Ir must be acknowledged that there is no dearth of ordinary monitorial books, although I know of none exclusively appropriated to the Chapter degrees. But an experience, by no means inconsiderable, has forced upon me the conviction that the plan upon which these works have been hitherto constructed, is not such as to meet the demands of the enlarged masonic intellect of the present day. All the Monitors now extant appear to have adopted that of THOMAS SMITH WEBB as their prototype, and, like it, have been very generally confined to the arrangement of the prayers, charges, and Scripture lessons, which are used in the several degrees, without any, or, at most, a very slight attempt to explain, by commentaries, the symbolic meaning or the historical references of the different portions of the ritual. Hence, but very little knowledge, beyond the mere working part of our institution, is to be obtained from these books; and although they are well enough for that purpose, still, as it is not the only purpose which may and ought to be effected by a Monitor, I have sought to present the masonic reader with something more in the ensuing pages. Many masons, although willing, and, indeed, anxions, as soon as they are initiated, to learn something more of the nature of the institution into which they have been introduced, and of the meaning of the ceremonies through which they have passed, are very often unable, from the want of times or means, to indulge this laudable curiosity. The information which they require is to be found only in the pages of various masonic treatises, and to be acquired only by careful and laborious study. Books are not always accessible, or if accessible, leisure or inclination may be wanting to institute the necessary investigations. But a Monitor is within every mason's reach. It is the first book to which his attention is directed, and is often placed in his hands by the presiding officer, as a manual which he is recommended to study; and, accordingly, the Monitor is to many a mason, emphatically, his vade mecum. But unless he can find something more important in its pages than such works as those of WEBB and CROSS contain, he will scarcely arise from the perusal with any increased store of knowledge. His want is for " more light -not for a recapitulation of what he has already heard and seen, but for a rational explanation of the mcaning of that through which he has passed. To meet this want, and to place in the hands of every Royal Arch Mason a book in which he may find a lucid explanation, so far as the laws of our institution will permit, of all that has excited his curiosity or attracted his interest in the Chapter degrees, and above all, to furnish an elementary treatise of easy comprehension on the symbolism of Royal Arch Masonry, have been the objects of the author in the preparation of the present work. The plan upon which it has been written is a novel and hitherto untried one. Yet he thinks that he knows enough, from past experience of the wants of young as well as of old masons, to authorize him to anticipate, with some confidênce, its favorable acceptance by the craft. His design, at all events, has been a meritorious one; and if there be any defects or imperfections in the execution, he has, at least, intended, by this labor, to elevate the standard and increase the usefulness of monitorial instruction. ALBERT G. MACKEY, M. D. CHARLESTON, May 1st, 1958. |