99 99 99 99 99 _/ ---------------------------------------- ---------------------- ,transcriber's ,note3 ,inconsistent hyphenation matches the original document4 ,a number of obvious typographical errors have been corrected in this text4 ,for a complete list1 please see the bottom of this document4 ---------------------------------------- ---------------------- _/ 99 99 99 99 99 _/ ,,the ,,builders ,a ,,story ,,and ,,study ,,of ,,masonry ,,by ,,joseph ,,fort ,,newton1 ,,litt4 ,d4 ,,grand ,,lodge ,,of ,,iowa ,when ,i was a ,king and a ,mason-- ,a master proved and skilled1 ,i cleared me ground for a palace ,such as a ,king should build4 ,i decreed and cut down to my levels1 ,presently1 under the silt1 ,i came on the wreck of a palace ,such as a ,king had built6 --,,kipling ,,cedar ,,rapids ,,iowa ,,the ,,torch ,,press ,,nineteen ,,fifteen _/ _/ ,,copyright1 #aiad ,,by ,,joseph ,,fort ,,newton ,first ,printing1 ,december1 #aiad _/ _/ ,to ,the ,memory of ,,theodore ,,sutton ,,parvin ,founder of the ,library of the ,grand ,lodge of ,iowa1 with ,reverence and ,gratitude2 to ,,louis ,,block ,past ,grand ,master of ,masons in ,iowa1 dear ,friend and ,fellow-worker1 who initiated and inspired this study1 with ,love and ,goodwill2 and to the ,,young ,,masons ,our ,hope and ,pride1 for whom this book was written ,with ,fraternal ,greeting _/ ,,the ,,anteroom ,fourteen years ago the writer of this volume entered the temple of ,freemasonry1 and that date stands out in memory as one of the most significant days in his life4 ,there was a little spread on the night of his raising1 and1 as is the custom1 the candidate was asked to give his impressions of the ,order4 ,among other things1 he made request to know if there was any little book which would tell a young man the things he would most like to know about ,masonry--what it was1 whence it came1 what it teaches1 and what it is trying to do in the world8 ,no one knew of such a book at that time1 nor has any been found to meet a need which many must have felt before and since4 ,by an odd coincidence1 it has fallen to the lot of the author to write the little book for which he made request fourteen years ago4 ,this bit of reminiscence explains the purpose of the present volume1 and every book must be judged by its spirit and purpose1 not less than by its style and contents4 ,written as a commission from the ,grand ,lodge of ,iowa1 and approved by that ,grand body1 a copy of this book is to be presented to every man upon whom the degree of ,master ,mason is conferred within this ,grand ,jurisdiction4 ,naturally this intention has determined the method and arrangement of the book1 as well as the matter it contains2 its aim being to tell a young man entering the order the antecedents of ,masonry1 its development1 its philosophy1 its mission1 and its ideal4 ,keeping this purpose always in mind1 the effort has been to prepare a brief1 simple1 and vivid account of the origin1 growth1 and teaching of the ,order1 so written as to provoke a deeper interest in and a more earnest study of its story and its service to mankind4 ,no work of this kind has been undertaken1 so far as is known1 by any ,grand ,lodge in this country or abroad--at least1 not since the old ,pocket ,companion1 and other such works in the earlier times2 and this is the more strange from the fact that the need of it is so obvious1 and its possibilities so fruitful and important4 ,every one who has looked into the vast literature of ,masonry must often have felt the need of a concise1 compact1 yet comprehensive survey to clear the path and light the way4 ,especially must those feel such a need who are not accustomed to traverse long and involved periods of history1 and more especially those who have neither the time nor the opportunity to sift ponderous volumes to find out the facts4 ,much of our literature--indeed1 by far the larger part of it--was written before the methods of scientific study had arrived1 and while it fascinates1 it does not convince those who are used to the more critical habits of research4 ,consequently1 without knowing it1 some of our most earnest ,masonic writers have made the ,order a target for ridicule by their extravagant claims as to its antiquity4 ,they did not make it clear in what sense it is ancient1 and not a little satire has been aimed at ,masons for their gullibility in accepting as true the wildest and most absurd legends4 ,besides1 no history of ,masonry has been written in recent years1 and some important material has come to light in the world of historical and archaeological scholarship1 making not a little that has hitherto been obscure more clear2 and there is need that this new knowledge be related to what was already known4 ,while modern research aims at accuracy1 too often its results are dry pages of fact1 devoid of literary beauty and spiritual appeal--a skeleton without the warm robe of flesh and blood4 ,striving for accuracy1 the writer has sought to avoid making a dusty chronicle of facts and figures1 which few would have the heart to follow1 with what success the reader must decide4 ,such a book is not easy to write1 and for two reasons3 it is the history of a secret ,order1 much of whose lore is not to be written1 and it covers a bewildering stretch of time1 asking that the contents of innumerable volumes--many of them huge1 disjointed1 and difficult to digest--be compact within a small space4 ,nevertheless1 if it has required a prodigious labor1 it is assuredly worth while in behalf of the young men who throng our temple gates1 as well as for those who are to come after us4 ,every line of this book has been written in the conviction that the real history of ,masonry is great enough1 and its simple teaching grand enough1 without the embellishment of legend1 much less of occultism4 ,it proceeds from first to last upon the assurance that all that we need to do is to remove the scaffolding from the historic temple of ,masonry and let it stand out in the sunlight1 where all men can see its beauty and symmetry1 and that it will command the respect of the most critical and searching intellects1 as well as the homage of all who love mankind4 ,by this faith the long study has been guided2 in this confidence it has been completed4 ,to this end the sources of ,masonic scholarship1 stored in the library of the ,grand ,lodge of ,iowa1 have been explored1 and the highest authorities have been cited wherever there is uncertainty--copious references serving not only to substantiate the statements made1 but also1 it is hoped1 to guide the reader into further and more detailed research4 ,also1 in respect of issues still open to debate and about which differences of opinion obtain1 both sides have been given a hearing1 so far as space would allow1 that the student may weigh and decide the question for himself4 ,like all ,masonic students of recent times1 the writer is richly indebted to the great ,research ,lodges of ,england--especially to the ,quatuor ,coronati ,lodge1 ,no4 #bjgf--without whose proceedings this study would have been much harder to write1 if indeed it could have been written at all4 ,such men as ,gould1 ,hughan1 ,speth1 ,crawley1 ,thorp1 to name but a few--not forgetting ,pike1 ,parvin1 ,mackey1 ,fort1 and others in this country--deserve the perpetual gratitude of the fraternity4 ,if1 at times1 in seeking to escape from mere legend1 some of them seemed to go too far toward another extreme--forgetting that there is much in ,masonry that cannot be traced by name and date--it was but natural in their effort in behalf of authentic history and accurate scholarship4 ,alas1 most of those named belong now to a time that is gone and to the people who are no longer with us here1 but they are recalled by an humble student who would pay them the honor belonging to great men and great ,masons4 ,this book is divided into three parts1 as everything ,masonic should be3 ,prophecy1 ,history1 and ,interpretation4 ,the first part has to do with the hints and foregleams of ,masonry in the early history1 tradition1 mythology1 and symbolism of the race--finding its foundations in the nature and need of man1 and showing how the stones wrought out by time and struggle were brought from afar to the making of ,masonry as we know it4 ,the second part is a story of the order of builders through the centuries1 from the building of the ,temple of ,solomon to the organization of the mother ,grand ,lodge of ,england1 and the spread of the ,order all over the civilized world4 ,the third part is a statement and exposition of the faith of ,masonry1 its philosophy1 its religious meaning1 its genius1 and its ministry to the individual1 and through the individual to society and the state4 ,such is a bare outline of the purpose1 method1 plan1 and spirit of the work1 and if these be kept in mind it is believed that it will tell its story and confide its message4 ,when a man thinks of our mortal lot--its greatness and its pathos1 how much has been wrought out in the past1 and how binding is our obligation to preserve and enrich the inheritance of humanity--there comes over him a strange warming of the heart toward all his fellow workers2 and especially toward the young1 to whom we must soon entrust all that we hold sacred4 ,all through these pages the wish has been to make the young ,mason feel in what a great and benign tradition he stands1 that he may the more earnestly strive to be a ,mason not merely in form1 but in faith1 in spirit1 and still more1 in character2 and so help to realize somewhat of the beauty we all have dreamed--lifting into the light the latent powers and unguessed possibilities of this the greatest order of men upon the earth4 ,everyone can do a little1 and if each does his part faithfully the sum of our labors will be very great1 and we shall leave the world fairer than we found it1 richer in faith1 gentler in justice1 wiser in pity--for we pass this way but once1 pilgrims seeking a country1 even a ,city that hath foundations4 _/ ,j4,f4,n4 ,cedar ,rapids1 ,iowa1 ,september #g1 #aiad4 _/ ,,table ,,of ,,contents _/ ,,the ,,ante-,,room vii ,,part ,i--,,prophecy ,,chapter ,i4 ,,the ,,foundations #e ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,the ,,working ,,tools #ai ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,the ,,drama ,,of ,,faith #ci ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,the ,,secret ,,doctrine #eg ,,chapter ,v4 ,,the ,,collegia #gc ,,part ,,ii--,,history ,,chapter ,i4 ,,free-,,masons #ig ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,fellowcrafts #abg ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,accepted ,,masons #aec ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,grand ,,lodge ,,of ,,england #agc ,,chapter ,v4 ,,universal ,,masonry #bja ,,part ,,iii--,,interpretation ,,chapter ,i4 ,,what ,,is ,,masonry #bci ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,the ,,masonic ,,philosophy #bei ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,the ,,spirit ,,of ,,masonry #bhc ,,bibliography #cja ,,index #cjf _/ ,part ,i--,prophecy ,,the ,,foundations _/ ,by ,symbols is man guided and commanded1 made happy1 made wretched4 ,he everywhere finds himself encompassed with ,symbols1 recognized as such or not recognized3 the ,universe is but one vast ,symbol of ,god2 nay1 if thou wilt have it1 what is man himself but a ,symbol of ,god2 is not all that he does symbolical2 a revelation to ,sense of the mystic ,god-given force that is in him2 a ,gospel of ,freedom1 which he1 the ,messiah of ,nature1 preaches1 as he can1 by word and act8 ,not a ,hut he builds but is the visible embodiment of a ,thought2 but bears visible record of invisible things2 but is1 in the transcendental sense1 symbolical as well as real4 --,,thomas ,,carlyle1 ,sartor ,resartus _/ ,,chapter ,i ,the ,foundations ,two arts have altered the face of the earth and given shape to the life and thought of man1 ,agriculture and ,architecture4 ,of the two1 it would be hard to know which has been the more intimately interwoven with the inner life of humanity2 for man is not only a planter and a builder1 but a mystic and a thinker4 ,for such a being1 especially in primitive times1 any work was something more than itself2 it was a truth found out4 ,in becoming useful it attained some form1 enshrining at once a thought and a mystery4 ,our present study has to do with the second of these arts1 which has been called the matrix of civilization4 ,when we inquire into origins and seek the initial force which carried art forward1 we find two fundamental factors--physical necessity and spiritual aspiration4 ,of course1 the first great impulse of all architecture was need1 honest response to the demand for shelter2 but this demand included a ,home for the ,soul1 not less than a roof over the head4 ,even in this response to primary need there was something spiritual which carried it beyond provision for the body2 as the men of ,egypt1 for instance1 wanted an indestructible resting-place1 and so built the pyramids4 ,as ,capart says1 prehistoric art shows that this utilitarian purpose was in almost every case blended with a religious1 or at least a magical1 purpose4#a ,the spiritual instinct1 in seeking to recreate types and to set up more sympathetic relations with the universe1 led to imitation1 to ideas of proportion1 to the passion for beauty1 and to the effort after perfection4 ,man has been always a builder1 and nowhere has he shown himself more significantly than in the buildings he has erected4 ,when we stand before them--whether it be a mud hut1 the house of a cliff-dweller stuck like the nest of a swallow on the side of a canon1 a ,pyramid1 a ,parthenon1 or a ,pantheon--we seem to read into his soul4 ,the builder may have gone1 perhaps ages before1 but here he has left something of himself1 his hopes1 his fears1 his ideas1 his dreams4 ,even in the remote recesses of the ,andes1 amidst the riot of nature1 and where man is now a mere savage1 we come upon the remains of vast1 vanished civilizations1 where art and science and religion reached unknown heights4 ,wherever humanity has lived and wrought1 we find the crumbling ruins of towers1 temples1 and tombs1 monuments of its industry and its aspiration4 ,also1 whatever else man may have been--cruel1 tyrannous1 vindictive--his buildings always have reference to religion4 ,they bespeak a vivid sense of the ,unseen and his awareness of his relation to it4 ,of a truth1 the story of the ,tower of ,babel is more than a myth4 ,man has ever been trying to build to heaven1 embodying his prayer and his dream in brick and stone4 ,for there are two sets of realities--material and spiritual--but they are so interwoven that all practical laws are exponents of moral laws4 ,such is the thesis which ,ruskin expounds with so much insight and eloquence in his ,seven ,lamps of ,architecture1 in which he argues that the laws of architecture are moral laws1 as applicable to the building of character as to the construction of cathedrals4 ,he finds those laws to be ,sacrifice1 ,truth1 ,power1 ,beauty1 ,life1 ,memory1 and1 as the crowning grace of all1 that principle to which ,polity owes its stability1 ,life its happiness1 ,faith its acceptance1 and ,creation its continuance--,obedience4 ,he holds that there is no such thing as liberty1 and never can be4 ,the stars have it not2 the earth has it not2 the sea has it not4 ,man fancies that he has freedom1 but if he would use the word ,loyalty instead of ,liberty1 he would be nearer the truth1 since it is by obedience to the laws of life and truth and beauty that he attains to what he calls liberty4 ,throughout that brilliant essay1 ,ruskin shows how the violation of moral laws spoils the beauty of architecture1 mars its usefulness1 and makes it unstable4 ,he points out1 with all the variations of emphasis1 illustration1 and appeal1 that beauty is what is imitated from natural forms1 consciously or unconsciously1 and that what is not so derived1 but depends for its dignity upon arrangement received from the human mind1 expresses1 while it reveals1 the quality of the mind1 whether it be noble or ignoble4 ,thus3 _/#d1ff ,all building1 therefore1 shows man either as gathering or governing2 and the secrets of his success are his knowing what to gather1 and how to rule4 ,these are the two great intellectual ,lamps of ,architecture2 the one consisting in a just and humble veneration of the works of ,god upon earth1 and the other in an understanding of the dominion over those works which has been vested in man4#b _/ ,what our great prophet of art thus elaborated so eloquently1 the early men forefelt by instinct1 dimly it may be1 but not less truly4 ,if architecture was born of need it soon showed its magic quality1 and all true building touched depths of feeling and opened gates of wonder4 ,no doubt the men who first balanced one stone over two others must have looked with astonishment at the work of their hands1 and have worshiped the stones they had set up4 ,this element of mystical wonder and awe lasted long through the ages1 and is still felt when work is done in the old way by keeping close to nature1 necessity1 and faith4 ,from the first1 ideas of sacredness1 of sacrifice1 of ritual rightness1 of magic stability1 of likeness to the universe1 of perfection of form and proportion glowed in the heart of the builder1 and guided his arm4 ,wren1 philosopher as he was1 decided that the delight of man in setting up columns was acquired through worshiping in the groves of the forest2 and modern research has come to much the same view1 for ,sir ,arthur ,evans shows that in the first ,european age columns were gods4 ,all over ,europe the early morning of architecture was spent in the worship of great stones4#c ,if we go to old ,egypt1 where the art of building seems first to have gathered power1 and where its remains are best preserved1 we may read the ideas of the earliest artists4 ,long before the dynastic period a strong people inhabited the land who developed many arts which they handed on to the pyramid-builders4 ,although only semi-naked savages using flint instruments in a style much like the bushmen1 they were the root1 so to speak1 of a wonderful artistic stock4 ,of the ,egyptians ,herodotus said1 ,they gather the fruits of the earth with less labor than any other people4 ,with agriculture and settled life came trade and stored-up energy which might essay to improve on caves and pits and other rude dwellings4 ,by the ,nile1 perhaps1 man first aimed to overpass the routine of the barest need1 and obey his soul4 ,there he wrought out beautiful vases of fine marble1 and invented square building4 ,at any rate1 the earliest known structure actually discovered1 a prehistoric tomb found in the sands at ,hieraconpolis1 is already right-angled4 ,as ,lethaby reminds us1 modern people take squareness very much for granted as being a self-evident form1 but the discovery of the square was a great step in geometry4#d ,it opened a new era in the story of the builders4 ,early inventions must have seemed like revelations1 as indeed they were2 and it is not strange that skilled craftsmen were looked upon as magicians4 ,if man knows as much as he does1 the discovery of the ,square was a great event to the primitive mystics of the ,nile4 ,very early it became an emblem of truth1 justice1 and righteousness1 and so it remains to this day though uncountable ages have passed4 ,simple1 familiar1 eloquent1 it brings from afar a sense of the wonder of the dawn1 and it still teaches a lesson which we find it hard to learn4 ,so also the cube1 the compasses1 and the keystone1 each a great advance for those to whom architecture was indeed building touched with emotion1 as showing that its laws are the laws of the ,eternal4 ,maspero tells us that the temples of ,egypt1 even from earliest times1 were built in the image of the earth as the builders had imagined it4#e ,for them the earth was a sort of flat slab more long than wide1 and the sky was a ceiling or vault supported by four great pillars4 ,the pavement1 represented the earth2 the four angles stood for the pillars2 the ceiling1 more often flat1 though sometimes curved1 corresponded to the sky4 ,from the pavement grew vegetation1 and water plants emerged from the water2 while the ceiling1 painted dark blue1 was strewn with stars of five points4 ,sometimes1 the sun and moon were seen floating on the heavenly ocean escorted by the constellations1 and the months and days4 ,there was a far withdrawn holy place1 small and obscure1 approached through a succession of courts and columned halls1 all so arranged on a central axis as to point to the sunrise4 ,before the outer gates were obelisks and avenues of statues4 ,such were the shrines of the old solar religion1 so oriented that on one day in the year the beams of the rising sun1 or of some bright star that hailed his coming1 should stream down the nave and illumine the altar4#f ,clearly1 one ideal of the early builders was that of sacrifice1 as seen in their use of the finest materials2 and another was accuracy of workmanship4 ,indeed1 not a little of the earliest work displayed an astonishing technical ability1 and such work must point to some underlying idea which the workers sought to realize4 ,above all things they sought permanence4 ,in later inscriptions relating to buildings1 phrases like these occur frequently3 it is such as the heavens in all its quarters2 firm as the heavens4 ,evidently the basic idea was that1 as the heavens were stable1 not to be moved1 so a building put into proper relation with the universe would acquire magical stability4 ,it is recorded that when ,ikhnaton founded his new city1 four boundary stones were accurately placed1 that so it might be exactly square1 and thus endure forever4 ,eternity was the ideal aimed at1 everything else being sacrificed for that aspiration4 ,how well they realized their dream is shown us in the ,pyramids1 of all monuments of mankind the oldest1 the most technically perfect1 the largest1 and the most mysterious4 ,ages come and go1 empires rise and fall1 philosophies flourish and fail1 and man seeks him out many inventions1 but they stand silent under the bright ,egyptian night1 as fascinating as they are baffling4 ,an obelisk is simply a pyramid1 albeit the base has become a shaft1 holding aloft the oldest emblems of solar faith--a ,triangle mounted on a ,square4 ,when and why this figure became holy no one knows1 save as we may conjecture that it was one of those sacred stones which gained its sanctity in times far back of all recollection and tradition1 like the ,ka'aba at ,mecca4 ,whether it be an imitation of the triangle of zodiacal light1 seen at certain times in the eastern sky at sunrise and sunset1 or a feat of masonry used as a symbol of ,heaven1 as the ,square was an emblem of ,earth1 no one may affirm4#g ,in the ,pyramid ,texts the ,sun-god1 when he created all the other gods1 is shown sitting on the apex of the sky in the form of a ,phoenix--that ,supreme ,god to whom two architects1 ,suti and ,hor1 wrote so noble a hymn of praise4#h ,white with the worship of ages1 ineffably beautiful and pathetic1 is the old light-religion of humanity--a sublime nature-mysticism in which ,light was love and life1 and ,darkness evil and death4 ,for the early man light was the mother of beauty1 the unveiler of color1 the elusive and radiant mystery of the world1 and his speech about it was reverent and grateful4 ,at the gates of the morning he stood with uplifted hands1 and the sun sinking in the desert at eventide made him wistful in prayer1 half fear and half hope1 lest the beauty return no more4 ,his religion1 when he emerged from the night of animalism1 was a worship of the ,light--his temple hung with stars1 his altar a glowing flame1 his ritual a woven hymn of night and day4 ,no poet of our day1 not even ,shelley1 has written lovelier lyrics in praise of the ,light than those hymns of ,ikhnaton in the morning of the world4#i ,memories of this religion of the dawn linger with us today in the faith that follows the ,day-,star from on high1 and the ,sun of ,righteousness--,one who is the ,light of the ,world in life1 and the ,lamp of ,poor ,souls in the night of death4 ,here1 then1 are the real foundations of ,masonry1 both material and moral3 in the deep need and aspiration of man1 and his creative impulse2 in his instinctive ,faith1 his quest of the ,ideal1 and his love of the ,light4 ,underneath all his building lay the feeling1 prophetic of his last and highest thought1 that the earthly house of his life should be in right relation with its heavenly prototype1 the world-temple--imitating on earth the house not made with hands1 eternal in the heavens4 ,if he erected a square temple1 it was an image of the earth2 if he built a pyramid1 it was a picture of a beauty shown him in the sky2 as1 later1 his cathedral was modelled after the mountain1 and its dim and lofty arch a memory of the forest vista--its altar a fireside of the soul1 its spire a prayer in stone4 ,and as he wrought his faith and dream into reality1 it was but natural that the tools of the builder should become emblems of the thoughts of the thinker4 ,not only his tools1 but1 as we shall see1 the very stones with which he worked became sacred symbols--the temple itself a vision of that ,house of ,doctrine1 that ,home of the ,soul1 which1 though unseen1 he is building in the midst of the years4 ,,footnotes3 #a ,primitive ,art in ,egypt4 #b ,chapter iii1 aphorism #b4 #c ,architecture1 by ,lethaby1 chap4 i4 #d ,architecture1 by ,lethaby1 chap4 ii4 #e ,dawn of ,civilization4 #f ,dawn of ,astronomy1 ,norman ,lockyer4 #g ,churchward1 in his ,signs and ,symbols of ,primordial ,man 7chap4 xv71 holds that the pyramid was typical of heaven1 ,shu1 standing on seven steps1 having lifted the sky from the earth in the form of a triangle2 and that at each point stood one of the gods1 ,sut and ,shu at the base1 the apex being the ,pole ,star where ,horus of the ,horizon had his throne4 ,this is1 in so far1 true2 but the pyramid emblem was older than ,osiris1 ,isis1 and ,horus1 and runs back into an obscurity beyond knowledge4 #h ,religion and ,thought in ,egypt1 by ,breasted1 lecture ix4 #i ,ikhnaton1 indeed1 was a grand1 solitary1 shining figure1 the first idealist in history1 and a poetic thinker in whom the religion of ,egypt attained its highest reach4 ,dr4 ,breasted puts his lyrics alongside the poems of ,wordsworth and the great passage of ,ruskin in ,modern ,painters1 as celebrating the divinity of ,light 7,religion and ,thought in ,egypt1 lecture ix74 ,despite the revenge of his enemies1 he stands out as a lonely1 heroic1 prophetic soul--the first individual in time4 ,,the ,,working ,,tools _/ ,it began to shape itself to my intellectual vision into something more imposing and majestic1 solemnly mysterious and grand4 ,it seemed to me like the ,pyramids in their loneliness1 in whose yet undiscovered chambers may be hidden1 for the enlightenment of coming generations1 the sacred books of the ,egyptians1 so long lost to the world2 like the ,sphynx half buried in the desert4 ,in its symbolism1 which and its spirit of brotherhood are its essence1 ,freemasonry is more ancient than any of the world's living religions4 ,it has the symbols and doctrines which1 older than himself1 ,zarathrustra inculcated2 and it seemed to me a spectacle sublime1 yet pitiful--the ancient ,faith of our ancestors holding out to the world its symbols once so eloquent1 and mutely and in vain asking for an interpreter4 ,and so ,i came at last to see that the true greatness and majesty of ,freemasonry consist in its proprietorship of these and its other symbols2 and that its symbolism is its soul4 --,,albert ,,pike1 ,letter to ,gould _/ ,,chapter ,,ii ,the ,working ,tools ,never were truer words than those of ,goethe in the last lines of ,faust1 and they echo one of the oldest instincts of humanity3 ,all things transitory but as symbols are sent4 ,from the beginning man has divined that the things open to his senses are more than mere facts1 having other and hidden meanings4 ,the whole world was close to him as an infinite parable1 a mystical and prophetic scroll the lexicon of which he set himself to find4 ,both he and his world were so made as to convey a sense of doubleness1 of high truth hinted in humble1 nearby things4 ,no smallest thing but had its skyey aspect which1 by his winged and quick-sighted fancy1 he sought to surprise and grasp4 ,let us acknowledge that man was born a poet1 his mind a chamber of imagery1 his world a gallery of art4 ,despite his utmost efforts1 he can in nowise strip his thought of the flowers and fruits that cling to it1 withered though they often are4 ,as a fact1 he has ever been a citizen of two worlds1 using the scenery of the visible to make vivid the realities of the world ,unseen4 ,what wonder1 then1 that trees grew in his fancy1 flowers bloomed in his faith1 and the victory of spring over winter gave him hope of life after death1 while the march of the sun and the great stars invited him to thoughts that wander through eternity4 ,symbol was his native tongue1 his first form of speech--as1 indeed1 it is his last--whereby he was able to say what else he could not have uttered4 ,such is the fact1 and even the language in which we state it is a dictionary of faded metaphors1 the fossil poetry of ages ago4 ,i ,that picturesque and variegated maze of the early symbolism of the race we cannot study in detail1 tempting as it is4 ,indeed1 so luxuriant was that old picture-language that we may easily miss our way and get lost in the labyrinth1 unless we keep to the right path4#aj ,first of all1 throughout this study of prophecy let us keep ever in mind a very simple and obvious fact1 albeit not less wonderful because obvious4 ,socrates made the discovery--perhaps the greatest ever made--that human nature is universal4 ,by his searching questions he found out that when men think round a problem1 and think deeply1 they disclose a common nature and a common system of truth4 ,so there dawned upon him1 from this fact1 the truth of the kinship of mankind and the unity of mind4 ,his insight is confirmed many times over1 whether we study the earliest gropings of the human mind or set the teachings of the sages side by side4 ,always we find1 after comparison1 that the final conclusions of the wisest minds as to the meaning of life and the world are harmonious1 if not identical4 ,here is the clue to the striking resemblances between the faiths and philosophies of widely separated peoples1 and it makes them intelligible while adding to their picturesqueness and philosophic interest4 ,by the same token1 we begin to understand why the same signs1 symbols1 and emblems were used by all peoples to express their earliest aspiration and thought4 ,we need not infer that one people learned them from another1 or that there existed a mystic1 universal order which had them in keeping4 ,they simply betray the unity of the human mind1 and show how and why1 at the same stage of culture1 races far removed from each other came to the same conclusions and used much the same symbols to body forth their thought4 ,illustrations are innumerable1 of which a few may be named as examples of this unity both of idea and of emblem1 and also as confirming the insight of the great ,greek that1 however shallow minds may differ1 in the end all seekers after truth follow a common path1 comrades in one great quest4 ,an example in point1 as ancient as it is eloquent1 is the idea of the trinity and its emblem1 the triangle4 ,what the human thought of ,god is depends on what power of the mind or aspect of life man uses as a lens through which to look into the mystery of things4 ,conceived of as the will of the world1 ,god is one1 and we have the monotheism of ,moses4 ,seen through instinct and the kaleidoscope of the senses1 ,god is multiple1 and the result is polytheism and its gods without number4 ,for the reason1 ,god is a dualism made up of matter and mind1 as in the faith of ,zoroaster and many other cults4 ,but when the social life of man becomes the prism of faith1 ,god is a trinity of ,father1 ,mother1 ,child4 ,almost as old as human thought1 we find the idea of the trinity and its triangle emblem everywhere--,siva1 ,vishnu1 and ,brahma in ,india corresponding to ,osiris1 ,isis1 and ,horus in ,egypt4 ,no doubt this idea underlay the old pyramid emblem1 at each corner of which stood one of the gods4 ,no missionary carried this profound truth over the earth4 ,it grew out of a natural and universal human experience1 and is explained by the fact of the unity of the human mind and its vision of ,god through the family4 ,other emblems take us back into an antiquity so remote that we seem to be walking in the shadow of prehistoric time4 ,of these1 the mysterious ,swastika is perhaps the oldest1 as it is certainly the most widely distributed over the earth4 ,as much a talisman as a symbol1 it has been found on ,chaldean bricks1 among the ruins of the city of ,troy1 in ,egypt1 on vases of ancient ,cyprus1 on ,hittite remains and the pottery of the ,etruscans1 in the cave temples of ,india1 on ,roman altars and ,runic monuments in ,britain1 in ,thibet1 ,china1 and ,korea1 in ,mexico1 ,peru1 and among the prehistoric burial-grounds of ,north ,america4 ,there have been many interpretations of it4 ,perhaps the meaning most usually assigned to it is that of the ,sanskrit word having in its roots an intimation of the beneficence of life1 to be and well4 ,as such1 it is a sign indicating that the maze of life may bewilder1 but a path of light runs through it3 ,it is well is the name of the path1 and the key to life eternal is in the strange labyrinth for those whom ,god leadeth4#aa ,others hold it to have been an emblem of the ,pole ,star whose stability in the sky1 and the procession of the ,ursa ,major around it1 so impressed the ancient world4 ,men saw the sun journeying across the heavens every day in a slightly different track1 then standing still1 as it were1 at the solstice1 and then returning on its way back4 ,they saw the moon changing not only its orbit1 but its size and shape and time of appearing4 ,only the ,pole ,star remained fixed and stable1 and it became1 not unnaturally1 a light of assurance and the footstool of the ,most ,high4#ab ,whatever its meaning1 the ,swastika shows us the efforts of the early man to read the riddle of things1 and his intuition of a love at the heart of life4 ,akin to the ,swastika1 if not an evolution from it1 was the ,cross1 made forever holy by the highest heroism of ,love4 ,when man climbed up out of the primeval night1 with his face to heaven upturned1 he had a cross in his hand4 ,where he got it1 why he held it1 and what he meant by it1 no one can conjecture much less affirm4#ac ,itself a paradox1 its arms pointing to the four quarters of the earth1 it is found in almost every part of the world carved on coins1 altars1 and tombs1 and furnishing a design for temple architecture in ,mexico and ,peru1 in the pagodas of ,india1 not less than in the churches of ,christ4 ,ages before our era1 even from the remote time of the cliff-dweller1 the ,cross seems to have been a symbol of life1 though for what reason no one knows4 ,more often it was an emblem of eternal life1 especially when inclosed within a ,circle which ends not1 nor begins--the type of ,eternity4 ,hence the ,ank ,cross or ,crux ,ansata of ,egypt1 scepter of the ,lord of the ,dead that never die4 ,there is less mystery about the ,circle1 which was an image of the disk of the ,sun and a natural symbol of completeness1 of eternity4 ,with a point within the center it became1 as naturally1 the emblem of the ,eye of the ,world--that ,all-seeing eye of the eternal ,watcher of the human scene4 ,square1 triangle1 cross1 circle--oldest symbols of humanity1 all of them eloquent1 each of them pointing beyond itself1 as symbols always do1 while giving form to the invisible truth which they invoke and seek to embody4 ,they are beautiful if we have eyes to see1 serving not merely as chance figures of fancy1 but as forms of reality as it revealed itself to the mind of man4 ,sometimes we find them united1 the ,square within the ,circle1 and within that the ,triangle1 and at the center the ,cross4 ,earliest of emblems1 they show us hints and foregleams of the highest faith and philosophy1 betraying not only the unity of the human mind but its kinship with the ,eternal--the fact which lies at the root of every religion1 and is the basis of each4 ,upon this ,faith man builded1 finding a rock beneath1 refusing to think of ,death as the gigantic coffin-lid of a dull and mindless universe descending upon him at last4 ,,ii ,from this brief outlook upon a wide field1 we may pass to a more specific and detailed study of the early prophecies of ,masonry in the art of the builder4 ,always the symbolic must follow the actual1 if it is to have reference and meaning1 and the real is ever the basis of the ideal4 ,by nature an ,idealist1 and living in a world of radiant mystery1 it was inevitable that man should attach moral and spiritual meanings to the tools1 laws1 and materials of building4 ,even so1 in almost every land and in the remotest ages we find great and beautiful truth hovering about the builder and clinging to his tools4#ad ,whether there were organized orders of builders in the early times no one can tell1 though there may have been4 ,no matter2 man mixed thought and worship with his work1 and as he cut his altar stones and fitted them together he thought out a faith by which to live4 ,not unnaturally1 in times when the earth was thought to be a ,square the ,cube had emblematical meanings it could hardly have for us4 ,from earliest ages it was a venerated symbol1 and the oblong cube signified immensity of space from the base of earth to the zenith of the heavens4 ,it was a sacred emblem of the ,lydian ,kubele1 known to the ,romans in after ages as ,ceres or ,cybele--hence1 as some aver1 the derivation of the word cube4 ,at first rough stones were most sacred1 and an altar of hewn stones was forbidden4#ae ,with the advent of the cut cube1 the temple became known as the ,house of the ,hammer--its altar1 always in the center1 being in the form of a cube and regarded as an index or emblem of ,truth1 ever true to itself4#af ,indeed1 the cube1 as ,plutarch points out in his essay ,on the ,cessation of ,oracles1 is palpably the proper emblem of rest1 on account of the security and firmness of the superficies4 ,he further tells us that the pyramid is an image of the triangular flame ascending from a square altar2 and since no one knows1 his guess is as good as any4 ,at any rate1 ,mercury1 ,apollo1 ,neptune1 and ,hercules were worshiped under the form of a square stone1 while a large black stone was the emblem of ,buddha among the ,hindoos1 of ,manah ,theus-,ceres in ,arabia1 and of ,odin in ,scandinavia4 ,everyone knows of the ,stone of ,memnon in ,egypt1 which was said to speak at sunrise--as1 in truth1 all stones spoke to man in the sunrise of time4#ag ,more eloquent1 if possible1 was the ,pillar uplifted1 like the pillars of the gods upholding the heavens4 ,whatever may have been the origin of pillars1 and there is more than one theory1 ,evans has shown that they were everywhere worshiped as gods4#ah ,indeed1 the gods themselves were pillars of ,light and ,power1 as in ,egypt ,horus and ,sut were the twin-builders and supporters of heaven2 and ,bacchus among the ,thebans4 ,at the entrance of the temple of ,amenta1 at the door of the house of ,ptah--as1 later1 in the porch of the temple of ,solomon--stood two pillars4 ,still further back1 in the old solar myths1 at the gateway of eternity stood two pillars--,strength and ,wisdom4 ,in ,india1 and among the ,mayas and ,incas1 there were three pillars at the portals of the earthly and skyey temple--,wisdom1 ,strength1 and ,beauty4 ,when man set up a pillar1 he became a fellow-worker with ,him whom the old sages of ,china used to call the first ,builder4 ,also1 pillars were set up to mark the holy places of vision and ,divine deliverance1 as when ,jacob erected a pillar at ,bethel1 ,joshua at ,gilgal1 and ,samuel at ,mizpeh and ,shen4 ,always they were symbols of stability1 of what the ,egyptians described as the place of establishing forever1--emblems of the faith that the pillars of the earth are the ,lord's1 and ,he hath set the world upon them4#ai ,long before our era we find the working tools of the ,mason used as emblems of the very truths which they teach today4 ,in the oldest classic of ,china1 ,the ,book of ,history1 dating back to the twentieth century before ,christ1 we read the instruction3 ,ye officers of the ,government1 apply the compasses4 ,even if we begin where ,the ,book of ,history ends1 we find many such allusions more than seven hundred years before the ,christian era4 ,for example1 in the famous canonical work1 called ,the ,great ,learning1 which has been referred to the fifth century ,b4,c41 we read1 that a man should abstain from doing unto others what he would not they should do to him2 and this1 the writer adds1 is called the principle of acting on the square4 ,so also ,confucius and his great follower1 ,mencius4 ,in the writings of ,mencius it is taught that men should apply the square and compasses morally to their lives1 and the level and the marking line besides1 if they would walk in the straight and even paths of wisdom1 and keep themselves within the bounds of honor and virtue4#bj ,in the sixth book of his philosophy we find these words3 _/#d1ff ,a ,master ,mason1 in teaching apprentices1 makes use of the compasses and the square4 ,ye who are engaged in the pursuit of wisdom must also make use of the compass and square4#ba _/ ,there are even evidences1 in the earliest historic records of ,china1 of the existence of a system of faith expressed in allegoric form1 and illustrated by the symbols of building4 ,the secrets of this faith seem to have been orally transmitted1 the leaders alone pretending to have full knowledge of them4 ,oddly enough1 it seems to have gathered about a symbolical temple put up in the desert1 that the various officers of the faith were distinguished by symbolic jewels1 and that at its rites they wore leather aprons4#bb ,from such records as we have it is not possible to say whether the builders themselves used their tools as emblems1 or whether it was the thinkers who first used them to teach moral truths4 ,in any case1 they were understood2 and the point here is that1 thus early1 the tools of the builder were teachers of wise and good and beautiful truth4 ,indeed1 we need not go outside the ,bible to find both the materials and working tools of the ,mason so employed3#bc _/#d1ff ,for every house is builded by some man2 but the builder of all things is ,god 444 whose house we are4#bd ,behold1 ,i lay in ,zion for a foundation a tried stone1 a precious corner-stone1 a sure foundation4#be ,the stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner4#bf ,ye also1 as living stones1 are built up into a spiritual house4#bg ,when he established the heavens ,i was there1 when he set the compass upon the face of the deep1 when he marked out the foundations of the earth3 then was ,i by him as a master workman4#bh ,the ,lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline1 with a plumbline in his hand4 ,and the ,lord said unto me1 ,amos1 what seest thou8 ,and ,i said1 ,a plumbline4 ,then said the ,lord1 ,behold1 ,i will set a plumbline in the midst of my people ,israel3 ,i will not again pass by them any more4#bi ,ye shall offer the holy oblation foursquare1 with the possession of the city4#cj ,and the city lieth foursquare1 and the length is as large as the breadth4#ca ,him that overcometh ,i will make a pillar in the temple of my ,god2 and ,i will write upon him my new name4#cb ,for we know that when our earthly house of this tabernacle is dissolved1 we have a building of ,god1 an house not made with hands1 eternal in the heavens4#cc _/ ,if further proof were needed1 it has been preserved for us in the imperishable stones of ,egypt4#cd ,the famous obelisk1 known as ,cleopatra's ,needle1 now in ,central ,park1 ,new ,york1 the gift to our nation from ,ismail1 ,khedive of ,egypt in #ahgh1 is a mute but eloquent witness of the antiquity of the simple symbols of the ,mason4 ,originally it stood as one of the forest of obelisks surrounding the great temple of the ,sun-god at ,heliopolis1 so long a seat of ,egyptian learning and religion1 dating back1 it is thought1 to the fifteenth century before ,christ4 ,it was removed to ,alexandria and re-erected by a ,roman architect and engineer named ,pontius1 ,b4,c4 #bb4 ,when it was taken down in #ahgi to be brought to ,america1 all the emblems of the builders were found in the foundation4 ,the rough ,cube and the polished ,cube in pure white limestone1 the ,square cut in syenite1 an iron ,trowel1 a lead ,plummet1 the arc of a ,circle1 the serpent-symbols of ,wisdom1 a stone ,trestle-board1 a stone bearing the ,master's ,mark1 and a hieroglyphic word meaning ,temple--all so placed and preserved as to show1 beyond doubt1 that they had high symbolic meaning4 ,whether they were in the original foundation1 or were placed there when the obelisk was removed1 no one can tell4 ,nevertheless1 they were there1 concrete witnesses of the fact that the builders worked in the light of a mystical faith1 of which they were emblems4 ,much has been written of buildings1 their origin1 age1 and architecture1 but of the builders hardly a word--so quickly is the worker forgotten1 save as he lives in his work4 ,though we have no records other than these emblems1 it is an obvious inference that there were orders of builders even in those early ages1 to whom these symbols were sacred2 and this inference is the more plausible when we remember the importance of the builder both to religion and the state4 ,what though the builders have fallen into dust1 to which all things mortal decline1 they still hold out their symbols for us to read1 speaking their thoughts in a language easy to understand4 ,across the piled-up debris of ages they whisper the old familiar truths1 and it will be a part of this study to trace those symbols through the centuries1 showing that they have always had the same high meanings4 ,they bear witness not only to the unity of the human mind1 but to the existence of a common system of truth veiled in allegory and taught in symbols4 ,as such1 they are prophecies of ,masonry as we know it1 whose genius it is to take what is old1 simple1 and universal1 and use it to bring men together and make them friends4 _/,p ,shore calls to shore ,that the line is unbroken6 ,p_/ ,,footnotes3 #aj ,there are many books in this field1 but two may be named3 ,the ,lost ,language of ,symbolism1 by ,bayley1 and the ,signs and ,symbols of ,primordial ,man1 by ,churchward1 each in its own way remarkable4 ,the first aspires to be for this field what ,frazer's ,golden ,bough is for religious anthropology1 and its dictum is3 ,beauty is ,truth2 ,truth ,beauty4 ,the thesis of the second is that ,masonry is founded upon ,egyptian eschatology1 which may be true2 but unfortunately the book is too polemical4 ,both books partake of the poetry1 if not the confusion1 of the subject2 but not for a world of dust would one clip their wings of fancy and suggestion4 ,indeed1 their union of scholarship and poetry is unique4 ,when the pains of erudition fail to track a fact to its lair1 they do not scruple to use the divining rod2 and the result often passes out of the realm of pedestrian chronicle into the world of winged literature4 #aa ,the ,word in the ,pattern1 ,mrs4 ,g4,f4 ,watts4 #ab ,the ,swastika1 ,thomas ,carr4 ,see essay by the same writer in which he shows that the ,swastika is the symbol of the ,supreme ,architect of the ,universe among ,operative ,masons today 7,the ,lodge of ,research1 ,no4 #bdbi1 ,transactions1 #aiaa-ab74 #ac ,signs and ,symbols1 ,churchward1 chap4 xvii4 #ad ,here again the literature is voluminous1 but not entirely satisfactory4 ,a most interesting book is ,signs and ,symbols of ,primordial ,man1 by ,churchward1 in that it surveys the symbolism of the race always with reference to its ,masonic suggestion4 ,vivid and popular is ,symbols and ,legends of ,freemasonry1 by ,finlayson1 but he often strains facts in order to stretch them over wide gaps of time4 ,dr4 ,mackey's ,symbolism of ,freemasonry1 though written more than sixty years ago1 remains a classic of the order4 ,unfortunately the lectures of ,albert ,pike on ,symbolism are not accessible to the general reader1 for they are rich mines of insight and scholarship1 albeit betraying his partisanship of the ,indo-,aryan race4 ,many minor books might be named1 but we need a work brought up to date and written in the light of recent research4 #ae ,exod4 #bj3be4 #af ,antiquities of ,cornwall1 ,borlase4 #ag ,lost ,language of ,symbolism1 ,bayley1 chap1 xviii2 also in the ,bible1 ,deut4 #cb3ah1 ,,ii ,sam4 #bb3c1 #cb1 ,psa4 #bh3a1 ,matt4 #af3ah1 ,i ,cor4 #aj3d4 #ah ,tree and ,pillar ,cult1 ,sir ,arthur ,evans4 #ai ,i ,sam4 #b3h1 ,psa4 #ge3h1 ,job #bf3g1 ,rev4 #c3ab4 #bj ,freemasonry in ,china1 ,giles4 ,also ,gould1 ,his4 ,masonry1 vol4 i1 chap4 i4 #ba ,chinese ,classics1 by ,legge1 i1 #bai-de4 #bb ,essay by ,chaloner ,alabaster1 ,ars ,quatuor ,coronatorum1 vol4 ii1 #aba-bd4 ,it is not too much to say that the ,transactions of this ,lodge of ,research are the richest storehouse of ,masonic lore in the world4 #bc ,matt4 #af3ah1 ,eph4 #b3bj-bb1 ,i ,cor4 #b3i-ag4 ,woman is the house and wall of man1 without whose bounding and redeeming influence he would be dissipated and lost 7,song of ,solomon #h3aj74 ,so also by the mystics 7,the ,perfect ,way74 #bd ,heb4 #c3d4 #be ,isa4 #bh3af4 #bf ,psa4 #aah3bb1 ,matt4 #ba3db4 #bg ,i ,pet4 #b3e4 #bh ,prov4 #h3bg-cj1 ,revised ,version4 #bi ,amos #g3g1 #h4 #cj ,ezk4 #dh3bj4 #ca ,rev4 #ba3af4 #cb ,rev4 #c3ab4 #cc ,,ii ,cor4 #e3a4 #cd ,egyptian ,obelisks1 ,h4,h4 ,gorringe4 ,the obelisk in ,central ,park1 the expenses for removing which were paid by ,w4,h4 ,vanderbilt1 was examined by the ,grand ,lodge of ,new ,york1 and its emblems pronounced to be unmistakably ,masonic4 ,this book gives full account of all obelisks brought to ,europe from ,egypt1 their measurements1 inscriptions1 and transportation4 ,,the ,,drama ,,of ,,faith _/ ,and so the ,quest goes on4 ,and the ,quest1 as it may be1 ends in attainment--we know not where and when3 so long as we can conceive of our separate existence1 the quest goes on--an attainment continued henceforward4 ,and ever shall the study of the ways which have been followed by those who have passed in front be a help on our own path4 ,it is well1 it is of all things beautiful and perfect1 holy and high of all1 to be conscious of the path which does in fine lead thither where we seek to go1 namely1 the goal which is in ,god4 ,taking nothing with us which does not belong to ourselves1 leaving nothing behind us that is of our real selves1 we shall find in the great attainment that the companions of our toil are with us4 ,and the place is the ,valley of ,peace4 --,,arthur ,,edward ,,waite1 ,the ,secret ,tradition _/ ,,chapter ,,iii ,the ,drama of ,faith ,man does not live