Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 13.djvu/173

* MASONS. 147 MASONS. mason has also been a puzzle to philologists, some claiming that it is Norman French — Frcrc ilaron (brother mason) — while otliurs maintain the second part of the title to have been derived from the German word Melzen, having the same sig- nification. These early building societies, the precursors of the Masons, are found to have been grouped in the eleventh and twelfth cen- turies for the most part around the Benedictine monasteries, the abbots being the architects who employed the masons on ecclesiastical buildings and repairs. The development of architectural taste and the acquisition of greater wealth by the Clmrcli led to the erection of buildings on a larger and more imposing scale, requiring the association of craftsmen in the various branches of construction for longer periods" together. This led to the formation of societies known as the Bauhiitten, so called from the wooden booths, where, during the continuance of the work on any particular building, the craftsmen kept their tools, took their meals, and held their meetings. By the latter part of the thirteentli century these societies had increased so in number that a gen- eral association of the Bauhiitten was formed in Germany, governed by one code of craft laws, acknowledging one set of secret signs and cere- monies, and working under one central authority, the Eiiiipthiitte of Strassburg. That there is a certain connection admitted lictween this organi- zation and the ilasonic fraternity may be in- ferred from the fact that the trade customs and symbolic forms of the Bauhiitten have been de- scribed by JIasonic writers in Europe and Amer- ica. (See Fort, Emit/ Tlistorji mid Anfifjiiitirs of Freemasonrij. Philadelphia, ISST). The require- ment most rigidl.y enforced from the earliest period was secrecy, which was enjoined in the most solemn manner, both journevmcn and ap- prentices being sworn, before initiation, on the Bible, Sqimre and Compasses, to preserve invio- late the secrets of the brotherhood, ilembership was at this early period confined strictly to the operative class, who were sup])osed to preserve the old secrets of Gothic ilasonry, but later, in the seventeenth century, it no longer was deemed necessary to restrict membership to craftsmen alone, and, the bars being lowered, gentlemen be- came eligible. The Haiipfhiitte went out of existence in 17.31. From the Continent of Europe England derived much of her lodge organization. The earlier English associations of operative builders were first called Freemasons in the fourteenth and fif- teenth centuries, because of the freedom granted them to carry on their occupation. From 1607 to IGIS Inigo .Tones, under the patronage of Lord Pembroke, was actively engaged in Jlasonic w^ork, but the civil wars and the agitation caused bv the Reformation so materially broke up the Masonic connection that it was not until 1663 that definite steps were taken to put the fraternity on a permanent basis. A general as- sembly of Jlasons was held in London in that year, new rules were formulated and statutes enacted, and a f(u-mal resolution was jiassed that Masonic privileges should be no longer confined to the operative Masons. Professional and literary men. those learned in astrology-, or alchemy, as well as theoretic geometricians and architects, now identified themselves with the fraternity. This class of membership at first was honorary, whence the term Free and 'Accepted' Masons. The historic period of Freemasonry begins with the formation of what is known as the jiremier Masonic Grand Lodge of the world in London, England, in 1717. This is generally styled the 'revival' of Freemasonry. Prior to that time a Masonic lodge was composed of "any number of brelliren assembled at any place for the perform- ance of work, and, when so assembled, were au- thorized to receive into the Order brothers and fellows, and to practice the rites of Masonry. The Ancient Charges were the only standard for the regulation of their conduct. The master of tile lodge was elected pro leinijore. and his au- thority terminated with the dissolution of the meeting over which he had presided, unless the lodge was permanently established at any par- ticular place." Such lodges are known in Ma- sonic history as time innnemorial lodges. On June 24, 1717, four of the old lodges then ex- isting in London constituted themselves into a Grand Lodge, the first ilasonie Grand Lodge ever organized, and elected Anthony Sayer their first granil master. George Pa,vne succeeded Saver as grand master in 1718, and Dr. .John The- ophilus Desaguliers followed in 1710. In 1720 George Payne was again grand master, and in that year compiled for the first time a set of 'General Regulations,' which were subsequently revised by Dr. Desaguliers and Rev. James An- derson, a Scotch Presbrterian minister, and were first published in 172.3, under the title of "The Charges of a Freemason, extracted from the ancient records of lodges bevond the sea and of those in England, Scotland and Ireland, for the use of lodges in London." After 1717 new lodges could be created onlv under a warrant from the Grand Lodge. In 1724 the Grand Lodge of Eng- land came into conflict with a time immemorial lodge at York, claiming to have originated at an assembly of Masons in 926. This led (o the formation in 1725, b.y the old Lodge of York, of the 'Grand Lodge of All England.' The Grand Lodge of all England, however, appears to have maintained friendly relations with the London Grand Lodge. In 1751 nine lodges owing alle- giance to the Grand Lodge of England seceded from that body on the ground that the Grand Lodge suffered subordinate lodges of its jurisdic- tion to depart from the ancient landmarks of Freemasonr.v, and organized a 'Glrand Lodge of England, according to, old In.stitutions.' They styled themselves 'Ancients,' and called the mem- bers of the Grand Lodge of England 'Moderns.' In 1750 Laurence Dermott, the leader of the seceders, published the '".^himan Rezon," or Book of Constitutions, which he copied from the con- stitutions of the original or 'ilodern' Grand Lodge, and addressed it to 'The Ancient York Masons in England.' The Grand Lodge of All England, at York, died in 1702. There then ex- isted in England but two Grand Lodges, the 'Ancients' and the 'Moderns.' After negotiations extending over a number of years, finally, in 1S13, through the efforts of the Duke of Sussex, grand master of the 'ilodcrns,' and his distin- guished brother, the Duke of Kent, grand master of the '.iicients,' a permanent union was estab- lished under the title of the 'ITnited Grand Lodge of Ancient Freemasons of England,' by which the fraternity has since been known. Freemasonry has always been favorably considered in England. In 1700, when an act of Parliament was passed directed against seditious societies, an exception