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ACTOR, LENOX AND

EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA, to wit:

BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the eighteenth day of August, in the forty-fourth year of the independence of the United States of America, A. D. 1819, Henry Parmele, of the said district, hath deposited in this office the title of a book, the right whereof he claims as author, in the words following, to wit:

Key to the First Chart of the Masonic Mirror; being a Complete Pocket Companion for the use of the Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons, on the First Seven Degrees.

In conformity to the act of the 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 the act, entitled, "An act supplementary 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 benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints."

D. CALDWELL,

Clerk of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

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THE OFFICERS OF THE

GENERAL GRAND CHAPTER,

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THE

GRAND CHAPTERS,

AND

GRAND LODGES,

SUBORDINATE CHAPTERS AND LODGES,

AND

THE FRATERNITY

OF

FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS

THROUGHOUT NORTH AMERICA;

THE MASONIC MIRROR,

TOGETHER WITH

THIS KEY,

IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY

THE AUTHOR.

ADVERTISEMENT.

THE scarcity of Masonic books of a cheap and convenient form, for the use of Lodges, Chapters, and individual brethren, and the growing respectability and usefulness of our ancient Institution, throughout North America, induce the publisher to believe that this appendage to his Masonic Mirror will be found an useful acquisition to the craft. Its size will render it a convenient pocket companion, while it contains all the important information, relative to the first seven degrees of Masonry, found in Webb, Preston, Hutchinson, Dalcho, Phillips, Calcott and the English and American

constitutions.

The second chart will be attended with a similar key, relative to all the degrees of knighthood, and all the ineffable and honorary degrees conferred, on this side of the Atlantic, and will also exhibit the progress of Masonic history from the Christian era to the present time.

The publisher avails himself, with pleasure, of this opportunity, of expressing his gratitude for the extensive patronage which his mirror has already received; and he pledges himself to his patrons, to spare no trouble or expense in the fulfilment of his former promises in relation to his second chart, which will be published as soon as the engraving and printing can be executed.

THE PUBLISHER.

CHAPTER I.

OF MASONRY IN GENERAL.

"MASONRY," says Mr. Sumner, "is MORAL LIGHT; and at whatever moment the first gleam of goodness brightened in the heart of man, masonry was born." Thus remote, and thus honourable is the origin of our noble Institution. GOODNESS was her father, CHARITY her mother, and her study is the happiness of man. Masonry is both a SCIENCE and an ART. As a science, she studies the interest, and searches for the wants of suffering humanity. As an art, she cultivates those interests and relieves those wants. Even in the darkest ages of antiquity, when literature was a stranger to the world; and when virtue was rather a relic of pristine innocence, than a cultivated plant in the terrestrial garden, Masonry disclosed her radiance in the chambers of the "EAST," and beamed with celestial lustre on the admiring world.

As Masonry, like the rising sun, was at first seen illu minating a complete horizon, so, like him, she is still universal in the benign emanation of her genial beams. Her influence is restricted by no local boundaries of climate, sect, or country. By the sacred and inviolable signs which distinguish the fraternity, they are every where known to their intelligent, and discerning brethren. Thus they enjoy an universal language, and thus a decided advantage is given them over every other society that has studied the happiness of man.

By this language, which constitutes a bond of inseparable union, the distant Chinese, the wandering Arab, the slave of European despotism, and the son of American liberty, all assemble on a common and consecrated ground, speaking the intelligible language of unity and A 2

peace. Even amid the ravages of war the voice of Masonry is heard. Frequently, when the burst of trumpets and the shock of arms have silenced every oral language, the mystic sign has brought a redeeming spirit to the soldier's side, and the mantle of Masonry has received him in its silken folds. Yes, and that very MANTLE which can shield from the flaming sabre on the field of battle, has been employed from immemorial time to wipe the tear of suffering orphanage, and drink from the brow of care its dungeondamps. And although Masonry is frequently solicited to feed the mouth that defames her, still she enters with pleasure to the house of mourning and of sorrow, and leaves her last mite in the shed of poverty. Sometimes, indeed, she deems it her duty to deny her right hand the knowledge of what her left has done, but she asks only the reasonable privilege, of alleging in her defence, the precept and example of her Divine Master.

Here too, the bigoted sectary is taught to feel that, the master builder of the universe has not erected his celestial temple for any one name or nation, but that the virtuous. and the good of every denomination, and of every country, are invited from the labours and trials of this world, to the rest and refreshment of the Paradise above.

Such brethren! being the nature and design of our beloved Institution, constituting at once our example and our pride, we need not to be invited to study and to practise the precepts of her lips.

CHAPTER II.

On the first seven degrees, or classes, of Free and Accepted Masons.

HONOUR and probity are recommendations to the first class; and to the ENTERED APPRENTICE the practice of

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