by bread alone2 he lives by ,faith1 ,hope1 and ,love1 and the first of these was ,faith4 ,nothing in the human story is more striking than the persistent1 passionate1 profound protest of man against death4 ,even in the earliest time we see him daring to stand erect at the gates of the grave1 disputing its verdict1 refusing to let it have the last word1 and making argument in behalf of his soul4 ,for ,emerson1 as for ,addison1 that fact alone was proof enough of immortality1 as revealing a universal intuition of eternal life4 ,others may not be so easily convinced1 but no man who has the heart of a man can fail to be impressed by the ancient1 heroic faith of his race4 ,nowhere has this faith ever been more vivid or victorious than among the old ,egyptians4#ce ,in the ancient ,book of the ,dead--which is1 indeed1 a ,book of ,resurrection--occur the words3 ,the soul to heaven2 the body to earth2 and that first faith is our faith today4 ,of ,king ,unas1 who lived in the third millennium1 it is written3 ,behold1 thou hast not gone as one dead1 but as one living4 ,nor has any one in our day set forth this faith with more simple eloquence than the ,hymn to ,osiris1 in the ,papyrus of ,hunefer4 ,so in the ,pyramid ,texts the dead are spoken of as ,those ,who ,ascend1 the ,imperishable ,ones who shine as stars1 and the gods are invoked to witness the death of the ,king ,dawning as a ,soul4 ,there is deep prophecy1 albeit touched with poignant pathos1 in these broken exclamations written on the pyramid walls3 _/#d1ff ,thou diest not6 ,have ye said that he would die8 ,he diest not2 this ,king ,pepi lives forever6 ,live6 ,thou shalt not die6 ,he has escaped his day of death6 ,thou livest1 thou livest1 raise thee up6 ,thou diest not1 stand up1 raise thee up6 ,thou perishest not eternally6 ,thou diest not6#cf _/ ,nevertheless1 nor poetry nor chant nor solemn ritual could make death other than death2 and the ,pyramid ,texts1 while refusing to utter the fatal word1 give wistful reminiscences of that blessed age before death came forth4 ,however high the faith of man1 the masterful negation and collapse of the body was a fact1 and it was to keep that daring faith alive and aglow that ,the ,mysteries were instituted4 ,beginning1 it may be1 in incantation1 they rose to heights of influence and beauty1 giving dramatic portrayal of the unconquerable faith of man4 ,watching the sun rise from the tomb of night1 and the spring return in glory after the death of winter1 man reasoned from analogy--justifying a faith that held him as truly as he held it--that the race1 sinking into the grave1 would rise triumphant over death4 ,i ,there were many variations on this theme as the drama of faith evolved1 and as it passed from land to land2 but the ,motif was ever the same1 and they all were derived1 directly or indirectly1 from the old ,osirian passion-play in ,egypt4 ,against the background of the ancient ,solar religion1 ,osiris made his advent as ,lord of the ,nile and fecund ,spirit of vegetable life--son of ,nut the sky-goddess and ,geb the earth-god2 and nothing in the story of the ,nile-dwellers is more appealing than his conquest of the hearts of the people against all odds4#cg ,howbeit1 that history need not detain us here1 except to say that by the time his passion had become the drama of national faith1 it had been bathed in all the tender hues of human life2 though somewhat of its solar radiance still lingered in it4 ,enough to say that of all the gods1 called into being by the hopes and fears of men who dwelt in times of yore on the banks of the ,nile1 ,osiris was the most beloved4 ,osiris the benign father1 ,isis his sorrowful and faithful wife1 and ,horus whose filial piety and heroism shine like diamonds in a heap of stones--about this trinity were woven the ideals of ,egyptian faith and family life4 ,hear now the story of the oldest drama of the race1 which for more than three thousand years held captive the hearts of men4#ch ,osiris was ,ruler of ,eternity1 but by reason of his visible shape seemed nearly akin to man--revealing a divine humanity4 ,his success was chiefly due1 however1 to the gracious speech of ,isis1 his sister-wife1 whose charm men could neither reckon nor resist4 ,together they labored for the good of man1 teaching him to discern the plants fit for food1 themselves pressing the grapes and drinking the first cup of wine4 ,they made known the veins of metal running through the earth1 of which man was ignorant1 and taught him to make weapons4 ,they initiated man into the intellectual and moral life1 taught him ethics and religion1 how to read the starry sky1 song and dance and the rhythm of music4 ,above all1 they evoked in men a sense of immortality1 of a destiny beyond the tomb4 ,nevertheless1 they had enemies at once stupid and cunning1 keen-witted but short-sighted--the dark force of evil which still weaves the fringe of crime on the borders of human life4 ,side by side with ,osiris1 lived the impious ,set-,typhon1 as ,evil ever haunts the ,good4 ,while ,osiris was absent1 ,typhon--whose name means serpent--filled with envy and malice1 sought to usurp his throne2 but his plot was frustrated by ,isis4 ,whereupon he resolved to kill ,osiris4 ,this he did1 having invited him to a feast1 by persuading him to enter a chest1 offering1 as if in jest1 to present the richly carved chest to any one of his guests who1 lying down inside it1 found he was of the same size4 ,when ,osiris got in and stretched himself out1 the conspirators closed the chest1 and flung it into the ,nile4#ci ,thus far1 the gods had not known death4 ,they had grown old1 with white hair and trembling limbs1 but old age had not led to death4 ,as soon as ,isis heard of this infernal treachery1 she cut her hair1 clad herself in a garb of mourning1 ran thither and yon1 a prey to the most cruel anguish1 seeking the body4 ,weeping and distracted1 she never tarried1 never tired in her sorrowful quest4 ,meanwhile1 the waters carried the chest out to sea1 as far as ,byblos in ,syria1 the town of ,adonis1 where it lodged against a shrub of arica1 or tamarisk--like an acacia tree4#dj ,owing to the virtue of the body1 the shrub1 at its touch1 shot up into a tree1 growing around it1 and protecting it1 until the king of that country cut the tree which hid the chest in its bosom1 and made from it a column for his palace4 ,at last ,isis1 led by a vision1 came to ,byblos1 made herself known1 and asked for the column4 ,hence the picture of her weeping over a broken column torn from the palace1 while ,horus1 god of ,time1 stands behind her pouring ambrosia on her hair4 ,she took the body back to ,egypt1 to the city of ,bouto2 but ,typhon1 hunting by moonlight1 found the chest1 and having recognized the body of ,osiris1 mangled it and scattered it beyond recognition4 ,isis1 embodiment of the old world-sorrow for the dead1 continued her pathetic quest1 gathering piece by piece the body of her dismembered husband1 and giving him decent interment4 ,such was the life and death of ,osiris1 but as his career pictured the cycle of nature1 it could not of course end here4 ,horus fought with ,typhon1 losing an eye in the battle1 but finally overthrew him and took him prisoner4 ,there are several versions of his fate1 but he seems to have been tried1 sentenced1 and executed--cut in three pieces1 as the ,pyramid ,texts relate4 ,thereupon the faithful son went in solemn procession to the grave of his father1 opened it1 and called upon ,osiris to rise3 ,stand up6 ,thou shalt not end1 thou shalt not perish6 ,but death was deaf4 ,here the ,pyramid ,texts recite the mortuary ritual1 with its hymns and chants2 but in vain4 ,at length ,osiris awakes1 weary and feeble1 and by the aid of the strong grip of the lion-god he gains control of his body1 and is lifted from death to life4#da ,thereafter1 by virtue of his victory over death1 ,osiris becomes ,lord of the ,land of ,death1 his scepter an ,ank ,cross1 his throne a ,square4 ,,ii ,such1 in brief1 was the ancient allegory of eternal life1 upon which there were many elaborations as the drama unfolded2 but always1 under whatever variation of local color1 of national accent or emphasis1 its central theme remained the same4 ,often perverted and abused1 it was everywhere a dramatic expression of the great human aspiration for triumph over death and union with ,god1 and the belief in the ultimate victory of ,good over ,evil4 ,not otherwise would this drama have held the hearts of men through long ages1 and won the eulogiums of the most enlightened men of antiquity--of ,pythagoras1 ,socrates1 ,plato1 ,euripides1 ,plutarch1 ,pindar1 ,isocrates1 ,epictetus1 and ,marcus ,aurelius4 ,writing to his wife after the loss of their little girl1 ,plutarch commends to her the hope set forth in the mystic rites and symbols of this drama1 as1 elsewhere1 he testifies that it kept him as far from superstition as from atheism1 and helped him to approach the truth4 ,for deeper minds this drama had a double meaning1 teaching not only immortality after death1 but the awakening of man upon earth from animalism to a life of purity1 justice1 and honor4 ,how nobly this practical aspect was taught1 and with what fineness of spiritual insight1 may be seen in ,secret ,sermon on the ,mountain in the ,hermetic lore of ,greece3#db _/#d1ff ,what may ,i say1 my son8 ,i can but tell thee this4 ,whenever ,i see within myself the ,simple ,vision brought to birth out of ,god's mercy1 ,i have passed through myself into a ,body that can never die4 ,then ,i am not what ,i was before4444 ,they who are thus born are children of a ,divine race4 ,this race1 my son1 is never taught2 but when ,he willeth it1 its memory is restored by ,god4 ,it is the ,way of ,birth in ,god4 444 ,withdraw into thyself and it will come4 ,will1 and it comes to pass4 _/ ,isis herself is said to have established the first temple of the ,mysteries1 the oldest being those practiced at ,memphis4 ,of these there were two orders1 the ,lesser to which the many were eligible1 and which consisted of dialogue and ritual1 with certain signs1 tokens1 grips1 passwords2 and the ,greater1 reserved for the few who approved themselves worthy of being entrusted with the highest secrets of science1 philosophy1 and religion4 ,for these the candidate had to undergo trial1 purification1 danger1 austere asceticism1 and1 at last1 regeneration through dramatic death amid rejoicing4 ,such as endured the ordeal with valor were then taught1 orally and by symbol1 the highest wisdom to which man had attained1 including geometry1 astronomy1 the fine arts1 the laws of nature1 as well as the truths of faith4 ,awful oaths of secrecy were exacted1 and ,plutarch describes a man kneeling1 his hands bound1 a cord round his body1 and a knife at his throat--death being the penalty of violating the obligation4 ,even then1 ,pythagoras had to wait almost twenty years to learn the hidden wisdom of ,egypt1 so cautious were they of candidates1 especially of foreigners4 ,but he made noble use of it when1 later1 he founded a secret order of his own at ,crotona1 in ,greece1 in which1 among other things1 he taught geometry1 using numbers as symbols of spiritual truth4#dc ,from ,egypt the ,mysteries passed with little change to ,asia ,minor1 ,greece1 and ,rome1 the names of local gods being substituted for those of ,osiris and ,isis4 ,the ,grecian or ,eleusinian ,mysteries1 established #ahjj ,b4,c41 represented ,demeter and ,persephone1 and depicted the death of ,dionysius with stately ritual which led the neophyte from death into life and immortality4 ,they taught the unity of ,god1 the immutable necessity of morality1 and a life after death1 investing initiates with signs and passwords by which they could know each other in the dark as well as in the light4 ,the ,mithraic or ,persian ,mysteries celebrated the eclipse of the ,sun-god1 using the signs of the zodiac1 the processions of the seasons1 the death of nature1 and the birth of spring4 ,the ,adoniac or ,syrian cults were similar1 ,adonis being killed1 but revived to point to life through death4 ,in the ,cabirie ,mysteries on the island of ,samothrace1 ,atys the ,sun was killed by his brothers the ,seasons1 and at the vernal equinox was restored to life4 ,so1 also1 the ,druids1 as far north as ,england1 taught of one ,god the tragedy of winter and summer1 and conducted the initiate through the valley of death to life everlasting4#dd ,shortly before the ,christian era1 when faith was failing and the world seemed reeling to its ruin1 there was a great revival of the ,mystery-religions4 ,imperial edict was powerless to stay it1 much less stop it4 ,from ,egypt1 from the far ,east1 they came rushing in like a tide1 ,isis of the myriad names vieing with ,mithra1 the patron saint of the soldier1 for the homage of the multitude4 ,if we ask the secret reason for this influx of mysticism1 no single answer can be given to the question4 ,what influence the reigning mystery-cults had upon the new1 uprising ,christianity is also hard to know1 and the issue is still in debate4 ,that they did influence the early ,church is evident from the writings of the ,fathers1 and some go so far as to say that the ,mysteries died at last only to live again in the ritual of the ,church4 ,st4 ,paul in his missionary journeys came in contact with the ,mysteries1 and even makes use of some of their technical terms in his epistles2#de but he condemned them on the ground that what they sought to teach in drama can be known only by spiritual experience--a sound insight1 though surely drama may assist to that experience1 else public worship might also come under ban4 ,,iii ,toward the end of their power1 the ,mysteries fell into the mire and became corrupt1 as all things human are apt to do3 even the ,church itself being no exception4 ,but that at their highest and best they were not only lofty and noble1 but elevating and refining1 there can be no doubt1 and that they served a high purpose is equally clear4 ,no one1 who has read in the ,metamorphoses of ,apuleius the initiation of ,lucius into the ,mysteries of ,isis1 can doubt that the effect on the votary was profound and purifying4 ,he tells us that the ceremony of initiation is1 as it were1 to suffer death1 and that he stood in the presence of the gods1 ay1 stood near and worshiped4 ,far hence ye profane1 and all who are polluted by sin1 was the motto of the ,mysteries1 and ,cicero testifies that what a man learned in the house of the hidden place made him want to live nobly1 and gave him happy hopes for the hour of death4 ,indeed1 the ,mysteries1 as ,plato said1#df were established by men of great genius who1 in the early ages1 strove to teach purity1 to ameliorate the cruelty of the race1 to refine its manners and morals1 and to restrain society by stronger bonds than those which human laws impose4 ,no mystery any longer attaches to what they taught1 but only as to the particular rites1 dramas1 and symbols used in their teaching4 ,they taught faith in the unity and spirituality of ,god1 the sovereign authority of the moral law1 heroic purity of soul1 austere discipline of character1 and the hope of a life beyond the tomb4 ,thus in ages of darkness1 of complexity1 of conflicting peoples1 tongues1 and faiths1 these great orders toiled in behalf of friendship1 bringing men together under a banner of faith1 and training them for a nobler moral life4 ,tender and tolerant of all faiths1 they formed an all-embracing moral and spiritual fellowship which rose above barriers of nation1 race1 and creed1 satisfying the craving of men for unity1 while evoking in them a sense of that eternal mysticism out of which all religions were born4 ,their ceremonies1 so far as we know them1 were stately dramas of the moral life and the fate of the soul4 ,mystery and secrecy added impressiveness1 and fable and enigma disguised in imposing spectacle the laws of justice1 piety1 and the hope of immortality4 ,masonry stands in this tradition2 and if we may not say that it is historically related to the great ancient orders1 it is their spiritual descendant1 and renders much the same ministry to our age which the ,mysteries rendered to the olden world4 ,it is1 indeed1 the same stream of sweetness and light flowing in our day--like the fabled river ,alpheus which1 gathering the waters of a hundred rills along the hillsides of ,arcadia1 sank1 lost to sight1 in a chasm in the earth1 only to reappear in the fountain of ,arethusa4 ,this at least is true3 the ,greater ,ancient ,mysteries were prophetic of ,masonry whose drama is an epitome of universal initiation1 and whose simple symbols are the depositaries of the noblest wisdom of mankind4 ,as such1 it brings men together at the altar of prayer1 keeps alive the truths that make us men1 seeking1 by every resource of art1 to make tangible the power of love1 the worth of beauty1 and the reality of the ideal4 ,,footnotes3 #ce ,of course1 faith in immortality was in nowise peculiar to ,egypt1 but was universal2 as vivid in ,the ,upanishads of ,india as in the ,pyramid records4 ,it rests upon the consensus of the insight1 experience1 and aspiration of the race4 ,but the records of ,egypt1 like its monuments1 are richer than those of other nations1 if not older4 ,moreover1 the drama of faith with which we have to do here had its origin in ,egypt1 whence it spread to ,tyre1 ,athens1 and ,rome--and1 as we shall see1 even to ,england4 ,for brief expositions of ,egyptian faith see ,egyptian ,conceptions of ,immortality1 by ,g4,a4 ,reisner1 and ,religion and ,thought in ,egypt1 by ,j4,h4 ,breasted4 #cf ,pyramid ,texts1 #gge1 #abfb1 #adec1 #adgg4 #cg ,for a full account of the evolution of the ,osirian theology from the time it emerged from the mists of myth until its conquest1 see ,religion and ,thought in ,egypt1 by ,breasted1 the latest1 if not the most brilliant1 book written in the light of the completest translation of the ,pyramid ,texts 7especially lecture v74 #ch ,much has been written about the ,egyptian ,mysteries from the days of ,plutarch's ,de ,iside et ,osiride and the ,metamorphoses of ,apuleius to the huge volumes of ,baron ,sainte ,croix4 ,for popular reading the ,kings and ,gods of ,egypt1 by ,moret 7chaps4 iii-iv71 and the delightfully vivid ,hermes and ,plato1 by ,schure1 could hardly be surpassed4 ,but ,plutarch and ,apuleius1 both initiates1 are our best authorities1 even if their oath of silence prevents them from telling us what we most want to know4 #ci ,among the ,hindoos1 whose ,chrisna is the same as the ,osiris of ,egypt1 the gods of summer were beneficent1 making the days fruitful4 ,but the three wretches who presided over winter1 were cut off from the zodiac2 and as they were found missing1 they were accused of the death of ,chrisna4 #dj ,a literary parallel in the story of ,a,eneas1 by ,vergil1 is most suggestive4 ,priam1 king of ,troy1 in the beginning of the ,trojan war committed his son ,polydorus to the care of ,polymester1 king of ,thrace1 and sent him a great sum of money4 ,after ,troy was taken the ,thracian1 for the sake of the money1 killed the young prince and privately buried him4 ,a,eneas1 coming into that country1 and accidentally plucking up a shrub that was near him on the side of the hill1 discovered the murdered body of ,polydorus4 ,other legends of such accidental discoveries of unknown graves haunted the olden time1 and may have been suggested by the story of ,isis4 #da ,the ,gods of the ,egyptians1 by ,e4,a4,w4 ,budge2 ,la ,place des ,victores1 by ,austin ,fryar1 especially the colored plates4 #db ,quests ,new and ,old1 by ,g4,r4,s4 ,mead4 #dc ,pythagoras1 by ,edouard ,schure--a fascinating story of that great thinker and teacher4 ,the use of numbers by ,pythagoras must not1 however1 be confounded with the mystical1 or rather fantastic1 mathematics of the ,kabbalists of a later time4 #dd ,for a vivid account of the spread of the ,mysteries of ,isis and ,mithra over the ,roman ,empire1 see ,roman ,life from ,nero to ,aurelius1 by ,dill 7bk4 iv1 chaps4 v-vi74 ,franz ,cumont is the great authority on ,mithra1 and his ,mysteries of ,mithra and ,oriental ,religions trace the origin and influence of that cult with accuracy1 insight1 and charm4 ,w4,w4 ,reade1 brother of ,charles ,reade the novelist1 left a study of ,the ,veil of ,isis1 or ,mysteries of the ,druids1 finding in the vestiges of ,druidism the ,emblems of ,masonry4 #de ,col4 #b3h-ai4 ,see ,mysteries ,pagan and ,christian1 by ,c4 ,cheethan2 also ,monumental ,christianity1 by ,lundy1 especially chapter on ,the ,discipline of the ,secret4 ,for a full discussion of the attitude of ,st4 ,paul1 see ,st4 ,paul and the ,mystery-,religions1 by ,kennedy1 a work of fine scholarship4 ,that ,christianity had its esoteric is plain--as it was natural--from the writings of the ,fathers1 including ,origen1 ,cyril1 ,basil1 ,gregory1 ,ambrose1 ,augustine1 and others4 ,chrysostom often uses the word initiation in respect of ,christian teaching1 while ,tertullian denounces the pagan mysteries as counterfeit imitations by ,satan of the ,christian secret rites and teachings3 ,he also baptises those who believe in him1 and promises that they shall come forth1 cleansed of their sins4 ,other ,christian writers were more tolerant1 finding in ,christ the answer to the aspiration uttered in the ,mysteries2 and therein1 it may be1 they were right4 #df ,phaedo4 ,,the ,,secret ,,doctrine _/ ,the value of man does not consist in the truth which he possesses1 or means to possess1 but in the sincere pain which he hath taken to find it out4 ,for his powers do not augment by possessing truth1 but by investigating it1 wherein consists his only perfectibility4 ,possession lulls the energy of man1 and makes him idle and proud4 ,if ,god held inclosed in his right hand absolute truth1 and in his left only the inward lively impulse toward truth1 and if ,he said to me3 ,choose6 even at the risk of exposing mankind to continual erring1 ,i most humbly would seize ,his left hand1 and say3 ,father1 give6 absolute truth belongs to ,thee alone4 ,g4,e4 ,,lessing1 ,nathan the ,wise _/ ,,chapter ,,iv ,the ,secret ,doctrine ,i ,god ever shields us from premature ideas1 said the gracious and wise ,emerson2 and so does nature4 ,she holds back her secrets until man is fit to be entrusted with them1 lest by rashness he destroy himself4 ,those who seek find1 not because the truth is far off1 but because the discipline of the quest makes them ready for the truth1 and worthy to receive it4 ,by a certain sure instinct the great teachers of our race have regarded the highest truth less as a gift bestowed than as a trophy to be won4 ,everything must not be told to everybody4 ,truth is power1 and when held by untrue hands it may become a plague4 ,even ,jesus had ,his little flock to whom ,he confided much which ,he kept from the world1 or else taught it in parables cryptic and veiled4#dg ,one of ,his sayings in explanation of ,his method is quoted by ,clement of ,alexandria in his ,homilies3 _/#d1ff ,it was not from grudgingness that our ,lord gave the charge in a certain ,gospel3 ,my mystery is for ,me and the sons of ,my house4#dh _/ ,this more withdrawn teaching1 hinted in the saying of the ,master1 with the arts of spiritual culture employed1 has come to be known as the ,secret ,doctrine1 or the ,hidden ,wisdom4 ,a persistent tradition affirms that throughout the ages1 and in every land1 behind the system of faith accepted by the masses an inner and deeper doctrine has been held and taught by those able to grasp it4 ,this hidden faith has undergone many changes of outward expression1 using now one set of symbols and now another1 but its central tenets have remained the same2 and necessarily so1 since the ultimates of thought are ever immutable4 ,by the same token1 those who have eyes to see have no difficulty in penetrating the varying veils of expression and identifying the underlying truths2 thus confirming in the arcana of faith what we found to be true in its earliest forms--the oneness of the human mind and the unity of truth4 ,there are those who resent the suggestion that there is1 or can be1 secrecy in regard to spiritual truths which1 if momentous at all1 are of common moment to all4 ,for this reason ,demonax1 in the ,lucian play1 would not be initiated1 because1 if the ,mysteries were bad1 he would not keep silent as a warning2 and if they were good1 he would proclaim them as a duty4 ,the objection is1 however1 unsound1 as a little thought will reveal4 ,secrecy in such matters inheres in the nature of the truths themselves1 not in any affected superiority of a few elect minds4 ,qualification for the knowledge of higher things is1 and must always be1 a matter of personal fitness4 ,other qualification there is none4 ,for those who have that fitness the ,secret ,doctrine is as clear as sunlight1 and for those who have it not the truth would still be secret though shouted from the house-top4 ,the ,grecian ,mysteries were certainly secret1 yet the fact of their existence was a matter of common knowledge1 and there was no more secrecy about their sanctuaries than there is about a cathedral4 ,their presence testified to the public that a deeper than the popular faith did exist1 but the right to admission into them depended upon the whole-hearted wish of the aspirant1 and his willingness to fit himself to know the truth4 ,the old maxim applies here1 that when the pupil is ready the teacher is found waiting1 and he passes on to know a truth hitherto hidden because he lacked either the aptitude or the desire4 ,all is mystery as of course1 but mystification is another thing1 and the tendency to befog a theme which needs to be clarified1 is to be regretted4 ,here lies1 perhaps1 the real reason for the feeling of resentment against the idea of a ,secret ,doctrine1 and one must admit that it is not without justification4 ,for example1 we are told that behind the age-long struggle of man to know the truth there exists a hidden fraternity of initiates1 adepts in esoteric lore1 known to themselves but not to the world1 who have had in their keeping1 through the centuries1 the high truths which they permit to be dimly adumbrated in the popular faiths1 but which the rest of the race are too obtuse1 even yet1 to grasp save in an imperfect and limited degree4 ,these hidden sages1 it would seem1 look upon our eager aspiring humanity much like the patient masters of an idiot school1 watching it go on forever seeking without finding1 while they sit in seclusion keeping the keys of the occult4#di ,all of which would be very wonderful1 if true4 ,it is1 however1 only one more of those fascinating fictions with which mystery-mongers entertain themselves1 and deceive others4 ,small wonder that thinking men turn from such fanciful folly with mingled feelings of pity and disgust4 ,sages there have been in every land and time1 and their lofty wisdom has the unity which inheres in all high human thought1 but that there is now1 or has ever been1 a conscious1 much less a continuous1 fellowship of superior souls holding as secrets truths denied to their fellow-men1 verges upon the absurd4 ,indeed1 what is called the ,secret ,doctrine differs not one whit from what has been taught openly and earnestly1 so far as such truth can be taught in words or pictured in symbols1 by the highest minds of almost every land and language4 ,the difference lies less in what is taught than in the way in which it is taught2 not so much in matter as in method4 ,also1 we must not forget that1 with few exceptions1 the men who have led our race farthest along the way toward the ,mount of ,vision1 have not been men who learned their lore from any coterie of esoteric experts1 but1 rather1 men who told in song what they had been taught in sorrow--initiates into eternal truth1 to be sure1 but by the grace of ,god and the divine right of genius6#ej ,seers1 sages1 mystics1 saints--these are they who1 having sought in sincerity1 found in reality1 and the memory of them is a kind of religion4 ,some of them1 like ,pythagoras1 were trained for their quest in the schools of the ,secret ,doctrine1 but others went their way alone1 though never unattended1 and1 led by the vision splendid1 they came at last to the gate and passed into the ,city4 ,why1 then1 it may be asked1 speak of such a thing as the ,secret ,doctrine at all1 since it were better named the ,open ,secret of the world8 ,for two reasons1 both of which have been intimated3 first1 in the olden times unwonted knowledge of any kind was a very dangerous possession1 and the truths of science and philosophy1 equally with religious ideas other than those in vogue among the multitude1 had to seek the protection of obscurity4 ,if this necessity gave designing priestcraft its opportunity1 it nevertheless offered the security and silence needed by the thinker and seeker after truth in dark times4 ,hence there arose in the ancient world1 wherever the human mind was alive and spiritual1 systems of exoteric and esoteric instruction2 that is1 of truth taught openly and truth concealed4 ,disciples were advanced from the outside to the inside of this divine philosophy1 as we have seen1 by degrees of initiation4 ,whereas1 by symbols1 dark sayings1 and dramatic ritual the novice received only hints of what was later made plain4 ,second1 this hidden teaching may indeed be described as the open secret of the world1 because it is open1 yet understood only by those fit to receive it4 ,what kept it hidden was no arbitrary restriction1 but only a lack of insight and fineness of mind to appreciate and assimilate it4 ,nor could it be otherwise2 and this is as true today as ever it was in the days of the ,mysteries1 and so it will be until whatever is to be the end of mortal things4 ,fitness for the finer truths cannot be conferred2 it must be developed4 ,without it the teachings of the sages are enigmas that seem unintelligible1 if not contradictory4 ,in so far1 then1 as the discipline of initiation1 and its use of art in drama and symbol1 help toward purity of soul and spiritual awakening1 by so much do they prepare men for the truth2 by so much and no further4 ,so that1 the ,secret ,doctrine1 whether as taught by the ancient ,mysteries or by modern ,masonry1 is less a doctrine than a discipline2 a method of organized spiritual culture1 and as such has a place and a ministry among men4 ,,ii ,perhaps the greatest student in this field of esoteric teaching and method1 certainly the greatest now living1 is ,arthur ,edward ,waite1 to whom it is a pleasure to pay tribute4 ,by nature a symbolist1 if not a sacramentalist1 he found in such studies a task for which he was almost ideally fitted by temperament1 training1 and genius4 ,engaged in business1 but not absorbed by it1 years of quiet1 leisurely toil have made him master of the vast literature and lore of his subject1 to the study of which he brought a religious nature1 the accuracy and skill of a scholar1 a sureness and delicacy of insight at once sympathetic and critical1 the soul of a poet1 and a patience as untiring as it is rewarding2 qualities rare indeed1 and still more rarely blended4 ,prolific but seldom prolix1 he writes with grace1 ease1 and lucidity1 albeit in a style often opulent1 and touched at times with lights and jewels from old alchemists1 antique liturgies1 remote and haunting romance1 secret orders of initiation1 and other recondite sources not easily traced4 ,much learning and many kinds of wisdom are in his pages1 and withal an air of serenity1 of tolerance2 and if he is of those who turn down another street when miracles are performed in the neighborhood1 it is because1 having found the inner truth1 he asks for no sign4 ,always he writes in the conviction that all great subjects bring us back to the one subject which is alone great1 and that scholarly criticisms1 folk-lore1 and deep philosophy are little less than useless if they fall short of directing us to our true end--the attainment of that living ,truth which is about us everywhere4 ,he conceives of our mortal life as one eternal ,quest of that living ,truth1 taking many phases and forms1 yet ever at heart the same aspiration1 to trace which he has made it his labor and joy to essay4 ,through all his pages he is following out the tradition of this ,quest1 in its myriad aspects1 especially since the ,christian era1 disfigured though it has been at times by superstition1 and distorted at others by bigotry1 but still1 in what guise soever1 containing as its secret the meaning of the life of man from his birth to his reunion with ,god who is his ,goal4 ,and the result is a series of volumes noble in form1 united in aim1 unique in wealth of revealing beauty1 and of unequalled worth4#ea ,beginning as far back as #ahhf1 ,waite issued his study of the ,mysteries of ,magic1 a digest of the writings of ,eliphas ,levi1 to whom ,albert ,pike was more indebted than he let us know4 ,then followed the ,real ,history of the ,rosicrucians1 which traces1 as far as any mortal may trace1 the thread of fact whereon is strung the romance of a fraternity the very existence of which has been doubted and denied by turns4 ,like all his work1 it bears the impress of knowledge from the actual sources1 betraying his extraordinary learning and his exceptional experience in this kind of inquiry4 ,of the ,quest in its distinctively ,christian aspect1 he has written in ,the ,hidden ,church of the ,holy ,graal2 a work of rare beauty1 of bewildering richness1 written in a style which1 partaking of the quality of the story told1 is not at all after the manner of these days4 ,but the ,graal ,legend is only one aspect of the old-world sacred ,quest1 uniting the symbols of chivalry with ,christian faith4 ,masonry is another2 and no one may ever hope to write of ,the ,secret ,tradition in ,masonry with more insight and charm1 or a touch more sure and revealing1 than this gracious student for whom ,masonry perpetuates the instituted ,mysteries of antiquity1 with much else derived from innumerable store-houses of treasure4 ,his last work is a survey of ,the ,secret ,doctrine in ,israel1 being a study of the ,zohar1#eb or ,hebrew ,book of ,splendor1 a feat for which no ,hebrew scholar has had the heart4 ,this ,bible of ,kabbalism is indeed so confused and confusing that only a golden dustman would have had the patience to sift out its gems from the mountain of dross1 and attempt to reduce its wide-weltering chaos to order4 ,even ,waite1 with all his gift of research and narration1 finds little more than gleams of dawn in a dim forest1 brilliant vapors1 and glints that tell by their very perversity and strangeness4 ,whether this age-old legend of the ,quest be woven about the ,cup of ,christ1 a ,lost ,word1 or a design left unfinished by the death of a ,master ,builder1 it has always these things in common3 first1 the memorials of a great loss which has befallen humanity by sin1 making our race a pilgrim host ever in search2 second1 the intimation that what was lost still exists somewhere in time and the world1 although deeply buried2 third1 the faith that it will ultimately be found and the vanished glory restored2 fourth1 the substitution of something temporary and less than the best1 albeit never in a way to adjourn the quest2 fifth1 and more rarely1 the felt presence of that which was lost under veils close to the hands of all4 ,what though it take many forms1 from the pathetic pilgrimage of the ,wandering ,jew to the journey to fairyland in quest of ,the ,blue ,bird1 it is ever and always the same4 ,these are but so many symbols of the fact that men are made of one blood and born to one need2 that they should seek the ,lord1 if haply they might feel after ,him1 and find ,him1 though ,he is not far from every one of us2 for in ,him we live and move and have our being4#ec ,what1 then1 is the ,secret ,doctrine1 of which this seer-like scholar has written with so many improvisations of eloquence and emphasis1 and of which each of us is in quest8 ,what1 indeed1 but that which all the world is seeking--knowledge of ,him whom to know aright is the fulfillment of every human need3 the kinship of the soul with ,god2 the life of purity1 honor1 and piety demanded by that high heredity2 the unity and fellowship of the race in duty and destiny2 and the faith that the soul is deathless as ,god its ,father is deathless6 ,now to accept this faith as a mere philosophy is one thing1 but to realize it as an experience of the innermost heart is another and a deeper thing4 ,no man knows the ,secret ,doctrine until it has become the secret of his soul1 the reigning reality of his thought1 the inspiration of his acts1 the form and color and glory of his life4 ,happily1 owing to the growth of the race in spiritual intelligence and power1 the highest truth is no longer held as a sacred secret4 ,still1 if art has efficacy to surprise and reveal the elusive ,spirit of ,truth1 when truth is dramatically presented it is made vivid and impressive1 strengthening the faith of the strongest and bringing a ray of heavenly light to many a baffled seeker4 ,ever the ,quest goes on1 though it is permitted some of us to believe that the ,lost ,word has been found1 in the only way in which it can ever be found--even in the life of ,him who was the ,word made flesh1 who dwelt among us and whose grace and beauty we know4 ,of this ,quest ,masonry is an aspect1 continuing the high tradition of humanity1 asking men to unite in the search for the thing most worth finding1 that each may share the faith of all4 ,apart from its rites1 there is no mystery in ,masonry1 save the mystery of all great and simple things4 ,so far from being hidden or occult1 its glory lies in its openness1 and its emphasis upon the realities which are to the human world what light and air are to nature4 ,its mystery is of so great a kind that it is easily overlooked2 its secret almost too simple to be found out4 ,,footnotes3 #dg ,matt4 #ac3aj1 #aa4 #dh ,unwritten ,sayings of ,our ,lord1 ,david ,smith1 vii4 #di ,by occultism is meant the belief in1 and the claim to be able to use1 a certain range of forces neither natural1 nor1 technically1 supernatural1 but more properly to be called preternatural--often1 though by no means always1 for evil or selfish ends4 ,some extend the term occultism to cover mysticism and the spiritual life generally1 but that is not a legitimate use of either word4 ,occultism seeks to get2 mysticism to give4 ,the one is audacious and seclusive1 the other humble and open2 and if we are not to end in blunderland we must not confound the two 7,mysticism1 by ,e4 ,underhill1 part i1 chap4 vii74 #ej ,much time would have been saved1 and not a little confusion avoided1 had this obvious fact been kept in mind4 ,even so charming a book as ,jesus1 the ,last ,great ,initiate1 by ,schure--not to speak of ,the ,great ,work and ,mystic ,masonry--is clearly1 though not intentionally1 misleading4 ,of a piece with this is the effort1 apparently deliberate and concerted1 to rob the ,hebrew race of all spiritual originality1 as witness so able a work as ,our ,own ,religion in ,persia1 by ,mills1 to name no other4 ,our own religion8 ,assuredly1 if by that is meant the one great1 universal religion of humanity4 ,but the sundering difference between the ,bible and any other book that speaks to mankind about ,god and ,life and ,death1 sets the ,hebrew race apart as supreme in its religious genius1 as the ,greeks were in philosophical acumen and artistic power1 and the ,romans in executive skill4 ,leaving all theories of inspiration out of account1 facts are facts1 and the ,bible has no peer in the literature of mankind4 #ea ,some there are who think that much of the best work of ,mr4 ,waite is in his poetry1 of which there are two volumes1 ,a ,book of ,mystery and ,vision1 and ,strange ,houses of ,sleep4 ,there one meets a fine spirit1 alive to the glory of the world and all that charms the soul and sense of man1 yet seeing past these2 rich and significant thought so closely wedded to emotion that each seems either4 ,other books not to be omitted are his slender volume of aphorisms1 ,steps to the ,crown1 his ,life of ,saint-,martin1 and his ,studies in ,mysticism2 for what he touches he adorns4 #eb ,even the ,jewish ,encyclopedia1 and such scholars as ,zunz1 ,graetz1 ,luzzatto1 ,jost1 and ,munk avoid this jungle1 as well they might1 remembering the legend of the four sages in the enclosed garden3 one of whom looked around and died2 another lost his reason2 a third tried to destroy the garden2 and only one came out with his wits4 ,see ,the ,cabala1 by ,pick1 and ,the ,kabbalah ,unveiled1 by ,mac,gregor4 #ec ,acts #ag3bf-bh4 ,,the ,,collegia _/ ,this society was called the ,dionysian ,artificers1 as ,bacchus was supposed to be the inventor of building theaters2 and they performed the ,dionysian festivities4 ,from this period1 the ,science of ,astronomy which had given rise to the ,dionysian rites1 became connected with types taken from the art of building4 ,the ,ionian societies 444 extended their moral views1 in conjunction with the art of building1 to many useful purposes1 and to the practice of acts of benevolence4 ,they had significant words to distinguish their members2 and for the same purpose they used emblems taken from the art of building4 --,,joseph ,,da ,,costa1 ,dionysian ,artificers ,we need not then consider it improbable1 if in the dark centuries when the ,roman empire was dying out1 and its glorious temples falling into ruin2 when the arts and sciences were falling into disuse or being enslaved2 and when no place was safe from persecution and warfare1 the guild of the ,architects should fly for safety to almost the only free spot in ,italy2 and here1 though they could no longer practice their craft1 they preserved the legendary knowledge and precepts which1 as history implies1 came down to them through ,vitruvius from older sources1 some say from ,solomon's builders themselves4 --,,leader ,,scott1 ,the ,cathedral ,builders _/ ,,chapter ,v ,the ,collegia ,so far in our study we have found that from earliest time architecture was related to religion2 that the working tools of the builder were emblems of moral truth2 that there were great secret orders using the ,drama of ,faith as a rite of initiation2 and that a hidden doctrine was kept for those accounted worthy1 after trial1 to be entrusted with it4 ,secret societies1 born of the nature and need of man1 there have been almost since recorded history began2#ed but as yet we have come upon no separate and distinct order of builders4 ,for aught we know there may have been such in plenty1 but we have no intimation1 much less a record1 of the fact4 ,that is to say1 history has a vague story to tell us of the earliest orders of the builders4 ,however1 it is more than a mere plausible inference that from the beginning architects were members of secret orders2 for1 as we have seen1 not only the truths of religion and philosophy1 but also the facts of science and the laws of art1 were held as secrets to be known only to the few4 ,this was so1 apparently without exception1 among all ancient peoples2 so much so1 indeed1 that we may take it as certain that the builders of old time were initiates4 ,of necessity1 then1 the arts of the craft were secrets jealously guarded1 and the architects themselves1 while they may have employed and trained ordinary workmen1 were men of learning and influence4 ,such glimpses of early architects as we have confirm this inference1 as1 for example1 the noble hymn to the ,sun-god written by ,suti and ,hor1 two architects employed by ,amenhotep ,,iii1 of ,egypt4#ee ,just when the builders began to form orders of their own no one knows1 but it was perhaps when the ,mystery-cults began to journey abroad into other lands4 ,what we have to keep in mind is that all the arts had their home in the temple1 from which1 as time passed1 they spread out fan-wise along all the paths of culture4 ,keeping in mind the secrecy of the laws of building1 and the sanctity with which all science and art were regarded1 we have a key whereby to interpret the legends woven about the building of the temple of ,solomon4 ,few realize how high that temple on ,mount ,moriah towered in the history of the olden world1 and how the story of its building haunted the legends and traditions of the times following4 ,of these legends there were many1 some of them wildly improbable1 but the persistence of the tradition1 and its consistency withal1 despite many variations1 is a fact of no small moment4 ,nor is this tradition to be wondered at1 since time has shown that the building of the temple at ,jerusalem was an event of world-importance1 not only to the ,hebrews1 but to other nations1 more especially the ,phoenicians4 ,the histories of both peoples make much of the building of the ,hebrew temple1 of the friendship of ,solomon and ,hiram ,i1 of ,tyre1 and of the harmony between the two peoples2 and ,phoenician tradition has it that ,solomon presented ,hiram with a duplicate of the temple1 which was erected in ,tyre4#ef ,clearly1 the two nations were drawn closely together1 and this fact carried with it a mingling of religious influences and ideas1 as was true between the ,hebrews and other nations1 especially ,egypt and ,phoenicia1 during the reign of ,solomon4 ,now the religion of the ,phoenicians at this time1 as all agree1 was the ,egyptian religion in a modified form1 ,dionysius having taken the role of ,osiris in the drama of faith in ,greece1 ,syria1 and ,asia ,minor4 ,thus we have the ,mysteries of ,egypt1 in which ,moses was learned1 brought to the very door of the temple of ,solomon1 and that1 too1 at a time favorable to their impress4 ,the ,hebrews were not architects1 and it is plain from the records that the temple--and1 indeed1 the palaces of ,solomon--were designed and erected by ,phoenician builders1 and for the most part by ,phoenician workmen and materials4 ,josephus adds that the architecture of the temple was of the style called ,grecian4 ,so much would seem to be fact1 whatever may be said of the legends flowing from it4 ,if1 then1 the laws of building were secrets known only to initiates1 there must have been a secret order of architects who built the temple of ,solomon4 ,who were they8 ,they were almost certainly the ,dionysian ,artificers--not to be confused with the play-actors called by the same name later--an order of builders who erected temples1 stadia1 and theaters in ,asia ,minor1 and who were at the same time an order of the ,mysteries under the tutelage of ,bacchus before that worship declined1 as it did later in ,athens and ,rome1 into mere revelry4#eg ,as such1 they united the art of architecture with the old ,egyptian drama of faith1 representing in their ceremonies the murder of ,dionysius by the ,titans and his return to life4 ,so that1 blending the symbols of ,astronomy with those of ,architecture1 by a slight change made by a natural process1 how easy for the master-artist of the temple-builders to become the hero of the ancient drama of immortality4#eh ,whether or not this fact can be verified from history1 such is the form in which the tradition has come down to us1 surviving through long ages and triumphing over all vicissitude4#ei ,secret orders have few records and their story is hard to tell1 but this account is perfectly in accord with the spirit and setting of the situation1 and there is neither fact nor reason against it4 ,while this does not establish it as true historically1 it surely gives it validity as a prophecy1 if nothing more4#fj ,after all1 then1 the tradition that ,masonry1 not unlike the ,masonry we now know1 had its origin while the temple of ,king ,solomon was building1 and was given shape by the two royal friends1 may not be so fantastic as certain superior folk seem to think it4 ,how else can we explain the fact that when the ,knights of the ,crusades went to the ,holy ,land they came back a secret1 oath-bound fraternity8 ,also1 why is it that1 through the ages1 we see bands of builders coming from the ,east calling themselves sons of ,solomon1 and using his interlaced triangle-seal as their emblem8 ,strabo1 as we have seen1 traced the ,dionysiac builders eastward into ,syria1 ,persia1 and even ,india4 ,they may also be traced westward4 ,traversing ,asia ,minor1 they entered ,europe by way of ,constantinople1 and we follow them through ,greece to ,rome1 where already several centuries before ,christ we find them bound together in corporations called ,collegia4 ,these lodges flourished in all parts of the ,roman ,empire1 traces of their existence having been discovered in ,england as early as the middle of the first century of our era4 ,,ii ,krause was the first to point out a prophecy of ,masonry in the old orders of builders1 following their footsteps--not connectedly1 of course1 for there are many gaps--through the ,dionysiac fraternity of ,tyre1 through the ,roman ,collegia1 to the architects and ,masons of the ,middle ,ages4 ,since he wrote1 however1 much new material has come to light1 but the date of the advent of the builders in ,rome is still uncertain4 ,some trace it to the very founding of the city1 while others go no further back than ,king ,numa1 the friend of ,pythagoras4#fa ,by any account1 they were of great antiquity1 and their influence in ,roman history was far-reaching4 ,they followed the ,roman legions to remote places1 building cities1 bridges1 and temples1 and it was but natural that ,mithra1 the patron god of soldiers1 should have influenced their orders4 ,of this an example may be seen in the remains of the ancient ,roman villa at ,morton1 on the ,isle of ,wight4#fb ,as ,rome grew in power and became a vast1 all-embracing empire1 the individual man felt1 more and more1 his littleness and loneliness4 ,this feeling1 together with the increasing specialization of industry1 begat a passion for association1 and ,collegia of many sorts were organized4 ,even a casual glance at the inscriptions1 under the heading ,artes et ,opificia1 will show the enormous development of skilled handicrafts1 and how minute was their specialization4 ,every trade soon had its secret order1 or union1 and so powerful did they become that the emperors found it necessary to abolish the right of free association4 ,yet even such edicts1 though effective for a little time1 were helpless as against the universal craving for combination4 ,ways were easily found whereby to evade the law1 which had exempted from its restrictions orders consecrated by their antiquity or their religious character4 ,most of the ,collegia became funerary and charitable in their labors1 humble folk seeking to escape the dim1 hopeless obscurity of plebeian life1 and the still more hopeless obscurity of death4 ,pathetic beyond words are some of the inscriptions telling of the horror and loneliness of the grave1 of the day when no kindly eye would read the forgotten name1 and no hand bring offerings of flowers4 ,each collegium held memorial services1 and marked the tomb of its dead with the emblems of its trade3 if a baker1 with a loaf of bread2 if a builder1 with a square1 compasses1 and the level4 ,from the first the ,colleges of ,architects seem to have enjoyed special privileges and exemptions1 owing to the value of their service to the state1 and while