1871 - KEY TO MASONRY AND KINDRED SECRET COMBINATIONS by Rev. John Levington — 1st Edition / 1st Printing — Freemasonry Secret Rituals and Ceremonies Occult
Publisher: United Brethren Publishing House, Dayton (1871)
First edition from 1871, in very well preserved condition. 425 pages; dark brown embossed boards with gilt on spine. The boards and binding are solid and tight, save for some rubbing and light shelfwear. The pages are crisp and clean save for previous owner's signature on the front endpaper. A very scarce book, on the development of ceremonies and rituals which developed out of dramatic events throughout the history of the freemasons, in connection with significant world events and internal struggles. Please see photos for Table of Contents and more complete synopsis. This particular copy was owned by the VEHMEGERICHT (member, or group). On the back inside board, is a stamp of the Vehmgericht. "The Vehmic courts, Vehmgericht, holy vehme, or simply Vehm,
also Vehmegericht…are names given to a "proto-vigilante" tribunal
system of Westphalia in Germany active during the later Middle Ages, based on a
fraternal organisation of lay judges called “free judges". The original seat of
the courts was in Dortmund. Proceedings were sometimes secret, leading to the
alternative titles of “secret courts", “silent courts", or “forbidden courts".
After the execution of a death sentence, the corpse could be hung on a tree to
advertise the fact and deter others. The peak of activity of these courts was
during the 14th to 15th centuries, with lesser activity attested for the 13th
and 16th centuries, and scattered evidence establishing their continued
existence during the 17th and 18th centuries. They were finally abolished by
order of Jérôme Bonaparte, king of Westphalia, in 1811." [Wikipedia]
