, 1881-10-16
FREEMASONRY.


Itx Modern Origin and Connection with
| the Eui1din. Of Strssshur:s Cathedral,
| Lnadon Saturday LecIeta
Another error respecting Free,lasopry +,
that its ''secrets' and ceremonial are some
how connected with the ancient mysteries of
Egypt and Greece. There is not the slightest
foundation for such Il suppositiou, for a.
though all secret societies are 50 far alika
that they have their forms of Initiation, de.
srees. signs, ami password, there can be no
possible point of contact between the secret.
" taught science and religion Of the anciem
world and the essentially modern cock-and
bull story about Solonon's Temple which
forms the motive for the Masonic ritual. The
claims which have been advanced for it, that
it was III some way connected through the
Cr,tsades with the Knights Temp]ar aud
other secret orders, are also without fonnda-
tion, the known history of the craft being to-
tally opposed to any such idea The knights :
Templar were undoubtedly connected with .
the ass;.sins, and through them with some Of
the older secret orders Of the East but their :.
story, though most interesting, and one which s
deserves careful rewriting, hats no more to do
with the constitution OF Free1nasOnry than it:
temperance nOtorlety.
Tile secret Of Free,nasOnry is a secret de
Poll,ltinctlc. aud is to be read in fifty differ
ent treatlses, any one OF which will enable =
well It's though he had submitted to heinana
ceremonies Of probation and initiation. II
this is not the case. the society should author
ltaiiyely deny its truth. or It will continue 10
be under the: lmputation OF having fora great
number OF years made Il great fuss about
nothing at ALL But in the lnatter Of the an,
tiuuity Ut the Order, no disclaimers which
they could make would be of any avail. .Ehs
story OF Hiram Abiff, and of the mysterious
pillars Jacliin and Bo:tZ- which stood aI ne
bear the ul1uistakable Brummagem'
brand, and will not for Il moment bear tha
test OF criticism, either from, an alcll;eo.
logical or Oriental point Of view:
have, it now appears to date, from
about the beginning of the eighteenth cent
ury, willie m extinct organization which
furnished the motive for Freeil:lsonry,
though having no immediate connection with
it, is some three or four centuries. older. It
has been illlisl'utably proved that the lnsti-
tutiG; of Freenasons took its rise III the
guild of operative masons which, under tha
name Of the Fraternity Of Masons," vas
formed by the architect and worknen en-
ploye,i from the thirteenth. to the fourteenth
century i'll the building OF Strasburg Cathe-
tlral. The flower anu pick of the profession
were engaged npon this mastery edi6ce
and they were naturally deslrous OF pefpe-
the Eonedte Fraucaise preserve tne tradi-
ti0ns OF the art Of perfect acting. Their eI-
ample Was fo.lawed by other groups Of ma
sons throughout Germany. and all these dlf-
ferent lolges- were. some twenty years after
the complexion Of the tower of Strishn1s,
merged into one association. Their Act Of
was drawn mp in 14:o, and I3f-
fled By the Emperor MaSimilian thirty, yea1s
later by all imperial diploma They adopted
the Instruments OF the craft-the square,
fnftt
had Il secret password. Liberty" which ID
itself gives clew to the ulterior aims OF tha
society. The. Fraternity Of Masons lasted
until 11Ot. WHEN it was authOritatlyely aaos-:
lshed by the Imperial Diet.
These are the simple facts about the origin
ot the society," Or rather of the society Wh0sa
served rs !. model Tor the nIole
recent and spurious association when ms
taken its name. It is not necessary to ehter
into the question of the so-caled higher De.
5rces III Masonry, such is the AnIsh!3
relnplar, Roslcruciars, and the like. Then
rituals are even more impuIent pretenses
tl'an those OF the craft itself, and exhibit
mixture of arr;lnt nonsense, chlid's play, gu
profanity. which IS rather shocking 1aan ts
As a matter Of fact, Freelnasonry is az r.
,ellcnI friendly society, established 1os
charitable aud eonyivial purposes, and Pc. pos
5essInE widsly.eStended ard exeeI1e1ii; e;;aai
score Of morality. Ii the members of f.ts1 TIE :
craft choose to meet together in groups .a Iom
inc to time for tile performance o. =:
solemn farce, or delight to deck tnsm, hsas
selves out i'll fantastic gear. We 'na.h ::
10 more right to tind fault NIL nsm
hem that we have to grudse the Folesta3i
nelr professions. scarts, bandit hats ~ ,mt
.ther Farlpfernalia at 4 Crystal Palace !GMs ss
t would hc more digrited, no doubt % tassic IL
lp the nonsense and rely upon the i1til1ssIt ~
merits and the real objects OF the 0rdeI, ,at uut
mystery. even wlel it is such an open SSsssr SJsss
IS Masonry, has its attractions, and p!oG1p.s p ~
[oes cos,uMce toward holdin. the soeIeH ~ ~
'ether: When, however, Freen1asoas, a,;a;n ~
lain. to an antiquity and an Oriental oIlsn oIhan
yhlet! arc absolutely delusiye, and wnsn sham
hey deliberately seek to impose 1he Iaaamss sn~p
|pon the credulity Of the public, It beeomss
duty to expose the real nature OF hel1 LEX ~
ens.ons. Masonry Is. is we nave ,j sa,aa ysrT
cry excellent friendly society. ana oasei VI
widely spread over Europe, and. ~ l!'aftsi;, $ !,
wherever Europeans have settled: out w. -
Sssentia!ly y European institution, llas nv ~
la1n to y remote antiquity, and has ~! sd ~:
highest Immediate connection WITH LUG t'a; <
Z the least pre1enslons to antiquity. =" <3*