TO CORRESPONDENT. I acknowledge the receipt of £1 5s. Od. from Richmond, Yorkshire, as a further subscription, and will, in a few months time, make an effort to establish a joint stock company, for the publication of the most useful standard books. We could begin with the present offers to take shares; but circumstances point out the propriety of a delay to the commencement of anoiher year. In such an investment of money, there cannot possibly be either error, danger, or future loss; but there is a sure prospect of interest for the money deposited, in the circumstance, that we can work with so small a sum of money as a hundred pounds, or advantageously employ a hundred thousand. The first deposit will set the Press to work, and all future ones can but accelerate it. room. Mr. Lowe's Letter will be printed as soon as a corner offers The subject of providing a series of books for children and schools, void of immorality and spirituality, has been long contemplated. The task is easy, the means of printing and stereotyping alone are wanted. Ephraim Smooth shall have as early an insertion as possible. He writes, that twelve jurymen have found, that God, visited a London Brothel lately, and that the mistress of the brothel was, like another Semele, killed, by that visitation! Oh! the Christians! Mr. Joseph Swan has my best thanks for the hat he has sent me. I shall put it in wear, as soon as I have worn out the Sleaford hat, which will not be for some time yet. I should have been glad to hear of his success in trade and restored health, after his five years of suffering. He has lived to hear of Castlereagh's thoat-cutting, and if he lives a few years longer, he will certainly hear many more joyous sounds, if not of the same kind, of the same good tendency. The God of the Jews and Christians or the likeness of the Trinity in Unity is lithographed and on sale. The print is coloured and will be sold for a shilling. Whoever has seen the Wesleyan Methodists' prints of the Indian Gods will feel assured, that this of the Jews and Christians has the same origin. R. C. Printed and Published by R. CARLILE, 135, Fleet Street.-All Correspondenees for the "Republican" to be left at the place of publication. No. 2, VOL. 12.] LONDON, Friday, July 15, 1825. [PRICE 6d. TO WILLIAM WILLIAMS, ESQ., M. P., PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER, FOR THE COUNTY OF DORSET OF THE ASSOCIATION OF FREEMASONS. LETTER II. SIR, Dorchester Gaol, July 8, A. D. 1825-Anno In my first letter, I have described every particular connected with the Entered Apprentice's Degree of Freemasonry, which Masons hold secret. Those secrets consist of the grip, the sign, and the word. Disappointed in seeing the proof sheets of that letter, I find, that I have omitted to say, that, when Masons are practising the grip with their right hands, they cover them as well as possible from the eyes of bystanders with their left hands. Many other matters were formerly counted as secrets among Masons, and, until within the last dozen years, in this country; but the French Masons have long published the particulars of their ceremonies, with the exception of the words, signs, and grips.. In this letter, I purpose to describe what is called the working part of the first degree, which consists of nothing more than catechisms and lectures upon the merits, purposes, lodges, and ceremonies of masonry. I have a heap of those catechisms and lectures before me, varying in form, but alike in substance, embracing, I conjecture, all that have been current in England, since Freemasons have had records or written papers of any kind; but I shall follow Dr. Hemming's book, in this first degree, as the most modern and best arranged series of questions upon the subject. As I copy for exposure and not for profit, ana as the work is not sold to the public, I must beg the Doctor, through you, not to bring me to a knowledge of one of Lord Eldon's grips in Chancery; for that would be worse than to be locked up by him here; as now, I can, in some measure, keep his hands and the hands of his tools out of my pockets. But Printed and Published by R. Carlilo, 135. Fleet street, there will not be much danger on this head, as mine is to be a review and fair criticism, and I shall, as a matter of justice to my readers, avoid the copying of those sections, which would be but a repetition of the process of initiating a candidate, as described in my first letter. Though I address you by name, it is only for the purpose of form the object of these letters is, to communicate a knowledge of masonry to the public. I do not expect, that I can add much to your knowledge upon the subject, but I am nearly sure, at this time, that you cannot add to mine. It will, however, be proper for me to inform the reader here, that what is called the working part of masonry is practised on those nights, when there are no new noodles to pay fees for introduction, and that a capacity to answer the questions promptly is the qualification for advancement to official situations, and, in some instances, for advancement in the several degrees of Masonry. But, in this latter case, the grand qualification for advancement is money. One of my correspondents, on this question, assures