Page:Jachin and Boaz, or, The free mason's catechism.pdf/4

 true to one another without exception; and should be obliged to see to their brothers' and fellows' necessities, or put them to labour and reward them accordingly.

But in these latter days Masonry is not composed of artificers, as it was in its primeval state, when some few catechistical questions are only necessary, to declare a man sufficiently qualified for an Accepted Mason.

The new terms of Free and Accepted Masonry, as it now is, was not heard of till within those few years: No Constituted Lodges, or Quarterly Communications were known till 1691, when Lords and Dukes, Lawyers and Shop-keepers, and other inferior tradesmen, porters not excepted, were admitted into this mystery, or no mystery. The first sort being introduced at a very great expence, the second sort at a moderate rate, and the latter sort at the expence of six or seven shillings; for which they receive the Word, as they term it; which is more ancient and honourable than the order of the Star and Garter; which antiquity is accounted, according to the Rules of Masonry, as delivered by their tradition, ever since Adam, which I leave the candid reader to determine.

From the Accepted-Masons sprung the real Masons; from both sprung the Gormogans, whose Grand-Master, the Volgi, deduces his original from the Chinese, whose writings, if to bo credited, maintains the hypothesis of the Pre-Adamites, and consequently, must be more ancient than Masonry.

The most free and grand Society, is that of the Grand Koihebar, which consists of a select company of responsible people, whose discourse is concerning trade and business, and promote friendship without compulsion or restriction.