FREEMASONRY AS IT WAS AND AS IT SHOULD BE FOR
ALL TIME
by R. F. Elring
The American Freemason - January 1912
What is now known as the Fraternity of Free and Accepted
Masons, prior to the organization of a Grand Lodge in 1717,
was governed by Constitutions, Charges, and Regulations of
ancient date, and a condensed history of the organization,
from authentic sources, may interest brethren of the present
generation. In Connection with Preston's Illustrations of
Masonry, an old author states as follows:
"To understand this matter more clearly, it may be necessary
to advert to the original institution of that assembly called a
General or Grand Lodge. It was not then restricted, as it is
now understood to be, to the Masters and Wardens of
private Lodges, with the Grand Master and his Wardens at
their head; it consisted of as many of the Fraternity at large,
as, being within a convenient distance, could attend, once or
twice in a year, under the auspices of one general head, who
was elected and installed at one of these meetings; and
who, for the time being, received homage as the sole
governor of the whole body. The idea of confining the
privileges of Masonry, by a warrant of constitution, to certain
individuals convened on certain days at certain places, had
then no existence. There was but one family among Masons,
and every Mason was a branch of that family. It is true, the
privileges of the different degrees of the Order always
centered in certain members of the Fraternity; who,
according to their advancement in the art, were authorized
by the ancient charges to assemble in, hold, and rule
Lodges, at their will and discretion, in such places as best
suited their convenience, and when so assembled, to
receive pupils and deliver instructions in the Art; but all the
tribute from these individuals, separately and collectively,
rested ultimately in the General Assembly, to which all the
Fraternity might repair, and to whose award all were bound
to pay submission."
The above is an outline of conditions as they existed before
the formation of a Grand Lodge. Preston, in his Illustrations
of Masonry, gives the following history of the organization of
the first Grand Lodge composed of Masters and Wardens of
Lodges. He states;
"On the accession of George I, the Masons in London and its
environs, finding themselves deprived of Sir Christopher
Wren, and their annual meetings discontinued, resolved to
cement themselves under a new Grand Master, and to
revive the communications and annual festivals of the
Society. With this view, the Lodges at the Goose and
Gridiron, in St. Paul's Church-yard, the Crown, in Parker's-
lane, near Drury-lane, the AppleTree Tavern, in Charles-
street, Covent-Garden, and the Rummer and Grapes
Tavern, in Channel-row, Westminter, (the only four Lodges
in being in the South of England at that time,) with some
other old Brethren, met at the Apple-Tree Tavern, above
mentioned, in February, 1717; and, having voted the oldest
Master-mason then present into the chair, constituted
themselves a Grand Lodge, PRO TEMPORE, in due form.
At this meeting it was resolved to revive the Quarterly
Communications of the Fraternity, and to hold the next
annual assembly and feast on the 24th of June, at the
Goose and Gridiron, in St. PauI's Church-yard (in
compliment to the oldest Lodge, which then met there,) for
the purpose of electing a Grand Master among themselves,
till they should have the honor of a noble brother at their
head. Accordingly, on St. John the Baptist's day, 1717, in the
third year of the reign of King George I, the assembly and
feast were held at the said house; when the oldest Master-
mason, and the Master of a Lodge, having taken the chair, a
list of proper candidates for the office of Grand Master was
produced; and the names being separately proposed, the
Brethren, by a majority of hands, elected Mr. Anthony Sayer
Grand Master of Masons for the ensuing year, who was
forwith invested by the oldest Master, installed by the Master
of the oldest Lodge, and duly congratulated by the assembly,
who paid him homage. The Grand Master then entered on
the duties of his office, appointed his Wardens, and
commanded the Brethren of the four Lodges to meet him
and his Wardens quarterly in communication; enjoining
them, at the same time, to recommend to all the Fraternity a
punctual attendance on the next annual assembly and feast.