me, that, for the sum of five guineas, he passed the three degrees in one night, though then a seafaring man and a stranger to all but one in the lodge. On his return from sea, so little was he acquainted with the ceremonies, that he was not sure of being qualified to work himself into a lodge. However, he found himself very welcome to come and spend more money at a London Lodge, and welcome to a certificate from the Grand Lodge of his being a good mason for half-a-crown, or some other sum of money. Masonry may be truly defined a sale of trick and nonsense to dupes. With the exception of its moral precepts, it teaches nothing useful, but is, on the contrary, a mischievous waste of time, a stupefaction of the mind, by leading it on to the pursuit of a phantom, which is always expected, but never caught. I now proceed with that which is ridiculously called a Freemason's work, at which they play, as if it were real labour, and from which they stop to play also at dinners and suppers, as we did when children, or in masonic term, to take refreshment. But the Mason's refreshment is generally a removal from stupefying doctrines to more stupefying liquor, and some Masons have followed Masonry for no other purpose but that of carousal and what they call conviviality.-Let us work with Dr. Hemming's Tools. First Degree-First Section. INTRODUCTION. Masonry, according to the general acceptation of the term, is an art founded on the principles of Geometry and directed to the service and convenience of mankind. But Freemasonry, em. bracing a wider range, and having a nobler object in view, namely, the cultivation and improvement of the human mind, may, with more propriety, be called a science, inasmuch as, availing itself of the terms of the former, it inculcates the principles of the purest morality, though its lessons are for the most part veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols. To draw aside this veil, therefore, or more properly speaking, to penetrate throughout it, is the object of directors in Freemasonry, and, by a careful and appropriate attention to them, we may hope, ultimately, to become acquainted with all its mysteries. The Lecture of the first degree is divided into seven sections, and each section is subdivided into three clauses. Throughout the whole, Virtue is painted in the most beautiful colours, and the duties of morality are every where strictly enforced. The principles of knowledge are imprinted on the memory by lively and sensible images, well calculated to influence our conduct in the proper discharge of the duties of social life. The mode of Masonic instruction is catechetical, I shall, therefore, Brethren, without further comment, challenge you by the usual questions, and I have no doubt but you will reply to them in a becoming manner. Assured then, Brother Senior Warden, by a previous conviction, that you are a Freemason, let me ask you, in that character, from whence came you. FIRST CLAUSE. Question. Brother Senior Warden, From whence came you? Answer. From the West. Q. Whither are you directing your course? A. To the East. Q What is your object? A. To seek a master, and from him to gain instruction, Q. Who are you that want instruction? A. A Free and Accepted Mason. Q. What mode of introduction have you to recommend yourself to the notice of a Mason? A. (Gives the sign.) A salute of respect to the Master in the chair. Q. Any other recommendation? A. (Gives the sign to the company.) A hearty salute to all under his direction. Q. For what purpose came you hither? A. To regulate my conduct, correct my passions, and make a progress in Masonry. 36 Q. How do you know yourself to be a Mason? A. By the regularity of my initiation, repeated trials and approbations, and a readiness at all times to undergo an examination when properly called on. Q. How shall I know you to be a Mason? A. By signs, tokens, and perfect points of my entrance. A. All squares, levels, and perpendiculars, and those when duly given a Mason will hail and obey. Q. To what do they serve? A. To distinguish a Mason by day. Q What are tokens? A. Certain peculiar and friendly grips, which when reciprocally given, will distinguish a Mason by night as well as by day. Q. What are the perfect points of entrance? A. Points which I am bound most carefully to conceal. A. Three are known to me. Q. I also acknowledge three, will A. Reciprocally with you, I will. you name them? A. Of. Q. At? A. On. Q. Explain them? A. Of, with respect to apparel. At, the door of the Lodge. On, my left knee bare and bended. Q. Why are they called perfect points of entrance? A. Because they include the whole ceremony of initiation. A. Of, includes the whole ceremony of preparation: 4t, that of due admission: and On, that of a solemn obligation. SECOND CLAUSE. Q. Where were you made a Mason? A. In a Lodge just, perfect, and regular. Q. What do you mean by a Lodge? A. An assembly of Masons met to expatiate on the mysteries of Freemasonry. Q. What makes it just? A. The volume of the sacred law unfolded*. Q. What makes it perfect? A. The number seven. Q. Of whom is the number composed? A. Three Masters, two Fellow-Crafts, and two Entered Ap prentices. Q. Why so? * Query-How can the Bible make it just ? R. C. |