larity and precision. The fellow craft's clap is to form the square with the left hand, as in the sign, then clap the right hand to the left, smite the left breast with the right hand, and lastly the apron, stamping at the same time with the right foot. I mentioned, in describing the first grips, that the custom was merely to take the fingers in your hand; but I have been corrected, so far as to be told, that it is more common to take the whole hand, as at a common salute, pressing the thumb at the proper place and covering it as far as possible with the left hand. The grip of the Past Master is to begin with the master's grip and to proceed with a similar grasp up so high as the elbow. In singing the song of an Entered Apprentice, they stand round a table and join hands across, each man taking, with his right hand, his left hand man's left hand, thus forming a chain and circle. At the last verse, they jump altogether, which is called a driving of piles, and enough to shake the house down. Instances have been known, where it has been thought prudent to shore and prop the room, where this masonic work has been going on. The whole thing is made up of this kind, and a Freemason's hardest work is noisy mirth. The reader will recollect, that, in finding out the degree of a mason, it is necessary to begin as an Entered Apprentice, and to go regularly through the grips and words. After proving a degree, the question is asked if you are off or from; the answer, if advanced, is from: from what? Then you must state the last degree proved, and say from an Entered Apprentice to a Fellow Craft, or from a Fellow Craft to a Master. Taking care also never to give the words in full, but to letter or syllable them, with the brother. At an initiation, Noodle is often asked, if he recollects what he has been told, and if he can write it down, or any part of it? Pen, ink and paper, are furnished; and if he so far forgets the penalty and promise of his oath, as to begin to write he gets. a smart rap on the knuckles from one of the masonic instruments as a memento. As masonic funerals are in a great measure abolished, and as the ceremony, such as it is, is open, I cannot usefully introduce it here. There is also a form of taking and passing the chair annually, and of appointing other officers, which as they have no secrets but the oaths of the former, the penalty of which is to have the right hand struck off, in addition to the other penalties pledged, they are not worthy of further notice here. A more particular description of the insignia of the different offices would be tedious and useless to the reader of this exposure; my purpose being to expose what Masons call their secrets and mysteries, and not those little fineries which they do not scruple to expose to the public gaze, which are manufactured for that purpose, aud to make the supposed mysteries appear more mysterious. The peroration of my exposure, brother Williams, I intend to be a general, and, I hope, a luminous charge to Masons of both orders, or the Jewish and Christian orders; therefore, I shall break my correspondence with you with very little ceremony, and with very little of recapitulation. I flatter myself, that I have so far made good every proposition of my first letter and of the advertisement of this exposure. Indeed, I have gone rather too much into a detail of matters that were not exactly secret; but I did not like to refer my readers to more expensive books. I dislike the mode, think it unfair, that avoids the trouble of delineating a principle or a fact, by referring the reader to other books, which, perhaps, are not easily to be obtained. It is too much to assume that every reader has a general command of books, multitudinous and expensive as they have become. I have fairly explained, that the basis of Masory is frivolity in itself and a cheat upon those who are drawn. into it. It is also immoral, in almost every effect. The oaths are clearly il legal, though patronized by the Royal Family, and by members of the legislature, the priesthood and the magistracy. They are also exceeding wicked, and an instruction in assassi nation is the predominant feature of masonry. It begins with the beginning, and grows into inveteracy as masonry grows upon the individual. Verily, I do think, that Professor Robison (not Robinson, as my printer was pleased to assume for me) has made good his charge, that the horrors of the French Revolution grew out of the masonic lodges. Assassination is made a merit in some of the higher degrees, and it is easy to teach a mind thus instructed, that it is also meritorious in the extermination of an opposing sect or party, that the revenge meant for the murderers of a favourite applies to those who oppose a favourite doctrine. I do not, say, that the thing has been carried so far in this country; but the seeds of the system have been sown, and the same or similar seeds will always produce the same or similar fruits, in the same or similar soil and atmosphere. If you, Mr. Williams, sit in the House of Commons, in the next session of Parliament, I shall certainly, by a petition, challenge you to a defence of your masonic amusements, if I can find a M. P. to present it for me. There are many other masonic members, and I am not a little surprised to find Mr. Henry Grey Bennett one of them. For the present, I take my leave, wishing you a comfortable digestion of what I have so far written on Masonry, and conclude with the grand sentiment of REVELATION FOR EVER! FREE DISCUSSION, NO SECRETS, NO MYSTERIES! RICHARD CARLILE. 1 COPY OF A LETTER SENT TO THE KING, WINDSOR CASTLE. SIR, Dorchester Gaol, August 26, Anno Ir is an insult and a disgrace to the nation, that its chief magistrate should be the patron of so scandalous and mischievous a mummery as that of Freemasonry. After I have completed the exposure, I purpose, if I can get an extensive list, to publish the names of the magistrates and priests who support this abominable institution; at the head of which, as a matter of course, will stand your name as grand patron. None of these mummeries, none of the mummeries of which you are the head and chief, such as Masonry, the Church, orders of Knighthood, and even the monarchy in its present state, can stand before that torrent of knowledge which is rushing upon the people: and the wisest thing that you can do, for the benefit of your successor, is to edge out of every nonsensical or ceremonial mummery as smoothly, but as quickly, as you can. You never had a better or more honest councillor, than, Your prisoner, RICHARD CARLILE. Printed and Published by R. CARLILE, 135, Fleet Street.-All Correspordences for "The Republican" to be left at the place of publication. No. 11, VOL. 12.] LONDON, Friday, Sept. 16, 1825. [PRICE 6d. TO MR. RICHARD CARLILE DORCHESTER GAOL. SIR, Bradford, Sept. 5th, 1825. THOUGH my reply to Mr. Heinekin's remarks on my answerto his lecture will not appear as soon as I wished, yet the fulfilment of my promise is as speedy as my avocations and opportunity would conveniently admit. I shall waste no words in introductory remarks, but proceed at once to my observations on such paragraphs as appear to me to relate to the subject in dispute, viz." The evidence of a divine superintendance exhibited in the works of Nature and the affairs of the world." Notwithstanding the explanation given by Mr. H. in the 5th paragraph of his remarks, I am still unable to fix any other meaning to the phrase, "Infidel in pràctice," than that "vice is the proper practice of the infidel." What meaning can be attached to the phrase unless it is inferred that the theory of the infidel world, if reduced to practice, produce vice?-what is the practice of the mechanic but the application of his theory to create machinery or its produce? We do not call navigation the application of the theory of chemistry, nor land surveying the result of the theory of hydraulics...We naturally suppose, that drunkenness is the practice of the drunkard, and adultery and fornication of the sensual debauchee-Indeed, the explanation given by Mr. H. in this paragraph, instead of removing, the imputation, gives additional force to the inference previously drawn; for, though he says, he "would be far from asserting that there is a necessary connection between Infidelity and Vice," yet he has " no hesitation in maintaining that infidelity is highly favourable to the growth of vice, and can hardly fail of producing it, if the mind has not been well cultivated by education, and the passions are not restrained by the suggestions of prudence.' No proof Printed and Published by R. Carlile, 135, Fleet Street. |