we do not find them called ,free-masons they were such in law and fact long before they wore the name4 ,they were permitted to have their own constitutions and regulations1 both secular and religious4 ,in form1 in officers1 in emblems a ,roman ,collegium resembled very much a modern ,masonic ,lodge4 ,for one thing1 no ,college could consist of less than three persons1 and so rigid was this rule that the saying1 three make a college1 became a maxim of law4 ,each ,college was presided over by a ,magister1 or ,master1 with two decuriones1 or wardens1 each of whom extended the commands of the ,master to the brethren of his column4 ,there were a secretary1 a treasurer1 and a keeper of archives1 and1 as the colleges were in part religious and usually met near some temple1 there was a sacerdos1 or1 as we would say1 a priest1 or chaplain4 ,the members were of three orders1 not unlike apprentices1 fellows1 and masters1 or colleagues4 ,what ceremonies of initiation were used we do not know1 but that they were of a religious nature seems certain1 as each ,college adopted a patron deity from among the many then worshiped4 ,also1 as the ,mysteries of ,isis and ,mithra ruled the ,roman world by turns1 the ancient drama of eternal life was never far away4 ,of the emblems of the ,collegia1 it is enough to say that here again we find the simple tools of the builder used as teachers of truth for life and hope in death4 ,upon a number of sarcophagi1 still extant1 we find carved the square1 the compasses1 the cube1 the plummet1 the circle1 and always the level4 ,there is1 besides1 the famous ,collegium uncovered at the excavation of ,pompeii in #ahgh1 having been buried under the ashes and lava of ,mount ,vesuvius since the year #gi ,a4,d4 ,it stood near the ,tragic ,theater1 not far from the ,temple of ,isis1 and by its arrangement1 with two columns in front and interlaced triangles on the walls1 was identified as an ancient lodge room4 ,upon a pedestal in the room was found a rare bit of art1 unique in design and exquisite in execution1 now in the ,national ,museum at ,naples4 ,it is described by ,s4,r4 ,forbes1 in his ,rambles in ,naples1 as follows3 _/#d1ff ,it is a mosaic table of square shape1 fixed in a strong wooden frame4 ,the ground is of grey green stone1 in the middle of which is a human skull1 made of white1 grey1 and black colors4 ,in appearance the skull is quite natural4 ,the eyes1 nostrils1 teeth1 ears1 and coronal are all well executed4 ,above the skull is a level of colored wood1 the points being of brass2 and from the top to the point1 by a white thread1 is suspended a plumb-line4 ,below the skull is a wheel of six spokes1 and on the upper rim of the wheel there is a butterfly with wings of red1 edged with yellow2 its eyes blue4444 ,on the left is an upright spear1 resting on the ground2 from this there hangs1 attached to a golden cord1 a garment of scarlet1 also a purple robe2 whilst the upper part of the spear is surrounded by a white braid of diamond pattern4 ,to the right is a gnarled thorn stick1 from which hangs a coarse1 shaggy piece of cloth in yellow1 grey1 and brown colors1 tied with a ribbon2 and above it is a leather knapsack4444 ,evidently this work of art1 by its composition1 is mystical and symbolical4 _/ ,no doubt2 and for those who know the meaning of these emblems there is a feeling of kinship with those men1 long since fallen into dust1 who gathered about such an altar4 ,they wrought out in this work of art their vision of the old-worn pilgrim way of life1 with its vicissitude and care1 the level of mortality to which all are brought at last by death1 and the winged1 fluttering hope of man4 ,always a journey with its horny staff and wallet1 life is sometimes a battle needing a spear1 but for him who walks uprightly by the plumb-line of rectitude1 there is a true and victorious hope at the end4 _/,p ,of wounds and sore defeat ,i made my battle stay1 ,winged sandals for my feet ,i wove of my delay4 ,of weariness and fear ,i made a shouting spear1 ,of loss and doubt and dread ,and swift on-coming doom ,i made a helmet for my head1 ,and a waving plume4 ,p_/ ,,iii ,christianity1 whose ,founder was a ,carpenter1 made a mighty appeal to the working classes of ,rome4 ,as ,deissmann and ,harnack have shown1 the secret of its expansion in the early years was that it came down to the man in the street with its message of hope and joy4 ,its appeal was hardly heard in high places1 but it was welcomed by the men who were weary and heavy ladened4 ,among the ,collegia it made rapid progress1 its ,saints taking the place of pagan deities as patrons1 and its spirit of love welding men into closer1 truer union4 ,when ,diocletian determined to destroy ,christianity1 he was strangely lenient and patient with the ,collegia1 so many of whose members were of that faith4 ,not until they refused to make a statue of ,a,esculapius did he vow vengeance and turn on them1 venting his fury4 ,in the persecution that followed four ,master ,masons and one humble apprentice suffered cruel torture and death1 but they became the ,four ,crowned ,martyrs1 the story of whose heroic fidelity unto death haunted the legends of later times4#fc ,they were the patron saints alike of ,lombard and ,tuscan builders1 and1 later1 of the working ,masons of the ,middle ,ages1 as witness the poem in their praise in the oldest record of the ,craft1 the ,regius ,,ms4 ,with the breaking up of the ,college of ,architects and their expulsion from ,rome1 we come upon a period in which it is hard to follow their path4 ,happily the task has been made less baffling by recent research1 and if we are unable to trace them all the way much light has been let into the darkness4 ,hitherto there has been a hiatus also in the history of architecture between the classic art of ,rome1 which is said to have died when the ,empire fell to pieces1 and the rise of ,gothic art4 ,just so1 in the story of the builders one finds a gap of like length1 between the ,collegia of ,rome and the cathedral artists4 ,while the gap cannot1 as yet1 be perfectly bridged1 much has been done to that end by ,leader ,scott in ,the ,cathedral ,builders3 ,the ,story of a ,great ,masonic ,guild--a book itself a work of art as well as of fine scholarship4 ,her thesis is that the missing link is to be found in the ,magistri ,comacini1 a guild of architects who1 on the break-up of the ,roman ,empire1 fled to ,comacina1 a fortified island in ,lake ,como1 and there kept alive the traditions of classic art during the ,dark ,ages2 that from them were developed in direct descent the various styles of ,italian architecture2 and that1 finally1 they carried the knowledge and practice of architecture and sculpture into ,france1 ,spain1 ,germany1 and ,england4 ,such a thesis is difficult1 and1 from its nature1 not susceptible of absolute proof1 but the writer makes it as certain as anything can well be4 ,while she does not positively affirm that the ,comacine ,masters were the veritable stock from which the ,freemasonry of the present day sprang1 we may admit1 she says1 that they were the link between the classic ,collegia and all other art and trade ,guilds of the ,middle ,ages4 ,they were ,free-masons because they were builders of a privileged class1 absolved from taxes and servitude1 and free to travel about in times of feudal bondage4 ,the name ,free-mason--,libera muratori--may not actually have been used thus early1 but the ,comacines were in fact free builders long before the name was employed--free to travel from place to place1 as we see from their migrations2 free to fix their own prices1 while other workmen were bound to feudal lords1 or by the ,statutes of ,wages4 ,the author quotes in the original ,latin an ,edict of the ,lombard ,king ,rotharis1 dated ,november #bb1 #fdc1 in which certain privileges are confirmed to the ,magistri ,comacini and their colligantes4 ,from this ,edict it is clear that it is no new order that is alluded to1 but an old and powerful body of ,masters capable of acting as architects1 with men who executed work under them4 ,for the ,comacines were not ordinary workmen1 but artists1 including architects1 sculptors1 painters1 and decorators1 and if affinities of style left in stone be adequate evidence1 to them were due the changing forms of architecture in ,europe during the cathedral-building period4 ,everywhere they left their distinctive impress in a way so unmistakable as to leave no doubt4 ,under ,charlemagne the ,comacines began their many migrations1 and we find them following the missionaries of the church into remote places1 from ,sicily to ,britain1 building churches4 ,when ,augustine went to convert the ,british1 the ,comacines followed to provide shrines1 and ,bede1 as early as #fgd1 in mentioning that builders were sent for from ,gaul to build the church at ,wearmouth1 uses phrases and words found in the ,edict of ,king ,rotharis4 ,for a long time the changes in style of architecture1 appearing simultaneously everywhere over ,europe1 from ,italy to ,england1 puzzled students4#fd ,further knowledge of this powerful and widespread order explains it4 ,it also accounts for the fact that no individual architect can be named as the designer of any of the great cathedrals4 ,those cathedrals were the work1 not of individual artists1 but of an order who planned1 built1 and adorned them4 ,in #acee the painters of ,siena seceded1 as the ,german ,masons did later1 and the names of individual artists who worked for fame and glory begin to appear2 but up to that time the ,order was supreme4 ,artists from ,greece and ,asia ,minor1 driven from their homes1 took refuge with the ,comacines1 and ,leader ,scott finds in this order a possible link1 by tradition at least1 with the temple of ,solomon4 ,at any rate1 all through the ,dark ,ages the name and fame of the ,hebrew king lived in the minds of the builders4 ,an inscribed stone1 dating from #gab1 shows that the ,comacine ,guild was organized as ,magistri and ,discipuli1 under a ,gastaldo1 or ,grand ,master1 the very same terms as were kept in the lodges later4 ,moreover1 they called their meeting places loggia1 a long list of which the author recites from the records of various cities1 giving names of officers1 and1 often1 of members4 ,they1 too1 had their masters and wardens1 their oaths1 tokens1 grips1 and passwords which formed a bond of union stronger than legal ties4 ,they wore white aprons and gloves1 and revered the ,four ,crowned ,martyrs of the ,order4 ,square1 compasses1 level1 plumb-line1 and arch appear among their emblems4 ,king ,solomon's ,knot was one of their symbols1 and the endless1 interwoven cord1 symbol of ,eternity which has neither beginning nor end1 was another4 ,later1 however1 the ,lion's ,paw seems to have become their chief emblem4 ,from illustrations given by the author they are shown in their regalia1 with apron and emblems1 clad as the keepers of a great art and teaching of which they were masters4 ,here1 of a truth1 is something more than prophecy1 and those who have any regard for facts will not again speak lightly of an order having such ancestors as the great ,comacine ,masters4 ,had ,fergusson known their story1 he would not have paused in his ,history of ,architecture to belittle the ,free-masons as incapable of designing a cathedral1 while puzzling the while as to who did draw the plans for those dreams of beauty and prayer4 ,hereafter1 if any one asks to know who uplifted those massive piles in which was portrayed the great drama of mediaeval worship1 he need not remain uncertain4 ,with the decline of ,gothic architecture the order of ,free-masons also suffered decline1 as we shall see1 but did not cease to exist--continuing its symbolic tradition amidst varying1 and often sad1 vicissitude until #agag1 when it became a fraternity teaching spiritual faith by allegory and moral science by symbols4 ,,footnotes3 #ed ,primitive ,secret ,societies1 by ,h4 ,webster2 ,secret ,societies of all ,ages and ,lands1 by ,w4,c4 ,heckethorn4 #ee ,we may add the case of ,weshptah1 one of the viziers of the ,fifth ,dynasty in ,egypt1 about #bgjj ,b4,c41 and also the royal architect1 for whom the great tomb was built1 endowed1 and furnished by the king 7,religion in ,egypt1 by ,breasted1 lecture ii72 also the statue of ,semut1 chief of ,masons under ,queen ,hatasu1 now in ,berlin4 #ef ,historians ,his4 ,world1 vol4 ii1 chap4 iii4 ,josephus gives an elaborate account of the temple1 including the correspondence between ,solomon and ,hiram of ,tyre 7,jewish ,antiquities1 bk4 viii1 chaps4 #b-f74 #eg ,symbolism of ,masonry1 ,mackey1 chap4 vi2 also in ,mackey's ,encyclopedia of ,masonry1 both of which were drawn from ,history of ,masonry1 by ,laurie1 chap4 i2 and ,laurie in turn derived his facts from a ,sketch for the ,history of the ,dionysian ,artificers1 ,a ,fragment1 by ,h4,j4 ,da ,costa 7#ahbj74 ,why ,waite and others brush the ,dionysian architects aside as a dream is past finding out in view of the evidence and authorities put forth by ,da ,costa1 nor do they give any reason for so doing4 ,lebedos was the seat and assembly of the ,dionysian ,artificers1 who inhabit ,ionia to the ,hellespont2 there they had annually their solemn meetings and festivities in honor of ,bacchus1 wrote ,strabo 7lib4 xiv1 #iba74 ,they were a secret society having signs and words to distinguish their members 7,robertson's ,greece71 and used emblems taken from the art of building 7,eusebius1 de ,prep4 ,evang4 iii1 c4 #ab74 ,they entered ,asia ,minor and ,phoenicia fifty years before the temple of ,solomon was built1 and ,strabo traces them on into ,syria1 ,persia1 and ,india4 ,surely here are facts not to be swept aside as romance because1 forsooth1 they do not fit certain theories4 ,moreover1 they explain many things1 as we shall see4 #eh ,rabbinic legend has it that all the workmen on the temple were killed1 so that they should not build another temple devoted to idolatry 7,jewish ,encyclopedia1 article ,freemasonry74 ,other legends equally absurd cluster about the temple and its building1 none of which is to be taken literally4 ,as a fact1 ,hiram the architect1 or rather artificer in metals1 did not lose his life1 but1 as ,josephus tells us1 lived to good age and died at ,tyre4 ,what the legend is trying to tell us1 however1 is that at the building of the temple the ,mysteries mingled with ,hebrew faith1 each mutually influencing the other4 #ei ,strangely enough1 there is a sect or tribe called the ,druses1 now inhabiting the ,lebanon district1 who claim to be not only the descendants of the ,phoenicians1 but the builders of ,king ,solomon's temple4 ,so persistent and important among them is this tradition that their religion is built about it--if indeed it be not something more than a legend4 ,they have ,khalwehs1 or temples1 built after the fashion of lodges1 with three degrees of initiation1 and1 though an agricultural folk1 they use signs and tools of building as emblems of moral truth4 ,they have signs1 grips1 and passwords for recognition4 ,in the words of their lawgiver1 ,hamze1 their creed reads3 ,the belief in the ,truth of ,one ,god shall take the place of ,prayer2 the exercise of brotherly love shall take the place of ,fasting2 and the daily practice of acts of ,charity shall take the place of ,alms-giving4 ,why such a people1 having such a tradition8 ,where did they get it8 ,what may this fact set in the fixed and changeless ,east mean8 7,see the essay of ,hackett ,smith on ,the ,druses and ,their ,relation to ,freemasonry1 and the discussion following1 ,ars ,quatuor ,coronatorum1 iv4 #g-ai47 #fj ,rawlinson1 in his ,history of ,phoenicia1 says the people had for ages possessed the mason's art1 it having been brought in very early days from ,egypt4 ,sir ,c4 ,warren found on the foundation stones at ,jerusalem ,mason's marks in ,phoenician letters 7,a4 ,q4 ,c41 ii1 #abe2 iii1 #fh74 #fa ,see essay on ,a ,masonic ,built ,city1 by ,s4,r4 ,forbes1 a study of the plan and building of ,rome1 ,ars ,quatuor ,coronatorum1 iv1 #hf4 ,as there will be many references to the proceedings of the ,coronatorum ,lodge of ,research1 it will be convenient hereafter to use only its initials1 ,a4 ,q4 ,c41 in behalf of brevity4 ,for an account of the ,collegia in early ,christian times1 see ,roman ,life from ,nero to ,aurelius1 by ,dill 7bk4 ii1 chap4 iii72 also ,de ,collegia1 by ,mommsen4 ,there is an excellent article in ,mackey's ,encyclopedia of ,freemasonry1 and ,gould1 ,his4 ,masonry1 vol4 i1 chap4 i4 #fb ,see ,masonic ,character of ,roman ,villa at ,morton1 by ,j4,f4 ,crease 7,a4 ,q4 ,c41 iii1 #ch-ei74 #fc ,their names were ,claudius1 ,nicostratus1 ,simphorianus1 ,castorius1 and ,simplicius4 ,later their bodies were brought from ,rome to ,toulouse where they were placed in a chapel erected in their honor in the church of ,st4 ,sernin 7,martyrology1 by ,du ,saussay74 ,they became patron saints of ,masons in ,germany1 ,france1 and ,england 7,a4 ,q4 ,c41 xii1 #aif74 ,in a fresco on the walls of the church of ,st4 ,lawrence at ,rotterdam1 partially preserved1 they are painted with compasses and trowel in hand4 ,with them1 however1 is another figure1 clad in oriental robe1 also holding compasses1 but with a royal1 not a martyr's1 crown4 ,is he ,solomon8 ,who else can he be8 ,the fresco dates from #afda1 and was painted by ,f4 ,wounters 7,a4 ,q4 ,c41 xii1 #bjb74 ,even so1 those humble workmen1 faithful to their faith1 became saints of the church1 and reign with ,solomon6 ,once the fresco was whitewashed1 but the coating fell off and they stood forth with compasses and trowel as before4 #fd ,history of ,middle ,ages1 ,hallam1 vol4 ii1 #edg4 ,part ,,ii--,history ,,free-,,masons _/ ,the curious history of ,freemasonry has unfortunately been treated only by its panegyrists or calumniators1 both equally mendacious4 ,i do not wish to pry into the mysteries of the craft2 but it would be interesting to know more of their history during the period when they were literally architects4 ,they are charged by an act of ,parliament with fixing the price of their labor in their annual chapters1 contrary to the statute of laborers1 and such chapters were consequently prohibited4 ,this is their first persecution2 they have since undergone others1 and are perhaps reserved for still more4 ,it is remarkable1 that ,masons were never legally incorporated1 like other traders2 their bond of union being stronger than any charter4 --,,henry ,,hallam1 ,the ,middle ,ages _/ ,,chapter ,i ,free-,masons ,i ,from the foregoing pages it must be evident that ,masonry1 as we find it in the ,middle ,ages1 was not a novelty4 ,already1 if we accept its own records1 it was hoary with age1 having come down from a far past1 bringing with it a remarkable deposit of legendary lore4 ,also1 it had in its keeping the same simple1 eloquent emblems which1 as we have seen1 are older than the oldest living religion1 which it received as an inheritance and has transmitted as a treasure4 ,whatever we may think of the legends of ,masonry1 as recited in its oldest documents1 its symbols1 older than the order itself1 link it with the earliest thought and faith of the race4 ,no doubt those emblems lost some of their luster in the troublous time of transition we are about to traverse1 but their beauty never wholly faded1 and they had only to be touched to shine4 ,if not the actual successors of the ,roman ,college of ,architects1 the great order of ,comacine ,masters was founded upon its ruins1 and continued its tradition both of symbolism and of art4 ,returning to ,rome after the death of ,diocletian1 we find them busy there under ,constantine and ,theodosius2 and from remains recently brought to knowledge it is plain that their style of building at that time was very like that of the churches built at ,hexham and ,york in ,england1 and those of the ,ravenna1 also nearly contemporary4 ,they may not have been actually called ,free-masons as early as ,leader ,scott insists they were1#fe but they were free in fact1 traveling far and near where there was work to do1 following the missionaries of the ,church as far as ,england4 ,when there was need for the name ,free-masons1 it was easily suggested by the fact that the cathedral-builders were quite distinct from the ,guild-masons1 the one being a universal order whereas the other was local and restricted4 ,older than ,guild-masonry1 the order of the cathedral-builders was more powerful1 more artistic1 and1 it may be added1 more religious2 and it is from this order that the ,masonry of today is descended4 ,since the story of the ,comacine ,masters has come to light1 no doubt any longer remains that during the building period the order of ,masons was at the height of its influence and power4 ,at that time the building art stood above all other arts1 and made the other arts bow to it1 commanding the services of the most brilliant intellects and of the greatest artists of the age4 ,moreover1 its symbols were wrought into stone long before they were written on parchment1 if indeed they were ever recorded at all4 ,efforts have been made to rob those old masters of their honor as the designers of the cathedrals1 but it is in vain4#ff ,their monuments are enduring and still tell the story of their genius and art4 ,high upon the cathedrals they left cartoons in stone1 of which ,findel gives a list1#fg portraying with searching satire abuses current in the ,church4 ,such figures and devices would not have been tolerated but for the strength of the order1 and not even then had the ,church known what they meant to the adepts4 ,history1 like a mirage1 lifts only a part of the past into view1 leaving much that we should like to know in oblivion4 ,at this distance the ,middle ,ages wear an aspect of smooth uniformity of faith and opinion1 but that is only one of the many illusions of time by which we are deceived4 ,what looks like uniformity was only conformity1 and underneath its surface there was almost as much variety of thought as there is today1 albeit not so freely expressed4 ,science itself1 as well as religious ideas deemed heretical1 sought seclusion2 but the human mind was alive and active none the less1 and a great secret order like ,masonry1 enjoying the protection of the ,church1 yet independent of it1 invited freedom of thought and faith4#fh ,the ,masons1 by the very nature of their art1 came into contact with all classes of men1 and they had opportunities to know the defects of the ,church4 ,far ahead of the masses and most of the clergy in education1 in their travels to and fro1 not only in ,europe1 but often extending to the far ,east1 they became familiar with widely-differing religious views4 ,they had learned to practice toleration1 and their ,lodges became a sure refuge for those who were persecuted for the sake of opinion by bigoted fanaticism4 ,while1 as an order1 the ,comacine ,masters served the ,church as builders1 the creed required for admission to their fraternity was never narrow1 and1 as we shall see1 it became every year broader4 ,unless this fact be kept in mind1 the influence of the ,church upon ,masonry1 which no one seeks to minify1 may easily be exaggerated4 ,not until cathedral building began to decline by reason of the impoverishment of the nations by long wars1 the dissolution of the monasteries1 and the advent of ,puritanism1 did the ,church greatly influence the order2 and not even then to the extent of diverting it from its original and unique mission4 ,other influences were at work betimes1 such as the persecution of the ,knights ,templars and the tragic martyrdom of ,de ,molai1 making themselves felt1#fi and ,masonry began to be suspected of harboring heresy4 ,so tangled were the tendencies of that period that they are not easily followed1 but the fact emerges that ,masonry rapidly broadened until its final break with the ,church4 ,hardly more than a veneer1 by the time of the ,german ,reformation almost every vestige of the impress of the ,church had vanished never to return4 ,critics of the order have been at pains to trace this tendency1 not knowing1 apparently1 that by so doing they only make more emphatic the chief glory of ,masonry4 ,,ii ,unfortunately1 as so often happens1 no records of old ,craft-masonry1 save those wrought into stone1 were made until the movement had begun to decline2 and for that reason such documents as have come down to us do not show it at its best4 ,nevertheless1 they range over a period of more than four centuries1 and are justly held to be the title deeds of the ,order4 ,turning to these ,old ,charges and ,constitutions1#gj as they are called1 we find a body of quaint and curious writing1 both in poetry and prose1 describing the ,masonry of the late cathedral-building period1 with glimpses at least of greater days of old4 ,of these1 there are more than half a hundred--seventy-eight1 to be exact--most of which have come to light since #ahfj1 and all of them1 it would seem1 copies of documents still older4 ,naturally they have suffered at the hands of unskilled or unlearned copyists1 as is evident from errors1 embellishments1 and interpolations4 ,they were called ,old ,charges because they contained certain rules as to conduct and duties which1 in a bygone time1 were read or recited to a newly admitted member of the craft4 ,while they differ somewhat in details1 they relate substantially the same legend as to the origin of the order1 its early history1 its laws and regulations1 usually beginning with an invocation and ending with an ,amen4 ,only a brief account need here be given of the dates and characteristics of these documents1 of the two oldest especially1 with a digest of what they have to tell us1 first1 of the ,legend of the order2 second1 its early ,history2 and third1 its ,moral teaching1 its workings1 and the duties of its members4 ,the first and oldest of the records is known as the ,regius ,,ms which1 owing to an error of ,david ,casley who in his catalogue of the ,,mss in the ,king's ,library marked it ,a ,poem of ,moral ,duties1 was overlooked until ,james ,halliwell discovered its real nature in #ahci4 ,although not a ,mason1 ,halliwell was attracted by the ,,ms and read an essay on its contents before the ,society of ,antiquarians1 after which he issued two editions bearing date of #ahdj and #ahdd4 ,experts give it date back to #acij1 that is to say1 fifteen years after the first recorded use of the name ,free-mason in the history of the ,company of ,masons of the ,city of ,london1 in #acge4ga ,more poetical in spirit than in form1 the old manuscript begins by telling of the number of unemployed in early days and the necessity of finding work1 that they myght gete there lyvyngs therby4 ,euclid was consulted1 and recommended the onest craft of good masonry1 and the origin of the order is found yn ,egypte lande4 ,then1 by a quick shift1 we are landed in ,england yn tyme of good ,kinge ,adelstonus day1 who is said to have called an assembly of ,masons1 when fifteen articles and as many points were agreed upon as rules of the craft1 each point being duly described4 ,the rules resemble the ,ten ,commandments in an extended form1 closing with the legend of the ,four ,crowned ,martyrs1 as an incentive to fidelity4 ,then the writer takes up again the question of origins1 going back this time to the days of ,noah and the ,flood1 mentioning the tower of ,babylon and the great skill of ,euclid1 who is said to have commenced the syens seven4 ,the seven sciences are then named1 to-wit1 ,grammar1 ,logic1 ,rhetoric1 ,music1 ,astronomy1 ,arithmetic1 ,geometry1 and each explained4 ,rich reward is held out to those who use the seven sciences aright1 and the ,,ms proper closes with the benediction3 _/,p ,amen6 ,amen6 so mote it be6 ,so say we all for ,charity4 ,p_/ ,there follows a kind of appendix1 evidently added by a priest1 consisting of one hundred lines in which pious exhortation is mixed with instruction in etiquette1 such as lads and even men unaccustomed to polite society and correct deportment would need4 ,these lines were in great part extracted from ,instructions for ,parish ,priests1 by ,mirk1 a manual in use at the time4 ,the whole poem1 if so it may be called1 is imbued with the spirit of freedom1 of gladness1 of social good will2 so much so1 that both ,gould and ,albert ,pike think it points to the existence of symbolic ,masonry at the date from which it speaks1 and may have been recited or sung by some club commemorating the science1 but not practicing the art1 of ,masonry4 ,they would find intimation of the independent existence of speculative ,masonry thus early1 in a society from whom all but the memory or tradition of its ancient craft had departed4 ,one hesitates to differ with writers so able and distinguished1 yet this inference seems far-fetched1 if not forced4 ,of the existence of symbolic ,masonry at that time there is no doubt1 but of its independent existence it is not easy to find even a hint in this old poem4 ,nor would the poem be suitable for a mere social1 or even a symbolic guild1 whereas the spirit of genial1 joyous comradeship which breathes through it is of the very essence of ,masonry1 and has ever been present when ,masons meet4 ,next in order of age is the ,cooke ,,ms1 dating from the early part of the fifteenth century1 and first published in #ahfa4 ,if we apply the laws of higher-criticism to this old document a number of things appear1 as obvious as they are interesting4 ,not only is it a copy of an older record1 like all the ,,mss we have1 but it is either an effort to join two documents together1 or else the first part must be regarded as a long preamble to the manuscript which forms the second part4 ,for the two are quite unlike in method and style1 the first being diffuse1 with copious quotations and references to authorities1#gb while the second is simple1 direct1 unadorned1 and does not even allude to the ,bible4 ,also1 it is evident that the compiler1 himself a ,mason1 is trying to harmonize two traditions as to the origin of the order1 one tracing it through ,egypt and the other through the ,hebrews2 and it is hard to tell which tradition he favors most4 ,hence a duplication of the traditional history1 and an odd mixture of names and dates1 often1 indeed1 absurd1 as when he makes ,euclid a pupil of ,abraham4 ,what is clear is that1 having found an old ,constitution of the ,craft1 he thought to write a kind of commentary upon it1 adding proofs and illustrations of his own1 though he did not manage his materials very successfully4 ,after his invocation1#gc the writer begins with a list of the ,seven ,sciences1 giving quaint definitions of each1 but in a different order from that recited in the ,regius ,poem2 and he exalts ,geometry above all the rest as the first cause and foundation of all crafts and sciences4 ,then follows a brief sketch of the sons of ,lamech1 much as we find it in the book of ,genesis which1 like the old ,,ms we are here studying1 was compiled from two older records3 the one tracing the descent from ,cain1 and the other from ,seth4 ,jabal and ,jubal1 we are told1 inscribed their knowledge of science and handicraft on two pillars1 one of marble1 the other of lateres2 and after the flood one of the pillars was found by ,hermes1 and the other by ,pythagoras1 who taught the sciences they found written thereon4 ,other ,,mss give ,euclid the part here assigned to ,hermes4 ,surely this is all fantastic enough1 but the blending of the names of ,hermes1 the father of ,wisdom1 who is so supreme a figure in the ,egyptian ,mysteries1 and ,pythagoras who used numbers as spiritual emblems1 with old ,hebrew history1 is significant4 ,at any rate1 by this route the record reaches ,egypt where1 like the ,regius ,poem1 it locates the origin of ,masonry4 ,in thus ascribing the origin of ,geometry to the ,egyptians the writer was but following a tradition that the ,egyptians were compelled to invent it in order to restore the landmarks effaced by the inundations of the ,nile2 a tradition confirmed by modern research4 ,proceeding1 the compiler tells us that during their sojourn in ,egypt the ,hebrews learned the art and secrets of ,masonry1 which they took with them to the promised land4 ,long years are rapidly sketched1 and we come to the days of ,david1 who is said to have loved ,masons well1 and to have given them wages nearly as they are now4 ,there is but a meager reference to the building of the ,temple of ,solomon1 to which is added3 ,in other chronicles and old books of ,masonry1 it is said that ,solomon confirmed the charges that ,david had given to ,masons2 and that ,solomon taught them their usages differing but slightly from the customs now in use4 ,while allusion is made to the master-artist of the temple1 his name is not mentioned1 except in disguise4 ,not one of the ,old ,charges of the order ever makes use of his name1 but always employs some device whereby to conceal it4#gd ,why so1 when the name was well known1 written in the ,bible which lay upon the altar for all to read8 ,why such reluctance1 if it be not that the name and the legend linked with it had an esoteric meaning1 as it most certainly did have long before it was wrought into a drama8 ,at this point the writer drops the old legend and traces the ,masons into ,france and ,england1 after the manner of the ,regius ,,ms1 but with more detail4 ,having noted these items1 he returns to ,euclid and brings that phase of the tradition up to the advent of the order into ,england1 adding1 in conclusion1 the articles of ,masonic law agreed upon at an early assembly1 of which he names nine1 instead of the fifteen recited in the ,regius ,poem4 ,what shall we say of this ,legend1 with its recurring and insistent emphasis upon the antiquity of the order1 and its linking of ,egypt with ,israel8 ,for one thing1 it explodes the fancy that the idea of the symbolical significance of the building of the ,temple of ,solomon originated with1 or was suggested by1 ,bacon's ,new ,atlantis4 ,here is a body of tradition uniting the ,egyptian ,mysteries with the ,hebrew history of the ,temple in a manner unmistakable4 ,wherefore such names as ,hermes1 ,pythagoras1 and ,euclid1 and how did they come into the old craft records if not through the ,comacine artists and scholars8 ,with the story of that great order before us1 much that has hitherto been obscure becomes plain1 and we recognize in these ,old ,charges the inaccurate and perhaps faded tradition of a lofty symbolism1 an authentic scholarship1 and an actual history4 ,as ,leader ,scott observes1 after reciting the old legend in its crudest form3 _/#d1ff ,the significant point is that all these names and ,masonic emblems point to something real which existed in some long-past time1 and1 as regards the organisation and nomenclature1 we find the whole thing in its vital and actual working form in the ,comacine ,guild4#ge _/ ,of interest here1 as a kind of bridge between old legend and the early history of the order in ,england1 and also as a different version of the legend itself1 is another document dating far back4 ,there was a ,,ms discovered in the ,bodleian ,library at ,oxford about #afif1 supposed to have been written in the year #adcf1 which purports to be an examination of a ,mason by ,king ,henry ,,vi1 and is allowed by all to be genuine4 ,its title runs as follows3 ,certain questions with answers to the same concerning the mystery of masonry written by ,king ,henry the ,sixth and faithfully copied by me1 ,john ,laylande1 antiquarian1 by command of his highness4 ,written in quaint old ,english1 it would doubtless be unintelligible to all but antiquarians1 but it reads after this fashion3 _/#d1ff ,what mote it be8--,it is the knowledge of nature1 and the power of its various operations2 particularly the skill of reckoning1 of weights and measures1 of constructing buildings and dwellings of all kinds1 and the true manner of forming all things for the use of man4 ,where did it begin8--,it began with the first men of the ,east1 who were before the first men of the ,west1 and coming with it1 it hath brought all comforts to the wild and comfortless4 ,who brought it to the ,west8--,the ,phoenicians who1 being great merchants1 came first from the ,east into ,phoenicia1 for the convenience of commerce1 both ,east and ,west by the ,red and ,mediterranean ,seas4 ,how came it into ,england8--,pythagoras1 a ,grecian1 traveled to acquire knowledge in ,egypt and ,syria1 and in every other land where the ,phoenicians had planted ,masonry2 and gaining admittance into all lodges of ,masons1 he learned much1 and returned and dwelt in ,grecia ,magna1 growing and becoming mighty wise and greatly renowned4 ,here he formed a great lodge at ,crotona1 and made many ,masons1 some of whom traveled into ,france1 and there made many more1 from whence1 in process of time1 the art passed into ,england4 _/ ,,iii ,with the conquest of ,britain by the ,romans1 the ,collegia1 without which no ,roman society was complete1 made their advent into the island1 traces of their work remaining even to this day4 ,under the direction of the mother ,college at ,rome1 the ,britons are said to have attained to high degree of excellence as builders1 so that when the cities of ,gaul and the fortresses along the ,rhine were destroyed1 ,chlorus1 ,a4,d4 #bih1 sent to ,britain for architects to repair or rebuild them4 ,whether the ,collegia existed in ,britain after the ,romans left1 as some affirm1 or were suppressed1 as we know they were on the ,continent when the barbarians overran it1 is not clear4 ,probably they were destroyed1 or nearly so1 for with the revival of ,christianity in #eih ,a4,d41 we find ,bishop ,wilfred of ,york joining with the ,abbott of ,wearmouth in sending to ,france and ,italy to induce ,masons to return and build in stone1 as he put it1 after the ,roman manner4 ,this confirms the ,italian chroniclists who relate that ,pope ,gregory sent several of the fraternity of ,liberi muratori with ,st4 ,augustine1 as1 later1 they followed ,st4 ,boniface into ,germany4 ,again1 in #fjd1 ,augustine sent the monk ,pietro back to ,rome with a letter to the same ,pontiff1 begging him to send more architects and workmen1 which he did4 ,as the ,liberi muratori were none other than the ,comacine ,masters1 it seems certain that they were at work in ,england long before the period with which the ,,old ,,charges begin their story of ,english ,masonry4#gf ,among those sent by ,gregory was ,paulinus1 and it is a curious fact that he is spoken of under the title of ,magister1 by which is meant1 no doubt1 that he was a member of the ,comacine order1 for they so described their members2 and we know that many monks were enrolled in their lodges1 having studied the art of building under their instruction4 ,st4 ,hugh of ,lincoln was not the only ,bishop who could plan a church1 instruct the workman1 or handle a hod4 ,only1 it must be kept in mind that these ecclesiastics who became skilled in architecture were taught by the ,masons1 and that it was not the monks1 as some seem to imagine1 who taught the ,masons their art4 ,speaking of this early and troublous time1 ,giuseppe ,merzaria says that only one lamp remained alight1 making a bright spark in the darkness that extended over ,europe3 _/#d1ff ,it was from the ,magistri ,comacini4 ,their respective names are unknown1 their individual works unspecialized1 but the breadth of their spirit might be felt all through those centuries1 and their name collectively is legion4 ,we may safely say that of all the works of art between ,a4,d4 #hjj and #ajjj1 the greater and better part are due to that brotherhood--always faithful and often secret--of the ,magistri ,comacini4 ,the authority and judgment of learned men justify the assertion4#gg _/ ,among the learned men who agree with this judgment are ,kugler of ,germany1 ,ramee of ,france1 and ,selvatico of ,italy1 as well as ,quatremal de ,quincy1 in his ,dictionary of ,architecture1 who1 in the article on the ,comacine1 remarks that to these men1 who were both designers and executors1 architects1 sculptors1 and mosaicists1 may be attributed the renaissance of art1 and its propagation in the southern countries1 where it marched with ,christianity4 ,certain it is that we owe it to them1 that the heritage of antique ages was not entirely lost1 and it is only by their tradition and imitation that the art of building was kept alive1 producing works which we still admire1 and which become surprising when we think of the utter ignorance of all science in those dark ages4 ,the ,english writer1 ,hope1 goes further and credits the ,comacine order with being the cradle of the associations of ,free-masons1 who were1 he adds1 the first after ,roman times to enrich architecture with a complete and well-ordinated system1 which dominated wherever the ,latin ,church extended its influence4#gh ,so then1 even if the early records of old ,craft-masonry in ,england are confused1 and often confusing1 we are not left to grope our way from one dim tradition to another1 having the history and monuments of this great order which spans the whole period1 and links the fraternity of ,free-masons with one of the noblest chapters in the annals of art4 ,almost without exception the ,old ,charges begin their account of ,masonry in ,england at the time of ,athelstan1 the grandson of ,alfred the ,great2 that is1 between #ibe and #idj4 ,of this prince1 or knight1 they record that he was a wise and pacific ruler2 that he brought the land to rest and peace1 and built many great buildings of castles and abbeys1 for he loved ,masons well4 ,he is also said to have called an assembly of ,masons at which laws1 rules1 and charges were adopted for the regulation of the craft4 ,despite these specific details1 the story of ,athelstan and ,st4 ,alban is hardly more than a legend1 albeit dating at no very remote epoch1 and well within the reasonable limits of tradition4 ,still1 so many difficulties beset it that it has baffled the acutest critics1 most of whom throw it aside4#gi ,that is1 however1 too summary a way of disposing of it1 since the record1 though badly blurred1 is obviously trying to preserve a fact of importance to the order4 ,usually the assembly in question is located at ,york1 in the year #ibf1 of which1 however1 no slightest record remains4 ,whether at ,york or elsewhere1 some such assembly must have been convoked1 either as a civil function1 or as a regular meeting of ,masons authorized by legal power for upholding the honor of the craft2 and its articles became the laws of the order4 ,it was probably a civil assembly1 a part of whose legislation was a revised and approved code for the regulation of ,masons1 and not unnaturally1 by reason of its importance to the order1 it became known as a ,masonic assembly4 ,moreover1 the ,charge agreed upon was evidently no ordinary charge1 for it is spoken of as the ,charge1 called by one ,,ms a deep charge for the observation of such articles as belong to ,masonry1 and by another ,,ms a rule to be kept forever4 ,other assemblies were held afterwards1 either annually or semi-annually1 until the time of ,inigo ,jones who1 in #afjg1 became superintendent general of royal buildings and at the same time head of the ,masonic order in ,england2 and he it was who instituted quarterly gatherings instead of the old annual assemblies4 ,writers not familiar with the facts often speak of ,freemasonry as an evolution from ,guild-masonry1 but that is to err4 ,they were never at any time united or the same1 though working almost side by side through several centuries4 ,free-masons existed in large numbers long before any city guild of ,masons was formed1 and even after the ,guilds became powerful the two were entirely distinct4 ,the ,guilds1 as ,hallam says1#hj were ,fraternities by voluntary compact1 to relieve each other in poverty1 and to protect each other from injury4 ,two essential characteristics belonged to them3 the common banquet1 and the common purse4 ,they had also1 in many instances1 a religious and sometimes a secret ceremonial to knit more firmly the bond of fidelity4 ,they readily became connected with the exercises of trades1 with training of apprentices1 and the traditional rules of art4 ,guild-masons1 it may be added1 had many privileges1 one of which was that they were allowed to frame their own laws1 and to enforce obedience thereto4 ,each ,guild had a monopoly of the building in its city or town1 except ecclesiastical buildings1 but with this went serious restrictions and limitations4 ,no member of a local ,guild could undertake work outside his town1 but had to hold himself in readiness to repair the castle or town walls1 whereas ,free-masons journeyed the length and breadth of the land wherever their labor called them4 ,often the ,free-masons1 when at work in a town1 employed ,guild-masons1 but only for rough work1 and as such called them rough-masons4 ,no ,guild-mason was admitted to the order of ,free-masons unless he displayed unusual aptitude both as a workman and as a man of intellect4 ,such as adhered only to the manual craft and cared nothing for intellectual aims1 were permitted to go back to the ,guilds4 ,for the ,free-masons1 be it once more noted1 were not only artists doing a more difficult and finished kind of work1 but an intellectual order1 having a great tradition of science and symbolism which they guarded4 ,following the ,norman ,conquest1 which began in #ajff1 ,england was invaded by an army of ecclesiastics1 and churches1 monasteries1 cathedrals1 and abbeys were commenced in every part of the country4 ,naturally the ,free-masons were much in demand1 and some of them received rich reward for their skill as architects--,robertus ,cementarius1 a ,master ,mason employed at ,st4 ,albans in #ajgg1 receiving a grant of land and a house in the town4#ha ,in the reign of ,henry ,,ii no less than one hundred and fifty-seven religious buildings were founded in ,england1 and it is at this period that we begin to see evidence of a new style of architecture--the ,gothic4 ,most of the great cathedrals of ,europe date from the eleventh century--the piety of the world having been wrought to a pitch of intense excitement by the expected end of all things1 unaccountably fixed by popular belief to take place in the year one thousand4 ,when the fatal year--and the following one1 which some held to be the real date for the sounding of the last trumpet--passed without the arrival of the dreaded catastrophe1 the sense of general relief found expression in raising magnificent temples to the glory of ,god who had mercifully abstained from delivering all things to destruction4 ,and it was the order of ,free-masons who made it possible for men to sing their souls in stone1 leaving for the admiration of after times what ,goethe called the frozen music of the ,middle ,ages--monuments of the faith and gratitude of the race which adorn and consecrate the earth4 ,little need be added to the story of ,freemasonry during the cathedral-building period2 its monuments are its best history1 alike of its genius1 its faith1 and its symbols--as witness the triangle and the circle which form the keystone of the ornamental tracery of every ,gothic temple4 ,masonry was then at the zenith of its power1 in its full splendor1 the ,lion of the tribe of ,judah its symbol1 strength1 wisdom1 and beauty its ideals2 its motto to be faithful to ,god and the ,government2 its mission to lend itself to the public good and fraternal charity4 ,keeper of an ancient and high tradition1 it was a refuge for the oppressed1 and a teacher of art and morality to mankind4 ,in #abgj1 we find ,pope ,nicholas ,,iii confirming all the rights previously granted to the ,free-masons1 and bestowing on them further privileges4 ,indeed1 all the ,popes up to ,benedict ,,xii appear to have conceded marked favors to the order1 even to the length of exempting its members from the necessity of observance of the statutes1 from municipal regulations1 and from obedience to royal edicts4 ,what wonder1 then1 that the ,free-masons1 ere long1 took ,liberty for their motto1 and by so doing aroused the animosity of those in authority1 as well as the ,church which they had so nobly served4 ,already forces were astir which ultimately issued in the ,reformation1 and it is not surprising that a great secret order was suspected of harboring men and fostering influences sympathetic with the impending change felt to be near at hand4 ,as men of the most diverse views1 political and religious1 were in the lodges1 the order began first to be accused of refusing to obey the law1 and then to be persecuted4 ,in ,england a statute was enacted against the ,free-masons in #acef1 prohibiting their assemblies under severe penalties1 but the law seems never to have been rigidly enforced2 though the order suffered greatly in the civil commotions of the period4 ,however1 with the return of peace after the long ,war of the ,roses1 ,freemasonry revived for a time1 and regained much of its prestige1 adding to its fame in the rebuilding of ,london after the fire1 and in particular of ,st4 ,paul's ,cathedral4#hb ,when cathedral-building ceased1 and the demand for highly skilled architects decreased1 the order fell into decline1 but never at any time lost its identity1 its organization1 and its ancient emblems4 ,the ,masons' ,company of ,london1 though its extant records date only from #afbj1 is considered by its historian1 ,conder1 to have been established in #abbj1 if not earlier1 at which time there was great activity in building1 owing to the building of ,london ,bridge1 begun in #aagf1 and of ,westminster ,abbey in #abba2 thus reaching back into the cathedral period4 ,at one time the ,free-masons seem to have been stronger in ,scotland than in ,england1 or at all events to have left behind more records--for the minutes of the ,lodge of ,edinburgh go back to #aeii1 and the ,schaw ,statutes to an earlier date4 ,nevertheless1 as the art of architecture declined ,masonry declined with it1 not a few of its members identifying themselves with the ,guilds of ordinary rough-masons1 whom they formerly held in contempt2 while others1 losing sight of high aims1 turned its lodges into social clubs4 ,always1 however1 despite defection and decline1 there were those1 as we shall see1 who were faithful to the ideals of the order1 devoting themselves more and more to its moral and spiritual teaching until what has come to be known as the revival of #agag4 ,,footnotes3 #fe ,the ,cathedral ,builders1 chap4 i4 #ff ,the honor due to the original founders of these edifices is almost invariably transferred to the ecclesiastics under whose patronage they rose1 rather than to the skill and design of the ,master ,mason1 or professional architect1 because the only historians were monks4444 ,they were probably not so well versed in geometrical science as the ,master ,masons1 for mathematics formed a part of monastic learning in a very limited degree4--,james ,dallaway1 ,architecture in ,england2 and his words are the more weighty for that he is not a ,mason4 #fg ,history of ,masonry4 ,in the ,st4 ,sebaldus ,church1 ,nuremburg1 is a carving in stone showing a nun in the embrace of a monk4 ,in ,strassburg a hog and a goat may be seen carrying a sleeping fox as a sacred relic1 in advance a bear with a