"Amongst a variety of regulations which were proposed and
agreed to at this meeting, was the following: That the
privilege of assembling as Masons, which had been hitherto
unlimited, should be vested in certain Lodges or Assemblies
of Masons convened in certain places; and that every Lodge
to be hereafter convened, except the four old Lodges at this
time existing, should be legally authorized to act by a
warrant from the Grand Master for the time being, granted to
certain individuals by petition, with the consent and
approbation of the Grand Lodge in communication; and that
without such warrant no Lodge should be hereafter deemed
regular or constitutional.' In consequence of this regulation,
several new Lodges were soon after convened in different
parts of London and its environs, and the Master and
Wardens of these Lodges were commanded to attend the
meetings of the Grand Lodge, make a regular report of their
proceedings, and transmit to the Grand Master, from time to
time, a copy of any by-laws they might form for their own
government; that no law established among them might be
contrary to, or subversive of, the general regulations, by
which the Fraternity had been long governed, and which had
been sanctioned by the four Lodges when convened as a
Grand Lodge in 1717.
"In compliment to the Brethren of the four old Lodges, by
whom the Grand Lodge was first formed, it was resolved,
'That every privilege which they collectively enjoyed by virtue
of their immemorial rights, they should still continue to enjoy;
and that no law, rule or regulation, to be hereafter made or
passed in the Grand Lodge, should ever deprive them of
such privilege, or encroach on any landmark which was at
that time established as the standard of masonic
government.' This resolution being confirmed, the old
Masons in the Metropolis, agreeably to the resolutions of the
Brethren at large, vested all their inherent privileges, as
individuals, in the four old Lodges, in trust that they would
never suffer the old charges and ancient landmarks to be
infringed. The four old Lodges then agreed to extend their
patronage to every Lodge which should hereafter be
constituted by the Grand Lodge, according to the new
regulations of the Society, and while such Lodges acted in
conformity to the ancient Constitutions of the Order, to admit
their Masters and Wardens and to share with them all the
privileges of the Grand Lodge, excepting precedence of
rank.
"Matters being thus amicably adjusted, the Brethren of the
four old Lodges considered their attendance on the future
Communications of the Society as unnecessary; and
therefore, like the other Lodges, trusted implicitly to their
Masters and Wardens, resting satisfied, that no measure of
importance would be adopted without their approbation. The
officers of the old Lodges, however, soon began to discover,
that the new Lodges, being equally represented with them at
the Communications, might, in process of time, so far
outnumber the old ones, as to have it in their power, by a
majority, to encroach on, or even subvert, the privileges of
the original Masons of England, which had been centered in
the four old Lodges, with the concurrence of the Brethren at
large, therefore, they very wisely formed a code of laws for
the future government of the Society; to which was annexed
a conditional clause, which the Grand Master for the time
being, his successors, and the Master of every Lodge to be
hereafter constituted, were bound to preserve inviolate in all
time coming.
"The additional clause runs thus: 'Every annual Grand Lodge
has an inherent power and authority to make new
regulations, or to alter these, for the real benefit of this
ancient Fraternity; provided always, THAT THE OLD
LANDMARKS BE CAREFULLY PRESERVED; and that
such alterations and new regulations be proposed and
agreed to at the third quarterly communication preceding the
annual grand feast; and that, they be offered also to the
perusal of all the Brethren before dinner in writing, even of
the youngest apprentice; the approbation and consent of the
majority of all the Brethren present being absolutely
necessary to make the same binding and obligatory.'
"To commemorate this circumstance, it has been customary,
since that time, for the Master of the oldest Lodge to attend
every Grand Installation; and taking precedence of all
present, the Grand Master only excepted, to deliver the book
of the original Constitutions to the newly installed Grand
Master, on his engaging to support the ancient charges and
general regulations.
"By this prudent precaution of our ancient Brethren, the
original Constitutions were established as the basis of all
future Masonic jurisdiction in the south of England; and the
ancient landmarks, as they are emphatically styled, or the
boundaries set up as checks to innovation, were carefully
secured against the attacks of future invaders. The four old
Lodges, in consequence of the above fact, in which they
considered themselves as a distinct party, continued to act
by their original authority; and, so far from surrendering any
of their rights, had them frequently ratified and confirmed by
the whole Fraternity in Grand Lodge assembled, who always
acknowledged their independent and immemorial power to
practise the rights of Masonry. No regulation of the Society
which might hereafter take place could, therefore, operate
with respect to those Lodges, if such regulations were
contrary to, or subversive of, the original Constitutions, by
which only they were governed; and while their proceedings
were conformable to those Constitutions, no power known in
Masonry could legally deprive them of any right or privilege
which they had ever enjoyed.
