The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1866-12-21
Selrtted Mistrllaug.
FrenasOnry,

In laying the cornerstone oil a new Ma
sonic Hall, in Baltimore, few weeks ago
JOHN II. B. LATRoBE delivered the address
from which we extract'ihe following:
In the year 926 of the Christian era
Athelstan, King of England, confirmed the
constitution of the Society of Architects
then engaged in tho erection of churches
palaces aud castles. This charter, it is said
is still preserved in York. II is in the An.
glo-Saxon language, and besides furnishing
a date that may be relied on, is extremely
interesting as showing the close connection
between the laws governing the society
and those laid down in Corpus juris Ro
mani for the ColIegia fdbroI uDs, 1t informs
us also, Ia alengthy preamble, of the ira
ditions then extant touching the origin OF
the craft proving, satisfactorily, that there
were enthusiasts in this respect nine hun
dred years ago as well as at the present
day.
The society thus chartered by Athelstan
was but one of many scattered over Europe.
In the year $50 they were at work at the
Cathedral of Cologne. They were building
the minister of Strasbonrg in l0l5. In 1877
they were engaged at Kirkwall, in the 0rk.
neys. Canterbury Cathedral was built by
them under the direction of Lanfranc in l1T9
They reared Glasgow Cathedral in 1910 In
1865 they were still at work at Cologne
In l400 they were employed at the convent
of Bataah, in Portugal, aud century after
century they abored in their vocation, in
organized societies, down 10 the year of
l7l8. Sir Christopher Wren was then the
Grand Master of the order of England
while the present Church of ST. Paul's was
rising slowly from the ruins of the great
edffice which the great fire in London had
destroyed.
In the 18th century the meetings of the
Freemasons were sanctioned and patrOnizsd
wherever the Roman Catholic religion was
taught. The Church of Rome was then the
conservation of learning nor was il strange
that il fvstered shose who reared the spen-
did piles in which it was enthroned.
In the third year'oi Henry vi an act Of
Parliament of England attempted to sup.
press the Masons but soon afterward the
Archbishop of Canterbury patronized a
lodge, and the King attended As brother.
Henry VII was Grand Master of the order.
Ceasing to be confined to architects and
practical Masons, the institution received
into lis lodges men of all occupations and
ranks of life, if found worthy otherwise.
With loyalty for an example, the mobiles Of
England aud Scotland were not slow in
joining the Society of Free and Accepted Ma
SONS and among the Grand Master are to
be found some Of the most disting guished
names of the two Kingdoms.
II is not our purpose TO detail the prog
ress of Masonry during the years of which
authentic records have come down to us
Much has been written npoE the subject
II would be impossible to bring IL all within
the scope Of an address like tue present
AS a practical institution our order may
be said to have eliminated IN England aud
on the continent of Europe during the cree
tion Of the grand old catbedrals referred to
II remained at it's zenith for centuries. OI
the lights glinmering here and there In the
Dark Ages, architecture was among the
brightest, when Mohamedanism itself catch
ing their rays, reflected thom on the Mosque
Of Cordoya aud the AlhAmbra Of Granada
Even in'ihe present blaze of art and science
there are few structures that do not pale
before the light still beamiRg from the
! Church Of 81. 0uen, the Cathedral Of Fri