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This file is copyright (c) 1999 The Philalethes Society and all rights including any redistribution rights are reserved by the copyright holder. Permission to quote from, redistribute or to otherwise use these materials must be obtained from the copyright holder directly by contacting The Philalethes, Nelson King, FPS, Editor, 2 Knockbolt Crescent, Agincourt Ontario Canada, M1S 2P6. Tel: 416-293-8071 Fax: 416-293-8634 or nking@freemasonry.org or nking@onramp.ca
by Wallace McLeod, FPS, Executive Secretary Annual Assembly Feast & Forum by Nelson King, FPS Pioneer Village - A Success Story by E. J. Bums Anderson, MPS by Nelson, MPS by Dwight D. Seals, MPS by W Bruce Pruitt, MPS 136 The Canadians - Viscount Richard Bedford Bennett by Barry W Dixon Understand the Present, Prepare for the Future by Knowing the Past by Allen E. Roberts, FPS 141 Why Join? A Sociological Perspective by Owen W McKinney, MPS by Kenneth D. Roberts, FPS ON THE COVER Our cover this issue features a painting by Brother Basil Liaskas of the Masonic Lodge at Black Creek Pioneer Village in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The building houses an 1860's Tinsmith Shop on the ground floor and a Masonic Display Lodge, from the same period, on the second floor. For more information on this unique project, see page 125. By Wallace McLeod, FPS, Executive Secretary The Fourteenth Semi-Annual Meeting of the Philalethes Society was held in Oklahoma City, on Friday and Saturday, September 24 and 25, 1999. It was organized by the Oklahoma Chapter of the Society. On Friday afternoon the guests boarded a trolley bus, and traveled for forty minutes up to the beautiful Victorian town of Guthrie, the former State capital. Here they were given a tour of the magnificent Scottish Rite Masonic Center, guided by Bro. Charles F. Scott, who has made a special study of the history of the building, and indeed of the region. Then they were invited to visit the headquarters of the Grand Lodge of Oklahoma, which is likewise located in Guthrie. In the evening they gathered for a pleasant dinner in the quaint restaurant called Granny Had One. After the meal they were given an opportunity to solve, and in fact to participate in, a play, "Murder at the Stone Lion Inn" (which was brilliantly written and directed by Becky Luker). On Saturday, the meetings of the Society were held at the Holiday Inn Airport. After the morning registration, the General Session was opened. Robert G. Davis, the President, introduced the Grand Master of Oklahoma, M.W. Bill Clure, who welcomed the visitors to the Sooner State. The officers of the Society were called upon to rise, and several of them gave brief reports of the progress that had been made during the year. Then the educational sessions began. In the morning, three Brothers delivered papers: Nelson King (Ontario), on "Freemasonry in Southern Climes;" Duane E. Anderson (Minnesota), on "The Ancient Mystical Ascent in Freemasonry, Religion, and Mythology;" and James T. Tresner (Oklahoma), on "Albert Pike's Children's Rituals." After a very pleasant lunch, the meeting resumed, and three more talks were presented: Joel Springer (California), on "The Political Culture Surrounding the Morgan Affair;" Michael L. Wiggins (Texas and Oklahoma), on "At the Door;" and Harry B. Lyon (Virginia), on "Anti-Masonry at the Millennium." Each paper was followed by vigorous discussion. The Grand Senior Warden of the local jurisdiction, R.W. Robert Shipe, outlined several new educational programs that are being implemented by his Grand Lodge. While all this was going on, the ladies were given an opportunity to visit scenic parts of the city and its surrounding area, and to do a little shopping, if they wished. In the evening, a lavish banquet was held. The post-prandial address, on the topic of "Masonic References in Literature," was given by Wallace McLeod (Ontario). At the meeting of the Executive Board, several matters were discussed. It was noted that the Society continues to be in excellent financial health, and the net assets have grown over the past twelve months. The Business Manager is investigating the possibility of accepting dues payments by credit card. Dispensations have been issued to two new Chapters: Logos Chapter in Chicago, Illinois, and Prometheus Chapter in Thessaloniki, Greece. After the last Annual Assembly and Feast, the President had appointed a committee, and directed it to bring the Society's Bylaws up to date, so that they could be made generally available. In due course the revised version was distributed to the members of the Board; it was now approved, and will be published on the website, and perhaps in the magazine. All in all, it was a very successful gathering, informative and thought provoking. The Society is most grateful to the President of the local Chapter, James Dooley, and to the Secretary, Dwayne Dixon, and to the members, for their efforts. We look forward to the next Semi-Annual Meeting, which will be held in Toronto, Ontario, beginning on September 28, 2000. For registration information, contact Cordon McHallam, 10 Lakeland Crescent, Scarborough, Ontario MIG 2L3. It is hard to believe that yet another year has gone by. May each and everyone have a happy Holiday Season, and may the year 2000 bring you health and happiness. We look forward to seeing you in Washington in February, when Bro. Leon Zeldis, FPS of Israel, will be the Lecturer for our Annual Meeting. 000 Congratulations to all the members of the Oklahoma Chapter of The Philalethes Society. What a successful Semi-annual Meeting. The Advertisement read "You Can't Beat Oklahoma Hospitality!" And they were right. 000 On December 27, 1999 Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania will lose one of her greatest assets. For on Festival of St. John the Evangelist, Thomas W. Jackson, FPS, Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania will take his retirement. Tom has been a bright and guiding light in Freemasonry for over 20 years. A guiding light not only in Pennsylvania, but throughout the Masonic World. Now that he is "retired" Tom tells me that he will be able to concentrate on his Masonic writings. Tom we wish you well. 000 Loathsome and disgusting is the only way to describe the following "anonymous" E-Mail which was sent to the Grand Master of North Carolina. It should be noted that M. W. Bro. Ingram answered this "anonymous" writer in a most professional and calm manner. Also there is no such thing as "anonymous" E-Mail, all Email can be traced back to the sender. Here is the E-Mail From: NAME REMOVED by Editor Sent: Saturday, August 14, 1999 10:47 P.M. To: cingram@grandlodgenc.org Subject: Prince Hall issue Sir: It is with sadness and disgust that I feel the need to send this correspondence, but after having read the most recent issue of "The North Carolina Mason" I cannot in good conscience not respond. You mentioned things such as "un-Masonic conduct, learning to control and subdue our passions and prejudices, and our brethren comprising the entire human species." On page 2, in the bottom left corner, is an article entitled "Prince Hall Recognitions Increasing." It is my feeling, sir, that one cannot truly talk of loving their families or their children until one is prepared to acknowledge that there are enemies who would destroy them, whether purposely or not, by destroying such things as their culture, and denying them access to their history, or rewriting it so that generations to follow, in effect, have no history. Like it or not, the roots of a people start with their race, then proceed in a line down to their extended families and families. Considering that the black race is responsible for crime, destruction and receiving taxpayer funded government handouts far out of proportion to their representation in our society, I find it abominable that it is the goal of so many of you to have them involved in our Lodges. How do you arrive at the notion that they are "our brethren"? I, sir, have no black "brethren". We have had to lower the standards in our education systems, and develop all sorts of programs, hand outs, legalized theft, etc. just to try to assimilate them into our society. The NAACP and all sorts of other black racist groups are allowed to permeate their lies and filth, with the help of their Jewish lawyers with no cries of racism. We have become a bunch of gutless wonders, but deny it and say that it is "subduing our passions and prejudices." I think this whole thing is a money issue, with the money changers seeing all those dollars that they can't get ahold of. I'll be honest with you. It is late and I am not intentionally rambling, but I am on the verge of leaving Freemasonry forever if this issue continues like it is. Why don't you just come right out and say that you want blacks in the lodges? You're not fooling anyone with platitudes about "friendship and brotherly love" towards those who are causing us immeasurable harm. I can imagine a country much stronger with much more good will and very little crime or other related problems if there weren't any blacks here. Is a man expected to abandon common sense and true love to his family and friends when he becomes a Mason? Burying your head in the sand while citing parts of the oath and applying them to blacks will not change the truth!! And I suspect that you can fill your lodges with your "black brethren", but at a price - you will see very many men leave those lodges, men that you are counting on just to sit back and accept it!!!! Our ancestors would turn over in their graves at the travesty that you are perpetrating!! Prudence demands that I remain: Anonymous 000 Centenary Celebrations and 32nd COMACA The Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Gran Logia de Costa Rica was held in conjunction with 32nd Annual Meeting of Confederacion Masonica Centroamericana [COMACA]. On September 15th members of the COMACA, and visiting Brethren started to arrive at the Hotel Irazu, which was where the registration for the meeting was held and was also to be the main meeting location for the Brethren. It is interesting to note that September 15th is also Independence Day [Mes de la Patria] which celebrates the 178th Anniversary of Central American independence. On the eve of Independence Day, in Costa Rica, at 6:00 p.m. the entire country comes to a standstill as their National Anthem is sung. And then the party begins, the sound of bells, whistles and sirens fill the air. High school students will have carried the Independence torch from the Pacific coast of Guanacaste Province to the colonial capital of Cartago, just east of San Jose. The torch symbolizes the historically slow delivery of news about Central America's independence to Costa Rica. Guatemala City had declared their independence from Spain, but a copy of the decree had taken over a month to reach the Cartago the then Capital City of Costa Rica. Since that time children commemorate the night time arrival of that messenger with the lighting of faroles [cardboard lanterns lit by a candle]. The official opening of the COMACA took place in the Temple of the Gran Logia de Costa Rica on September 16th 1999. Prior to the Opening of The Grand Lodge, the Costa