"The necessity of fixing the original Constitutions, as the
standard by which all future laws in the Society are to be
regulated, was so clearly understood and defined by the
whole Fraternity at this time that it was established as an
unerring rule, at every installation, public or private, for many
years afterwards, to make the Grand Master, and the
Masters and Wardens of every Lodge, engage to support the
original Constitutions; to the observance of which, also,
every Mason was bound at his initiation. Whoever
acknowledge the universality of Masonry to be its highest
glory, must admit the propriety of this conduct; for were no
standard fixed for the government of the Society, Masonry
might be exposed to perpetual variations, which would
effectually destroy all the good effects that have hitherto
resulted from its universality and extended program."
The foregoing is a clear account of the organization of the
first Grand Lodge to govern the Fraternity of Free and
Accepted Masons, and those who organized it stipulated,
before giving consent, that certain laws then in use, and
others enacted by them, should govern in the Society for all
time. Every Masonic body in the world owes its existence to
this parent Grand Lodge, and became a party to these laws.
Relative to the formation of new Lodges, and after adopting
certain laws "The four old Lodges then agreed to extend
their patronage to every Lodge which should hereafter be
constituted by the Grand Lodge, according to the new
regulations of the Society." To provide absolute safety
against innovation, they added an additional clause to the
laws, stated how alterations or additions could be made, for
what purpose, and with this proviso: "Provided always, THAT
THE OLD LANDMARKS BE CAREFULLY PRESERVED,"
and that any changes or additions made should be "for the
real benefit of this ancient Fraternity." These laws "the Grand
Master for the time being, his successors, and the Master of
every Lodge to be hereafter constituted, were bound to
preserve inviolate in all time coming."
In view of the above, American Masons have a solemn duty
to perform. What is the status of our American Lodges and
Grand Lodges which have violated the solemn pledges
exacted by our ancient Brethren? A very superficial
investigation will reveal the fact that they have made
innovations in the body of Masonry, and have departed from
the original plan. Are such Lodges or Grand Lodges regular?
This question is pertinent to every regular Master Mason,
and it is for each one to decide in accordance with Masonic
law. Clauses in the Installation Service cover the ground and
we quote: "You agree (all Masons) to hold in veneration the
original rulers and patrons of the Order of Masonry, and their
regular successors, supreme and subordinate, according to
their stations; and to submit to the award and resolutions of
your brethren in general chapter convened, in every case
consistent with the constitutions of the Order," and also:
"You admit that it is not in the power of any man, or body of
men, to make innovation in the body of Masonry," yet some
of our Grand Lodges have made innovation in the body of
Masonry, and have broken the ancient landmarks.
About twenty years after the formation of the first Grand
Lodge, trouble occurred which resulted in the formation of an
opposition Grand Lodge in England. One of the four old
original Lodges changed its name to the Lodge of Antiquity,
and it assisted in organizing the new Grand Lodge, claiming
the right to do so by virtue of immemorial rights. Preston, in
his Illustrations of Masonry gives the following:
"To understand more clearly the nature of that constitution
by which the Lodge of Antiquity is upheld, we must have
recourse to the usages and customs which prevailed among
Masons at the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th
century. The Fraternity then had a discretionary power to
meet as Masons, in certain numbers, according to their
degrees, with the approbation of the master of the work
where any public building was carrying on, as often as they
found it necessary so to do; and when so met, to receive into
the Order brothers and fellows, and practise the rights of
Masonry. The idea of investing Masters and Wardens of
Lodges in Grand Lodge assembled, or the Grand Master
himself, with a power to grant warrants of constitution to
certain Brethren to meet as Masons at certain houses, on
the observance of certain conditions, had then no existence.
The Fraternity were under no such restrictions. The Ancient
Charges were the only standard for the regulation of
conduct, and no law was known in the Society which those
charges did not inculcate. To the award of the Fraternity at
large, in general meeting assembled once or twice in a year,
all Brethren were subject, and the authority of the Grand
Master never extended beyond the bounds of that general
meeting. Every private assembly, or Lodge, was under the
direction of its particular Master, chosen for the occasion,
whose authority terminated with the meeting."
