The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-29

the narro v limits OF IhaI period which commences
with the revival or, they prefer 10 car y, Tue
foundailOn Of the Grand Lodge OF England, ln she
beginning OF the eighteenth century others,
however. have oeen more liberal, and now, ~ y
general rule. their theory OF the origin 81 Masonry
has been accepted py the more lnteIlgens mem
pers OF the fraternity, while the f9nciiul aud
legendary s2ecnatloas ~ the Oh wllters are RI.u
lalN giving place 70 tue Wen supported sta ts
ments and the logical deductions OF the authentc
school By most OF the leaders OF this school ne
complex question OF the origin OF ~eenasonry =
being solved Ia the 10 lowing way
There existed IN Rome from the nrst days OF the
Kingdom, and all tn ough tue times or the republic
and OF the empire unIll IT'S anal decay certain
guilds or corporations OF workmen, whlcn are well
known in history as
THE ROMAN COLLEGES or AnTIFIcERs.
Mana, VINO Is SAID 10 have founded these gulns,
essaolshed only nine, but their number was SUI
sequently greatly increased. From TIE Roman
writers who have treated OF the form and organl-
zallon OF these colleges we learn enough 10 show
IA that there was great analogy IN their govern
ment TO that or tine moiern Masonic lodges, and
this especially IN their character as a secret
society ana IN the limitations and esoterlc lnstruc-
tons 70 which candidates Tor admission and the
younger members were subjected. or these guilds
the one 10 which Masons particularly Eeier Is
taas which consisted OF architects or build
ers The authentic school OF Masonry does
not claim, as the mythical most proc
colleges OF architects were lodges oil Freemasons.
1hey SIMPLY contend that the facts of history eX-
hiDlt regular and uninterrupted derivation OF
the Freenasonry OF TINS day from these Roman
guilds. although the course Of the succession was
affected py various important changes but these
changes have not been sufficient to altogether
Obllterate the evidence OF the relationship. rms
relationship Is thus indicated. From very early
period the Roman people we're distinguished OJ
an active spirit OF colonization. No sooner had
their victorious legions snodued the seml-Daroar.
Gus tribes oil Spain, OF Ganl, OF Ger many ana o.
Britain. than they began 10 establish colonies anu
10 build cities. 10 every legion when went iofth
10 conquer and TO cooniZe was attached guliu OF
college OF architects. whose members, taken from
the great body ut Rome, marched ana eacamped
with the legion ana wren eo.ony was - Rns1
civilization, 10 nculcate the principles oil Roman
art and TO erect temples for Worship aud houses
Tor the accommodation or tue inhabitants.
When in time the corrupted empire was threat
ened with extinction oy the INVASION OF lts North
ern enemies the egions were recalled 10 sustain
ana defeud the central power, but the guilds OF ar
chiteCts and builders most frequently renamed IN
the towns and cities which they mad assisted 10
erect and where they had acquired 4 citizenship
that taey had probably lost al home.
In the course OF Time the proud mistress OF tue
world became extinct "a "A power OF the earth, anu
the colonies which she had scattered over the Con-
tlnent became independent klngdoms and princi-
pantes. me descendants ot the Roman colleges
OF arr Ulcers established schools oil architecture
and taught and practsed the art OF building among
the newly eniranchlsed people principal seat
OF this body OF architects was ~ como, city 81
Lombardy, where scnool was iounded which ac-
CURED 50 much reputation tnat the masons anu
bricKayers OF that city received the Appreciation OF
Masters OF Como, ana architects Of all nations
hooked 20 the place 10 acquire the correct prlu
clples OF their Profession. from TINS school Of
Lombard builders proceeded tnat
SOCIETY OF ARCHITECTS
who were known at tnat time Dy tue appenauon
OF Freemasous. aud who nom the tenth 10 the six
teentn century trayerSed the Continent OF Europe
engaged almost exclusively in The construction "
religious edlnces, sucn Is caIhedrais, churches
and mOna-teIles Tie monastlc orders formed an
alliance WITH them, so that The converts ire
quently became tnelr dOlDlcile, anu tney instruc-
tea toe monks IN tue secret principles VI their art
The pOpes took them under tnelr protection anu
granted them charters vi monopoly as ecclesiasN-
cal architects ana invested them mlth manl I'M
pOytant and exclusive privileges. Discovering the
lies which bound them To the monks, these Free
iua-on- lso called 70 distinguish them from the
TOua Il masona who were OF an INFERIOR grade ami
not members OF the corporation subsequently es
tannsned lac guilds or stOnemasOns, which existed
until the end oi the seventeenth century in Ger
many. France, England and scotland.
