Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-03-13
ORIGIN or MASONRY.
me Body from Which Originated All the
Lodges Now In Existence.

Lodges Now In Existence.
Upon the base of the Cleopatra
needle which Egypt has given to
acters which so closely resemble the
emblems of Freemasonry that pro-
digious stir has been caused among
Masons in this country as to the real
character of the Inscriptions. If they
could be shown to be truly Masonic
they would establish the great ansiq-
uity of the order which is so boastful
of it's aga and descent. Among Mason
ic scholars the widest differences of
opinion exist as to the age of the in
stitution, some dating it back to the
time of Solomon. or even remoter time,
and others ascribing its genesis to the
period since which comes within the
range of ''ancient history" Still,
there seems to be prevalent opinion
that however ancient the institution
may have been, and whatever traces
of it can be discovered in remote
times, the Masonry of to-day is a re-
constructed and modernized system.
An eminent Masonic authority Colonel
Thomas Picton), who takes this view
of it, says that the origin of modern
Masonry can be attributed to Lord
Bacon. In the New Atlantis" there
is description of Solomon and his
house, and it is there said that the
Ming set apart different days for pros
ecuting the arts and sciences. The
New Atlantis was excessively popu-
lar among the learned men of Bacon's
day, and they tried to establish a So
ciety, taking Solomon as an exponent
of wisdom. 1t was encouraged by
the court of James l., and his sue
eessor, Charles l., until the revolution
broke out. Then the royalists, after the
death of Charles l., reorganized their
society for religious and political mo-
Gves-the religion for the re-establish-
ment of the church, the politics for the
restoration Of the monarchy. Next
they invented what is called the legend
of the third degree. Hiram Abitf was
the murdered monarch. Hiram. the
King of Tyre, was the King of France.
Solomon was the church. Hiram's
three asSassins were the three king
doms: England, Scotland and Ireland.
The Masons of that day, who were the
conspirators Jacobites-were nee
essarily a secret society. They called
themselves, as the Nsasons of the Eu-
ropean continent do to the present day,
the Sons of the Widow, inasmuch as
the King had been behead ed aud his
son had not been recognized. After
the restoration the leading men of the
movement formed the Royal So
eiety, which exists to the present
day, and they openly continued the
work of the house of Solomon. The
Jacobites in France continued their
benevolent organization. In England,
Immediately after the Restoration,
number of those who had been pre-
viously affiliated conjoined with guild
of so-called operative Masons, a body
of freemen of London, meeting in Ma
sons Lane. They then became free
and accepted Masons. In 1717 there
appeared to be four lodges in London.
They met in the Apple-tree Tavern,
placed the Oldest Mason in the chair.
and proceeded to organize a grand
lodge, electing Sir Christopher Wren
grand master. From that body orig
mated all the Masonic lodges at pres
ent known to be in existence. English
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