ONE VERSION OF FREEMASONRY
After the Norman conquest, England was invaded by a perfect army of
ecclesiastics; and churches, monasteries, cathedrals and abbeys were commenced
in every part of the country. Where these buildings were being erected in towns
the work could be undertaken by the local guild, but when they were far from the
populous places a difficulty as experienced in procuring sufficient skilled
labor. To meet this, it is supposed that many experienced members of the guilds
were induced to sever their connection with the local body and accept service
under the new ecclesiastical authority, thus becoming free from the restrictions
and limitations to which they had previously bee subject, and henceforth being
designated Freemasons.
The church building Freemasons, being a national organization whose members
travelled throughout the length and breadth of the land, wherever employment was
obtainable, ofttimes found it impracticable to refer to their late employers for
their character and qualifications. Hence arose the necessity for sign, token
and word, with which our ancient brethren went to and fro. Whence came this
sign, token and word? We do not know. We read of an assembly at York, 926 A.D.,
of which, however, no record remains. But there must have been a meeting held
somewhere, at which regulations were adopted, which served to bind the
brotherhood together for many generations (John A. Thorp, P.A. Gr. D.E.,
England).
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