Rican National Anthem was sung. Then each Delegation of the COMACA was presented to Grand Master Guillermo CespedesCastro, and their respected National Anthem was played. The Members of COMACA are Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Panama. Also, presented to the Grand Master were the Grand Masters or Members of Grand Lodges of Haiti, Puerto Rico, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay, Mexico, Manitoba, Holland, Venezuela and The Philalethes Society. Grand Lodge was then, with all the pomp and pageantry Duly Opened in Ancient Form. That afternoon the Brethren from Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, made their reports to the Commission. The following morning the Brethren from Nicaragua, Panama and Costa Rica, presented their reports. After the noon break the *Commission made their final report to the assembled Brethren. At 8:00 p.m. that evening the Gran Logia of Costa Rica was called to labor, to celebrate 100 years of Costa Rican Freemasonry. Presentations from the Grand Lodges attending, were made to the Grand Master. These presentations included a Centennial Book, which had been signed on the web site of the Gran Logia de Costa Rica. The book had been printed and bound with Royal Blue Leather and the cover printed in gold. This book will be placed the Grand Lodge's Museum and contained hundreds of messages from Freemasons all over the world. It was at this point in the ceremonies that the first presentation, in Central America, of the Masonic Brotherhood of The Blue Forget-Me-Note, was given to Brother Stuart Sanabria. The presentation was done by M. W. Bro. Pedro Filloy P.G.M. and myself. After the introduction of all Past Grand Masters of the Gran Logia de Costa Rica, the Grand Lodge was closed in Harmony. The following evening a Formal Gala Celebration was held at the Country Club of Costa Rica with over 300 Masons and non-Masons in attendance. Thank you to my Costa Rican Brethren M. W. Bro. Pedro Filloy, PGM, M. W. Bro. Miguel Pages, PGM, Bro. Stuart Sanabria, Bro. Guillermo Canessa, and Bro. Nino Zia for taking the time to make this a most memorable occasion. So what is the COMACA, and what are its principles. The Central American Masonic Confederation Constitutive Statutes Declaration Of Principles: Pursuant to the Historical/Geographical reality of Central American Unity, which led the peoples of the Isthmus to move forward together along the Paths toward Freedom and Progress, Caridad #26, he first permanent Masonic Lodge was established in the Central American Nation with Glorious Performances in the Valley of San Jose, Orient of Costa Rica, on 28 June, 1865; as well, other Masonic institutions were established in 1871 that were integrationist in nature. Convinced we are that the destiny of the peoples of the Central American Isthmus shall grow stronger, uplifting ourselves through mutual action, given that we share the same aspirations, needs and hopes. True to the universalist Freemason tradition, which constantly strives for unity among the men of nations in order to ensure peace, their well-being and dignity. The Grand Lodges of Central America joining together its peoples from Suchinta to Darien, signatories to this Constitutive Statute, hereby establish the Central American Masonic Cooperation, which shall be governed by the following Constitutive Statutes: Article 1 The Central American Masonic Confederation (COMACA) is comprised of the Grand Lodges of Guatemala, Cuzcatlan (El Salvador), Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama, founded upon belief,in the Great Architect of the Universe, the immortality of the soul and upon age-old Freemason principles and respect for the sovereignty of each of the Confederated Grand Lodges. Article 2 The purposes of the Confederation are as follows: To Coordinate the activities of the Confederated Grand Lodges in order to improve the efficiency of universalist Masonic action with respect to their internal practices as well as their mundane undertakings, in order to honor its pro-humanitarian premises. To advance Masonic teachings and implement its idealistic program so that Masonic philosophy, which draws its inspiration from love, tolerance and peace, may contribute toward the well being and the dignity of Humankind. Article 3 The Central American Masonic Confederation shall conduct its activities through the following organizations: The Assembly The Executive Committee (3 members) Article 4 The Assembly is the Confederation's supreme organization and shall meet once a year in ordinary sessions and in extraordinary sessions whenever deemed appropriate. The Ordinary Assembly shall be held each year in the second fortnight of September in the city designated by the preceding assembly while extraordinary sessions shall be convened by the Executive Committee at the headquarters and on dates, which the circumstances call for. Article 5 The Assembly shall be comprised of the Grand Masters or their Grand Representatives and by the Grand Secretaries: as many as, but no more than, 3 advisers may attend if deemed appropriate. Grand Representatives and their advisers must necessarily be members of the Grand Lodge they are to represent. Each Confederated Grand Lodge shall be entitled to one vote, and Quorum shall be reached by the attendance of one half of the (Confederated) Grand Lodges plus one. (Reformed at the 29th Assembly, held on 14 September 1996.) The Confederated Grand Lodges must attend, but if they fail to do so, the Assembly shall be considered fully operational once Quorum is reached and its decisions shall be executive in nature with respect to all of the Confederated Grand Lodges, once they are ratified by them within a maximum period of ninety (90) days. Article 6 The (Central American Masonic) Assembly shall dictate the Regulations required for its proper operation, in the aim of using them to correct deficiencies and to fill in the gaps it may find in the Statutes over time. Article 7 The Executive Committee shall be comprised of a President, Vice President, and a Coordinating Secretary General, to be elected by the Ordinary Assembly. The terms of President and Vice President shall be one year, and the Coordinating Secretary General, personally appointed, shall be THREE YEARS. The offices of President and Coordinating Secretary General shall be held alternately by members from each of the Confederated Grand Lodges. Article 8 It is the duty of the Executive Committee to: Enforce compliance with the decisions made by the Assembly. Meet as often as circumstances require doing so. To maintain interaction and the mutual relationship among the Confederated Grand Lodges and among the Lodges within their jurisdictions, in the aim of furthering brotherhood and closeness, for better information and understanding of the Masonic endeavors the positive development of Masonic ideals. To devise a plan for Masonic action and to appoint coworkers to convey it in the best way possible. Article 9 The headquarters of the Executive Committee shall be in the place of residence of the Coordinating Secretary General, who shall establish his permanent office in accordance with the development of the activities of the Confederation and available economic resources. Article 10 The Coordinating Secretary General shall assume responsibility for ensuring that the resolutions and decisions made by the Assembly as well as the Executive Committee are carried out. The mandate of the Coordinating Secretary General does not stem from any Masonic power in particular; its investiture and mission arise from the Confederation and not from the Grand Lodge to which he belongs (they are based, rather, on the supreme universalist Central American aims of the Confederation and the spirit behind the Assembly's decisions). Article 11 Each year, the Annual Assembly shall draft, discuss and approve an overall budget and establish respective fees to cover its costs, in accordance with the needs of the Coordinating Secretary General's office and the development of the Central American Masonic Confederation's activities. (These Statutes were approved at the Meeting held on 4 December 1968 at the Grand Lodge of Nicaragua, in the Valley of Managua, and during the Fifth Meeting of the Grand Masters and Grand Secretaries and at the Extraordinary Meeting of the GRAND LODGE OF CUSCATLAN, Orient of El Salvador, held on 31 March 1967.) Regulations Of The Central American Masonic Confederation Article 1 The Central American Masonic Confederation shall go by the acronym "COMACA," bringing together the Grand Lodges of Guatemala, Honduras, Cuzcatlan in El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. Article 2 An annual Ordinary Assembly shall be held, preferably during the month of September, and the respective specific dates shall be set by the See Holding Grand Lodge, and shall be communicated by it to the Coordinating General Secretariat and the Confederated Authorities with ninety (90) days prior notice. Extraordinary Assembly shall be convened with fifteen (15) days notice, whenever this is requested by the President or the Coordinating Secretary General, in the Grand Lodge Headquarters calling the meeting or in the one chosen by the President's office. Article 3 At each Ordinary Assembly a President and a Vice President shall be appointed to serve the next term of office; this appointment shall be made from the Grand Lodge, and not on an individual basis. Article 4 At the Ordinary Assembly the location of a headquarters and an alternate headquarters shall be decided. If the headquarters cannot hold the meeting it shall notify the office of the President and the Coordinating Secretary General three months prior to the following September, in order to designate the alternate headquarters as the site of the next meeting. Article 5 Each Grand Lodge shall pay an annual sum of $200.00 (two hundred Central American pesos) to defray the expenses involved in the Ordinary Assembly. Payment of this sum must be made before the date this meeting is to be held and fulfillment of this obligation is an essential requirement in order to be entitled to voice and to vote in deliberations. Funds shall be sent to the Coordinating Secretary General's office, which shall send them on to the Grand Lodge hosting the meeting. Article 6 Each Confederated Grand Lodge shall form a delegation to attend the Assembly, to be presided by the Grand Master or, in his absence, by the Grand Representative appointed by the Grand Lodge or the Grand Master's office. The delegation shall include the Grand Secretary and a maximum of three advisers, if deemed appropriate. Article 7 A fortnight before the designated date for the Assembly to begin, each Grand Lodge shall certify to the Grand Lodge hosting the meeting, the list of brothers to participate in the delegation, and a copy of this list is to be sent to the Coordinating Secretary General's office. Article 8 One month before the Ordinary Assembly is to be held, the Confederated Grand Lodges shall submit their proposals to the Coordinating Secretary General's office, along with seven copies of the same. A fortnight before the ASSEMBLY is to be held, the Coordinating Secretary General's office shall send a copy of the respective agenda by