cross and a wolf with a taper4 ,an ass is reading mass at an altar4 ,in ,wurzburg ,cathedral are the pillars of ,boaz and ,jachin1 and in the altar of the ,church of ,doberan1 in ,mecklenburg1 placed as ,masons use them1 and a most significant scene in which priests are turning a mill grinding out dogmatic doctrines2 and at the bottom the ,lord's ,supper in which the ,apostles are shown in well-known ,masonic attitudes4 ,in the ,cathedral of ,brandenburg a fox in priestly robes is preaching to a flock of geese2 and in the ,minster at ,berne the ,pope is placed among those who are lost in perdition4 ,these were bold strokes which even heretics hardly dared to indulge in4 #fh ,history of ,masonry1 by ,steinbrenner1 chap4 iv4 ,there were1 indeed1 many secret societies in the ,middle ,ages1 such as the ,catharists1 ,albigenses1 ,waldenses1 and others1 whose initiates and adherents traveled through all ,europe1 forming new communities and making proselytes not only among the masses1 but also among nobles1 and even among the monks1 abbots1 and bishops4 ,occultists1 ,alchemists1 ,kabbalists1 all wrought in secrecy1 keeping their flame aglow under the crust of conformity4 #fi ,realities of ,masonry1 by ,blake 7chap4 ii74 ,while the theory of the descent of ,masonry from the ,order of the ,temple is untenable1 a connection between the two societies1 in the sense in which an artist may be said to be connected with his employer1 is more than probable2 and a similarity may be traced between the ritual of reception in the ,order of the ,temple and that used by ,masons1 but that of the ,temple was probably derived from1 or suggested by1 that of the ,masons2 or both may have come from an original source further back4 ,that the ,order of the ,temple1 as such1 did not actually coalesce with the ,masons seems clear1 but many of its members sought refuge under the ,masonic apron 7,history of ,freemasonry and ,concordant ,orders1 by ,hughan and ,stillson74 #gj ,every elaborate ,history of ,masonry--as1 for example1 that of ,gould--reproduces these old documents in full or in digest1 with exhaustive analyses of and commentaries upon them4 ,such a task obviously does not come within the scope of the present study4 ,one of the best brief comparative studies of the ,old ,charges is an essay by ,w4,h4 ,upton1 ,the ,true ,text of the ,book of ,constitutions1 in that it applies approved methods of historical criticism to all of them 7,a4 ,q4 ,c41 vii1 #aai74 ,see also ,masonic ,sketches and ,reprints1 by ,hughan4 ,no doubt these ,old ,charges are familiar1 or should be familiar1 to every intelligent member of the order1 as a man knows the deeds of his estate4 #ga ,the ,hole ,craft and ,fellowship of ,masonry1 by ,conder4 ,also exhaustive essays by ,conder and ,speth1 ,a4 ,q4 ,c41 ix1 #bi2 x1 #aj4 ,too much1 it seems to me1 has been made of both the name and the date1 since the fact was older than either4 ,findel finds the name ,free-mason as early as #abab1 and ,leader ,scott goes still further back2 but the fact may be traced back to the ,roman ,collegia4 #gb ,he refers to ,herodotus as the ,master of ,history2 quotes from the ,polychronicon1 written by a ,benedictine monk who died in #acfj2 from ,de ,imagine ,mundi1 ,isodorus1 and frequently from the ,bible4 ,of more than ordinary learning for his day and station1 he did not escape a certain air of pedantry in his use of authorities4 #gc ,these invocations vary in their phraseology1 some bearing more visibly than others the mark of the ,church4 ,toulmin ,smith1 in his ,english ,guilds1 notes the fact that the form of the invocations of the ,masons differs strikingly from that of most other ,guilds4 ,in almost every other case1 ,god the ,father ,almighty would seem to have been forgotten4 ,but ,masons never forgot the corner-stone upon which their order and its teachings rest2 not for a day4 #gd ,such names as ,aynone1 ,aymon1 ,ajuon1 ,dynon1 ,amon1 ,anon1 ,annon1 and ,benaim are used1 deliberately1 it would seem1 and of set design4 ,the ,inigo ,jones ,,ms uses the ,bible name1 but1 though dated #afjg1 it has been shown to be apocryphal4 ,see ,gould's ,history1 appendix4 ,also ,bulletin of ,supreme ,council ,s4 ,j41 ,u4 ,s4 7vii1 #bjj71 that the ,strassburg builders pictured the legend in stone4 #ge ,the ,cathedral ,builders1 bk4 i1 chap4 i4 #gf ,see the account of ,the ,origin of ,saxon ,architecture1 in the ,cathedral ,builders 7bk4 ii1 chap4 iii71 written by ,dr4 ,w4,m4 ,barnes in ,england independently of the author who was living in ,italy2 and it is significant that the facts led both of them to the same conclusions4 ,they show quite unmistakably that the ,comacine builders were in ,england as early as #fjj ,a4,d41 both by documents and by a comparative study of styles of architecture4 #gg ,maestri ,comacini1 vol4 i1 chap4 ii4 #gh ,story of ,architecture1 chap4 xxii4 #gi ,gould1 in his ,history of ,masonry 7i1 #ca1 #fe71 rejects the legend as having not the least foundation in fact1 as indeed1 he rejects almost everything that cannot prove itself in a court of law4 ,for the other side see a ,critical ,examination of the ,alban and ,athelstan ,legends1 by ,c4,c4 ,howard 7,a4 ,q4 ,c41 vii1 #gc74 ,meanwhile1 ,upton points out that ,st4 ,alban was the name of a town1 not of a man1 and shows how the error may have crept into the record 7,a4 ,q4 ,c41 vii1 #aai-aca74 ,the nature of the tradition1 its details1 its motive1 and the absence of any reason for fiction1 should deter us from rejecting it4 ,see two able articles1 pro and con1 by ,begemann and ,speth1 entitled ,the ,assembly 7,a4 ,q4 ,c41 vii74 ,older ,masonic writers1 like ,oliver and ,mackey1 accepted the ,york assembly as a fact established 7,american ,quarterly ,review of ,freemasonry1 vol4 i1 #edf2 ii1 #bde74 #hj ,history of the ,english ,constitution4 ,of course the ,guild was indigenous to almost every age and land1 from ,china to ancient ,rome 7,the ,guilds of ,china1 by ,h4,b4 ,morse71 and they survive in the trade and labor unions of our day4 ,the story of ,english ,guilds has been told by ,toulmin ,smith1 and in the histories of particular companies by ,herbert and ,hazlitt1 leaving little for any one to add4 ,no doubt the ,guilds were influenced by the ,free-masons in respect of officers and emblems1 and we know that some of them1 like the ,german ,steinmetzen1 attached moral meanings to their working tools1 and that others1 like the ,french ,companionage1 even held the legend of ,hiram2 but these did not make them ,free-masons4 ,english writers like ,speth go too far when they deny to the ,steinmetzen any esoteric lore1 and ,german scholars like ,krause and ,findel are equally at fault in insisting that they were ,free-masons4 7,see essay by ,speth1 ,a4 ,q4 ,c41 i1 #ag1 and ,history of ,masonry1 by ,steinbrenner1 chap4 iv47 #ha ,notes on the ,superintendents of ,english ,buildings in the ,middle ,ages1 by ,wyatt ,papworth4 ,cementerius is also mentioned in connection with the ,salisbury ,cathedral1 again in his capacity as a ,master ,mason4 #hb ,hearing that the ,masons had certain secrets that could not be revealed to her 7for that she could not be ,grand ,master7 ,queen ,elizabeth sent an armed force to break up their annual ,grand ,lodge at ,york1 on ,st4 ,john's ,day1 ,december #bg1 #aefa4 ,but ,sir ,thomas ,sackville took care to see that some of the men sent were ,free-masons1 who1 joining in the communication1 made a very honorable report to the ,queen1 who never more attempted to dislodge or disturb them2 but esteemed them a peculiar sort of men1 that cultivated peace and friendship1 arts and sciences1 without meddling in the affairs of ,church or ,state 7,book of ,constitutions1 by ,anderson74 ,,fellowcrafts _/ ,noe person 7of what degree soever7 shalbee accepted a ,free ,mason1 unless hee shall have a lodge of five ,free ,masons at least2 whereof one to be a master1 or warden1 of that limitt1 or division1 wherein such ,lodge shalbee kept1 and another of the trade of ,free ,masonry4 ,that noe person shalbee accepted a ,free ,mason1 but such as are of able body1 honest parentage1 good reputation1 and observers of the laws of the land4 ,that noe person shalbee accepted a ,free ,mason1 or know the secrets of said ,society1 until hee hath first taken the oath of secrecy hereafter following3 ,i1 ,a4 ,b41 doe in the presence of ,almighty ,god1 and my fellows1 and brethren here present1 promise and declare1 that ,i will not at any time hereafter1 by any act or circumstance whatsoever1 directly or indirectly1 publish1 discover1 reveal1 or make known any of the secrets1 privileges1 or counsels1 of the fraternity or fellowship of ,free ,masonry1 which at this time1 or any time hereafter1 shalbee made known unto mee soe helpe mee ,god1 and the holy contents of this booke4 --,,harleian ,,ms1 #afjj-afej _/ ,,chapter ,,ii ,fellowcrafts ,i ,having followed the ,free-masons over a long period of history1 it is now in order to give some account of the ethics1 organization1 laws1 emblems1 and workings of their lodges4 ,such a study is at once easy and difficult by turns1 owing to the mass of material1 and to the further fact that in the nature of things much of the work of a secret order is not1 and has never been1 matter for record4 ,by this necessity1 not a little must remain obscure1 but it is hoped that even those not of the order may derive a definite notion of the principles and practices of the old ,craft-masonry1 from which the ,masonry of today is descended4 ,at least1 such a sketch will show that1 from times of old1 the order of ,masons has been a teacher of morality1 charity1 and truth1 unique in its genius1 noble in its spirit1 and benign in its influence4 ,taking its ethical teaching first1 we have only to turn to the ,old ,charges or ,constitutions of the order1 with their quaint blending of high truth and homely craft-law1 to find the moral basis of universal ,masonry4 ,these old documents were a part of the earliest ritual of the order1 and were recited or read to every young man at the time of his initiation as an ,entered ,apprentice4 ,as such1 they rehearsed the legends1 laws1 and ethics of the craft for his information1 and1 as we have seen1 they insisted upon the antiquity of the order1 as well as its service to mankind--a fact peculiar to ,masonry1 for no other order has ever claimed such a legendary or traditional history4 ,having studied that legendary record and its value as history1 it remains to examine the moral code laid before the candidate who1 having taken a solemn oath of loyalty and secrecy1 was instructed in his duties as an ,apprentice and his conduct as a man4 ,what that old code lacked in subtlety is more than made up in simplicity1 and it might all be stated in the words of the ,prophet3 ,to do justly1 to love mercy1 and to walk humbly before ,god1--the old eternal moral law1 founded in faith1 tried by time1 and approved as valid for men of every clime1 creed1 and condition4 ,turning to the ,regius ,,ms1 we find fifteen points or rules set forth for the guidance of ,fellowcrafts1 and as many for the rule of ,master ,masons4#hc ,later the number was reduced to nine1 but so far from being an abridgment1 it was in fact an elaboration of the original code2 and by the time we reach the ,roberts and ,watson ,,mss a similar set of requirements for ,apprentices had been adopted--or rather recorded1 for they had been in use long before4 ,it will make for clearness if we reverse the order and take the ,apprentice charge first1 as it shows what manner of men were admitted to the order4 ,no man was made a ,mason save by his own free choice1 and he had to prove himself a freeman of lawful age1 of legitimate birth1 of sound body1 of clean habits1 and of good repute1 else he was not eligible4 ,also1 he had to bind himself by solemn oath to serve under rigid rules for a period of seven years1 vowing absolute obedience--for the old-time ,lodge was a school in which young men studied1 not only the art of building and its symbolism1 but the seven sciences as well4 ,at first the ,apprentice was little more than a servant1 doing the most menial work1 his period of endenture being at once a test of his character and a training for his work4 ,if he proved himself trustworthy and proficient1 his wages were increased1 albeit his rules of conduct were never relaxed4 ,how austere the discipline was may be seen from a summary of its rules3 ,confessing faith in ,god1 an ,apprentice vowed to honor the ,church1 the ,state1 and the ,master under whom he served1 agreeing not to absent himself from the service of the order1 by day or night1 save with the license of the ,master4 ,he must be honest1 truthful1 upright1 faithful in keeping the secrets of the craft1 or the confidence of the ,master1 or of any ,free-mason1 when communicated to him as such4 ,above all he must be chaste1 never committing adultery or fornication1 and he must not marry1 or contract himself to any woman1 during his apprenticeship4 ,he must be obedient to the ,master without argument or murmuring1 respectful to all ,free-masons1 courteous1 avoiding obscene or uncivil speech1 free from slander1 dissension1 or dispute4 ,he must not haunt or frequent any tavern or ale-house1 or so much as go into them except it be upon an errand of the ,master or with his consent1 using neither cards1 dice1 nor any unlawful game1 ,christmas time excepted4 ,he must not steal anything even to the value of a penny1 or suffer it to be done1 or shield anyone guilty of theft1 but report the fact to the ,master with all speed4 ,after seven long years the ,apprentice brought his masterpiece to the ,lodge--or1 in earlier times1 to the annual ,assembly#hd--;and on strict trial and due examination was declared a ,master4 ,thereupon he ceased to be a pupil and servant1 passed into the ranks of ,fellowcrafts1 and became a free man capable1 for the first time in his life1 of earning his living and choosing his own employer4 ,having selected a ,mark#he by which his work could be identified1 he could then take his kit of tools and travel as a ,master of his art1 receiving the wages of a ,master--not1 however1 without first reaffirming his vows of honesty1 truthfulness1 fidelity1 temperance1 and chastity1 and assuming added obligations to uphold the honor of the order4 ,again he was sworn not to lay bare1 nor to tell to any man what he heard or saw done in the ,lodge1 and to keep the secrets of a fellow ,mason as inviolably as his own--unless such a secret imperiled the good name of the craft4 ,he furthermore promised to act as mediator between his ,master and his ,fellows1 and to deal justly with both parties4 ,if he saw a ,fellow hewing a stone which he was in a fair way to spoil1 he must help him without loss of time1 if able to do so1 that the whole work be not ruined4 ,or if he met a fellow ,mason in distress1 or sorrow1 he must aid him so far as lay within his power4 ,in short1 he must live in justice and honor with all men1 especially with the members of the order1 that the bond of mutual charity and love may augment and continue4 ,still more binding1 if possible1 were the vows of a ,fellowcraft when he was elevated to the dignity of ,master of the ,lodge or of the ,work4 ,once more he took solemn oath to keep the secrets of the order unprofaned1 and more than one old ,,ms quotes the ,golden ,rule as the law of the ,master's office4 ,he must be steadfast1 trusty1 and true2 pay his ,fellows truly2 take no bribe2 and as a judge stand upright4 ,he must attend the annual ,assembly1 unless disabled by illness1 if within fifty miles--the distance varying1 however1 in different ,,mss4 ,he must be careful in admitting ,apprentices1 taking only such as are fit both physically and morally1 and keeping none without assurance that he would stay seven years in order to learn his craft4 ,he must be patient with his pupils1 instruct them diligently1 encourage them with increased pay1 and not permit them to work at night1 unless in the pursuit of knowledge1 which shall be a sufficient excuse4 ,he must be wise and discreet1 and undertake no work he cannot both perform and complete equally to the profit of his employer and the craft4 ,should a ,fellow be overtaken by error1 he must be gentle1 skilful1 and forgiving1 seeking rather to help than to hurt1 abjuring scandal and bitter words4 ,he must not attempt to supplant a ,master of the ,lodge or of the ,work1 or belittle his work1 but recommend it and assist him in improving it4 ,he must be liberal in charity to those in need1 helping a ,fellow who has fallen upon evil lot1 giving him work and wages for at least a fortnight1 or if he has no work1 relieve him with money to defray his reasonable charges to the next ,lodge4 ,for the rest1 he must in all ways act in a manner befitting the nobility of his office and his order4 ,such were some of the laws of the moral life by which the old ,craft-masonry sought to train its members1 not only to be good workmen1 but to be good and true men1 serving their ,fellows2 to which1 as the ,rawlinson ,,ms tells us1 divers new articles have been added by the free choice and good consent and best advice of the ,perfect and ,true ,masons1 ,masters1 and ,brethren4 ,if1 as an ethic of life1 these laws seem simple and rudimentary1 they are none the less fundamental1 and they remain to this day the only gate and way by which those must enter who would go up to the ,house of the ,lord4 ,as such they are great and saving things to lay to heart and act upon1 and if ,masonry taught nothing else its title to the respect of mankind would be clear4 ,they have a double aspect3 first1 the building of a spiritual man upon immutable moral foundations2 and second1 the great and simple religious faith in the ,fatherhood of ,god1 the ,brotherhood of man1 and the ,life ,eternal1 taught by ,masonry from its earliest history to this good day4 ,morality and theistic religion--upon these two rocks ,masonry has always stood1 and they are the only basis upon which man may ever hope to rear the spiritual edifice of his life1 even to the capstone thereof4 ,,ii ,imagine1 now1 a band of these builders1 bound together by solemn vows and mutual interests1 journeying over the most abominable roads toward the site selected for an abbey or cathedral4 ,traveling was attended with many dangers1 and the company was therefore always well armed1 the disturbed state of the country rendering such a precaution necessary4 ,tools and provisions belonging to the party were carried on pack-horses or mules1 placed in the center of the convoy1 in charge of keepers4 ,the company consisted of a ,master ,mason directing the work1 ,fellows of the craft1 and ,apprentices serving their time4 ,besides these we find subordinate laborers1 not of the ,lodge though in it1 termed layers1 setters1 tilers1 and so forth4 ,masters and ,fellows wore a distinctive costume1 which remained almost unchanged in its fashion for no less than three centuries4#hf ,withal1 it was a serious company1 but in nowise solemn1 and the tedium of the journey was no doubt beguiled by song1 story1 and the humor incident to travel4 ,wherever they came1 writes ,mr4 ,hope in his ,essay on ,architecture1 in the suite of missionaries1 or were called by the natives1 or arrived of their own accord1 to seek employment1 they appeared headed by a chief surveyor1 who governed the whole troop1 and named one man out of every ten1 under the name of warden1 to overlook the other nine1 set themselves to building temporary huts for their habitation around the spot where the work was to be carried on1 regularly organized their different departments1 fell to work1 sent for fresh supplies of their brethren as the object demanded1 and1 when all was finished1 again they raised their encampment1 and went elsewhere to undertake other work4 ,here we have a glimpse of the methods of the ,free-masons1 of their organization1 almost military in its order and dispatch1 and of their migratory life2 although they had a more settled life than this ungainly sentence allows1 for long time was required for the building of a great cathedral4 ,sometimes1 it would seem1 they made special contracts with the inhabitants of a town where they were to erect a church1 containing such stipulations as1 that a ,lodge covered with tiles should be built for their accommodation1 and that every laborer should be provided with a white apron of a peculiar kind of leather and gloves to shield the hands from stone and slime4#hg ,at all events1 the picture we have is that of a little community or village of workmen1 living in rude dwellings1 with a ,lodge room at the center adjoining a slowly rising cathedral--the ,master busy with his plans and the care of his craft2 ,fellows shaping stones for walls1 arches1 or spires2 ,apprentices fetching tools or mortar1 and when necessary1 tending the sick1 and performing all offices of a similar nature4 ,always the ,lodge was the center of interest and activity1 a place of labor1 of study1 of devotion1 as well as the common room for the social life of the order4 ,every morning1 as we learn from the ,fabric ,rolls of ,york ,minster1 began with devotion1 followed by the directions of the ,master for the work of the day1 which no doubt included study of the laws of the art1 plans of construction1 and the mystical meaning of ornaments and emblems4 ,only ,masons were in attendance at such times1 the ,lodge being closed to all others1 and guarded by a ,tiler#hh against the approach of cowans#hi and eavesdroppers4 ,thus the work of each day was begun1 moving forward amidst the din and litter of the hours1 until the craft was called from labor to rest and refreshment2 and thus a cathedral was uplifted as a monument to the ,order1 albeit the names of the builders are faded and lost4 ,employed for years on the same building1 and living together in the ,lodge1 it is not strange that ,free-masons came to know and love one another1 and to have a feeling of loyalty to their craft1 unique1 peculiar1 and enduring4 ,traditions of fun and frolic1 of song and feast and gala-day1 have floated down to us1 telling of a comradeship as joyous as it was genuine4 ,if their life had hardship and vicissitude1 it had also its grace and charm of friendship1 of sympathy1 service1 and community of interest1 and the joy that comes of devotion to a high and noble art4 ,when a ,mason wished to leave one ,lodge and go elsewhere to work1 as he was free to do when he desired1 he had no difficulty in making himself known to the men of his craft by certain signs1 grips1 and words4#ij ,such tokens of recognition were necessary to men who traveled afar in those uncertain days1 especially when references or other means of identification were ofttimes impossible4 ,all that many people knew about the order was that its members had a code of secret signs1 and that no ,mason need be friendless or alone when other ,masons were within sight or hearing2 so that the very name of the craft came to stand for any mode of hidden recognition4 ,steele1 in the ,tatler1 speaks of a class of people who have their signs and tokens like ,free-masons4 ,there were more than one of these signs and tokens1 as we are more than once told--in the ,harleian ,,ms1 for example1 which speaks of words and signs4 ,what they were may not be here discussed1 but it is safe to say that a ,master ,mason of the ,middle ,ages1 were he to return from the land of shadows1 could perhaps make himself known as such in a ,fellowcraft ,lodge of today4 ,no doubt some things would puzzle him at first1 but he would recognize the officers of the ,lodge1 its form1 its emblems1 its great altar ,light1 and its moral truth taught in symbols4 ,besides1 he could tell us1 if so minded1 much that we should like to learn about the craft in the olden times1 its hidden mysteries1 the details of its rites1 and the meaning of its symbols when the poetry of building was yet alive4 ,,iii ,this brings us to one of the most hotly debated questions in ,masonic history--the question as to the number and nature of the degrees made use of in the old craft lodges4 ,hardly any other subject has so deeply engaged the veteran archaeologists of the order1 and while it ill becomes any one glibly to decide such an issue1 it is at least permitted us1 after studying all of value that has been written on both sides1 to sum up what seems to be the truth arrived at4#ia ,while such a thing as a written record of an ancient degree--aside from the ,old ,charges1 which formed a part of the earliest rituals--is unthinkable1 we are not left altogether to the mercy of conjecture in a matter so important4 ,cesare ,cantu tells us that the ,comacine ,masters were called together in the ,loggie by a grand-master to treat of affairs common to the order1 to receive novices1 and confer superior degrees on others4#ib ,evidence of a sort similar is abundant1 but not a little confusion will be avoided if the following considerations be kept in mind3 ,first1 that during its purely operative period the ritual of ,masonry was naturally less formal and ornate than it afterwards became1 from the fact that its very life was a kind of ritual and its symbols were always visibly present in its labor4 ,by the same token1 as it ceased to be purely operative1 and others not actually architects were admitted to its fellowship1 of necessity its rites became more formal--very formall1 as ,dugdale said in #afhf1ic--portraying in ceremony what had long been present in its symbolism and practice4 ,second1 that with the decline of the old religious art of building--for such it was in very truth--some of its symbolism lost its luster1 its form surviving but its meaning obscured1 if not entirely faded4 ,who knows1 for example--even with the ,klein essay on ,the ,great ,symbol#id in hand--what ,pythagoras meant by his lesser and greater ,tetractys8 ,that they were more than mathematical theorems is plain1 yet even ,plutarch missed their meaning4 ,in the same way1 some of the emblems in our ,lodges are veiled1 or else wear meanings invented after the fact1 in lieu of deeper meanings hidden1 or but dimly discerned4 ,albeit1 the great emblems still speak in truths simple and eloquent1 and remain to refine1 instruct1 and exalt4 ,third1 that when ,masonry finally became a purely speculative or symbolical fraternity1 no longer an order of practical builders1 its ceremonial inevitably became more elaborate and imposing--its old habit and custom1 as well as its symbols and teachings1 being enshrined in its ritual4 ,more than this1 knowing how ,time the white god makes all things holy1 and what is old becomes religion1 it is no wonder that its tradition became every year more authoritative2 so that the tendency was not1 as many have imagined1 to add to its teaching1 but to preserve and develop its rich deposit of symbolism1 and to avoid any break with what had come down from the past4 ,keeping in mind this order of evolution in the history of ,masonry1 we may now state the facts1 so far as they are known1 as to its early degrees2 dividing it into two periods1 the ,operative and the ,speculative4#ie ,an ,apprentice in the olden days was entered as a novice of the craft1 first1 as a purely business proceeding1 not unlike our modern indentures1 or articles4 ,then1 or shortly afterwards--probably at the annual ,assembly--there was a ceremony of initiation making him a ,mason--including an oath1 the recital of the craft legend as recorded in the ,old ,charges1 instruction in moral conduct and deportment as a ,mason1 and the imparting of certain secrets4 ,at first this degree1 although comprising secrets1 does not seem to have been mystic at all1 but a simple ceremony intended to impress upon the mind of the youth the high moral life required of him4 ,even ,guild-masonry had such a rite of initiation1 as ,hallam remarks1 and if we may trust the ,findel version of the ceremony used among the ,german ,stone-masons1 it was very like the first degree as we now have it--though one has always the feeling that it was embellished in the light of later time4#if ,so far there is no dispute1 but the question is whether any other degree was known in the early lodges4 ,both the probabilities of the case1 together with such facts as we have1 indicate that there was another and higher degree4 ,for1 if all the secrets of the order were divulged to an ,apprentice1 he could1 after working four years1 and just when he was becoming valuable1 run away1 give himself out as a ,fellow1 and receive work and wages as such4 ,if there was only one set of secrets1 this deception might be practiced to his own profit and the injury of the craft--unless1 indeed1 we revise all our ideas held hitherto1 and say that his initiation did not take place until he was out of his articles4 ,this1 however1 would land us in worse difficulties later on4 ,knowing the fondness of the men of the ,middle ,ages for ceremony1 it is hardly conceivable that the day of all days when an ,apprentice1 having worked for seven long years1 acquired the status of a ,fellow1 was allowed to go unmarked1 least of all in an order of men to whom building was at once an art and an allegory4 ,so that1 not only the exigences of his occupation1 but the importance of the day to a young man1 and the spirit of the order1 justify such a conclusion4 ,have we any evidence tending to confirm this inference8 ,most certainly2 so much so that it is not easy to interpret the hints given in the ,old ,charges upon any other theory4 ,for one thing1 in nearly all the ,,mss1 from the ,regius ,poem down1 we are told of two rooms or resorts1 the ,chamber and the ,lodge--sometimes called the ,bower and the ,hall--and the ,mason was charged to keep the counsells proper to each place4 ,this would seem to imply that an ,apprentice had access to the ,chamber or ,bower1 but not to the ,lodge itself--at least not at all times4 ,it may be argued that the other counsells referred to were merely technical secrets1 but that is to give the case away1 since they were secrets held and communicated as such4 ,by natural process1 as the order declined and actual building ceased1 its technical secrets became ritual secrets1 though they must always have had symbolical meanings4 ,further1 while we have record of only one oath--which does not mean that there was only one--signs1 tokens1 and words are nearly always spoken of in the plural2 and if the secrets of a ,fellowcraft were purely technical--which some of us do not believe--they were at least accompanied and protected by certain signs1 tokens1 and passwords4 ,from this it is clear that the advent of an ,apprentice into the ranks of a ,fellow was in fact a degree1 or contained the essentials of a degree1 including a separate set of signs and secrets4 ,when we pass to the second period1 and men of wealth and learning who were not actual architects began to enter the order--whether as patrons of the art or as students and mystics attracted by its symbolism--other evidences of change appear4 ,they1 of course1 were not required to serve a seven year apprenticeship1 and they would naturally be ,fellows1 not ,masters1 because they were in no sense masters of the craft4 ,were these ,fellows made acquainted with the secrets of an ,apprentice8 ,if so1 then the two degrees were either conferred in one evening1 or else--what seems to have been the fact--they were welded into one2 since we hear of men being made ,masons in a single evening4#ig ,customs differed1 no doubt1 in different ,lodges1 some of which were chiefly operative1 or made up of men who had been working ,masons1 with only a sprinkling of men not workmen who had been admitted2 while others were purely symbolical ,lodges as far back as #afde4 ,naturally in ,lodges of the first kind the two degrees were kept separate1 and in the second they were merged--the one degree becoming all the while more elaborate4 ,gradually the men who had been ,operative ,masons became fewer in the ,lodges--chiefly those of higher position1 such as master builders1 architects1 and so on--until the order became a purely speculative fraternity1 having no longer any trade object in view4 ,not only so1 but throughout this period of transition1 and even earlier1 we hear intimations of the ,master's ,part1 and those hints increase in number as the office of ,master of the ,work lost its practical aspect after the cathedral-building period4 ,what was the ,master's ,part8 ,unfortunately1 while the number of degrees may be indicated1 their nature and details cannot be discussed without grave indiscretion2 but nothing is plainer than that we need not go outside ,masonry itself to find the materials out of which all three degrees1 as they now exist1 were developed4#ih ,even the ,french ,companionage1 or ,sons of ,solomon1 had the legend of the ,third ,degree long before #agag1 when some imagine it to have been invented4 ,if little or no mention of it is found among ,english ,masons before that date1 that is no reason for thinking that it was unknown4 ,not until #ahda was it known to have been a secret of the ,companionage in ,france1 so deeply and carefully was it hidden4#ii ,where so much is dim one may not be dogmatic1 but what seems to have taken place in #agag was1 not the addition of a third degree made out of whole cloth1 but the conversion of two degrees into three4 ,that is to say1 ,masonry is too great an institution to have been made in a day1 much less by a few men1 but was a slow evolution through long time1 unfolding its beauty as it grew4 ,indeed1 it was like one of its own cathedrals upon which one generation of builders wrought and vanished1 and another followed1 until1 amidst vicissitudes of time and change1 of decline and revival1 the order itself became a temple of ,freedom and ,fraternity--its history a disclosure of its innermost soul in the natural process of its transition from actual architecture to its more noble and glorious purpose4 ,for1 since what was evolved from ,masonry must always have been involved in it--not something alien added to it from extraneous sources1 as some never tire of trying to show--we need not go outside the order itself to learn what ,masonry is1 certainly not to discover its motif and its genius2 its later and more elaborate form being only an expansion and exposition of its inherent nature and teaching4 ,upon this fact the present study insists with all emphasis1 as over against those who go hunting in every odd nook and corner to find whence ,masonry came1 and where it got its symbols and degrees4 ,,footnotes3 #hc ,our present craft nomenclature is all wrong2 the old order was first ,apprentice1 then ,master1 then ,fellowcraft--mastership being1 not a degree conferred1 but a reward of skill as a workman and of merit as a man4 ,the confusion today is due1 no doubt1 to the custom of the ,german ,guilds1 where a ,fellowcraft had to serve an additional two years as a journeyman before becoming a ,master4 ,no such restriction was known in ,england4 ,indeed1 the reverse was true1 and it was not the ,fellowcraft but the ,apprentice who prepared his masterpiece1 and if it was accepted1 he became a ,master4 ,having won his mastership1 he was entitled to become a ,fellowcraft--that is1 a peer and fellow of the fraternity which hitherto he had only served4 ,also1 we must distinguish between a ,master and the ,master of the ,work1 now represented by the ,master of the ,lodge4 ,between a ,master and the ,master of the ,work there was no difference1 of course1 except an accidental one2 they were both ,masters and ,fellows4 ,any ,master 7or ,fellow7 could become a ,master of the ,work at any time1 provided he was of sufficient skill and had the luck to be chosen as such either by the employer1 or the ,lodge1 or both4 #hd ,the older ,,mss indicate that initiations took place1 for the most part1 at the annual ,assemblies1 which were bodies not unlike the ,grand ,lodges of today1 presided over by a ,president--a ,grand ,master in fact1 though not in name4 ,democratic in government1 as ,masonry has always been1 they received ,apprentices1 examined candidates for mastership1 tried cases1 adjusted disputes1 and regulated the craft2 but they were also occasions of festival and social good will4 ,at a later time they declined1 and the functions of initiation more and more reverted to the ,lodges4 #he ,the subject of ,mason's ,marks is most interesting1 particularly with reference to the origin and growth of ,gothic architecture1 but too intricate to be entered upon here4 ,as for example1 an essay entitled ,scottish ,mason's ,marks ,compared with ,those of ,other ,countries1 by ,prof4 ,t4,h4 ,lewis1 ,british ,archaeological ,association1 #ahhh1 and the theory there advanced that some great unknown architect introduced ,gothic architecture from the ,east1 as shown by the difference in ,mason's ,marks as compared with those of the ,norman period4 7,also proceedings of ,a4 ,q4 ,c41 iii1 #fe-ha47 #hf ,history of ,masonry1 ,steinbrenner4 ,it consisted of a short black tunic--in summer made of linen1 in winter of wool--open at the sides1 with a gorget to which a hood was attached2 round the waist was a leathern girdle1 from which depended a sword and a satchel4 ,over the tunic was a black scapulary1 similar to the habit of a priest1 tucked under the girdle when they were working1 but on holydays allowed to hang down4 ,no doubt this garment also served as a coverlet at night1 as was the custom of the ,middle ,ages1 sheets and blankets being luxuries enjoyed only by the rich and titled 7,history of ,agriculture and ,prices in ,england1 ,t4 ,rogers74 ,on their heads they wore large felt or straw hats1 and tight leather breeches and long boots completed the garb4 #hg ,gloves were more widely used in the olden times than now1 and the practice of giving them as presents was common in mediaeval times4 ,often1 when the harvest was over1 gloves were distributed to the laborers who gathered it 7,history of ,prices in ,england1 ,rogers71 and richly embroidered gloves formed an offering gladly accepted by princes4 ,indeed1 the bare hand was regarded as a symbol of hostility1 and the gloved hand a token of peace and goodwill4 ,for ,masons1 however1 the white gloves and apron had meanings hardly guessed by others1 and their symbolism remains to this day with its simple and eloquent appeal4 7,see chapter on ,masonic ,clothing and ,regalia1 in ,things a ,freemason ,should ,know1 by ,j4,w4 ,crowe1 an interesting article by ,rylands1 ,a4 ,q4 ,c41 vol4 v1 and the delightful essay on ,gloves1 by ,dr4 ,mackey1 in his ,symbolism of ,freemasonry47 ,not only the tools of the builder1 but his clothing1 had moral meaning4 #hh ,tiler--like the word cable-tow--is a word peculiar to the language of ,masonry1 and means one who guards the ,lodge to see that only ,masons are within ear-shot4 ,it probably derives from the ,middle ,ages when the makers of tiles for roofing were also of migratory habits 7,history of ,prices in ,england1 ,rogers71 and accompanied the ,free-masons to perform their share of the work of covering buildings4 ,some tiler was appointed to act as sentinel to keep off intruders1 and hence1 in course of time1 the name of ,tiler came to be applied to any ,mason who guarded the ,lodge4 #hi ,much has been written of the derivation and meaning of the word cowan1 some finding its origin in a ,greek term meaning dog4 7,see ,an ,inquiry ,concerning ,cowans1 by ,d4 ,ramsay1 ,review of ,freemasonry1 vol4 i47 ,but its origin is still to seek1 unless we accept it as an old ,scotch word of contempt 7,dictionary of ,scottish ,language1 ,jamieson74 ,sir ,walter ,scott uses it as such in ,rob ,roy1 she doesna' value a ,cawmil mair as a cowan 7chap4 xxix74 ,masons used the word to describe a dry-diker1 one who built without cement1 or a ,mason without the word4 ,unfortunately1 we still have cowans in this sense--men who try to be ,masons without using the cement of brotherly love4 ,if only they could be kept out6 ,blackstone describes an eavesdropper as a common nuisance punishable by fine4 ,legend says that the old-time ,masons punished such prying persons1 who sought to learn their signs and secrets1 by holding them under the eaves until the water ran in at the neck and out at the heels4 ,what penalty was inflicted in dry weather1 we are not informed4 ,at any rate1 they had contempt for a man who tried to make use of the signs of the craft without knowing its art and ethics4 #ij ,this subject is most fascinating4 ,even in primitive ages there seems to have been a kind of universal sign-language employed1 at times1 by all peoples4 ,among widely separated tribes the signs were very similar1 owing1 perhaps1 to the fact that they were natural gestures of greeting1 of warning1 or of distress4 ,there is intimation of this in the ,bible1 when the life of ,ben-,hadad was saved by a sign given 7,i ,kings1 #bj3cj-ce74 ,even among the ,north ,american ,indians a sign-code of like sort was known 7,indian ,masonry1 ,r4,c4 ,wright1 chap4 iii74 ,mr4 ,ellis1 by means of his knowledge as a ,master ,mason1 actually passed himself into the sacred part or adytum of one of the temples of ,india 7,anacalypsis1 ,g4 ,higgins1 vol4 i1 #gfg74 ,see also the experience of ,haskett ,smith among the ,druses1 already referred to 7,a4 ,q4 ,c41 iv1 #aa74 ,kipling has a rollicking story with the ,masonic sign-code for a theme1 entitled ,the ,man ,who ,would be ,king1 and his imagination is positively uncanny4 ,if not a little of the old sign-language of the race lives to this day in ,masonic ,lodges1 it is due not only to the exigencies of the craft1 but also to the instinct of the order for the old1 the universal1 the human2 its genius for making use of all the ways and means whereby men may be brought to know and love and help one another4 #ia ,once more it is a pleasure to refer to the transactions of the ,quatuor ,coronati ,lodge of ,research1 whose essays and discussions of this issue1 as of so many others1 are the best survey of the whole question from all sides4 ,the paper by ,j4,w4 ,hughan arguing in behalf of only one degree in the old time lodges1 and a like paper by ,g4,w4 ,speth in behalf of two degrees1 with the materials for the third1 cover the field quite thoroughly and in full light of all the facts 7,a4 ,q4 ,c41 vol4 x1 #abg2 vol4 xi1 #dg74 ,as for the ,third ,degree1 that will be considered further along4 #ib ,storia di ,como1 vol4 i1 #ddj4 #ic ,natural ,history of ,wiltshire1 by ,john ,aubrey1 written1 but not published1 in #afhf4 #id ,a4 ,q4 ,c41 vol4 x1 #hb4 #ie ,roughly speaking1 the year #afjj may be taken as a date dividing the two periods4 ,addison1 writing in the ,spectator1 ,march #a1 #agaa1 draws the following distinction between a speculative and an operative member of a trade or profession3 ,i live in the world rather as a spectator of mankind1 than as one of the species1 by which means ,i have made myself a speculative statesman1 soldier1 merchant1 and artisan1 without ever meddling with any practical part of life4 ,by a ,speculative ,mason1 then1 is meant a man who1 though not an actual architect1 sought and obtained membership among ,free-masons4 ,such men1 scholars and students1 began to enter the order as early as #afjj1 if not earlier4 ,if by ,operative ,mason is meant one who attached no moral meaning to his tools1 there were none such in the olden time--all ,masons1 even those in the ,guilds1 using their tools as moral emblems in a way quite unknown to builders of our day4 ',tis a pity that this light of poetry has faded from our toil1 and with it the joy of work4 #if ,history of ,masonry1 p4 #ff4 #ig ,for a single example1 the ,diary of ,elias ,ashmole1 under date of #afdf4 #ih ,time out of mind it has been the habit of writers1 both within the order and without1 to treat ,masonry as though it were a kind of agglomeration of archaic remains and platitudinous moralizings1 made up of the heel-taps of ,operative legend and the fag-ends of ,occult lore4 ,far from it6 ,if this were the fact the present writer would be the first to admit it1 but it is not the fact4 ,instead1 the idea that an order so noble1 so heroic in its history1 so rich in symbolism1 so skilfully adjusted1 and with so many traces of remote antiquity1 was the creation of pious fraud1 or else of an ingenious conviviality1 passes the bounds of credulity and enters the domain of the absurd4 ,this fact will be further emphasized in the chapter following1 to which those are respectfully referred who go everywhere else1 except to ,masonry itself1 to learn what ,masonry is and how it came to be4 #ii ,livre du ,compagnonnage1 by ,agricol ,perdiguier1 #ahda4 ,george ,sand's novel1 ,le ,compagnon du ,tour de ,france1 was published the same year4 ,see full account of this order in ,gould1 ,history of ,masonry1 vol4 i1 chap4 v4 ,,accepted ,,masons _/ ,the ,,system1 as taught in the regular ,,lodges1 may have some ,redundancies or ,defects1 occasion'd by the ,ignorance or ,indolence of the old members4 ,and indeed1 considering through what ,obscurity and ,darkness the ,,mystery has been deliver'd down2 the many ,centuries it has survived2 the many ,countries and ,languages1 and ,,sects and ,,parties it has run through2 we are rather to wonder that it ever arrived to the present ,age1 without more ,imperfection4 ,it has run long in muddy ,streams1 and as it were1 under ,ground4 ,but notwithstanding the great ,rust it may have contracted1 there is much of the ,,old ,,fabrick remaining3 the essential ,pillars of the ,building may be discov'd through the ,rubbish1 tho' the ,superstructure be overrun with ,moss and ,ivy1 and the ,stones1 by ,length of ,time1 be disjointed4 ,and therefore1 as the ,bust of an ,,old ,,hero is of great ,value among the ,curious1 tho' it has lost an ,eye1 the ,nose or the ,right ,hand2 so ,masonry with all its ,blemishes and ,misfortunes1 instead of appearing ridiculous1 ought to be receiv'd with some ,candor and ,esteem1 from a ,veneration of its ,,antiquity4 --,defence of ,masonry1 #agcj _/ ,,chapter ,,iii ,accepted ,masons ,i ,whatever may be dim in the history of ,freemasonry1 and in the nature of things much must remain hidden1 its symbolism may be traced in unbroken succession through the centuries2 and its symbolism is its soul4 ,so much is this true1 that it may almost be said that had the order ceased to exist in the period when it was at its height1 its symbolism would have survived and developed1 so deeply was it wrought into the mind of mankind4 ,when1 at last1 the craft finished its labors and laid down its tools1 its symbols1 having served the faith of the worker1 became a language for the thoughts of the thinker4 ,few realize the service of the science of numbers to the faith of man in the morning of the world1 when he sought to find some kind of key to the mighty maze of things4 ,living amidst change and seeming chance1 he found in the laws of numbers a path by which to escape the awful sense of life as a series of accidents in the hands of a capricious ,power2 and1 when we think of it1 his insight was not invalid4 ,all things are in numbers1 said the wise ,pythagoras2 the world is a living arithmetic in its development--a realized geometry in its repose4 ,nature is a realm of numbers2 crystals are solid geometry4 ,music1 of all arts the most divine and exalting1 moves with measured step1 using geometrical figures1 and cannot free itself from numbers without dying away into discord4 ,surely it is not strange that a science whereby men obtained such glimpses of the unity and order of the world should be hallowed among them1 imparting its form to their faith4#ajj ,having revealed so much1 mathematics came to wear mystical meanings in a way quite alien to our prosaic habit of thinking--faith in our day having betaken itself to other symbols4 ,equally so was it with the art of building--a living allegory in which man imitated in miniature the world-temple1 and sought by every device to discover the secret of its stability4 ,already we have shown how1 from earliest times1 the simple symbols of the builder became a part of the very life of humanity1 giving shape to its thought1 its faith1 its dream4 ,hardly a language but bears their impress1 as when we speak of a ,rude or ,polished mind1 of an ,upright man who is a ,pillar of society1 of the ,level of equality1 or the ,golden ,rule by which we would ,square our actions4 ,they are so natural1 so inevitable1 and so eloquent withal1 that we use them without knowing it4 ,sages have always been called ,builders1 and it was no idle fancy when ,plato and ,pythagoras used imagery drawn from the art of building to utter their highest thought4 ,everywhere in literature1 philosophy1 and life it is so1 and naturally so4 ,shakespeare speaks of square-men1 and when ,spenser would build in stately lines the ,castle of ,temperance1 he makes use of the ,square1 ,circle1 and ,triangle3#aja _/,p ,the frame thereof seem'd partly circulaire ,and part triangular3 ,o work divine6 ,those two the first and last proportions are2 ,the one imperfect1 mortal1 feminine4 ,the other immortal1 perfect1 masculine1 ,and twixt them both a quadrate was the base1 ,proportion'd equally by seven and nine2 ,nine was the circle set in heaven's place ,all which compacted made a goodly diapase4 ,p_/ ,during the ,middle ,ages1 as we know1 men revelled in symbolism1 often of the most recondite kind1 and the emblems of ,masonry are to be found all through the literature1 art1 and thought of that time4 ,not only on cathedrals1 tombs1 and monuments1 where we should expect to come upon them1 but in the designs and decorations of dwellings1 on vases1 pottery1 and trinkets1 in the water-marks used by paper-makers and printers1 and even as initial letters in books--everywhere one finds the old1 familiar emblems4#ajb ,square1 ,rule1 ,plumb-line1 the perfect ,ashlar1 the two ,pillars1 the ,circle within the parallel lines1 the ,point within the ,circle1 the ,compasses1 the ,winding ,staircase1 the numbers ,three1 ,five1 ,seven1 ,nine1 the double ,triangle--these and other such symbols were used alike by ,hebrew ,kabbalists and ,rosicrucian ,mystics4 ,indeed1 so abundant is the evidence--if the matter were in dispute and needed proof--especially after the revival of symbolism under ,albertus ,magnus in #abdi1 that a whole book might be filled with it4 ,typical are the lines left by a poet who1 writing in #afbc1 sings of ,god as the great ,logician whom the conclusion never fails1 and whose counsel rules without command3#ajc _/,p ,therefore can none foresee his end ,unless on ,god is built his hope4 ,and if we here below would learn ,by ,compass1 ,needle1 ,square1 and ,plumb1 ,we never must o'erlook the mete ,wherewith our ,god hath measur'd us4 ,p_/ ,for all that1 there are those who never weary of trying to find where1 in the misty mid-region of conjecture1 the ,masons got their immemorial emblems4 ,one would think1 after reading their endless essays1 that the symbols of ,masonry were loved and preserved by all the world--except by the ,masons themselves4 ,often these writers imply1 if they do not actually assert1 that our order begged1 borrowed1 or cribbed its emblems from ,kabbalists or ,rosicrucians1 whereas the truth is exactly the other way round--those impalpable fraternities1 whose vague1 fantastic thought was always seeking a