We are informed that present Grand Masters enjoy all the
rights and prerogatives which pertained to the ancient office,
and the question is: What were those ancient rights and
prerogatives? Preston informs us that "the authority of the
Grand Master never extended beyond the bounds of that
general meeting," or, in other words, the Grand Master was
shorn of all power when the meeting closed. If this is true,
and we know of no reason to doubt it, there is great need for
reformation in the United States. Some of our Grand Masters
act as if clothed with unlimited power conferred upon them
by some unwritten law. There are no legitimate laws in
Masonry except those in conformity with the ancient
Constitutions and the obligations of the several degrees.
They are all either written or unwritten, and are accessible to
every Master Mason Lodges organize Grand Lodges by their
representatives. Grand Lodges elect Grand Masters and
Grand Masters possess no authority outside of that
contained in the ancient laws.
A Grand Master of Masons has no lawful power to issue an
Edict for the purpose of enforcing his own will and pleasure.
Such has been done in support of alien Rites, and brethren
have obeyed, believing that Lodges and Grand Lodges
would repudiate unlawful Edicts, yet such Edicts have been
confirmed by legislation, and Masons have no legal Masonic
right to support them. Edicts are for the purpose of
promulgating particular laws of great importance to the Craft,
which have been legally enacted by a Grand Lodge. The
time has arrived for our Lodges to exercise their inalienable
right of instructing their representatives to repeal all laws,
rules, and regulations, not in accordance with ancient usage,
and to direct that all proposed law for the government of the
Craft shall be submitted to them for approval or disapproval.
We are informed by other reliable authority that soon after
the reorganization of 1717, the Grand Lodge of England
ordered the ancient constitutions and charges of the Order to
be compiled and printed, which was done by Dr. Anderson.
This volume, known as "Anderson's Constitutions," was
published in 1723, and was the first printed book upon
Freemasonry ever issued.
In connection with this Book of Constitutions, Dr. Anderson
assisted by Dr. Desaguliers, arranged the "lectures," for the
first time, into the form of question and answer. So favorably
were these improved "lectures" received, that the Grand
Lodge of England adopted the form, and ordered them to be
given in all the Lodges. Thus was compiled and
disseminated, the first regular form, or system of Masonic
"lectures."
The progress of the Order was unprecedented, and in a few
years the imperfections of Dr. Anderson's lectures called for
a revision. This revision was accomplished in 1732, by
Martin Clare, an eminent Mason, who was afterward Deputy
Grand Master.
A few years later, Thomas Dunckerly, an accomplished
scholar, and who was considered the most intelligent
Freemason of his day, considerably extended and improved
the lectures.
The lectures of Dunckerly continued to be the standard in
England until 1762, when the Rev. William Hutchinson
revised and improved them. Hutchinson's lectures gave
place, in 1772, to the revision of William Preston. He not only
revised, but extended the lectures, and his system continued
to be the standard in England until the "Union" of the two
Grand Lodges, Ancient and Modern, in 1813, when a
committee, of which Dr. Hemming was chairman, compiled
the form now generally used in the English Lodges, and
known as the Hemming Lectures, but it never met cordial
approval, even of the English brethren, and contains so
many incongruities and departures from the more simple
lectures of Preston, that it can never be recognized as a
universal system.
The verbal ritual of Preston was introduced into the United
States by two English brethren, who had been members of
one of the principal Lodges of Instruction in London, and was
by them communicated to Thomas Smith Webb, an
accomplished and distinguished Mason of New England.
According to the testimony of Webb himself, he made but
little change in the system of Preston. In the first edition of
his Freemason's Monitor, published in 1797, he said:
The observations upon the first three degrees, are principally
taken from 'Preston's Illustrations of Masonry,' with some
necessary alterations, Mr. Preston's distribution of the first
lecture into six, the second into four, and the third into twelve
sections, not being agreeable to the present mode of
working, they are arranged in this work according to the
general practice.
It is plain that Webb followed Preston closely, and
comparison will show that Cross, and after him, all the rest,
have copied nearly verbatim from Webb, so that the exoteric
portions of the ritual, as contained in our Monitors, Charts,
etc., are but little more than reprints of Preston's Illustrations
of Masonry.
From the above it will be understood that the Preston-Webb
work is the standard work in the United States, and we quote
the Installation Service as prepared by William Preston:
When installing the Master of a Lodge the Grand Master
asks his Deputy if he has examined the Master elect and
finds him well skilled in the noble science and royal Art? The
Deputy having answered in the affirmative, then, by order of
the Grand Master, presents the candidate, saying: "Most
Worshipful Grand Master, I present my worthy brother, A.B.,
to be installed Master of the Lodge. I find him to be of good
morals, of great skill, true and trusty, and a lover of the
whole Fraternity, wheresoever dispersed over the surface of
the earth; I doubt not, therefore, that he will discharge the
duties of the office with fidelity.