certified mail, containing the points to be dealt with therein. Article 9 At Ordinary Assemblies, ordinary matters appearing on the agenda shall be discussed as well as those matters that apply in accordance with these Regulations and the General Statute. At Extraordinary Assemblies, only those matters appearing on the official announcement to convene shall be discussed. Article 10 Proposals shall be approved by a simple majority vote. A vote shall be repeated in case of a tie, and if the vote still remains in a tie, the respective issue shall be put to vote again at the next assembly. Article 11 The President or, in his absence, the Vice-President shall represent the Confederation at all functions, and shall therefore preside over the Assemblies. The individual presiding over the discussions shall wield complete discretionary leadership, endeavor to harmonize the interests of the Grand Lodges, and avoid futile discussions. Article 12 The President chairing may close a debate when he considers it has been discussed enough and shall immediately put the issue in question to vote. His decision shall not be appealed. Article 13 A Coordinating Secretary General shall be appointed by the General Assembly, whose term of office shall be three years. He may be reelected. The office is honorary; however, if the Confederation has funds available to do so, it shall contribute toward defraying expenses for travel involved in carrying out his duties. In order to hold the office of Coordinating Secretary General, one must be a Past Grand Master or Past Grand Secretary. Administrative expenditures shall be shared proportionally among the Confederated Grand Lodges. Article 14 The Coordinating Secretary General is responsible for keeping the records of the Confederation. He shall write up the minutes at each working session held by the Confederation and shall send a certified copy of them to each Grand Lodge within the following three months after adjourning. He shall submit to each Ordinary Assembly the proposed budget for the next fiscal year. At the end of his term of office as Coordinating Secretary General, he shall submit a detailed report of the work carried out during the time he has served the Confederation in this capacity. Article 15 There shall be an Assistant Secretary subordinate to the Coordinating Secretary General's office in each Orient, who must necessarily be a Master Mason. Assistant Secretaries shall remain in office for three years. They shall be appointed by the Ordinary Assembly as proposed by the respective Grand Master and shall be the direct assistants of the Coordinating Secretary General. They shall collaborate in the dissemination of information dealing with all Masonic and ordinary events that they consider relevant for reporting to each of the Grand Lodges, as well as to the Coordinating Secretary General's office. Article 15-A Assistant Secretaries may be masters. They may address the Grand Lodges directly, submitting information. I consider it more advisable for them to report to the Coordinating General Secretariat and that it follow accordingly. Article 16 Past Coordinating Secretaries shall be invited to attend Assemblies, where they shall have voice only and shall be formally considered as possessing the rank of Grand Representatives of Grand Lodges. Article 17 These Regulations may be reformed at the request of one or more of the Confederated Grand Lodges, or upon recommendation of the Coordinating General Secretariat. Amendments or reforms to these Regulations shall be taken into consideration at any assembly (either ordinary or extraordinary) by means of a majority vote. All proposed amendments or reforms shall be submitted to the Coordinating General Secretariat no later than 30 days before the Assembly is to be held, so that this Office may convey the proposals to all of the Confederated Grand Lodges and the members of the Executive Committee. Article 18 These Regulations shall take effect as of 9 October 1976. 000 The Lodge at Black Greek Pioneer Village A Success Story by EJ. Burns Anderson, MPS Black Creek Pioneer Village is one of the major tourist attractions for visitors to Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is an outdoor historical site covering 30 acres and consisting of about 35 homes, workshops and farm buildings arranged to represent a crossroads pioneer community in Upper Canada (Ontario) in 1867, the date of Canada's Confederation. The Tinsmith Shop/Masonic Lodge is one of these buildings and has been restored to conform to the 19th century milieu which has been created. When the building was on its original site in the 1860's, it served the same purposes that it does now as part of the Black Creek Pioneer Village. It is one of the older buildings in the Village and is believed to have been erected during the 1840's on the main street in the town of Woodbridge which is about 10 km. north-west of Black Creek Pioneer Village. Through the years the building had many uses: residence, hardware store, tinsmith shop, Masonic Lodge and finally, a storage shed. The building was first connected with Freemasonry in 1874 when Blackwood Masonic Lodge was formed in Woodbridge in honor of Thomas Blackwood, a prominent citizen and Freemason at the time. The Lodge moved to new premises in 1899, and continues to serve as a center of Masonic activity in Woodbridge today. In 1981, the building was in such a state of disrepair that it was about to be demolished to make way for redevelopment. It was then that the Masons decided to unite in partnership with the Metropolitan Toronto and Region Conservation Authority to preserve this historic structure and restore it at Black Creek Pioneer Village. The restoration project was undertaken by The Heritage Lodge, a Lodge formed in 1977 to conduct research into the history of Freemasonry in Canada. Donations in excess of $130,000 were received from Masons of the 650 Lodges in Ontario. Many brethren were also active in other aspects of the restoration process. The first sod was turned on March 31,1983, the cornerstone was laid on October 1, 1983 and the official opening was on September 29, 1984. Several civil dignitaries, Past Grand Masters and prominent Masons were involved in these events. The Lodge Room was subsequently dedicated by Grand Lodge so that regular Masonic meetings could be held there if the occasion should arise. Meetings are not held in the room, however, due to the age and fragile nature of many of the artifacts. All items of furniture are authentic nineteenth century pieces donated from Ontario Lodge Rooms and individuals. The kneeling stool at the altar is the only original item from the years when Blackwood lodge occupied the building but the room contains many other interesting and valuable artifacts: a Masonic carpet woven in Scotland, beautiful hand-crafted chairs which illustrate the workmanship of early Ontario craftsmen, an iron wood stove with Masonic symbols cast in relief, ashlars, wands, working tools, tables and more. A Bible donated by Wilson Lodge was given it by William Mercer Wilson, after whom the Lodge was named. William Mercer Wilson, a judge, was the first Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario in 1855. The Display Lodge is staffed by 100 Masons who volunteer to act as Interpreters. They welcome about 15,000 visitors annually from over 80 countries, more than 40 States and all Canadian Provinces. Questions about the Craft are answered quite candidly and each visitor is given a brochure which can be in any one of sixteen languages. Masons are also given a wallet card to commemorate their visit. Although there is no accurate way of evaluating the success of this project, it is felt that the original objectives have Lodge at Black Creek continued from page 125 been achieved. The purpose was to create a window to Freemasonry while providing the Village with another structure for their own use. The original purpose has been maintained because of consistent management through a committee. This consistency has been the key to the success of this endeavor. Without it, the project would not have lasted 15 years and the Masonic volunteers would not be just as enthusiastic today as they were in 1984. It should be noted that many Grand Lodges have similar Display Lodges and Ed Ralph is currently attempting to catalogue as many of these buildings or rooms as possible for the purpose of publishing the list. His definition of a Display Lodge is: "A Masonic Lodge Room or Building that is open for public display on an ongoing basis through tourist information or any other media. It is situated in a museum, historical park, or is an active Masonic facility for the purpose of showing and interpreting the room and Masonry to the public. The Lodge Room may or may not be consecrated for regular Masonic use and it does not have to be an original Masonic building". Ed Ralph would be very pleased to hear from anyone who has information on such a concept. Pictures, background information and specific details on how to reach it would be very helpful. Lodge at Black Creek continued from page 125 been achieved. The purpose was to create a window to Freemasonry while providing the Village with another structure for their own use. The original purpose has been maintained because of consistent management through a committee. This consistency has been the key to the success of this endeavor. Without it, the project would not have lasted 15 years and the Masonic volunteers would not be just as enthusiastic today as they were in 1984. It should be noted that many Grand Lodges have similar Display Lodges and Ed Ralph is currently attempting to catalogue as many of these buildings or rooms as possible for the purpose of publishing the list. His definition of a Display Lodge is: "A Masonic Lodge Room or Building that is open for public display on an ongoing basis through tourist information or any other media. It is situated in a museum, historical park, or is an active Masonic facility for the purpose of showing and interpreting the room and Masonry to the public. The Lodge Room may or may not be consecrated for regular Masonic use and it does not have to be an original Masonic building". Ed Ralph would be very pleased to hear from anyone who has information on such a concept. Pictures, background information and specific details on how to reach it would be very helpful. About the Artist: Brother Basil Liaskas was born and educated in Greece, and studied at the Free School of Fine Arts. For a number of year he established himself as a graphic designer and creative are director, winning various awards for his poster designs and other graphic works in international competitions. In the early seventies, Brother Liaskas emigrated to Canada, making Toronto his home. He continued his career as a graphic designer and artist and became an elected member of the Society of Graphic Designers of Canada. His work includes several posters for the Toronto Sesquicentennial, Ontario's Bicentennial, Toronto's Waterfront, City Hall and several limited edition prints of Toronto street scenes and well know city sights. He has also had several watercolor exhibitions in Toronto. It is interesting to not that all his work has Masonic symbolism worked into