Gossip About Freemasonry;

GOSSIP ABOUT FREEMASONRY ;

ITS HISTORY AND TRADITIONS . A Paper read by Bro . S . Vallentine , P . M . and Z . No . 9 , tj the Brethren of the Albion Lodge of Instruction , 2 nd November 1 SS 9 .

rpiIERE has not been auy part of that which I am now - * - about to present to your notice that has caused mo so much difficulty as tho choice of its titlo . I havo had no intention to attempt tho production of an ambitious work ; my aim and hope has been to produce a

something which might , within certain limits , present somo small amount of intorest , sufficient to induce you to search some of those fields from which I havo culled so many of my " simples , " that yourselves may gathor and imbibe

somo of those I have passed by , strengthening that healthful Mason ' c tone you exhibit by your membership of this Lodgo of Instruction , and your honouring mo with your presenco this evening .

Of necessity 1 have beeu compelled to depend so largely on "information J have received , " that no better name than " Gossip" occurred to me ; it enables me , should i

fail to instruct , improve , or intorest you , as mayhap unfortunately may be the case , to appeal to yon not to be too censorious on my indulgence in—what so many are prone to , with less innocent intentions than mine—Gossip .

The History of Freemasonry presents a most interesting study to its followers ; the mystery that surrounds its foundations , the uncertain traces of its progress , thc changes that have taken place in the charactor of its ritual ; now a paro and simple system of allegiance to God , then

Jewish , then probably allied to Catholicism , then of a Protestant character , and now happily cosmopolitan . Yet notwithstanding its all importance ; notwithstanding the

benign influence of its teachings ; notwithstanding its sowing broadcast the seeds of Lovo , Charity , nnd Truth , those powerful factors in humanity and influencing tho affairs of mankind , thero is no art , no science , no discovery ,

no invention , no history , of which so Mtlo is known as is that of Freemasonry . It may be tiao that Freemasonry is a system veiled in allegory , but when we attempt to lift that veil wo find a seeming impenetrable darkness beyond it , tho sands that

have covered great cities and monuments of old aro bcing ^ removed , but tho light sufficient to enable us to traco thc early histoiy aid progress of our Order has not yet reached UP . Tho student of other arts and sciences has some glorious m < movies , that shine like star ? , guiding and encouraging him on his path , increasing his dovotion

to tho pursuit lie love ? . Tho painter can refer with glowing prido in his ait to his Apellcs ; the sculpfor to a Phidias ; Ihe geometrician to Euclid ; tho mechanician to Archimedes ; tho physician to Galen ; the lawyer to Justinian ; the orator to Dcmcstbenes ; tbo poet to Homer ;

but alas for ancient Freemasonry , ils history depends upon its traditions , and its traditions too often , often too justly , are regarded as fables . Of it rray bo repeated those lines in Ecclesintes , i . 11 , " There is no remombrance of

former things , " and doubtless many might add from the 8 th of the same Chapter , while thinking of much relating to our Order , " tho eye is not satisfied with seeing , nor the ear filled with hearing . "

As regards Freemasonry , from mediaeval periods to the present day , tho Masonic student is more fortunate , for thanks to the energy and perseverance of such writers as Gould , Hughan , Lano , Oliver , Sadler , and others , much of its history from those times is so delineated as to be more

easily qrasped by those who covet its possession . Bat thero aro still many crannies nnd many corners 'i which it would bo well if the light could roach . As to the commencement of the Order , and by whom it was founded and propagated , wo havo many

suggestions—Adam , the Patriarch ? , Solomon King of Israel , the ancient operative Masons , Cromwell , Charlc 3 Stewart , Sir Christopher Wren , and a long list of others . The most important theory , however , was ( and it was propounded , too , by men whose learning and whoso genius is beyond all doubt , and

whoso opinions demand respect ) that Precmasonry existed before tho creation . Dr . Oliver , one of the most devoted , erudite and lov-ng of Freernr-tons , writes : — " Aueiont Masonic traditions nay and think justly that our science existed before the creation of the globo , and was d lfuacd ; iniidst * e numeral ' sy-fcm s' ' which tb * grand twpy ^ 'uru