local habitation and a body1 making use of the symbols of ,masonry the better to reach the minds of men4 ,why all this unnecessary mystery--not to say mystification--when the facts are so plain1 written in records and carved in stone8 ,while ,kabbalists were contriving their curious cosmogonies1 the ,masons went about their work1 leaving record of their symbols in deeds1 not in creeds1 albeit holding always to their simple faith1 and hope1 and duty--as in the lines left on an old brass ,square1 found in an ancient bridge near ,limerick1 bearing date of #aeag3 _/,p ,strive to live with love and care ,upon the ,level1 by the ,square4 ,p_/ ,some of our ,masonic writers#ajd--more than one likes to admit--have erred by confusing ,freemasonry with ,guild-masonry1 to the discredit of the former4 ,even ,oliver once concluded that the secrets of the working ,masons of the ,middle ,ages were none other than the laws of ,geometry--hence the letter ,g2 forgetting1 it would seem1 that ,geometry had mystical meanings for them long since lost to us4 ,as well say that the philosophy of ,pythagoras was repeating the ,multiplication ,table6 ,albert ,pike held that we are not warranted in assuming that1 among ,masons generally--in the body of ,masonry--the symbolism of ,freemasonry is of earlier date then #agag4aje ,surely that is to err4 ,if we had only the ,mason's ,marks that have come down to us1 nothing else would be needed to prove it an error4 ,of course1 for deeper minds all emblems have deeper meanings1 and there may have been many ,masons who did not fathom the symbolism of the order4 ,no more do we2 but the symbolism itself1 of hoar antiquity1 was certainly the common inheritance and treasure of the working ,masons of the ,lodges in ,england and ,scotland before1 indeed centuries before1 the year #agag4 ,,ii ,therefore it is not strange that men of note and learning1 attracted by the wealth of symbolism in ,masonry1 as well as by its spirit of fraternity--perhaps1 also1 by its secrecy--began at an early date to ask to be accepted as members of the order3 hence ,accepted ,masons4#ajf ,how far back the custom of admitting such men to the ,lodges goes is not clear1 but hints of it are discernible in the oldest documents of the order2 and this whether or no we accept as historical the membership of ,prince ,edwin in the tenth century1 of whom the ,regius ,poem says1 _/ ,of speculatyfe he was a master4 _/ ,this may only mean that he was amply skilled in the knowledge1 as well as the practice1 of the art1 although1 as ,gould points out1 the ,regius ,,ms contains intimations of thoughts above the heads of many to whom it was read4#ajg ,similar traces of ,accepted ,masons are found in the ,cooke ,,ms1 compiled in #adjj or earlier4 ,hope suggests#ajh that the earliest members of this class were ecclesiastics who wished to study to be architects and designers1 so as to direct the erection of their own churches2 the more so1 since the order had so high and sacred a destination1 was so entirely exempt from all local1 civil jurisdiction1 and enjoyed the sanction and protection of the ,church4 ,later1 when the order was in disfavor with the ,church1 men of another sort--scholars1 mystics1 and lovers of liberty--sought its degrees4 ,at any rate1 the custom began early and continued through the years1 until ,accepted ,masons were in the majority4 ,noblemen1 gentlemen1 and scholars entered the order as ,speculative ,masons1 and held office as such in the old ,lodges1 the first name recorded in actual minutes being ,john ,boswell1 who was present as a member of the ,lodge of ,edinburgh in #afjj4 ,of the forty-nine names on the roll of the ,lodge of ,aberdeen in #afgj1 thirty-nine were ,accepted ,masons not in any way connected with the building trade4 ,in ,england the earliest reference to the initiation of a ,speculative ,mason1 in ,lodge minutes1 is of the year #afda4 ,on the #bjth of ,may that year1 ,robert ,moray1 ,general ,quarter-master of the ,armie off ,scottland1 as the record runs1 was initiated at ,newcastle by members of the ,lodge of ,edinburgh1 who were with the ,scottish ,army4 ,a still more famous example was that of ,ashmole1 whereof we read in the ,memoirs of the ,life of that ,learned ,antiquary1 ,elias ,ashmole1 ,drawn up by ,himself by ,way of ,diary1 published in #agag1 which contains two entries as follows1 the first dated in #afdf3 _/#d1ff ,octob #af4d ,hor4 #cj ,minutes post merid4 ,i was made a ,freemason at ,warrington in ,lancashire1 with ,colonel ,henry ,wainwaring of ,kartichain in ,cheshire2 the names of those that were there at the ,lodge1 ,mr4 ,richard ,panket ,warden1 ,mr4 ,james ,collier1 ,mr4 ,richard ,sankey1 ,henry ,littler1 ,john ,ellam1 ,richard ,ellam and ,hugh ,brewer4 _/ ,such is the record1 italics and all2 and it has been shown1 by hunting up the wills of the men present1 that the members of the ,warrington ,lodge in #afdf were1 nearly all of them--every one in fact1 so far as is known--,accepted ,masons4 ,thirty-five years pass before we discover the only other ,masonic entries in the ,diary1 dated ,march1 #afhb1 which read as follows3 _/#d1ff ,about #e p4m4 ,i received a ,summons to appear at a ,lodge to be held the next day1 at ,masons ,hall1 ,london4 ,accordingly ,i went1 and about ,noone were admitted into the ,fellowship of ,free ,masons1 ,sir4 ,william ,wilson1 ,knight1 ,capt4 ,richard ,borthwick1 ,mr4 ,will4 ,woodman1 ,mr4 ,wm4 ,grey1 ,m4 ,samuell ,taylor and ,mr4 ,william ,wise4 ,i was the ,senior ,fellow among them 7it being #ce years since ,i was admitted74 ,there were present beside myselfe the ,fellowes afternamed3 ,then follows a list of names which conveys no information4 ,wee all dyned at the halfe moone ,taverne in ,cheapside at a ,noble ,dinner prepared at the charge of the new-accepted ,masons4 _/ ,space is given to those entries1 not because they are very important1 but because ,ragon and others have actually held that ,ashmole made ,masonry--as if any one man made ,masonry6 ',tis surely strange1 if this be true1 that only two entries in his ,diary refer to the order2 but that does not disconcert the theorists who are so wedded to their idols as to have scant regard for facts4 ,no1 the circumstance that ,ashmole was a ,rosicrucian1 an ,alchemist1 a delver into occult lore1 is enough1 the absence of any allusion to him thereafter only serving to confirm the fancy--the theory being that a few adepts1 seeing ,masonry about to crumble and decay1 seized it1 introduced their symbols into it1 making it the mouthpiece of their high1 albeit hidden1 teaching4 ,how fascinating6 and yet how baseless in fact6 ,there is no evidence that a ,rosicrucian fraternity existed--save on paper1 having been woven of a series of romances written as early as #afaf1 and ascribed to ,andreae--until a later time2 and even when it did take form1 it was quite distinct from ,masonry4 ,occultism1 to be sure1 is elusive1 coming we know not whence1 and hovering like a mist trailing over the hills4 ,still1 we ought to be able to find in ,masonry some trace of ,rosicrucian influence1 some hint of the lofty wisdom it is said to have added to the order2 but no one has yet done so4 ,did all that high1 ,hermetic mysticism evaporate entirely1 leaving not a wraith behind1 going as mysteriously as it came to that far place which no mortal may explore8#aji ,howbeit1 the fact to be noted is that1 thus early--and earlier1 for the ,lodge had been in existence some time when ,ashmole was initiated--the ,warrington ,lodge was made up of ,accepted ,masons4 ,of the ten men present in the ,london ,lodge1 mentioned in the second entry in the ,diary1 ,ashmole was the senior1 but he was not a member of the ,masons' ,company1 though the other nine were1 and also two of the neophytes4 ,no doubt this is the ,lodge which ,conder1 the historian of the ,company1 has traced back to #afbj1 and were the books of the ,company prior to that date in existence1 we should no doubt be able to trace the custom of receiving accepted members back to pre-reformation times4#aaj ,from an entry in the books of the ,company1 dated #affe1 it appears that _/#d1ff ,there was hanging up in the ,hall a list of the ,accepted ,masons enclosed in a faire frame1 with a lock and key4 ,why was this8 ,no doubt the ,accepted ,masons1 or those who were initiated into the esoteric aspect of the ,company1 did not include the whole ,company1 and this was a list of the enlightened ones1 whose names were thus honored and kept on record1 probably long after their decease4444 ,this we cannot say for certain1 but we can say that as early as #afbj1 and inferentially very much earlier1 there were certain members of the ,masons' ,company and others who met from time to time to form a ,lodge for the purpose of ,speculative ,masonry4#aaa _/ ,conder also mentions a copy of the ,old ,charges1 or ,gothic ,constitutions1 in the chest of the ,london ,masons' ,company1 known as ,the ,book of the ,constitutions of the ,accepted ,masons2 and this he identifies with the ,regius ,,ms4 ,another witness during this period is ,randle ,holme1 of ,chester1 whose references to the ,craft in his ,acadamie ,armory1 #afhh1 are of great value1 for that he writes as a member of that society called ,free-masons4 ,the ,harleian ,,ms is in his handwriting1 and on the next leaf there is a remarkable list of twenty-six names1 including his own4 ,it is the only list of the kind known in ,england1 and a careful examination of all the sources of information relative to the ,chester men shows that nearly all of them were ,accepted ,masons4 ,later on we come to the ,natural ,history of ,staffordshire1 by ,dr4 ,plott1 #afhf1 in which1 though in an unfriendly manner1 we are told many things about ,craft usages and regulations of that day4 ,lodges had to be formed of at least five members to make a quorum1 gloves were presented to candidates1 and a banquet following initiations was a custom4 ,he states that there were several signs and passwords by which the members were able to be known to one another all over the nation1 his faith in their effectiveness surpassing that of the most credulous in our day4 ,still another striking record is found in ,the ,natural ,history of ,wiltshire1 by ,john ,aubrey1 the ,,ms of which in the ,bodleian ,library1 ,oxford1 is dated #afhf2 and on the reverse side of folio #gb of this ,,ms is the following note by ,aubrey3 ,this day ,may #ah1 #afha is a great convention at ,st4 ,pauls ,church of the fraternity1 of the free then he crossed out the word ,free and inserted ,accepted ,masons2 where ,sir ,christopher ,wren is to be adopted a ,brother3 and ,sir ,henry ,goodric of ye ,tower and divers others4#aab ,from which we may infer that there were ,assemblies before #agag1 and that they were of sufficient importance to be known to a non-,mason4 ,other evidence might be adduced1 but this is enough to show that ,speculative ,masonry1 so far from being a novelty1 was very old at the time when many suppose it was invented4 ,with the great fire of ,london1 in #afff1 there came a renewed interest in ,masonry1 many who had abandoned it flocking to the capital to rebuild the city and especially the ,cathedral of ,st4 ,paul4 ,old ,lodges were revived1 new ones were formed1 and an effort was made to renew the old annual1 or quarterly1 ,assemblies1 while at the same time ,accepted ,masons increased both in numbers and in zeal4 ,now the crux of the whole matter as regards ,accepted ,masons lies in the answer to such questions as these3 ,why did soldiers1 scholars1 antiquarians1 clergymen1 lawyers1 and even members of the nobility ask to be accepted as members of the order of ,free-masons8 ,wherefore their interest in the order at all8 ,what attracted them to it as far back as #afjj1 and earlier8 ,what held them with increasing power and an ever-deepening interest8 ,why did they continue to enter the ,lodges until they had the rule of them8 ,there must have been something more in their motive than a simple desire for association1 for they had their clubs1 societies1 and learned fellowships4 ,still less could a mere curiosity to learn certain signs and passwords have held such men for long1 even in an age of quaint conceits in the matter of association and when architecture was affected as a fad4 ,no1 there is only one explanation3 that these men saw in ,masonry a deposit of the high and simple wisdom of old1 preserved in tradition and taught in symbols--little understood1 it may be1 by many members of the order--and this it was that they sought to bring to light1 turning history into allegory and legend into drama1 and making it a teacher of wise and beautiful truth4 ,,footnotes3 #ajj ,there is a beautiful lecture on the moral meaning of ,geometry by ,dr4 ,hutchinson1 in ,the ,spirit of ,masonry--one of the oldest1 as it is one of the noblest1 books in our ,masonic literature4 ,plutarch reports ,plato as saying1 ,god is always geometrizing 7,diog4 ,laert41 iv1 #b74 ,elsewhere ,plato remarks that ,geometry rightly treated is the knowledge of the ,eternal 7,republic1 #ebg;b71 and over the porch of his ,academy at ,athens he wrote the words1 ,let no one who is ignorant of ,geometry enter my doors4 ,so ,aristotle and all the ancient thinkers1 whether in ,egypt or ,india4 ,pythagoras1 ,proclus tells us1 was concerned only with number and magnitude3 number absolute1 in arithmetic2 number applied1 in music2 and so forth--whereof we read in the ,old ,charges 7see ,the ,great ,symbol1 by ,klein1 ,a4 ,q4 ,c41 x1 #hb74 #aja ,faerie ,queene1 bk4 ii1 canto ix1 #bb4 #ajb ,lost ,language of ,symbolism1 by ,bayley1 also ,a ,new ,light on the ,renaissance1 by the same author2 ,architecture of the ,renaissance in ,england1 by ,j4,a4 ,gotch2 and ,notes on ,some ,masonic ,symbols1 by ,w4,h4 ,rylands1 ,a4 ,q4 ,c41 viii1 #hd4 ,indeed1 the literature is as prolific as the facts4 #ajc ,j4,v4 ,andreae1 ,ehreneich ,hohenfelder von ,aister ,haimb4 ,a verbatim translation of the second line quoted would read1 ,unless in ,god he has his building4 #ajd ,when1 for example1 ,albert ,pike1 in his letter1 ,touching ,masonic ,symbolism1 speaks of the poor1 rude1 unlettered1 uncultivated working ,stone-masons1 who attended the ,assemblies1 he is obviously confounding ,free-masons with the rough ,stone-masons of the ,guilds4 ,over against these words1 read a brilliant article in the ,contemporary ,review1 ,october1 #aiac1 by ,l4,m4 ,phillips1 entitled1 ,the ,two ,ways of ,building1 showing how the ,free-masons1 instead of working under architects outside the order1 chose the finer minds among them as leaders and created the different styles of architecture in ,europe4 ,such1 he adds1 was the high limit of talent and intelligence which the creative spirit fostered among workmen4444 ,the entire body being trained and educated in the same principles and ideas1 the most backward and inefficient1 as they worked at the vaults which their own skillful brethren had planned1 might feel the glow of satisfaction arising from the conscious realization of their own aspirations4 ,thus the whole body of constructive knowledge maintained its unity4444 ,thus it was by free associations of workmen training their own leaders that the great ,gothic edifices of the medieval ages were constructed4444 ,a style so imaginative and so spiritual might almost be the dream of a poet or the vision of a saint4 ,really it is the creation of the sweat and labor of workingmen1 and every iota of the boldness1 dexterity and knowledge which it embodies was drawn out of the practical experience and experiments of manual labor4 ,this describes the ,comacine ,masters1 but not the poor1 rude1 unlettered ,stone-masons whom ,pike had in mind4 #aje ,letter ,touching ,masonic ,symbolism4 #ajf ,some ,lodges1 however1 would never admit such members4 ,as late as ,april #bd1 #aghf1 two brothers were proposed as members of ,domatic ,lodge1 ,no4 #agg1 ,london1 and were rejected because they were not ,operative ,masons 7,history ,lion and ,lamb ,lodge1 #aib1 ,london1 by ,abbott74 #ajg ,on the ,antiquity of ,masonic ,symbolism1 ,a4 ,q4 ,c41 iii1 #g4 #ajh ,historical ,essay on ,architecture1 chap4 xxi4 #aji ,those who wish to pursue this ,quixotic quest will find the literature abundant and very interesting4 ,for example1 such essays as that by ,f4,w4 ,brockbank in ,manchester ,association for ,research1 vol4 i1 #aiji-aj2 and another by ,a4,f4,a4 ,woodford1 ,a4 ,q4 ,c41 i1 #bh4 ,better still is the ,real ,history of the ,rosicrucians1 by ,waite 7chap4 xv71 and for a complete and final explosion of all such fancies we have the great chapter in ,gould's ,history of ,masonry 7vol4 ii1 chap4 xiii74 ,it seems a pity that so much time and labor and learning had to be expended on theories so fragile1 but it was necessary2 and no man was better fitted for the study than ,gould4 ,perhaps the present writer is unkind1 or at least impatient2 if so he humbly begs forgiveness2 but after reading tomes of conjecture about the alleged ,rosicrucian origin of ,masonry1 he is weary of the wide-eyed wonder of mystery-mongers about things that never were1 and which would be of no value if they had been4 7,read ,the ,rosicrucian ,cosmo-,conception1 or ,christian ,occult ,science1 by ,max ,heindel1 and be instructed in matters whereof no mortal knoweth47 #aaj ,the ,hole ,craft and ,fellowship of ,masons1 by ,edward ,conder4 #aaa ,ibid41 ,introduction4 #aab ,whether ,sir ,christopher ,wren was ever ,grand ,master1 as tradition affirms1 is open to debate1 and some even doubt his membership in the order 7,gould1 ,history of ,masonry74 ,unfortunately1 he has left no record1 and the ,parentalia1 written by his son1 helps us very little1 containing nothing more than his theory that the order began with ,gothic architecture4 ,ashmole1 if we may trust his friend1 ,dr4 ,knipe1 had planned to write a ,history of ,masonry refuting the theory of ,wren that ,freemasonry took its rise from a ,bull granted by the ,pope1 in the reign of ,henry ,,iii1 to some ,italian architects1 holding1 and rightly so1 that the ,bull was comfirmatory only1 and did not by any means create our fraternity1 or even establish it in this kingdom 7,life of ,ashmole1 by ,campbell74 ,this item makes still more absurd the idea that ,ashmole himself created ,masonry1 whereas he was only a student of its antiquities4 ,wren was probably never an ,operative ,mason--though an architect--but he seems to have become an ,accepted member of the fraternity in his last years1 since his neglect of the order1 due to his age1 is given as a reason for the organization of the first ,grand ,lodge4 ,,grand ,,lodge ,,of ,,england _/ ,the doctrines of ,masonry are the most beautiful that it is possible to imagine4 ,they breathe the simplicity of the earliest ages animated by the love of a martyred ,god4 ,that word which the ,puritans translated ,,charity1 but which is really ,,love1 is the key-stone which supports the entire edifice of this mystic science4 ,love one another1 teach one another1 help one another4 ,that is all our doctrine1 all our science1 all our law4 ,we have no narrow-minded prejudices2 we do not debar from our society this sect or that sect2 it is sufficient for us that a man worships ,god1 no matter under what name or in what manner4 ,ah6 rail against us bigoted and ignorant men1 if you will4 ,those who listen to the truths which ,masonry inculcates can readily forgive you4 ,it is impossible to be a good ,mason without being a good man4 --,,winwood ,,reade1 ,the ,veil of ,isis _/ ,,chapter ,,iv ,grand ,lodge of ,england ,while praying in a little chapel one day1 ,francis of ,assisi was exhorted by an old ,byzantine crucifix3 ,go now1 and rebuild my ,church1 which is falling into ruins4 ,in sheer loyalty he had a lamp placed2 then he saw his task in a larger way1 and an artist has painted him carrying stones and mortar4 ,finally there burst upon him the full import of the allocution--that he himself was to be the corner-stone of a renewed and purified ,church4 ,purse and prestige he flung to the winds1 and went along the highways of ,umbria calling men back from the rot of luxury to the ways of purity1 pity1 and gladness1 his life at once a poem and a power1 his faith a vision of the world as love and comradeship4 ,that is a perfect parable of the history of ,masonry4 ,of old the working ,masons built the great cathedrals1 and we have seen them not only carrying stones1 but drawing triangles1 squares1 and circles in such a manner as to show that they assigned to those figures high mystical meanings4 ,but the real ,home of the ,soul cannot be built of brick and stone2 it is a house not made with hands4 ,slowly it rises1 fashioned of the thoughts1 hopes1 prayers1 dreams1 and righteous acts of devout and free men2 built of their hunger for truth1 their love of ,god1 and their loyalty to one another4 ,there came a day when the ,masons1 laying aside their stones1 became workmen of another kind1 not less builders than before1 but using truths for tools and dramas for designs1 uplifting such a temple as ,watts dreamed of decorating with his visions of the august allegory of the evolution of man4 ,i ,from every point of view1 the organization of the ,grand ,lodge of ,england1 in #agag1 was a significant and far-reaching event4 ,not only did it divide the story of ,masonry into before and after1 giving a new date from which to reckon1 but it was a way-mark in the intellectual and spiritual history of mankind4 ,one has only to study that first ,grand ,lodge1 the influences surrounding it1 the men who composed it1 the ,constitutions adopted1 and its spirit and purpose1 to see that it was the beginning of a movement of profound meaning4 ,when we see it in the setting of its age--as revealed1 for example1 in the ,journals of ,fox and ,wesley1 which from being religious time-tables broadened into detailed panoramic pictures of the period before1 and that following1 the ,grand ,lodge--the ,assembly on #agag becomes the more remarkable4 ,against such a background1 when religion and morals seemed to reach the nadir of degredation1 the men of that ,assembly stand out as prophets of liberty of faith and righteousness of life4#aac ,some imagination is needed to realize the moral declension of that time1 as it is portrayed--to use a single example--in the sermon by the ,bishop of ,litchfield before the ,society for the ,reformation of ,manners1 in #agbd4 ,lewdness1 drunkenness1 and degeneracy1 he said1 were well nigh universal1 no class being free from the infection4 ,murders were common and foul1 wanton and obscene books found so good a market as to encourage the publishing of them4 ,immorality of every kind was so hardened as to be defended1 yes1 justified on principle4 ,the rich were debauched and indifferent2 the poor were as miserable in their labor as they were coarse and cruel in their sport4 ,writing in #agac1 ,bishop ,burnet said that those who came to be ordained as clergymen were ignorant to a degree not to be comprehended by those who are not obliged to know it4 ,religion seemed dying or dead1 and to mention the word provoked a laugh4 ,wesley1 then only a lad1 had not yet come with his magnificent and cleansing evangel4 ,empty formalism on one side1 a dead polemical dogmatism on the other1 bigotry1 bitterness1 intolerance1 and interminable feud everywhere1 no wonder ,bishop ,butler sat oppressed in his castle with hardly a hope surviving4 ,as for ,masonry1 it had fallen far and fallen low betimes1 but with the revival following the great fire of ,london1 in #afff1 it had taken on new life and a bolder spirit1 and was passing through a transition--or1 rather1 a transfiguration6 ,for1 when we compare the ,masonry of1 say1 #afhh with that of #agbc1 we discover that much more than a revival had come to pass4 ,set the instructions of the ,old ,charges--not all of them1 however1 for even in earliest times some of them escaped the stamp of the ,church#aad--;in respect of religion alongside the same article in the ,constitutions of #agbc1 and the contrast is amazing4 ,the old charge read3 ,the first charge is this1 that you be true to ,god and ,holy ,church and use no error or heresy4 ,hear now the charge in #agbc3 _/ ,a ,mason is obliged by his ,tenure1 to obey the moral law2 and if he rightly understands the ,art1 he will never be a stupid ,atheist nor an irreligious ,libertine4 ,but though in ancient times ,masons were charged in every country to be of the religion of that country or nation1 whatever it was1 yet it is now thought more expedient only to oblige them to that religion in which all men agree1 leaving their particular ,opinions to themselves3 that is1 to be ,good men and ,true1 or ,men of ,honor and ,honesty1 by whatever ,denomination or ,persuasion they may be distinguished2 whereby ,masonry becomes the ,centre of ,union and the ,means of conciliating true ,friendship among persons that must have remained at a perpetual distance4 _/ ,if that statement had been written yesterday1 it would be remarkable enough4 ,but when we consider that it was set forth in #agbc1 amidst bitter sectarian rancor and intolerance unimaginable1 it rises up as forever memorable in the history of men6 ,the man who wrote that document1 did we know his name1 is entitled to be held till the end of time in the grateful and venerative memory of his race4 ,the temper of the times was all for relentless partisanship1 both in religion and in politics4 ,the alternative offered in religion was an ecclesiastical tyranny1 allowing a certain liberty of belief1 or a doctrinal tyranny1 allowing a slight liberty of worship2 a sad choice in truth4 ,it is1 then1 to the everlasting honor of the century1 that1 in the midst of its clashing extremes1 the ,masons appeared with heads unbowed1 abjuring both tyrannies and championing both liberties4#aae ,ecclesiastically and doctrinally they stood in the open1 while ,romanist and ,protestant1 ,anglican and ,puritan1 ,calvinist and ,arminian waged bitter war1 filling the air with angry maledictions4 ,these men of latitude in a cramped age felt pent up alike by narrowness of ritual and by narrowness of creed1 and they cried out for room and air1 for liberty and charity6 ,though differences of creed played no part in ,masonry1 nevertheless it held religion in high esteem1 and was then1 as now1 the steadfast upholder of the only two articles of faith that never were invented by man--the existence of ,god and the immortality of the soul6 ,accordingly1 every ,lodge was opened and closed with prayer to the ,almighty ,architect of the universe2 and when a ,lodge of mourning met in memory of a brother fallen asleep1 the formula was3 ,he has passed over into the eternal ,east1--to that region whence cometh light and hope4 ,unsectarian in religion1 the ,masons were also non-partisan in politics3 one principle being common to them all--love of country1 respect for law and order1 and the desire for human welfare4#aaf ,upon that basis the first ,grand ,lodge was founded1 and upon that basis ,masonry rests today--holding that a unity of spirit is better than a uniformity of opinion1 and that beyond the great and simple religion in which all men agree no dogma is worth a breach of charity4 ,,ii ,with honorable pride in this tradition of spiritual faith and intellectual freedom1 we are all the more eager to recite such facts as are known about the organization of the first ,grand ,lodge4 ,how many ,lodges of ,masons existed in ,london at that time is a matter of conjecture1 but there must have been a number4 ,what bond1 if any1 united them1 other than their esoteric secrets and customs1 is equally unknown4 ,nor is there any record to tell us whether all the ,lodges in and about ,london were invited to join in the movement4 ,unfortunately the minutes of the ,grand ,lodge only commence on ,june #bd1 #agbc1 and our only history of the events is that found in ,the ,new ,book of ,constitutions1 by ,dr4 ,james ,anderson1 in #agch4 ,however1 if not an actor in the scene1 he was in a position to know the facts from eye-witnesses1 and his book was approved by the ,grand ,lodge itself4 ,his account is so brief that it may be given as it stands3 _/#d1ff ,king ,george ,i enter'd ,london most magnificently on #bj ,sept4 #agad4 ,and after the ,rebellion was over ,a4,d4 #agaf1 the few ,lodges at ,london finding themselves neglected by ,sir ,christopher ,wren1 thought fit to cement under a ,grand ,master as the ,centre of ,union and ,harmony1 viz41 the ,lodges that met1 #a4 ,at the ,goose and ,gridiron ,ale house in ,st4 ,paul's ,church-,yard4 #b4 ,at the ,crown ,ale-house in ,parker's ,lane near ,drury ,lane4 #c4 ,at the ,apple-,tree ,tavern in ,charles-street1 ,covent-,garden4 #d4 ,at the ,rummer and ,grape ,tavern in ,channel-,row1 ,westminster4 ,they and some other old ,brothers met at the said ,apple-,tree1 and having put into the chair the oldest ,master ,mason 7now the ,master of a ,lodge7 they constituted themselves a ,grand ,lodge pro ,tempore in ,due ,form1 and forthwith revived the ,quarterly ,communication of the ,officers of ,lodges 7call'd the ,,grand ,,lodge7 resolv'd to hold the ,annual ,assembly and ,feast1 and then to chuse a ,grand ,master from among themselves1 till they should have the ,honor of a ,noble ,brother at their ,head4 ,accordingly1 on ,st4 ,john's ,baptist's ,day1 in the #c;d year of ,king ,george ,i1 ,a4,d4 #agag1 the ,,assembly and ,feast of the ,free and ,accepted ,masons was held at the foresaid ,goose and ,gridiron ,ale-house4 ,before ,dinner1 the oldest ,master ,mason 7now the ,master of a ,lodge7 in the ,chair1 proposed a ,list of proper ,candidates2 and the ,brethren by a majority of ,hands elected ,mr4 ,anthony ,sayer1 ,gentleman1 ,grand ,master of ,masons 7,mr4 ,jacob ,lamball1 ,carpenter1 ,capt4 ,joseph ,elliot1 ,grand ,wardens7 who being forthwith invested with the ,badges of ,office and ,power by the said oldest ,master1 and install'd1 was duly congratulated by the ,assembly who paid him the ,homage4 ,sayer1 ,grand ,master1 commanded the ,masters and ,wardens of ,lodges to meet the ,grand ,officers every ,quarter in ,communication1 at the ,place that he should appoint in the ,summons sent by the ,tyler4 _/ ,so reads the only record that has come down to us of the founding of the ,grand ,lodge of ,england4 ,preston and others have had no other authority than this passage for their descriptions of the scene1 albeit when ,preston wrote1 such facts as he added may have been learned from men still living4 ,who were present1 beyond the three officers named1 has so far eluded all research1 and the only variation in the accounts is found in a rare old book called ,multa ,paucis1 which asserts that six ,lodges1 not four1 were represented4 ,looking at this record in the light of what we know of the ,masonry of that period1 a number of things are suggested3 ,first1 so far from being a revolution1 the organization of the ,grand ,lodge was a revival of the old quarterly and annual ,assembly1 born1 doubtless1 of a felt need of community of action for the welfare of the ,craft4 ,there was no idea of innovation1 but1 as ,anderson states in a note1 it should meet ,quarterly according to ancient ,usage1 tradition having by this time become authoritative in such matters4 ,hints of what the old usages were are given in the observance of ,st4 ,john's ,day#aag as a feast1 in the democracy of the order and its manner of voting by a show of hands1 in its deference to the oldest ,master ,mason1 its use of badges of office1#aah its ceremony of installation1 all in a lodge duly tyled4 ,second1 it is clear that1 instead of being a deliberately planned effort to organize ,masonry in general1 the ,grand ,lodge was intended at first to affect only ,london and ,westminster2#aai the desire being to weld a link of closer fellowship and cooeperation between the ,lodges4 ,while we do not know the names of the moving spirits--unless we may infer that the men elected to office were such--nothing is clearer than that the initiative came from the heart of the order itself1 and was in no sense imposed upon it from without2 and so great was the necessity for it that1 when once started1 link after link was added until it put a girdle around the earth4 ,third1 of the four ,lodges#abj known to have taken part1 only one--that meeting at the ,rummer and ,grape ,tavern--had a majority of ,accepted ,masons in its membership2 the other three being ,operative ,lodges1 or largely so4 ,obviously1 then1 the movement was predominantly a movement of ,operative ,masons--or of men who had been ,operative ,masons--and not1 as has been so often implied1 the design of men who simply made use of the remnants of operative ,masonry the better to exploit some hidden philosophy4 ,yet it is worthy of note that the leading men of the craft in those early years were1 nearly all of them1 ,accepted ,masons and members of the ,rummer and ,grape ,lodge4 ,besides ,dr4 ,anderson1 the historian1 both ,george ,payne and ,dr4 ,desaguliers1 the second and third ,grand ,masters1 were of that ,lodge4 ,in #agba the ,duke of ,montagu was elected to the chair1 and thereafter members of the nobility sat in the ,east until it became the custom for the ,prince of ,wales to be ,grand ,master of ,masons in ,england4#aba ,fourth1 why did ,masonry alone of all trades and professions live after its work was done1 preserving not only its identity of organization1 but its old emblems and usages1 and transforming them into instruments of religion and righteousness8 ,the cathedrals had long been finished or left incomplete2 the spirit of ,gothic architecture was dead and the style treated almost with contempt4 ,the occupation of the ,master ,mason was gone1 his place having been taken by the architect who1 like ,wren and ,inigo ,jones1 was no longer a child of the ,lodges as in the old days1 but a man trained in books and by foreign travel4 ,why did not ,freemasonry die1 along with the ,guilds1 or else revert to some kind of trades-union8 ,surely here is the best possible proof that it had never been simply an order of architects building churches1 but a moral and spiritual fellowship--the keeper of great symbols and a teacher of truths that never die4 ,so and only so may anyone ever hope to explain the story of ,masonry1 and those who do not see this fact have no clue to its history1 much less an understanding of its genius4 ,of course these pages cannot recite in detail the history and growth of the ,grand ,lodge1 but a few of the more salient events may be noted4 ,as early as #agai the ,old ,charges1 or ,gothic ,constitutions1 began to be collected and collated1 a number having already been burned by scrupulous ,masons to prevent their falling into strange hands4 ,in #agba1 ,grand ,master ,montagu found fault with the ,old ,charges as being inadequate1 and ordered ,dr4 ,anderson to make a digest of them with a view to formulating a better set of regulations for the rule of the ,lodges4 ,anderson obeyed--he seems to have been engaged in such a work already1 and may have suggested the idea to the ,grand ,master--and a committee of fourteen learned brethren was appointed to examine the ,,ms and make report4 ,they suggested a few amendments1 and the book was ordered published by the ,grand ,master1 appearing in the latter part of #agbc4 ,this first issue1 however1 did not contain the account of the organization of the ,grand ,lodge1 which does not seem to have been added until the edition of #agch4 ,how much ,past ,grand ,master ,payne had to do with this work is not certain1 but the chief credit is due to ,dr4 ,anderson1 who deserves the perpetual gratitude of the order--the more so if he it was who wrote the article1 already quoted1 setting forth the religious attitude of the order4 ,that article1 by whomsoever written1 is one of the great documents of mankind1 and it would be an added joy to know that it was penned by a minister4#abb ,the ,book of ,constitutions1 which is still the groundwork of ,masonry1 has been printed in many editions1 and is accessible to every one4 ,another event in the story of the ,grand ,lodge1 never to be forgotten1 was a plan started in #agbd of raising funds of ,general ,charity for distressed ,masons4 ,proposed by the ,earl of ,dalkeith1 it at once met with enthusiastic support1 and it is a curious coincidence that one of the first to petition for relief was ,anthony ,sayer1 first ,grand ,master4 ,the minutes do not state whether he was relieved at that time1 but we know that sums of money were voted to him in #agcj1 and again in #agda4 ,this ,board of ,benevolence1 as it came to be called1 became very important1 it being unanimously agreed in #agcc that all such business as could not be conveniently despatched by the ,quarterly ,communication should be referred to it4 ,also1 that all ,masters of ,regular ,lodges1 together with all present1 former1 and future ,grand ,officers should be members of the ,board4 ,later this ,board was still further empowered to hear complaints and to report thereon to the ,grand ,lodge4 ,let it also be noted that in actual practice the ,board of ,charity gave free play to one of the most admirable principles of ,masonry--helping the needy and unfortunate1 whether within the order or without4 ,,iii ,once more we come to a much debated question1 about which not a little has been written1 and most of it wide of the mark--the question of the origin of the ,third ,degree4 ,here again students have gone hither and yon hunting in every cranny for the motif of this degree1 and it would seem that their failure to find it would by this time have turned them back to the only place where they may ever hope to discover it--in ,masonry itself4 ,but no2 they are bound to bring mystics1 occultists1 alchemists1 ,culdees or ,cabalists--even the ,vehmgerichte of ,germany--into the making of ,masonry somewhere1 if only for the sake of glamor1 and this is the last opportunity to do it4#abc ,willing to give due credit to ,cabalists and ,rosicrucians1 the present writer rejects all such theories on the ground that there is no reason for thinking that they helped to make ,masonry1 much less any fact to prove it4 ,hear now a review of the facts in the case4 ,no one denies that the ,temple of ,solomon was much in the minds of men at the time of the organization of the ,grand ,lodge1 and long before--as in the ,bacon romance of the ,new ,atlantis in #aeig4abd ,broughton1 ,selden1 ,lightfoot1 ,walton1 ,lee1 ,prideaux1 and other ,english writers were deeply interested in the ,hebrew ,temple1 not1 however1 so much in its symbolical suggestion as in its form and construction--a model of which was brought to ,london by ,judah ,templo in the reign of ,charles ,,ii4#abe ,it was much the same on the ,continent1 but so far from being a new topic of study and discussion1 we may trace this interest in the ,temple all through the ,middle ,ages4 ,nor was it peculiar to the ,cabalists1 at least not to such a degree that they must needs be brought in to account for the ,biblical imagery and symbolism in ,masonry4 ,indeed1 it might with more reason be argued that ,masonry explains the interest in the ,temple than otherwise4 ,for1 as ,james ,fergusson remarks--and there is no higher authority than the historian of architecture3 ,there is perhaps no building of the ancient world which has excited so much attention since the time of its destruction1 as the ,temple of ,solomon built in ,jerusalem1 and its successor as built by ,herod4 ,throughout the ,middle ,ages it influenced to a considerable degree the forms of ,christian churches1 and its peculiarities were the watchwords and rallying points of associations of builders4#abf ,clearly1 the notion that interest in the ,temple was new1 and that its symbolical meaning was imposed upon ,masonry as something novel1 falls flat4 ,but we are told that there is no hint of the ,hiramic legend1 still less any intimation of a tragedy associated with the building of the ,temple4 ,no ,hiramic legend6 ,no hint of tragedy6 ,why1 both were almost as old as the ,temple itself1 rabbinic legend affirming that all the workmen were killed that they should not build another ,temple devoted to idolatry1 ,hiram himself being translated to heaven like ,enoch4#abg ,the ,talmud has many variations of this legend4 ,where would one expect the legends of the ,temple to be kept alive and be made use of in ceremonial1 if not in a religious order of builders like the ,masons8 ,is it surprising that we find so few references in later literature to what was thus held as a sacred secret8 ,as we have seen1 the legend of ,hiram was kept as a profound secret until #ahda by the ,french ,companionage1 who almost certainly learned it from the ,free-masons4 ,naturally it was never made a matter of record1#abh but was transmitted by oral tradition within the order2 and it was also natural1 if not inevitable1 that the legend1 of the master-artist of the ,temple should be the ,master's ,part among ,masons who were temple-builders4 ,how else explain the veiled allusions to the name in the ,old ,charges as read to ,entered ,apprentices1 if it was not a secret reserved for a higher rank of ,mason8 ,why any disguise at all if it had no hidden meaning8 ,manifestly the motif of the ,third ,degree was purely ,masonic1 and we need not go outside the traditions of the order to account for it4 ,not content to trace the evolution of ,masonry1 even so able a man as ,albert ,pike will have it that to a few men of intelligence who belonged to one of the four old lodges in #agag is to be ascribed the authorship of the ,third ,degree1 and the introduction of ,hermetic and other symbols into ,masonry2 that they framed the three degrees for the purpose of communicating their doctrines1 veiled by their symbols1 to those fitted to receive them1 and gave to others trite moral explanations they could comprehend4#abi ,how gracious of them to vouchsafe even trite explanations1 but why frame a set of degrees to conceal what they wished to hide8 ,this is the same idea of something alien imposed upon ,masonry from without1 with the added suggestion1 novel indeed1 that ,masonry was organized to hide the truth1 rather than to teach it4 ,but did ,masonry have to go outside its own history and tradition to learn ,hermetic truths and symbols8 ,who was ,hermes8 ,whether man or myth no one knows1 but he was a great figure in the ,egyptian ,mysteries1 and was called the ,father of ,wisdom4#acj ,what was his wisdom8 ,from such fragments of his lore as have floated down to us1 impaired1 it may be1 but always vivid1 we discover that his wisdom was only a high spiritual faith and morality taught in visions and rhapsodies1 and using numbers as symbols4 ,was such wisdom new to ,masonry8 ,had not ,hermes himself been a hero of the order from the first1 of whom we read in the ,old ,charges1 in which he has a place of honor alongside ,euclid and ,pythagoras8 ,wherefore go elsewhere than to ,masonry itself to trace the pure stream of ,hermetic faith through the ages8 ,certainly the men of the ,grand ,lodge were adepts1 but they were ,masonic adepts seeking to bring the buried temple of ,masonry to light and reveal it in a setting befitting its beauty1 not cultists making use of it to exploit a private scheme of the universe4 ,who were those men of intelligence to whom ,pike ascribed the making of the ,third ,degree of ,masonry8 ,tradition has fixed upon ,desaguliers as the ritualist of the ,grand ,lodge1 and ,lyon speaks of him as the pioneer and co-fabricator of symbolical ,masonry4#aca ,this1 however1 is an exaggeration1 albeit ,desaguliers was worthy of high eulogy1 as were ,anderson and ,payne1 who are said to have been his collaborators4#acb ,but the fact is that the ,third ,degree was not made2 it grew--like the great cathedrals1 no one of which can be ascribed to a single artist1 but to an order of men working in unity of enterprise and aspiration4 ,the process by which the old ritual1 described in the ,sloane ,,ms1 was divided and developed into three degrees between #agag and #agcj was so gradual1 so imperceptible1 that no exact date can be set2 still less can it be attributed to any one or two men4 ,from the minutes of the ,musical ,society we learn that the ,lodge at the ,queen's ,head in ,hollis ,street was using three distinct degrees in #agbd4 ,as early as #agbg we come upon the custom of setting apart a separate night for the ,master's ,degree1 the drama having evidently become more elaborate4 ,further than this the ,degree may not be discussed1 except to say that the ,masons1 tiring of the endless quarrels of sects1 turned for relief to the ,ancient ,mysteries as handed down in their traditions--the old1 high1 heroic faith in ,god1 and in the soul of man as the one unconquerable thing upon this earth4 ,if1 as ,aristotle said1 it be the mission of tragedy to cleanse and exalt us1 leaving us subdued with a sense of pity and hope and fortified against ill fortune1 it is permitted us to add that in simplicity1 depth1 and power1 in its grasp of the realities of the life of man1 its portrayal of the stupidity of evil and the splendor of virtue1 its revelation of that in our humanity which leads it to defy death1 giving up everything1 even to life itself1 rather than defame1 defile1 or betray its moral integrity1 and in its prophecy of the victory of light over shadow1 there is not another drama known among men like the ,third ,degree of ,masonry4 ,edwin ,booth1 a loyal ,mason1 and no mean judge of the essence of tragedy1 left these words3 _/#d1ff ,in all my research and study1 in all my close analysis of the masterpieces of ,shakespeare1 in my earnest determination to make those plays appear real on the mimic stage1 ,i have never1 and nowhere1 met tragedy so real1 so sublime1 so magnificent as the legend of ,hiram4 ,it is substance without shadow--the manifest destiny of life which requires no picture and scarcely a word to make a lasting impression upon all who can understand4 ,to be a ,worshipful ,master1 and to throw my whole soul into that work1 with the candidate for my audience and the ,lodge for my stage1 would be a greater personal distinction than to receive the plaudits of people in the theaters of the world4 _/ ,,footnotes3 #aac ,we should not forget that noble dynasty of large and liberal souls in the seventeenth century--,john ,hales1 ,chillingsworth1 ,whichcote1 ,john ,smith1 ,henry ,more1 ,jeremy ,taylor--whose ,liberty of ,prophesying set the principle of toleration to stately strains of eloquence--,sir ,thomas ,browne1 and ,richard ,baxter2 saints1 every one of them1 finely-poised1 sweet-tempered1 repelled from all extremes alike1 and walking the middle path of wisdom and charity4 ,milton1 too1 taught tolerance in a bigoted and bitter age 7see ,seventeenth ,century ,men of ,latitude1 ,e4,a4 ,george74 #aad ,for instance the ,cooke ,,ms1 next to the oldest of all1 as well as the ,w4 ,watson and ,york ,no4 #d ,,mss4 ,it is rather surprising1 in view of the supremacy of the ,church in those times1 to find such evidence of what ,dr4 ,mackey called the chief mission of primitive ,masonry--the preservation of belief in the unity of ,god4 ,these ,,mss did not succumb to the theology of the ,church1 and their invocations remind us more of the ,god of ,isaiah than of the decrees of the ,council of ,nicaea4 #aae ,it was1 perhaps1 a picture of the ,masonic ,lodges of that era that ,toland drew in his ,socratic ,society1 published in #agbj1 which1 however1 he clothed in a vesture quite un-,grecian4 ,at least1 the symposia or brotherly feasts of his society1 their give-and-take of questions and answers1 their aversion to the rule of mere physical force1 to compulsory religious belief1 and to creed hatred1 as well as their mild and tolerant disposition and their brotherly regard for one another1 remind one of the spirit and habits of the ,masons of that day4 #aaf ,now is as good a time as another to name certain curious theories which have been put forth to account for the origin of ,masonry in general1 and of the organization of the ,grand ,lodge in particular4 ,they are as follows3 ,first1 that it was all due to an imaginary ,temple of ,solomon described by ,lord ,bacon in a ,utopian romance called the ,new ,atlantis2 and this despite the fact that the temple in the ,bacon story was not a house at all1 but the name of an ideal state4 ,second1 that the object of ,freemasonry and the origin of the ,third ,degree was the restoration of ,charles ,,ii to the throne of ,england2 the idea being that the ,masons1 who called themselves ,sons of the ,widow1 meant thereby to express their allegiance to the ,queen4 ,third1 that ,freemasonry was founded by ,oliver ,cromwell--he of all men6--to defeat the royalists4 ,fourth1 that ,free-masons were derived from the order of the ,knights ,templars4 ,even ,lessing once held this theory1 but seems later to have given it up4 ,which one of these theories surpasses the others in absurdity1 it would be hard to say4 ,de ,quincey explodes them one by one with some detail in his ,inquiry into the ,origin of the ,free-masons1 to which he might also have added his own pet notion of the ,rosicrucian origin of the order--it being only a little less fantastic than the rest 7,de ,quincey's ,works1 vol4 xvi74 #aag ,of the ,masonic feasts of ,st4 ,john the ,baptist and ,st4 ,john the ,evangelist much has been written1 and to little account4 ,in pre-,christian times1 as we have seen1 the ,roman ,collegia were wont to adopt pagan deities as patrons4 ,when ,christianity came1 the names of its saints--some of them martyrs of the order of builders--were substituted for the old pagan gods4 ,why the two ,saints ,john were chosen by ,masons--rather than ,st4 ,thomas1 who was the patron saint of architecture--has never been made clear4 ,at any rate1 these two feasts1 coming at the time of the summer and winter solstices1 are in reality older than ,christianity1 being reminiscences of the old ,light ,religion in which ,masonry had its origin4 #aah ,the badge of office was a huge white apron1 such as we see in ,hogarth's picture of the ,night4 ,the collar was of much the same shape as that at present in use1 only shorter4 ,when the color was changed to blue1 and why1 is uncertain1 but probably not until #ahac1 when we begin to see both apron and collar edged with blue4 7,see chapter on ,clothing and ,regalia1 in ,things a ,freemason ,ought to ,know1 by ,j4,w4 ,crowe47 ,in #agbg the officers of all private--or as we would say1 subordinate--,lodges were ordered to wear the jewels of ,masonry hanging to a white apron4 ,in #agca we find the ,grand ,master wearing gold or gilt jewels pendant to blue ribbons about the neck1 and a white leather apron lined with blue silk4 #aai ,this is clear from the book of ,constitutions of #agbc1 which is said to be for the use of ,lodges in ,london4 ,then follow the names of the ,masters and ,wardens of twenty ,lodges1 all in ,london4 ,there was no thought at the time of imposing the authority of the ,grand ,lodge upon the country in general1 much less upon the world4 ,its growth we shall sketch later4 ,for an excellent article on ,the ,foundation of ,modern ,masonry1 by ,g4,w4 ,speth1 giving details of the organization of the ,grand ,lodge and its changes1 see ,a4 ,q4 ,c41 ii1 #hf4 ,if an elaborate