The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1893-10-17
FREE MASONS.
Ancient Origin of the Most Powerful of
Secret Societies.

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Secret Societies.
1t is not possible to assert positively
when and where Free Masonry first
originated. Many writers on the order
have claimed for it very ancient origin.
They assert that it took it's beginning
from Dionysiac fraternity, an associa,
ton which was formed in Asia Minor
by architects and builders at the same
time when the Greeks first visited that
country. This association is supposed
to have been in existence in Tyre when
Solomon built the great temple of the
Jews in Jerusalem, and the story is
that the fraternity sent a band of work
men from Asia to aid Solomon in his
work. However, there is no trace of
these legends in authentic history, and
others content themselves with the be-
lief that the order originated in the
guilds or associations formed during
the Middle Ages by masons and build
ers as well as workmen in other lines,
says the Chicago Inter Ocean. In
those times when a large edifce was in
process of construction, workmen were
collected from all quarters to aid in
building it. They established a regular
camp of huts to live in, organized them
selves with a master at their head and
appointed every tenth man warden to
oversee the others. These companies
sometimes went from country to coun-
try, establishing themselves for a time
wherever they found a church to build.
1t thus became important for them to
make themselves known to one another
in strange places, and therefore they
devised a system of secret signs
Whether these fraternities also pos
sessed secret knowledge of architecture
which they transmitted from n gen
Grafton to another is a disputed point,
but it is known that during the Middle
Ages the building of churches vas n
of the greatest works of the time, and
therefore these Masonic associations
were held in much esteem. They were
under the especial favor and protection
Of the Pope, we're exempted from bur
dens imposed upon other masons, and
were therefore styled free masons.
Men of the highest rank, both ecclesi-
astics and others, though they had
nothing to do with the order, became
members of it. Henry VI, King of
England, Joined a guild Of Freemasons,
and Henry VII, was also a grand Mas
ter. At the present day, Freemasonry
has no connection with the art OF prac-
tical building and it is thought that
during the seventeenth century opera
tive masonry, or building gradually
grave way in order to speculative
masonry which simply concerned the
observances that had been adopted by
the order, and it's plan of social inter
course and mutual assistance. 1t Is
certain that an order Of Freemasons
was in existence in London at the time
of the great fire of 1866, and after that
date Sir Christopher Wren, the famous
architect of ST. Paul's in London, was
Grand Master Of it. Whether the order
declined through neglect or Indifference
or not, it is known that at the begin
ming of the eighteenth century st.
Paul's Lodge was the only one, or al
most the only one in existence in Eng
land, and in 1902 this lodge adopted a
regulation providing that the priv
Ieges of Masonry might be extended to
men Of any profession, provided they
were regularly approved and admitted
into the order under it's rules. The
four lodges that were in existence IN
England in 1717 united themselves into
one under the name of the Grand Lodge
of England, and in 1928 this lodge
adopted the constitution which has
ever since been the organic law OF the
Order of Freemasons. Thus organized,
the order has been tr~ansplanted into
all the civilized countries of the globe.