commissioners, &c., 1761* — and other documents that had been left by Bro. Francken with the Albany brethren — when he founded their Lodge. With the concurrence of the surviving members of said Lodge in Albany, Dr. Jonathan Eights, and the Hon. and R. W. Stephen Yan Rensselaer, P. G. M., of the Grand Lodge of New York, I aided in effecting its revival. The necessary proceedings were thereupon instituted to place the. same under the superintendence of a Grand Council of Princes of Jerusalem, as required by the old Constitutions ; and such Grand Council was subsequently opened in due form in said city. " Having been made aware of the ' new Constitution of the Thirty-third degree,' ratified on the 1st of May, 1786, conferring the Supreme power over our rite, on ' Councils of nine brethren,' I hastened to place myself in cor- respondence with Moses Holbrook, M. D., at the time Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council at Charleston, and with my esteemed friends, Joseph McCosh, Illustrious Grand Secretary General of the last- named Council, and Bro. Gourgas, at that time Illustrious Grand Secretary General of the H. E. for this Northern Jurisdiction. Lodges of Perfection in the Counties of Montgomery, Onondaga, Saratoga, and Monroe, in the State of New York, were successively organized and placed agreeably to the Consti- tutions, under the superintendence of the Grand Council before named. The establishment of this last-named body was confirmed, and all our proceedings in Sublime Free Masonry were legalized and sanctioned by the only lawful authorities in the United States, the aforesaid Supreme Councils. " On the 16th day of November, 1824, I received a Patent, appointing me S. of S. of a Consistory of S. P. of the R, S, established in the city of Albany. I would here also state, that on the 13th day of February, 1825, Charters were granted to Illustrious Bro. Edward A. Raymond, of Boston, Mass., and eight associates, constituting them a Grand Council of Princes of Jerusalem. A Charter was also granted them for a Consistory of S. P.R. S., both bodies to be holden in the city of Boston. All the several bodies named, as well as the * A mistake — as they were not put together and passed upon by the Convention until Sept. 22d 1762, and did not reach the United States, until long after that time. SUPREME COUNCIL— U. S. A. 277 Albany Grand Council and Consistory have, since their establishment, paid due faith and allegiance to our Northern Supreme Council. "In 1825 I took my vows as a 'Sovereign Grand Inspector General' between the hands of our said Brother, Joseph McCosh, he having been specially deputized for that purpose. I was shortly after constituted, and accredited the Representative of the Southern Supreme Grand Council, near this Northern Supreme Grand Council, of which last I was made, and have ever since been, a member. " The proofs are undeniable, that the learning contained in the * Sublime degrees' was taught long previous to the last century — our M. P. Bro., Dalcho, thinks shortly after the first Crusade. In Russia, Prance, and Scotland, the principal degrees of our rite appeared in an organized form in 1713. The unfortunate Lord Derwentwater, and his associate English brethren, were working in Lodges of Harodim, in 1725, at Paris when the Grand Lodge of England transmitted to France the Ancient York Constitutions. Many Scotch brethren (adherents of Charles Edward Stuart), being in France about this time, also cultivated some of the high degrees of our rite. Some of the important mysteries celebrated in the Superior degrees, were instituted by the successors of Jaques de Molay, and others derive their origin from the renowned Robert Bruce. The former gave the Military, the latter the Chris- tian character, to the degrees and Orders of our rite ; and from what has been alluded to, relative to the connection of our Scotch brethren, with our degrees and Orders, I think we may readily account for the term (Ecossais), Scotch, as applied to them." Herein is given an account of the resuscitation of this Lodge, which, according to the figures of 111.'. Bro.*. Yates, had enjoyed a " Rip Van Winkle sleep " of over fifty years. And the manner in which the thing was accomplished is rather mysterious. In the address, which is somewhat lengthy, not one word is said concerning the manner in which 111.-. Bro.'. Yates came into possession of the degrees — or whether he ever received them by initiation — or that he was a Sublime Mason before he made the discovery ; these points being studiously avoided. But he says, " He turned his attention to the sublime degrees, &c," made certain '' discoveries,^^ and, finally, resuscitated the Lodge, chartered other Lodges,