account is wanted1 it may be found in ,gould's ,history of ,masonry1 vol4 iii4 #abj ,history of the ,four ,lodges1 by ,r4,f4 ,gould4 ,apparently the ,goose and ,gridiron ,lodge--,no4 #a--;is the only one of the four now in existence4 ,after various changes of name it is now the ,lodge of ,antiquity1 ,no4 #b4 #aba ,royal ,masons1 by ,g4,w4 ,speth4 #abb ,from a meager sketch of ,dr4 ,anderson in the ,gentlemen's ,magazine1 #aghc1 we learn that he was a native of ,scotland--the place of his birth is not given--and that for many years he was minister of the ,scots ,presbyterian ,church in ,swallow ,street1 ,piccadilly1 and well known to the folk of that faith in ,london--called ,bishop ,anderson by his friends4 ,he married the widow of an army officer1 who bore him a son and a daughter4 ,although a learned man--compiler of a book of ,royal ,genealogies1 which seems to have been his hobby--he was somewhat imprudent in business1 having lost most of his property in #agbj4 ,whether he was a ,mason before coming to ,london is unknown1 but he took a great part in the work of the ,grand ,lodge1 entering it1 apparently1 in #agba4 ,toward the close of his life he suffered many misfortunes1 but of what description we are not told4 ,he died in #agci4 ,perhaps his learning was exaggerated by his ,masonic eulogists1 but he was a noble man and manifestly a useful one 7,gould's ,history of ,masonry1 vol4 iii74 #abc ,having emphasized this point so repeatedly1 the writer feels it just to himself to state his own position1 lest he be thought a kind of materialist1 or at least an enemy of mysticism4 ,not so4 ,instead1 he has long been an humble student of the great mystics2 they are his best friends--as witness his two little books1 ,the ,eternal ,christ1 and ,what ,have the ,saints to ,teach ,us8 ,but mysticism is one thing1 and mystification is another1 and the former may be stated in this way3 ,first1 by mysticism--only another word for spirituality--is meant our sense of an ,unseen ,world1 of our citizenship in it1 of ,god and the soul1 and of all the forms of life and beauty as symbols of things higher than themselves4 ,that is to say1 if a man has any religion at all that is not mere theory or form1 he is a mystic2 the difference between him and ,plato or ,st4 ,francis being only a matter of genius and spiritual culture--between a boy whistling a tune and ,beethoven writing music4 ,second1 since mysticism is native to the soul of man and the common experience of all who rise above the animal1 it is not an exclusive possession of any set of adepts to be held as a secret4 ,any man who bows in prayer1 or lifts his thought heavenward1 is an initiate into the eternal mysticism which is the strength and solace of human life4 ,third1 the old time ,masons were religious men1 and as such sharers in this great human experience of divine things1 and did not need to go to ,hidden ,teachers to learn mysticism4 ,they lived and worked in the light of it4 ,it shone in their symbols1 as it does in all symbols that have any meaning or beauty4 ,it is1 indeed1 the soul of symbolism1 every emblem being an effort to express a reality too great for words4 ,so1 then1 ,masonry is mystical as music is mystical--like poetry1 and love1 and faith1 and prayer1 and all else that makes it worth our time to live2 but its mysticism is sweet1 sane1 and natural1 far from fantastic1 and in nowise eerie1 unreal1 or unbalanced4 ,of course these words fail to describe it1 as all words must1 and it is therefore that ,masonry uses parables1 pictures1 and symbols4 #abd ,seventeenth ,century ,descriptions of ,solomon's ,temple1 by ,prof4 ,s4,p4 ,johnston 7,a4 ,q4 ,c41 xii1 #ace74 #abe ,transactions ,jewish ,historical ,society of ,england1 vol4 ii4 #abf ,smith's ,dictionary of the ,bible1 article ,temple4 #abg ,jewish ,encyclopedia1 art4 ,freemasonry4 ,also ,builder's ,rites1 ,g4,w4 ,speth4 #abh ,in the ,book of ,constitutions1 #agbc1 ,dr4 ,anderson dilates at length on the building of the ,temple--including a note on the meaning of the name ,abif1 which1 it will be remembered1 was not found in the ,authorized ,version of the ,bible2 and then he suddenly breaks off with the words3 ,but leaving what must not1 indeed cannot1 be communicated in ,writing4 ,it is incredible that he thus introduced among ,masons a name and legend unknown to them4 ,had he done so1 would it have met with such instant and universal acceptance by old ,masons who stood for the ancient usages of the order8 #abi ,letter to ,gould ,touching ,masonic ,symbolism4 #acj ,hermes and ,plato1 ,edouard ,schure4 #aca ,history of the ,lodge of ,edinburgh4 #acb ,steinbrenner1 following ,findel1 speaks of the ,third ,degree as if it were a pure invention1 quoting a passage from ,ahiman ,rezon1 by ,lawrence ,dermott1 to prove it4 ,he further states that ,anderson and ,desaguliers were publicly accused of manufacturing the degree1 which they never denied 7,history of ,masonry1 chap4 vii74 ,but inasmuch as they were not accused of it until they had been many years in their graves1 their silence is hardly to be wondered at4 ,dr4 ,mackey styles ,desaguliers the ,father of ,modern ,speculative ,masonry1 and attributes to him1 more than to any other one man1 the present existence of the order as a living institution 7,encyclopedia of ,freemasonry74 ,surely that is going too far1 much as ,desaguliers deserves to be honored by the order4 ,dr4 ,j4,t4 ,desaguliers was a ,french ,protestant clergyman1 whose family came to ,england following the revocation of the ,edict of ,nantes4 ,he was graduated from ,christ ,church ,college1 ,oxford1 in #agaj1 succeeding ,keill as lecturer in ,experimental ,philosophy4 ,he was especially learned in natural philosophy1 mathematics1 geometry1 and optics1 having lectured before the ,king on various occasions4 ,he was very popular in the ,grand ,lodge1 and his power as an orator made his manner of conferring a degree impressive--which may explain his having been accused of inventing the degrees4 ,he was a loyal and able ,mason1 a student of the history and ritual of the order1 and was elected as the third ,grand ,master of ,masons in ,england4 ,like ,anderson1 his later life is said to have been beclouded by poverty and sorrow1 though some of the facts are in dispute 7,gould's ,history of ,masonry1 vol4 iii74 ,,universal ,,masonry _/ ,these signs and tokens are of no small value2 they speak a universal language1 and act as a passport to the attention and support of the initiated in all parts of the world4 ,they cannot be lost so long as memory retains its power4 ,let the possessor of them be expatriated1 ship-wrecked1 or imprisoned2 let him be stripped of everything he has got in the world2 still these credentials remain and are available for use as circumstances require4 ,the great effects which they have produced are established by the most incontestable facts of history4 ,they have stayed the uplifted hand of the destroyer2 they have softened the asperities of the tyrant2 they have mitigated the horrors of captivity2 they have subdued the rancor of malevolence2 and broken down the barriers of political animosity and sectarian alienation4 ,on the field of battle1 in the solitude of the uncultivated forests1 or in the busy haunts of the crowded city1 they have made men of the most hostile feelings1 and most distant religions1 and the most diversified conditions1 rush to the aid of each other1 and feel a social joy and satisfaction that they have been able to afford relief to a brother ,mason4 --,,benjamin ,,franklin _/ ,,chapter ,v ,universal ,masonry ,i ,henceforth the ,masons of ,england were no longer a society of handicraftsmen1 but an association of men of all orders and every vocation1 as also of almost every creed1 who met together on the broad basis of humanity1 and recognized no standard of human worth other than morality1 kindliness1 and love of truth4 ,they retained the symbolism of the old ,operative ,masonry1#acc its language1 its legends1 its ritual1 and its oral tradition4 ,no longer did they build churches1 but the spiritual temple of humanity2 using the ,square not to measure right angles of blocks of stone1 but for evening the inequalities of human character1 nor the ,compass any more to describe circles on a tracing-board1 but to draw a ,circle of goodwill around all mankind4 ,howbeit1 one generation of men1 as ,hume remarks1 does not go off the stage at once1 and another succeed1 like silkworms and butterflies4 ,no more did this metamorphosis of ,masonry1 so to name it1 take place suddenly or radically1 as it has become the fashion to think4 ,it was a slow process1 and like every such period the ,epoch of ,transition was attended by many problems1 uncertainties1 and difficulties4 ,some of the ,lodges1 as we have noted1 would never agree to admit ,accepted ,masons1 so jealous were they of the ancient landmarks of the ,craft4 ,even the ,grand ,lodge1 albeit a revival of the old ,assembly1 was looked upon with suspicion by not a few1 as tending toward undue centralization2 and not without cause4 ,from the first the ,grand ,master was given more power than was ever granted to the ,president of an ancient ,assembly2 of necessity so1 perhaps1 but it led to misunderstanding4 ,other influences added to the confusion1 and at the same time emphasized the need of welding the order into a more coherent unity for its wider service to humanity4 ,there are hints to the effect that the new ,masonry1 if so it may be called1 made very slow progress in the public favor at first1 owing to the conditions just stated2 and this despite the remark of ,anderson in ,june1 #agai3 ,now several old ,brothers that had neglected the ,craft1 visited the ,lodges2 some ,noblemen were also made ,brothers1 and more new ,lodges were constituted4 ,stuckely1 the antiquarian1 tells us in his ,diary under date of ,january1 #agba--;at which time he was initiated--that he was the first person made a ,mason in ,london for years1 and that it was not easy to find men enough to perform the ceremony4 ,incidentally1 he confides to us that he entered the order in search of the long hidden secrets of the ,ancient ,mysteries4 ,no doubt he exaggerated in the matter of numbers1 though it is possible that initiations were comparatively few at the time1 the ,lodges being recruited1 for the most part1 by the adhesion of old ,masons1 both ,operative and ,speculative2 and among his friends he may have had some difficulty in finding men with an adequate knowledge of the ritual4 ,but that there was any real difficulty in gathering together seven ,masons in ,london is1 on the face of it1 absurd4 ,immediately thereafter1 ,stuckely records1 ,masonry took a run1 and ran itself out of breath through the folly of its members1 but he does not tell us what the folly was4 ,the run referred to was almost certainly due to the acceptance by the ,duke of ,montagu of the ,grand ,mastership1 which gave the order a prestige it had never had before2 and it was also in the same year1 #agba1 that the old ,constitutions of the ,craft were revised4 ,twelve ,lodges attended the ,june quarterly communication of the ,grand ,lodge in #agba1 sixteen in ,september1 twenty in ,december1 and by ,april1 #agbc1 the number had grown to thirty4 ,all these ,lodges1 be it noted1 were in ,london1 a fact amply justifying the optimism of ,anderson in the last paragraph of the ,book of ,constitutions1 issued in that year4 ,so far the ,grand ,lodge had not extended its jurisdiction beyond ,london and ,westminster1 but the very next year1 #agbd1 there were already nine ,lodges in the provinces acknowledging its obedience1 the first being the ,lodge at the ,queen's ,head1 ,city of ,bath4 ,within a few years ,masonry extended its labors abroad1 both on ,british and on foreign soil4 ,the first ,lodge on foreign soil was founded by the ,duke of ,wharton at ,madrid1 in #agbh1 and regularized the following year1 by which time a ,lodge had been established at the ,east ,india ,arms1 ,bengal1 and also at ,gibraltar4 ,it was not long before ,lodges arose in many lands1 founded by ,english ,masons or by men who had received initiation in ,england2 these ,lodges1 when sufficiently numerous1 uniting under ,grand ,lodges--the old ,lodge at ,york1 that ancient ,mecca of ,masonry1 had called itself a ,grand ,lodge as early as #agbe4 ,the ,grand ,lodge of ,ireland was created in #agbi1 those of ,scotland#acd and ,france in #agcf2 a ,lodge at ,hamburg in #agcg1ace though it was not patented until #agdj2 the ,unity ,lodge at ,frankfort-on-the-,main in #agdb1 another at ,vienna the same year2 the ,grand ,lodge of the ,three ,world-spheres at ,berlin in #agdd2 and so on1 until the order made its advent in ,sweden1 ,switzerland1 ,russia1 ,italy1 ,spain1 and ,portugal4 ,following the footsteps of ,masonry from land to land is almost as difficult as tracing its early history1 owing to the secrecy in which it enwrapped its movements4 ,for example1 in #afhj there came to ,south ,carolina one ,john ,moore1 a native of ,england1 who before the close of the century removed to ,philadelphia1 where1 in #agjc1 he was ,collector of the ,port4 ,in a letter written by him in #agae1 he mentions having spent a few evenings in festivity with my ,masonic brethren4#acf ,this is the first vestige of ,masonry in ,america1 unless we accept as authentic a curious document in the early history of ,rhode ,island1 as follows3 ,this ye day and month obliterated #afef1 ,wee mett att y ,house off ,mordicai ,campanell and after synagog gave ,abram ,moses the degrees of ,maconrie4#acg ,on ,june #e1 #agcj1 the first authority for the assembling of ,free-masons in ,america was issued by the ,duke of ,norfolk1 to ,daniel ,coxe1 of ,new ,jersey1 appointing him ,provincial ,grand ,master of ,new ,york1 ,new ,jersey1 and ,pennsylvania2 and three years later ,henry ,price1 of ,boston1 was appointed to the same office for ,new ,england4 ,but ,masons had evidently been coming to the ,new ,world for years1 for the two cases just cited date back of the ,grand ,lodge of #agag4 ,how soon ,coxe acted on the authority given him is not certain1 but the ,pennsylvania ,gazette1 published by ,benjamin ,franklin1 contains many references to ,masonic affairs as early as ,july1 #agcj4 ,just when ,franklin himself became interested in ,masonry is not of record--he was initiated in #agcj-caach--;but he was a leader1 at that day1 of everything that would advance his adopted city2 and the ,junto1 formed in #agbe1 often inaccurately called the ,leathern-,apron ,club1 owed its origin to him4 ,in a ,masonic item in the ,gazette of ,december #c1 #agcj1 he refers to several ,lodges of ,free-masons in the ,province1 and on ,june #i1 #agcb1 notes the organization of the ,grand ,lodge of ,pennsylvania1 of which he was appointed a ,warden1 at the ,sun ,tavern1 in ,water ,street4 ,two years later ,franklin was elected ,grand ,master1 and the same year published an edition of the ,book of ,constitutions--the first ,masonic book issued in ,america4 ,thus ,masonry made an early advent into the new world1 in which it has labored so nobly1 helping to lay the foundations and building its own basic principles into the organic law of the greatest of all republics4 ,,ii ,returning to the ,grand ,lodge of ,england1 we have now to make record of ridicule and opposition from without1 and1 alas1 of disloyalty and discord within the order itself4 ,with the publication of the ,book of ,constitutions1 by ,anderson1 in #agbc1 the platform and principles of ,masonry became matters of common knowledge1 and its enemies were alert and vigilant4 ,none are so blind as those who will not see1 and not a few1 unacquainted with the spirit of ,masonry1 or unable to grasp its principle of liberality and tolerance1 affected to detect in its secrecy some dark political design2 and this despite the noble charge in the ,book of ,constitutions enjoining politics from entering the lodge--a charge hardly less memorable than the article defining its attitude toward differing religious creeds1 and which it behooves ,masons to keep always in mind as both true and wise1 especially in our day when effort is being made to inject the religious issue into politics3 _/#d1ff ,in order to preserve peace and harmony no private piques or quarrels must be brought within the door of the ,lodge1 far less any quarrel about ,religions or ,nations or ,state-,policy1 we being only1 as ,masons1 of the ,catholic ,religion above mentioned 7the religion in which all men agree72 we are also of all ,nations1 ,tongues1 ,kindreds and ,languages1 and are resolved against all ,politics as what never yet conduced to the welfare of the ,lodge1 nor ever will4 ,this charge has always been actively enjoined and observed2 but especially ever since the ,reformation in ,britain or the dissent and secession of these ,nations from the communion of ,rome4 _/ ,no sooner had these noble words been printed1#aci than there came to light a secret society calling itself the truly ,ancient ,noble ,order of the ,gormogons1 alleged to have been instituted by ,chin-,quaw ,ky-,po1 the first ,emperor of ,china1 many thousand years before ,adam4 ,notice of a meeting of the order appeared in the ,daily ,post1 ,september #c1 #agbc1 in which it was stated1 among other high-sounding declarations1 that no ,mason will be received as a ,member till he has renounced his noble order and been properly degraded4 ,obviously1 from this notice and others of like kind--all hinting at the secrets of the ,lodges--the order was aping ,masonry by way of parody with intent to destroy it1 if possible1 by ridicule4 ,for all that1 if we may believe the ,saturday ,post of ,october following1 many eminent ,freemasons had by that time degraded themselves and gone over to the ,gormogons4 ,not many perhaps1 but1 alas1 one eminent ,mason at least1 none other than a ,past ,grand ,master1 the ,duke of ,wharton1 who1 piqued at an act of the ,grand ,lodge1 had turned against it4 ,erratic of mind1 unstable of morals1 having an inordinate lust for praise1 and pilloried as a fool by ,pope in his ,moral ,essays1 he betrayed his fraternity--as1 later1 he turned traitor to his faith1 his flag1 and his native land6 ,simultaneously with the announcement that many eminent ,masons had degraded themselves--words most fitly chosen--and gone over to the ,gormogons1 there appeared a book called the ,grand ,mystery of ,freemasons ,discovered1 and the cat was out of the bag4 ,everything was plain to the ,masons1 and if it had not been clear1 the way in which the writer emphasized his hatred of the ,jesuits would have told it all4 ,it was a ,jesuit#adj plot hatched in ,rome to expose the secrets of ,masonry1 and making use of the dissolute and degenerate ,mason for that purpose--tactics often enough used in the name of ,jesus6 ,curiously enough1 this was further made evident by the fact that the order ceased to exist in #agch1 the year in which ,clement ,,xii published his ,bull against the ,masons4 ,thereupon the ancient order of ,gormogons swallowed itself1 and so disappeared--not1 however1 without one last1 futile effort to achieve its ends4#ada ,naturally this episode stirred the ,masons deeply4 ,it was denounced in burning words on the floor of the ,grand ,lodge1 which took new caution to guard its rites from treachery and vandalism1 in which respects it had not exercised due care1 admitting men to the order who were unworthy of the honor4 ,there were those who thought that the power of ,masonry lay in its secrecy2 some think so still1 not knowing that its real power lies in the sanctity of its truth1 the simplicity of its faith1 the sweetness of its spirit1 and its service to mankind1 and that if all its rites were made public today it would still hold the hearts of men4#adb ,nevertheless1 of alleged exposures there were many between #agbd and #agcj1 both anonymous and signed1 and they made much ado1 especially among men who were not ,masons4 ,it will be enough to name the most famous1 as well as the most elaborate1 of them all1 ,masonry ,dissected1 by ,samuel ,prichard1 which ran through three editions in one month1 ,october1 #agcj1 and called out a noble ,defence of ,masonry1 written1 it is thought1 by ,anderson1 but the present writer believes by ,desaguliers4 ,others came later1 such as ,jachin and ,boaz1 the ,three ,distinct ,knocks1 and so forth4 ,they had their day and ceased to be1 having now only an antiquarian interest to those who would know the manners and customs of a far-off time4 ,instead of injuring the order1 they really helped it1 as such things usually do1 by showing that there must be something to expose since so many were trying to do it4 ,but ,masonry went marching on1 leaving them behind in the rubbish of things forgotten1 as it does all its back-stair spies and heel-snapping critics4 ,more serious by far was the series of schisms within the order which began in #agbe1 and ran on even into the next century4 ,for the student they make the period very complex1 calculated to bewilder the beginner2 for when we read of four ,grand ,lodges in ,england1 and for some years all of them running at once1 and each one claiming to be the ,grand ,lodge of ,england1 the confusion seems not a little confounded4 ,also1 one ,grand ,lodge of a very limited territory1 and few adherents1 adopted the title of ,grand ,lodge of all ,england1 while another which commenced in the middle of the century assumed the title of ,the ,ancients1 and dubbed the older and parent ,grand ,lodge ,the ,moderns4 ,besides1 there are traces of an unrecorded ,grand body calling itself ,the ,supreme ,grand ,lodge1#adc as if each were trying to make up in name what was lacking in numbers4 ,strict search and due inquiry into the causes of these divisions would seem to show the following results3 ,first1 there was a fear1 not unjustified by facts1 that the ancient democracy of the order had been infringed upon by certain acts of the ,grand ,lodge of #agag--;as1 for example1 giving to the ,grand ,master power to appoint the ,wardens4#add ,second1 there was a tendency1 due to the influence of some clergymen active in the order1 to give a distinctively ,christian tinge to ,masonry1 first in their interpretations of its symbols1 and later to the ritual itself4 ,this fact has not been enough emphasized by our historians1 for it explains much4 ,third1 there was the further fact that ,masonry in ,scotland differed from ,masonry in ,england1 in details at least1 and the two did not all at once harmonize1 each being rather tenacious of its usage and tradition4 ,fourth1 in one instance1 if no more1 pride of locality and historic memories led to independent organization4 ,fifth1 there was the ever-present element of personal ambition with which all human societies1 of whatever kind1 must reckon at all times and places this side of heaven4 ,altogether1 the situation was amply conducive to division1 if not to explosion1 and the wonder is that the schisms were so few4 ,,iii ,time out of mind the ancient city of ,york had been a seat of the ,masonic ,craft1 tradition tracing it back to the days of ,athelstan1 in #ibf ,a4,d4 ,be that as it may1 the ,lodge minutes of ,york are the oldest in the country1 and the relics of the ,craft now preserved in that city entitle it to be called the ,mecca of ,masonry4 ,whether the old society was a ,private or a ,grand ,lodge is not plain2 but in #agbe it assumed the title of the ,grand ,lodge of ,all ,england1--feeling1 it would seem1 that its inherent right by virtue of antiquity had in some way been usurped by the ,grand ,lodge of ,london4 ,after ten or fifteen years the minutes cease1 but the records of other grand bodies speak of it as still working4 ,in #agfa six of its surviving members revived the ,grand ,lodge1 which continued with varying success until its final extinction in #agia1 having only a few subordinate ,lodges1 chiefly in ,yorkshire4 ,never antagonistic1 it chose to remain independent1 and its history is a noble tradition4 ,york ,masonry was acknowledged by all parties to be both ancient and orthodox1 and even to this day1 in ,england and over the seas1 a certain mellow1 magic charm clings to the city which was for so long a meeting place of ,masons4#ade ,far more formidable was the schism of #agec1 which had its origin1 as is now thought1 in a group of ,irish ,masons in ,london who were not recognized by the premier ,grand ,lodge4#adf ,whereupon they denounced the ,grand ,lodge1 averring that it had adopted new plans and departed from the old landmarks1 reverted1 as they alleged1 to the old forms1 and set themselves up as ,ancient ,masons--bestowing upon their rivals the odious name of ,moderns4 ,later the two were further distinguished from each other by the names of their respective ,grand ,masters1 one called ,prince of ,wales' ,masons1 the other the ,atholl ,masons4#adg ,the great figure in the ,atholl ,grand body was ,lawrence ,dermott1 to whose keen pen and indefatigable industry as its secretary for more than thirty years was due1 in large measure1 its success4 ,in #agef he published its first book of laws1 entitled ,ahiman ,rezon1 ,or ,help to a ,brother1 much of which was taken from the ,irish ,constitutions of #agea1 by ,pratt1 and the rest from the ,book of ,constitutions1 by ,anderson--whom he did not fail to criticize with stinging satire1 of which he was a master4 ,among other things1 the office of ,deacon seems to have had its origin with this body4 ,atholl ,masons were presided over by the ,masters of affiliated ,lodges until #agef1 when ,lord ,blessington1 their first titled ,grand ,master1 was induced to accept the honor--their warrants having been left blank betimes1 awaiting the coming of a ,nobleman to that office4 ,later the fourth ,duke of ,atholl was ,grand ,master at the same time of ,scotland and of the ,atholl ,grand ,lodge1 the ,grand ,lodges of ,scotland and ,ireland being represented at his installation in ,london4 ,still another schism1 not serious but significant1 came in #aggh1 led by ,william ,preston1#adh who afterwards became a shining light in the order4 ,on ,st4 ,john's ,day1 ,december #bg1 #aggg1 the ,antiquity ,lodge of ,london1 of which ,preston was ,master--one of the four original ,lodges forming the ,grand ,lodge--attended church in a body1 to hear a sermon by its ,chaplain4 ,they robed in the vestry1 and then marched into the church1 but after the service they walked back to the ,hall wearing their ,masonic clothing4 ,difference of opinion arose as to the regularity of the act1 ,preston holding it to be valid1 if for no other reason1 by virtue of the inherent right of ,antiquity ,lodge itself4 ,three members objected to his ruling and appealed to the ,grand ,lodge1 he foolishly striking their names off the ,lodge roll for so doing4 ,eventually the ,grand ,lodge took the matter up1 decided against ,preston1 and ordered the reinstatement of the three protesting members4 ,at its next meeting the ,antiquity ,lodge voted not to comply with the order of the ,grand ,lodge1 and1 instead1 to withdraw from that body and form an alliance with the ,old ,grand ,lodge of ,all ,england at ,york ,city1 as they called it4 ,they were received by the ,york ,grand ,lodge1 and soon thereafter obtained a constitution for a ,grand ,lodge of ,england ,south of the ,trent4 ,although much vitality was shown at the outset1 this body only constituted two subordinate ,lodges1 and ceased to exist4 ,having failed1 in #aghi ,preston and his friends recanted their folly1 apologized to the ,grand ,lodge1 reunited with the men whom they had expelled1 and were received back into the fold2 and so the matter ended4 ,these divisions1 while they were in some ways unhappy1 really made for the good of the order in the sequel--the activity of contending ,grand ,lodges1 often keen1 and at times bitter1 promoting the spread of its principles to which all were alike loyal1 and to the enrichment of its ,ritual#adi to which each contributed4 ,dermott1 an able executive and audacious antagonist1 had left no stone unturned to advance the interests of ,atholl ,masonry1 inducing its ,grand ,lodge to grant warrants to army ,lodges1 which bore fruit in making ,masons in every part of the world where the ,english army went4#aej ,howbeit1 when that resourceful secretary and uncompromising fighter had gone to his long rest1 a better mood began to make itself felt1 and a desire to heal the feud and unite all the ,grand ,lodges--the way having been cleared1 meanwhile1 by the demise of the old ,york ,grand ,lodge and the ,grand ,lodge ,south of the ,trent4 ,overtures to that end were made in #ahjb without avail1 but by #ahji committees were meeting and reporting on the propriety and practicability of union4 ,fraternal letters were exchanged1 and at last a joint committee met1 canvassed all differences1 and found a way to heal the schism4#aea ,union came at length1 in a great ,lodge of ,reconciliation held in ,freemason's ,hall1 ,london1 on ,st4 ,john's ,day1 ,december #bg1 #ahac4 ,it was a memorable and inspiring scene as the two ,grand ,lodges1 so long estranged1 filed into the ,hall--delegates of #fda ,modern and #cei ,ancient or ,atholl ,lodges--so mixed as to be indistinguishable the one from the other4 ,both ,grand ,masters had seats of honor in the ,east4 ,the hour was fraternal1 each side willing to sacrifice prejudice in behalf of principles held by all in common1 and all equally anxious to preserve the ancient landmarks of the ,craft--a most significant fact being that the ,atholl ,masons had insisted that ,masonry erase such distinctively ,christian color as had crept into it1 and return to its first platform4#aeb ,once united1 free of feud1 cleansed of rancor1 and holding high its unsectarian1 non-partisan flag1 ,masonry moved forward to her great ministry4 ,if we would learn the lesson of those long dead schisms1 we must be vigilant1 correcting our judgments1 improving our regulations1 and cultivating that spirit of ,love which is the fountain whence issue all our voluntary efforts for what is right and true3 union in essential matters1 liberty in everything unimportant and doubtful2 ,love always--one bond1 one universal law1 one fellowship in spirit and in truth6 ,,iv ,remains now to give a glimpse--and1 alas1 only a glimpse--of the growth and influence of ,masonry in ,america2 and a great story it is1 needing many volumes to tell it aright4 ,as we have seen1 it came early to the shores of the ,new ,world1 long before the name of our great republic had been uttered1 and with its gospel of ,liberty1 ,equality1 and ,fraternity it helped to shape the institutions of this ,continent4 ,down the ,atlantic ,coast1 along the ,great ,lakes1 into the wilderness of the ,middle ,west and the forests of the far ,south--westward it marched as the star of empire led1 setting up its altar on remote frontiers1 a symbol of civilization1 of loyalty to law and order1 of friendship with school-house and church4 ,if history recorded the unseen influences which go to the making of a nation1 those forces for good which never stop1 never tarry1 never tire1 and of which our social order is the outward and visible sign1 then might the real story of ,masonry in ,america be told4 ,instead of a dry chronicle1#aec let us make effort to capture and portray the spirit of ,masonry in ,american history1 if so that all may see how this great order actually presided over the birth of the republic1 with whose growth it has had so much to do4 ,for example1 no one need be told what patriotic memories cluster about the old ,green ,dragon ,tavern1 in ,boston1 which ,webster1 speaking at ,andover in #ahbc1 called the headquarters of the ,revolution4 ,even so1 but it was also a ,masonic ,hall1 in the ,long ,room of which the ,grand ,lodge of ,massachusetts--an off-shoot of ,st4 ,andrew's ,lodge--was organized on ,st4 ,john's ,day1 #agfg1 with ,joseph ,warren1 who afterwards fell at ,bunker ,hill1 as ,grand ,master4 ,there ,samuel ,adams1 ,paul ,revere1 ,warren1 ,hancock1 ,otis and others met and passed resolutions1 and then laid schemes to make them come true4 ,there the ,boston ,tea ,party was planned1 and executed by ,masons disguised as ,mohawk ,indians--not by the ,lodge as such1 but by a club formed within the ,lodge1 calling itself the ,caucus ,pro ,bono ,publico1 of which ,warren was the leading spirit1 and in which1 says ,elliott1 the plans of the ,sons of ,liberty were matured4 ,as ,henry ,purkett used to say1 he was present at the famous ,tea ,party as a spectator1 and in disobedience to the order of the ,master of the ,lodge1 who was actively present4#aed ,as in ,massachusetts1 so throughout the ,colonies--the ,masons were everywhere active in behalf of a nation conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal4 ,of the men who signed the ,declaration of ,independence1 the following are known to have been members of the order3 ,william ,hooper1 ,benjamin ,franklin1 ,matthew ,thornton1 ,william ,whipple1 ,john ,hancock1 ,philip ,livingston1 ,thomas ,nelson2 and no doubt others1 if we had the ,masonic records destroyed during the war4 ,indeed1 it has been said that1 with four men out of the room1 the assembly could have been opened in form as a ,masonic ,lodge1 on the ,third ,degree4 ,not only ,washington1#aee but nearly all of his generals1 were ,masons2 such at least as ,greene1 ,lee1 ,marion1 ,sullivan1 ,rufus and ,israel ,putnam1 ,edwards1 ,jackson1 ,gist1 ,baron ,steuben1 ,baron ,de ,kalb1 and the ,marquis de ,lafayette who was made a ,mason in one of the many military ,lodges held in the ,continental ,army4#aef ,if the history of those old camp-lodges could be written1 what a story it would tell4 ,not only did they initiate such men as ,alexander ,hamilton and ,john ,marshall1 the immortal ,chief ,justice1 but they made the spirit of ,masonry felt in times that try men's souls#aeg--;a spirit passing through picket-lines1 eluding sentinels1 and softening the horrors of war4 ,laying aside their swords1 these ,masons helped to lay wide and deep the foundations of that liberty under the law which has made this nation1 of a truth1 the last great hope of man4 ,nor was it an accident1 but a scene in accord with the fitness of things1 that ,george ,washington was sworn into office as the first ,president of the ,republic by the ,grand ,master of ,new ,york1 taking his oath on a ,masonic ,bible4 ,it was a parable of the whole period4 ,if the ,magna ,charta demanded rights which government can grant1 ,masonry from the first asserted those inalienable rights which man derives from ,god the ,father of men4 ,never did this truth find sweeter voice than in the tones of the old ,scotch fiddle on which ,robert ,burns1 a ,master ,mason1 sang1 in lyric glee1 of the sacredness of the soul1 and the native dignity of humanity as the only basis of society and the state4 ,that music went marching on1 striding over continents and seas1 until it found embodiment in the ,constitution and laws of this nation1 where today more than a million ,masons are citizens4 ,how strange1 then1 that ,masonry should have been made the victim of the most bitter and baseless persecution1 for it was nothing else1 in the annals of the ,republic4 ,yet so it came to pass between #ahbf and #ahde1 in connection with the ,morgan#aeh affair1 of which so much has been written1 and so little truth told4 ,alas1 it was an evil hour when1 as ,galsworthy would say1 men just feel something big and religious1 and go blind to justice1 fact1 and reason4 ,although ,lodges everywhere repudiated and denounced the crime1 if crime it was1 and the ,governor of ,new ,york1 himself a ,mason1 made every effort to detect and punish those involved1 the fanaticism would not be stayed3 the mob-mood ruled4 ,an ,anti-,masonic political party#aei was formed1 fed on frenzy1 and the land was stirred from end to end4 ,even such a man as ,john ,quincy ,adams1 of great credulity and strong prejudice1 was drawn into the fray1 and in a series of letters flayed ,masonry as an enemy of society and a free state--forgetting that ,washington1 ,franklin1 ,marshall1 and ,warren were members of the order6 ,meanwhile--and1 verily1 it was a mean while--,weed1 ,seward1 ,thaddeus ,stevens1 and others of their ilk1 rode into power on the strength of it1 as they had planned to do1 defeating ,henry ,clay for ,president1 because he was a ,mason--and1 incidentally1 electing ,andrew ,jackson1 another ,mason6 ,let it be said that1 if the ,masons found it hard to keep within the ,compass1 they at least acted on the ,square4 ,finally the fury spent itself1 leaving the order purged of feeble men who were ,masons only in form1 and a revival of ,masonry followed1 slowly at first1 and then with great rapidity4 ,no sooner had ,masonry recovered from this ordeal than the dark clouds of ,civil ,war covered the land like a pall--the saddest of all wars1 dividing a nation one in arts and arms and historic memories1 and leaving an entail of blood and fire and tears4 ,let it be forever remembered that1 while churches were severed and states were seceding1 the ,masonic order remained unbroken in that wild and fateful hour4 ,an effort was made to involve ,masonry in the strife1 but the wise counsel of its leaders1 ,north and ,south1 prevented the mixing of ,masonry with politics2 and while it could not avert the tragedy1 it did much to mitigate the woe of it--building rainbow bridges of mercy and goodwill from army to army4 ,though passion may have strained1 it could not break the tie of ,masonic love1 which found a ministry on red fields1 among the sick1 the wounded1 and those in prison2 and many a man in gray planted a ,sprig of ,acacia on the grave of a man who wore the blue4 ,some day the writer hopes to tell that story1 or a part of it1 and then men will understand what ,masonry is1 what it means1 and what it can do to heal the hurts of humanity4#afj ,even so it has been1 all through our national history1 and today ,masonry is worth more for the sanctity and safety of this republic than both its army and its navy4 ,at every turn of events1 when the rights of man have been threatened by enemies obvious or insidious1 it has stood guard--its altar lights like signal fires along the heights of liberty1 keeping watch4 ,not only in our own land1 but everywhere over the broad earth1 when men have thrown off the yoke of tyranny1 whether political or spiritual1 and demanded the rights that belong to manhood1 they have found a friend in the ,masonic order--as did ,mazzini and ,garibaldi in ,italy4 ,nor must we be less alert and vigilant today when1 free of danger of foes from without1 our republic is imperiled by the negligence of indifference1 the seduction of luxury1 the machinations of politicians1 and the shadow of a passion-clouded1 impatient discontent1 whose end is madness and folly2 lest the most hallowed of all liberties be lost4 _/,p ,love thou thy land1 with love far-brought ,from out the storied past1 and used ,within the present1 but transfused ,through future time by power of thought4 ,p_/ ,v ,truly1 the very existence of such a great historic fellowship in the quest and service of the ,ideal is a fact eloquent beyond all words1 and to be counted among the precious assets of humanity4 ,forming one vast society of free men1 held together by voluntary obligations1 it covers the whole globe from ,egypt to ,india1 from ,italy to ,england1 from ,america to ,australia1 and the isles of the sea2 from ,london to ,sidney1 from ,chicago to ,calcutta4 ,in all civilized lands1 and among folk of every creed worthy of the name1 ,masonry is found--and everywhere it upholds all the redeeming ideals of humanity1 making all good things better by its presence1 like a stream underflowing a meadow4#afa ,also1 wherever ,masonry flourishes and is allowed to build freely after its divine design1 liberty1 justice1 education1 and true religion flourish2 and where it is hindered1 they suffer4 ,indeed1 he who would reckon the spiritual possessions of the race1 and estimate the forces that make for social beauty1 national greatness1 and human welfare1 must take account of the genius of ,masonry and its ministry to the higher life of the race4 ,small wonder that such an order has won to its fellowship men of the first order of intellect1 men of thought and action in many lands1 and every walk and work of life3 soldiers like ,wellington1 ,bluecher1 and ,garibaldi2 philosophers like ,krause1 ,fichte1 and ,john ,locke2 patriots like ,washington and ,mazzini2 writers like ,walter ,scott1 ,voltaire1 ,steele1 ,lessing1 ,tolstoi2 poets like ,goethe1 ,burns1 ,byron1 ,kipling1 ,pike2 musicians like ,haydn and ,mozart--whose opera1 ,the ,magic ,flute1 has a ,masonic motif2 masters of drama like ,forrest and ,edwin ,booth2 editors such as ,bowles1 ,prentice1 ,childs1 ,grady2 ministers of many communions1 from ,bishop ,potter to ,robert ,collyer2 statesmen1 philanthropists1 educators1 jurists1 men of science--,masons many1#afb whose names shine like stars in the great world's crown of intellectual and spiritual glory4 ,what other order has ever brought together men of such diverse type1 temper1 training1 interest1 and achievement1 uniting them at an altar of prayer in the worship of ,god and the service of man8 ,for the rest1 if by some art one could trace those invisible influences which move to and fro like shuttles in a loom1 weaving the network of laws1 reverences1 sanctities which make the warp and woof of society--giving to statutes their dignity and power1 to the gospel its opportunity1 to the home its canopy of peace and beauty1 to the young an enshrinement of inspiration1 and to the old a mantle of protection2 if one had such art1 then he might tell the true story of ,masonry4 ,older than any living religion1 the most widespread of all orders of men1 it toils for liberty1 friendship1 and righteousness2 binding men with solemn vows to the right1 uniting them upon the only basis upon which they can meet without reproach--like those fibers running through the glaciers1 along which sunbeams journey1 melting the frozen mass and sending it to the valleys below in streams of blessing4 ,other fibers are there1 but none is more far-ramifying1 none more tender1 none more responsive to the ,light than the mystical tie of ,masonic love4 ,truth will triumph4 ,justice will yet reign from sun to sun1 victorious over cruelty and evil4 ,finally ,love will rule the race1 casting out fear1 hatred1 and all unkindness1 and pity will heal the old hurt and heart-ache of humanity4 ,there is nothing in history1 dark as much of it is1 against the ultimate fulfilment of the prophetic vision of ,robert ,burns--the ,poet ,laureate of ,masonry3 _/,p ,then let us pray1 that come it may-- ,as come it will1 for a' that-- 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,that man to man1 the world o'er ,shall brothers be1 for a' that4 ,p_/ ,,footnotes3 #acc ,operative ,masonry1 it should be remembered1 was not entirely dead1 nor did it all at once disappear4 ,indeed1 it still exists in some form1 and an interesting account of its forms1 degrees1 symbols1 usages1 and traditions may be found in an article on ,operative ,masonry1 by ,c4,e4 ,stretton 7,transactions ,leicester ,lodge of ,research1 #aiji-aj1 #aiaa-ab74 ,the second of these volumes also contains an essay on ,operative ,free-masons1 by ,thomas ,carr1 with a list of lodges1 and a study of their history1 customs1 and emblems--especially the ,swastika4 ,speculative ,masons are now said to be joining these ,operative ,lodges1 seeking more light on what are called the ,lost ,symbols of ,masonry4 #acd ,the ,grand ,lodges of ,ireland and ,scotland1 it may be added1 were self-constituted1 without assistance or intervention from ,england in any form4 #ace ,a deputation of the ,hamburg ,lodge initiated ,frederick--afterwards ,frederick the ,great of ,prussia--into the order of ,masons at ,brunswick1 ,august #ad1 #agch 7,frederick and his ,times1 by ,campbell1 ,history of ,frederick1 by ,carlyle1 ,findel's ,history of ,masonry74 ,other noblemen followed his example1 and their zeal for the order gave a new date to the history of ,masonry in ,germany4 ,when ,frederick ascended the throne1 in #agdj1 the ,craft was honored1 and it flourished in his kingdom4 ,as to the interest of ,frederick in the order in his later years1 the facts are not clear1 but that he remained its friend seems certain 7,mackey1 ,encyclopedia74 ,however1 the ,craft underwent many vicissitudes in ,germany1 a detailed account of which ,findel recites 7,history of ,masonry74 ,few realize through what frightful persecutions ,masonry has passed in many lands1 owing in part to its secrecy1 but in larger part to its principle of civil and religious liberty4 ,whenever that story is told1 as it surely will be1 men everywhere will pay homage to the ,ancient ,free and ,accepted ,masons as friends of mankind4 #acf ,this letter was the property of ,horace ,w4 ,smith1 ,philadelphia4 ,john ,moore was the father of ,william ,moore1 whose daughter became the wife of ,provost ,smith1 who was a ,mason in #agge1 and afterward ,grand ,secretary of the ,grand ,lodge of ,pennsylvania1 and whose son was ,grand ,master of ,masons in ,pennsylvania in #agif and #agig 7,history of ,freemasonry1 by ,hughan and ,stillson74 #acg ,ibid1 chapter on ,early ,american ,masonic ,history4 #ach ,benjamin ,franklin as a ,free ,mason1 by ,j4,f4 ,sachse4 ,oddly enough1 there is no mention of ,masonry by ,franklin in his ,autobiography1 or in any of his letters1 with but two exceptions1 so far as known2 which is the more remarkable when we look at his ,masonic career in ,france during the later years of his life1 where he was actively and intimately associated with the order1 even advancing to the higher degrees4 ,never for a day did he abate by one jot his interest in the order1 or his love for it4 #aci ,this injunction was made doubly strong in the edition of the ,book of ,constitutions1 in #agch4 ,for example3 no quarrels about nations1 families1 religion or politics must by any means or under any color or pretense whatever be brought within the door of the ,lodge4444 ,masons being of all nations upon the square1 level and plumb2 and like our predecessors in all ages1 we are resolved against political disputes1 etc4 #adj ,masons have sometimes been absurdly called ,protestant ,jesuits1 but the two orders are exactly opposite in spirit1 principle1 purpose1 and method4 ,all that they have in common is that they are both secret societies1 which makes it plain that the opposition of the ,latin church to ,masonry is not on the ground of its being a secret order1 else why sanction the ,jesuits1 to name no other8 ,the difference has been stated in this way3 ,opposite poles these two societies are1 for each possesses precisely those qualities which the other lacks4 ,the ,jesuits are strongly centralized1 the ,freemasons only confederated4 ,jesuits are controlled by one man's will1 ,freemasons are under majority rule4 ,jesuits bottom morality in expediency1 ,freemasons in regard for the well-being of mankind4 ,jesuits recognize only one creed1 ,freemasons hold in respect all honest convictions4 ,jesuits seek to break down individual independence1 ,freemasons to build it up 7,mysteria1 by ,otto ,henne ,am ,rhyn74 #ada ,for a detailed account of the ,duke of ,wharton and the true history of the ,gormogons1 see an essay by ,r4,f4 ,gould1 in his ,masonic ,celebrities series 7,a4 ,q4 ,c41 viii1 #add71 and more recently1 ,the ,life and ,writings of ,philip1 ,duke of ,wharton1 by ,lewis ,melville4 #adb ,findel has a nobly eloquent passage on this point1 and it tells the everlasting truth 7,history of ,masonry1 p4 #cgh74 ,his whole history1 indeed1 is exceedingly worth reading1 the more so because it was one of the first books of the right kind1 and it stimulated research4 #adc ,a paper entitled ,an ,unrecorded ,grand ,lodge1 by ,sadler 7,a4 ,q4 ,c41 vol4 xviii1 #fi-ij71 tells practically all that is known of this movement1 which merged with the ,grand ,lodge of ,london in #aggf4 #add ,nor was that all4 ,in #agce it was resolved in the ,grand ,lodge that in the future all ,grand ,officers 7except ,grand ,master7 shall be selected out of that body--meaning the past ,grand ,stewards4 ,this act was amazing4 ,already the ,craft had let go its power to elect the ,wardens1 and now the choice of the ,grand ,master was narrowed to the ranks of an oligarchy in its worst form--a queer outcome of ,masonic equality4 ,three months later the ,grand ,stewards presented a memorial asking that they might form themselves into a special lodge1 with special jewels1 etc4 ,naturally this bred discontent and apprehension1 and justly so4 #ade ,often we speak of the ,york ,rite1 as though it were the oldest and truest form of ,masonry1 but1 while it serves to distinguish one branch of ,masonry from another1 it is not accurate2 for1 strictly speaking1 there is no such thing as a ,york ,rite4 ,the name is more a tribute of reverence than a description of fact4 #adf ,masonic ,facts and ,fictions1 by ,henry ,sadler4 #adg ,atholl ,lodges1 by ,r4,f4 ,gould4 #adh ,william ,preston was born in ,edinburgh in #agdb1 and came as a journeyman printer to ,london in #agfj1 where he made himself conversant with the history1 laws1 and rites of the ,craft1 being much in demand as a lecturer4 ,he was a good speaker1 and frequently addressed the ,lodges of the city4 ,after his blunder of seceding had been forgiven1 he was honored with many offices1 especially the ,grand ,secretaryship1 which gave him time to pursue his studies4 ,later he wrote the ,freemason's ,callender1 an appendix to the ,book of ,constitutions1 a ,history of ,masonry1 and1 most famous of all1 ,illustrations of ,masonry1 which passed through a score of editions4 ,besides1 he had much to do with the development of the ,ritual4 #adi ,the history of the ,ritual is most interesting1 and should be written in more detail 7,history of ,masonry1 by ,steinbrenner1 chap4 vii1 ,the ,ritual74 ,an article giving a brief story of it appeared in the ,masonic ,monthly1 of ,boston1 ,november1 #ahfc 7reprinted in the ,new ,england ,craftsman1 vol4 vii1 and still later in the ,bulletin of ,iowa ,masonic ,library1 vol4 xv1 ,april1 #aiad74 ,this article is valuable as showing the growth of the ,ritual--as much by subtraction as by addition--and especially the introduction into it of ,christian imagery and interpretation1 first by ,martin ,clare in #agcb1 and by ,duckerley and ,hutchinson later4 ,one need only turn to ,the ,spirit of ,masonry1 by ,hutchinson 7#ahjb71 to see how far this tendency had gone when at last checked in #ahac4 ,at that time a committee made a careful comparative study of all rituals in use among ,masons1 and the ultimate result was the ,preston-,webb lectures now generally in use in this country4 7,see a valuable article by ,dr4 ,mackey on ,the ,lectures of ,freemasonry1 ,american ,quarterly ,review of ,freemasonry1 vol4 ii1 p4 #big47 ,what a pity that this ,review died of too much excellence6 #aej ,military ,lodges1 by ,gould2 also ,kipling's poem1 ,the ,mother ,lodge4 #aea ,among the articles of union1 it was agreed that ,freemasonry should consist of the three symbolic degrees1 including the ,holy ,royal ,arch4 ,the present study does not contemplate a detailed