it in some way. Basil has given us a Masonic legacy with his painting of the Black Creek Pioneer Village Lodge Room. It is a record of the refurbished building when it was first reconstructed and is a painting of which every Mason can be proud. The beautiful artistic qualities of the picture are appreciated by Masons and non-Masons alike. A numbered print of the Liaskas painting on the front cover can be obtained by sending a cheque or money order made payable to The Heritage Lodge for $75.00 (Can.) to: Ed Ralph, 215 The Donway West, Ste. 518, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M3B 3P5, Tel. 416-447-4152, Fax 416-447-0924, email: evralph@netcom.ca. The dimensions of the unframed print are 19" x 14.5" plus a 2" border. A SEARCH FOR THE by Nelson, MPS - Part 1 of 2 `He who would found a house sets no rash hand to work, but metes it out first with the measuring-line of his heart.' - Geoffrey of Vinsauf The birth of Freemasonry has been a matter of much speculation by members of the Masonic fraternity and by historians. This paper is a result of a search of records and histories not only within Freemasonry but in other fields that might be related to the Craft. Only facts from historical records have been used rather than the many legends that abound. Legends have placed the birth of freemasonry in the 10th century and in every era after that into the eighteenth century. Documentation will probably never be found giving the exact year, or decade or even century of this event, if indeed it was created in a single era. Most likely Freemasonry had a gradual development that took place over many years, perhaps simultaneously in different locations and possibly by different groups of people. However, from evidence seems to point to a develop during the Middle Ages, after the Dark Ages, prior to the Renaissance and the Enlightenment; and perhaps in the early Gothic period of the 1100's. Indications are that it followed closely the introduction of science to Europe. Some records of ancient freemasonry (prior to the 18th century) remain. A few of those documents point to the existence of organizations of masons and architects during the Gothic age of experimentation when the artificers were thought, by the average man, to posses magic powers because of their ability to read and write, to think abstractly, use numbers and perform structural calculations. It has been said that the masters and builders, rather than reflecting cultural change; actually produced it. In addition to masonic history, this paper examines social conditions that existed as ancient freemasonry evolved. The history of the Craft can only be fully understood if placed in the wider context of general history. Political and social conditions in each country varied and eventually resulted in differing forms of freemasonry. Freemasonry, the art of building is considered along with Freemasonry, the philosophical fraternity as evidenced by the evolution from the former to the latter, especially in Scotland. History has shown that the leaders of the stonemason craft were architects, that freemasonry as a fraternity probably originated as part of the Medieval stonemason craft, so therefore the history of the architectural profession is also closely examined. This writer's fifty years of experience in that profession is one reason for interest in this research. Most accounts of masonic history that are commonly available in the United States are based on history as interpreted by English-speaking Masonic writers. They have presented views that are acceptable to the United Grand Lodge of England and seldom give credence to conflicting views and records. This is quite natural because of translation problems with other languages and because of jurisdictional recognition within the Fraternity. Perhaps most valuable of all however is the unbiased research done by academic historians who are not Freemasons. Many Masonic historians have presented theories rather than facts and they have based their theories on legend and conjecture. This paper attempts to separate legends from fact and labels those legends and theories as such. It does not argue the validity of any theory and attempts to view the records impartially. Science In The Middle Ages In all ages the craft of masonry has been dependent upon science. The term ars has been translated by historian Paul Frankl as meaning science. The ancient Greeks left extensive scientific documents which were all but lost in western Europe prior to the Middle Ages. But they were transmitted to Egypt and middle eastern civilizations where they were studied, improved and later returned to Europe. One of those sciences, the discipline of mathematics, has always been vital to building craftsmen and was brought to Western civilization by the Arabs and Egyptians. It was Nicomachus (c.100 A.D.) who wrote the first great treatise on arithmetic and which actually succeeded in turning the attention of the Greeks from the science of form to the science of numbers. Numerals most generally used by mathematicians in classical times were of Greek origin; in medieval times, Roman; in modern times, Hindu-Arabic. Of these, the first two were seldom used in actual computation, the abacus serving that purpose. The Roman abacus maintained its position of importance throughout the Middle Ages and was used until the latter part of the 16th century. Geometry, the science of space, was originated by Thales in Greece about c.600 B.C. and his most famous student was Pythagoras. Plato influenced the study of elementary geometry and Euclid (c.300 BC) described it in his book, Elements. Medieval European scholars attempted to re-invent geometry without success. Mensuration, the process of measuring geometric forms, was developed in Egypt, Babylonia and India and is considered a branch of geometry. The Arabs retained and further developed this knowledge of science during the Dark Ages. Geometry was translated from Arabic about 1120 but the first advances beyond its elementary form were not made until 1604. Medieval India produced landmark scientific advances, notably in mathematics - algebra and Hindu-Arabic numerals. During the 9th and 10th centuries, Muslim scholars translated into Arabic many scientific writings of Aristotle, Plato, Euclid, and Ptolemy. These translations eventually found their way to Christian Europe and created the scientific renaissance of the 12th century. Two chief localities of the translations to Latin were Spain and Sicily, where Arab, Christian and Jewish scholars freely mingled with Arabic translators. Robert of Chester translated Al-Khawarizimi's work on algebra which marks the introduction of algebra into Europe. Gerard of Cremona translated Ptolemy's Almagest and AI-Zarqali's work on trigonometry which proves the importance of sines and tangents. Also translated were Plato's Meno and Phaedo. By the year 1200 virtually the entire scientific corpus of Aristotle had become available in Latin along with works by other Greek and Arab authors on medicine, optics, geometry, astronomy, astrology, zoology, psychology, and mechanics. The Arabs produced a magnificent synthesis of the classical antiquity from the Greek and Indian cultures. They assimilated arithmetic, developed chemistry and algebra and essentially invented trigonometry. Original Arabic works, such as the trigonometric tables, were translated in this era. And so Greek and Arab science became known to Christian European scholars by the middle of the 12th century. In the year1202 Leonardo Fibonacci wrote a book on the history of mathematics and science called Liber Abaci. It presented the Indian number system and number theory using the number zero for the first time. By the late 14th century Hindu-Arabic numerals were displacing both Roman numerals and the calculating board in European commerce. After the development of printing (c.1450) the value of HinduArabic numerals became widely known and was first extensively used in Italy in the late 1400's. The use of these numerals gradually spread to central Europe in the early 1500's and to Britain in the 1600's. An Arab scholar, Al Battani (c.900) brought trigonometry into prominence but it was not seriously considered in Christian Europe until the late 1500's. Greek, Hindu and Arabic books on mathematics, physics and chemistry were eventually translated into Latin, French, German, and English and thus made it possible for those sciences to be taught in Paris, Rome, Chartres and other architectural design centers by the 1150's. Without this contribution, according to Paul Frankl, "the Renaissance could barely have developed and the 20th century might still be technically in the 19th century." Villard de Honnecourt, a 13th century master and writer, who described constitutions of masons' lodges, credits them with training the craftsmen in the trade secrets of geometry. Honnecourt also mentions that practical experience in statics (the science of mechanics that deals with forces in equilibrium) and dynamics of masonry construction was important to artificers of the 13th century. Honnecourt, in his sketch book, listed these skills necessary for architects: Mechanics, practical geometry and trigonometry, architectural design, carpentry, ornamental design, diagrams, arid furniture design. Indeed the masons' lodges were teaching the science of mathematics, mechanics and physics during the 13th century before they were taught at universities. At that time however, the actual rules of statics, dynamics and physics were only very approximate. Where did men like Honnecourt discover their science? Some of it may have been handed down directly from Roman geometers or they may have learned it from studying the works of the ancient Roman architect Vitruvius Pollio, whose manuscripts were frequently copied during the Middle Ages. But those extant manuscripts deal with geometry only indirectly, without specific directions or solutions to problems. It is more likely however that the architects gained most of their knowledge from Arab science, which was brought into Spain and Sicily. In fact, the trigonometry that Honnecourt mentions was invented by the Arabs and could only have been received from them. Medieval universities at first provided an education only in the liberal arts, usually offering instruction in logic, grammar and rhetoric. Disciplines such as mathematics, theology, physical sciences and art were added later. Founding dates of some early universities in Christian Europe are: Salerno, 9th century; Bologna, 1000; University of Paris, 1150-1170; Oxford, 1,168; University of Naples, 1124; University of Rome, 1303; University of Heidelberg, 1386; Leipzig University, 1409; University of Genoa, 1471; Munich University, 1472; University of Uppsala (Sweden), 1477; University of Edinburgh, 1583. However, in the tenth century there were seventeen universities in Moorish Spain. The European Mason Craft Roman civilization achieved a high level of culture and sophistication and left many great monuments but its technology was antiquated and inherited from the Stone, Bronze and early Iron Ages. The earlier Greek culture was quite advanced and had passed its knowledge on to the Romans but the Romans emphasized doing at the expense of knowing and