Gossip About Freemasonry;

of universal space is furnished . " Oar talented but erring and unfortunate Bro . Dr . Dodd , in a Masonic oration said , " Though it might owe to the wiso and glorious King of Israel somo of its many mystic forms and hieroglyphioal ceremonies , yet certainly the art itself is cooval with

creation , when tho Sovereign Architect raised on Masonic principles the beautiful globo , and commanded that master science geometry to lay the rule to tho planetary mould , and to regulate by its laws tho whole stupendous system in just unerring proportion rolling round the sun . "

Preston is of opinion that Masonry existed from the creation of the world . Mackay says , " Freemasonry is in its principles undoubtedly coeval with the creation , but in its origination as a peculiar Institution such as it now exists we dare not trace it further back than the building

of King Solomon ' s Temple . To Noah God was merciful , and to the Patriarch and his posterity was to be entrusted the knowledge of the truo God . " Smith , Grand Master of Kent , claims for Freemasonry an oxistonce at this same early period , aud quotes , referring to Paradise , the lines :

" Here , Masons first their secrets did impart , And to n ? anL"nd revealed their saored art . " From the extracts I havo read of tho opinions of Drs . Dodd and Oliver you will perceive tho importance attributed to geometry in tbe construction of this our

world . But they are not alone in these opinions . Josepbus writes , " Let no one upon comparing tho lives of tbe ancients with our lives , aud with the few years which we live , think that what we have said of them is falso , or make the shortness of our lives at present an argument that

neithar did they attain to so long a duration of life , for thoso ancients were beloved of God , and lately made by himself , and , because their food was then titter for the

prolongation of life , mig ht well livo so great a number of years ; and besides God afforded them a longer time of life on account of their virtue and the good use they made of it in astronomical and geometrical discoveries . "

The importance given to geometry reaches a high point of absurdity whon wo read that Boresius , a Chaldean writer , apparently well known to ancient , liisrVin'nno , o » y » , " sUo . iij after the creation there appeared , out of the Red Sea , an animal like a fish , called Oannof . This animal convorsed

with mankind m the daytime , and delivered to them tho knowledgo of various arts and sciences . Ho taught them to erect Temples , and instructed them in geometry . " Mackenzie says this fish was afterwards worshipped as the god Dagon , aud was also considered to bo

the whale of Jonah . I may hero nofcico that ono of tho Anglo-Saxon Gods represented a man standing on a fish . Whether this has any allusion to this particular fish must of course be but conjecture . Howover , tho god Dagon was represented as b ) ing half man , half fish . I may horonoto

that Ovid , iu his " Motamophoscs , " Fable i ) , Book 2 , represents Jupiter , after Heaven and Earth had been nearly destroyed by Phajton's powerlessncss to control tho Horses of tho Sun , as " surveying tho vast walls of Heaven , and carefully searches that no part impa i red by tho violence of the fire may fall to ruin . "

Grand Master Nimrod , as ho has been tetmed by some writers , is given by them as the first founder of Masonry . Ho is said to have sent GO Masons tu tho King of Ninoveh , his cousin , " and then was the Craft first founded there , and the worthy Master E iclid gave it tho name of

Georaetiy . " In this statement thero is somo little difficulty in reconciling dates , tbe period of Nimrod bjing about A . M . 2000 , aud Euclid not having boon born until about A . M . 3700 . But as I will show yon directly , dates appear hardly ever to havo been au obstaclo to tho old historian , aud particularly as regards this same " Master Euclid . "

Perhaps anciout Masonic records may havo contained more facts as to the connection between the f reemasonry of the Pro-Adamite and Adamito f > riods and geometry than now appear to exist , but . fire has proved a terrible enemy to the transmission of Masonic knowledge .

Freemasonry is said to havo been brought into England by the Monk Austin , sometimes called St . Austin , A . D . 597 , he probably beiug ono of the missionaries sent by Pope Gregory for tho conversion of England to the Catholic faith , although some writers havo claimed its introduction

for St . Alban A . p . 300 ; but for this I cannot find graver authority than tho old MS . statements which set forth that " St . Alban was a worthy ? light and steward of the king ' s household , and loved Masons wel 1 , ¦ id cherished tt n mu \ . a' ^ jr rr ' > their pay right goc 1 st * rV g " ?