study of ,capitular ,masonry1 which has its own history and historians 7,origin of the ,english ,rite1 ,hughan71 except to say that it seems to have begun about #agch-dj1 the concensus of opinion differing as to whether it began in ,england or on the ,continent 7,royal ,arch ,masonry1 by ,c4,p4 ,noar1 ,manchester ,lodge of ,research1 vol4 iii1 #aiaa-ab74 ,lawrence ,dermott1 always alert1 had it adopted by the ,atholl ,grand ,lodge about thirty years before the ,grand ,lodge of ,england took it up in #aggj-gf1 when ,thomas ,duckerley was appointed to arrange and introduce it4 ,dermott held it to be the very essence of ,masonry1 and he was not slow in using it as a club with which to belabor the ,moderns2 but he did not originate it1 as some imagine1 having received the degrees before he came to ,london1 perhaps in an unsystemized form4 ,duckerley was accused of shifting the original ,grand ,masonic word from the ,third ,degree to the ,royal ,arch1 and of substituting another in its stead4 ,enough to say that ,royal ,arch ,masonry is authentic ,masonry1 being a further elaboration in drama1 following the ,third ,degree1 of the spirit and motif of old ,craft ,masonry 7,history of ,freemasonry and ,concordant ,orders1 by ,hughan and ,stillson74 #aeb ,it is interesting to note that the writer of the article on ,masonry in the ,catholic ,encyclopedia--an article admirable in many ways1 and for the most part fair--makes much of this point1 and rightly so1 albeit his interpretation of it is altogether wrong4 ,he imagines that the objection to ,christian imagery in the ritual was due to enmity to ,christianity4 ,not so4 ,masonry was not then1 and has never at any time been1 opposed to ,christianity1 or to any other religion4 ,far from it4 ,but ,christianity in those days--as1 alas1 too often now--was another name for a petty and bigoted sectarianism2 and ,masonry by its very genius was1 and is1 unsectarian4 ,many ,masons then were devout ,christians1 as they are now--not a few clergymen--but the order itself is open to men of all faiths1 ,catholic and ,protestant1 ,hebrew and ,hindu1 who confess faith in ,god2 and so it will always remain if it is true to its principles and history4 #aec ,as for the chronicle1 the one indispensable book to the student of ,american ,masonry is the ,history of ,freemasonry and ,concordant ,orders1 by ,w4,j4 ,hughan and ,h4,l4 ,stillson1 aided by one of the ablest board of contributors ever assembled4 ,it includes a history of ,masonry in all its ,rites in ,north1 ,central1 and ,south ,america1 with accurate accounts of the origin and growth of every ,grand ,lodge in the ,united ,states and ,british ,america2 also admirable chapters on ,early ,american ,masonic ,history1 the ,morgan ,excitement1 ,masonic ,jurisprudence1 and statistics up to date of #ahia--;all carefully prepared and well written4 ,among other books too many to name1 there are the ,history of ,symbolic ,masonry in the ,united ,states1 by ,j4,h4 ,drummond1 and ,the ,american ,addenda to ,gould's massive and magnificent ,history of ,masonry1 vol4 iv4 ,what the present pages seek is the spirit behind this forest of facts4 #aed ,for the full story1 see ,reminiscences of the ,green ,dragon ,tavern1 in ,centennial ,memorial of ,st4 ,andrew's ,lodge1 #ahgj4 #aee ,washington1 the ,man and the ,mason1 by ,c4,h4 ,callahan4 ,jackson1 ,polk1 ,fillmore1 ,buchanan1 ,johnson1 ,garfield1 ,mc,kinley1 ,roosevelt1 ,taft1 all were ,masons4 ,a long list may be found in ,cyclopedia of ,fraternities1 by ,stevens1 article on ,freemasonry3 ,distinguished ,americans4 #aef ,washington and his ,masonic ,compeers1 by ,randolph ,hayden4 #aeg ,thomas ,paine1 whose words these are1 though not a ,mason1 has left us an essay on ,the ,origin of ,freemasonry4 ,few men have ever been more unjustly and cruelly maligned than this great patriot1 who was the first to utter the name ,united ,states1 and who1 instead of being a sceptic1 believed in the religion in which all men agree--that is1 in ,god1 ,duty1 and the immortality of the soul4 #aeh ,william ,morgan was a dissolute1 nondescript printer in ,batavia1 ,new ,york1 who1 having failed in everything else1 thought to make money by betraying the secrets of an order which his presence polluted4 ,foolishly misled1 a few ,masons had him arrested on a petty charge1 got him out of the country1 and apparently paid him to stay out4 ,had no attention been paid to his alleged exposure it would have fallen still-born from the press1 like many another before it4 ,rumors of abduction started1 then ,morgan was said to have been thrown into ,niagara ,river1 whereas there is no proof that he was ever killed1 much less murdered by ,masons4 ,thurlow ,weed and a pack of unscrupulous politicians took it up1 and the rest was easy4 ,one year later a body was found on the shore of ,lake ,ontario which ,weed and the wife of ,morgan identified--a year afterward6--she1 no doubt1 having been paid to do so2 albeit the wife of a fisherman named ,munroe identified the same body as that of her husband drowned a week or so before4 ,no matter2 as ,weed said1 ,it's good enough ,morgan until after the election--a characteristic remark1 if we may judge by his own portrait as drawn in his ,autobiography4 ,politically1 he was capable of anything1 if he could make it win1 and here he saw a chance of stirring up every vile and slimy thing in human nature for sake of office4 7,see a splendid review of the whole matter in ,history of ,masonry1 by ,hughan and ,stillson1 also by ,gould in vol4 iv of his ,history47 #aei ,cyclopedia of ,fraternities1 by ,stevens1 article1 ,anti-,masonry1 gives detailed account with many interesting facts4 #afj ,following the first day of the battle of ,gettysburg1 there was a ,lodge meeting in town1 and ,yanks and ,johnny ,rebs met and mingled as friends1 under the ,square and ,compass4 ,where else could they have done so8 7,tennessee ,mason74 ,when the ,union army attacked ,little ,rock1 ,ark41 the commanding officer1 ,thomas ,h4 ,benton--,grand ,master of the ,grand ,lodge of ,iowa--threw a guard about the home of ,general ,albert ,pike1 to protect his ,masonic library4 ,marching through burning ,richmond1 a ,union officer saw the familiar emblems over a hall4 ,he put a guard about the ,lodge room1 and that night1 together with a number of ,confederate ,masons1 organized a society for the relief of widows and orphans left destitute by the war 7,washington1 the ,man and the ,mason1 ,callahan74 ,but for the kindness of a brother ,mason1 who saved the life of a young soldier of the ,south1 who was a prisoner of war at ,rock ,island1 ,ill41 the present writer would never have been born1 much less have written this book4 ,that young soldier was my father6 ,volumes of such facts might be gathered in proof of the gracious ministry of ,masonry in those awful years4 #afa ,cyclopedia of ,fraternities1 by ,stevens 7last edition71 article1 ,free ,masonry1 pictures the extent of the order1 with maps and diagrams showing its world-wide influence4 #afb ,space does not permit a survey of the literature of ,masonry1 still less of ,masonry in literature4 7,findel has two fine chapters on the literature of the order1 but he wrote1 in #ahfe1 ,history of ,masonry47 ,for traces of ,masonry in literature1 there is the famous chapter in ,war and ,peace1 by ,tolstoi2 ,mon ,oncle ,sosthenes1 by ,maupassant2 ,nathan the ,wise1 and ,ernest and ,falk1 by ,lessing2 the ,masonic poems of ,goethe1 and many hints in ,wilhelm ,meister2 the writings of ,herder 7,classic ,period of ,german ,letters1 ,findel71 ,the ,lost ,word1 by ,henry ,van ,dyke2 and1 of course1 the poetry of ,burns4 ,masonic phrases and allusions--often almost too revealing--are found all through the poems and stories of ,kipling4 ,besides the poem ,the ,mother ,lodge1 so much admired1 there is ,the ,widow of ,windsor1 such stories as ,with the ,main ,guard1 ,the ,winged ,hats1 ,hal o' the ,draft1 ,the ,city ,walls1 ,on the ,great ,wall1 many examples in ,kim1 also in ,traffics and ,discoveries1 ,puck of ,pook's ,hill1 and1 by no means least1 ,the ,man ,who ,would be ,king1 one of the great short stories of the world4 ,part ,,iii--,interpretation ,,what ,,is ,,masonry _/ ,i am afraid you may not consider it an altogether substantial concern4 ,it has to be seen in a certain way1 under certain conditions4 ,some people never see it at all4 ,you must understand1 this is no dead pile of stones and unmeaning timber4 ,it is a ,,living thing4 ,when you enter it you hear a sound--a sound as of some mighty poem chanted4 ,listen long enough1 and you will learn that it is made up of the beating of human hearts1 of the nameless music of men's souls--that is1 if you have ears to hear4 ,if you have eyes1 you will presently see the church itself--a looming mystery of many shapes and shadows1 leaping sheer from floor to dome4 ,the work of no ordinary builder6 ,the pillars of it go up like the brawny trunks of heroes2 the sweet flesh of men and women is molded about its bulwarks1 strong1 impregnable2 the faces of little children laugh out from every corner stone2 the terrible spans and arches of it are the joined hands of comrades2 and up in the heights and spaces are inscribed the numberless musings of all the dreamers of the world4 ,it is yet building--building and built upon4 ,sometimes the work goes on in deep darkness2 sometimes in blinding light2 now under the burden of unutterable anguish2 now to the tune of great laughter and heroic shoutings like the cry of thunder4 ,sometimes1 in the silence of the night-time1 one may hear the tiny hammerings of the comrades at work up in the dome--the comrades that have climbed ahead4 --,c4,r4 ,,kennedy1 ,the ,servant in the ,house _/ ,,chapter ,i ,what is ,masonry ,i ,what1 then1 is ,masonry1 and what is it trying to do in the world8 ,according to one of the ,old ,charges1 ,masonry is declared to be an ancient and honorable institution3 ancient no doubt it is1 as having subsisted from time immemorial2 and honorable it must be acknowledged to be1 as by natural tendency it conduces to make those so who are obedient to its precepts4 ,to so high an eminence has its credit been advanced that in every age ,monarchs themselves have been promoters of the art1 have not thought it derogatory from their dignity to exchange the scepter for the trowel1 have patronized our mysteries and joined in our ,assemblies4 ,while that eulogy is more than justified by sober facts1 it does not tell us what ,masonry is1 much less its mission and ministry to mankind4 ,if now we turn to the old1 oft-quoted definition1 we learn that ,masonry is a system of morality veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols4 ,that is1 in so far1 true enough1 but it is obviously inadequate1 the more so when it uses the word peculiar as describing the morality of ,masonry2 and it gives no hint of a world-encircling fellowship and its far-ramifying influence4 ,another definition has it that ,masonry is a science which is engaged in the search after divine truth2#afc but that is vague1 indefinite1 and unsatisfactory1 lacking any sense of the uniqueness of the ,order1 and as applicable to one science as to another4 ,for surely all science1 of whatever kind1 is a search after divine truth1 and a physical fact1 as ,agassiz said1 is as sacred as a moral truth--every fact being the presence of ,god4 ,still another writer defines ,masonry as ,friendship1 ,love1 and ,integrity--,friendship which rises superior to the fictitious distinctions of society1 the prejudices of religion1 and the pecuniary conditions of life2 ,love which knows no limit1 nor inequality1 nor decay2 ,integrity which binds man to the eternal law of duty4#afd ,such is indeed the very essence and spirit of ,masonry1 but ,masonry has no monopoly of that spirit1 and its uniqueness consists1 rather1 in the form in which it seeks to embody and express the gracious and benign spirit which is the genius of all the higher life of humanity4 ,masonry is not everything2 it is a thing as distinctly featured as a statue by ,phidias or a painting by ,angelo4 ,definitions1 like delays1 may be dangerous1 but perhaps we can do no better than to adopt the words of the ,german ,handbuch#afe as the best description of it so far given3 _/#d1ff ,masonry is the activity of closely united men who1 employing symbolical forms borrowed principally from the mason's trade and from architecture1 work for the welfare of mankind1 striving morally to ennoble themselves and others1 and thereby to bring about a universal league of mankind1 which they aspire to exhibit even now on a small scale4 _/ ,civilization could hardly begin until man had learned to fashion for himself a settled habitation1 and thus the earliest of all human arts and crafts1 and perhaps also the noblest1 is that of the builder4 ,religion took outward shape when men first reared an altar for their offerings1 and surrounded it with a sanctuary of faith and awe1 of pity and consolation1 and piled a cairn to mark the graves where their dead lay asleep4 ,history is no older than architecture4 ,how fitting1 then1 that the idea and art of building should be made the basis of a great order of men which has no other aim than the upbuilding of humanity in ,faith1 ,freedom1 and ,friendship4 ,seeking to ennoble and beautify life1 it finds in the common task and constant labor of man its sense of human unity1 its vision of life as a temple building and built upon1 and its emblems of those truths which make for purity of character and the stability of society4 ,thus ,masonry labors1 linked with the constructive genius of mankind1 and so long as it remains true to its ,ideal no weapon formed against it can prosper4 ,one of the most impressive and touching things in human history is that certain ideal interests have been set apart as especially venerated among all peoples4 ,guilds have arisen to cultivate the interests embodied in art1 science1 philosophy1 fraternity1 and religion2 to conserve the precious1 hard-won inheritances of humanity2 to train men in their service2 to bring their power to bear upon the common life of mortals1 and send through that common life the light and glory of the ,ideal--as the sun shoots its transfiguring rays through a great dull cloud1 evoking beauty from the brown earth4 ,such is ,masonry1 which unites all these high interests and brings to their service a vast1 world-wide fraternity of free and devout men1 built upon a foundation of spiritual faith and moral idealism1 whose mission it is to make men friends1 to refine and exalt their lives1 to deepen their faith and purify their dream1 to turn them from the semblance of life to homage for truth1 beauty1 righteousness1 and character4 ,more than an institution1 more than a tradition1 more than a society1 ,masonry is one of the forms of the ,divine ,life upon earth4 ,no one may ever hope to define a spirit so gracious1 an order so benign1 an influence so prophetic of the present and future upbuilding of the race4 ,there is a common notion that ,masonry is a secret society1 and this idea is based on the secret rites used in its initiations1 and the signs and grips by which its members recognize each other4 ,thus it has come to pass that the main aims of the ,order are assumed to be a secret policy or teaching1#aff whereas its one great secret is that it has no secret4 ,its principles are published abroad in its writings2 its purposes and laws are known1 and the times and places of its meetings4 ,having come down from dark days of persecution1 when all the finer things sought the protection of seclusion1 if it still adheres to secret rites1 it is not in order to hide the truth1 but the better to teach it more impressively1 to train men in its pure service1 and to promote union and amity upon earth4 ,its signs and grips serve as a kind of universal language1 and still more as a gracious cover for the practice of sweet charity--making it easier to help a fellow man in dire plight without hurting his self-respect4 ,if a few are attracted to it by curiosity1 all remain to pray1 finding themselves members of a great historic fellowship of the seekers and finders of ,god4#afg ,it is old because it is true2 had it been false it would have perished long ago4 ,when all men practice its simple precepts1 the innocent secrets of ,masonry will be laid bare1 its mission accomplished1 and its labor done4 ,,ii ,recalling the emphasis of the foregoing pages1 it need hardly be added that ,masonry is in no sense a political party1 still less a society organized for social agitation4 ,indeed1 because ,masonry stands apart from partisan feud and particular plans of social reform1 she has been held up to ridicule equally by the unthinking1 the ambitious1 and the impatient4 ,her critics on this side are of two kinds4 ,there are those who hold that the humanitarian ideal is an error1 maintaining that human nature has no moral aptitude1 and can be saved only by submission to a definite system of dogma4 ,then there are those who look for salvation solely in political action and social agitation1 who live in the delusion that man can be made better by passing laws and counting votes1 and to whom ,masonry has nothing to offer because in its ranks it permits no politics1 much less party rancor4 ,advocates of the first view have fought ,masonry from the beginning with the sharpest weapons1 while those who hold the second view regard it with contempt1 as a thing useless and not worth fighting4#afh ,neither adversary understands ,masonry and its cult of the creative love for humanity1 and of each man for his fellow1 without which no dogma is of any worth2 lacking which1 the best laid plans of social seers gang aft aglee4 ,let us look at things as they are4 ,that we must press forward towards righteousness--that we must hunger and thirst after a social life that is true and pure1 just and merciful--all will agree2 but they are blind who do not see that the way is long and the process slow4 ,what is it that so tragically delays the march of man toward the better and wiser social order whereof our prophets dream8 ,our age1 like the ages gone before1 is full of schemes of every kind for the reform and betterment of mankind4 ,why do they not succeed8 ,some fail1 perhaps1 because they are imprudent and ill-considered1 in that they expect too much of human nature and do not take into account the stubborn facts of life4 ,but why does not the wisest and noblest plan do more than half what its advocates hope and pray and labor so heroically to bring about8 ,because there are not enough men fine enough of soul1 large enough of sympathy1 sweet enough of spirit1 and noble enough of nature to make the dream come true6 ,there are no valid arguments against a great-spirited social justice but this--that men will not4 ,indolence1 impurity1 greed1 injustice1 meanness of spirit1 the aggressiveness of authority1 and above all jealousy--these are the real obstacles that thwart the nobler social aspiration of humanity4 ,there are too many men like ,the ,master-,builder who tried to build higher than any one else1 without regard to others1 all for his own selfish glory4 ,ibsen has shown us how ,the ,pillars of ,society1 resting on rotten foundations1 came crashing down1 wounding the innocent in their wreck4 ,long ago it was said that through wisdom is an house builded1 and by understanding it is established2 and by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with pleasant and precious riches4#afi ,time has shown that the ,house of ,wisdom must be founded upon righteousness1 justice1 purity1 character1 faith in ,god and love of man1 else it will fall when the floods descend and the winds beat upon it4 ,what we need to make our social dreams come true is not more laws1 not more dogmas1 not less liberty1 but better men1 cleaner minded1 more faithful1 with loftier ideals and more heroic integrity2 men who love the right1 honor the truth1 worship purity1 and prize liberty--upright men who meet all horizontals at a perfect angle1 assuring the virtue and stability of the social order4 ,therefore1 when ,masonry1 instead of identifying itself with particular schemes of reform1 and thus becoming involved in endless turmoil and dispute1 estranging men whom she seeks to bless1 devotes all her benign energy and influence to ennobling the souls of men1 she is doing fundamental work in behalf of all high enterprises4 ,by as much as she succeeds1 every noble cause succeeds2 by as much as she fails1 everything fails6 ,by its ministry to the individual man--drawing him into the circle of a great friendship1 exalting his faith1 refining his ideals1 enlarging his sympathies1 and setting his feet in the long white path--,masonry best serves society and the state4#agj ,while it is not a reformatory1 it is a center of moral and spiritual power1 and its power is used1 not only to protect the widow and orphan1 but also1 and still more important1 to remove the cause of their woe and need by making men just1 gentle1 and generous to all their fellow mortals4 ,who can measure such a silent1 persistent1 unresting labor2 who can describe its worth in a world of feud1 of bitterness1 of sorrow6 ,no one needs to be told that we are on the eve1 if not in the midst1 of a most stupendous and bewildering revolution of social and industrial life4 ,it shakes ,england today4 ,it makes ,france tremble tomorrow4 ,it alarms ,america next week4 ,men want shorter hours1 higher wages1 and better homes--of course they do--but they need1 more than these things1 to know and love each other2 for the questions in dispute can never be settled in an air of hostility4 ,if they are ever settled at all1 and settled right1 it must be in an atmosphere of mutual recognition and respect1 such as ,masonry seeks to create and make prevail4 ,whether it be a conflict of nations1 or a clash of class with class1 appeal must be made to intelligence and the moral sense1 as befits the dignity of man4 ,amidst bitterness and strife ,masonry brings men of every rank and walk of life together as men1 and nothing else1 at an altar where they can talk and not fight1 discuss and not dispute1 and each may learn the point of view of his fellow4 ,other hope there is none save in this spirit of friendship and fairness1 of democracy and the fellowship of man with man4 ,once this spirit has its way with mankind1 it will bring those brave1 large reconstructions1 those profitable abnegations and brotherly feats of generosity that will yet turn human life into a glad1 beautiful1 and triumphant cooeperation all round this sunlit world4 ,surely the way of ,masonry is wise4 ,instead of becoming only one more factor in a world of factional feud1 it seeks to remove all hostility which may arise from social1 national1 or religious differences4 ,it helps to heal the haughtiness of the rich and the envy of the poor1 and tends to establish peace on earth by allaying all fanaticism and hatred on account of varieties of language1 race1 creed1 and even color1 while striving to make the wisdom of the past available for the culture of men in faith and purity4 ,not a party1 not a sect1 not a cult1 it is a great order of men selected1 initiated1 sworn1 and trained to make sweet reason and the will of ,god prevail6 ,against the ancient enmities and inhumanities of the world it wages eternal war1 without vengeance1 without violence1 but by softening the hearts of men and inducing a better spirit4 ,apparitions of a day1 here for an hour and tomorrow gone1 what is our puny warfare against evil and ignorance compared with the warfare which this venerable ,order has been waging against them for ages1 and will continue to wage after we have fallen into dust6 ,,iii ,masonry1 as it is much more than a political party or a social cult1 is also more than a church--unless we use the word church as ,ruskin used it when he said3 ,there is a true church wherever one hand meets another helpfully1 the only holy or mother church that ever was or ever shall be6 ,it is true that ,masonry is not a religion1 but it is ,religion1 a worship in which all good men may unite1 that each may share the faith of all4 ,often it has been objected that some men leave the ,church and enter the ,masonic ,lodge1 finding there a religious home4 ,even so1 but that may be the fault1 not of ,masonry1 but of the ,church so long defamed by bigotry and distracted by sectarian feud1 and which has too often made acceptance of abstract dogmas a test of its fellowship4#aga ,naturally many fine minds have been estranged from the ,church1 not because they were irreligious1 but because they were required to believe what it was impossible for them to believe2 and1 rather than sacrifice their integrity of soul1 they have turned away from the last place from which a man should ever turn away4 ,no part of the ministry of ,masonry is more beautiful and wise than its appeal1 not for tolerance1 but for fraternity2 not for uniformity1 but for unity of spirit amidst varieties of outlook and opinion4 ,instead of criticizing ,masonry1 let us thank ,god for one altar where no man is asked to surrender his liberty of thought and become an indistinguishable atom in a mass of sectarian agglomeration4 ,what a witness to the worth of an ,order that it brings together men of all creeds in behalf of those truths which are greater than all sects1 deeper than all doctrines--the glory and the hope of man6 ,while ,masonry is not a church1 it has religiously preserved some things of highest importance to the ,church--among them the right of each individual soul to its own religious faith4 ,holding aloof from separate sects and creeds1 it has taught all of them how to respect and tolerate each other2 asserting a principle broader than any of them--the sanctity of the soul and the duty of every man to revere1 or at least to regard with charity1 what is sacred to his fellows4 ,it is like the crypts underneath the old cathedrals--a place where men of every creed who long for something deeper and truer1 older and newer than they have hitherto known1 meet and unite4 ,having put away childish things1 they find themselves made one by a profound and childlike faith1 each bringing down into that quiet crypt his own pearl of great price-- _/#d1ff ,the ,hindu his innate disbelief in this world1 and his unhesitating belief in another world2 the ,buddhist his perception of an eternal law1 his submission to it1 his gentleness1 his pity2 the ,mohammedan1 if nothing else1 his sobriety2 the ,jew his clinging1 through good and evil days1 to the one ,god who loveth righteousness1 and whose name is ,i ,,am2 the ,christian1 that which is better than all1 if those who doubt it would try it--our love of ,god1 call ,him what you will1 manifested in our love of man1 our love of the living1 our love of the dead1 our living and undying love4 ,who knows but that the crypt of the past may become the church of the future8#agb _/ ,of no one age1 ,masonry belongs to all ages2 of no one religion1 it finds great truths in all religions4 ,indeed1 it holds that truth which is common to all elevating and benign religions1 and is the basis of each2 that faith which underlies all sects and over-arches all creeds1 like the sky above and the river bed below the flow of mortal years4 ,it does not undertake to explain or dogmatically to settle those questions or solve those dark mysteries which out-top human knowledge4 ,beyond the facts of faith it does not go4 ,with the subtleties of speculation concerning those truths1 and the unworldly envies growing out of them1 it has not to do4 ,there divisions begin1 and ,masonry was not made to divide men1 but to unite them1 leaving each man free to think his own thought and fashion his own system of ultimate truth4 ,all its emphasis rests upon two extremely simple and profound principles--love of ,god and love of man4 ,therefore1 all through the ages it has been1 and is today1 a meeting place of differing minds1 and a prophecy of the final union of all reverent and devout souls4 ,time was when one man framed a dogma and declared it to be the eternal truth4 ,another man did the same thing1 with a different dogma2 then the two began to hate each other with an unholy hatred1 each seeking to impose his dogma upon the other--and that is an epitome of some of the blackest pages of history4 ,against those old sectarians who substituted intolerance for charity1 persecution for friendship1 and did not love ,god because they hated their neighbors1 ,masonry made eloquent protest1 putting their bigotry to shame by its simple insight1 and the dignity of its golden voice4 ,a vast change of heart is now taking place in the religious world1 by reason of an exchange of thought and courtesy1 and a closer personal touch1 and the various sects1 so long estranged1 are learning to unite upon the things most worth while and the least open to debate4 ,that is to say1 they are moving toward the ,masonic position1 and when they arrive ,masonry will witness a scene which she has prophesied for ages4 ,at last1 in the not distant future1 the old feuds of the sects will come to an end1 forgotten in the discovery that the just1 the brave1 the true-hearted are everywhere of one religion1 and that when the masks of misunderstanding are taken off they know and love one another4 ,our little dogmas will have their day and cease to be1 lost in the vision of a truth so great that all men are one in their littleness2 one also in their assurance of the divinity of the soul and the kindness of the veiled ,father of men4 ,then men of every name will ask1 when they meet3 _/,p ,not what is your creed8 ,but what is your need8 ,p_/ ,high above all dogmas that divide1 all bigotries that blind1 all bitterness that beclouds1 will be written the simple words of the one eternal religion--the ,fatherhood of ,god1 the brotherhood of man1 the moral law1 the golden rule1 and the hope of a life everlasting6 ,,footnotes3 #afc ,symbolism of ,freemasonry1 by ,dr4 ,mackey4 #afd ,history and ,philosophy of ,masonry1 by ,a4,c4,l4 ,arnold1 chap4 xvi4 ,to say of any man--of ,socrates1 for example--who had the spirit of ,friendship and ,integrity1 that he was a ,mason1 is in a sense true1 but it is misleading4 ,nevertheless1 if a man have not that spirit1 he is not a ,mason1 though he may have received the thirty-third degree4 #afe ,vol4 i1 p4 #cbj4 ,the ,handbuch is an encyclopedia of ,masonry1 published in #aijj4 ,see admirable review of it1 ,a4 ,q4 ,c41 xi1 #fd4 #aff ,much has been written about the secrecy of ,masonry4 ,hutchinson1 in his lecture on ,the ,secrecy of ,masons1 lays all the stress upon its privacy as a shelter for the gentle ministry of ,charity 7,spirit of ,masonry1 lecture x74 ,arnold is more satisfactory in his essay on ,the ,philosophy of ,mystery1 quoting the words of ,carlyle in ,sartor ,resartus3 ,bees will not work except in darkness2 thoughts will not work except in silence2 neither will virtue work except in secrecy 7,history and ,philosophy of ,masonry1 chap4 xxi74 ,but neither writer seems to realize the psychology and pedagogy of secrecy--the value of curiosity1 of wonder and expectation1 in the teaching of great truths deemed commonplace because old4 ,even in that atmosphere1 the real secret of ,masonry remains hidden to many--as sunlight hides the depths of heaven4 #afg ,read the noble chapter on ,prayer as a ,masonic ,obligation1 in ,practical ,masonic ,lectures1 by ,samuel ,lawrence 7lecture x74 #afh ,read a thoughtful ,exposition of ,freemasonry1 by ,dr4 ,paul ,carus1 ,open ,court1 ,may1 #aiac4 #afi ,proverbs #bd3c1 #d4 #agj ,while ,masonry abjures political questions and disputes in its ,lodges1 it is all the while training good citizens1 and through the quality of its men it influences public life--as ,washington1 ,franklin1 and ,marshall carried the spirit of ,masonry into the organic law of this republic4 ,it is not politics that corrupts character2 it is bad character that corrupts politics--and by building men up to spiritual faith and character1 ,masonry is helping to build up a state that will endure the shocks of time2 a nobler structure than ever was wrought of mortar and marble 7,the ,principles of ,freemasonry in the ,life of ,nations1 by ,findel74 #aga ,not a little confusion has existed1 and still exists1 in regard to the relation of ,masonry to religion4 ,dr4 ,mackey said that old ,craft-masonry was sectarian 7,symbolism of ,masonry72 but it was not more so than ,dr4 ,mackey himself1 who held the curious theory that the religion of the ,hebrews was genuine and that of the ,egyptians spurious4 ,nor is there any evidence that ,craft-masonry was sectarian1 but much to the contrary1 as has been shown in reference to the invocations in the ,old ,charges4 ,at any rate1 if it was ever sectarian1 it ceased to be so with the organization of the ,grand ,lodge of ,england4 ,later1 some of the chaplains of the order sought to identify ,masonry with ,christianity1 as ,hutchinson did--and even ,arnold in his chapter on ,christianity and ,freemasonry 7,history and ,philosophy of ,masonry74 ,all this confusion results from a misunderstanding of what religion is4 ,religions are many2 religion is one--perhaps we may say one thing1 but that one thing includes everything--the life of ,god in the soul of man1 which finds expression in all the forms which life and love and duty take4 ,this conception of religion shakes the poison out of all our wild flowers1 and shows us that it is the inspiration of all scientific inquiry1 all striving for liberty1 all virtue and charity2 the spirit of all thought1 the motif of all great music1 the soul of all sublime literature4 ,the church has no monopoly of religion1 nor did the ,bible create it4 ,instead1 it was religion--the natural and simple trust of the soul in a ,power above and within it1 and its quest of a right relation to that ,power--that created the ,bible and the ,church1 and1 indeed1 all our higher human life4 ,the soul of man is greater than all books1 deeper than all dogmas1 and more enduring than all institutions4 ,masonry seeks to free men from a limiting conception of religion1 and thus to remove one of the chief causes of sectarianism4 ,it is itself one of the forms of beauty wrought by the human soul under the inspiration of the ,eternal ,beauty1 and as such is religious4 #agb ,chips from a ,german ,workshop1 by ,max ,mueller4 ,,the ,,masonic ,,philosophy _/ ,masonry directs us to divest ourselves of confined and bigoted notions1 and teaches us1 that ,humanity is the soul of ,religion4 ,we never suffer any religious disputes in our ,lodges1 and1 as ,masons1 we only pursue the universal religion1 the ,religion of ,nature4 ,worshipers of the ,god of ,mercy1 we believe that in every nation1 he that feareth ,him and worketh righteousness is accepted of ,him4 ,all ,masons1 therefore1 whether ,christians1 ,jews1 or ,mahomedans1 who violate not the rule of right1 written by the ,almighty upon the tables of the heart1 who ,,do fear ,him1 and ,,work righteousness1 we are to acknowledge as brethren2 and1 though we take different roads1 we are not to be angry with1 or persecute each other on that account4 ,we mean to travel to the same place2 we know that the end of our journey is the same2 and we affectionately hope to meet in the ,lodge of perfect happiness4 ,how lovely is an institution fraught with sentiments like these6 ,how agreeable must it be to ,him who is seated on a throne of ,everlasting ,mercy1 to the ,god who is no respecter of persons6 --,,wm4 ,,hutchinson1 ,the ,spirit of ,masonry _/ ,,chapter ,,ii ,the ,masonic ,philosophy ,hast any philosophy in thee1 ,shepherd8#agc was the question of ,touchstone in the ,shakespeare play2 and that is the question we must always ask ourselves4 ,long ago ,kant said that it is the mission of philosophy1 not to discover truth1 but to set it in order1 to seek out the rhythm of things and their reason for being4 ,beginning in wonder1 it sees the familiar as if it were strange1 and its mind is full of the air that plays round every subject4 ,spacious1 humane1 eloquent1 it is a blend of science1 poetry1 religion and logic#agd--;a softening1 enlarging1 ennobling influence1 giving us a wider and clearer outlook1 more air1 more room1 more light1 and more background4 ,when we look at ,masonry in this large and mellow light1 it is like a stately old cathedral1 gray with age1 rich in associations1 its steps worn by innumerable feet of the living and the dead--not piteous1 but strong and enduring4 ,entering its doors1 we wonder at its lofty spaces1 its windows with the dimness and glory of the ,infinite behind them1 the spring of its pillars1 the leap of its arches1 and its roof inlaid with stars4 ,inevitably we ask1 whence came this temple of faith and friendship1 and what does it mean--rising lightly as a lyric1 uplifted by the hunger for truth and the love for beauty1 and exempt from the shock of years and the ravages of decay8 ,what faith builded this home of the soul1 what philosophy underlies and upholds it8 ,truly did ,longfellow sing of ,the ,builders3 _/,p ,in the elder years of art1 ,builders wrought with greatest care ,each minute and hidden part1 ,for the gods see everywhere4 ,p_/ ,i ,if we examine the foundations of ,masonry1 we find that it rests upon the most fundamental of all truths1 the first truth and the last1 the sovereign and supreme ,reality4 ,upon the threshold of its ,lodges every man1 whether prince or peasant1 is asked to confess his faith in ,god the ,father ,almighty1 the ,architect and ,master-,builder of the ,universe4#age ,that is not a mere form of words1 but the deepest and most solemn affirmation that human lips can make4 ,to be indifferent to ,god is to be indifferent to the greatest of all realities1 that upon which the aspiration of humanity rests for its uprising passion of desire4 ,no institution that is dumb concerning the meaning of life and the character of the universe1 can last4 ,it is a house built upon the sand1 doomed to fall when the winds blow and floods beat upon it1 lacking a sure foundation4 ,no human fraternity that has not its inspiration in the ,fatherhood of ,god1 confessed or unconfessed1 can long endure2 it is a rope of sand1 weak as water1 and its fine sentiment quickly evaporates4 ,life leads1 if we follow its meanings and think in the drift of its deeper conclusions1 to one ,god as the ground of the world1 and upon that ground ,masonry lays her corner-stone4 ,therefore1 it endures and grows1 and the gates of hell cannot prevail against it6 ,while ,masonry is theocratic in its faith and philosophy1#agf it does not limit its conception of the ,divine1 much less insist upon any one name for the ,nameless ,one of a hundred names4 ,indeed1 no feature of ,masonry is more fascinating than its age-long quest of the ,lost ,word1#agg the ,ineffable ,name2 a quest that never tires1 never tarries1 knowing the while that every name is inadequate1 and all words are but symbols of a ,truth too great for words--every letter of the alphabet1 in fact1 having been evolved from some primeval sign or signal of the faith and hope of humanity4 ,thus ,masonry1 so far from limiting the thought of ,god1 is evermore in search of a more satisfying and revealing vision of the meaning of the universe1 now luminous and lovely1 now dark and terrible2 and it invites all men to unite in the quest-- _/,p ,one in the freedom of the ,truth1 ,one in the joy of paths untrod1 ,one in the soul's perennial ,youth1 ,one in the larger thought of ,god4 ,p_/ ,truly the human consciousness of fellowship with the ,eternal1 under whatever name1 may well hush all words1 still more hush argument and anathema4 ,possession1 not recognition1 is the only thing important2 and if it is not recognized1 the fault must surely be1 in large part1 our own4 ,given the one great experience1 and before long kindred spirits will join in the ,universal ,prayer of ,alexander ,pope1 himself a ,mason3 _/,p ,father of all6 in every age1 ,in every clime adored1 ,by ,saint1 by ,savage1 and by ,sage1 ,jehovah1 ,jove1 or ,lord6 ,p_/ ,with eloquent unanimity our ,masonic thinkers proclaim the unity and love of ,god--whence their vision of the ultimate unity and love of mankind--to be the great truth of the ,masonic philosophy2 the unity of ,god and the immortality of the soul4#agh ,amidst polytheisms1 dualisms1 and endless confusions1 they hold it to have been the great mission of ,masonry to preserve these precious truths1 beside which1 in the long result of thought and faith1 all else fades and grows dim4 ,of this there is no doubt2 and science has come at last to vindicate this wise insight1 by unveiling the unity of the universe with overwhelming emphasis4 ,unquestionably the universe is an inexhaustible wonder4 ,still1 it is a wonder1 not a contradiction1 and we can never find its rhythm save in the truth of the unity of all things in ,god4 ,other clue there is none4 ,down to this deep foundation ,masonry digs for a basis of its temple1 and builds securely4 ,if this be false or unstable1 then is _/,p ,the pillar'd firmament rottenness1 ,and earth's base built on stubble4 ,p_/ ,upon the altar of ,masonry lies the open ,bible which1 despite the changes and advances of the ages1 remains the greatest ,modern ,book--the moral manual of civilization4#agi ,all through its pages1 through the smoke of ,sinai1 through the forest of the ,psalms1 through proverbs and parables1 along the dreamy ways of prophecy1 in gospels and epistles is heard the everlasting truth of one ,god who is love1 and who requires of men that they love one another1 do justly1 be merciful1 keep themselves unspotted by evil1 and walk humbly before ,him in whose great hand they stand4 ,there we read of the ,man of ,galilee who taught that1 in the far distances of the divine ,fatherhood1 all men were conceived in love1 and so are akin--united in origin1 duty1 and destiny4 ,therefore we are to relieve the distressed1 put the wanderer into his way1 and divide our bread with the hungry1 which is but the way of doing good to ourselves2 for we are all members of one great family1 and the hurt of one means the injury of all4 ,this profound and reverent faith from which1 as from a never-failing spring1 flow heroic devotedness1 moral self-respect1 authentic sentiments of fraternity1 inflexible fidelity in life and effectual consolation in death1 ,masonry has at all times religiously taught4 ,perseveringly it has propagated it through the centuries1 and never more zealously than in our age4 ,scarcely a ,masonic discourse is pronounced1 or a ,masonic lesson read1 by the highest officer or the humblest lecturer1 that does not earnestly teach this one true religion which is the very soul of ,masonry1 its basis and apex1 its light and power4 ,upon that faith it rests2 in that faith it lives and labors2 and by that faith it will conquer at last1 when the noises and confusions of today have followed the tangled feet that made them4 ,,ii ,out of this simple faith grows1 by inevitable logic1 the philosophy which ,masonry teaches in signs and symbols1 in pictures and parables4 ,stated briefly1 stated vividly1 it is that behind the pageant of nature1 in it and over it1 there is a ,supreme ,mind which initiates1 impels1 and controls all4 ,that behind the life of man and its pathetic story in history1 in it and over it1 there is a righteous ,will1 the intelligent ,conscience of the ,most ,high4 ,in short1 that the first and last thing in the universe is mind1 that the highest and deepest thing is conscience1 and that the final reality is the absoluteness of love4 ,higher than that faith cannot fly2 deeper than that thought cannot dig4 _/,p ,no deep is deep enough to show ,the springs whence being starts to flow4 ,no fastness of the soul reveals ,life's subtlest impulse and appeals4 ,we seem to come1 we seem to go2 ,but whence or whither who can know8 ,unemptiable1 unfillable1 ,it's all in that one syllable-- ,god6 ,only ,god4 ,god first1 ,god last4 ,god1 infinitesimally vast2 ,god who is love1 love which is ,god1 ,the rootless1 everflowering rod6 ,p_/ ,there is but one real alternative to this philosophy4 ,it is not atheism--which is seldom more than a revulsion from superstition--because the adherents of absolute atheism are so few1 if any1 and its intellectual position is too precarious ever to be a menace4 ,an atheist1 if such there be1 is an orphan1 a waif wandering the midnight streets of time1 homeless and alone4 ,nor is the alternative agnosticism1 which in the nature of things can be only a passing mood of thought1 when1 indeed1 it is not a confession of intellectual bankruptcy1 or a labor-saving device to escape the toil and fatigue of high thinking4 ,it trembles in perpetual hesitation1 like a donkey equi-distant between two bundles of hay1 starving to death but unable to make up its mind4 ,no2 the real alternative is materialism1 which played so large a part in philosophy fifty years ago1 and which1 defeated there1 has betaken itself to the field of practical affairs4 ,this is the dread alternative of a denial of the great faith of humanity1 a blight which would apply a sponge to all the high aspirations and ideals of the race4 ,according to this dogma1 the first and last things in the universe are atoms1 their number1 dance1 combinations1 and growth4 ,all mind1 all will1 all emotion1 all character1 all love is incidental1 transitory1 vain4 ,the sovereign fact is mud1 the final reality is dirt1 and the decree of destiny is dust unto dust6 ,against this ultimate horror1 it need hardly be said that in every age ,masonry has stood as a witness for the life of the spirit4 ,in the war of the soul against dust1 in the choice between dirt and ,deity1 it has allied itself on the side of the great idealisms and optimisms of humanity4 ,it takes the spiritual view of life and the world as being most in accord with the facts of experience1 the promptings of right reason1 and the voice of conscience4 ,in other words1 it dares to read the meaning of the universe through what is highest in man1 not through what is lower1 asserting that the soul is akin to the ,eternal ,spirit1 and that by a life of righteousness its eternal quality is revealed4#ahj ,upon this philosophy ,masonry rests1 and finds a rock beneath3 _/,p ,on ,him1 this corner-stone we build1 ,on ,him1 this edifice erect2 ,and still1 until this work's fulfilled1 ,may ,he the workman's ways direct4 ,p_/ ,now1 consider6 ,all our human thinking1 whether it be in science1 philosophy1 or religion1 rests for its validity upon faith in the kinship of man with ,god4 ,if that faith be false1 the temple of human thought falls to wreck1 and behold6 we know not anything and have no way of learning4 ,but the fact that the universe is intelligible1 that we can follow its forces1 trace its laws1 and make a map of it1 finding the infinite even in the infinitesimal1 shows that the mind of man is akin to the ,mind that made it4 ,also1 there are two aspects of the nature of man which lift him above the brute and bespeak his divine heredity4 ,they are reason and conscience1 both of which are of more than sense and time1 having their source1 satisfaction1 and authority in an unseen1 eternal world4 ,that is to say1 man is a being who1 if not actually immortal1 is called by the very law and necessity of his being to live as if he were immortal4 ,unless life be utterly abortive1 having neither rhyme nor reason1 the soul of man is itself the one sure proof and prophet of its own high faith4 ,consider1 too1 what it means to say that this mighty soul of man is akin to the ,eternal ,soul of all things4 ,it means that we are not shapes of mud placed here by chance1 but sons of the ,most ,high1 citizens of eternity1 deathless as ,god our ,father is deathless2 and that there is laid upon us an abiding obligation to live in a manner befitting the dignity of the soul4 ,it means that what a man thinks1 the parity of his feeling1 the character of his activity and career are of vital and ceaseless concern to the ,eternal4 ,here is a philosophy which lights up the universe like a sunrise1 confirming the dim1 dumb certainties of the soul1 evolving meaning out of mystery1 and hope out of what would else be despair4 ,it brings out the colors of human life1 investing our fleeting mortal years--brief at their longest1 broken at its best--with enduring significance and beauty4 ,it gives to each of us1 however humble and obscure1 a place and a part in the stupendous historical enterprise2 makes us fellow workers with the ,eternal in ,his redemptive making of humanity1 and binds us to do ,his will upon earth as it is done in heaven4 ,it subdues the intellect2 it softens the heart2 it begets in the will that sense of self-respect without which high and heroic living cannot be4 ,such is the philosophy upon which ,masonry builds2 and from it flow1 as from the rock smitten in the wilderness1 those bright streams that wander through and water this human world of ours4 ,,iii ,because this is so2 because the human soul is akin to ,god1 and is endowed with powers to which no one may set a limit1 it is and of right ought to be free4 ,thus1 by the logic of its philosophy1 not less than the inspiration of its faith1 ,masonry has been impelled to make its historic demand for liberty of conscience1 for the freedom of the intellect1 and for the right of all men to stand erect1 unfettered1 and unafraid1 equal before ,god and the law1 each respecting the rights of his fellows4 ,what we have to remember is1 that before this truth was advocated by any order1 or embodied in any political constitution1 it was embedded in the will of ,god and the constitution of the human soul4 ,nor will ,masonry ever swerve one jot or tittle from its ancient and eloquent demand till all men1 everywhere1 are free in body1 mind1 and soul4 ,as it is1 ,lowell was right when he wrote3 _/,p ,we are not free3 ,freedom doth not consist ,in musing with our faces toward the ,past ,while petty cares and crawling interests twist ,their spider threads about us1 which at last ,grow strong as iron chains and cramp and bind ,in formal narrowness heart1 soul1 and mind4 ,freedom is recreated year by year1 ,in hearts wide open on the ,godward side1 ,in souls calm-cadenced as the whirling sphere1 ,in minds that sway the future like a tide4 ,no broadest creeds can hold her1 and no codes2 ,she chooses men for her august abodes1 ,building them fair and fronting to the dawn4 ,p_/ ,some day1 when the cloud of prejudice has been dispelled by the searchlight of truth1 the world will honor ,masonry for its service to freedom of thought and the liberty of faith4 ,no part of its history has been more noble1 no principle of its teaching has been more precious than its age-long demand for the right and duty of every soul to seek that light by which no man was ever injured1 and that truth which makes man free4 ,down through the centuries--often in times when the highest crime was not murder1 but thinking1 and the human conscience was a captive dragged at the wheel of the ecclesiastical chariot--always and everywhere ,masonry has stood for the right of the soul to know the truth1 and to look up unhindered from the lap of earth into the face of ,god4 ,not freedom from faith1 but freedom of faith1 has been its watchword1 on the