Russian
Freemasonry: A New DawnTHE SWEDENBORGIAN RITE
It was Harry Carr's opinion (The Freemason, October 3, 1925) that Swedenborgian
Rite had been established by the Marquis de Thome in 1783 as a modification
of the Illuminati of Avignon founded at that city in 1760 by the Benedictine
monk Anton Joseph Pernetti (nee February 13, 1716) and a Polish nobleman Gabriela.
About this time another Masonic Lodge "Les Amis Reunis" adopting
Swedenborgian principals had been founded in Paris. It was reorganized subsequently
by Pernetti in 1786 as the Academy of the Illuminated Philosophers. Their
publications included observations on French Masonry, the Visions of Swedenborg
et al. It is said to be the first documented evidence between Freemasonry
and Swedenborg.
Pernetti had joined the Benedictine Order in 1763 and shortly after traveled to Bougainville then to the Maloreenlan Islands to take possession of them in the name of France. He became disenchanted with the Order, subsequently, resigned and became Chief Librarian to Frederick the Great in Prussia. He was a member of the Royal Academy of Science and Arts in Berlin and the Academy at Florence. Pernetti resigned from his office in Berlin in 1783, returned to Paris, then to Valence and returned to Avignon, residing there during the Revolution, put in prison and died in 1801.
Benedict Chastonier, a physician was born in 1739, educated at the College of St. Barbe in Paris and practiced medicine thereafter at Hotel Dieu one of the oldest hospitals in Europe. He read an English transla tion of Arcana Coelesta Vol. II in 1768 and barely missed meeting in the summer of 1769. He did not, however, learn the name of the author of the above book until visiting a book shop in 1776. He had returned to England in 1774 where he was to remain for forty years, and began to translate Swedenborg's works in 1778.
Chastonler was master of the Parisian Lodge Socrate de Ia Parfaite in 1776 and modified the Swedenborgian system introduced by Pernetti in 1786, naming it the "Illuminated Theosophists". He added a seventh degree to the original six, three of which had been appended to degree as follows: 1) Apprentice theosophist, 2) Companion theophist, 3) Master theosophist, 4) Illuminated theosophist, Green Brother, 5) Illuminated theosophist or Blue Brother, 6) llluminated theosophist or Red Brother, 7) Sublime Eccossais or the Heavenly Jerusalem. The body met with limited success, was abandoned and Chastonier spent his remaining years in the translation and publishing of Swedenborg's works.
The Rite was introduced into America by Samuel Beswick a Swedenborgian minister in February 1859. The majority of information concerning this Masonic body can be found in a book he authored "The Swedenborg Rite and the Great Masonic Leaders of the 18th Century". It is readily available in most Grand lodge Libraries and an occasional copy may be purchased from antiquarian book stores. It was summarized with comments together with the ritual in Collectanea 1934-5? and 1966, the official publication of the Grand College of Rites, U. S. A. Unfortunately, no additional records of the parent body have been discovered at the time of Voorhis' contributions or since. The ritual reprinted in 1938 was a copy in possession of John Yorker and the Emmanuel Egyptian Lodge and Temple No. 1-2 Manchester, England and received previously from G. C. Longly of Ponita-au Basil, Maltland, Ontario, Canada in July 1876. Voorhis had access to another copy of the ritual reprinted in 1966 which was identical in a book now in the archives of the Supreme Co., 33 degree in Canada.
There is still another surviving copy of the original ritual used by the Supreme Council of Canada in a manuscript now in the archives of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts. It is initialed by its officers, W. B. Macleod Moore and T. D. Harrington and contains fifty-two, 4 1/2 X 7" pages; the last five of which were blank. The degrees are numbered, first, second and third corresponding to the fourth, fifth and sixth degrees of the rite as reprinted in Collectanea. There is a sketch of the apron and jewel of the officers, inserted between pages 48-49. This ritual is quite similar to that reproduced in Collectanea with only slight differences. This reproduction too is quite comparable to that of the Supreme Grand Junior Warden's Jewel now in the archives of the United Grand Lodge Museum and Library in London, England.
Due to the availability of the complete ritual in Collectanea, Vol. I, Number 1, 1934-1935 in addition to a subsequent reprint, it will not be reproduced here. It would be appropriate, however, to include Section 17 consisting of a "Brief Analysis of the Three degrees" which was given to the candidate at the conclusion of the sixth degree immediately before the charge and closing.
