Chapter IT.).

In 1898, for the same reason, Grand Lodge withdrew its recognition from the Grand Lodge of Peru, and again took occa- sion to reaffirm the Landmark.
This volume, ‘ Freemasonry and _ its Etiquette,’ is specifically addressed to those Freemasons, wherever dispersed over the face of earth and water, who own allegiance to The United Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of England, which is hereinafter referred to as THE GRAND LopcE
By the solemn Act of Union between the two Grand Lodges of Freemasons of England in December, 1813, it was ‘ declared and pro-
9
Freemasonry and its Etiquette
nounced that pure Antient Masonryconsists of three degrees and no more—viz., those of the Entered Apprentice, the Fellow Craft,and the Master Mason, including the Supreme Order of the Holy Royal Arch’ (Chapter XXX.).
Very early in our Masonic career we are taught that Freemasonry is a system of morality the peculiarities of which are veiled from the uninstructed and popular world. by allegorical teaching and symbolical illus- tration.
Most of this teaching and illustration. being oral, it is natural that diversities, small though numerous in their origin, should arise, and unless there exists some standard by which present practice may be brought continually into conformity with. original precept, slight diversities beget other and larger diversities, and the result is sometimes interesting and sometimes. disastrous, producing ‘ confusion worse con- founded.’
The object of ‘Freemasonry and_ its. Etiquette’ is to supply that standard, and to enable the Brethren to apply the Square and Compasses of certain duly recognized but often forgotten Principles to the inci-.
dents of their own everyday Masonic life.. Ta
What is Freemasonry?
end with their aid to produce a Perfect Ashlar which may in turn be of service to less experienced Craftsmen as a faithful and reliable guide and model.
Freemasonry claims to have existed in
some iorm or other from the earliest period of time; but is more immediately derived rom and based upon the secret organiza- tions of the Operative Masons of the Middle Ages; and to distinguish it therefrom it is now termed Free and Accepted or Speculative Masonry.
The Masonic Lectures (seeChapter XX VII.) thus refer to the two classes:— |
‘Masonry, according) to the general accep- tation of the term, is an Art founded on the principles of Geometry, and directed to the service and convenience of mankind. But Freemasonry, embracing a wider range, and having a more noble object in view—namely, the cultivation and improvement of the human mind—may with more propriety be called a Science, although its lessons for the most part are veiled_in allegory and illus- trated by symbols.’
The following sentences are takeu Irv a brief sketch, entitled, ‘Freemasonry: its Origin, History, and Design’;
II
Freemasonry and its Etiquette
‘The descendants of the Roman colleges ‘of artificers established schools of architec- ture, and taught and practised the art of building among the newly enfranchised people. ... From this school of Lombar- dian builders proceeded that society of architects who were known at that time by the appellation of Free Masons, and who from the tenth to the sixteenth century traversed the Continent of Europe, engaged almost exclusively in the construction of religious edifices, such as_ cathedrals, churches, and monasteries. The monastic orders formed an alliance with them, so that the convents frequently became their domi- ciles, and they instructed the monks in the secret principles of their art. The Popes took them under their protection, granted them charters of monopoly as ecclesiastical architects, and invested them with many important and exclusive privileges. Dis- severing the ties which bound them te the monks, these Free Masons (so called to dis- tinguish them from the rough masons, who were of an inferior grade, and not members of the corporation) subsequently established the guilds of stonemasons, which existed until the end of the seventeenth century
12
What is Freemasonry?
in Germany, France, England, and S-ot- land.
‘ These stonemasons, or, as they continued: to call themselves, Free Masons, had one. peculiarity in their organization which is, necessary to be considered if we would comprehend the relation that exists between. them and the Freemasons of the present day. The society was necessarily an operative one, whose members were actually engaged in, the manual labour of building, as well as in the more intellectual occupation of archi- tectural designing. This, with the fact of- their previous connection with the monks, who probably projected the plans which the. Masons carried into execution, led to the. admission among them of persons who were not operative Masons. These were high ecclesiastics, wealthy nobles, and men of- science who were encouragers and patrons. of the art. These, not competent to engage. in the labour of building, were supposed to, confine themselves to philosophic specula tions on the principles of the art, and ta. symbolizing or spiritualizing its labours. and: its implements. Hence there resulted a, division of the membership of. the brother-. hood into two classes, the. practical and.
13
Freemasonry and its Etiquette
theoretical, or, as they are more commonly called, the operative and speculative, or “domatic” and “‘ geomatic.” The opera- tive Masons always held the ascendancy in numbers until the seventeenth century, but the speculative Masons exerted a greater influence by their higher culture, their wealth, and their social position.
“In ‘time there'came-a ‘total and “per manent disseverance of the two elements. At the beginning of the eighteenth century there were several Lodges in England, but for a long time there had been no meeting of a great assembly. In the year 1717, Freemasonry was revived,* and the Grand Lodge of England was established by four of the Lodges which then existed in London. This revival* took place through the in- fluence and by the exertions of non-operative or speculative Masons, and the Institution has ever since mainly preserved that char- acter."
“Freemasonry of the present day is a philosophic or speculative science, derived from, and issuing out of, an operative art, It is a science of symbolism.’
Freemasonry is founded on the purest
* See Operative Masonry, Chapter XXXII.
14 ’
:
What is Freemasonry ?
principles of piety and virtue; and the Grand Principles on which the Order is founded are Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth.
It is natural, therefore, to find that upon such foundations have been erected many | lasting monuments; and among the fore- } most of these may be mentioned the three
great Masonic Institutions, to which Chap- ' ter XXVI. is devoted. But it may be as well to add here a few words indicating what Freemasonry is Nor. Freemasonry is not, and is not intended to be, a benefit Society, from which in return for certain calculated subscriptions, certain calculated benefits are received by the sub- scriber; in other words, any person intend- ing to be initiated should be solemnly warned | against entertaining or being influenced by
any mercenary or other unworthy motive | as regards his own advantage in joining such an altruistic Society as Freemasonry claims to be. Its aims are to help others; and its noble gifts are intended for the benefit of others; and those who join it ought to be in such a position as will permit them, with- out detriment to themselves or their con- nections, to give freely of their substance for
15
Freemasonry and its Etiquette
the maintenance of those truly masonic ornaments, Benevolence and Charity.
Freemasonry may be said to be the highest expression of those noble watchwords, ‘Liberty, Equality, Fraternity,’ and its true meaning has been happily described as ‘the building of every part of a man into a spiritual house fit for the habitation of God.’