ground that as despotism is the mother of anarchy1 so bigoted dogmatism is the prolific source of scepticism--knowing1 also1 that our race has made its most rapid advance in those fields where it has been free the longest4 ,against those who would fetter thought in order to perpetuate an effete authority1 who would give the skinny hand of the past a scepter to rule the aspiring and prophetic present1 and seal the lips of living scholars with the dicta of dead scholastics1 ,masonry will never ground arms6 ,her plea is for government without tyranny and religion without superstition1 and as surely as suns rise and set her fight will be crowned with victory4 ,defeat is impossible1 the more so because she fights not with force1 still less with intrigue1 but with the power of truth1 the persuasions of reason1 and the might of gentleness1 seeking not to destroy her enemies1 but to win them to the liberty of the truth and the fellowship of love4 ,not only does ,masonry plead for that liberty of faith which permits a man to hold what seems to him true1 but also1 and with equal emphasis1 for the liberty which faith gives to the soul1 emancipating it from the despotism of doubt and the fetters of fear4 ,therefore1 by every art of spiritual culture1 it seeks to keep alive in the hearts of men a great and simple trust in the goodness of ,god1 in the worth of life1 and the divinity of the soul--a trust so apt to be crushed by the tramp of heavy years4 ,help a man to a firm faith in an ,infinite ,pity at the heart of this dark world1 and from how many fears is he free6 ,once a temple of terror1 haunted by shadows1 his heart becomes a cathedral of serenity and gladness1 and his life is enlarged and unfolded into richness of character and service4 ,nor is there any tyranny like the tyranny of time4 ,give a man a day to live1 and he is like a bird in a cage beating against its bars4 ,give him a year in which to move to and fro with his thoughts and plans1 his purposes and hopes1 and you have liberated him from the despotism of a day4 ,enlarge the scope of his life to fifty years1 and he has a moral dignity of attitude and a sweep of power impossible hitherto4 ,but give him a sense of ,eternity2 let him know that he plans and works in an ageless time2 that above his blunders and sins there hovers and waits the infinite--then he is free6 ,nevertheless1 if life on earth be worthless1 so is immortality4 ,the real question1 after all1 is not as to the quantity of life1 but its quality--its depth1 its purity1 its fortitude1 its fineness of spirit and gesture of soul4 ,hence the insistent emphasis of ,masonry upon the building of character and the practice of righteousness2 upon that moral culture without which man is rudimentary1 and that spiritual vision without which intellect is the slave of greed or passion4 ,what makes a man great and freed of soul1 here or anywhither1 is loyalty to the laws of right1 of truth1 of purity1 of love1 and the lofty will of ,god4 ,how to live is the one matter2 and the oldest man in his ripe age has yet to seek a wiser way than to build1 year by year1 upon a foundation of faith in ,god1 using the ,square of justice1 the ,plumb-line of rectitude1 the ,compass to restrain the passions1 and the ,rule by which to divide our time into labor1 rest1 and service to our fellows4 ,let us begin now and seek wisdom in the beauty of virtue and live in the light of it1 rejoicing2 so in this world shall we have a foregleam of the world to come--bringing down to the ,gate in the ,mist something that ought not to die1 assured that1 though hearts are dust1 as ,god lives what is excellent is enduring6 ,,iv ,bede the ,venerable1 in giving an account of the deliberations of the ,king of ,northumberland and his counsellors1 as to whether they should allow the ,christian missionaries to teach a new faith to the people1 recites this incident4 ,after much debate1 a gray-haired chief recalled the feeling which came over him on seeing a little bird pass through1 on fluttering wing1 the warm bright hall of feasting1 while winter winds raged without4 ,the moment of its flight was full of sweetness and light for the bird1 but it was brief4 ,out of the darkness it flew1 looked upon the bright scene1 and vanished into the darkness again1 none knowing whence it came nor whither it went4 ,like this1 said the veteran chief1 is human life4 ,we come1 our wise men cannot tell whence4 ,we go1 and they cannot tell whither4 ,our flight is brief4 ,therefore1 if there be anyone that can teach us more about it--in ,god's name let us hear him6 ,even so1 let us hear what ,masonry has to say in the great argument for the immortality of the soul4 ,but1 instead of making an argument linked and strong1 it presents a picture--the oldest1 if not the greatest drama in the world--the better to make men feel those truths which no mortal words can utter4 ,it shows us the black tragedy of life in its darkest hour2 the forces of evil1 so cunning yet so stupid1 which come up against the soul1 tempting it to treachery1 and even to the degredation of saving life by giving up all that makes life worth living2 a tragedy which1 in its simplicity and power1 makes the heart ache and stand still4 ,then1 out of the thick darkness there rises1 like a beautiful white star1 that in man which is most akin to ,god1 his love of truth1 his loyalty to the highest1 and his willingness to go down into the night of death1 if only virtue may live and shine like a pulse of fire in the evening sky4 ,here is the ultimate and final witness of our divinity and immortality--the sublime1 death-defying moral heroism of the human soul6 ,surely the eternal paradox holds true at the gates of the grave3 he who loses his life for the sake of truth1 shall find it anew6 ,and here ,masonry rests the matter1 assured that since there is that in man which makes him hold to the moral ideal1 and the integrity of his own soul1 against all the brute forces of the world1 the ,god who made man in ,his own image will not let him die in the dust6 ,higher vision it is not given us to see in the dim country of this world2 deeper truth we do not need to know4 ,working with hands soon to be folded1 we build up the structure of our lives from what our fingers can feel1 our eyes can see1 and our ears can hear4 ,till1 in a moment--marvelous whether it come in storm and tears1 or softly as twilight breath beneath unshadowed skies--we are called upon to yield our grasp of these solid things1 and trust ourselves to the invisible ,soul within us1 which betakes itself along an invisible path into the ,unknown4 ,it is strange3 a door opens into a new world2 and man1 child of the dust that he is1 follows his adventurous ,soul1 as the ,soul follows an inscrutable ,power which is more elusive than the wind that bloweth where it listeth4 ,suddenly1 with fixed eyes and blanched lips1 we lie down and wait2 and life1 well-fought or wasted1 bright or somber1 lies behind us--a dream that is dreamt1 a thing that is no more4 ,o ,death1 _/,p ,thou hast destroyed it1 ,the beautiful world1 ,with powerful fist3 ,in ruin 'tis hurled1 ,by the blow of a demigod shattered6 ,the scattered ,fragments into the void we carry1 ,deploring ,the beauty perished beyond restoring4 ,mightier ,for the children of men1 ,brightlier ,build it again1 ,in thine own bosom build it anew6 ,p_/ ,o ,youth1 for whom these lines are written1 fear not2 fear not to believe that the soul is as eternal as the moral order that obtains in it1 wherefore you shall forever pursue that divine beauty which has here so touched and transfigured you2 for that is the faith of humanity1 your race1 and those who are fairest in its records4 ,let us lay it to heart1 love it1 and act upon it1 that we may learn its deep meaning as regards others--our dear dead whom we think of1 perhaps1 every day--and find it easier to be brave and hopeful1 even when we are sad4 ,it is not a faith to be taken lightly1 but deeply and in the quiet of the soul1 if so that we may grow into its high meanings for ourselves1 as life grows or declines4 _/,p ,build thee more stately mansions1 ,o my soul1 ,as the swift seasons roll6 ,leave thy low-vaulted past6 ,let each new temple1 nobler than the last1 ,shut thee from heaven with a dome more vast1 ,till thou at length art free1 ,leaving thine outgrown shell by life's unresting sea6 ,p_/ ,,footnotes3 #agc ,as ,you ,like ,it 7act ii1 scene ii74 ,shakespeare makes no reference to any secret society1 but some of his allusions suggest that he knew more than he wrote4 ,he describes ,the singing ,masons building roofs of gold 7,henry ,v1 act i1 scene ii71 and compares them to a swarm of bees at work4 ,did he know what the bee hive means in the symbolism of ,masonry8 7,read an interesting article on ,shakespeare and ,freemasonry1 ,american ,freemason1 ,january1 #aiab47 ,it reminds one of the passage in the ,complete ,angler1 by ,isaak ,walton1 in which the gentle fisherman talks about the meaning of ,pillars in language very like that used in the ,old ,charges4 ,but ,hawkins in his edition of the ,angler recalls that ,walton was a friend of ,elias ,ashmole1 and may have learned of ,masonry from him4 7,a ,short ,masonic ,history1 by ,f4 ,armitage1 vol4 ii1 chap4 #c47 #agd ,some ,problems of ,philosophy1 by ,william ,james4 #age ,in #ahgg the ,grand ,orient of ,france removed the ,bible from its altar and erased from its ritual all reference to ,deity2 and for so doing it was disfellowshiped by nearly every ,grand ,lodge in the world4 ,the writer of the article on ,masonry in the ,catholic ,encyclopedia recalls this fact with emphasis2 but he is much fairer to the ,grand ,orient than many ,masonic writers have been4 ,he understands that this does not mean that the ,masons of ,france are atheistic1 as that word is ordinarily used1 but that they do not believe that there exist ,atheists in the absolute sense of the word2 and he quotes the words of ,albert ,pike3 ,a man who has a higher conception of ,god than those about him1 and who denies that their conception is ,god1 is very likely to be called an ,atheist by men who are really far less believers in ,god than he 7,morals and ,dogma1 p4 #fdc74 ,thus1 as ,pike goes on to say1 the early ,christians1 who said the heathen idols were no ,gods1 were accounted ,atheists1 and accordingly put to death4 ,we need not hold a brief for the ,grand ,orient1 but it behooves us to understand its position and point of view1 lest we be found guilty of a petty bigotry in regard to a word when the reality is a common treasure4 ,first1 it was felt that ,france needed the aid of every man who was an enemy of ,latin ecclesiasticism1 in order to bring about a separation of ,church and ,state2 hence the attitude of the ,grand ,orient4 ,second1 the ,masons of ,france agree with ,plutarch that no conception of ,god at all is better than a dark1 distorted superstition which wraps men in terror2 and they erased a word which1 for many1 was associated with an unworthy faith--the better to seek a unity of effort in behalf of liberty of thought and a loftier faith4 7,the ,religion of ,plutarch1 by ,oakesmith2 also the ,bacon essay on ,superstition47 ,we may deem this unwise1 but we ought at least to understand its spirit and purpose4 #agf ,theocratic ,philosophy of ,freemasonry1 by ,oliver4 #agg ,history of the ,lost ,word1 by ,j4,f4 ,garrison1 appendix to ,early ,history and ,antiquities of ,freemasonry1 by ,g4,f4 ,fort--one of the most brilliant ,masonic books1 both in scholarship and literary style4 #agh ,symbolism of ,masonry1 by ,dr4 ,mackey 7chap4 i7 and other books too many to name4 ,it need hardly be said that the truth of the trinity1 whereof the triangle is an emblem--though with ,pythagoras it was a symbol of holiness1 of health--was never meant to contradict the unity of ,god1 but to make it more vivid4 ,as too often interpreted1 it is little more than a crude tri-theism1 but at its best it is not so4 ,god thrice1 not three ,gods1 was the word of ,st4 ,augustine 7,essay on the ,trinity71 meaning three aspects of ,god--not the mathematics of ,his nature1 but its manifoldness1 its variety in unity4 ,the late ,w4,n4 ,clarke--who put more common sense into theology than any other man of his day--pointed out that1 in our time1 the old debate about the trinity is as dead as ,caesar2 the truth of ,god as a ,father having taken up into itself the warmth1 color1 and tenderness of the truth of the trinity--which1 as said on an earlier page1 was a vision of ,god through the family 7,christian ,doctrine of ,god74 #agi ,the ,bible1 the ,great ,source of ,masonic ,secrets and ,observances1 by ,dr4 ,oliver4 ,no ,mason need be told what a large place the ,bible has in the symbolism1 ritual1 and teaching of the ,order1 and it has an equally large place in its literature4 #ahj ,read the great argument of ,plato in ,the ,republic 7book vi74 ,the present writer does not wish to impose upon ,masonry any dogma of technical ,idealism1 subjective1 objective1 or otherwise4 ,no more than others does he hold to a static universe which unrolls in time a plan made out before1 but to a world of wonders where life has the risk and zest of adventure4 ,he rejoices in the ,new ,idealism of ,rudolf ,eucken1 with its gospel of an independent spiritual life--independent1 that is1 of vicissitude--and its insistence upon the fact that the meaning of life depends upon our building up within ourselves a life that is not of time 7,life's ,basis and ,life's ,ideal74 ,but the intent of these pages is1 rather1 to emphasize the spiritual view of life and the world as the philosophy underlying ,masonry1 and upon which it builds--the reality of the ideal1 its sovereignty over our fragile human life1 and the immutable necessity of loyalty to it1 if we are to build for eternity4 ,after all1 as ,plotinus said1 philosophy serves to point the way and guide the traveller2 the vision is for him who will see it4 ,but the direction means much to those who are seeking the truth to know it4 ,,the ,,spirit ,,of ,,masonry _/,p ,the crest and crowning of all good1 ,life's final star1 is ,brotherhood2 ,for it will bring again to ,earth ,her long-lost ,poesy and ,mirth2 ,will send new light on every face1 ,a kingly power upon the race4 ,and till it comes we men are slaves1 ,and travel downward to the dust of graves4 ,come1 clear the way1 then1 clear the way3 ,blind creeds and kings have had their day4 ,break the dead branches from the path3 ,our hope is in the aftermath-- ,our hope is in heroic men1 ,star-led to build the world again4 ,to this event the ages ran3 ,make way for ,brotherhood--make way for ,man4 --,,edwin ,,markham1 ,poems ,p_/ ,,chapter ,,iii ,the ,spirit of ,masonry ,i ,outside of the home and the house of ,god there is nothing in this world more beautiful than the ,spirit of ,masonry4 ,gentle1 gracious1 and wise1 its mission is to form mankind into a great redemptive brotherhood1 a league of noble and free men enlisted in the radiant enterprise of working out in time the love and will of the ,eternal4 ,who is sufficient to describe a spirit so benign8 ,with what words may one ever hope to capture and detain that which belongs of right to the genius of poetry and song1 by whose magic those elusive and impalpable realities find embodiment and voice8 ,with picture1 parable1 and stately drama1 ,masonry appeals to lovers of beauty1 bringing poetry and symbol to the aid of philosophy1 and art to the service of character4 ,broad and tolerant in its teaching1 it appeals to men of intellect1 equally by the depth of its faith and its plea for liberty of thought--helping them to think things through to a more satisfying and hopeful vision of the meaning of life and the mystery of the world4 ,but its profoundest appeal1 more eloquent than all others1 is to the deep heart of man1 out of which are the issues of life and destiny4 ,when all is said1 it is as a man thinketh in his heart whether life be worth while or not1 and whether he is a help or a curse to his race4 _/,p ,here lies the tragedy of our race3 ,not that men are poor2 ,all men know something of poverty4 ,not that men are wicked2 ,who can claim to be good8 ,not that men are ignorant2 ,who can boast that he is wise8 ,but that men are strangers6 ,p_/ ,masonry is ,friendship--friendship1 first1 with the great ,companion1 of whom our own hearts tell us1 who is always nearer to us than we are to ourselves1 and whose inspiration and help is the greatest fact of human experience4 ,to be in harmony with ,his purposes1 to be open to ,his suggestions1 to be conscious of fellowship with ,him--this is ,masonry on its ,godward side4 ,then1 turning manward1 friendship sums it all up4 ,to be friends with all men1 however they may differ from us in creed1 color1 or condition2 to fill every human relation with the spirit of friendship2 is there anything more or better than this that the wisest1 and best of men can hope to do8#aha ,such is the spirit of ,masonry2 such is its ideal1 and if to realize it all at once is denied us1 surely it means much to see it1 love it1 and labor to make it come true4 ,nor is this ,spirit of ,friendship a mere sentiment held by a sympathetic1 and therefore unstable1 fraternity1 which would dissolve the concrete features of humanity into a vague blur of misty emotion4 ,no2 it has its roots in a profound philosophy which sees that the universe is friendly1 and that men must learn to be friends if they would live as befits the world in which they live1 as well as their own origin and destiny4 ,for1 since ,god is the life of all that was1 is1 and is to be2 and since we are all born into the world by one high wisdom and one vast love1 we are brothers to the last man of us1 forever6 ,for better for worse1 for richer for poorer1 in sickness and in health1 and even after death us do part1 all men are held together by ties of spiritual kinship1 sons of one eternal ,friend4 ,upon this fact human fraternity rests1 and it is the basis of the plea of ,masonry1 not only for freedom1 but for friendship among men4 ,thus friendship1 so far from being a mush of concessions1 is in fact the constructive genius of the universe4 ,love is ever the ,builder1 and those who have done most to establish the ,city of ,god on earth have been the men who loved their fellow men4 ,once let this spirit prevail1 and the wrangling sects will be lost in a great league of those who love in the service of those who suffer4 ,no man will then revile the faith in which his neighbor finds help for today and hope for the morrow2 pity will smite him mute1 and love will teach him that ,god is found in many ways1 by those who seek him with honest hearts4 ,once let this spirit rule in the realm of trade1 and the law of the jungle will cease1 and men will strive to build a social order in which all men may have opportunity to live1 and to live well1 as ,aristotle defined the purpose of society4 ,here is the basis of that magical stability aimed at by the earliest artists when they sought to build for eternity1 by imitating on earth the ,house of ,god4 ,,ii ,our human history1 saturated with blood and blistered with tears1 is the story of man making friends with man4 ,society has evolved from a feud into a friendship by the slow growth of love and the welding of man1 first to his kin1 and then to his kind4#ahb ,the first men who walked in the red dawn of time lived every man for himself1 his heart a sanctuary of suspicions1 every man feeling that every other man was his foe1 and therefore his prey4 ,so there were war1 strife1 and bloodshed4 ,slowly there came to the savage a gleam of the truth that it is better to help than to hurt1 and he organized clans and tribes4 ,but tribes were divided by rivers and mountains1 and the men on one side of the river felt that the men on the other side were their enemies4 ,again there were war1 pillage1 and sorrow4 ,great empires arose and met in the shock of conflict1 leaving trails of skeletons across the earth4 ,then came the great roads1 reaching out with their stony clutch and bringing the ends of the earth together4 ,men met1 mingled1 passed and repassed1 and learned that human nature is much the same everywhere1 with hopes and fears in common4 ,still there were many things to divide and estrange men from each other1 and the earth was full of bitterness4 ,not satisfied with natural barriers1 men erected high walls of sect and caste1 to exclude their fellows1 and the men of one sect were sure that the men of all other sects were wrong--and doomed to be lost4 ,thus1 when real mountains no longer separated man from man1 mountains were made out of molehills--mountains of immemorial misunderstanding not yet moved into the sea6 ,barriers of race1 of creed1 of caste1 of habit1 of training and interest separate men today1 as if some malign genius were bent on keeping man from his fellows1 begetting suspicion1 uncharitableness1 and hate4 ,still there are war1 waste1 and woe6 ,yet all the while men have been unfriendly1 and1 therefore1 unjust and cruel1 only because they are unacquainted4 ,amidst feud1 faction1 and folly1 ,masonry1 the oldest and most widely spread order1 toils in behalf of friendship1 uniting men upon the only basis upon which they can ever meet with dignity4 ,each lodge is an oasis of equality and goodwill in a desert of strife1 working to weld mankind into a great league of sympathy and service1 which1 by the terms of our definition1 it seeks to exhibit even now on a small scale4 ,at its altar men meet as man to man1 without vanity and without pretense1 without fear and without reproach1 as tourists crossing the ,alps tie themselves together1 so that if one slip all may hold him up4 ,no tongue can tell the meaning of such a ministry1 no pen can trace its influence in melting the hardness of the world into pity and gladness4 ,the ,spirit of ,masonry6 ,he who would describe that spirit must be a poet1 a musician1 and a seer--a master of melodies1 echoes1 and long1 far-sounding cadences4 ,now1 as always1 it toils to make man better1 to refine his thought and purify his sympathy1 to broaden his outlook1 to lift his altitude1 to establish in amplitude and resoluteness his life in all its relations4 ,all its great history1 its vast accumulations of tradition1 its simple faith and its solemn rites1 its freedom and its friendship are dedicated to a high moral ideal1 seeking to tame the tiger in man1 and bring his wild passions into obedience to the will of ,god4 ,it has no other mission than to exalt and ennoble humanity1 to bring light out of darkness1 beauty out of angularity2 to make every hard-won inheritance more secure1 every sanctuary more sacred1 every hope more radiant6#ahc ,the ,spirit of ,masonry6 ,ay1 when that spirit has its way upon earth1 as at last it surely will1 society will be a vast communion of kindness and justice1 business a system of human service1 law a rule of beneficence2 the home will be more holy1 the laughter of childhood more joyous1 and the temple of prayer mortised and tenoned in simple faith4 ,evil1 injustice1 bigotry1 greed1 and every vile and slimy thing that defiles and defames humanity will skulk into the dark1 unable to bear the light of a juster1 wiser1 more merciful order4 ,industry will be upright1 education prophetic1 and religion not a shadow1 but a ,real ,presence1 when man has become acquainted with man and has learned to worship ,god by serving his fellows4 ,when ,masonry is victorious every tyranny will fall1 every bastile crumble1 and man will be not only unfettered in mind and hand1 but free of heart to walk erect in the light and liberty of the truth4 ,toward a great friendship1 long foreseen by ,masonic faith1 the world is slowly moving1 amid difficulties and delays1 reactions and reconstructions4 ,though long deferred1 of that day1 which will surely arrive1 when nations will be reverent in the use of freedom1 just in the exercise of power1 humane in the practice of wisdom2 when no man will ride over the rights of his fellows2 when no woman will be made forlorn1 no little child wretched by bigotry or greed1 ,masonry has ever been a prophet4 ,nor will she ever be content until all the threads of human fellowship are woven into one mystic cord of friendship1 encircling the earth and holding the race in unity of spirit and the bonds of peace1 as in the will of ,god it is one in the origin and end4 ,having outlived empires and philosophies1 having seen generations appear and vanish1 it will yet live to see the travail of its soul1 and be satisfied-- _/,p ,when the war-drum throbs no longer1 ,and the battle flags are furled2 ,in the parliament of man1 ,the federation of the world4 ,p_/ ,,iii ,manifestly1 since love is the law of life1 if men are to be won from hate to love1 if those who doubt and deny are to be wooed to faith1 if the race is ever to be led and lifted into a life of service1 it must be by the fine art of ,friendship4 ,inasmuch as this is the purpose of ,masonry1 its mission determines the method not less than the spirit of its labor4 ,earnestly it endeavors to bring men--first the individual man1 and then1 so far as possible1 those who are united with him--to love one another1 while holding aloft1 in picture and dream1 that temple of character which is the noblest labor of life to build in the midst of the years1 and which will outlast time and death4 ,thus it seeks to reach the lonely inner life of man where the real battles are fought1 and where the issues of destiny are decided1 now with shouts of victory1 now with sobs of defeat4 ,what a ministry to a young man who enters its temple in the morning of life1 when the dew of heaven is upon his days and the birds are singing in his heart6#ahd ,from the wise lore of the ,east ,max ,mueller translated a parable which tells how the gods1 having stolen from man his divinity1 met in council to discuss where they should hide it4 ,one suggested that it be carried to the other side of the earth and buried2 but it was pointed out that man is a great wanderer1 and that he might find the lost treasure on the other side of the earth4 ,another proposed that it be dropped into the depths of the sea2 but the same fear was expressed--that man1 in his insatiable curiosity1 might dive deep enough to find it even there4 ,finally1 after a space of silence1 the oldest and wisest of the gods said3 ,hide it in man himself1 as that is the last place he will ever think to look for it6 ,and it was so agreed1 all seeing at once the subtle and wise strategy4 ,man did wander over the earth1 for ages1 seeking in all places high and low1 far and near1 before he thought to look within himself for the divinity he sought4 ,at last1 slowly1 dimly1 he began to realize that what he thought was far off1 hidden in the pathos of distance1 is nearer than the breath he breathes1 even in his own heart4 ,here lies the great secret of ,masonry--that it makes a man aware of that divinity within him1 wherefrom his whole life takes its beauty and meaning1 and inspires him to follow and obey it4 ,once a man learns this deep secret1 life is new1 and the old world is a valley all dewy to the dawn with a lark-song over it4 ,there never was a truer saying than that the religion of a man is the chief fact concerning him4#ahe ,by religion is meant not the creed to which a man will subscribe1 or otherwise give his assent2 not that necessarily2 often not that at all--since we see men of all degrees of worth and worthlessness signing all kinds of creeds4 ,no2 the religion of a man is that which he practically believes1 lays to heart1 acts upon1 and thereby knows concerning this mysterious universe and his duty and destiny in it4 ,that is in all cases the primary thing in him1 and creatively determines all the rest2 that is his religion4 ,it is1 then1 of vital importance what faith1 what vision1 what conception of life a man lays to heart1 and acts upon4 ,at bottom1 a man is what his thinking is1 thoughts being the artists who give color to our days4 ,optimists and pessimists live in the same world1 walk under the same sky1 and observe the same facts4 ,sceptics and believers look up at the same great stars--the stars that shone in ,eden and will flash again in ,paradise4 ,clearly the difference between them is a difference not of fact1 but of faith--of insight1 outlook1 and point of view--a difference of inner attitude and habit of thought with regard to the worth and use of life4 ,by the same token1 any influence which reaches and alters that inner habit and bias of mind1 and changes it from doubt to faith1 from fear to courage1 from despair to sunburst hope1 has wrought the most benign ministry which a mortal may enjoy4 ,every man has a train of thought on which he rides when he is alone2 and the worth of his life to himself and others1 as well as its happiness1 depend upon the direction in which that train is going1 the baggage it carries1 and the country through which it travels4 ,if1 then1 ,masonry can put that inner train of thought on the right track1 freight it with precious treasure1 and start it on the way to the ,city of ,god1 what other or higher ministry can it render to a man8 ,and that is what it does for any man who will listen to it1 love it1 and lay its truth to heart4 ,high1 fine1 ineffably rich and beautiful are the faith and vision which ,masonry gives to those who foregather at its altar1 bringing to them in picture1 parable1 and symbol the lofty and pure truth wrought out through ages of experience1 tested by time1 and found to be valid for the conduct of life4 ,by such teaching1 if they have the heart to heed it1 men become wise1 learning how to be both brave and gentle1 faithful and free2 how to renounce superstition and yet retain faith2 how to keep a fine poise of reason between the falsehood of extremes2 how to accept the joys of life with glee1 and endure its ills with patient valor2 how to look upon the folly of man and not forget his nobility--in short1 how to live cleanly1 kindly1 calmly1 open-eyed and unafraid in a sane world1 sweet of heart and full of hope4 ,whoso lays this lucid and profound wisdom to heart1 and lives by it1 will have little to regret1 and nothing to fear1 when the evening shadows fall4 ,happy the young man who in the morning of his years makes it his guide1 philosopher1 and friend4#ahf ,such is the ideal of ,masonry1 and fidelity to all that is holy demands that we give ourselves to it1 trusting the power of truth1 the reality of love1 and the sovereign worth of character4 ,for only as we incarnate that ideal in actual life and activity does it become real1 tangible1 and effective4 ,god works for man through man and seldom1 if at all1 in any other way4 ,he asks for our voices to speak ,his truth1 for our hands to do ,his work here below--sweet voices and clean hands to make liberty and love prevail over injustice and hate4 ,not all of us can be learned or famous1 but each of us can be loyal and true of heart1 undefiled by evil1 undaunted by error1 faithful and helpful to our fellow souls4 ,life is a capacity for the highest things4 ,let us make it a pursuit of the highest--an eager1 incessant quest of truth2 a noble utility1 a lofty honor1 a wise freedom1 a genuine service--that through us the ,spirit of ,masonry may grow and be glorified4 ,when is a man a ,mason8 ,when he can look out over the rivers1 the hills1 and the far horizon with a profound sense of his own littleness in the vast scheme of things1 and yet have faith1 hope1 and courage--which is the root of every virtue4 ,when he knows that down in his heart every man is as noble1 as vile1 as divine1 as diabolic1 and as lonely as himself1 and seeks to know1 to forgive1 and to love his fellow man4 ,when he knows how to sympathize with men in their sorrows1 yea1 even in their sins--knowing that each man fights a hard fight against many odds4 ,when he has learned how to make friends and to keep them1 and above all how to keep friends with himself4 ,when he loves flowers1 can hunt the birds without a gun1 and feels the thrill of an old forgotten joy when he hears the laugh of a little child4 ,when he can be happy and high-minded amid the meaner drudgeries of life4 ,when star-crowned trees1 and the glint of sunlight on flowing waters1 subdue him like the thought of one much loved and long dead4 ,when no voice of distress reaches his ears in vain1 and no hand seeks his aid without response4 ,when he finds good in every faith that helps any man to lay hold of divine things and sees majestic meanings in life1 whatever the name of that faith may be4 ,when he can look into a wayside puddle and see something beyond mud1 and into the face of the most forlorn fellow mortal and see something beyond sin4 ,when he knows how to pray1 how to love1 how to hope4 ,when he has kept faith with himself1 with his fellow man1 with his ,god2 in his hand a sword for evil1 in his heart a bit of a song--glad to live1 but not afraid to die6 ,such a man has found the only real secret of ,masonry1 and the one which it is trying to give to all the world4 ,,footnotes3 #aha ,suggested by a noble passage in the ,recollections of ,washington ,gladden2 and the great preacher goes on to say3 ,if the church could accept this truth--that ,religion is ,friendship--and build its own life upon it1 and make it central and organic in all its teachings1 should we not have a great revival of religion8 ,indeed1 yes2 and of the right kind of religion1 too6 ,walt ,whitman found the basis of all philosophy1 all religion1 in the dear love of man for his comrade1 the attraction of friend to friend 7,the ,base of all ,metaphysics74 ,as for ,masonic literature1 it is one perpetual paean in praise of the practice of friendship1 from earliest time to our own day4 ,take1 for example1 the ,illustrations of ,masonry1 by ,preston 7first book1 sect1 i-x72 and ,arnold1 as we have seen1 defined ,masonry as ,friendship1 as did ,hutchinson 7,the ,spirit of ,masonry1 lectures xi1 xii74 ,these are but two notes of a mighty anthem whose chorus is never hushed in the temple of ,masonry6 ,of course1 there are those who say that the finer forces of life are frail and foolish1 but the influence of the cynic in the advance of the race is--nothing6 #ahb ,the ,neighbor1 by ,n4,s4 ,shaler4 #ahc ,if ,masons often fall far below their high ideal1 it is because they share in their degree the infirmity of mankind4 ,he is a poor craftsman who glibly recites the teachings of the ,order and quickly forgets the lessons they convey2 who wears its honorable dress to conceal a self-seeking spirit2 or to whom its great and simple symbols bring only an outward thrill1 and no inward urge toward the highest of all good4 ,apart from what they symbolize1 all symbols are empty2 they speak only to such as have ears to hear4 ,at the same time1 we have always to remember--what has been so often and so sadly forgotten--that the most sacred shrine on earth is the soul of man2 and that the temple and its offices are not ends in themselves1 but only beautiful means to the end that every human heart may be a temple of peace1 of purity1 of power1 of pity1 and of hope6 #ahd ,read the noble words of ,arnold on the value of ,masonry to the young as a restraint1 a refinement1 and a conservator of virtue1 throwing about youth the mantle of a great friendship and the consecration of a great ideal 7,history and ,philosophy of ,masonry1 chap4 xix74 #ahe ,heroes and ,hero-worship1 by ,thomas ,carlyle1 lecture i4 #ahf ,if the influence of ,masonry upon youth is here emphasized1 it is not to forget that the most dangerous period of life is not youth1 with its turmoil of storm and stress1 but between forty and sixty4 ,when the enthusiasms of youth have cooled1 and its rosy glamour has faded into the light of common day1 there is apt to be a letting down of ideals1 a hardening of heart1 when cynicism takes the place of idealism4 ,if the judgments of the young are austere and need to be softened by charity1 the middle years of life need still more the reenforcement of spiritual influence and the inspiration of a holy atmosphere4 ,also1 ,albert ,pike used to urge upon old men the study of ,masonry1 the better to help them gather up the scattered thoughts about life and build them into a firm faith2 and because ,masonry offers to every man a great hope and consolation4 ,indeed1 its ministry to every period of life is benign4 ,studying ,masonry is like looking at a sunset2 each man who looks is filled with the beauty and wonder of it1 but the glory is not diminished4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,bibliography 7,the literature of ,masonry is very large1 and the following is only a small selection of such books as the writer has found particularly helpful in the course of this study4 ,the notes and text of the foregoing pages mention many books1 sometimes with brief characterizations1 and that fact renders a longer list unnecessary here47 ,anderson1 ,book of ,constitutions4 ,armitage1 ,short ,masonic ,history1 #b vols4 ,arnold1 ,history and ,philosophy of ,masonry4 ,ashmole1 ,diary4 ,aynsley1 ,symbolism ,east and ,west4 ,bacon1 ,new ,atlantis4 ,bayley1 ,lost ,language of ,symbolism4 ,breasted1 ,religion and ,thought in ,egypt4 ,budge1 ,the ,gods of ,egypt4 ,callahan1 ,washington1 the ,man and the ,mason4 ,capart1 ,primitive ,art in ,egypt4 ,carr1 ,the ,swastika4 ,catholic ,encyclopedia1 art4 ,masonry4 ,churchward1 ,signs and ,symbols of ,primordial ,man4 ,conder1 ,hole ,craft and ,fellowship of ,masonry4 ,crowe1 ,things a ,freemason ,ought to ,know4 ,cumont1 ,mysteries of ,mithra4 ,da ,costa1 ,dionysian ,artificers4 ,de ,clifford1 ,egypt the ,cradle of ,masonry4 ,de ,quincey1 ,works1 vol4 xvi4 ,dill1 ,roman ,life4 ,encyclopedia ,britannica1 art4 ,freemasonry4 ,fergusson1 ,history of ,architecture4 ,findel1 ,history of ,masonry4 ,finlayson1 ,symbols of ,freemasonry4 ,fort1 ,early ,history and ,antiquities of ,masonry4 ,gorringe1 ,egyptian ,obelisks4 ,gould1 ,atholl ,lodges4 ,gould1 ,concise ,history of ,masonry4 ,gould1 ,history of ,masonry1 #d vols4 ,gould1 ,military ,lodges4 ,haige1 ,symbolism4 ,hastings1 ,encyclopedia of ,religion1 art4 ,freemasonry4 ,hayden1 ,washington and his ,masonic ,compeers4 ,holland1 ,freemasonry and the ,great ,pyramid4 ,hope1 ,historical ,essay on ,architecture4 ,hughan1 ,history of the ,english ,rite4 ,hughan1 ,masonic ,sketches and ,reprints4 ,hughan and ,stillson1 ,history of ,masonry and ,concordant ,orders4 ,hutchinson1 ,the ,spirit of ,masonry4 ,jewish ,encyclopedia1 art4 ,freemasonry4 ,kennedy1 ,st4 ,paul and the ,mystery-,religions4 ,lawrence1 ,practical ,masonic ,lectures4 ,leicester ,lodge of ,research1 ,transactions4 ,lethaby1 ,architecture4 ,lockyear1 ,dawn of ,astronomy4 ,mackey1 ,encyclopedia of ,freemasonry4 ,mackey1 ,symbolism of ,masonry4 ,manchester ,lodge of ,research1 ,transactions4 ,marshall1 ,nature a ,book of ,symbols4 ,maspero1 ,dawn of ,civilization4 ,mead1 ,quests ,new and ,old4 ,moehler1 ,symbolism4 ,moret1 ,kings and ,gods of ,egypt4 ,morris1 ,lights and ,shadows of ,masonry4 ,morris1 ,the ,poetry of ,masonry4 ,oliver1 ,masonic ,antiquities4 ,oliver1 ,masonic ,sermons4 ,oliver1 ,revelations of the ,square4 ,oliver1 ,theocratic ,philosophy of ,masonry4 ,pike1 ,morals and ,dogma4 ,plutarch1 ,de ,iside et ,osiride4 ,preston1 ,illustrations of ,masonry4 ,quatuor ,coronati ,lodge1 ,transactions1 #bd vols4 ,ravenscroft1 ,the ,comacines4 ,reade1 ,the ,veil of ,isis4 ,rogers1 ,history of ,prices in ,england4 ,ruskin1 ,seven ,lamps of ,architecture4 ,sachse1 ,franklin as a ,mason4 ,sadler1 ,masonic ,facts and ,fictions4 ,st4 ,andrew's ,lodge1 ,centennial ,memorial4 ,schure1 ,hermes and ,plato4 ,schure1 ,pythagoras4 ,scott1 ,the ,cathedral ,builders4 ,smith1 ,english ,guilds4 ,stevens1 ,cyclopedia of ,fraternities4 ,steinbrenner1 ,history of ,masonry4 ,tyler1 ,oaths1 ,their ,origin1 ,nature1 and ,history4 ,underhill1 ,mysticism4 ,waite1 ,real ,history of ,rosicrucians4 ,waite1 ,secret ,tradition in ,masonry4 ,waite1 ,studies in ,mysticism4 ,watts1 ,the ,word in the ,pattern4 ,wright1 ,indian ,masonry4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,index _/ ,aberdeen3 lodge of1 #afa ,acadamie ,armory3 #aff ,accepted ,masons3 #adg2 earliest1 #afj2 not in all lodges1 #afj note2 first recorded1 #afa2 and ,ashmole1 #afb-d2 at ,warrington1 #afd2 in the ,london ,company1 #afe2 and the ,regius ,,ms1 #aff2 at ,chester1 #aff2 ,assembly of1 #afh2 quality of1 #afh ,a,eneas3 referred to1 #dd note ,ahiman ,rezon3 #baf ,alban1 ,st3 in ,old ,charges1 #aaf2 a town1 not a man1 #aag note2 and the ,masons1 #abj ,america3 advent of ,masonry in1 #bjf2 spirit of ,masonry in1 #bbb2 influence of ,masonry on1 #bbc ,ancients1 ,the3 and ,moderns1 #bab2 ,grand ,lodge of1 #baf2 growth of1 #bag2 merged into universal ,masonry1 #bba ,anderson1 ,james3 his account of ,grand ,lodge of ,england1 #ahj2 and the ,old ,charges1 #ahf2 sketch of1 #ahg note2 on ,masonic secrets1 #aib note2 on growth of ,masonry1 #bjc2 publishes ,book of ,constitutions1 #bjd ,andreae1 ,j4,v43 quoted1 #aeg2 his ,rosicrucian romance1 #afc ,anti-,masonic political party1 #bbh ,apprentice1 ,entered3 requirements of1 #abi2 moral code of1 #acj2 masterpiece of1 #aca2 degree of1 #add ,architects3 early1 #ad2 of ,rome1 #gb2 initiates1 #gc2 honored in ,egypt1 #gd2 ,college of1 #hb2 ,comacine1 #hh2 churchmen1 #aad ,architecture3 matrix of civilization1 #e2 spiritual basis of1 #f2 ,seven ,lamps of1 #g2 moral laws of1 #h2 mysticism of1 #i2 and astronomy1 #gg2 gaps in history of1 #hf2 ,italian1 #hg2 and the ,comacines1 #hh2 new light on1 #hi2 churchmen learn from ,masons1 #aad2 ,gothic1 #abj2 essay on1 #acf2 influence of ,solomon's ,temple on1 #aia2 no older than history1 #bda ,ashmole1 ,elias3 ,diary of1 #afb2 not the maker of ,masonry1 #afc2 student of ,masonry1 #afg note2 and ,walton1 #bei note ,assembly of ,masons3 at ,york1 #aag2 semi-annual1 #aah2 initiations at1 #aca2 before #agag1 #afg ,atheist3 does not exist1 #bfa note2 would be an orphan1 #bfg ,athelstan3 and ,masons1 #aaf ,atholl ,masons3 ,grand ,lodge of1 #baf2 power of1 #bag2 end of1 #bba ,aubrey1 ,john3 #aff2 on convention of ,masons1 #afg ,augustine1 ,st3 and ,masons1 #aaf ,babel1 ,tower of3 #g ,bacon1 ,francis3 #aaj2 his ,new ,atlantis and ,masonry1 #agi note1 #aij ,benevolence3 ,board of1 #ahh ,bible3 ,masonic symbols in1 #cb2 and ,masonry1 #bfe ,book of ,constitutions3 #ahg ,book of the ,dead3 #dj ,booth1 ,edwin3 on ,third degree1 #aig2 a ,mason1 #bcb ,boston ,tea ,party3 #bbd ,brotherhood3 in ,old ,charges1 #acc2 creed of ,masonry1 #acd2 make way for coming of1 #bhb ,builders3 early ideals of1 #ab2 tools of1 #bf2 in ,china1 #ca2 forgotten1 #cd2 orders of1 #gd2 in ,rome1 #gi2 of cathedrals1 #hg2 servants of church1 #aja2 of ,britain1 #aac2 traveling bands of1 #ace2 rallying cries of1 #aia2 ,longfellow on1 #bfj ,building3 spiritual meaning of1 #f1 #g1 #h2 ideal of1 #ae2 an allegory1 #aed2 two ways of1 #aeh note2 of character1 #bge ,burns1 ,robert3 #bbf2 a ,mason1 #bcb2 poet of ,masonry1 #bcc ,cantu1 ,cesare3 on ,comacines1 #adb ,capart3 quoted1 #f ,carlyle1 ,thomas3 quoted1 #d ,cathedral ,builders3 #hg2 and ,masons1 #ia2 greatness of1 #aba2 organization of1 #acf-g2 genius of1 #aeh note ,cathedrals3 when built1 #aba ,charity3 and ,masons1 #acd2 a doctrine of ,masonry1 #agb ,china3 ,masonry in1 #cj ,christianity3 and the ,mysteries1 #ej1 #ea note2 and the ,collegia1 #he2 and ,masonry1 #bba note1 #bea ,churchward3 on ,triangle1 #ac note2 on symbols1 #bj note ,circle3 meaning of1 #bg ,clay1 ,henry3 #bbh ,cleopatra's ,needle3 #cc ,collegia1 the3 #gc2 beginning of1 #hj2 customs of1 #ha2 and the ,mysteries1 #hb2 emblems of1 #hc2 and ,christianity1 #he2 and cathedral builders1 #hg2 in ,england1 #aab2 on the continent1 #aac ,column3 ,wren on1 #i2 ,osiris1 #de2 brethren of the1 #hb ,comacine ,masters3 #hg2 privileges of1 #hh2 migrations of1 #hi2 symbols of1 #ij2 tolerant of spirit1 #aja2 and ,old ,charges1 #aaa2 in ,england1 #aac2 ,merzaria on1 #aad2 and the arts1 #aae2 degrees among1 #adb4 ,companionage3 of ,france1 #aah note2 and legend of ,hiram1 #adi ,conder3 historian of ,masons' ,company1 #afe ,confucius3 #cj ,cooke ,,ms3 #ajf2 higher criticism of1 #ajg ,cowan3 meaning of1 #ach note ,coxe1 ,daniel3 #bjg ,craft-masonry3 morality of1 #acd2 lodge of1 #ace2 organization of1 #acf2 routine of1 #ach2 technical secrets1 #adg ,cromwell1 ,oliver3 and ,masonry1 #agi note ,cross3 antiquity of1 #bd2 of ,egypt1 #be ,cube3 meaning of1 #bg ,culdees3 #ahi ,da ,costa3 quoted1 #gb2 on ,dionysian ,artificers1 #gg note ,deacon3 office of1 #bag ,death3 old protest against1 #dj2 triumph over1 #da2 wonder of1 #bgh ,declaration of ,independence1 signed by ,masons1 #bbe ,defence of ,masonry3 quoted #aeb ,degrees in ,masonry3 #ada2 among ,comacines1 #adb2 of ,apprentice1 #add2 number of1 #ade2 evolution of1 #adi ,de ,molai3 #aja ,de ,quincey on ,masonry1 #agi note ,dermott1 ,lawrence3 and ,ancient ,grand ,lodge1 #baf2 industry of1 #bai2 and ,royal ,arch ,masonry1 #bbj note ,desaguliers1 ,dr4 ,j4,t43 co-fabricator of ,masonry1 #aie2 sketch of1 #aie note ,diocletian3 fury of against ,masons1 #he ,dionysian ,artificers3 #gb2 builders of ,solomon's ,temple1 #gf2 evidence for1 #gg note2 migrations of1 #gi ,dissensions in ,masonry3 bitter1 #bac2 causes of1 #bad2 led by ,preston1 #bag2 helped the order1 #bai2 remedy for1 #bbb ,doctrine3 the ,secret1 #eg2 resented1 #eh2 open to all1 #fa2 reasons for1 #fc2 what it is1 #fh ,drama of ,faith3 #ci2 motif of1 #da2 story of1 #db2 in ,india1 #dd note2 in ,tyre1 #gf ,druids3 ,mysteries of1 #di ,druses3 and ,masonry1 #gh note ,dugdale3 on formality in ,masonry1 #adc ,eavesdroppers3 their punishment1 #ach note ,egypt3 earliest artists of1 #i2 ,herodotus on1 #aj2 temples of1 #aa2 obelisks of1 #ac2 ,drama of ,faith in1 #da2 and origin of ,masonry1 #aje1 #aji note ,elizabeth1 ,queen3 and ,masons1 #abc note ,emerson1 ,r4,w43 #ci1 #eg ,euclid3 mentioned in ,regius ,,ms1 #aje2 in ,cooke ,,ms1 #ajg ,evans3 on sacred stones1 #i ,exposures of ,masonry1 #baj ,faerie ,queene3 quoted1 #aee ,faith3 ,drama of1 #ci2 philosophy of1 #bgj ,fellowcraft3 points of1 #abh2 rank of1 #aca2 degree of1 #adf ,fichte3 a ,mason1 #bcb ,findel3 list of cartoons1 #ii note2 on ,apprentice degree1 #ade ,francis of ,assist3 quoted1 #agc ,franklin1 ,b43 on ,masonic grips1 #bjj2 ,masonic items in his paper1 #bjg2 ,grand ,master of ,pennsylvania1 #bjg2 his ,autobiography1 #bjg note ,frederick the ,great3 and ,masonry1 #bje note ,free-masons3 #hg2 why called free1 #hh2 ,fergusson on1 #ij2 ,hallam on1 #if2 free in fact before name1 #ih2 great artists1 #ii2 cartoons of the church by1 #ii note2 early date of name1 #ajd note2 not ,guild-masons1 #aah2 contrasted with ,guild-masons1 #aai2 organization of1 #acf2 degrees among1 #adb-d ,friendship3 ,masonry defined as1 #bdj2 genius of ,masonry1 #bhd2 in ,masonic literature1 #bhe2 the ideal of ,masonry1 #bhh2 as a method of work1 #bia ,fergusson1 ,james3 #ij2 on temple of ,solomon1 #aia ,g3 the letter1 #aei ,garibaldi3 #bcj ,geometry3 in ,old ,charges1 #ajh2 ,pythagoras on1 #aed2 and religion1 #aed note2 mystical meaning of1 #aei ,gladden1 ,washington3 quoted1 #bhe ,gloves3 use and meaning of1 #acg note ,god3 ideas of1 #bb2 the ,builder1 #bi2 invocations to in old ,,mss1 #ajh1 note2 ,fatherhood of1 #acd2 the ,great ,logician1 #aeg2 unity of1 #agf note1 #bfd2 foundation of ,masonry1 #bfa2 the corner stone1 #bfb2 ,masonry does not limit1 #bfc2 wonder of1 #bfg2 kinship of man with1 #bgj2 friendship for1 #bhd ,goethe3 #bcb ,golden ,rule3 law of ,master ,mason1 #acc2 creed of1 #bef ,gormogons3 order of1 parody on ,masonry1 #bji2 swallows itself1 #baa ,gothic architecture3 #abj2 decline of1 #ahe ,gould1 ,r4,f43 on ,regius ,,ms1 #ajf2 on ,york ,assembly1 #aaf note2 on early speculative ,masonry1 #afj ,grand ,lodge of all ,england1 #bah ,grand ,lodge of ,england3 #agc2 meaning of organization1 #agd2 background of1 #agf2 its attitude toward religion1 #agg2 organization of1 #ahj2 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in ,regius ,,ms1 #ajf2 growth of1 #abc2 meaning of1 #add note2 ,lodges of1 #adh2 before #agag1 #afg ,spenser1 ,edmund3 ,masonic symbols in1 #aee ,square3 discovery of1 #aj2 in ,pyramids1 #ac2 eloquence of1 #bf2 emblem of truth1 #bh2 in ,china1 #cj2 in obelisk1 #cc2 throne of ,osiris1 #df2 square men1 #aee2 an ancient one1 #aei2 of justice1 #bge ,staffordshire2 ,natural ,history of1 quoted3 #aff ,steinmetzen1 of ,germany3 #aah note2 degree of1 #ade ,stones3 sanctity of1 #bh ,stuckely3 ,diary of1 #bjc ,swastika3 antiquity of1 #bc2 meaning of1 #bd2 sign of ,operative ,masons1 #bja note ,symbolism3 ,carlyle on1 #d2 early ,masonic1 #aa2 ,pike on1 #ah2 richness of1 #bj2 unity of1 #ba2 ,mencius on1 #cj2 in ,bible1 #ca2 of ,collegia1 #ic2 of ,comacines1 #ij2 in ,masonry1 #adc2 of numbers1 #aed2 in language1 #aee2 in ,middle ,ages1 #aef2 preserved by ,masons1 #aei ,taylor1 ,jeremy3 #age note ,third ,degree3 legend of1 #adi2 confusion about1 #ahi2 purely ,masonic1 #aic2 ,pike on1 #aic2 not made but grew1 #aif2 and ,ancient ,mysteries1 #aif2 ,edwin ,booth on1 #aig2 and immortality1 #bgg ,tiler3 #ace2 origin of name1 #ach note ,tolstoi3 #bcb ,tools of ,masons3 #bf2 old meanings of1 #bi2 in ,bible1 #cb2 kit of1 #acb ,tradition3 of ,solomon1 #ge2 of ,masonry unique1 #abh2 of degrees1 #add ,triangle3 probable meaning of1 #ac note2 used by ,spenser1 #aee ,trinity3 idea of old1 #bb2 in ,egypt and ,india1 #bc2 not opposed to unity of ,god1 #bfd note ,unity3 of human mind1 #ba2 of truth1 #eh2 of ,god and ,masonry1 #agf note1 #bfd ,universal ,prayer3 quoted1 #bfc ,unsectarian3 the genius of ,masonry1 #bba1 #bej1 #beb1 #bec1 #beh ,waite1 ,a4,e43 #ch2 tribute to1 #fd2 on the quest1 #fe2 studies of1 #ff2 golden dustman1 #fg ,war3 and ,masonry1 #bbe2 ,civil1 #bbh1 #bbi note2 cause of1 #bhg2 end of1 #bjb ,warren1 ,joseph3 ardent ,mason1 #bbd ,washington1 ,george3 a ,mason1 #bbe2 sworn into office by ,mason1 #bbf ,watts1 ,g4,f43 #agd ,webster1 ,daniel3 on ,green ,tavern1 #bbd ,weed1 ,thurlow3 and ,masonry1 #bbg note2 dirty trickster1 #bbh ,wellington3 a ,mason1 #bcb ,wesley1 ,john3 #age ,wharton1 ,duke of3 traitor1 #bbd ,wiltshire1 ,natural ,history of3 quoted1 #aff ,wren1 ,christopher3 on columns1 #i2 and ,masonry1 #afg note2 not trained in a ,lodge1 #ahf ,york3 ,bishop of1 #aac2 ,assembly of1 #aag2 old ,grand ,lodge of1 #bjd2 ,mecca of ,masonry1 #bje2 revival of ,grand ,lodge of1 #bae2 no rite of1 #baf note ,zoroaster3 faith of1 #bb _/ 99 99 99 99 99 _/ ---------------------------------------- ---------------------- ,typographical errors corrected in text3 ,page #ia3 madiaeval replaced with mediaeval ,page #ih3 sybolism replaced with symbolism ,page #aji3 ,proceding replaced with ,proceeding ,page #afc3 ,andrea replaced with ,andreae page #agh3 neverthless replaced with nevertheless ,page #bba3 ,christion replaced with ,christian ,page #bbi3 rembered replaced with remembered ,page #bfc3 'more fascinating that its age-long' replaced with 'more fascinating than its age-long' ,page #bgc3 despostism replaced with despotism ,page #bgg3 parodox replaced with paradox ,page #cjg3 ,academie ,armory replaced with ,acadamie ,armory ,page #caj3 ,furgusson replaced with ,fergusson 7twice1 putting the index out of order7 ,page #cad3 ,muller replaced with ,mueller ---------------------------------------- ---------------------- _/