The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-05-24

the Middle Ages was one Of its marked
features, and exercised a mighty influence
on the people. City WED with city in the
building Of its catheurals and baron with
baron in building their castles When
size, durability and strength, were the
great requisites for protection, and as cv-
licences OE power, we at this date will not
be likely TO over-eStimate their importance.
Many Of them have bade defiance to the
rude assaults of some barbarOuS leader,
and his mighty host of followers, and have
witnessed scenes of prowess,- hereism and
daring that might quicker ."''" blood in
the struggle that is upon us. They have
for centuries withStOod the rude assaults
Of men, and the more insidious attacks of
time; and they still remain eNIwi0g wit
nesSes of past greatness, and monuments
Of skill.
These associations, whose specia} V0ca-
ton was the building of temples, cathe.
dralS, and theatres, had peculiar social
organization, which enabled them to pre-
serve for their own use and benefit, many
professional secrets, and furnished facil-
tiles for mutual defense, and assistance Of
great value, in the midst of rude and tur-
bulent communities.
These secrets, that were entirely pro-
lcSsiOnal, aud related TO their craft, Ma
sOnry of the present day says were trans
mitted to them from associations whose
origin dates back to the building Of King
Solomon's temple, or prior to l04i, b. C.,
These ancient associations were of Greek
origin, and were called the DionvSac
Fraternity So much for the more remote
origin. DR.. Henry, in his "lIi>tory " of
tiica( brnaftf, Ntn,es m, r6i,3%nrg aet<tSHtt
of their origin. which is more modern,
and although not 81 ancient, is the most
plausible, and in many respects presents
features similar to that which claims to
be Of Greek origin, and of greater antiqui-
ty. His record is as follows: "The ltal-
ians with some Greek refugees, and with
them French, German, and FlcmingS,
joined into fraternity Of architects, pro-
curing papal balls for their encouragement
and protection aud particular privileges.
They styled themselves Free MasonS, be-
cause of the franchises they cnj"ycd, and
ranged from city to city, and from one
lIhl'Oii w h'l'''ANit WV Nlh' NbOH
or castles to be built; their government
was regular, and where they fixed near
the building in hand, they made a camp
of hnts. y surveyor covered in chief; /;
every tenth man was called a Warden,
and overlooked each nine" In this man
ncr, and by Free Ma>nnS, were built the
magnificent convent Of Batalha, in Portu-
gal, about the beginning of the 10Th cen.
tury; the cathedral Of Strashourg, from
lol5 to l439 Of Cologne, founded in
l2iS and continued for several ccuturir>.
In Italy, they were known as Colleges OF
Architects; in France, as Free Corpora
lions and sometimes as Pontitcal Broth
cr> and in Eusland and Scotland, as
Free Ma>oa>, Il hainc they assumed in
consequence OF the exclusive privileges
which they cni yed as a corporation Of
builders. these associations in many in
stances were entirely exempt from AL To-
ca! and civil Jurisdictions ; acknowledged
the Pope alone a their direct chief, and
worked under his immediate authority as
his own niniat, rs. And thence it hap
pcncd that 80 many Ecclc>iastcs Of the
highest rank, as Abbots, Prclates aud
bishops. were found connected with this
society, giving Additional weight and re-
Spcctabiity on the order of Free MaSonS
by becoming mr,nber> themselves often
giving tine designs, and to a great extent
experimenting the building IF their
churches. In England, in the 10th H.
turv, the Free Ma>un> received the special
protection Of Kin. Athelstaue, who grant
eti-thrfn charter to bold their annua. as
>cmblics as Il corporate body. They met
at the city of York in 926. They pene-
tratyd into Scotland about the beginning
Of the 18th century, and among other ed.
iIiccS erected the abbey Of kiIwinning,
which afterwards became the cradle of
Free Masonry in Scotland. In the 18th
century We find that the same body Of
architects were at work in Germany; and
there is a record of convention held by
them in 1915, in the city of Stra>bourg,
at which time, in imitation of their English
brethren they assumed the name OF Free
MaSonS, and took the obligations OF fidelity
to the laws and regulations Of that society.
The origin Of Free Masonry, then,
whether we date it back to the DiOny>ian
period, or accept the more modern date,
was purely operative and artistic.
How much architecture Is indebted to
these corporations for it's rapid advance
and grand attainments, none may Know.
nor can history award to them their full
need of praise But this we do know ::
that Free Masonry has ever been aSSocia-
ted with the noble work of architecture,
beautilying, adorning and giving grace to
those buildings that belong to Il whole
people. that are their boast and PRIDE
Strong arms and cunning hands reared
those cd.liccS that remain rs monuments
Of. their skill and patience, and that com
mend themselves to Us for our admiration.
In the course Of time, the operative
character Of the association b"ga0 to be
less prominent, and the speculative to as
sumo prominence which eventually re-
suited in a total disseverance of the two.
At what precise period we are to date the
commencement of this predOminance Of
the speculative over the operative element
it is impossible to say. The change was
undoubtedly gradual, and is in all proba-
bilty to be attributed to the increased
number of learned men, not practical
builders, who were admitted into the ranks
Of the fraternity. The charter Of Cologne
u curious Masonic document, purp0rting
to date from the year 1885, speaks of learn
ed and enlightened men as constituting a
part of the Society long before the 10th
century; but by many Masons the authen-
ITCHY of this document is questioned; but
it IS well known that from its earliest his
tory, whether we date it back to its early
Greek origin 1850 years b. g. or give it a
more modern date, that as an association
it has ever been connected with religion,
and during the period ofits operative char
acter, its temples, churches, and cathe
drals are its noblest monuments and the
priesthood of the various forms of religion
its prominent men. ThisHccounts for its
semi,relisious character wherever found.
In order to get complete outside view,
1t was necessary to so back to its origin,
and see on what its foundation rested; we
shall the better be able to understand the
changes that have occurred. Before clo-