seemed to ignore Greek learning, eventually burying it. The intellectual class of medieval Europe, inheriting Latin from the Romans, remained unaware for six centuries that the Greek classics even existed and the sciences developed by the Greeks were hidden for a millennium. The Cluniac monastic reform movement reflected the Roman church's abhorrence of the Greek classics, regarding them as so much corrupting garbage. Medieval craft skills could hardly have been based on Roman mason crafts because there existed at that time no necessity for stonemason lodges since such work was done by slaves for whom, being without rights, no legal regulations whatsoever were possible. Slavery in Europe was followed by serfdom, the attachment of the peasant to the soil, which tied the townspeople to the city. Those attachments were only partially dissolved when the skilled craftsmen of the later Middle Ages, were given the freedom to travel beyond their communities to construct buildings. There was however, in the old Roman Empire, a collegia or organization of architects which may have been the inspiration for the creation of lodges. After the fall of the Roman Empire in Rome and later in northern Italy, architecture slowly became a specialist's field - an extension of the classical ideal of the fusion of theory and practice. Thus, Italian architects were relatively independent of building craftsmen for three reasons: The early influence of artists/architects, their advanced education and the lack of strong building trades. This finally resulted in an association of Lombard (northern Italian) building craftsmen. Freemasonry has played a long and colorful role in Continental Europe but access to many records is still not readily available. Some information in this paper has been derived from translations of records that have been preserved for centuries. The craftsmen of the Middle Ages were very literate and their masters were usually able to read French and Latin. These few remaining translated records provide an insight to the history of the architectural profession and to freemasonry. The identity of the master-mason is often, admittedly, obscure. He was frequently a layman, separate from the monks and from the guild of stonemasons who constructed the buildings, but actual records of this are difficult to find. The monkish scribes who acted as chroniclers in the Middle Ages preferred to commemorate the abbot or bishop who had acted as chairman of the building committee rather than give credit to the architect or artificer. The medieval stonecutter/master-mason/artificer was found in France until about 1550 when the professional architect made his appearance. The operative lodges of England and Scotland included masters as well as journeymen into the 1800's. The French Compagnon (the Companions) consisted journeymen and masters until the masters (magisters) left to form a separate professional class. Apparently the few professional architects of France, no longer being part of the stonemason's craft, severed their connection with freemasonry as well. The Compagnon, according to Martin S. Briggs, with its three divisions or degrees dealing with Hiram and Solomon's Temple probably influenced but remained aloof from French freemasonry. The compagnons retained their original ritual and organization without modification and today remain a form of labor organization, quite apart from French speculative Freemasonry. Their group claims to be 2000 years old and to have gained the esoteric construction know-how of plane and solid geometry from Cistercian monks. It is questionable that they have been in existence for 2000 years because the Roman slave society in France monopolized the various handicrafts until the 5th century A.D. They share the compass-and-square symbol with Freemasonry, use a secret ritual, refer to God as the Great Architect of the Universe, but reject any close historical connection with Freemasonry. Agricol Perdiguier, in his book, Le Livre du Compagnonage, compares the Compagnonage with Freemasonry and the similarities, he claims, are too strongly marked to be accidental and it would seem that either the Masons borrowed from the Compagnones, or that the traditions of both associations are inherited from a common original. Legend has also connected the Compagnonage with the Italian architects called Comacines, who were reputed to have traveled up and down Europe building churches in the thirteenth century. Some historians mention that the Gothic cathedrals of France were constructed largely by stonemasons called Fratres Solomonis, the Brothers of Solomon, directed by Cistercian and Templar master builders. Later on, these Fratres Solomonis became the Enfants de Solomon, the French building trade guild of the Middle Ages. An early school of masonry at Strasburg from the 6th to the 12th century was described as being the cradle of architecture in Germany. The journeymen met as a distinct fraternity. Ferdinand Janner describes a lodge with autonomous jurisdiction being founded in 1275 at Strasbourg and that lodge was confirmed (in extant records) that same year by Emperor Rudolf I of Hapsburg. However, in his book Janner mentions that a freed masonry was founded according to the English fashion which indicates that some form of a craft fraternity also existed in England prior to 1275.Efforts were made by King Philippe in 1308 and by Francis I in 1539 to abolish all craft guilds in France but without effect. It was not until after the Revolution, that the French National Assembly of 1793 finally suppressed the craft guilds. A German association of stonemasons, called Steinmetzen, made up of apprentices, journeymen and masters in Bauhutten (lodges), were active by the 15th century or earlier. Their organization was based on the same principles and legends as the Compagnonage and may have had a common origin. This old Prussian and German system of Steinmetzes (dating to 1080) included legends of a medieval lay brotherhood, with its three grades, and secret forms of greetings. German builders developed at a somewhat different rate from the French. Unaffected by the Hundred Years War, they established links between stonemason lodges and maintained a vast organization of builders for a time. That organization began to disintegrate in the 1600's and finally disappeared completely in the 18th century when the government took control of the architectural profession. It was in the 13th century that municipalities grew concerned about the power exerted by workers in the building trades and managed to create municipal statutes governing the trades. They formed what they called corporations. Those municipal corporations or guilds were later replaced by royal control.-Associations of masons during the Middle Ages fell into those two categories: Local, municipal guilds which were organized on a city-wide basis and trade fraternities which were part of a territorial group with international connections. The guilds controlled the price of materials in the communities, governed foreign craftsmen, pay scales of workmen, and other factors that would infringe on local conditions. Territorial-wide associations or lodges set craft standards and established social relationships for the workmen. Paul Frankl explains in The Gothic, that the Lodge and Guild were in Germany two separate corporations. The transition of operative guild to speculative lodge, in Scotland, is recorded by the Grand Lodge of Scotland. It mentions in one of their historical sketches that when the Charter of Incorporation of Mary's Chapel was granted, it was for a trade association, not a lodge. Eventually the organization in which the Masons were more interested, the Lodge, which unlike the Incorporation, was limited to their own craft, acquired a permanency and that lodge is now recorded as The Lodge of Edinburgh (Mary's Chapel) Number 1. Those lodges dealt with matters such as trade differences and the framing of rules for the conduct of the various grades of Masons, keeping and dispensing charity funds and regulating entered apprentices. Apprenticeships of early medieval masons learning the stonemason trade began at age 13 or 14, lasted 7 years and were usually hereditary. Stonemasons had to be able to read and write. Gradually the teaching of apprentices passed from the monks to the lay master masons, many of whom had received the best education the times could provide and were as well read as the majority of clerics and nobles, and they probably took good care that the education of their apprentices was as sound as their own. The hereditary practices of apprenticeship were discontinued by the 13th century. The next stage as a journeyman lasted three to seven years. After improvement and by completing a thesis or essay a journeyman, with proven skills and knowledge of mathematics, mechanics and the liberal arts, could eventually graduate to master and then open his own studio or be hired by church or government authorities. Skilled craftsmen trained in this way became master masons, and in course of time dictated the plan and general ordinance, drawing on parchment or paper sufficiently well to make their meanings clear to the workmen. The distinction between planning and manual labor was completely unknown in France during the early Middle Ages. The medieval architect learned his trade from his lodge; stone cutting, business administration, planning, mathematics and engineering were all part of a zealously guarded formulae of the trade. He was of free status, of legal birth and laid great stress upon morality and honesty in his dealings. He received additional training under a master, usually in a family workshop and after mastering the working of stone he deserved to be called a freemason. That in fact became the name for the craftsmen who were not bound to the community, were free to enter craft guilds and lodges, work in foreign countries and who were the most skilled in the stone construction trade. The actual word freemason appeared in the Statutes of the Realm, dated A.D.1490. It referred to a fully qualified fellow of the craft, a master mason, a skilled journeyman. The term master however, had a different connotation. In operative lodges the master was the person, similar to today's architect or contractor, who organized the building operation on behalf of an employer. He was a man of substance who had some knowledge of architectural matters but was not necessarily a craftsman by profession: In stonemason guilds the master (or maestro or magister) was an artificer or architect who had graduated from apprentice and journeyman ranks and had produced a design thesis or masterpiece (not just a piece of stonework) and was deemed a master of his craft. Often his education was completed in a university. The term master was borrowed from the liberal arts and was used to describe those who had completed a course in the liberal arts. Pierre de Montreuil, one of the architects of the Abbey of St. Denis (1144) was described on his tomb slab at St. Germain des Pres as doctor lathomorum, professor of freemasons. In 1459 a code of statutes was enacted entitled, The Strasburg Constitutions. The Strasburg documents of that date show freemasonry in several locations; Cologne, Vienna, Speyer, Ratisbon, Jost