THE SWEDENBORGIAN RITE
SECTION 17. BRIEF ANALYSIS OF THE THREE DEGREES
The ancient and original Ritual of Phremasonry refers to events which occurred in the first ages of the world, and the study of its symbols carries us back to the most remote antiquity. It makes us familiar with the habits and customs of our Ancient Brethren, who worshiped the Deity, in the spirit of a genuine, primitive simplicity; it contains the revealed memorials of the most ancient times, which are hoary with an antiquity which precedes the beginning of even ancient history and which belongs to our common nationality and to the common ori gin of our race. It constitutes the background of all history, sacred and profane. By whatever method these revealed memorials were handed down; whether orally, or by tradition, or pictorially by monumental representation, or by short fragmentary characters, when language was in its infancy, they bear upon their face a stamp of the highest antiquity, when acts were more expressive than words, and when time, language and the want of monumental and written tablets, limited the Ritual to short fragmentary records, which gave nothing but the barest outline of the facts so recorded. One universal religion appears to have prevailed in primitive times, for all ancient religions have the same group of symbols, and although each nation has located this group of symbolic events within its immediate locality, yet every form, in which the group appears, bears marks of having migrated from Egypt, the land of wonders and mother of truth, and of having been carried over the Earth— E, W., S. and N., in every conceivable manner, as the first religious ideas ever held by our race. The work of building God's Temple in nature and the incidents connected with the introduction of our race and its first dwelling place formed that primitive and original Ritual, which embodies the symbolic facts of the first revelation. The age of Rituals, Mysteries, or Religions, may be classed as follows: Egypt, India, Assyria, (Babylonia) Persia, Phoenicia, etc Egypt was the cradle of the mysteries and, at one time, in possession of all the learning and religion that was to be found in the world, and it extended into other nations the influence of its sacred rites and secret doctrines. All other Rituals, and ceremonies, however ancient they may be; whether of Assyria, India, Phoenicia or Greece, have originated from it, as the first model Ritual and the only original one. It records the labours of the Gt. Master Builder in Creation, as the only model worthy of our imitation; being wise and good without spot or blemish, whose perfections are the same yesterday, today and forever and whose attributes and works will be models of Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty to the nations of the Earth and to every successive generation thereof until the end of time.
CHARGE TO THE CANDIDATE
In concluding my remarks, on this 6°, I have pleasure in greeting you on behalf of this Temple, as a Perfect Phremason. This name will ever remind you that you must not only study and understand the lessons which the light of those degrees will reveal to you, but you must practically apply them, so as to perfect your moral preparation for that solemn event, which the symbols of this degree are eminently designed to teach—the day and hour of which is known to none, but the Supreme Gd. Master alone. You are now admitted, by the unanimous consent of the Temple, a Fellow of our ancient and honorable brotherhood; ancient as having subsisted in varied forms from time immemorial, and honorable, as tending to make a man pre-eminent in practical virtue by the adoption of its precepts.
You have entered the Temple three times, and at each entrance the first words of your guide revealed to you the first lesson of all symbolic teaching, that the impressions made upon your body and senses are symbols of impressions made, upon your mind; and all you have seen, or may discover hereafter, will only the more fully reveal to you the same great ! moral truths in another form. Throughout the journey of life, from childhood to old age, whatever may be its character, the same lesson is taught to all, but they will teach you unerring ! lessons of wisdom if you carefully note them as a Perfect Phremason.
The World's Gt. Architect is our Supreme Master and the unerring rule which he has given us, is that by which we are striving to work:
"To do unto others as we would they should do unto us" — our universal Religion is Love. This is the sentiment which unites men of the most discordant principles into one Temple; bringing together the most diverse natures and customs and making one brotherhood, or family, out of the nations of the Earth.
Phremasonry inculcates these duties to God, our neighbours and ourselves; to God, by never mentioning His Holy Name in vain, or in a manner unbecoming a creature to his Creator, and to look upon Him always as the highest standard and model of Perfection. To govern ourselves accordingly; to our neighbours, by acting upon the Level, Plumb and Square, and thus doing as we would be done unto by others; to ourselves, in avoiding intemperance and excess, whereby we may be led into the committal of deeds which will destroy all our cardinal virtues, and the standard measurements of manhood.
The solemnities of our ceremonies will ever require from you an attentive and serious deportment and an observant eye and ear to the exposition of those emblems under which our light is veiled. You are to act as a peaceable and dutiful citizen, conforming cheerfully to the gov ernment under which you live, and pay a due deference to your superiors. You are to behave with decorum in the Lodge and Temple, lest the beauty and harmony thereof should be disturbed; you are to give cheerful obedience to the Master and presiding officers, and apply yourself to the business of Phremasonry, that you may the sooner become proficient therein. If you recommend a friend for membership in the Temple, you must vouch that he is really one whom you fully believe will conform to the aforesaid duties.
Invested, as you are, with that noble and ancient badge, which yields preference to no honor or order in the universe, you must determine to abhor every act that may lessen the dignity of your profession, which to this hour is the glory of the greatest men on the face of the Earth. So shall the laws of virtue and of moral order reign supreme in the world of mind within you, bringing good out of seeming evil, whilst the hand of the Supreme Master will scatter His blessings and mercies, with unmeasured profusion, along your symbolic journey to that Grand Temple above, where virtue will meet its like in points of true fellowship and the upright, Perfect Phremason receive his due reward.
[Swedenborg - The Man] [Swedenborg - The Religion] [Swedenborg - The Rite (1)] [Swedenborg - The Rite (2)] [About the Author]
This article copyright © 1992 Maine Lodge of Research, AF&AM and William G. Peacher - All rights reserved.
[ Home ] [ Papers ] [ Membership ] [ Contacts ] [ Links ]