These onrInasuns. or, a. they continue TO call
thenSelyes Freemasons had Que regularity IN
their ORGANIZATION when Is necessary 70 be con-
slaered II we would comprehend the relation mat
exists between taem and The treemasons OF the
present day. The society was necessarily an
operative one. whose members were actually en-
gagged IN the manual labot Of building. as well as
M the more intellectual occupation OF arcnIrec.
fural designing. RMS, with the fact Of their
preSlou. connection with the monks VINO prODa
by projected the plans which the MasonS carried
into execution, led 10 the ADMISSION among them
OF persons VINO we're rot operative Aasons. These
were high ecclesiastlcs, wealthy MOBILES and men
vi science VINO we're encouragers ana patrons Or
tue arr. These, not conpe ent 70 engage IN the
LABOR or bEllding. were supposed ~ cOnnne them
selves 70 pnllosopbiC speculatioEs on the prinCi
Piles or the Art and TO synbollLlng or spiritual
izlpg NJ, labors ana It's implements. Hence there
rs,nited i aiylsiou OF tae membership of tue
prothernood into Two classes, the prac Ideal aud
the theoreuc, or, as they are more commonly
rae OPERATIVE AND THE SPECULATIVE.
The operative Masons always held the ascen-
aancy ia numbers, but the speculative MasOns
excrted 1 greater influence ~ tneir higher cu.
ture their wealth aud their social position.
III time there came a total and permanent dis
severance on tue two elements. At what precise
period this event occurred We cannot say, but IL
wa. some where between the middle and the close
oi tue seventeenth century. Al the beginning Of
TIE efg nteentn century mere were several louges
IN England, bat Tor a long time there had been no
meetIng or general ASSEMBLY. in toe year l7l7
Freemss0ury was revived aud the Grand Lodge OF
England established ny TIE four lodges which
tnen exlsted IN London. This revival took place
OF non operative or speculative Masons
and the Institution has ever since pre-
estabnshed an over tue world-in Europe, America
AID A-Ia-by the Mother Grand Lodge at London
VINO. Tor tn4t purpose, issued provincial deputa-
lions or patents Of authority 20 introduce the
order into foreign countries. NO important
cnange mas taken place IN the organization Of Tue
association sInce that period. A soon Is a COM
petent number or lodges had been established in
any independents stare a grand lodge was at
once constitute 90; ana now IN every Kingdom of
Europe with TWO exceptions, in every state OF the
American Union, Ia the DOMINION OF Canada ana
0tner British PROVINCES, and In eacn OF the south
American republics tnere - a grand lodge ex-
erclsing sovereign Masonic power, while IA some
Co onies Wnich have not attained political mae
vested with slightly INFERIOR prerogatlyes
rms brief sKeich q The origin and progress OF
REVIEW or rs DESIGN.
It's evident from wnat mas been said that che
F.eem asonry 81 Tue present day - phllosOphlC
or speculative science, derived rom ana issuing
out OF an operative art. va denomlnating lt
science, we should be more precise we're we TO
say mat Ia T. science Of symbolism. inns science
of symbolism. once - common as " nave been
deeply studied ~ tue ancient philosophers aud W
the modern GnOsfles, kOslcruCians aud alchemlsts,
H. now maintained and cultivated IA all ITS periec-
ton ~ only two lnstitutlOuS-thc Roman JatnO-
nc Cnurca ana the OrGer " FreemasOnry. one 81
the authoritative denultlous Of H eemasonry IS
that ID ~ "a science OF morality, velied - allegOry
anu Illustrated by symbOls.h But more correct
definition would ne mat " y "a system n morality
developed ana incuicated BY the science q symbol
ism.r
lrs original descent rom an association OF
builders nus given 10 It's symbolism peculiar
character An the labOrs 81 operative Or stone
masonry, It's implements and its teCHnlcal ian-
auage. nave been seized Dy the speculative Free
utas0ns aud Appropriated ~ them a. Symbols
eacn or winch teaches some important moral or
r.t.Tf.tts trusn rnp cnthedrais which Their Drnd-