Dotzinger and Worms. The Scottish Mason Craft Tradition, as related by Laurie in his History of Freemasonry, says that freemasonry was introduced into Scotland by workmen from the Continent to build a monastery at Kilwinning. The earliest type of Scottish castle was a timber stronghold and those structures did not disappear until the 15th century. The use of stone in larger buildings in Scotland and England followed the Norman Conquest of 1066. According to W. Mackay Mackenzie, the earliest record of stone being used in Scottish walls was at Stirling Castle in 1288 A.D. and it was not until the seventeenth century that stone and brick were commonly used in house building. The mason trade organization began in Edinburgh with the issuing a Seal of Cause to the Wrights and Masons on the 15th October 1475. This guild or incorporation was known later as The Incorporation of Mary's Chapel - from the building in which it met. Lodges of masons, being part of an operative fraternity at that time, were found only where structures were being constructed of masonry. Records dated 1491 mention the Lodge of Edinburgh and `Masons of the lodge' (in Aberdeen) are spoken of in 1483. Later the Lodge of Edinburgh would also meet there at the guild Chapel and was known (and still is known) as the Lodge of Edinburgh (Mary's Chapel). Many of the craftsmen were members of both organizations. The Incorporation became known as the link between the Craft and the community. The English Mason Craft The art of building with squared stone and mortar was introduced to Britain by the Romans but the skills associated with that art in Britain had disappeared with the fall of the Roman Empire and were almost unknown until after the Norman Conquest of 1066. Even the French lacked the art of building with squared stone and their buildings were mostly wood until late in the 10th century. Probably the first Medieval stone craftsmen in Britain were imported from the Continent by the Church. During the Middle Ages the Church and the Crown were the principal employers of masons and used the direct labor system but smaller projects were built using hourly labor. The erection of larger works by contract became more common in the late 1500's and after the Great Fire of London in 1666 the direct labor system in England was almost universally displaced by the contract system. The Renaissance brought great political and religious changes to Europe. King Henry VIII reduced the power of the Pope in England by confiscating church property from 1536 to 1556, although the King still remained a devout Catholic in all but papal supremacy. The English common people however, followed the teachings of the Reformists and eventually forced the crown to reject Catholicism and the divine right of kings. The Catholic crown died with James II and the Hanover kings opened society, allowing Freemasonry to surface and become a speculative fraternity. Great expansion of private and corporate building occurred in the late 1500's and an influx of silver and precious metals from Mexico and South America affected economic conditions. After the Reformation there was little need for new churches. The builders almost died out, and with them died the skill in arch and vault construction but there was still a need for skilled craftsmen to maintain the large stone cathedrals and palaces. In the 16th century cites and towns found it necessary to control the mason trade and they did it first by creating guilds which were followed by Acts of Parliament. "By the 1720's British society permitted more open and relaxed social interaction between lords, gentry and commoners. With it came a degree of religious toleration. The English government initiated building restrictions during the 16th and 17th centuries, similar to present-day building and zoning regulations, especially in London and its suburbs after the Great Fire of London in 1666. By the 1720's the power of the craft guilds had been almost entirely broken by free-market economic pressures in England and Scotland and out of this shell emerged a new sociability. suited to a the reformed government. The history of freemasonry paralleled the development of stonemasonry until the Renaissance when freemasonry evolved into a speculative fraternity. The socializing that came with it probably arose first in Britain but the need for operative stonemason lodges disappeared on the Continent and in much of Britain. The Architectural Profession The ancient Roman concept of the intellectual, artist-architect changed in Middle Age Europe to that of a the skilled craftsman-artificer. After the 7th century the Roman term architectus appears less frequently and was eventually replaced by master-builder or mechanicus. Architects were no longer educated in the liberal arts but were craftsman trained in the craft apprenticeship program. They originated in the craft and their titles came from the masons' lodges. During the later part of the Middle Ages the Gothic tradition (1100 to 1500) became an international mode of building and Gothic architecture was the great art of that age. The rational theory of Gothic architecture was based on geometry and only those buildings that obeyed the laws of this discipline were thought to be structurally sound and aesthetically pleasing. Masters had to depend on geometry because of the absence of measuring units. At this point in history most of the building trade had not developed a knowledge of Hindu-Arabic numerals. Builders were still using geometric proportions to describe distances. lengths. Widths. etc. because Greek and Roman numerals were too cumbersome to use. The evolution of the architect started in Italy during the Renaissance and spread northward and westward through the Holy Roman Empire. In France and England, medieval architecture and medieval methods persisted at least a century later than in Italy. The medieval master mason was found in France up to about 1550. There was a constant influx of Italian artists into France after the French invasion of Italy until 1544. By the early 16th century the European magister often left the building in the hands of his supervisor and he was becoming an architect in the full sense of the word. Architects were striving to present themselves as practitioners of a liberal art. Although their status was well established in Italy, they were relatively new in France and Spain where the rise of the painter and sculptor to the level of intellectual did not take place until the Renaissance. The early medieval architect was trained as a mason and a sculptor by a philosopher-master and earned the name freemason. It was his belief that both the aesthetic and technical basis of the universe could be found in geometry and that the theoretical science of geometry must be included as one of the liberal arts along with logic, grammer, rhetoric, astronomy, music and arithmetic. European architects or magisters who were selected to design and supervise the construction of large projects were men skilled in the art and often had studied at a university. Martin Briggs, in his Architect In History, insists that the authorship of many medieval buildings has been wrongfully attrib uted to ecclesiastical patrons and official paymasters and that the jealousy or indifference of monkish scribes was the cause. At the end of the 15th century, with the invasion of Italian artists, there was a constant influx of Italian architects into France and it is arguable whether the early Renaissance buildings were really the product of French or Italian architects. The French Academy of Architecture (an association of practicing architects similar to the present-lay Royal Institute of British Architects and the American Institute of Architects) was established in the year 1600. It met weekly to assist this new profession of architects in the structural design of building foundations and domes. It also provided a Court of Appeals for questions that puzzled architects and formulated a code of orthodox practice regarding the Orders of architecture. The principles of architectural education used at the French Academy were published in 1675. Gradually the magisters of the building trades who had acquired a higher professional status in the lodges and ateliers (studios) gained recognition. Those with sufficient formal education in the liberal arts were considered professionals. What distinguished the architect from the master mason would be his mastery of theoretical implications of geometry. By the 1540's the European architect took over the intellectual planning completely from the craftsmen and master builders. The European master mason who had no training in the liberal arts but who acted as an artificer was frozen out of existence by the professionals. In England however, architects did not develop a separate profession until the 19th century and it was there that architects retained their ties with Freemasonry. A radical change in the French building crafts took place in 1597 when Henry IV eliminated the guilds and established royal control over the Parisian masons and carpenters. The King created the office of Royal Master Mason to see that rules of craft qualifications were enforced. He issued a building code that established uniform regulations for safe, fireproof construction throughout the City of Paris. In 1608 a royal proclamation was issued stating that the architect in charge of a project must verify the competence of the craftsmen and contractors as well as the validity of the cost estimates. Architects were held responsible that the masons' work was executed according to the rules of the art. As governments assumed control of the building industry the universities began teaching the sciences that had been held as trade secrets in the craft lodges. This natural progression eliminated the need for the training of skills in the operative masonic fraternity on the Continent and instruction in architecture passed from the lodges to the academies and universities. Chronology 1124-1153 Kilwinning Lodge reputed to have been founded by King David I of Scotland 1196 Order of the Knights of St. John (Hospitallers) founded 1314 Royal Order of Scotland reputed to have been founded c1390 Regius Manuscript or Poem (English Constitution) 1337-1453Hundred Years War, between England and France 1459 Strasburg Constitutions published (French, operative) c1450Book publishing began in Europe 1517 Martin Luther broke with the Roman Church and translated the Bible into German c1524 Swedish Reformation and creation of the Church of Sweden, (first country to break away from the Church of Rome) 1535 Charter of Cologne published (German Constitution, operative) 1536-56 Dissolution of English monasteries by Henry VIII of England; creation of Church of England 1560 Scottish Reformation and creation of the Church of Scotland 1577 Accademia di S. Lucca founded in Rome (first architectural academy) 1598-9 First modern, speculative Scottish lodges created 1598 Oldest recorded Scottish lodge minutes 1600 French Academy of Architecture founded 1618 30-Year War between Catholic and Protestant princes of Europe 1621 Oldest recorded English lodge minutes 1688 First Jacobite lodge established in France by Charles II 1707 Great Britain created by union of England, Scotland and Wales 1714 George I crowned, first Hanoverian King of England (1714-1727). 