The Grand Master then orders a summary of the Ancient
Charges to be read by the Grand Secretary to the Master
elect.
A note reads as follows: As the curious reader may wish to
know the Ancient Charges that were used on this occasion,
we shall here insert them, veabatim, as they are contained in
a MS. in the possession of the Lodge of Antiquity in London,
written in the reign of James the Second." The Ancient
Charges follow, and the questions, based upon them, which
a Master elect is required to answer in the affirmative, are as
follows:
I. You agree to be a good man and true, and strictly to obey
the moral law.
II. You agree to be a peaceable subject, and cheerfully to
conform to the laws of the country in which you reside.
III. You promise not to be concerned in plots or conspiracies
against government, but patiently to submit to the decisions
of the supreme legislature.
IV. You agree to pay proper respect to the civil magistrate, to
work diligently, live creditably, and act honorably by all men.
V. You agree to hold in veneration the original rulers and
patrons of the Order of Masonry, and their regular
successors, supreme and subordinate, according to their
stations; and to submit to the award and resolutions of your
brethren in general chapter convened, in every case
consistent with the constitutions of the Order.
VI. You agree to avoid private piques and quarrels and to
guard against intemperance and excess.
VII. You agree to be cautious in your carriage and behaviour,
courteous to your brethren, and faithful to the Lodge.
VIII. You promise to respect genuine brethren, and to
discountenance impostors, and all dissenters from the
original plan of the institution.
IX. You agree to promote the general good of society, to
cultivate the social virtues, and to propagate the knowledge
of the Art of Masonry, as far as your influence and ability can
extend.
On the Master elect signifying his assent to these charges,
the Secretary proceeds to read the following Regulations;
1. You admit that it is not in the power of any man, or body of
men, to make innovation in the body of Masonry.
II. You promise to pay homage to the Grand Master for the
time being, and to his officers, when duly installed; and
strictly to conform to every edict of the Grand Lodge, or
General Assembly of Masons, that is not subversive of the
principles and ground-work of Masonry.
III. You promise regularly to attend the committees and
communications of the Grand Lodge, on receiving proper
notice; and to pay obedience to the duties of the Order on all
convenient occasions.
IV. You admit that no Lodge can be formed without
permission of the Grand Master or his Deputy; nor any
countenance given to any irregular Lodge, or to any person
clandestinely initiated therein.
V. You admit that no person can be initiated into Masonry in,
or admitted member of, the regular Lodge, without previous
notice, and due inquiry into his character.
VI. You agree that no visitors shall be received into the
Lodge without passing under due examination, and
producing proper vouchers of a regular initiation.
These are the Regulations of the Grand Lodge of Free and
Accepted Masons.
The Grand Master then addresses the Master elect in the
following manner: Do you submit to those Charges, and
promise to support those Regulations as Masters have done
in all ages before you?
Having signified his cordial submission, the Grand Master
thus salutes him: Brother, A. B., in consequence of your
cheerful conformity to the Charges and Regulations of the
Order, I approve of you as Master of the Lodge; not doubting
of your care, skill, and capacity.
The above Charges and Regulations, in substance, are
binding upon every member of the Fraternity, no matter
where located, and no Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted
Masons, or Grand Master thereof, can lawfully violate them.
If Masons will read the Constitution of 926, the Ancient
Charges and Regulations of later date, the Anderson
Constitutions and General Regulations adopted by the
Grand Lodge of England, bearing in mind, while doing so,
the various points covered in the obligations of the three
degrees of Masonry, they will learn that the Anderson
Constitutions, the General Regulations, and their obligations,
cover all the important points contained in the ancient laws
of the Craft, yet some Masons appear to lack the veneration
and homage due to the ancient laws and customs of the
Fraternity.
In these days of modern rush and impatience, when the
portals of Masonry are opened wide for the reception of
candidates, and when quantity rather than quality appears to
be the ruling desire in some sections, it may benefit us all to
examine more closely into the teachings of Masonry.
