GENIUS OF MASONRY, OR A.DEFENCE OF THE ORDER, CONTAINING SOME REMARKS ON THE ORIGIN AND HISTORY; THE Lo this, we have searched it, so it is, hear it, PROVIDENCE: CRANSTON & MARSHALL, PRINTERS. 49.20 Sre 7118.28.3 Gentiler HD 37 RHODE-ISLAND DISTRICT, SC. Be it remembered, That on the 22d day of October, 1828, and in the fifty-third year of the Independence of the United States of America, Samuel L. Knapp, of said District, deposited in this Office, the title of a book, the right whereof he claims as proprietor, in the following words, viz: "The Genius of Masonry, or a Defence of the Order, containing some remarks on the origin and history; the Uses and Abuses of the Science, with some notices of other Secret Societies in the United States, in three Lectures, by Samuel L. Knapp." Lo this, we have searched it, so it is, hear it, In conformity to an act of Congress of the United States, entitled "An Act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts and Books to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the time therein mentioned, and also to an Act entitled "An Act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts and Books to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned, and extending the benefit thereof to the art of designing, engraving and etching historical or other prints." Witness, BENJAMIN COWELL, INTRODUCTION. At the threshold, I make this distinct declarction, that no political, party, or sectarian views; no masonic excitement, or momentary resentments have entered into the work I propose to publish. This is the simple history of my labours. About two years since a distinguished brother, high in office, requested me to write a succinct defence of masonry in answer to some objections which had from time to time been made by some enlightened men out of our pale. The excitement in the western parts of the state of New York had not then commenced. To his request other inducements were added, and at my leisure, some materials were collected for the discourses found in this work. My object was to show the origin, history, uses, abuses and general effects of Masonry. an opportunity of presenting my labours to the critical inspection of this friend of masonry and of man, to whom I have alluded, he had passed the confines of time for eternity, and had left me to mourn the loss of his learning and advice. The form in which I had prepared my defence was that of lectures to be addressed to a mixed audience, and of course it was Before I had found |