1717 First modern, speculative Grand Lodge in London. 1725 First modern, speculative Grand Lodge of Ireland. 1729 English Grand Lodge established speculative lodges in France. 1733 St. John's Lodge in Boston, chartered by Grand Lodge of England. 1736 First modern, speculative Grand Lodge of Scotland. 1737 Brotherhood of Freemasons established in Germany. 1738 First in a long series of papal bulls and encyclicals against Freemasonry by Pope Clement XII 1745 Jacobite Revolution (final attempt to restore the Stuarts to the English throne). 1745 First modern, speculative Grand Lodge of Denmark. 1751 First Antients Grand Lodge (Athol Grand Lodge) of England 1756 First modern, speculative Grand Lodges of Finland and the Netherlands 1760 First modern, speculative Grand Lodge of Sweden. 1773 Grand Orient of France (evolved from the Jacobite Masonic system) 1789-1815 French Revolution; Napoleon seized power and destroyed the Holy Roman Empire 1813 The United Grand Lodge of England established, uniting Antients and the Moderns. Bibliography Preface Charles M. Radding & William W. Clark, Medieval Architecture, Medieval Learning, 1992 Science In The Middle Ages Paul Frankl, The Gothic, 1960 Francis & Joseph Gies, Cathedral, Forge and Waterwheel, 1994 Search For The Origin continued from page 131 Jean Gimpel, The Cathedral Builders, 1980 James Reston, Jr., The Last Apocalypse, 1998 European Mason Craft Francis & Joseph Gies, Cathedral, Forge and Waterwheel, 1994 Martin S Briggs, FRIBA, The Architect in History, 1927 R. F. Gould, Goulds History of Freemasonry, revised by Dudley Wright, 1936 Jean Gimpel, The Cathedral Builders, 1980 Pick & Knight, The Pocket History of Freemasonry John J. Robinson, Born in Blood, 1989 Catherine Wilkinson (with Spiro Kostof), The Architect, 1977 D. Knoop & G.P Jones, The Genesis of Freemasonry R.F. Gould, A Concise History of Freemasonry, Ferdinand Janner, Die Bauhutten des deutchen Mittelalters, 1876_ Andrew Sinclair, The Sword and the Grail, Spiro Kostof, The Architect, 1977 Myra Nan Rosenfeld (with Spiro Kostof), The Architect, 1977 James Reston, Jr., The Last Apocalypse, 1998 Scottish Mason Craft Ian P.Watson, Lodge of Journeymen Masons,M.S.A.Short Talk Bulletin, April 1993 English Mason Craft D. Knoop & G.P. Jones, The Genesis of Freemasonry, 1949 Grand Lodge of Scotland Year Book, The Lodge of Edinburgh, 1954 R.F.Gould, A Concise History of Freemasonry, 1904 Margaret C. Jacob, Living The Enlightenment, 1991 John Harvey, The Mediaeval Mason, 1972 The Architectural Profession Martin S. Briggs, FRIBA, The Architect In History, 1927 Joseph Harriss, The Smithsonian, June 1996 Catherine Wilkinson (with Spiro Kostof), The Architect, 1977 Myra Nan Rosenfeld (with Spiro Kostof), The Architect, 1977 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ by Dwigbt D. Seals, MPS It is not my intention to argue the favor of making a "Mason at Sight". Some Masons feel that this practice Is politically motivated, others feel that Masonry should be of one's own free will and accord, that solicitation is absolutely forbidden. There are pros and cons to any subject matter, and making a "Mason at Sight" is no different. However, this practice has its own place in Masonic history. In 1863, Joseph Gilmore, Governor of New Hampshire was made a "Mason at Sight". Since that time, so have Brother Milton Eisenhower, Brother Booker T. Washington, Brother George C. Marshall, Brother Douglas MacArthur, Brother Andrew Mellon, Brother John Glenn, and Brother Roy Clark just to name a few. It is my contention in writing this paper, that we, as Masons, let a good man get away, or pass us by. President Abraham Lincoln was not a Freemason. His achievements as well as his desire for nobler deeds, for higher thoughts have been well documented. Looking back, was he not worthy of being made a "Mason at Sight"?. President Lincoln, like so many of our forefathers, looked to God for answers to their trials and tribulations. Mr. Lincoln once said, "I told God that I had done all that I could and that now the result was in his hands; that if this country was to be saved, it was because He willed It! The burden rolled off my shoulders. My intense anxiety was relieved; and in its place a great trustfulness ... and peace." Abraham Lincoln was born with humble beginnings on February 12, 1809 in Hodgenville, Hardin County, Kentucky. He was a self educated lawyer, who had the desire to do that which was right on every hand. Quite a tribute for someone with such informal education, to rise to the highest office of the United States, that being President from 1861-1865. He is said to have been the salvation of the Union, as he preserved it during the American Civil War and brought about the emancipation of slavery. President Lincoln admonished, "Let every American, every lover of liberty, every well wisher to his posterity, swear by the blood of the Revolution, never to violate in the least particular, the laws of the country, and never tolerate their violation by others. As the patriots of 1761 did to the support of the Declaration of Independence, so to the support of the Constitution and laws, let every American pledge his life, his property and his sacred honor. Let every man remember that to violate the law is to trample on the blood of his father, and to tear the charter of his own and his children's liberty. Let reverence for the laws be breathed by every American mother to the lisping babe that prattles on her lap. Let it be taught in the schools, in seminaries and in colleges. Let it be written in primers, spelling books and in almanacs. Let it be preached from the pulpit, proclaimed in legislative halls, and enforced in courts of justice; and in short, let it become the political religion of the nation. And let the old and the young, the rich and the poor, the grave and the gay of all sexes and tongues and colors and conditions, sacrifice unceasingly upon its alter." Mr. Lincoln signed two proclamations while in the Presidency that have been long remembered. While the Civil War still raged, he proclaimed the last Thursday of November as a National Thanksgiving Day. This was done years after President and Brother George Washington issued a general proclamation for a day of Thanksgiving in 1780. President Lincoln also signed the resolution establishing the Congressional Medal of Honor. Since that time it has been honored as the highest esteem honored a soldier. It has been a medal richly deserved and given infrequently, and those winning the Medal of Honor are recorded throughout history for their sacrifice, dedication and love of country. Throughout Mr. Lincoln's storied political career as well as his terms of office of the presidency, he was surrounded by men of stature as well as members of the Masonic Fraternity. President Lincoln's bodyguard was Brother Ward Hill Lamar. Brother Andrew Johnson, President and Brother James Buchanan, Brother Stephen A. Douglas, Brother and General Winfield Scott, Brother and General George B. McClellan, Brother Winfield Scott Hancock, and Brother Benjamin B. French were just a few of the Masons that were associated with President Lincoln. Brother Benjamin B. French was appointed Commissioner of Public Buildings in 1861 by President Lincoln. Brother Winfield Scott was Federal General in Chief when President Lincoln took office. Due to Brother Scott's advanced age of 75, Lincoln removed him from that office and replaced him with Brother George B. McClellan. After removing Scott from office, President Lincoln often used him as a confidant and consultant in strategic matters. In 1864, President Lincoln chose as his running mate for Vice-President, Brother Andrew Johnson. Brother Johnson succeeded Lincoln in the Presidential office upon his assassination. Brother McClellan as mentioned above as part of President Lincoln's staff, also opposed President Lincoln for election to the Presidential office in 1864, but met defeat in the election. After President Lincoln's assassination, Brother and General Winfield Scott Hancock was given full military control of Washington, D.C. President and Brother James Buchanan assisted in President Lincoln's first inaugural. In 1860, numerous political debates were held between Mr. Lincoln and Brother Stephen A. Douglas. Mr. Lincoln won the presidental election, but it was not due to a lack of effort on Brother Douglas's part. He campaigned well and hard, and history has shown that apparently the best man won the election. When Mr. Lincoln delivered his first inaugural, Brother Stephen Douglas, was seated just behind President Lincoln. Brother Douglas stepped forward quickly, and took the hat which the President held helplessly in his hand. "If I can't be President, I at least can hold his hat", Brother Douglas whispered to Mrs. Brown, a cousin of Mrs. Lincoln and a member of the President's party. During an Illinois campaign for the legislature, Mr. Lincoln said to the crowd gathered, "I want you to vote for me if you will; but if not, then vote for my opponent, for he is a fine man". Mr. Lincoln was a strong believer in the virtue of dealing honestly with the people. He once said to a caller at the White House, "If you once forfeit the confidence of your fellow citizens, you can never regain their respect and esteem. It is true that you may fool all the people some of the time; you can even fool some of the people all of the time; but you can't fool all of the people all of the time". Mr. Lincoln wrote this poem when he was a very young lad. Abraham Lincoln his hand and pen he will be good but God knows when. President Lincoln's first inaugural address said .... "If the Almighty Ruler of Nations, with His eternal Truth and Justice, be on your side of the North, or on yours of the South, that truth and that justice will surely prevail" .... When Mary Todd Lincoln, President Lincoln's wife, overspent the budget for remodeling the White House, President Lincoln said, "I'll pay for it out of my own pocket. It would stink in the nostrils of the American people to have it said that the President of the United States had approved a bill overrunning an appropriation of $20,000.00 for flub-dubs for this damned old house when soldiers cannot have blankets". President Lincoln sent a letter to James C. Conkling, an old friend, on August 26, 1863, asking him to read his letter to an administration rally to show support of Lincoln, for which the duties of the President kept him from attending. This letter ended with the following paragraph... "Still, let us not be over sanguine of a speedy final triumph. Let us be quite sober. Let us diligently apply the means, never doubting that a just God, in His own good time, will give us the rightful result". In a proclamation issued to the Senate and House of Representatives in 1861, he finished with the following ending to his speech,..."and having thus chosen our course, without guile and with pure purpose, let us renew our trust in God and go forward without fear and with manly hearts". On September 17, 1937, the 150th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution, Lincoln's head was unveiled at Mt. Rushmore, in the Black Hills of