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xvi, 166 p. 20 cm. Full leather. Corners bumped, spine head chipped, tears in lower ends of hinges, scuffs to leather, some spots on rear board. Front free endpaper torn out. Bookplate and ink inscription on front pastedown. Top and bottom margins dampstained. Pages 1-40 darkened. Title continues: "As a Help to all that are, or would be Free and Accepted Masons. To which is added, A Sermon, Preached in Christ-Church, Philadelphia, At a General Communication, Celebrated, Agreeable to the Constitutions, on Monday, December 28, 1778, as the Anniversary of St. John the Evangelist. As a Help to all that are, or would be Free and Accepted Masons. To which is added, A Sermon, Preached in Christ-Church, Philadelphia, At a General Communication, Celebrated, Agreeable to the Constitutions, on Monday, December 28, 1778, as the Anniversary of St. John the Evangelist." This is the first volume of Masonic law published by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, prepared by Grand Secretary Rev. William Smith, Provost of the University of Pennsylvania. Dedicated to Brother George Washington. The title Ahiman Rezon is supposedly based on the Hebrew language and to variously mean "to help a brother", "will of selected brethren", "The secrets of prepared brethren", "Royal Builders" and "Brother Secretary". However, Ahiman and Rezon are actually two Biblical figures: Ahiman is depicted in 1 Chronicles 9 as one of four Levite gatekeepers appointed by King David, while. Rezon is depicted in 1 Kings 11 as a fallen prince, who eventually came to lead a group of bandits attempting to seize Syria. Why these names should refer to the rules of the Freemasons is a mystery. At rear is a section of Mason's Songs, followed by a sermon preached by Smith for the benefit of Philadelphia's poor. Also note bookplate designed by James Jervis Blomfield (1879-1951), Canadian artist and designer best known for his design of the coat of arms of Vancouver. Seller Inventory # 148644
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