Probably few brethren have opportunity to read the Ancient
Constitutions, Charges, etc., and the great majority may not
be aware that much of what is written or printed is contrary
to Masonic law. In Masonic controversy, especially relative
to the Scottish Rite, it is not uncommon to notice the use of
vilification and slander, coupled with falsehood, and we
quote from the old laws, which are binding upon all Masons,
as laid down in "Lockwood's Masonic Law and Practice."
"The old York Constitutions of 926," define the duties of a
Mason as follows: "A Mason shall not be obliged to work
after the sun has set in. the west. Nor shall he decry the
work of a brother or fellow, but shall deal honestly and truly
by him, under a penalty of not less than ten pounds. No man
shall be false to the Craft, or entertain a prejudice against his
Master or Fellows. He shall be true to his Master, and a just
mediator in all disputes or quarrels. If a Mason live amiss, or
slander his brother, so as to bring the Craft to shame, he
shall have no further maintenance among the brethren, but
shall be summoned to the next Grand Lodge; and if he
refuse to appear, he shall be expelled."
"The Constitutions of Edward III. - 1327-1377," says: "That
for the future, at the making or admission of a brother, the
constitutions and the charges shall be read." Referring to
Lodges, they say: "That at such congregations it shall be
required, whether any Master or Fellow has broke any of the
articles agreed to. And if the offender, being duly cited to
appear, prove rebel, and will not attend, then the Lodge shall
determine against him that he shall forswear (or renounce)
his Masonry, and shall no more use this Craft," etc.
"The Regulations of 1863" show; "That no person hereafter
who shall be accepted a Freemason shall be admitted into
any Lodge or assembly, until he has brought a certificate of
the time and place of his acceptance from the Lodge that
accepted him," etc.
"The Ancient Installation Charges of James II. - 1685-'88," 9
say: "Ye shall be true to one another, that is to say, every
Mason of the Craft that is Mason allowed, ye shall do to him
as ye would be done unto yourself. .'. .'. .'. .'. .'. Ye shall call
all Masons your fellows, or your brethren, and no other
name. Ye shall not take your Fellow's wife in villainy, nor
deflower his daughter or servant, nor put him to disworship."
"The Ancient Charges at Makings" say: "And that none shall
slander another behind his back to make him lose his good
name. That no Fellow in the house or abroad answer
another ungodly or reprovably without a cause. That every
Mason receive and cherish strange Fellows, when they
come over the country," etc.
"The Charges of a Freemason," recognized by all regular
Masons, compiled by Dr. Anderson, and "To be read at the
making of New Brethren, or when the Master shall order it,"
say: "All preferment among Masons is grounded upon real
worth and personal merit only; that so the lords may be well
served, the brethren not put to shame, nor the Royal Craft
despised: Therefore no Master or Warden is chosen by
seniority, but for his merit. .'. .'. .'. .'. .'. The Craftsmen are to
avoid all ill language, and to call each other by no disobliging
name, but Brother or Fellow. .'. .'. .'. .'. .'. None shall discover
envy at the prosperity of a brother, nor supplant him, or put
him out of his work, if he be capable to finish the same. .'. .'.
.'. .'. .'. You are to salute one another in a courteous manner,
as you will be instructed, calling each other Brother .'. .'. .'. .'.
.'. You are to act as becomes a moral and wise man. .'. .'. .'.
.'. .'. You are cautiously to examine" (a strange Brother.) "But
if you discover him to be a true and genuine brother, you are
to respect him accordingly; and if he is in want, you must
relieve him, if you can, or else direct him how he may be
relieved. .'. .'. .'. .'. .'. Finally. All these Charges you are to
observe, also those that shall be communicated to you in
another way; cultivating Brotherly Love, the foundation and
cape-stone, the cement and glory of this ancient Fraternity,
avoiding all wrangling and quarreling, all slander and
backbiting, nor permitting others to slander any honest
brother, but defending his character, and doing him all good
offices, as far as is consistent with your honor and safety,"
etc.
The Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons is composed of
three degrees. There is no other Masonry, and no Grand
Lodge has lawful authority to recognize the Scottish Rite, or
any other organizations, as Masonic. Mackey states in his
Encyclopedia: "A Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, for
instance, is not, and cannot be recognized as a masonic
body, by a Lodge of Master Masons. 'They hear them so to
be, but they do not know them so to be,' by any of the modes
of recognition known to masonry. "
"Masonic Jurisprudence and Symbolism as interpreted by
Grand Lodge decisions" in England, dated October, 1908,
shows: "Another point in connection with the lodge-room
needs attention. If there be but one Masonic Hall in town,
and many of the further degrees are worked, the walls are to
be found decorated with the handsomely-framed warrants of
Mark, Templars, Rose Croix, Royal Order of Scotland, etc.,
etc., along with the warrants, also framed, of all the Craft
Lodges working there. Masonic decency, as well as a sense
of the Masonic unities, would seem to suggest that all these
alien warrants should be taken down - at all events, whilst a
Craft Lodge is working - by virtue of the warrant of a Grand
Lodge, which has explicitly declined to recognize any of
them."
Under the heading "Extraneous Orders and Degrees" the
same authority shows: "June 1872. - It was alleged that
certain clerks in the Grand Secretary's office were in the
habit of transacting business in connection with the Ancient
and Accepted Rite, The following resolution was therefore
adopted by Grand Lodge: 'That, whilst this Grand Lodge
recognizes the private right of every brother to belong to any
extraneous Masonic organization he may choose, it as firmly
forbids, now and at any future time, all brethren, while
engaged as salaried officials under this Grand Lodge, to mix
themselves up in any way with such bodies as the Ancient
and Accepted Scottish Rite, the Rites of Mizraim and
Memphis, the spurious Orders of Rome and Constantine, the
schismatic body styling itself the Grand Mark Lodge of
England, or any other exterior Masonic organization
whatever, (even that of the Order of Knights Templar, which
is alone recognized by the Articles of Union,) under the pain
of immediate dismissal from employment by this Grand
Lodge.' This order still remains in force, but is practically
inoperative, owing to a more enlightened conception of the
exterior organizations referred to,"
Some American Grand Lodges have changed the wording of
the Tyler's oath for the purpose of preventing Master Masons
in good standing from visiting Lodges under their jurisdiction
if they are Scottish Rite Masons of some obedience not
recognized by them. The Tyler's oath as printed in the above
named authority on English Grand Lodge law is as follows:
I, A. B., do hereby and hereon solemnly and sincerely swear
that I have been regularly initiated, etc., in a just and
regularly constituted lodge of M. M., and that I do not stand
suspended or expelled, and know of no reason why I should
not hold Masonic communication with my brethren."
No Grand Lodge possesses lawful power to change the
above, and in regard to visitation, the same authority states:
"It should be understood clearly that, welcome or
unwelcome, every Freemason has an inalienable right to
visit any and every Lodge he pleases."
In legislating for the support and protection of certain
Scottish Rite bodies, some of our American Grand Lodges
even went so far as to enact retrospective laws, and to expel
Master Masons from all the rights and privileges of Masonry
in accordance with these retrospective laws. Relative to such
legislation Mackey, in his "Masonic Jurisprudence," states:
"The legislation of every Grand Lodge must be prospective,
and not retrospective in its action. To make an ex post facto
law, would be to violate the principles of justice which lie at
the very foundation of the system."
Mackey also states in his "Lexicon of Freemasonry" as
follows: "To attempt to alter or remove these sacred
landmarks, by which we examine and prove a brother's claim
to share in our privileges, is one of the most heinous
offences that a Mason can commit."
The following is quoted from the "Articles of Union between
the two Grand Lodges of England. In Grand Lodge, this first
day of December, A. D. 1813. Ratified and Confirmed, and
the Seal of the Grand Lodge affixed," .'. .'. .'. .'. .'.
"II. It is declared and pronounced, that pure Ancient,
Masonry consists of three degrees, and no more: Viz., those
of the Entered Apprentice, the Fellow Craft and the Master
Mason (including the Supreme Order of the Holy Royal
Arch.) But this article is not intended to prevent any Lodge or
Chapter from holding a meeting in any of the degrees of the
Order of Chivalry, according to the Constitutions of the said
Orders.
"Ill. There shall be the most perfect unity of obligation, of
discipline, of working the Lodges, of making, passing, and
raising, instructing and clothing brothers; so that but one
pure, unsullied system, according to the genuine landmarks,
laws, and traditions of the Craft, shall be maintained, upheld,
and practised, throughout the Masonic world, from the day
and date of the said Union until time shall be no more.
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