South Dakota. This carved sculpture, along with President and Brother George Washington, President and suspected Brother Thomas Jefferson, and President and Brother Theodore Roosevelt, were the profound idea and actual carvings of Gutzon Borglum, a Masonic Brother. Brother Borglum said, "Mount Rushmore is my shrine to Democracy". The Knight Templars of Washington Commandery, Washington, D.C., out of respect and admiration of President Lincoln, were escorts at his funeral following his assassination. Quite a tribute to a man not of the Fraternity. We as Freemasons have never sought to solicit memberships. That In itself insures the Fraternity of accepting only honorable, respectable men, and keeps the Masons the most respected Fraternity in the free world, if not the world over. It is unfortunate that occasionally, good men pass us by. That was the case of Abraham Lincoln. It has been well documented that he often told friends and family members, that once he had finished his term of office as President of the United States, he would fullfil a lifelong ambition, that of becoming a member of the Masonic Fraternity. Mr. Lincoln was a true, good man of high standards. He was a true lover of freedom, liberty, and democracy. He was a firm believer in Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth. He had an undying faith that the All Seeing Eye was ever present. His morals and high principals were unquestionable. He once said, "My faith in God will lead me in paths of Righteousness". I'm sure Mr. Lincoln wasn't the first, nor the last, that failed to allow the Masonic Fraternity to take a good man and make him better. He never forgot his values, and was true to his God, his neighbor, and himself. He gave his life for what he believed in so deeply. It is so unfortunate that his life was snatched away in the twinkling of an eye, and by the manner in which it took place. President Lincoln left a legacy and undoubtably will be remembered for all time sake. I can't help but think that the Masonic Fraternity erred in not favoring Mr. Lincoln by making him a "Mason at Sight". As I reflect on his troubled life as President of the United States during one of our most trying times, oh, how I wish he had not passed our great Fraternity by, or that we let one get away. References "Abe" Lincoln's Anecdotes and Stories, compiled by R.D. Wordsworth and published by The Mutual Book Company, Boston, Mass., printed 1908 Masonic Americana, Volume I & II, issued by Knight Templar Magazine by W Bruce Pruitt MPS of "Revolutionary Brotherhood; Freemasonry And The Transformation Of The American Social Order" - By Steven C. Bullock In his "Acknowledgments" section, Steven Bullock says this about his excellent treatise on the Masonic Fraternity: "I argue that Masonry played an important role in shaping the momentous changes that first introduced and then transformed the eighteenth-century culture of democracy, individualism, and sentimentalism."1 This quote quite succinctly expresses the attitude with which the author approaches this important subject, and the assistance that such a book provides in understanding and appreciating the history of Freemasonry. He likens his challenge to that of solving a difficult puzzle or understanding an obscure poem. In "unraveling" such a complex element, in his words: "The thread might even lead into a strange and wonderful world view." 2 To a large degree Revolutionary Brotherhood accomplishes such a purpose. The book is divided chronologically into four general sections: The creation of Freemasonry in England and its movement into the New World, a period of domination by elite membership. (1717 -1752). The movement of non-elite, rural citizens, and Colonial Army officers into prominence in the fraternity. (1752 - 1792) The strong influence of Freemasonry on the cultural development of the United States. (1790 - 1826) The decline of prominence caused by Anti-Masonic political activity and the Morgan affair, and a later return to influence in another form. (1820 - 1850) Section 1 The Beginnings 1717 - 1752 Professor Bullock begins with a discussion of the "newness" of Masonry in England and Scotland in the 1715 1720 period. Even though he gives some recognition to its possible association with operative craft lodges, his emphasis is on the philosophical and scientific aspects of the association. Members of the fraternity are reported as primarily concerned with the world of enlightenment and social gentility. Secrecy and mysticism seem to be the dominant characteristics of the movement. One observes very quickly, however, that Bullock is himself little concerned with secrecy. Much of the ritual, esoteric even as of this day, is freely discussed throughout this book. A number of illustrations are found taken from Anti-Masonic "secret-revealing" books. (These are the .rough sketches that demonstrate positions, movements, penalties, etc., showing them in an unfavorable light.) If one can overlook these illustrations, however, and perhaps attribute them to an attempt at making the book more varied and interesting, the text itself is not derogatory to the craft. Speculative Masonry reached across the Atlantic, and was the purview of colonial gentry. The majority of the brethren were landowners and/or prominent merchants. Membership was expensive, and affiliation in the Lodge was viewed as one additional means to segregate the American aristocracy from the rough, common fold. Parades and open festivals of the fraternity were causes for great public attention. They provided the masses with opportunities to see important personages who would be otherwise unreachable. Section 2 Development During the Revolution. 1752 - 1792 Membership shifted from elite to common men as the American colonies, and later nation, became more democratic in outlook. Part of this transition was caused by the Grand Lodge disagreement between the Moderns and the "Ancients." Even though the external bases of this split, which originated in England, were elements of ritual, the author believes that social separation was a more significant cause. The Modems were prominent men of gentility. The Ancients: "...included many who lacked political power and social distinction." 3 For example, Benjamin Franklin, one of the first Masons in the new world, and at one time Grand Master of Pennsylvania, was not recognized by the predominantly Modem lodges when he returned from his service oversees. The Masons were even conspicuously absent at his funeral service. During the revolutionary war, Ancients were active in promoting military lodges. At that time the Modems were more favorable to the crown while the Ancients were more revolutionary. This book deals primarily with activities in the north-around Boston, Pennsylvania, upper New York, etc. - with little attention to Virginia, Charleston, or other prominent parts of the South. There is little attention given to the influence of Masonic thought on the creation of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, or the Bill of Rights. George Washington is not discussed in any length (possibly because he is documented in so many other publications). There is, however, mention of the early attempt at establishing a central Grand Lodge, with Washington as Grand Master as well as being a king, dictator, or at least president for life. Section 3 Republican Masonry 1790 - 1826 Masonry provided two forces significant in the formation of a new nation, namely broader opportunities for membership and an emphasis on morality and virtue. The movement of "common men" into the fraternity reflected an overall transition in the society of the new nation. Several forces were at play during this period. First, artisans, such as blacksmiths, carpenters, tailors, etc. demanded and received recognition as contributing citizens. Secondly, those men who lived in the frontier areas, outside the capitals, acquired political power. Officers in the Revolutionary Army were also received into the fraternity with respect, in spite of their background or wealth. "Fraternal membership and ideology helped bring high standing to a broad range of Americans, breaking down the artificial boundaries of birth and wealth. To men engaged in learned and artistic occupations, rural men with cosmopolitan aspirations, and even Boston's women and blacks, Masonry offered participation in both the great classical tradition of civilization and the task of building a new nation. Just as important, the fraternity also seemed to provide the leaders for these enterprises." 4 Freemasonry also began to be viewed as an institution emphasizing excellence in morals and virtue. DeWitt Clinton stated that its "principal attention" was now directed "to the cultivation of morality." "Masonry," he explained, "may now be defined as a moral institution, intended to promote individual and social happiness."5 There was an early suspicion of Freemasonry by the religious denominations. Baptists, Methodists, and later Presbyterians for a while viewed membership in the fraternity as contrary to their teachings. This separation was removed in time, as is stated below. Preference in business among Masons was quite common. An example is given of Henry Clay, who moved to Lexington, KY aided by Masonic ties. The same affiliation assisted in his arrival in the U.S. Senate. The "advanced degrees" of the York and Scottish Rites are considered as "competing" with the growth of the Blue Lodge. This book gives emphasis to the diverse ritual, without coverage of how they build on and amplify speculative Masonry. Section 4 Anti-Masonry and the Decline 1826 - 1840 The last section of the book deals with the Morgan affair and the political rebellion that centered around the lodge. The author implies that Masons quite possibly did kill William Morgan. Some brothers left the lodge and urged others to do so. He describes in some detail the positions of both sides in the scandal, in which each party considered themselves as the aggrieved one. Both groups accused the other of using their principles for personal gain. As an example of decline, in 1840 there were only 46 lodges in the Grand Lodge of New York compared with 228 lodges with fourteen under warrant in 1827. By 1884 Masonry was exhibiting extraordinary numerical growth. A major change in character, however had taken place. First, the emphasis on morality grew until Masonry actually embraced the Christian Religion. The relationship between the lodge and the church became close, as the fraternity adopted more specific Christian teachings. A more significant change was the loss of relevance to contemporary society. Albert Pike pointed out that post 1830s Masonry regained its membership at the expense of the qualities that allowed the earlier fraternity to command widespread awe. Bullock summarizes it this way: "The Jacksonian-era assault on Masonry domesticated it pushing it further into private life and taming its power as a very public symbol of the Republic and its values." 6 SUMMARY It almost seems irreverent to take exception to any part of such a scholarly and well-documented treatise such as this work. Dr. Bullock is to be highly complimented on the manner in which he addresses the subject, and the thoroughness of his research. This |